The Van Buren press., 1894-10-27
PlCkEREL SHOOTING.
A Novel Sport Combining Hunting with .
Touch of Angling.


A Novel Sport Combining Hunting with .
Touch of Angling.
Late in August the piclserel loses his
savage appetite, and is disposed to lie
torpid for hours among the weeds and
grasses in shallow water. The most
artful devices in these times often fail
TO arouse in him any signs of activity.
Minnows, frogs, salt pork, red flannel,
and the grandiest and brightest Of
trolling spoons may be alike tried in
vain Under all conditions of lake
and wind and sky the big-jawed fell
lows cling to their lairs sullen
and inert. The country boys
long ago learned how to take advan-
tage of this sluggishness on the part
of the fish, and while older anglers
trollcd and skittered and cast and
"still-fished' without reward the
urchins would bring in at sunset some
of the biggest pickerel in the pond.
This they did by snaring With a long,
not too flexible rod cut from an alder,
short, stout line, and running
moose of fine copper wire they could
lift out the very best ones. They
would slip the moose carefully over the
tail of the unsuspecting fish and pass
1t along till it hung just back of the
pectoral fines when quick, firm pull
would land the victim on shore.
From the native Indians in colonial
days the settlers learned to spear the
pickerel in the early autumn days. A
practiced hand and an accurate eye are
needed for this sport. At night the
savages did the most successful spear
ing. drifting along The shores with
torch-lit bows and uplifted lance. But
now the laws of most of our states
strictly forbid the use of the spear at
any time, and, except among poachers
and greedy market fishermen, the Gus
tom has fallen into disuse. But the In
dians had another mode of staying the
pickerel which required even more con-
summate skill. That was with the bow
and arrow. Only the most expert bow
man could take fish under water in
this way, and the pioneers, after try
ing in vain to handle the ruder weapon,
made use of their flint-lock guns with
great success Since then it has been
favorite sport among good rifle shots,
though known to or practiced by but
few. No prettier shooting than this
may be found.
From now until the ice covers the
rivers and lakes anyone may try the
trick. and few lessons will give him
considerable proficiency if he has been
used to handling rife. You may
either paddle along the shore with
canoe or skiff and shoot toward land,
or, with good pair of wading boots,
you may skirt the strand, stalking the
game from behind the screening osiers
and alders on the bank. The former
method, while it offers less steady foot
ing for shooting, is easier, and allows
one to secure his game when killed
with far less cxertion.
In early morning or early afternoon
will be the times to set out, for at noon
the glare of the sun is intollerable,
and its simmer on the surface blinds
and dazzlees the eye. Choose the side
of the pond or stream toward the sun,
for then the shadow of the trees OF
hills will darken the water and give
you a clear view. Keep close to the
edge and paddle very quietly along
shore, peering sharply ahead under ali
sunken logs in the patches Of waving
water grass and among the rushes that
droop here and there. In the shadow
of lily pad they often lie for hours
doing or watching for prey. 1t is ar
easy thing to overlook the dull brown
back of old Esox reticulatus, as the
long -winded scientists call the fish, OF
to mistake it for root or water-logget
limb.
If he is lying three feet or more be
low the surface it is idle to shoot. Sc
great is the resistance of the watel
that it requires great experience and ;
good aim to kill fish at even two
foot depth. The most vital spot in thu
fish is just above the gills and about al
inch below the back. A bullet il
that place will always break tn,
back bone. Where the great art come
in is in gauging just how far below th'
| fish to aim in order to hit this spot
You will soon learn that aiming direct
ly point blank at any object under wa
ter is worse than useless. You will
only overshoot, owing to the glancin,
of the bullet upward as it strikes tn
water. The nearer you are to the leve
of the water when you fire the create
will be this divergence. The straighte
down you aim the less you need ALLOW
for the glancing of the lead.
The rifle should not be of too heav.
a caliber, and thirty-eight will b
found most satisfactory and com
Portable gauge. Use heavy charge
A long bullet of even the lightest cali
bre will be found far more effectiv
than the largest size of short ones
holding its initial course more evenly
and offering the least surface resist
ance.-N. Y. Sun.