The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-01-01
INDIAN BOY HUNTERS.
HOW THEY TRAPPED THE
SMALL
Animals aud Rounded Ub chip
nHnks.

1t was part of the Indian boys
hunting to find new and strange things
in the woods. They examined the
slightest sign of life, and If bird had
scratched the leaves off the ground or
bear dragged up a root for his morn
ing meal they stopped to speculate ON
the time when it was done. In Indian
Boyhood' DIR. Charles A Eastman,
himself an Indian, tells of the way in
which he and his companions caught
the animals of the wood.
Our devices for trapping small ami
mails" he says, were rude, but they
were often successful. For instance,
We used to gather up peck or so of
large. sharp pointed burs and scatter
them in the rabbits burrow-like path.
In the morning we would find the little
fellow sitting quietly in his tracks, I'M
able to move, for the burs stuck to his
feetA
Perhaps the most enjoyable of all
was the chipmunk hunt. After the
first thaw the chipmunks burrow hole
through the snowy crust and make
their first appearance for the season.
Sometimes as many as fifty will come
together and hold a social reunion.
These gatherings occur early in the
morning, from daybreak to about 8
O'clock. We boys learned this, among
other secrets of nature, and got our
blunt-headed arrows, together in good
season for the chipmunk expedition.
7. 1--WE generally went in groups of six
to dozen or Is, to see which would get
the most. On the preceding evening we
selected several boys who could initiate
the chipmunk's call with wild oat
straws and each of these provided him
self with supply of straws.
My first experience of this kind 1
still remember well. 1t was fine, crisp
March morning, and the sun had not
vet shown himself as we hurried along
through the .ghostly wood. Presently
we arrived at place where there were
many signs of the animals. Then each
of us selected a tree and took up his
position behind it. The chipmunk call
er sat on log, as motionless as possible
and began to call.
.Son we heard the rustic of little
feet on the hard snow; then we saw the
chipmunks approaching from all direc-
tions. In a few minutes the chipmunk-
caller was besieged with them. Some
ran all over his person, others under
him and still others ran up the tree
against which ne was sitting. Each boy
remained immovable until the leader
gave the signal; then great shout
arose and the chipmunks in their fright
all ran UP the different trees.
Nov the shooting match began. The
little creatures seemed to realize their
hopeless position; they would try again
and again to come down the trees and
escape from the deadly arrows. When
ever several of them rushed toward the
ground together we all Rugged the tree
>Sand yelled frantically to scare them up
r-~-wSach boy shoots always against the
trunk Of the tree, so that the arrow
may bound back to him every time;
!. otherwise when he had shot away all of
his arrows he would be helpless, and
I another who had cleared his own tree
would come and take away his game;
so there was warm competition. AT
last all thee hipmunks were killed or
Agone and then we went on to another
place, keeping up the sport until the
/ sun came out and the chipmunks refus-
ed to answer to the call"