The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1896-01-16
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~ Nons Noe vnRo mixn Rank Amuns Field
Spmrts.
On September 1, when the season
son1nonsv opens, according to existing
AAsws. most of the chickens are bat two
fhirtas grown or lesa They are Just
sxchnuging their first feathers for tho
pIsanafRe Of msturity. Their wiaRs
are relatively weak, and, unless they
have previously been frightened, they
ARE nsually so indisposed to leave
rovcr that 1t is often necessary TO al.
sncst literally kick them from the
grass or svubble. Once In the air AN
Indifferent marlsman may cut them
down with tolerable certainty. Two
gums may commonly secure every bird
sDf Convey.
Under such circumstances chicken.
Shooting hardly takes high rank ia the
list Of field sports But month OF
two later, the moulting season over
and the young full grown, the prairie
hea ia hguratively as we'll as literally
d bird OF another feather 1t has be-
come more wary, though still lying
reasonably well; it5 flight is swift and
strong; Ii has learned the value of
scrub-oak patches and cornfields as
cover to be sought in an emergency; in
short, 1t has now become, in its full
November prime, q game bird worthy
tbe prOwess of any sportsman.
No one who has not the ardor of the
true sportsman thinks of going In pur'
suit Of this mature prairie hen. But
unfortunately, as have already init.
mated, a verithble host OF hunters
stand ready to assail the September
weaklings. The inevitable result IL
that the raulss of this splendid fowl are
being thinned at a rate that arouses
the indignation of every right-minded
person familiar with the facts. Fiji
teen years ago in favorable region
Dfthe Mississippi valley and westward,
there was no reasonable limit to the
bag an average sportsman with good
dog might make any day in the
Gall when he chose TO go out
on the prairies. The present season,
on revisiting this regions found
skilled sportsmen hunting all day long
over favorable fields and returning
with Eve or six chickens at most, some
times with none at all. Thus Is the
hardest and most prolific of our game
birds threatened with extipction on
the broad praries of the west, as it has
already been completely exterminated
throughout the east. And this despite
the fact that the prairie hen thrives
best in cultivated country, If prop
erly protected, tending constantly to
extend its range in the wake Of ciyiliza.
ton.
The wanton destruction OF our game
IS no new theme, hut It. is one on which
writer may well afford TO brave the
charge OF triteness. Regarding most
species. however, regrets arc vain, even
III natural. Large quadrupeds cannot
ordinarily exist in the environment Of
civilization.
different. Wherever there are meadows
aud oat fields OF reasonable extent il
can thrive, and will thrive If given d
fair living chance. Wheat is It's favor
tie cereal, it is true, but If need be it
soon learns to do without IL, as,
indeed, It's ancestors did for untold
centuries. Denied stubble of any kind.
Il proves it's adaptability by taking TO.
the corn and to the bean fields, and
oven to thickets of underbrush. And
la any and oil situations 1t lives mainly
on Rrasshoppers and other insects dur
ing the early part of the season, thus
accompanying the farmer many times
over for any gleanings it may make in
the grain fields later on -Harper's
Weekly.
The Convert.
IN II - kavrf.rt,