The sun., 1900-12-09
CANADA GEESE IN PLENTY.
A GREAr FLIGHT vow PASSING OyER
GREAT SOtTH mar.
Fine sport for Gunners on Lone Island
-Terriac GantIet Hun BY the Birds
on Their Journeys to and From the
North Intelligence Of Their tiight

on Their Journeys to and From the
North Intelligence of Their Tusht
EAsTPoRT, n. Y. Dec s-Sportsmen living
near the Great South BAY have been enjoying
rare shooting this week as result Of large
flight OF Canada geese Not in many years
has the fail migration OF these fowls been
more satisfactory than in the present season.
The common or Canada, goose Of the [ nitcd
States is known throughout the country ana
Its migraiions are regarded as uniailing signs
of returning spring or approaching winter.
Unlike some varieties OF Wild fowls when
conhns their journeys to the seacoast or It's
vicinity. the wild goose In its pilgrnagos
to and from the North traverses the Interior
on both sides Of the mountains. and there Is
perhaps no part OF the country where the
Inhabitants are not familiar with It's regular
passing and repassng II has never been
definitely ascertained how far North the
wild goose wings its fight in the spring and
II Is possible that they extend Their migia-
tions to a point near the very pole Itself.
Hearne remarks that he saw them within
the Arctic Circle still pursuing their Journey
north Their presence has been noted on
the dreary coast of Spitzbergcn
The duties OF incubation having been per-
formed the approaching rigors OF northern
winter induce the vast congregated Hooks To
seek the more genial regions OF the South.
No sooner, however. do they arrive within
the boundaries OF man than slaughter is met
by them The English at Hudson's Bay.
says Pennant, subsist chiefly on geese during
the winter, and when the fights are favorable
kill thou sands OF the birds and barrel them
for use AS Il would be futile 10 follow The
geese southward row of huts are built along
their line Of flight AT shotgun distance apart.
and the birds are shot as they fy overhead.
Such indiv viduals as are killed are set upon
sticks and employed 20 Gecoy he passing
nocks within range on favorable daNs Inhh
shooting IL is not a ra oCtulle ehCe 10 NH
moro than 200 birds. When one CONSIDERS the
glnlet of thousand stands lhloHgh "H.h
The birds run before they reach the United
theit ranks are materially thinned before
We cln hunt than , ,
ing the iall hrht early in October ana thtlr
lrcsenc. |, always regarded a. sur t"s.
ana marsh Islands OF the Great south Bay
are favurite haunts of the Wild geese h,r
food consists OF the broad tender leaves
and shells and il familIary, known as sea
cabbage. They are frequently sen 10 iarI
few few davs % thay " Vii, 9t ,Sa inio,s on the beach
to obtain gravel. Unlike the brant. ihe
Canada goose crosses and recro'7eS mos, lhq.9,
the shortest course to its object instead OF
following the circnitous route O. the wat.ii,
MaNs. W me III OtPS 1Dt ave W lllI'
in feeding. its ability to do so when wounded
ls well known to the sportsmen. who often
lose bird in ,conseqnence ,oru
weather Is always very elevated; their motion
Is smooth and accompanied by little rustling:
M,1 Srd lsb"rioas e S = The NH rht IS generally in
straight line, or two lines nearing each otser;
in both cases the van is led byanold gandHr,
thing looks safe. and the honk l. usually
f'eu for the undula,ons I'd in the digit the colr,s
Is in a straight line. The regularity with
which the Wild geese mHye WoIlt Indicate ,ts the
that which marshals the disord"rlv hirhts !
Of other birds The arrangement IL admiraDle. |
calculated to sTrHg shrte to rndco tho 70 re!t
ance Of the air and to lessen the"x'r rtion 81 |
the flock, The chief who assumes tie rIsi1
fatlGned, and Is Immediately replaced by |
another goose.
geese on the south side o. Long Island IS
through the employment of live geese decoys |
These are anchored or staked out on the |
gregatine As soon as a flock Of the wild |
birds comes within sight the dec%ys I'm,
metst"ly honk to th,Ir ,h wild wild o1Gerea Ts cn an
answered by the Wild geese who gradually |
approach the decoys and finally drop into
the sportsman's life SO replete with JOY and
50 frausht with e,yhilarating exctement as
that nNOrded by the aTITphCn ol u Hpck ~
wild geese All nerves are tnen strained to
their utmost tension. Owing to the great ]
bulk Of the wild goose the sportsman who iS (
a novice at the sport Ia likely to think the
birds nearer than they really are. An eX-
cellent rule to observe when shooting these
birds Ia TO Withhold fire until the eyes can be
Il istirCtIv sren. Then the likelihood Of shoot
ing at the birds before they are within range
will be avoided.
Tho Canada goose Ia wonderfully s'is-
cent hle to domesticaton. and some curious
81 6ries are told to illustrate its preference
for a domestic existence. One OF these IL
well worth repeating 4 few years ago farm
er named Platt residing In this neigh borhood.
shot and wounded Canada goose. which.
after being liberated among his own fowls.
completely recovered its power Of flight.
In the spring. when n flock OF wild geese wer"
winging their fight to the northern breeding
ground. Mr.. Platts goose, espying them,
Immediately spread its wings ard Joined
the flock The bird. after its departure.
was considered to be lost, and Mr.. Platt gave
no further thought either to the incident or
to the bird until the following fall, when as
he wns standing In his barnvard one merning
ha noticed wild goose detach itself from
flock which was passing over the house and
after a few circles settle among the barnyard
fowls on catching the bird and examining
it he found II to be identical with his long-lost
fugitive. The bird. after having traversed
perhaps thousands, of miles, and
raised ts offspring, had returned to resume
the civilized life which had been temporarily
The Canada goose is three fcct In extreme
, n. f,.s H. - |