Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-10-28
RABBIT STALKING.

Rabbit stalking is essentially an
early autumn sport, although rabbits
may be shot all the year round.
The best way to get near rabbits
and to be certain of knocking over
young one, is to stalk them and kill
them sitting. This is sport which con-
sists in the exercise OF skill and judg-
ment, required to take the best adj
vantage of the ground and get within
shot.
"As boy used to be famous for
crawling on my stomach from one end
of the meadow to the other, holding
the gun in one hand, with the muzzle
pointed in front, says one well-known
sportsman, and this, in fact, is very
good method OF warfare.
In stalking much depends upon OBJ
servation of the animals movements.
When it is cropping the grass, with
its ears laid carefully back, you may
advance cautiously, but surely, safe
in the convict on that, intent upon its
repast, it pays little attention to
sounds not especially obtrusive.
But when, after taking good
mouthful, it lifts its head to chew and
swallow it, up go its ears at the same
time, aud you had better remain per-
fectly still until it begins to feed
again, for this is its period OF watch
fitness, when the slightest noise, the
mere swapping of twig, would send
it off far out of your reach.
1t sometimes happens that from the
shape of the ground it is impossible to
come within fair shooting distance,
and q rabbit sitting requires to be
harder hit than rabbit running, be-
cause when crouched up the vital parts
are protected by the limbs and the
folds of the skin. When such is the
case, it is a good plan to attract the
animals attention when feeding by
some slight movement; for then, with
out becoming sufficiently alarmed to
make off at once, it will endeavor to
discover whence the noise arises by
raising itself up on its hind legs and
so offer q more vulnerable mark.
Rabbits with young ones come out
almost always early in the morning
and the evening. To catch rabbit
alive, by suddenly bouncing down
upon it when it is munching away at
tuft Of grass, is even a feat possible
to skillful rabbiters.
With a first-rate terrier, one that is
small enough to make its way between
the bushes and is not afraid of briars,
numbers of rabbits may be killed;
ferrets, too, are often used by the
rabbiter, although they are rather
troublesome, and many are the lodges
necessary on the part of the hunter to
lure obstinate ferrets from the holes;
to have ferret kill five rabbits and
then calmly go to sleep beside his
victims is the experience of one boy
who went out on a rabbit shooting ex.
petition. A low whistle will otter
attract the ferret's attention and they
may sometimes be decoyed by tapping
the ground at the mouth OF the holes
in imitation of rabbit, which always
gives a smart tap on the ground with
his hind foot as danger signal, when
all the big and little rabbits within
hearing scamper off as fast as possible
to their holes.
Rabbit shooting with ferrets re
quires quick eye and steady hand
especially when the holes are near to
gether, as the rabbits will bolt from
one to another with great speed. /
a rabbit, mortally wounded, continues
to struggle into hole, out OF reach
tie string around the neck of ferret
put it in and let it seize hold Of thu
rabbit, which. il is certain to do at thu
back of the neck; when it has takeI
firm hold the string should be pulled
quietly and gradually, when, rathel
than leave his rabbit, the ferret viii
drag il out with him.