The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10
HUNTING PRAIRIE CRICYEN
There Are Places In Illinois Where Keen
Sport May be Had.

SpOrS may be tthu-
NASHVILLE Ill, Sept sPerhaps no game
law 90 respected in this State the prote +
ing prairie chickens. Its provisions arc framed
to pay strict heed TO the habits of the birds, and
Its rigid enforcement during the past few years
has caused them TO thrive. There is nothing that
is moro enjoyed by a true Illinois sportsman than
chicken shooting. and as it requires fine gun.
AMI either pair OF pointers or settlers the sport
Is generally confined to the better grade OF huntcrE
Years ago when the broad prairies of this part OF
the State were free from guilty alton, when there
Woo no divisional sectional lines, and when
barbed wire fences were unknown. the present
season Of the year would find the prairies literally
alive with rufed grouse and any one who possessed
the least knowledge Of shooting found no difficulty
in bagging plenty OF the game
With the advance Of civilization and the cult
Walton Of the lands this attractive feathered game
was preyed upon 10 such an extent that TO find
brace of rufled grouse at present is considered
a rarity. But the hunting Of grouse in the early
days and cunning for pFarie chicken at the present
time have little senblanoe The two birds are
closely allied and by many even now consid-
cred the same yet there is difference The chick
en- Is considerably larger than Ms near relative,
and is much more domesticated in its habits.
1t thrivea well in Acids that are in cultivation
the greater part Of the year, while the rufied
grouse puts its habits further from cultivation
Sun-up on the morning of Sept l found every
prospective field covered" and every available
dog shifting the air for a scent The heavy rains
Of tho fore part of the summer made the stubble
ground rank with vegetation afording most
excellent shelter for the brda In the early morn
ing the dogs work we'll The slight dew that
falls during the night moistens the weeds and
grasses. making the trail when once found easily
followed The men keep a distance Of twenty
or thirty yards behind tho leading dogs and the
retriever. which Is always taken when obtain
able, is near the men The dogs move cautious
ly Stop. point there is fiutter a rapid whir
OF wings the birds get we'll in the air and rapid
cross FIRE is poured into the bunch, the range
being about forty yards The retriever springs
forward and does his share of tho work, and The
first raise Of a flock generally yields from five
to eight birds for two gunners
The scattered birds fly almost beyond range
of the eye. but tho dogs are up and at il again
But not for long The broiling sun is now mount
ing high in the sky, and every particle of mois-
ture has disappeared from the grass To at
tempt to find the scent again is useless, for the
dogs nostrils clog and they choke from the dust
from the stubble The gunners attempt to walk
up the birds, and by sheer luck stumble another
bunch Their rapid rise and quick flight catches
tho men little off the guard. but several moro
fat young birds are bagged from this bunch.
The scattered birds of the first flock are now found
and the sportsmen single out their bird Even
the retriever is tired and hot now. and 10 o'clock
sees the days sport ended with fourteen birds
as the result, an excellent days work
q, The experience Of one party is that Of another
Little hunting is done at any other time than ear
ly in the morning. The open season in Illinois
begins OH Sept !. and lasts only thirty days and
the law requires that no other weapon than shot
gun shall be used for killing the game Though
the season is not half over so diligently have the
birds been hunted that they have become wild
and scattered, and the gunner is indeed fortunate
who gets nearer than forty yards q bunch
The broad prairies OF illinois, and especially
those Of this part OF the State have ever been the
and tall stubble afford the birds excellent breeding
and hiding places The heavy timber along the
watercourses gives ample protection during the
severe weather The habits OF the birds are close
ly allied TO those OF the quail and partridge They
nest upon the ground during the months OF May
and June and the young birds are about full
grown by the beginning OF the open season One
pair OF birds have been known 70 nest three
umes IN one season and the young
birds remain in the care Of their parents
until the following mating season. They roost
upon the ground nestled closely together and oft
times become very bold, even entering the farmers
barnyards Only one species is known TO exist
in this part of the State The male is distinguish
able from the female by the markings upon the
tail feathers and the spurs upon the legs