Omaha daily bee., 1895-03-10
TINE OF THE CUNNER'S IDYL
a Short Disquisition on Various Members Of
the Family Of Wild Fowl.
BREEZY GOSSIP WITH The BASE BALL FANS
with Trotter and Paccr-City League Meet
ing-whcel whisperlngs and Local
Sport of All Shades
aud Kinds.

impatient and ambitious hunters have |
been out, and while few have succeeded in |
baggng few lean pin tails, a stray mallard |
or two and a limited number OF Hutchins |
geese and speckled fronts, the majority have |
met with naught but hunters luck" The |
OLD standbys, however, who always keep their |
weather eye peeled for the one chance are |
In the main contenting themselves with their
preparations for forays when the proper time |
comes. Boats are to be hauled out, over |
looked and recalked; rubber boots to be |
patched, shooting duds to be mended shells |
guns and other accoutrements to be inspected |
ana hundred other interesting details to be |
attended to, all of which amounts to almost |
as much In the way of enjoyment to the |
truo sportsman as the active experiences in
the marsh.
The first ducks that come up from the
south In the springtime invariably the
pintails (Anas Acuta). In the eastern states
and even as far west as the Illinois river
this duck Is called the sprig or spiketail
but out here he is known alone as the pin
tail. The period Of his appearance depends
largely upon the weather, and he generally
rides In on storm Of rain or snow or sleet.
ana this year he came with the rain storm
we enjoyed ten days or so ago. Later.
when the signs of breaking weather are more
decided he is to be found much in the COM
pany OF the mallard, the widgeon and the
teal, although he rarely makes journey
with any other than his own kind They
are beautiful bird and while not as gaudy
every whit as graceful, and if it wasn't for
the prevailing prejudice against him as to
mis- table qualifications, he would be every
bit as popular with the sportsmen. The
pintaiIs pumage Is soft and mild, har-
monious blending Of greenish browns grays
and dull yellowish lines. They make their
semi-annual migration in immense fiocks fly
Ing high and with immense velocity. They
are great bird for open prairie lands or
vast expanses Of shallow and mucky water
and while this Is true in the main, they are
also exceedingly fond of waters whether
standing or swiftly flowing, that are to be
round In the various heavily timbered dis
trcts of the country They are, like the
mallard, fond Of acorns, and will leave the
water, and march off in the woods a mile or
more In search of this favorite and nutritious
nut. The pintail is the least crafty of all
the wild fowl. unless it be the repulsive
spoonbill, decoy splendidly and are the easiest
killed Of any of the duck family. In the
spring they are most always lean and ca
daverous, owing to their long journey north
and their restless natures, but in the fall |
have killed them as plump and tempting as
the best fed mallard. They can fly longer
without rest than any bird l know of, unless
1t is the wild goose and carrier pigeon.
The mallard, canvasback, ruddy. widgeon.
goldeneye, butter ball and teal are not long
In the wake Of the pintai and when once
these birds come in it will be but short
walt before the others come struggling after
The canvasback (Aythya Vallsneria) of
course is the king of the wild fowl family
monarch OF both wave and sky. He is
larger by pound or more than any of his
congeners, and commonly rated as the great
est table bird in the world. 1t would cost
you five dollar bill for broiled canvasback
In John Chamberain's famous Washington
restaurant today, and they often command
as high price as 500 dozen, undressed. in
the eastern markets. The ancient idea that
the canvasback in all the glory of his gas
tronomic attractiveness could only be found
along the Atlantic seaboard has long since
been exploded. l have killed them on the
chesapeake, In lllonis and Wisconsin, but
have yet to find them anywhere so plentiful
as here in Nebraska, or of any finer quality.
They are, next to the drake mallard, the
handsomest bird of all, and an old cock is
surely a thing of beauty and Joy forever.
His head Is elongated and soping, of a rich
cinnamon hue, while the body is compact as
shapely as perfection itself, and with his
ash-coored wings and snow-whie body
makes a picture, indeed, for the sportsman
eyes. The canvasback speed of wing bor-
ders on the incredible. He can reel off his
hundred miles an hour and seldom drops to
slower gait than half of this, when on even
the most unpretentions errands. They are
quick-sighted and extremely wary, and yet
they decoy magnifcently, especially to
large stool of counterfeits. They are hardy
and rugged and necessarily difficult to kill
The redhead (Anas Ferina) is closely allied
and acts like him, yet in construction an6
every other way is distinctly different Al
to his table qualities he ranks favorably will
the canvasback and mallard, indeed, properl,
served 1t would require a most thorough con
noisseur to distinguish any one Of these birds
from the other. The redhead, too, has
move on him like a bullet, and the sudder
arrival OF a flock sometimes is almost enough
to make hiding gunner jump into the lake
The swish Of their wings as they dart owe
blind and decoys is something remarkable
The redhead is a veritable gourmand. HI
dotes on wild celery, tender shoots an,
grasses aquatic bulbs and smartweed anC
while his appetite is Unsuitable he is laz,
and indolent and would rather fight tn
canvasback and bluebill for a part of tn
harvest Of their labors than hunt and worl
Tor 1t himself 1t is in the spring that thi
bird visits this region the most penteously
In the fall they are invariably scarce.
The mallard (Anas Boschas) is not onl
the most familiar bird OF all the wild fow
genus, and i might add without fear 0
contradiction, the most popular among larg
majority Of sportsmen, and quite deserved
so, too. They are not as large by pound O
two as the canvasback neither are they a
agile on the wing as either the canvasbac
or the redhead. Still they can get on
respectable gait when they have busines
object in view and can cleave the air wit
sufficient celerity to suit the taste of tn
most fastidious gunner. They are one
and love TO haunt the muddy shadows wher
the smartweed and other choice feed mos
abounds. They make most capital sport
such places, as they can be stake
within easy range In their tangl
covert and make beautiful shootin
when jumped. They are also great decoyeI
and there is no bird shot from a blind tina
can take the glorious mallard's place. Their
Is one species Of shooting these birds that
unknown here. and that is timber shooting
In the oak fats along the lovely Illinois an
ksnk kee rivers this sport is unrivaed. The
are inordinately fond of acorns, upon whic
they fatten quickly, and at the right tim
the timber shooting surpasses that OF an
other kind. Like the geese they are ais
partial to field feeding, and once the gunnt
strikes favorte ground OF this kind he
certain OF a well filled bag. They are one
the most delightful table birdie, and next
the canvasback is most sought after by II
gourmets OF the fashionable eastern restsu
ants. Generally, particularly In the fal
malard shooting in this western countr
equals that OF any region on the globe.
Like the mallard the green and blu
winged teal (Anas Crecca and Anas Dscor
Is partial to low waters and muddy swail
yet the green-wing frequently haunts Il