The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-08
HUNTING PRAIRIE CHICKENS.
4 DAYS SPORT IN THE TEXAS
PANHANDLE SHTNNERIES.
The Birds stnl Plentiful. but Not Eas, TO
shoot. and ;he Climate Glorious Sow
boys WHO Have No Bad Hablts-Epl-
sone OF IOarcr Noif and a setter Dog.


CHEYENNE, Okla Jan 7.-Following
/ the Washita River westward from this
I place to its source in the Panhandle Of
/ Texas, a sportsman will traverse the best
| prairie chicken country in the Southwest
/ The settlement of western Oklahoma and
J the planting OF crops have provided ideal
[ feeding grounds for the chickens. which
retire 10 the sohtudez of the Panhandle
in nesting and brooding time
Large areas OF the Panhandle are covered
I with sandy ridges on which grows a species
| of diminutive oak commonly called shin
/ oak, and from it these ridges take the local
name Of shinneries. The oaks, no higher
! than ones knee produce an abundance OF
small acorns, on which the chickens de-
light TO feed, and the dense growth gives
good cover for the midday retirement of
the chickens after they have visited the
kaffir fields at sunrise and before their re-
turn at shutdown. The depressions be-
tween these sandy ridges are covered with
smooth turf of buffalo grass, and here
the chickens love to frolc when the sun
shines and the wind is calm
Old settlers will tell you that prairie
chickens in the Panhandle are disappearing
Idplhll anu ilihN at amy why "A'i 's'NNN
fate Of the buffalo that once covered these
ideal grazing grounds in untold numbers.
They talk Of days when hundreds of chickens
could be seen together and their booming
sound on early spring mornings made the
air vibrate There is still an abundance
OF chickens however. and 1t VIII DO years
before an industrious hunter will fail OF
good bag
At this season the birds are strong OF
wing and wary and hunters must conceal
themselves in blinds to get within easy
range A big cock chicken in fun fight
gives little time for theorzng. and the
man who brings him down must shoot
quickly and know where TO hold his gun.
The target seemingly Is a big one but 1t
diminishes with the speed Of an express
train
The pleasure Of an outing in this country.
even though the amount Of game hagged
is small, is compensation for the endeavor.
Blue sky and treeess plains, gray with
winter. make up the scenery Of the Pan
handle; and 20 barren do the plains seem
at first to q stranger that he wonders how
men have found the courage and patience
to spend their lives here. even though
these same men declare that they would
die Of homesiokness II taken away.
The winter landscape is somhre, The
tenderfoot shoulders the frst day. In
twenty-four hours he grows more com
placent. and in three days he Is stepped
in the mystery and bound by the fasclna-
ton Of the plains
Night, with its stars and silence. reveals
another land, and no man can resist its
influence. The crystalline air keen with
frost seems too thin and fragile 20 sustain
the consultations that glitter with sur
passing brillanoy The bow of Ouon
hangs almost within reach Of ones hand;
the Peipdes glow like swarm Of silver
bees close to their hive. Not sound
breaks the silence, save the occasional
CRY Of coyotes or the deeper bay Of loafer
wolf The stiffness seems audible, and
ones cars Jingle with a strange sensation
not unlike that when in high ATTITUDES the
northern light flames softly in the sky
Corral Creek in Wheeler county, Tex,
winds through the land Of the prairie
chicken Corral Greek has the peculiarly
of most Panhandle streams 1t is scarcely
more than o feet wide at any place, but
its pools are often 20 and 90 feet in
length. and their greatest depth not more
than feet.
The water flows from perennial springs
and is as clear as glass. Black bass and