The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-02-08
ESTABLISHED 1850.

sion, and each male fancies that the
other is invading his territory. They
battle savagely also in the mating sea-
son, and when engaged may be ap-
preached and knocked over with a
fishing pole. The weaker is almost
always killed.
The black squirrel is generally a
beautiful animal when in condition.
The fur is exceedingly glossy and
shines brilliantly when bar of sun
light falls on it. The under hair is
Of fine texture and the skin when we'll
dressed makes handsome caps, muffs
and so forth.
In hunting the black squirrel most
of the rules for taking squirrels must
be reversed. 1t will not, for instance,
do the hunter any good to take a
seat upon log near sundown and
keep still, waiting for his quarry to
show itself. When foe is around
its sole desire is to hide and stay hid
den until danger is past.
1t has no curiosity to speak of and
does not waste time in tempting fate
by peeking around tree. The hunt
er must be silent and slow, surveying
the ground and foliage ahead careful
ly. He must know the trees affected
by the squirrel and the parts of the
trees in which it is apt to be found.
This will depend upon the time of
day. Early in the morning and late
in the afternoon it will be feeding and
will probably be near the top of some
oak or swamp hickory. In the mid
die of the day it will be lying fiat
upon some large limb, or will be curl
ed in its hollow asleep.
1t is we'll to remember that within
fifty yards of any tree in which it may
be found there is hollow to which
it will get Immediately if it can.
Consequently if the gunner sees
black squirrel feeding at some dis
tance away, or hears it chipping nuts
or acorns, he will do well to find the
hollow and remain as close to it as
possible when alarming the game.
There are but two ways of finding
this squirrel: By eyesight in stealth
lily stalking, or by ear in hearing it
feeding. The black squirrel in chang
ing its place goes down one side of a
trunk rapidly and softly, hurries
across the intervening ground and
runs up the other trunk in silence.
1t seldom leaps unless obliged to, but
if the branches of the trees interlace
it will make its way for a hundred
yards scarcely disturbing leaf or
stirring bough by its weight.
Against this squirrel the rifle is al
most useless. 1t is not often that a
fair shot may be had. 1t cannot be
led into showing its head by any or
binary artifce it will not shift slow
ly around tree until its body is ex-
posed and so permit the barking shot
which consists in driving a ball be-
tween the belly and bark and so kill
ing the animal with shock.
1t is an adept at getting solid wood
between itself and its foeman and
keeping it there. 1t is to be killed
mainly only when il is first seen and
starts toward its hollow refuge.
1t is swift on its feet, though not
far leaper, and as it darts along the
limbs its 1.-THE black body, dimly seen
through the shadows and leaves, Of
fers no easy target even for a I2-
guage. That gun with No. shot is
about the only weapon worth having
when black squirrels are wanted.
The animal will not be exposed to
view for more than a yard at any
time and the shot must be instantly
made, frequently at hard angle and
with many twigs inter-
vening. There are men, who rather
fancy themselves in the open when
the pointer stands rigid and the quails
buzz in air, who make but a poor
showing snap-shooting in semi-light-
ed woods with a half visible mark
scooting along limb.-Letter in ".
Y. San.