The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-18
REAL HUNTING NOW ON
MEN AND BEASTS MATCH CUNNING IN
FIELD AND FOREST.
Trees Are Bare Of Foliage and Fields
Are Clear-How to Care for
Dogs and Guns.

kNOCHeSter fOSt-ExpTeSS.
Now that the trees are stripped Of leaves.
both brush hunting and the quest of big
game In the big woods begin to be at their
best. Hitherto many a good shot has been
missed because of an abundance of foliage.
but after the first Of November the gunner
that allows bird to get away from his bag
has only himself and his poor aim to blame.
Up to this time the game birds have had
an advantage over the hunter. The ruffed
grouse, especially, is ready to take every
chance to fool his pursuer and veterans will
testify that a grouse can think quicker than
a man when it comes to choosing the safest
direction in which to escape
Still hunting has begun in the big woods
and to the real sportsman there Is no other
kind Of legitimate procedure. The calling of
moose is at best poor way of slaughter
ing fine animal. The man who takes his
information about hunting second hand from
books is ready to believe many things about
the woods that are not founded on fact
and there is no fallacy more deeply founded
than the idea that 1t is superlative art to
call moose. In reality there is very little
finish to this calling Of the bull. The
guides take advantage of a natural instinct
Of the animal which is manifested most
strongly at the mating season. Caution is
thrown to the winds and the approaching
victim is usually an easy mark at close
range.
are evenly matched. or the odds are in favor
of the moose He is in his own territory,
muscular and long winded, while the hunter,
In nine cases out Of ten, is a city man with
little reserve muscular force and less lung
power. In the steady chase which lasts for
days at time the moose outmatches his
pursuers In bodily activity: II is only by
overwhelming the brute instinct with human
intelligence that the contest can result in
favor of the human being.
Training Is necessary before a man can
supply only a part of the skill necessary
for running down the moose and a false
step, word spoken in too loud a tone or
trail of tobacco fumes in the air will often
offset the work of hours and turn success
to defeat.
A large amount of woodcraft and knowl-
edge of four-footed game is essential to
the successful hunter, and this knowledge
is only to be gained by association and
experience. Nights spent in the rough shell
ter, days passed on the trail, the light step
of the woodsman, the quick touch on the
trigger-all these things contribute to the
makeup of a real sportsman. The man
who will not work for this knowledge will
never attain success. Some men assimilate
woodcraft with the smell Of the forest ;
others must have it ground into them by a
long process, and there are those that
never learn: but the last is a small class.
Hunting is a human instinct, usually lying
dormant and capable of being reused. 1t
Is mainly the mechanical training. the
technic Of the woods, that mas to be ac-
quired by experience.
Although the late autumn Is brimful OF
enjoyment to the hunter. it is the time of
all times when he must take greatest care
of his health. The man who boasts of his
rugged physique is often laid up in the
main camp while the less hardy but more
careful are taking the cream Of the sport.
Careful attention to clothing, to diet and
to exercise is imperative to comfort.
PROPER CLOTHING ESSENTIAL.
The wary hunter clothes himself lightly
choosing fannels of medium texture to go
next to his skin. using outer garments that
will shed water as well as wind. and seeing
that, somewhere in a pocket. there is an ex-
ira scarf that can be wound around his
throat during a trip campward in the canoe
or an enforced rest on the trail Dry foot :.
wear is essential to comfort and health
Less money on the fancy frills of the chase
and more on the shoes is an excellent rule,
abandonment Of the pocket flask in favor
of two changes of socks will mean no loss
to the hunter, for alcohol Is nonessential
in the woods except for medicine. and its
proper place is at camp. No artificial
warmth can replace the glow Of a mans
own body conserved by strands of strong
WOOL warm and dry next to his extremities.
The safest rule to follow in the matter Of
diet is to select plain muscle-forming food.
Oatmeal, pork. cornbread, beans-food, in
fact, that might be poison to a nervous d.
gestion under ordinary circumstances is
assimilated without trouble when the daily
itinerary carries the consumer fifteen or
twenty miles over hard trail. The wise
man wastes no space on trifies at meal time
in the woods. He needs all the fuel he can
stow away, and unless the furnaces are
well banked at the beginning of the day
and at regular intervals the foot is apt to
lag and the breath to shorten.
The hunter of the clan rOyal takes as
good care of his rifle as he does of him
self and many look to the gun first on
water is one of the very best specifics
for a dirty weapon, II used In proper
manner. A swab. soaked in boiling
water, well well rinsed and run through the
ter than any patent cleanser on the mar
ket After the water process the barrel
should be. wiped dry with great care and
a very light. application Of pure ram
COON oil made. Smokeless powder al
ways necessities a second cleaning as
the steel will ooze a dirty moisture with
ing. Unless attended TO this moisture
will eat the steel and the barrel will
go 20 pieces twice as quickly as under ordi-
The bird hunters will look well to their
dogs at this season OF the year Tired
as he may be when he returns at night
he must remember that the dog In his
ranging has covered at least three times
as much ground as his master and Is
more weary and exhausted Before the
thoroughly. II damp. and not allowed to
sleep before this has been looked to. The
feet should be inspected for scratches and
any mishap treated. AS a usual thing, a
good hunting dog, setter OF pointer, Is
Thoroughbred and high breeding does not
give stamina. Game as the dog may be
In standing up under hard work In the
woods he needs the most careful attention
to keep him of the sick list. A full meal
but not feast. should be his portion and