The sun., 1902-11-02

The long V-shapei files Of the wild geese.
solcInnly dangerous, are sweeping down
over the Arkansas lands following the
lines of the big rivers mostly. roo>ting
on them by night, visiting the rich fields
by day.
A month later they will be upon the Texas
coast prepared to spend the winter. and
some Of them will find their way into the
lagunas and morasSes of central Mexico.
where no trousered biped will disturb them.
The legions show no lessening Despite
the work of shotgun and rifle they seem
as numerous az ten years ago. A little
BIT wilder they are. harder to approach
and harder to decoy. but this is only because
the leading gandeIs with years of expert
encs behind them have grown wiser.
In that far county whore they breed
they are little bothered by foes of any sort.
Their summer home is above the shotgun
line, and though much has been sad about
the destruction wrought by Indian egg
hunters. the damage is more imaginary
than real.
Under gray skies they have come out OF
the north as they came a thousand years
ago, working their way leisurely, and in
the chill autumn rains of Arkansas they
are at home. Their stay in that country
will be long because the cornfields are rich
and the grass feeding of the best.
Once they have passed the Ozarks they
take their time, knowing that between
Missouri and Texas the change of tempera-
ture is not great enough to be felt by a
wild goose and that ahead Of them lies
a territory upon which they may grow
So fat that flying becomes a labor.
Day 10y day they flock in, until by the
middle of November there will be no stream
which has not its complement of gray
visitors, no field unknown to them They
follow the rivers because a goose wants
fresh water to drink at least once toward
the middle Of the day, and in the rivers
they find the water freshest and coolest.
Il may be, too. that they Use the Mississippi
as a guide. though birds which never visits
1t find their way South as surely. being
steered probably by mountain ranges.
lakes and such things
Along the Arkansas River many geese are
shot in the cornfields by men who understand
the art. These men go to the fields before
daylight and. selecting a spot between
two burrows. lie down fiat on their backs
and cover themselves with a few corn
Stalks Slreau from breast 10 toe.
The gun, ready cooked. lies by the right
side, and so they wait. Their arrange
ments are completed by SUNRISE and little
later they hear the questioning honks of
the geese.
A man in this position has canvas hat
pulled over his eyes. and he does not stir
until by looking straight up he can see
the flock, or by nicely of ear judge that
II Is within shooting distance to right or
left. Not a finger Of him witches unit!
the crucial moment, because he knows
that any wild fowl in motion will come
close to still thing unnoticing. whereas
II viii see the slightest movement a mile
away.
The shooter under the cornstalks, hear
iuP the geese coming III, may give a faint
call occasionally If he knows how, but
unless he does know how it will pay him
to be voiceless, for the leading gander will
detect the slightest inaccuracy of note, he
will not only detect il, but will warn every
other flock within hearing that there is
danger near.
He who knows how to wait secs the huge
flyers passing over Inn at height OF thirty
yards, rises To sitting posture with a
Jerk and the next instant puts the contents
OF both barrels wherc they will help the
hrdcr with some pounds of maTvellOusly
good meat. II often happens that the two
barrels will bring down four geese it IL
the object of most gunner to stop the old
Gander il poSsible for the glory of II.
Geese are shot going into and coming
out Of the pastures by old hunters, who
ask 10 better blind than a harbed-wire
fence Indeed, when goose shooting it is n
mistake 10 have too much blind.
The goose L. wary of any large oh icct il
cannot SEQ through. A man might place
properly large dry goods box, for in
staIcs, crawl into it and stay there all
winter and his barrels would be clean when
he came out
A blind is made Oh n barbcd wire fence
by han ging "A tuft of grass not larger than
a hat 70 the middle strand and close to a
post. The post j. not more than four inches
through, but with the grass il is enough if
the man lie StiIl.
some hunters hang few brown strings
10 the top wire, letting them rcach nearly
TO the ground. They are an inch apart
and wave IN the wind Ike grass strands
The geese can sec through them, but cannot
distinguish ANYTHING beyond them and
they make pretty good blind
These binds arc put nj places whore the
ge"S" are IN the habit of going into or COM
ing out Of the pasture and the men behind
them take long shots, for the goose is 40
suspicious that II will rise when approach
Ing even barbod wire fence with nothing
on II except barbs. Smila rly, the man in
the cornti"d will select spot where the
hockS have been pitching
occasionally hunter will station himself
on bare ground directly beneath the evening
or morning line Of fight. The object in
chosng ground of this kind il that the geesc
VIII hr apt TO cross l. at a lower altitude
There II absolutely nothing on il that they
can soc, not n bush or log, a sprig or grass
and they will not trouble themselves TO rise
when approaching it,
II the evening flight be wanted the man
Ate IN IN" afternoon, will take to his spot
blar~7i which exactly matches the bare
earth cil her brown or dark brown His
coat and nat will match the blanket.
lie spreads ont the blanket and pins its
lower end TO ia" earth with small wooden
pms, thrc" or four Of them When the
hour comes h" will crawl under the blanket
taxing hi gun with him and living, Of course,
on HI, back Some men will have their
hats pulled down until heir noses are hidden
with little hpl"~ cut IL the brim through
which 10 soo
lhcrc never was goose or gander of any
hg" b"tw""n one year and ninety smart
enough 10 detect this impos, ure, part icu-
IariN II th, man has been AT pains to hollow
OUT the earth Cor foo, under the blanket
:" that hi- o " will bo flush with the sur
face
lhe cornlnpuo-t PLACES of vantage for
hunters arr the wooded points which iut
ipto ihe river. Those point. are situated
"a 'h' "'na~ and there are many of them
Inc opposite sAor" being always concave.
- Il" g'"sr learned long ago that these