New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-30

this country is now 40 war. However.
since the fact remains the Adironds<i
roodsmen are rot the ones 70 quarr,l
Win II. And while the sun shines they
arc making tho fur fly in very truth.
Amateur Hunters Scarce
There is another reason for the on.
traordinary smount 81 hunting in the
Adirondacks thl: season, and Il Is %
curious interest since 10 is direety
due TO America entrance into the
var against the Hun. Since our dee
laration OF war. incidentally, the
number Of wealthy amateur sports.
men from the cities who annually
canoo 10 the North Woods for lit,l.
shooting has very materially fallen OF.
As a result, about two hundred
camps and lodges that used 20 be fllec
With thi. variety each winter are nov
pretty nearly deserted. But the
wealthy sportsman has been replaced
by other amateurs who gun Tor bear
and deer and foxes with quite df
fsrent end in view. These arc younr
men who are training themselves 90
keep their heads in the presence Of
live buck or bear, so that they viii
be more likely % retain their self.
po.session when they first catch sigh
Of the enemy a. the battlefront IN
France.
Al first blush that seems rather
far-fetched method Of preparedness.
but there are sound reasons behind it
reasons that date back % Reyolg-
tionary times and help explain The
effectiveness OF the Minute Men and
the wolf hunters under Schuyler and
Greene. Plattsburgs training camp
developed the prime benefit Of the
moving target. And 1T does not re-
quire military acumen 70 understand
that a man who has all his life hunt.
ed wild game so that he controls him
self perfectly in any emergency o,
the chase, will be more likely 10 retain
his head and the effectiveness 81 HI,
weapon in the presence Of human
enemy than will the soldier whose
previous military training has con
sisted principally in shooting a, {,
motionless mark.
Preparing to Stalk the Hun
The average layman does not bs-
hi. initial deer until he has hunted
two wears in the forest and has fired
at at least ten. Hardly one out o.,
a hundred sees his first deer without
.traightway falling into such IL Of
"rattles" that he seldom shoots while
the quarry is still in sight. Compo-
sure comes with practice and expert
ence. This new brand Of hunter fg-
ures that IL he stalks and shoots at
Wild game until he has become accus-
toned to them he will be able 20 give
a better account of himself when he
come. 20 stalk the Boche. And, as
was 10 be expected, these men vho
have come 90 the Adirondacks 70 pre-
pare themselves for probable seryie,
/ in the American army arc thoroughly
earnest, determined and perseyering.
/ Guides who know most about that sort
OF thing will tell you that in the old
/ days a hunting party OF dozen
wealthy sportsmen that brought down
one deer and a fox all told considered
/ itself we'll on the way 10 a medal
. They will add that almost any one o,
/ the hunter-soldier stripe will bag tina,
amount of game within three weeks
after learning to hold a gun.
These guides. by the way, have de-
veloped an unwonted respect FOR III.
wartime lads from the cities.
"They come up here for business,
is the way an old woodsman will put
/ it. They amt huntin' the deer for
the deer; they're hunting the deer for
/ the Hun"
/ IL should be noted, however. that
/ this class of Nimrod has his eye oui
! chiefly for bear.