Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-09-26
HUNTING IN DAKOTA.
Wesley Nj. Owen Writes of an
Outing of Leroy Men i'm a
Region Which is SPORTS
mems Paradise.
Bloomington I'M Paragraph.

S1NkDf OAh0N -. oNNht iplii v .
Young, ID. L. Buckworth and the
writer, left Leroy and on the 3lst
arrived here, via Chicago, Milwaukee,
st. Paul, Minneapolis and Webster
From the last named city we were
driven to our camping ground, which is
located eighteen miles northeast of
Webster, S. d., and on the southwest
corner of Lake Hazelden. The location
is an ideal one and commands the view
of all the surrounding country. Our
TENTS pitched in a small grove, we were
0 0 to our long-sought pleasure, i. e.,
hunting ducks. To say that the feath-
cry bird is quite plentiful is mildly
expressing it, for never in my limited
experience have / seen ducks so numer-
Gus The country is one well adapted
for them, as the large area of swamp
land, coupled with the numerous lakes,
Chords them amble protection aud ideal
Matching yards. The country is pop
MATED by a queer class of people. They
IKE er 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 THE KILL.
The state law forbids hunting of duck
aud chicken from December / to Sep
tember /, so we were ON the ground at
the opening of the season. / am not
unniindful Of the usual temptation for
exaggeration when on an outing of sim
Iar nature, but / write the truth, in
that our party of five have never killed
less than seventy-five and from that to
200 dncks each day we have been duck
hnnting. Our camp has been oyer-sup-
piled with almost every specie of duck,
mnilards predominating, and ON three
occasions We have loaded the spring
wagon and driven to every house near
camp and gave away all the natives
would accept. At first the people were
fearful of us, but u generosity in lib
orally supplying them with game have
won their affection and almost every
Elfur we are visited by the men, women
ann children who return home loaded
with ducks and chickens.
Oar efforts in bagging the prairie
chicken have not been crowned with the
marvellous success that so wonderf ully
characterizes our duck hunting, vet we
have had chicken each day aud have
bad what would have been great
chicken hunting in Illinois. Our efforts
IN limiting chickens are handicapped
I'm that 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 ducks, but the range is so large and
the under trash or prairie grass is 50
thick that the bird. being tame, will
NOT mov unless stepped ON, But so
mnch for the hunting, it could not be
better of it's kind and a hunter can
the success of his days work
rot 50 much by his science to shoot as
his power of endurance, TO wade
marshes and slongh grass.
GOOD FISHING roo.
Thursday and Friday we drove to
Pickerel lake, about fifteen miles from
camp, and We're 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
resurt of all the surrounding country
and no less than twenty-five summer
residences, besides a large hotel, grace
the shores. We caught two large pick
erCl while riding around the lake in the
sfanxn launch and subsequently made a
fine catch, including a six-pound pike.
IH making the tour of the country we
have had an excellent opportunity of
viewing the country, and find condi-
lions favorable for great promise in
Dakota land. The average field is of a
sandy black subsoil nature and their
wheat, flax and hemp is as heavy as we
noticed anywhere along the line. The
hnd sells for $40 to $50 per acre and /
heAicse would be a safe investment.
The country is well adapted I 0 grazing
and ii the winters are not too severe
Dakota viii soo forge its way to the
from. We visited many Indian homes
i'm the government reservation and find
sDsne of them as industrious as the
Iairabitants. The older Indians, how
ssser, still follow their early ways and
rtanffrrne to live i'll their .'tee-pees" or
9Ewaras, even though the government
has built NICE homes of modern design,
ION them. Returning to cur camp life
4 ySice the feeling of our party in that
we are having one of the most pleasant
srsd enjoyable vacations and outings of
ssr experience, and will close by saying
That we would recommend all hunters,
- ~ .I.ot<r 49, 80 ~ -. --WHAAl