River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-02-14
AFTER RABBIT AND SQUIRREL.
Peculiaritles of These Animals Known to
Observing Sportsmen.


With the ripening nuts and falling
leaves of October comes the season for
shooting rabbit and squirrel. TO the
veteran gunner, now well advanced in
years, these branches of the sport are
particularly attractive. He has passed
the period when a day of thrashing
through thick alders and bog under
brush for woodeock and grouse, or
coursing over miles of heather and
stubble after a wandering covey of
quail, is a pleasure unalloyed. For
him the quieter, slower and more gem
tie phases of cunning acquire new
charms, and he sees as never before
the host of pleasures and profit that
attend days rabbit or squirrel shoot
ing.
He will find himself launched in
pursuit now where speed, activity, and
strength are at discount and moder-
alton and stealth and observation are
at high premium. If he decides to
hunt B'rer Rabbit, and takes a dog
along, he will pick out one of the nu-
merous smootn-worn little paths with
which the thickets around warren
abound, and send the pup in to start
up the game. Singularly enough the
rabbit, although one of the MIN blest
and most agile of wild creatures, never
leaps fence or hedge, however low it
may be, If there is the slightest possi-
bilitv for him to find some crevice or
opening through which to creep. He
will run for a long way along a ram
bling two-foot stone wall. anxiously
peering for a gateway, though he
could cross with great ease. This hab-
IL makes it simple work to hunt him.
The gunner merely waits and watches
by one of these little paths, while his
dogs run through the bushes scar
ing up the cotton-tails. Sooner or
later the frightened bunny is sure
to scamper down that particular
road and meet his death. He is feet,
and II requires a good shot to bag him
when he is on the dead jump, and lit
tie distance away. An anxious lookout
for the dog must always be kept, too,
lest he be running hard on the rabbits
trail and receive part or all of the
charge Many have no dog, and are
still able to bag a goodly number of
rabbits in days shooting by stealthily
creeping up on them feeding or play
ing at some distance from their bur-
rows When hunter comes on feed
ing cottontail and can only get shad-
owy glimpse of the two long ears
through the weeds, sharp, shrill
whistle will often cause him to start
and rear up on his launches to see
what caused the noise. This gives a
momentary opportunity to aim. 1t is,
however, considered rather unsports-
manlike if man understands shooting
a. all well, to take advantage of such
a chance to shoot the animal when mo-
tionless. Killing him on the run, or
when jumping, is considered fair play,
and requires all the skill of a practiced
wing shot on birds.
The squirrel haunts different sort
of region. He clings to the tall timber
and heavy woods, only coming out into
the orchards and fields for a short
time after dawn to feed. At this sea-
son a grove of nut trees, chestnuts,
hickories or oaks, viii be the popular
resort Sometimes a score of bushy-
tailed grays will be busy collecting
mast in clump of oaks, and a dozen
men who did not understand squirrel
hunting might pass directly beneath
the same trees and never dream of the
game so near by. Merely tramping
through the woods with gun on ones
shoulder, looking for game is not good
hunting. The knowing hand looks
the ground all over beforehand. He
has seen squirrel signs about the place
before he has been in the shadow of
those trees five minutes. Bits Of half
eaten nuts, gnawed shells and bitten
things, more or less fresh, tell lin as
plainly as if in writing that the chat
tering rascals have lately been at
work. He notices the group of oaks
well laden with acorns, and sitting
down on rock or fallen tree he
calmly waits developments. His pa
thence will meet with certain reward.
Soon his quick ear will catch the pat
tering of bits of bark and shells on the
dead leaves; subdued smack will
come from lofty tree. and soon sew
eral audible gatherings break on the
air. A limb far overhead sways and
another bends as if under a sudden
added weight, and among the swaying
scarlet foliage chances bunch of gray.
Bang. One fat squirrel is bagged, and
the watcher changes his position, TAX
ing his stand under a different tree.
and ere long the alarm that scattered
the survivors will have subsidized and
conversation and labor in the tree tops