The sun., 1903-03-22
PyCKEREL SHOOTING.
A sport OF Late winter That Requires
Peculiar skill.

Peculiar SKILL
With the signs Of an early spring the
pickerel shooter Is out He is secretVe
person who moves by stealth, because
shooting pickerel is against the law every
where. Generally he Is some merchant
lawyer or banker in big town who has been
cooped up all winter and feels that he must
get out or die.
When the ice Is breaking up, showing
shadows OF cool water close to the bank OF
a lake, the pickerel may be shot, and at no
other time. Then 1t floats with It's head
to shore, rubbing gently In the sand. and
it's back fin within half an inch OF the
surface.
The pickerel come to these places to let
the sun shine on them and possibly to look
out suitable places for spawning. They
have been down under the roof OF Ice since
November and are as glad OF the cha nee to
get into fresh air as the man who hunts
them.
In shooting pickerel q rife OF small cali
bank. or he may get into punt With guide
to shove him and cruise slowly through
the water. little chunks OF ice humping
against the boats sides now and then. He
stands in the bow and keeps his eyes ak inned
He detects the presence OF his prey often
a
surface made by the moving tall OF the
pickerel, which Is swayed to and fro in utter
enjoyment OF the sunshine and the nose
rubbing. He directs the punter by moving
his left hand from right to left Some
times the back fin OF the fish is seen sticking
up and the shot is then comparatively easy
The boat must approach closely enough
to permit OF downward shot at q sha rp
angle, or else the bullet will glance on the
water; and the utmost quiet must be had,
IL, IL, x.vk.t .tnl.
the boat is pushed; II Is slipped into and
out Of the water without ripple and the
craft steals along slowly like a ghost.
There Is some science in pickerel shoot
ing, for the man must know how deeply
his weapon will carry, he must be able to
Judge the number OF inches between the
head OF the fish and the surface, and he
must allow for the refraction OF light by
the water.
He must aim all OF the way from half an
inch to three inches under the head OF the
fish instead Of directly at II. II he does
not he will overshoot. Only the head Is
shot at. because there is no other fatal
wound unless the back Is broken, and that
happens only by accident
Clear water Is deceptive; The fish which
is two feet under will look TO be within a
foot OF the top. and one within a foot will
seem to be within six inches. The water
has great stopping capacity and 1t will
not only deaden the force OF the bullet but
VIII denect IL II the angie De oDtuse ana the
depth too great.
So il Is best for the pickerel shooter TO
know that his fish is not more than three
inches under and then to aim carefully
from an inch to two inches under the head
or at the surface OF the water two inches
nearer to him than the head Of the fish.
IL struck through the centre Of the head
the pickerel, no matter how big II may be,
will give one conv1Ilsive flirt and roll over,
but If the bullet enters too far back there
will be tremendous swirl and the sand
or mud will fly up and the loafing spot Of the
pickerel will know II no more. In one
second II will be twenty yards out into the
lake and still going
Pickerel shooting il not the highest form
Of sport, but II does give man chance to
lock his Office desk. kick II savagey in fare
well and go out and get some fresh air and
view OF the wide sky which stoops over
field and lake. He has the delicious thrill
which comes from the knowledge that he
is doing wrong and game warden may
grab him at any moment and, II being his
first day out, he is certain 10 i've tired from
his toes TO his neck when he gets home.