The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-10
ALCOHOLIzED GEESE.
A North Dakota Farmers Strategy
Brings Him A h1ndant Ret11rns

A North Dakota Farmers Strategy
Brings Him Abundant Returns.
farmer on the Fort Rice reserva-
ton, about ten miles below Bismarck,
N. D., on the Missouri river has a lib
eral supply of wild geese, both dead
and alive, as a result of an experiment
upon which he has been bordering for
some time, and which worked to his
entire satisfaction and greatly to the
disadvantage of the geese. The rea-
son for the flight of the great Canada
geese from the south to their summer
haunts in the north has begun, and
thousands of the honkers stop at diff
ferent places along the river en- route.
The sand bars in the morning are
black with the great flocks of geese,
and they make short pilgrimage from
the bars to the fields of the farmers
adjacent to the river for feed. They
remain several days in the locality
and furnish abundant amusement for
sportsmen.
At the farm of the man in question
there is a huge sand bar projecting
into the river, but so far from the
shore that no hunter can steal upon
the geese which congregate there near
enough to be shot. Aware Of their
immunity, large f1ocks of the birds
settle there every morning and sun
themselves for several hours, and
then migrate to the interior for food.
Having observed the movement of
| the geese for several days the farmer
resolved to accomplish by strategy
what he could not accomplish by
stealth, and every morning before the
arrival of the birds he distributed
| about a peck of corn about the bar.
Upon the return of the geese this
would be speedily devoured and the
process was repeated every morning
for several days. greatly to the salts
I faction of the geese.
Last Saturday night the farmer
came to the city and secured a quart
| of the best alcohol, which he said
would be sufficient to saturate a peck
of corn quite thoroughly. He placed
the corn in the alcohol over night, so
| that it was thoroughly soaked, and in
morning at the usual time he spread
it over the bar and concealed himself
in the brush along the shore Of the
river and awaited the coming of the
geese.
They came as usual, and also as
usual ate up the corn Soon after
there was great disturbance mani
fest among the feathered denizens of
the bar. The alcohol had a swift ef-
feet and soon the bar was covered
with sprawling, waddling. maudlin
geese in all stages of intoXication.
Those that had eaten most freely of
the doctored corn were speedily affect
ed, and in various ways. Some of
them were Immediately overpowered
and lay down to the sun in drunken
Of drunken stupor. Others attempt
ed to fly and were unable to do so,
their wings refusing to perform their
usual functions, and the only result
of their efforts being an ai1nless flop
ping about the bar. Others staggered
off like tipsy men and finally sue
cumbed to the influence of the liquor
and lay down to the sun in 3 drunk en-
sleep. A few were able to fly and
scared off for a few moments, but the
alcohol was too much for them and
,, they were forced to circle to the bar
and settle again on the sand
After waiting for the liquor to have
effect the farmer emerged from his
hiding place and approached the
drunken birds. They seemed to have
lost their usual fear and many OF
them were inspired with remarkable
pugnacity, flying at him and endeav.
cring to beat him with their wings
1t was laughable sight and non.
Of the geese realized their danger
but were inspired with al the drunken
courage of men in the same situation
The farmer knocked over number O.
them with a club and captured a!
many as were totally stupefied with thu
liquid alive, for decoys.-From the De!
Moines Leader.
THE COwARDICE OF M. THEIRS