South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-13
SPORTS


occasioned by the shooting microbe
sailing under many brands and
equipped with assorted sizes OF stin-
gers for insertion, injecting into the
sportsman's system a virus. inocu-
lating the victim with a shooting de-
sire and outdoor spirit from which
there Is positively no recovery.
When under the microbes influence
you may throw your gun into the
discard. master your inclinations to
go afeld or shoot over the traps.
You are experiencing temporary re-
lief only. There remains that long
ing for the smell of sun powder and
life afield. The mention of a gun
creates an itching Of the trigger fin
ger, with an insane desire TO recite
to a listening friend your prowess at
trap or in pursuit of game; an
ever 70 be remembered "long-shOt'
made or remarkable score put up
by self or father. A wonderful gun.
once an heirloom in the family.
whose killing radius was only limit
ed by the scope Of vision Of the
operator (father). who also drove
a flock of bees across The plains. in
the middle Of the winter, and never
lost a bee"
No species Of mankind is immune
from the sting of the sporting mi
crobe except the dude" who has
no sphere in sport life.
Our pioneer ancestors were de-
voices Of the shooting art. Fire
arms were then a necessity, a means
OF family protection and sustenance.
The Kentucky hammered barrel
rife. with barrel so long il was
necessary to stand on a stump or
log TO load; with accessories, like
the COW horn, as a powder recep-
tacle. the bullet pouch of buckskin.
a cupboard in the side of the stock
for caps and patching. Shooting sue
cesses were scheduled on game.
where il was "A case of cunning for
meat" The bringing home of the
bacon or venison, was the slogan
TO eat. Modern field or shooting
ethics were not closely observed.
"POt-shOoting," which means the
bagging of game, in uncertain num-
bers. without first showing birds the
courtesy of putting them to flight
This, a game getting policy. which
eliminated the taking OF long
chances or escape Of the quarry
In the pioneer days there were
/ skill tests" at the holiday turkey
shoots. Ten cents per shot was the
usual entrance fee. A board was
painted or burned black. TO soften
the wavering rays of light arising
from the rifle barrel, small cross
was put on the board. which was
covered by a small piece of white
paper. this the objective target. Or
a turkeys head was allowed to ex-
tend through a few inches above q
barrel head, the first contestant
drawing blood with a well directed
bullet was the winner of the turkey.
Pioneers had been. stung by the
same microbe extant today. were
settling the question Of shooting ac-
curacy. in friendly rivalry and dem
onstrating the muzzle loading gun
! and black powder.
Mechanical genius has today giTen
Us the modern guns and ammuni-
| ton. Rifles and scatter guns in the
hands OF American experts turned
! the tide of battle in the recent
worlds war. Experience in shooting
the 100000 targets furnished the
| camps and environments by Uncle
sam and the consequent accuracy
OF the dOughboys, gobs and bird
men, in action, was in a great meas
lure responsible for the early shout
ing OF "kamerad'' by the Teutons.
Shooting is no longer a home pro-
! viding necessity, the game OF this
country has materially decreased
the killing Of a bag limit is unusual
under protective laws and absence
OF game Millions Of men, women
and boys have been educated "a
shoot. CUncle Sam has been in
structor 10 over 4.OOO,OOOD They
must measure swords and annex
victories in friendly competition al
the traps. Inanimate targets (made
OF composition), must be substituted
for wild game Thrown through the
air. they very much resemble the
fight Of a quail, snipe or prairie
chicken. The same leads and com
putations OF distance are necessary
for success. thrills are present wher
the verdict is dead" which spell:
the same results. either on game OF
targets. when proclaimed by refere'
at traps or shooting pard afield. The
shooting micrObe is no respector al
sex. The feminine convert, says
trap-shooting is the king OF sports. .
that the handling OF firearms elimi
mates fear. imbues confidence. put.
ting 10 flight the burglar nightmare
When a Boy Scout is stung he want.
a gun The STAFF then looks 20 hin
like the center pole Of the big round
top at a circus. Have YOU spring
fever