The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-12-15

|
The Hawaiian Islands-the Paradise
| OF the Pacific-so-called from the Won
/ derful fertility of soil and mildness OF
/ climate, hold out strong attractions to
the lovers of rod and gun to stay
amongst their many alluring scenes of
land and water. There are no sudden
changes of climate; all is a never
ending summer.
The islands form a continuous chain,
| running from northwest to southeast.
eight islands composing the group. Ho-
nolulu, the capital and port of call of
trans-Pacitc steamers, is situated on
the island of Oahu, near the center of
the group.
The coast around the islands is
greatly indented with small bays af-
fording fine deep-sea fishing. The up
lands and forests, though now nearly
destroyed from the pasturing of cattle,
afford fine plover, dove, pheasant and
quail shooting, as well as wild hog,
cattle, goat and deer hunting.
For the love of bright colors the ma
tive Hawaiians destroyed large num-
bers of the highly plumed birds which
were indigenous to the islands. The
feathers from these birds-the 90, iwi
mamo, etc.-were used in the making
of the feather cloaks and helmets which
were worn by the island chieftians dur
ing the early days.
Unfortunately the game laws of the
Territory have never been rigidly en-
forced, but nevertheless all kinds of
game abound in certain chosen locali-
ties, well known to the island hunters.
To the lover of wing shooting a fine
days sport may be had amongst the
Chinese turtle doves, which rank first
in Importance amongst the game birds
of the Territory. The open season
commences on July 1, the doves are
found to be very plentiful in the rice
fields, which are harvested about this
time of the year. The faYorite mode
of hunting these game little birds is at
fight shooting, as they enter the rice
patches, where, if one finds a good To-
cality and a steady flight occurs, bag
of 100 birds is easily obtafnable in
half day Good dove shooting may also
be had in the lantana thickets near the
foothills when the rice patches are
under water.
To the lover of the bird dog and gun
who wishes a change from the dove
something entirely different, and amid
different scenes and surroundings may
be found in trip after pheasants ana
quail These game birds, the Mongo-
liam and Japanese pheasant and Cali
fornia quail, were introduced a score
of years ago and thrived readily, until
the mongoose was brought to the is
lands from India for the purpose OF
Kidding the cane fields of rats. In a
few years this detested little animal
left the cane fields for higher and more
deserted places. 1t was not long before
he began to prey upon the eggs of all
birds nesting upon the ground, espe-
cially the pheasant and quail, which
have decreased noticeably during the
last few years. NEVERTHELESS, enjoy
able sport may be had by persons well
acquainted with the haunts of these
swift flying birds, which are usually at
an altitude of between one and three
thousand feet Wing shooting over a
dog on pheasant and qualI
is a sport never to be forgotten
Going higher, wild turkey and chick
ems demonstrated fowls run wild for i,
MANY years. are found to be plentiful |
IN some of the islands Little attention
is paid to these except by parties /
camping out near places frequented by
them.
OF the migratory game birds which |
md afford fair shooting at times, are
he Pacific golden plover, curlew, turn
tone, wandering taller, sander1ing, and
he following ducks: spoonful, spr1g-
all. widgeon and teal; while mallard,
orant, snow goose, Canadian goose and
nipe are seen once in a while, single
r in small focks, these latter being
straw birds that have followed fiocks of
Their migratory birds. The shore birds,
Principally plover, are shot from blinds
,laced near mud flats, which at low
lde extend some three hundred feet or
oore from shore. These birds, after
eeding during the day upon the open +
ields, frequent the seashore during the