Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-04-05
HUNTERS new PARADISE.
THE GAME BIRDS AND ANIMALS
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
A Fierce and Savage Boar Runs Wild
Among the Dense Tropical Junsles
-Plenty Of Good Shooting at Wild
Pigeon and Doves.

ing INDUCED in is that ut hunting in.
surgent bands the islands of the Phil.
ippine Archipelago are filled with
game animals and game birds swarm
in the forests and jungles, while the
inland waters in many instances are
literally covered with many varieties
of water fowls.
For those who incline to hunting
big game. there is the boar, fierce
and savage beast which runs wild
among the the dense tropical jungles
where cocoanuts and other tropical
fruits afford abundance of food to
satiate his Carnivorous appetite. All
over the wooded parts of Luzon great
numbers of deer roam being little
troubled by the natives. who are not
much given to hunting and who have
little craving for a meat diet. During
those days when our army lay In
Manila Immediately after its fall
there were many hunting excursions
into the interior and plenty OF big
game was usually bagged. Many OF
the soldiers of the Eighth Army Corps.
the Volunteer army of occupation In
Manila. have now In their possession
fine antlers secured in these hunting
trips. and fine specimens they are;
for the Philippine antler Is possessed
of the same liberal growth that char.
acterizes most animal life on those
islands, the wiry little Filipino being
about the only exception to the gen
eral rule.
While monkeys. which seem to be
more numerous than most any other
wild animal to be found on the islands.
are not to be considered in the legit'.
mate class of game yet one can scarce.
1y resist the temptation to try a shot
at the leader OF the great army Of
these chattering creatures which Is
always present In the picturesque
jungles of Luzon. Mindanao, Negros.
Panay and the other islands. Com.
ing down to smaller game. the tagua
or guigus. kind of flying squirrel.
seems to be in every tree, and rather
odd webbed.foot furry animal IL II.
The natives make pets of this queer
squirrel and one can see hundreds
displayed In cages about Manila. An.
other little animal which attracts
ones attention In the Philippine
jungles is the masigeen. II IL a natu.
raj enemy Of rats and mice. but has
no value to the sportsman. YAM.
pires and great bats NJ aimlessly past
one In the stiffness of these tropical
woodlands. and parrots and other
tropical birds In their brilliant plum.
age are ever present wherever there
Is foliage In the land OF everlasting
summer.
While game was plentiful every
where In the jungles In those days
before the Filipino instruction open
ed there was time. after the fighting
In the jungles about Manila began
that almost all animal life disappear
ed before ths onslaught OF our forces
The heavy firing kept up night anc
day for a time drove the wild things
back into the mountains. but as tn,
fighting subsidized they gradually ven
tured back TO their favorite haunti
along the rivers and streams, and "a
day one can see plenty OF game within
a dozen miles OF the capital; but n
yet IL Is not safe TO venture even tina
distance In quest of sport. for the In
surgent bands and the brigands neve
lose an opportunity to waylay al
American who chances TO be foun'
outside the military lines.
In the days before Dewey's guns BE-
gan their fusillade against the insur
gent positions about Manila Bay thou
sands OF wild geese and Wild duck
could be seen daily. Along the Pasi
these fowls congregated In myriads
and about Laguna de Bal, the larges
lake on Luzon, located some fifteel
miles up the Pasig from Manila. tn
water at times was black with man
varieties OF water fowl. The tipol.
species OF crane which stands nv
feet high, probably the largest waite
fowl to be found In the islands. wa
In evidence about the lake by the huI
dreds. There were great focks q
wild geese and swan. OF the vii
duck family there seemed TO be ever
representative present. There wer
canvasbacks. mallards, red.heads an
all the smaller members OF the due
genus. There were some varietie
never seen about our northern Lakes
but none OF the specimens bagged b
sportsmen in this latitude seemed I
be absent. Those were in the day
before our troops fought their wa
inch by inch up to the Laguna de Ba
country, and before our artillery an
small arms made life, even for IN
water fowl, very uncertain, Befor
the instruction, and when the frs
troops reached the lake on the az
vance 10 the campaigns In the Jungl,
many OF our soldiers enjoyed the spor
Of duck shooting 4 month after IN
advance Of our army the great flock
Of water fowl had disappeared. no
did they return until long afterwar
when the sound of battle had left ia
country about the lake
The sportsman who chances 10 tr
his luck In the Philippines can I'm
plenty Of good shooting at will
pigeons and wild doves; and Their
are lorlots, woodcock and many spec
mems Of magpie. A trip through
Philippine Jungle, even in times {
peace. Is one never 10 be forgotten