The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-02-09

fm Nuicn Songregate He
tween the Red River Valley and tn. Mis-
sissippi-shooting Does Not Appear to
Diminish Their Number.
Wild goose hunting on the plains of
the northwest is a sport which always
has great charm even for the expert
enced Nimrod. 1t is a sport replete
with incident and a recreation which
must once be INDUCED in to he thor
oughly appreciated. The wild goose is
known in all parts of North America.
but in no section of the country does
this bird appear in such numbers as in
that territory lying between the Red
river valley and the Missouri river.
There the geese swarm in countless
numbers and become corpulent on the
grains of No. 1 hard which have been
shaken from the stalk by the reaper and
are lying in the stubble everywhere.
Large numbers of the birds are killed
by resident hunters and for eastern
markets, but no apparent diminution is
noticeable in the size and number of
the hocks to be seen when the shooting
season begins each year.
An hours lively sport with the hon
kers on the whearields of North Da-
kota means but n, thing to the mex
perienCe2 hunter and that is something
for his pains, especially if he happens
10 get in Il well concealed stand direct
ly in the line Of III ut. Then il is moth
ing uncommon -ur him 10 tumble
over a wagon Load If geese in very
short order. Wild geese are "A staple
commodity in North Dakota aud read
lily bring from $3.50 To 81 per dozen
during the shooting season. In the lit
tie towns and stations along the North
ern Pacific railway. during the fall and
spring flights. almost everybody turns
out for a few hours in the morning and
toward the close of the day to shoot at
the geese, and a right warm reception
are the birds treated 10. MANY will
] q 10 the outskirts of the town and
shoot from "a buggy or wagon at the
passing myriads overhead and occasion
ally bring down "a bird at long range.
The hunter who = ont for business
and Is shooting Tor market and the
money there l. in il drives ont 10 or
Is miles over til prairie several fuulS
before daylight. and after selecting d
spot where the geese have b.nu .a.u i'm
great numbers the day hrtur. li-- IA
pit in the ground iar-s .-.H-l t1 CON
ceal himself aul arrua. III, atr.., ~
grass about III" mouth 90 Il 800 as Ia .g.-
sent IA natural appearance. Clio" -
he plants his decuys and settles la.: in
the pit and ~aHziou-ly awaits the cuas-
lFr IF tho fFRpTrfrH.r Il - ..rTT .F.,H-
hut from every quarter IF ia" prairie
come sounds of animal life which fore
tell the coming Of a new day. The
mournful cry of the curlrw l. heard
overhead, and a flock of pluver demon
strate their close proximity by the hur-
Ting noise IF their wings.
For some time he sits in a cramped
position, listening To the booming notes
OF aprairie chicken, which bird is pour
ing forth "A volume of drumlike sounds.
The sharp yeip of a coyote not far away
Is unmistakahle evidence that that
thriving, skulking animal has Jumped
up a cotton tail and is hustling for an
early breakfast. At the first peeping of
the gray lawn the hunter suddenly
hears a welcome sound-the faint and
PARKWAY honk-honk of the goose. He
examines his gun and notes the direc-
ton of the sound. Nearer and nearer
the sound comes. and finally he ven
lures to take "A peep out OF the pit and
the distant outlines of a large
spread out V shared in the morn
ing sky, bearing off to one side. APP
psrently they have not seen the decoys. :
the hunter thinks il is yet too dark.
Suddenly h leader is seen TO waver,
and with loud cries the flock turns and
circles around the decoys as if suspn-
cious of their g~enuineness, but drawing
nearer at each turn. They have APP
preached within easy shooting distance,
and Just as 500 as the flock pitches
among the decoys the loud bang.
bang! of a heavily loaded shotgun is
beard, and two puifs of smoke are seen
coming apparently from the surface of
The earth "A short distance away. Sew
sral geese are lying on the ground, and
is skimming away over the prairie
a tipped wing.
Some other iooks appear. and the
becomes lively until the sun
. fully two hours high, when the focks
diminish, both in size and number, and
the exception of a few stragglers
he morning fight is over.
Crystal Springs is the nance of a small
tation on the Northern Pacific, 30 miles
V0t Of jamestown, n. ID. There are
small alkali lakes in close prox-
nifty to the station nd a number of
pgirgs in the hills near by, from which
- place gained its name. The town
consists of a depot, boarding
,cuse and water tank and a population
vt exceeding 10 souls. One April
morning a few years OF so since the
writer, in company with the telegraph
,qsrstor NJ the place, sailed forth in