GOOSE SHOOTING ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 



Frank S. Ballard. 



The Canada goose, commonly known 

 as the "wild goose," is found 

 throughout North America and, 

 occasionally, in Europe. 



It is gregarious and migratory. It 

 is about three feet long, with an extent 

 of wings of about five feet five inches, 

 and weighs usually from seven to ten 

 pounds. The head, neck, bill, feet and 

 tail are black. The upper parts are gray- 

 ish brown, below grayish white. 



Influenced by the changing season, 

 they commence their migrations south- 

 ward, usually about the latter part of 

 September, and linger, for a time, about 

 the coasts and the shores of inland 

 waters in the northern states and Canada, 

 until the shallow waters commence 

 to freeze over ; generally about the 

 middle of November. When migrating, 

 they fly in large triangular flocks high in 

 the air. Eacn flock is led by an old and 

 experienced gander, who, as he flies, 

 frequently utters a loud noise, resem- 

 bling the word "houk," which doubt- 

 less has a meaning equivalent to the cry 

 of the watchman of the ship or city, 

 " All's well !" 



The awkward gait, outstretched neck, 

 gaping mouth, and disagreeable voice, 

 have obtained for the goose a reput- 

 ation of stupidity, while in reality he is 

 remarkably intelligent. 



From the height at which they fly, 

 their habit of resting on the water, and 

 their vigilance in avoiding the presence 

 of mankind, they are difficult to kill. 

 This fact has found expression in the 

 saying, " A wild goose chase," indicating 

 the hopeless pursuit of any object. 



The fact of their being so difficult 

 to obtain, and its requiring so much 

 skill and nerve on the part of the per- 

 son who pursues them, makes goose 

 shooting an extremely fascinating and 

 exciting sport, and during the season in 

 which they migrate, all other sports are 

 abandoned for this. 



Lake Champlain, a beautiful body of 

 water lying between New York and 

 Vermont, in the great basin between 

 the Green mountains and the Adiron- 



dacks, has always been a favorite resort 

 for these noble birds ; and the season 

 of goose shooting is looked forward to 

 with the liveliest anticipation by every 

 sportsman living on or near the shores 

 of this lake. 



They are generally shot from a 

 " blind," in which the hunters are am- 

 bushed. The geese are lured within 

 range of this by means of decoys, and 

 are then shot — at. Large numbers are 

 killed in this manner every year, yet there 

 are tons of shot in the bottom of lake 

 Champlain, none of which ever went 

 through a goose. 



The blind itself is nothing more than 

 a flat bottomed scow, about sixteen feet 

 long, and five or six feet wide. Ten feet 

 of this space is used as a cabin, which 

 is about seven feet from floor to roof. 

 It is provided in the interior with 

 bunks, chairs, table, cupboards for the 

 various utensils, and a good sized oil 

 stove, which serves both as a heater and 

 cook stove. 



The other six feet is boarded up on 

 all sides about breast high. There is 

 no roof on this, but instead a light 

 awning is spread over the top, leaving 

 just room enough between it and the 

 tops of the boards to allow the hunters 

 to thrust their guns through. This is 

 called the " box," and is where the 

 hunters take their position when geese 

 are in sight. At the forward end of 

 this box, a small apartment is boarded 

 off, where extra decoy geese are kept. 

 The entire structure is painted green, 

 and is thickly covered with cedar 

 boughs, which so completely disguise 

 its appearance that the geese will some- 

 times approach to within arm's length of 

 the sides ; but they are seldom allowed 

 to do this by the hunters within, as the 

 moment they come in range, if well 

 together, there is poured forth from the 

 innocent looking cedar boughs a mur- 

 derous blast of shot, which sends many 

 a fat goose to the "happy hunting 

 grounds." 



About 20 yards in front of the blind 

 the decoy gander is fastened to a stake 



