The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-13

A
and countries and are readily distinguish
| ed by the extreme narrowness or COM
preston of the body, which enables them
to thread their way through the closest
reeds and rushes of the marshes where
! they live. Their wings are short and
! concave and fit the body so closely that
they do not seem to impede the progress
Of the bird in rapidly passing through the
rushes. Their night is neither swift nor
vigorous, which impresses the stranger
with the idea that the bird was Grip
pied or immmature. They are never seen
in focks. but actuated by common i'm
pulse and instinct of socialism, through
community of tastes and wants, they are
found in these marshes in immense num-
bers during their migrations. There are
great many species of the rail family,
ranging in size from that OF a sparrow
to that of a Hudsonian curlew, and many
species are found on the same ground
1T the same time. The rail family differs
but little among it's different species or
sexes in summer or winter in regard TO
color, 1t is of a dark sooty, ranging in
tint from a light brown TO almost black,
the color in the species being much darker
on head and back. Several species are mi
gratory, especially the King and Virginia
rails, and have often been found around
lakes and sioughs of the great northwest
of British Columbia.
To successfully hunt these birds it viii
be demonstrated to you that it is more
necessary to be a coed hunter than
good shot; that is, the hunter must I'M
10 md hQ he rpndpFfOQt
might be professional at the trap would
stand no show with the rail shooter who
would make an average of fifty per cent
of his shots. The secret is this: The rails
are found on fresh water marshes where
reeds and rushes grow in great profusion
and not too high. Now as has been stated,
these birds were not built for flying, but
for running, their legs being long, with
thigh very large in proportion to the body.
AS the hunter works his way through the
rushes he is compelled 10 make much
noise, and while he is making theSnolse
the rails are skulking and running in
every direction and at the same time
keeping tab on the hunter by the very
noise he is making. But let him stop
suddenly and be perfectly quiet and with
in ten seconds every bird within thirty
yards will rise a few feet above the top of
the rushes They rise with feeble flap
of the wings with legs dangling and
heads turning inquisitively. and as soon
as they have the hunter located their
fight is ended and they drop back into
the rushes to await the motions of the
hunter. He may repeat this stopping every
fifty feet from morning till night or I'M
til such time as he feels ashamed OF the
slaughter.
In this part of the country every little
elevation or raise of the ground brings
a different variety of shooting. Where
the rushes leave off the grass begins, in
terspersed with little pools and Dogs that
shake under your feet. There will be
found the snipe family OF several species.
Back in the timber and on little higher
plain will be found the woodcock, but
never in great numbers.
The prevailing method of taking the
birds as enumerated in this article is
the first and third class is by what is
termed by the Yankees the stool. meaning
wooden decoys of the kind representing
the bird to be hunted. They are set upon
a pedestal composed of a stick and a
piece of spiral wire. these decoys to be set
out on some favorite spot in front of an
improvised blind. The method has been so
Thoroughly written and illustrated that l
will not tire the reader with a further
description.
The best gun for bay-bird shooting is
not larger than sixteen gauge and even
a twenty gauge is not bad. The load
should be a light one. While No. u shot
are the best for rails and will answer
very well for the snipe family. No. are
best for wilets and avocets. etc.
But little or nothing is known of this I
excellent sport inland. and many readers (
of Outdoor Life will fail to recognize the !
purport of this article by the title. Bay /
Bird Shooting" I honestly believe that (,
the game birds of North America are /
rapidly approa ching extinction. but be- /
lieve that the bay-birds will be the last /
to go. When I think of the great stretch 4
Of coast with its tortuous inlets, with /
their shores tide-inundated with millions /
Of acres made untillable and the very
ground where these birds breed and -four
sh. they will he with us when the grouse
and bob white will only live in the mem
Dry of man.
After taking a bay-bird shoot on the .
Atlantic coast you will forever after di-
vide your hunting between mountain and
salt water. and chew fine cut in summer
and plug in winter.
1t is said that the profitable hen eats
6 times her weight in year. Her eggs
are six times her own weight, and worth
six times the cost of her food. Feed
plenty of wheat. oats, grits. clover and
bone and less corn.
ahAma koxxze