The sun., 1903-01-11
LURING THE GEESE.
Wsrif % the 1--we Dcosyv sn the Wnd Fowls
Of Pamllco Sound.

u fumu0o 0OOuos
1T Ia almost - interesting to watch
the man9uvres Of q fiock Of wild geese
In the water before they have fully made
up their mind - to the probable character
Of the decoys a. It In to give them fusi l1e
and bag lot OF them," said New York
sportsman just back from q week among
the wild fowl haunts Of Hyde county. N. c.
Live decoys are used almost entirely In
hunting wild geese on Pamlico Sound or
Metamuskeet Lake, wild geese being do
mesticatcd and trained TO lure, AZ captives'
their free kindred to destruction.
'Thc bottom Of Pamlico Sound, along the
shores. Is Of snow white sand, and In II are
The nutritive roots OF the plants on which
the wild geese feed. The shores them
selves are vast tangles OF reedy marsh.
'The reeds are very TALL and the hunter
docs not have TO build blind for his shoot
ing. He simply makes q space In the reeds.
close to the water, and lies there with the
surrounding natural growth OF reeds a.
his ambuscade. In front Of this the dccoys
are put out, each goose strapped by one
leg TO a stake driven into the bottom OF
the sound. through q square Of sod sunk
beneath the water three or four inches,
on winch the goose rests.
'This gives the decoy the appearance
Of floating or resting on the surface a. f
it had alighted there. and the skilful dis
tribution Of a number Of them In group
In this way gives them . natural appear.
ance and attitudes that cannot b obtained
from artificial decoys.
1T Is q manifestation Of the wonderful
keenness OF wild goose's hearing that long
before even the trained ear Of the profess
sional fowl hunter has detected the cries OF
an approaching flock Of geese the decoys
have heard them, and. becoming suddenly
alert, hegin to send back responsive
'honks.' By and by faint v-shaped line
Comes into sight against the sky, that un-
mistakable figure OF a dock Of geese In
fight.
A flock OF wild geese is always made up
of the old gander and goose and the brood
or broods hatched early In the season grown
to full size. when they start for southern
waters The gSnder Is invariably IL the
lead, the old goose next behind him. When
they conclude to drop into the water where |
the decoys have attracted them. 1t is be- |
cause the deeoys have given The impression M a
that the feeding must be particularly good
at that spot. And now is when the INTEREST," |
ing part Of the maLo ivring begins.
sThe old gander and his mate are careful |
to alight at a long distance from the shore.
out OF gunshot. and, Of course. the young |
geese follow them. But the young geese. |
apparently thinking that the ,dcooys must
be having a good time where they are, are |
losing no time In joining them and getting |
a share OF the supposed good things.
Then II is amusing to watch the old |
gander handle that eager and hoautious
hock Of his. He heads the youngsters on |
at every turn a. they try to hurry In toward /,
t he shore holds them In check, and, As the |
natives Of the Carolina coast say. talks to /
them.
.He cackles high and he caclxles low. and |
by many modulations Of his voice and
earnest gesticulations with his neck plainly |
admonishes his youngsters and warns |
hem to go slowly and cautiously.
-All this time the decoy geese are gab- |
bling away to the flock. apparently re-
assuringiy, and praising that particular
place as Just the place for geese looking
for something good to eat.
After some time spent ~ this precau- |
tionary delay. the old gander moves grad |
,ially toward the decoys. his mate follow
ing him. and the youngsters kept back |
from too rash an advance.
And all this time. too, the suspicious |
and wary head of the flock keeps an eve |
on the line Of tall reeds. and so keen Is his |
eye that If the hunter should happen to |
expose himself for only an instant at any |
opening no DlkgeV ttldii a SILVER uOildT tHdt |
eve would detect him, and with a sharp
warming cry the gander would turn and |
rise from the water. followed by his en-
tire flock
Sometimes a decoy goose not properly
strapped will slip from its sod. This will |
make it flop in the water. and that will be |
too suspicious a circumstance for an old |
gander to overlook. and away he will go
with his flock. 1t IL pretty certain. though.
that once a gander turns to lead his flock |
toward the decoys. and nothing in the |
reeds alarms him. and the conduct OF the |
uring geese continues above suspicion,
his curiosity and his greed will in time |
his wariness and fears, and1 he |
will line up himself and his followers at |
last within the range OF the hunters gun.
and how many of them resume the treach- |
srously interrupted flight will depend on |
he hunters skill and alertness.
Il bagged over Capt. Tooley's flock |
,f decoys seven wild geese at two shots |
,ne as they sat in the water, one as they |
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