The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29

In front Of him and lei his eye travel slowly from
right 70 left for distance OF ten yards Notmng
resulting, he fixed his gaze upon point TWO l,sSt
nearer to him aud repeated the experiment ne
had usually travelled backward Ave yards IN this
only because he happened 10 catch glimpse OF iis
round black eye, shining like a bead and watch,
ing him b, i1tsnly The chicken Sl,r u was iIss r
preston under IL, and its back was level win me
surface OF the dark brown earth, with which \
matched exactly Two slender spears OF reddish
grass, the stalks not larger than an ordinary
straw, curved over it, and on these stalks were
halfdozen narrow blades not three inches long ,f
neck and wing feathers The notified breast OF
course was out Of sight }, was like puzzle
look anywhere in that direction without seeing eti
Il, and before finding il he had looked az !, hiiy
times without seeing it, The morning had been
Toying the spectacle for little while. he kicked
The quarry ont of its place and kiled r. lie tells
never without swearing at himself heartily.
Such Willingness 10 lie" on the part OF the
prairle chicken rs exceedingly rare. ~ Is tnhrr,
shycr it gets. Frosts cut down the cover and u
comes 10 depend more and more upon keeping
its best friend. Late in August, or early IN Sep
tcmhcr, when the field corn is stu green ana TIE
weeds are lush the young chicks wni Eema,n
them when flushed at such times IL easy enough.
The bid makes big target its flesh IS tender us
more curve 10 It than that Of the quail. From
now on, however the man who makes a bag Of
chickens Will know that he has been shooting,
The coycys, while lying TO the dog all right VIII
rise thirty yards from an advancing man. Some
tines, # the cover be slight or II they have been
Hundred T Yards Tst away va snd the Length OF their pas
sage will vary from three quarters of a mile 10
two miles. They are apt 10 keep going IN fact,
untl they reach shelter that suits them. just
how far fullgrown and strong prairie chicken
can fly has never been determined There have
~ IIpnt rll nm nd tr
away. II is probably the strongest flyer OF all
the galinaCeous family, owing 10 ITS compare
or partridge, has a liter body and wider wing,
but il lives where there ore swamps and spruces
and larches and pines and it is never forced 10
cover great space in order 10 get shelter
The chicken. On the contrary, IL Obliged often
10 wlrr along for two miles before II fnds tho
slightest vegetable protection. II gains rapidly
in power as the season advances When shoot
ing begins the individuals Of this years nesting
are rarely able 10 go more than half mle and
on hot day they will make flight Of this length
not more than tw.ce. When the snow begins
10 eddy, however, they seem 10 be practically tire
day long, The amount Of lead they will carry
is marvellous Often a chicken, hard hit with
both barrels, Will keep up with the flock without
apparent effort shedding feather here and there,
and when they are flushed again will get up seem
ingly as well as ever. ! Is the part Of the hu-
name sportsman To single out tins bird where
possible and Kill it, because II may die Of It's pre-
Nous wounds aud among gentlemen shooters
this IS always attempted. The markings which
and there are some men who wall make a large
bag when BIRDS are plentiful, downing only the
cocks. 1t requires, OF course, quick eye to pick
out the males from a rising coyey and Kill them,
sparng the hens but II IL not so difficult as 1t
seems and little practice will enable almost
any ord narily fast shot 10 do il at will While
the prairie chicken, like all other wild members
Of the gallinacc@' is homogeneous from choice.
a comparative scarcity OF males does not affect
the crop comparative scarcity OF females
however, Is fatal 10 large production. This
Is due to the fact that after the hen begins laying
the cock pays no further attention Ia her He
does not bring her food he does not take his turn
at sitting and he does not associate with nor care
for the young. Consequently, having assisted
in the production Of one family, he is free 10 con-
sort with another unreasonable kinSwomnil.
This m"nugamy from choice and polygamy from
necessity also obtains often among quails-
The sport Of chicken shooting as now praciscd
is n lazy sport There is not u great amount
Of exercise init though man gets his liver shaken
up by constantly climbing into and out OF his
wagon, and he swallows many cubic feet OF fresh
cir and powder smoke. Powder smoke is healthy.
boots would hardly suffice for its pursuit on foot
Hunting parties stick Ia the 'oads tuning out
upon the prairie only where the ground is sutl-
Gently smooth 10 make easy going, The dogs
suffer most an active pointcr or setter being re-
CURED To cover sixty miles in a cay. As there
Icing mg Sa %n' and ID ms Gn Skds sc p%mds
generally dry in the late fall, ii is the custom
TO carr! kcg OF water for the benefit Of tho dogs
Settlers because Of their heavy coats become the
sooner exhausted ON the other hand. when
the birds take to the briars which grow along
useless Fifteen minutes Of such work will dye
one from nos" t. tail in bloody red Settlers also
stand The sand burts better, having tougher
Of any quantity Of luncheon and lashings 81
beer aud nobody who hes put in eight morning
hours crossing prairie chickens is ever worried
by an absence Of thirst. OF late years the 10
gauge. hammcress gun has become popular
with chicken shooters not that II is more efeC-
tive thnn the II gauge, which S the best CAlibre
for n person able 10 own but one gun, nor be
cause il is 50 effective as the lOgaugr, for IL is
more quickly, q dcsidcrntum IN long rises. and
its shells weigh much less. The. difference be
tween thc, amount, Of effort required 10 tote q
hundred IL gauge shells and a hundred l6 gauge
shells the bigger part Of a day. is considerable,
Moreover q Is gauge being Of small bore, re,
to remain in good condition longer. These guns
nre now put out by all high class American max
Grs at a cost Of not more than one third Of the
English prices, and, SO far as observation goes.
they shoot Just rs well rs the most expensive arms
imported from the other side Itis satisfaction
more chickens with it.
Sometimes the big brown bird at which small
nrnis are now popping all over the Middle West
is good eating and sometimes 1t is not. Tho
Quality OF It's flesh depends e1niireIy, upon the
her or even SO late in October as now, ii is apt
{" BE- so %hfn PGdsed @ nna bn s
in any domestic fowl. the flavor which makes
he Wild turkey 50 immce>"surahly he superior
winter is in mid cold. however with the snow
packed two feet deep on the level and every ice
laden branch Of the cottonwoods whining in the
gale. the prairie chicken as an edible is not what
II has been represented 10 he. 1t is almost Ger
Tain to be devoid Of fat; il is dry and strngy: il
Carves much more like decoy than n real bird
and it is rank; II has no white meat on its bones
Even the flesh 81 its breast is dark, and in Jan
uary becomes almost black. When in condition
the birds are excellent II "Smothcred." that is
placed in lidded oven, with an inch Of water
and proper seasoning and allowed 10 bake and
simmer until They become a beautiful brown and
n rich gravy has resulted This process keeps
in the steam and preserves the natural juices
They are not good broilcrs and do not roast so
well rs the harnyard fowl. To fry them Of
course, Is a crime.