The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-02-18

liz the water before they have full.
made Up their mind as to the probabl
character of the decoy as IT is To Civ
them . fusillade and bag a. lot of them,
4 said q New York sportsman just bacl
\. from week among the wild fow
haunts Of Hyde county, N. C., to q New
York Sun representative. Live de
y c0ys are used almost entirely in hunt
ing wild geese On Pamlico sound q
Metamuslxeet lake, wild geese being DO
mesticated and trained to lure, a'
X captiyes, their free kindred to destruc'
X tion.
1.-THE bottom Of Pamlico sound, along
The shores, is Of white sand, and in Il
are the nutritive roots and plants on
which the wild geese feed. The shores
themselves are vast tangles Of reedy
marsh.
1.-THE reeds are very tall, and the
hunter does not have to build blind
for bis shooting. He simply makes q
space IL the reeds, close to the water.
and Lies there with the surrounding
natural growth Of reeds az his ambus-
cade. In front Of this the decoys are
put ont, each goose strapped BY one
leg to stake driven into the bottom
Of the sound, through square Of sod
sunk beneath the water three or four
inches Oh which the goose rests.
This gives the decoy the appear
ance Of floating or resting on the SUI
face Is il ii had alighted there, and the
skillful distribution Of number OF
them ID group in this way gives them
natural appearance and attitudes
that cannot be obtained from artificial
decoya
ut Is manifestation Of the won
derful keenness OF wild goose's hear
ing that long before even the trained
ear Of the professional fowl hunter has
detected the cries OF an approaching
flock Of geese the decoys have heard
them, and becoming suddenly alert, be-
rim to send back responsive shonks.'
By and by y-shaped line comes into
shape against the Sky. the unmistaka-
BE figure OF flock Of geese in flight.
VA 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 gan
der is invariably III the lead, the old
goose behind him. When they con-
clude To drop into the water where the
decoys have attracted them, it is be-
cause the decoys have given the impress
sion that the feeding must be partic-
nlarly good at that spot. And row is
when the interesting part Of the ma
begins.
ssrhe 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 think
ing that the decoys must be having
good time where they are, are losing |
10 time In Joining them and getting a
share Of the supposed good things.
.sThen it is amusing to watch the old |
rander handle that eager and incau-
tious flock Of his. He heads the young |
sters off at every turn as they try to
hurry III toward the shore, holds
them ii check, and, as natives of the
coast say. talks To them.
ssHe cackles high and he cackles low,
andAs.y many moduIations of his voice |
md earnest gesticulations with his
neck plainly admonishes his young i
sters and warns them to 60 slowly and
cautiously.
"All this time the decoy geese are
zabbling away to the flock apparently
and praising that par
ocular place a just the place for geese
ooking for something good to eat.
AFTER some time spent in this pre-
.autionary delay, the old gander
moves gradually toward the decoys, his /
nate following him, and the young
;ters kept back from too rash an adj
rance.
"And all this time, too, the suspi-
sious and wary head Of the flock keeps
N eve on the line of tall reeds, and 50
'nou1u naPPen eNPose
'niy ~ instant = AZ open'ns I, W ~
ser tnan = sif'er ooi,al 'na' s. Z "o.'u