American Game 23 



part of the state, when hunting in the cane, the sports- 

 man will often have to get within ten feet of his game 

 before he can shoot successfully, and then there is con- 

 siderable danger of shooting dogs. There is consider- 

 able wolf-poisoning done throughout the state, and the 

 poison left about often kills dogs, which is a source of 

 great annoyance to sportsmen. Still-hunting is chiefly 

 pursued in the hills, and is considered the most sports- 

 manlike. It is stated on good authority that deer have 

 increased recently in the eastern part of Arkansas, owing 

 to the fact that there has been no overflow in that dis- 

 trict for about five years ; but they have decreased in the 

 hills, where they are tracked in the snow and slaughtered. 

 Prairie-chicken shooting was once fine in this state, but 

 it is so no more. 



Good deer and turkey shooting must be looked for 

 away from the railroads, although some of this game 

 may be found near settlements ; but to hunt it success- 

 fully one must understand their habits and be an expert 

 in shooting. Eastern Arkansas is best for wild turkey 

 shooting. 



The great number of swamps and bayous in the state 

 make it the home of many aquatic birds. Water-fowl 

 of the duck and geese families are there in myriads, 

 also the snipe, curlew, and the various marsh birds. 

 Snipe are especially abundant on Grand Prairie, in the 

 eastern part of the state. 



Good duck shooting may be found in the northeastern 

 part of the state. The duck are mostly mallard in the 

 autumn, with a good sprinkling of geese, and occasion- 

 ally a swan. Besides these are pintail, widgeon, ball- 

 pat, black duck, blue-bill, spoon-bill, mergansers, blue- 



