The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-31
,,vR1ADs OF WILD GEESE.
onootipg along the Roanoke River in
North Carolina.
From the NeV York World.


From the NelU York World.
ho,orr n. c., Jan. 24.-There are
probably greater number OF northern
i,,,rtsmen i'll the forests and along the
-tuoor,s of the southern country this winter
~ +bara has been during previous seasons
e. many wears past. This is particularly
Iot4;ceahle in the Roanoke region; for, while
Iooi i[-or of the rod and reel seeks the fish
!ue .trasms of Northern Florida, the vota-
iH 70 of the gun appear to gravltate TO the one
Iliiioctive pcint-the feedit g grounds OF tho
~ iyyi GOOSE on the Roanoke river-and with
- Aret appearance of the frost the resonant
y uo bonk can be heard everywhere on the
+roam. Wild geese congregate here In vast
t,,,,ohers to feed on the berries, nuts and
- Tvaeds which grow in great abundance
s,n1g either bank In the early morning,
eGicb is regarded as the best time TO shoot
IN, tbev swarm into the lagoons and
Flaws that indent the shore, and the noise
-, make can be heard at a considerable
~ The wild goose of this country is
magnificent bird, with Plumage of mixed
beok and gray, and Is exceedingly TAT and
I'm There are few natives who do not
~ mon the downiest Of beds made from
hs feathers.
While the equipments of the sportsmen
"a NOT so elaborate and expensive, and the
Savicss and appliances for taking this noble
MA 50 numerous as the ingenious methods
omnloyed by the hunters on the famous
Jncki1g grounds Of the Susquehanna. the
snort is equally as exciting and fascinating
IA Possesses many advantages not enjoyed
in dnck shooting. In this region the sports
nan docs not encounter the frigid tempera-
90 characteristic of the Susquehanna,
,rb;cb as every one knows who has had
ernerjence in duck shooting, sometimes
renders the situation anything but pleas
ant and comfortable. From an economical
noiat. the cost of an outfit for wild goose
Shooting is comparatively small. Here, II
q gentleman desires to enjoy few hours
tho ting in the early morning and has no
eouipments of his own, native Will fur
nlsh the outfit and give his services free,
acting as guide and troller. The goose
feeds closer in shore than the duck, which
greatly facilitates the securing of wounded
birds. and as the feeding grounds as gen
eral thing are easy OF access the sport is
free from those annoying inconvenience
which the hunter occasionally encounters
in duck shooting.
There Is very little pot hunting carried
IN exceDt in a few isolated cases, where it
occurs in the unfrequented sections of the
stream, and even then the offender, If
caught, is severely punished by the natives.
They prize the feathers OF the bird too
highly to permit the great f1Ocks to become
demoralized by any illegitimate means, and
woe be to the netter, or the demon of the
nine knot" as the pot hunter is known in
native parlance, if he is caught at an I'M
seasunable hour along shore with suSpi-
Hooking bundle of pine spiuters and
box of matches about his person. There
are two methods employed in shooting the
wild goose which are recognized as
legitimate, and which, indeed, afford
rare sport to him who is an ex
pert with the gun. One is the
'steering' and the other the floating
island Ia the former the hunter, with
his guns land he usually has two double
barrelled onesl, takes up position IN am
bush among the thick bushes close to the
shore The ''steerer," who knows the
habits of the bird and is acquainted with
every inch of the river, with his light canoe
goes about quarter of mile up stream.
Taking his seat in one end. he sits like
statue, guiding the canoe by long. thin
bladed paddle, which he dexter0usly twists
with his hand, and so quickly and easily
is the movement made that not even
ripple is created upon the sur
face of the water. Down the stream the
canoe A ats with the current, its occupant
as rigid and silent as death ITSELF. Coming
near flock ,theloud Tapping of wings sounds
like the rushing of wind, and the familiar
houk, honk indicates that they are prepar-
ing to move forward before the approach
ing object. The "steerer'' does not attempt
to pierce the center of the flock, but directs
them by flank movements. The whole
flock slowly moves off, the "steerer" reg
ulating the speed of his canoe by a simple
turn Of is wrist. Having previously sta
toned his sentinel" as he calls the am
pushed sportsman, he brings the whole
OK to within about thirty or forty yards
Of the shore, when suddenly he snatches up
bis gun from the bottom of his canoe and
discharges it into tie water.
This Is the signal for operations to begin
from on land, and the bang, bang, has for
an Instant thrown the flock into confusion,
butqulckly recovering, it rises V shape, and
sails gracefully away; not, however, before
the bang, tang Of the second gun has car
RED death to some Of them, who rapidly
descend with q whirl and futter into the
water. No decoys are required. The whole
mock will move off at the approach OF any
qliet object in the water, aud singular to
relate, can be 'steered" in almost any
direction. The floating island" method
Is almnly q counterfeit of the well
known Susquehanna sink-box, although the
naive makes his contrivance out of a raft
u HSAt lumber, aud having numerous holes
IN the boards constructs dense ambush Of
nuShes and twigs, and floats at will right
!hto the unsuspectiDg flock. "String shoot
nag, tina; is shooting at long range when
.1e oirds are in single column, and moving
swiftly away after they have been fright
ened, hnds favor with some, although it
requires skilled marksman to make even
lar exhibit Of his spoils.
:. mere are quaint Hooking log cabins, with
tne Inevitable mud chimney, at short inter
vas along the river, where the hunter can
pass the light if desired, so as to be pre-
paIe1 ior an early morning hunt Here he
ean enjoy the genial warmth of an oak
wooa hre that sparkes and sputters in the
open fireplace, he can slumber calmly and
lcaceiully IN the most luxurious bed OF
soOse-aown, while the watcher smokes
n.s veteran pipe OF clay or dozes in the
vnllnhey corner, and rise refreshed and H.
o ,ated IN the morning to partske Of an
sppeuzng breakfast If excellent coffee.
not pone bread and Laked goose.
IHlNGs ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM