The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-05-31
A GOOSING EPISODE.

We were tied out on one of the
southerly points of Thoroughfare is
land. The weather was mild and a
gentle breeze blew from the northwest.
From the duck shooters point of view
the only good thing about the day
was that it was cloudy and overcast.
The duck shooting had been poor
for number of days and promised to
continue so until there should be
change of weather. Still, had gone
up to Thoroughfare on the chance OF
getting few odd shots during the day.
In the big sound to the westward
and in Peters Quarter bay to the east
thousands of geese were resting or
feeding, and from time to time small
flocks flew from one of these bodies of
water to the other, but usually far too
high for a gun to reach them. Never
theless, besides my stand of wooden
decoys had taken two live geese de-
coys and had put them out with half
dozen wooden goose decoys, and from
some small punches of geese that had
flown over little lower than the 9th
ers 1 had succeeded in killing three
birds.
About the middle of the morning a
thin broken line was seen far off to the
eastward, which as We watched it
gradually developed into a bunch of
six or eight geese, headed for us and
not more than one or two gunshots
high. As they approached Charley
honked in good style, and they at once
noticed his cry, replying and seeming
little to lower their flight. AS they
drew nearer the live decoys saw them
and commenced to call in good style,
the gander honked in trumpet tones,
while the goose clucked constantly and
enticingly. On came the wild birds,
lowering their flight, stretching out
their necks, and as they drew nearer
seemingly eagerly to scrutinize the de-
coys below. The wind had increased
little, and before they reached US
they payed off to leeward and passed
outside of the decoys, a long gunshot
off.
"Don't shoot, don't Shoot" said
Charley; "they are going to swing"
The decoys kept up their calling !:
"Honk! Ah honk |" from the gander
and "Nuka, nuka, nuka" from the
goose-and vociterous responses came
from the wild birds. Sure enough, af-
ter they had got we'll past the decoys
they swung up into the wind at great
er elevation and then turned and came
back again, now over the marsh, lit
tie to the windward of the blind. or
course l did not dare turn my head to
watch them, but with all my ears l
listened to their melodious cries, which
drew nearer and nearer. Again Char
ley called to me, saying: "Let 'em
go by. They'll swing over the decoys
this tilne.' Presently out of the corn
er of my left eye | discovered the head
of the flock we'll down below the de-
coys and saw them turn and come
again with lowered fight and crook
ing necks and legs almost beginning to
drag toward the water. Truth to tell
l was so much interested in the way
the birds acted that l hardly thought
much about shooting at them, but felt
a great desire to see how near they
could be brought by the talk of the de-
coys, on which their attention was fix
ed. AS they turned to come up again,
headed straight over the decoys, a
strong blast of the freshening wind
caught them, and again they payed of
to leeward and passed outside of the
decoys.
At that moment l heard in the air
behind me startling rushing sound
of some heavy falling object, and be-
fore could turn my head there swept
over the blind, within five feet of me,
and splashed into the water immedi.
ately in front of the blind and between
it and the decoys tremendous old
gander. He had separated himself
from the flock and had, as it seemed,
dropped from heaven to investigate
the live decoys, toward which, with
head erect, he now swan swiftly. OF
course l could have blown his head of
at any moment, but that would have
been to end the spectacle, and for this
l was not ready.
The flying geese had swung up to
windward and again turned and now
were coming back again, low over the
water. | should have been willing to
spend the day watching this perform
ance without firing shot, but the
show was almost ended. The great
gander on the water swan rapidly to-
ward the decoys and apparently fright
ened them. They sprang from their
stools with tapping wings, and the
gander, thinking that they were ris-
ing in the air, himself took wing and
flew away. My attention was concen-
trated on the approaching flock, which,
warned by the gander's flight, turned
before it again came within shot, and
flew off.
So at these geese my gun was not
discharged, but indeed l would rath-
er have witnessed this sight and en-
joyed the excitement which was part
Of IL than tn have killed many geese