The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-12-10
BE CAREFUL WHAT you sHoor.
When in Doubt Shout, as Deer and Mar
Do Not Look Alike.

Do Not Look Alike.
The text Of this brief sermon addressed
TO all who propose going aheld after
game, big or small, is this; Don't leave
your common sense az home when YOU
set out for the hunting ground. And as
an opening remark, don't fail 70 cut this
article out and take It with you.
For fear that you might not see the
force Of which opening, just listen 70
this: The writer foregathercd lately
with gentleman from one Of the large
cities, who is, by way of thinking, him.
self fair woodsman and is certainly
reputed hunter Of class He delivered
himself as follows apropos Of the rndi.
mentary principle OF all hunting, VIA
Don't shoot until you know what you
are shooting at.
Il was up in North Minnesota deer
hunting last fall, and got lesson won't
forget. Just learned how easily a man
who is sure he knows better can do worse
and not half try. On my way up
picked up a copy Of the St. Paul Pioneer
Press containing reprinted article from
the New York Times, which interested
me greatly, though never then dreamed
that il was TO be the means Of ayerting
a tragedy. One rule il laid down was
when in doubt Of the identity OF any.
thing looking like deer, but TO which
as deer you could not swear, 70 hollor.'
Nov I thought that any fool ought
to know that, but mark what followed.
secured quarters with q Winchester
farmer knew and the morning after
reaching his place set out by my lone.
some. He told me that a moose or two
were loose, and when / glimpsed the un-
mistakable coat Of the big moose through
some thick brush perhaps two hundred
yards from when l was crossing a thick
piece Of timber. / trew my rifle TO my
shoulder and drew a bead on Mr.. Moose,
but did not pull the trigger. into
my mind came the printed warning, and
although / was not in doubt little bit,
yelled. An answer came back instant
liz and a moment later my host stepped
into view and came toward me. And
sat down on a log with ice water pouring
out OF every pore"--and lot more going
to prove that an experienced hunter had
LETT bis common sense at home, and
but for Gods mercy and through no
fault of his own had escaped the guilt
Of blood.
Take your common sense with you
when you 90 TO hunt. 1t will teach you
that there is no resemblance between a
man and deer or bear, and viii force
YOU when in doubt to "hollerp and keep
on 'hollering' until you get an answer
or see the suspicious object run.
Don't leave your common sense at
home. If you take it with you it will
interfere and stop you every time you
start to drag a gun out OF or through
anything by the barrel with the muzzle
pointing straight at your body or head.
That is the method Of suicide, self-mu-
tilation, or man.slaughter most favored
of gentlemen users Of the shotgun, al
though some do either or all Of those
acts in similar manner with the rife.
Use hammerless, DO your And SO
YOU can drag your gun any old way and
still be safe, can you! Friend, there
never was, and never will be, any kind
of loaded gun that was or could be safe
while it's muzzle was pointed at a hui
man being. Give your common sense
half chance and nobody will need to
tell you that. If you are going to leave
anything at home, give automatic guns
and whiskey the preference, but take
your common sense along every time.
The killed and wounded during the
open season for deer in the three states
of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan
alone wouldn't make d very bad second
to the performance of the railroads in
that line during the same length Of time.
and nine out of ten Of every deplorable
happening of them all happened because
some man went hunting and left his
common sense at home.
Take your common sense with you. II
will teach you that under no circum
stances must you carry a loaded gun,
a loaded rife. into house or
camp. 1t win show you the criminal
folly Of shooting at rabbits, squirrels, or
birds with cartridges from rifles which
will propel & bullet two miles, especially
when the chances are strongly in favor
of your hitting anything in the wide
world except the mark you are aiming
at.
It will call your attention to the fact
that you came out fro hunt and not
drunk, and that the less liquor in the
party the better the party's chances Of
q pleasant time and successful hunting
It will force you TO bear constantly In
mind the fact that you are not "lSid"
and so responsible for nothing, but
man who knows himself responsible to
God and man for bis actions, and who
intends 10 act as one who fully realizes
his responsibility.
Now before YOU forget it, cut this
out, take it with you, and read it over
each day while you are out. If you do.
Sir Common Sense win be Of the party
and the most honored member thereof
New York Times.