The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-30
WITH HORSE AND WAGON.
Oae Way to Hunt tho RuRsd 9rouse-Ths
Worm In the Rabbit,

1T isn't exactly what might be called sports
manlike," said a Pike county hunter. but there
are lots OF people who haven't got q good bird
dog, and who couldn't hit a grouse on the wing
even If they had, but who feel that they ought
not to be deprived Of n bag Of birds OF their own
shooting Just because they can't afford a dog and
haven't the skill Of the expert wing shot, so
they smother what little lingering scruples they
may have and. at this time of year, 60 hunting
the ruffed grouse with . horse and wagon,
During the latter part OF September and the
middle Of October ruffed grouse have the habit
Of coming out of their covers and seeking the
wagon roads that pass through the woods. They
come out singly. In pairs, and frequently quite .
flock OF them together. Some Of these roads
are not much travelled, and these the grouse
frequent the most, although they do not hest
tate to come out into the turnpikes and other
roads where travel is considerable. No one
seems TO be able to explain the reason for this
universal exposing Of itself by this otherwise
shy and wary game bird at this season of the
year, any more than that other strange
freak OF the grouse flying into villages
In a dazed sort Of way later on In the
season can be explained. Some are OF the
belief that the birds are annoyed by the leaves
beginning TO fall from the trees and seek the
roads TO avoid II as much as they can, and that
rs the falling leaves become thicker and thicker
as the season advances, the annoyance TO the
birds becomes such that they are driven frantic
by 1t, and whirr away aimlessly in a sort Of
delirum, and, In their crazed fight, are as apt TO
enter towns and villages as to 20 anywhere else.
This is hardly a reasonable explanation. how
ever. The falling of the leaves is a natural oc-
currence, and natures creatures are used to
natures ways and never alarmed or annoyed by
them.
for seeking the old roads at this season. they
never fail TO appear there, and then the man
wagon is pretty apt TO iii his bag. Il doesn't
matter what sort OF wagon he has. but every
be bet rsn mSnt S SSt 20 o saN tSass r %iiI stand Sxss h shd nP ss yaI
rest your gun between his ears and IRE without
Pike county Ellis Just now Invariably puts the
i, he afraid Of a gun p.
III he Is, that horse won't be hired. The liv-
have among their stock horses that are warrant
ed 70 stand under a gun. The man who fails 10
pike county during the early fall months.
sili or not sy Is1 a.sss IL z he fo. so = fsSG of a nsn its Sn k ieas
along that road. and that man will be detected
Long before he gsts within gunshot- But the
seem to be able 10 connect danger with a horse
trotting along toward IL, and. will remain
until the horse Is quite upon II. and then merely
move to one side 20 get out OF the animals way.
30 it IL easy to SEQ what advantages the bird
offers to the gunner who goes forth with q horse
and wagon after 1t. He may choose his own
distance for hring upon it. aud, with a properly
constituted horse, he will have 10 be a pretty
bad shot II he doesn't get every bird he fires at.
Many birds are killed In this way every fall by
hunters who would never lessen the number OF
grouse In the Pike county woods by one bird II
they hunted over a dog.
Rabbits, also, come out iato old roads at sun
set when the cool autumn nights are with us,
to feed on the moist grass plots at the rOadsides.
A man with a gun sitting In hiding at such
places may knock over half a dozen cotton tails
almost any evening. But we don't shoot rab-
bits In Pennsylvania until they are Mt TO be
shot, and that isn't before November. / saw by
THE Sun the other daY that in New York State,
In one or two counties, rabbits may be shot be-
ginning with September, Any one who will
shoot rabbits In September can't have much
knowledge OF that little game animal, much
less eat one. He. ought TO notice that
every one he kills Is as thin as thin
can be. and that IL has no life or vim in running.
II he will investigate a little he will learn why
that L. Let him look Just back OF the rab-
bits shoulder, He will see a big bunch there.
Let him cut that bunch open and he will md an
ugly grub there half - long as his finger. That
is the grub OF = ny which punctures the rabbits
matches into the grub. and Ae grub lives on The
rabbit until the frost comes in the fall. and then
quits its snug boarding house. That Ii Is that
Keeps the rabbit thin and out Of all kind OF con-
dition early I'm the season. The moment the grub
leaves IL the oOttontAil begins to fatten and get
not before"