The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-12
KILLING The RUFPED GROUSE.
DAYS OF DANGER FOR HIM, THESE
IN TIE NORTHLAND.
HIS Color No Longer Hides Him Now That
Snow Covers the Ground and Trees
Are Lesness-A style OF Hunting
by which Coyeys Arc Decimated.

NV IS, -s @1s
Are Lesness-A style OF Hunting
by which Coyeys Arc Decimated.
FRRBYvnLR, Wis, Jan. 1o.-The huge
bluffs that line either bank Of the Missis-
sippi River are snow-covered. Here and
there a black shoulder breaks out, made
blacker by contrast, but elsewhere they
stand draped In the sheet Of white.
Back of them the trees Of the wooded
country are bare. Save where a clump OF
frs or balsam pines shows greenly, there is
scarcely a leaf between ground and sky.
The rufed grouse. royal bird Of the north
land, is robbed Of the blessing of his pro-
tective coloration. There are no browns
with which he may lend to whir up almost
from under the foot OF the hunter or wood
chopper. Over the snow his coat shows
almost as II no were a crow and he a not
turn white like the northern part ridge.
Finding seeds under three inches Of cold
covering is a hard matter. Even the su-
machs and hazel brush and little oaks have
lost their leaves, and good hiding places are
at a premium. These arc perilous times
with the ruffed grouse, or partridge, or
pheasant, as he is misnamed.
Because ground food is scarce the birds
arc forced to the ironwood buds, which are
good and sweet all winter. Because they
are pursued by one form Of foe or another
through the day they venture TO feed only
near sunset.
Because the ironwood, which Is decidu-
Gus and never more than thirty feet high.
affords them no cover at all, they prefer to
feed most actively at dusk. They will re-
main In the tree until black dark II undis-
turbed. then fly softly down and find their
way to a roosting place in some mysterious
fashion of their own.
The noise Of their shipping as they
wrench the buds Of may be heard 200 yards
away of a still winter evening when the
frozen air ia a strong conductor OF sound.
Often the sound will cease sharply and
dead silence will reign for a minute or so.
Tho cessation Is caused by some one OF
the covey's fancying that 1t has heard or
seen danger and giving an almost inhudible
signal TO the others. When this happens
zach bird will reverse his hiding practice
when on the ground.
Instead Of crouching and e~ndeavoring
to blend with surrounding leaves he will
to his utmost height and stretch his
neck and glance apprehensivelv in every
direction. He knows that tho ironwood
is no place in which TO hide n his object
h to locate the danger as SCOT as possible
and lee.
He docs not cackle when alarmed. as
the chicken does. nor chirp plaintively
like a quail. As a well-trained sentinel.
he does his watching In silence.
He Ia aware that in strengthening his
legs and elongating his neck he exposes
- l-W L- l. -az a. Nl-N - -
no other recourse and. being a highly
bird. he acts Instantly. IL he
Is able TO see the danger he departs within
the nftieth part Of a SECOND, but. II he can
not see, he Is apt 10 permit hls appetite
TO overcome his caution and 60 on feeding.
Some mistaken individuals have assumcd
that the grouse il a foolish bird because
he is often shot from trees at this season,
but there is no foolishness about IL. He
must be satisfied that here is peril and be
must know the point at which il is.
Moreover, the chances art hat be has
had nothing 20 eat for went -four hours
and a starving fowl, like a starving man,
will run desperate risks for the SAKE OF
food. II often happens that II a flock Of
grouse Is discoveIed in an ironwoOd n
che hunter is securely hidden forty yards
away he can kill half Of them boy shooting
frst the bird ON the lowest branch and so
working his way toward the top.
The object in shooting the lowest bird.
Is Of course, TO prevent the fail OF the body
through tho branches from lis, -rbing the
others. Because this has been done often
b. the c-onsciencclsss aud Will DO done
again, reflections upon the %grouse's In
tallect ave been cast. but u IL 20 be oues-
toned n a bunoh Of human beings 30 hun
Rerod would show any more sensc
The weapon used In this kind % murder
4 not often the gun, baCause "A shot
gun. no matter how lightly loaded, maker
a good deal Of noise. TIE rife is the thing
and the 22-calibre at that.
Some Of these apparent toys are cheap
TO the verge 81 abHurdity and amazingly
accurate. One American firm turns out
a single-shot ri1e which carries either
the 25-shor or 22-long cartridge. Tho
stock cost probably Is cents TO manufac-
ture the barrel itself h NJ finely modelled
and grooved ~ skilled workmanship can
make II The whole oos's t7b
This thing. which weighs only two and
t~hres-auArtsr pounds. Nll all = man 1T
esventy-nye yards provided a vial part
4 touched. A. nifty yards Il will shoot
through an i~nnh-plGnk Of pine. Ia finely
sishtet- II tiny suokele-s powder sh'ls
are ussd Sc efectlyeue-s IN Increased ard
the ~eIploslon mhhos lot tail ~ much nolhs
a. an old -fAshloued percussion cap
standing az thirty yards and using y
weapon ~ this Mind a hunter may clay
every grouse IA "a" "pNey u" llnds
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