Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-05-31
cI1IPMUNK HUNTING.
a Sioux Indians "Reminiscences of
His Boyhood's sports.

a Sioux Indians Rcmfnfscenccs of
His Boyhood's Sports.
Perhaps the most enjoyable Of all
was the chipmunk hunt. We killed
these animals at any time of the year,
in March. After the first thaw, the
chipmunks burrow hole through the
snow crust and make their first mp
penrance for the season. Sometimes
us many as fifty will come together,
and chase one another all about the
scene. These gatherings occur only
early in the morning-from daybreak
to about 8 o'clock. --~--
We boys learned this among other
secrets of nature, and got our blunt
headed arrows together in good season
for the chipmunk expedition. We gem
orally went in groups of six TO dozen
or fifteen, to see which would get the
most. On the evening before we select
ed several boys who could initiate the
chipmunk call with wild oat straws.
and each of these provided himself with
n supply of straws. The crust will
hold the boys nicely at this time Of
tho year. Bright and early they all
come together Mt n certain appointed
place, from which each group starts
out in different direction, agreeing
to meet somewhere at n certain position
of the sun.
My first experience of this kind is
still well remembered. 1t was n fine
crisp March morning. and the sun had
not yet shown itself among the dis
tant tree-tops, as we hurried along
through the woods until we arrived ut
Il place where there were many signs
of the animal. Then each of us selected
n tree, and took up his position behind
it. The chipmunk caller sat upon n
log ns motionless as lie could, and
began to call. Soon we heard the pat
ter of little feet on the hard snow;
then we saw the chipmunks approach
ing from all directions. Some stopped
and ran up a tree or a log. as il uncer-
tain of the direction of the call; 9TH
crs chased one another about.
III few minutes the chipmunk caller
was besieged by them. Some ran all
over his person, others under him,
and still others ran up the tree against
which he was sitting. Each boy re-
manned immovable until their leader
gave them the signal, then shout arose
and the chipmunks in their flight all
| ran up different trees.
little creatures seemed to realize their
hopeless position; they would endeavor
to come down the trees and flee away
from the deadly aim of the youthful
hunters. But they We're shot down
| very fast; and whenever several of
them rushed toward the ground, the
little redsllin hugged the tree and yelled
frantically SO as to scare them up
again! Each boy shoots always against
the trunk of the tree, SO that the arrow
may bound back to him every time,
otherwise when he had shot away all
of them, he would be helpless. and an
other, who had cleared a tree, would
come and take away his game. So
there was no warm competition. Some.
times n desperate chipmunk would
jump from the top of the tree in order
! to escape, which was considered joke
on the boy from whose tree 1t had
escaped, and triumph for the brave
little animal. At last all were killed
or gone, and then we went on to an.
other place, keeping up the sport until
the sun came out, and the chipmunks
refused to answer the call.-St. Nicho-
| las.