The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-10
GAME BIRDS IN OKLAHOMA.
SPLENDID QUAIL SHOOTING IN
THE TERRITORY.
Enormous Numbers OF The Birds Killed
by h Pot Hunters kiIls or
Geese and Ducks Plenty Of Wolves
TO lie Killed stu Other Game.

to lie Killed s,m-Other Game.
GUTHRIE. Okla, Nov. Indian summer
In Oklahoma lasts from Sept, | almos,. 70
the middle Of November. The DAYS ara
filed with soft. lazy sunshine, the sky /,
blue and cloudless, the nights are crisp
and cool with an occasional frost and some.
times a rainfall gives freshness and sweets
ness to the earth.
Such a country with an abundance %
game should make an ideal hunting
ground. Perhaps in no other part Of tho
West can be found more small game. This
is especially true of quail and prairiechicken.
Among the hills Of the remote western
counties and in the heavily timbered areas
Of eastern Oklahoma, deer are still plentiful,
Antelope are seen frequently in the counties
bordering on the Panhandle Of Texas, but
they do not manifest the ungovcrnahIs
curiosity that draws them within gIushot
OF the hunter further west, and are cx-
tremely difficult to approach.
In some parts Of Oklahoma deer have
increased instead OF diminishing in nun.
bers. Turkeys have disappeared rapidly
in the last few years. Black bear are found
in the Wichita mountains, but in another
year DO h large and small game there will
be scarce.
Oklahoma is uneycelled as a hunting
ground for quail. The seasons arr pro.
pitious for the propagation Of the birds,
and they have increased surprisingly ia
numbers since the country has been settled.
The farmer has killed most Of the natural
enemies Of the quail. while his fields OF wheat
and kafir corn have opened a vast and
$780, =. A.
the brown-coated birds.
Every thicket and ravine is a hiding
place and rendezvous for coveys that
sometimes contain from fifty to sixty plump,
toothsome birds. An Oklahoma hunting
party is disappointed with less than from
rs TO 100 birds as the result Of an after
Moons sport.
The real enemy OF the quail is the pot
hunter who travels over the country with
a camp outfit killing a dozen birds AZ a
shot and hauling them 10 small railroad
stations where they are shipped 10 city
markets as eggs. or poultry. The law for
bids shipments OF quails 10 outside markets
but the profit IL 80 great that the pot-hun-
tiers violates II.
The number Of birds shipped to outside
markets in a single season can be guessed
at when IL is knownt that one firm IN this placs
two years z shipped quails al N" rate
OF from 300 10 500 dozen a day. This was
only one of several dealers in the town and
the town only one Of many in Oklahoma
The banks of Purcell last season handled
$40. 900 worth of business for pot-hun'cr,.
The Oklahoma quail is slightly smaller
than the quail OF Northern States, INV has
a finer flavor.
Prairie chickens have %disappearei from
large farming population. The spar,'lv
settled counties of Day. Roger Mills, hows
and Greer, however are alive with them
uara "A "a yast IL r.frhas of nIllTlp broken
by high rolling hills On the hills grov,a
species of small oak about knee high poIrl-
lrarly called shin oaks. Tn country whers
these oaks grow is known as the shinnerles
and Is the home OF the prairie chicken.
There he can wallow In the sand keeping
under good cover. When feeding time
comes he flies to the kafir fields Of sons
ranchman and fills himself 10 bursting.
Until lately the country has been so hard u
access that outside hunters did not pence
trate to the shinneries.
The country L. ideal TO shoot over as
there Is scarcely any timber. The solitude
Of the great brown prairies weigh upon
the spirits of the hunter az first but he soon
becomes accustomed to II and the bracing
atmosphere Of the high. dry. altitude gives
a rest to his appetite.
The ranRe should lie accompanied
by some person who knows the country
as he il likely TO lose his way, and above
all. may not find good water. Mos r
the streams contain alkal.
In Oklahoma the north sky signals 80
coming Of n cold wave from six 20 twelve
hours ahead Of it, arrival The coming
char pc j. shown by a wall 81 cloud 'he'
rears itself about fifteen degree above
the horizon. Night brings the storm AID
cold
The immense wheat fields Of Okla.uu'
are green all winter and are excellent i"'f'
ing grounds for wild fowls often '.'
fields are black with geese. ShTewd staIt
ing il required 10 Kill them with shotgun.
hut the hunter who wishes 20 euluG uHrH
laisurely sport buries himself DO q -'wr"
stack aud kills his geese one hy ON" "'. .
rife
The rivers all run from west ~ o..
Thu Arkansas. salt Fork. DmArIur aTI'N
two Canadians have vide sandy hsHi- HH'.
g.es" and ducks can feHd iu COM Hf. '
security They congregaie. eslsTI'''
ihe south Canadian, IN thousaH f'
building blinds the hunter can NJ.
heart . content. and some woudrf'I 40,
hav. is.en made 90 that river
A faVorito place fot ducks W
uu the tauks ia tho big ranch pas..rr- 4
tauk l. q htg pond formed hv ia'n 2
a d"rp TaNin"
n, approaching the taIk ffH
he dam. th' hunter 90 boo sI '
u.fry Tho rrc.fd kIl iu uFIt
msia lasi winter ~ q tarl u H ."
Iastuts naAi hci h1rk "a "af 2
H. 81 .-.-