Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-09-26
Thsrsday. September Is, 1901.
HUNTING IN DAKOTA.
Wesley mi. Owen Writes OF an
Outing of Leroy Men in a
Region Which is Sports
mems Paradise.
Bloomington TN Pantagraph.

- - 80 - WNSf - -
Young, ID. r. Bnckworth and the
writer, left Leroy and on the 31st
arrived here, via Chicago, Milwaukee.
ST. Paul, Minneapolis and Webster.
From the last named city we were
driven to u camping ground, which is
located eighteen miles northeast of
Webster, 8. d., and on the southwest
corner of Lake Hazelden. The location
Is an ideal one and commands the view
or all the surrounding country. Our
tents pitched i'm a small grove, we were
0on to our l~ong-sought pleasure, j. e.,
hunting ducks. To say that the feath-
cry bird is quite plentiful is mildly
expressing it, for never in my limited
experience have i seen ducks SO numer-
"a The country is one well adapted
for them, as the large area of swamp
land, coupled with the numerous lakes,
offords them amble protection and ideal
Matching yards. The country is pop
uiated by a queer class of people. They
never hunt, and care nothing for wild
game. These features are all helpful to
the propagation of wild game, especi-
ally the wild ducks and chickens. and
greatly add to the advantage of the
eastern hunter.
SAMPLE OF II KILL.
The state law forbids hunting of duck
and chicken from December / to Sep,
temher /, so we were ON the ground at
TIE opening of the season. / am not
unnlindfnl of the usual temptation for
exaggeration when on an outing of sim
liar nature, but / write the truth, in
that our party Of five have never killed
less than s~eyenty-five and from that to
200 sluckE each day we have been duck
hunting. Our camp has been over-sup-
piled with almost every specie of duck,
maliards predominating, and on three
o asions we have loaded the spring
wagon and driven to every house neal
camp and gave away all the natives
would accept. AT first the people were
fearful of us, but our generosity in lib
orally supplying them with game have
wgs1 their affection and almost every
honr we are visited by the men, women
and children who return home loaded
with ducks and chickens.
Cnr efforts in bagging the prairie
chicken have not been crowned with the
marvellous success that SO wonderf ully
characterizes our duck hunting, yet we
have had chicken each day and have
had what would have been great
chicken hunting in Illinois. Our efforts
In limiting chickens are handicapped
in thEt we have no native dogs, and
while we brought good dogs with us
from Illinois, they fail to work here as
dogs that are acclimated and trained
here. The chickens are as plentiful as
the dncks, but the range is so large and
the under trash or prairie grass is SO
thick that the bird. being tame, will
not o unless stepped on, Bnt SO
much for the hunting, it could not be
better of its kind and a hunter can
AA&EdLrtiG AAC SuItCNS VI lIS bdy - NOlh
moi so much by his science to shoot as
his power of endurance, TO wade
marshes and slough grass.
GOOD FISHING, Too
Thursday and Friday we drove to
Picknrel lake, about fifteen miles from
camp, and were surprised to find a large
body of clear water two miles wide and
three miles long and of an average
depth of 100 feet. This is the summer
RESORT of all the surrounding country
arai no less than twenty-five summer
residences, besides a large hotel, grace
the shores. We caught two large pick.
erei while riding around the lake in the
steam launch and subsequently made q
Gne catch, including a six-pound pike,
In mnking the tour of the country we
have Ind an excellent opportunity OF
viewing the country, and find condi.
tiOrE favorable for great promise IN
Dakota land. The average field is of
sandy black subsoil nature and their
wheat, fax and hemp is as heavy as We
notxed anywhere along the line. The
IInail sells for $40 TO $50 per acre and ]
believe would be a safe investment.
The conHtry is well adapted to grazing
and If fhe winters are not too severe
Dakota viii soon forge its way to the
front We visited many Indian homes
III the government reservation and find
sone of them as Industrious as the
inhabitants. The older Indians, how
ever, still follow their early ways and
continue TO live in their .'tee-pees'' or
wjgwans, wen though the government
haS built nics homes of modern design,
for them. Returning to our camp life
ISncaEthe feeling of our party in that
VIZ sre having a of the most pleasant
and enjoyable vacations and outings Of
0sH experience, and will close by saying
t1mt we would recommend all hunters,
vxhn lnSfxa III hao durk and chicken tn