The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-21
HUNTING NEAR NEW YORK.
STATEN ISLAND AFFORDS FIVE
SPORT FOR GUNNERS
Rabbits are PIentirnI and The shore Rirss
viii Soon Furrish Fun-w oOdcock Cns
Ne shot Now-Sport with ssuirrets


ne shot Now-Sport with Squirrels.
There are probably in this city hundreds o
! people, especially youngsters. who have a CUR
| and are on the lookout for a days good rab
| bit hunting within easy distance OF the city, hui
| few OF them have any idea where they can gel
| the most fun. Staten Island Is an unknown
| land TO the average metropolitan gunner, OIL
though he may know Long Island and Jersey
we'll and yet 1t Is safe 10 say that this year al
all events there is more sport to the SQUARE inch
on the Mosquito Shore uplands and flats than
any other place within striking distance Of New
York. Rabbits and coons especially are numer-
Gus. and in another week or so, when the leaves
have been thlnned of and left the woods bare,
there will be good squirrel shooting. Last week
local gunner shot three coons within mile
near Huguenot.
As soon as the first snow flies there will be
sport among the rabbits on Staten Island. for
they are very plentiful There is one lane near
Giffords where they may be seen running along
the roadside almost any morning before 10
O'Clock, and further down toward Tottenville
the woods are full OF them. The great trouble
with the city gunner is that he does not know
how to get the best sport He may be good
shot but he Is generally not familiar with the
country and does not know where the most
likely spots are for game. and he often hns
"
work, and has been more or less spoiled by
the children during the summer, or one
that he borrowed and that does not
know him and will not work for him.
or is no good on earth for any one. The writer
had an experience last year with German who
had dog. which he declared was the finest in
the State on rabbits. A rabbit was soon found
the German fired and missed him. and the dog
went or after the rabbit barking. barking
barking. AS the sounds gradually were lost in
the distance his owner sat down under a tree.
and lighting cigar, said:
"Sit down. my friend, Fritz knows his bust
ness. II he does not catch the rabbit he will
come back. and then we will hunt some more"
That was his idea OF good rabbit dog. In
the mean time the brute had scared every rabbit
within two miles. and for six hours following
not rabbit was seen. a rabbit dog should be
mute and should not chase until told to do so.
Some farmers have dogs broken to implicit
obedience, and IL the gunner can strike one OF
these and make a combination with the farmers
boy upon the principle Of much for every
head seen shot, he will get plenty of sport.
But to do this he must make the acquaintance
of the farmer. These magnificent days for
walking. Let him take stroll either with his
gun or without. through the east side of the
island. and call nj two or three OF the small
farm houses and hotels and he will learn plenty
to pay him for his trouble. II he is the right as
sinilativc sort Of man he will get warm w,l-
come to 30 down and try his hand
Last year there was one New Yorker who
went over there and made arrangements with
one OF the farmers boys To go into the woods
twice week from the beginning of October and
throw around corn some of IL in the ear. and some
restricted to grass, &c, soon found the corn
and appreciated II so well that they came for
and had excellent sport, not for one day. only
but for several weeks. as he kept the boy feed
ing the rabbits right up to Christmas.
Tie shore birds are also good fun. IL after the
first hard frost n gunner will 90 down along the
east shore when northwest wind is blowing, and
get "a boat either Mt iifords. Pleasant Plains,
or TOttenNille. he will have good sport up the
Kills, especially at the Grent Kills There he
tn stay over night. Ducks, yellow legs. teal,
snipc, and curew are all to be- found there when
the weather is cold and II he does not know the
way to get them himself he can hire help to
show him.
woodcock even now are plentiful all along the
east shore. The writer was out last week with
out dog and managed to get seven In less than
three hours. the territory covered extending
Wiman's palatiai farmhouse. past tie Columbia
club house and mp Ia Annadale About the old
PSHG the hntn the b dance %
tramps' paradise, there ARE quantities of birds ~
all descriptions. and at the present time numbers
to see the squirrels well. except for Still-hunt-
ing around the numberless hickory trees
trees. principally the naples all along the shore
uplands and through the Woods Of Arden 50
trees turned Yellow and died. and Wherever this
has occurred it has cleared the foliage away.
Here and there in the Woods OF Arden there are
consequently spots where some good still hunt
ing can he done on squirrels by those who are
fond Of the sport. The farmers know enough to
rel one OF them sits down with his rifle in AN
easy position for aiming, md the other quietly
fellow viii, the bushy tail knows enough to Keep
I he trunk Of the tree between himself and any
single gunner, and will shin down the back 0f
the trunk, turning round it as the one gun
ner turns, and finally getting away. But
his poor little head is not developed enough
to know what tight fix he Is in when
two come after him at the same time The one
who is moving around goes on his way watching
for a chance shot and the squirrel ali his atten-
tion devoted TO that moving figure. goes round
In the opposite direction, not knowing that hei
bringing his whole gray or red little carcaSe into
full view Of that other man who Is sitting like "A
the quiet mans rifle and down comes the squir-
squirrel with anything but rife, One Danl
Boone used TO tell how his father would send
brought one back which was Iii anywhere else
but In the head lac used 10 get a lrking. which
tended 10 make him better ;!i shot next time,
the squirrels, and for the rabbits and general
game gun should be carried which has one bar
too close, and one that Is fairly well chOked 81
as to kill at distance. Permission can readily
be obtained to go over the ground.
An especial warning should be given concern
ing the large cranes, or herons, found round the
ponds. These are big fellows with a wing
spread Of about six feet, and standing about
four feet high on their long legs. Very hand
some birds they are too. These fellows when
have a trick OF lying with the head
with its sharp heak pressed back on the tail as
II the neck were broken. The wary gunner will
act cautiously toward such a bird and put an
other barrel into IL. for II an attempt is made TO
pick II up alive, the snake-like eyes will follow
his every movement, and them when the gunner
IS within striking distance, the long neck will
stretch like a fash OF blue lightning and the
lrak will strike the face 40 near the eye that