The sun., 1919-02-23
ONE WEEK MORE FOR
RABBIT HUNTING
Sport So Popular in Many
States All Year Round Sea-
son Permitted.
PROTECTION INCREASING

One more week remains for rabbit
hunting upstate and In the neighboring
States OF New Hampshire. Vermont and
ssachusetts. In Maine the season
lasts until the end OF March. The bag
limit for New York is six rabies and
in New Hampshire and Vermont fve.
Maine and Massachusetts put no limit
on the number Of varying hares or cot
tontails the hunter may take.
Rabbit shooting Is such q popular
sport and the animals are 30 numerous
that more than half the States in the
Union give them no protection whatso-
ever, while most States let the gunner
have an opportunity 10 go shooting rab-
bits for a period of from three to nine
months. Legislation, however, tends
toward shortening the rabbit season.
placing cioee season on the statute
books in those States where previously
tho animal has been unprotected and
cutting the bag limit.
Rabbit hunting Is one OF the most
popular sports, rabbits being found In
eral classes--the larger rabbits, the
Arctic or varying hares, or snowshoe
rabbits being found in the north and
jaclsr bbtts IN the west, and the smaller
cottonta!l The cottontail rabbits are
found in most States. except where they
are outnumbered by the snowshoo rab-
bits.
Rabbit Built for Speed.
The rabbit is built for speed. as Wit
ness the song Of the poet:
A bunny Is not built to nght,
In running II his strength:
To shun gun O bun Will run
To almost any length.
The fastest runner OF all the rabbits
II the jack rabbit or at least that par
ticular jack rabbit that Mark Twain
had in mind when he said He fire.
quertly dropped his ears, set up his tall
and frequently left for San Francisco at
lightning speed. Long after he was out
Of sight we could hear him whiz."
Grover Cleveland. who was an out.
doorsman, n duck hunter and q splendid
fisherman, regarded as pure affectation
and. nonsense" those hunters "ot the
suptr-refinsd and dudish sort who deny
to the rabbit any position among legiti-
mate game animals and there are Others
who. while grudgingly admitting rao-
bits to the list, seem to think II neces-
sary to excuse their concession by call
ing them hsres."
Animals Are Night Fceaers.
Good sportsman that he was, the for.
per President did not deem 1t beneath
HIS dignity and standing as reputable
, gunner TO write Of the rabbit ''ns an
entirely suitable member OF the game
community" and he did so entertain
ingly In his Fishing and Shooting
Sketches" which are so attractively il
Illustrated by the pen OF Henry s. Wat
son, now editor OF Field and Stream.
Rabbits feed at night and during the
day hide closely in grass or among
rocks or In the brush, and no Sportsman
worthy Of the name would shoot rab.
bit while II is sitting even though ht
has to start the rabbit by kick or q
punch. When the rabbit gets at its full
speed then the sportsman tries his
craftsmanship.
The Board OF Health OF Muncie. Ind.
however, has decreed that no rabbit shall
be sold in the local markets except those
killed by running.
Tho theory OF the running rabbit as
! an edible meat as opposed to a sitting
rabbit. according to the Board of Health
is that n sick rabbit will not run. where
I as activity on the part Of rabbit is in.
dicative Of good health. Therefore be-
fore a hunter shoots he must stir the
rabbit up to see whether II is sluggish
or otherwise.
There are various ways OF taking the
rabbit In the South he is always
hunted with a dog. In the North the
RABBIT Is hunted with a dog. sometimes
with ferrets. or tracked in the snow
When hunted without dog or withou,
the added value OF the tracks IN the
snow the walking Is always good.