New-York tribune., 1906-10-21

O. deadly weapon and calculates the aim allow
ance for the heads of fellow pedestrians. Yon
Rocky Mountain sheep perched on the brink OF
the canyon. otherwise window cleaner at the
twenty-f1rst story OF an office building, would
make splendid target. Ha, is that a lordly
moose feeding on the lily pads? No it is a fat
policeman mounted horse. But that makes
no difference the point is to be prepared for all
emergencies.
The game season is open. Our enthusiasm has
the approval of Tartarin de Tarascon and OF a
well girthed eX-President. The former was q
lion hunter. type Of the fmplacable and per
eistent sportsman. The latter has introduced
ethics into the field of slaughter; he has rehne1
our instincts by magazine articles and example.
He has taught 10 subdue the indiscriminate
lust TO kill chipmunks; that ii is wrong to use
an automatic shotgun on woodchucks; that we
should not destroy more clay pigeons than we
can eat. Thus has arisen the Princeton school
of hunters. academic but humane. who are al
legged 70 go into the forest with frst-ald-to-ln-
iured outfit and q professional poet TO sing
dirge over the fallen. II must be understood
that the first aid is for the wounded animals
not for the sportsmen who accidentally get hurt
Further along this humane line, it is reported
that International congress TO regulate hunt
ing is contemplated by the Princeton school. All
boards OF health expected TO favor rule
forbidding the of explosive bullets on
skunks
7 can understand the game season being open
in Africa or the jungles of the River Amazon"
said cynic the other day, "but the phrase is a
little loose as applied TO this country. There
may be game IN the Himalaya Mountains and
some in the non-tourist region of Borneo What
ever game we have in this vicinity stares glass
fly through the furrier's window drags out
feeble existence in the zoo The few rodents that
hide i'm Long Island brush niles and the olv
feshed water fowl Of the Jersey marshes do not
deserve the title. ] really doubt whether any
game exists in the country; ii is extinct: but
the sporting goods houses keep up the fiction of
its existence. Perhaps they let loose a few
hand fed grizzlies and domesticated caribou
every year 10 deceive the public. Why not?
One trained circus bear could easily tour the
Adirondacks and throw hundred sportsmen
into d fever. Didn't You read how those West
eTn fellows offered 70 procure bob cats and
mountain lions, just if they We're cattle for
the Presidential hurI2 They must have had
them ready in a barn. The bear was seen going
due east Yes. he took the train for the next
point where there were guides at 50 a day and a
taXidermist and a railroad advertising man with
camera and a bunch Of hotels and a news
paper correspondent ard an agent for An am
rnunitiOn house The whole thing Is getting as
'phOny the theatrical business"
The amateur sportsman rejects these views
with Indignation. He has faith 10 believe that
game exists and that he IS the mortal fated to
bag il Game Wardens exist; ergo. there is
something to ward. Guns are sold: there must
be something TO shoot Where do all the
mounted heads Of deer and bear and wild sheen
come FROM The taxidermist mails shipping
tags 10 forward any game heads" and says he
is doing finer work and more artistic work than
ever Finally. the papers filled with ac-
counts Of sportsmen shot by mistake for wild
beasts; they are shot dead. which is a tribute 10
craftsmanship Where spOrtsnlen are killed
there must be sport
But there are hunters Of the Princeton school
who don't care rap whether they find any
game or not it is ho! for getting up at day
break 10 breathe the rare vintage of October
air and see the sunrise and forget the cobwebs
Of business in watching small wild animals
skip through the painted woods, behold the chip
pering squirrel al breakfast the swift silent
flight OF the startled duck, and. after a ten
mile walk across country, sit on log bring
out the luncheon basket and enjoy the appetite
Of boyhood days the farm. A gun in these
circumstances IS a sort OF stage property
manlier attribute than butterfly net, a more
study. If there is dog along he Will make
enough noise and chase enough rabbits to serve
all purposes OF excitement. AS a measure Of
precaution and warning to others the hunter
may fire his gun in the air az intervals