The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-31
THE GAME SEASON OPENED.

Inc season Tor grouse shooting opens
tomorrow. Sportsmen will welcome it. of
course. and yet the enlargement of the
game season that comes in August, for
grouse tomorrow and for ducks the 18th
inst, has Its drawbacks to humane and
philanthropic observer of civilization on
the Pacific coast. On the 9th ult., on
Lopez island, man was accidentally shot
through the left lung by a boy mistaking
him for deer. With the enlargement
of the game season the number
Of persons whose identity will be
confused with that of some beast of the
forest or fowl of the air will naturally in
crease. From reading our local exchanges
We feel satisfied that four hunters out of
twenty. who go out in search of grouse or
duck, will disappoint their neighbors If
they do not before the season closes bring
home "big game" 1t is a cold year for
sport when some enthusiastic hunter
doesn't bag his father, his brother, his
cousin, his brother-in.law, or his next
friend before the close season comes.
The enthusiastic hunter may not always
bring home the carcass of blood relation,
but it is poor year for sport if he does
not have at least one of his wife's kin in
his bag. The capacity of the average
hunter on this coast to bag one of his own
family whenever he goes out shooting is
so thoroughly established that hunter
who does not shoot at least one of his
wife's relations or settled minister for a
deer before the season closes is looked
upon with distrust by his neighbors; as
rather wanting in the proper spirit Of a
man, and not tit to be trusted with gun.
The disappearance of big game" at the
West is the melancholic criticism of our
free institutions by the English tourist
and other imported pot-hunters that
straddle our country from East to West
looking for "big game" as Mark Twain
said sin regions where there was nothing
but 'seven-up.'" The pensive sportsman.
who leans upon his rifle and sadly specu-
lates upon the near prospect when the elk,
the Rocky mountain sheep, the ante
lope and the bear will be extinct
ought to come to this Coast, which, unless
the habits of the people change, will
always be paradise for persons in search
of 'big game" There ought to be new
nomenclature for Large game" in these
parts. No sportsman of spirit should be
content TO talk about snipe. grouse, pleas
ants, geese and ducks. lie ought TO be
ahle, when asked what luck. TO answer
proudly, Zone brother-in-law, a brace of
cousins; | wing-tipped my father and
| knocked all the tail feathers out of my
youngest boy. bat they both got away"
1t must he q chronic grief and ceaseless
sorrow 10 the average sportsman that, as a
rule, the women Of the family seldom care
TO hunt and never ike to be hunted.
| Otherwise a man who was fond of big
game and wanted "a quiet life would invite
his mother-in-law 10 go hunting. and man
age - bag the old lady before sunset. fla
man had two strings to his bow he could
invite his second best girl 10 GO hunting,
and then il accordance with the custom
and habit Of the country he could shoot
her and marry the surviving competitor
/ for his affections
II women went hunting here II would
simplify the proceedings of the divorce
I courts. Instead of \ divorce with all its
I disgusting testimony on both sides there
/ would only be coroner's Inquest The
/ hunter would testify that he invited his
( wife 20 go hunting and that in accordance
/ with the custom and habit of the country
! he mistOok her for q rlock Of quail and
J hence these few tears. Or Miranda could
/ come before the coroner with the BODY of
! her Ferdinand hung over her shoulder
/ and say that she and her husband went
/ out hunting together and she mistook him
/ ter az Elk and shot him, snd felt il her
| duty 10 bring the body OF her dead dear
! into court.
! There IS no doubt about il; this is the
/ country for big game" The elk. the
/ nuledeer, the biacktaiI, the bear and the
| cougar may become extinct; the elankjng
! cry Of the wild goose may no longer be
/ heard, but the. tame goose Will continue
To so hunting and bring in big game"
| Sometimes he may XII his wite's rels-
| uons; sometimes rather than come home
with al empty bag he may pot his own;
| sometimes he may kill his lie. ghbor's old
est boy; sometimes if hard pressed for
| big game" he NAV shoot the new min
lister TIE night before his Iirst donation
| party. AMI sometimes he may shoot his
| Winchester over the barn and kill his
| grandmother Sometimes rather than
= seem - be false 10 the best traditions OF