The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-26
Route of the Birds Brings
Them Over the Great
Wheat Belt.
NUMBERED IN MILLIONS
PERSISTENT HUNTING HAS 80
Trimmed THEIR RANKS THAT
NOW ONLY OCCASIONALLY ONE
IS SHOT.

Topeka, Kan. April 26.-The resi-
dents of Kansas know that spring days
are near when the flight Of wild geese
from their southern winter home to
the northern nesting place begins. But
the ranks of this once mighty aerial
army have been thinned by the sports
men.
Thirty years ago the army OF wild
geese contained millions. In addition
to the slaughter of the birds in their
flight from summer to winter home
they have been pursued In North Da-
kota and Canada, and in their winter
home along the shores Of the Gulf Of
Mexico.
The path of the wild geese over
Texas. Oklahoma. Kansas, Nebraska
and the Dakotas, many persons believe
is selected because of the directness Of
the route. This Is not the reason. The
States named comprise the great
wheat belt of the continent. upon the
fields Of which the geese feed on their
journeys. When they go south In the
late fall the scattered grain from the
seasons harvest on the stubble fields
provide them with food. When they
return in March the green fields are
inviting all the way from the Red
River to their Canadian home.
Fly At High Altitude.
When flying the wild geese maintain
an altitude Of from five hundred to
one thousand feet. The popularity OF
their flight is the v-shaped line. with
the apex forward, and the uniform dis
lance apart preserved by the flyers.
!, The flocks are invariably led by a
stout-hearted gander, who maintains
his post at the extreme point OF the "
and whose clarion toned honk conveys
his orders. which are responded to by
his converging lines OF followers. The
old residents OF Kansas who have
watched the habits Of the birds agree
on one point. When the v is rigidly
maintained and moves directly and
placidly across the sky 1t IL certain
that the flock IL made up of the more
elderly and experienced fowls. but
when the " scatters. breaks and the
birds indulge In unusual vociferation
it is almost sure to be the younger
birds that are making the journey.
These cannot repress the inquisitive-
ness that the novelty of the situation
inspires; they gaze with wonder on
the panorama underneath, to the neg
lect OF decorum in flight, and without
a doubt the patience Of the leader ID
sorely taxed
In their flight during q dark. damp
night wild geese lose their bearing oft.
en- and may be heard jabbering and
quacking a few feet above the house.
tops. II flying over q town or city
lighted with electricity, they frequent.
ly dart against the lamps swinging In
the street. as was the case In Topeka
few years ago. On this occasion
sportsmen and boys with clubs dis.
patched q dozen or more geese that
had been drawn to the lights and
stunned.
In Earlier Days.
Wild goose hunting On the plains Of
the great West in the early days was
q sport which always had great charm
for the gunner. The geese sWarmed
In countless numbers, and many we're
killed by resident hunters and BY
sportsmen for the Eastern markets.
An hours lively sport with the honk.
ers on the wheat fields meant but one
thing to the inexperienced hunter, and
that was something for his pains. e.
pecially II he happened to be in q we'll
concealed stand directly in hne q the
flight.
Only occasionally now do Kansas