The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20
EASY SHOTS AT PRAIRIE HENS.
Tens Of Thousands OF Them Killed In the
September Shooting.

September Shooting.
Tho first rush of the shooting Il over in
the States which permit the killing Of prairie
chickens In September. There have been
more men in the field after them this fall
than in any previous year, and the aggregate
slaughter has been tremendous.
1t is. Of course, impossible to get accurate
estimates of the number OF chickens killed
during the first three weeks Of September,
but it runs into the tens Of thousands.
They are slain literally by the bsrrelful
and are often shipped eastward from the
slaughter grounds in barrels. several men
in party uniting to fill the barrels.
The States which contain chickens and
sell licenses to gunners seek to limit the
number which may be killed by one man.
but there Is constant effort to dodge this
restriction, and, in many instances, 1t is
successful. Many man who pays SIS
for license in Minnesota or the Dakotas,
and is permitted under 1t to carry out
twenty-five chickens, ships fifty. either
under the name OF some friend who has
license but no birds or else under the name
OF somebody else who has license ard does
not propose to use It.
There IL a general report that the chickens
are not 80 plentiful as in the past, but that
" not to be wondered at. No bird is
hunted harder.
The season hSs been good for breeding.
No part OF the chicken country has been
drought stricken. nor have there been dis
astrous floods. There are fewer chickens,
because the bird, hardy. strong winged
the enormous yearly assault of the guns.
There will be fewer next year and the
year after that and 30 on until it will be az
hard to make a score OF dozen pinnated
grouse in a day az 1t is now difficult in nest
regions to make a score Of dozen woodcock.
More prairie chickens are killed in Sep
TENDER than in the eleven other months
At its best from the sportsman point Of
view. The heat Ia apt to be too great and
the weeds too high for pleasant hunting and
the birds are zoo slow and tame to make
demand upon anything save the most
mediocre ability.
Young chickens lie closely: they are COM
paratively slow Of wing: they do not go far;
a covey may be followed and practically
exterminated, and the flesh Is so tender
that they succumb to shock that six weeks
later would serve only to make them go
faster and further. The prairie chicken
up, to the middle Of October is. in fact. easy
to kill.
OF all the members Of the gallinaceous
family it is the slowest, plumpest and most
reachable mark, with the possible exception
Of the fool hen or spruce grouse, which no.
body shoots He is a tyro indeed who
cannot do better than two out Of five on
prairie chickens in September. and with
good team and good dogs man may cover
80 much territory In day that he will get
enough shots to swell his bag, even with
that proportion Of misses
When the frosts have taken down The
grass and the birds are wilder and have
attained their full strength Of wing, shoot
ing hem will be o different matter Then
three out of five day in and out will be
good score for anybody. As the chickens
. kill ten and fifteen straight and think moth
ing of IT,