August, 1922 
365 
WILD BEE HUNTING 
{Co)itimicd from page 361) 
The writer has lined bees three min- 
utes from the box and found the hive not 
over twenty rods away. Sometimes it 
occurs that bees go into the bottom of a 
tree through a small knothole and travel 
ten or fifteen feet to their comb. This 
takes around two minutes and makes a 
difference in the distance from the box 
to the hive. The hunter has to make al- 
lowance for this likelihood. If the hive 
is only a short distance away the cap- 
tured bees will bring others and in an 
hour fifty or more may be feeding from 
the bait. This is a certain indication that 
the “line” is “warm.” 
L eaving the bees going and coming, 
the hunter locates a landmark be- 
hind him and one in front and takes the 
“course.” A good hunter seldom gets 
more than a few feet off the line. Of 
course he travels very slowly, judging 
the distance passed, and when near the 
place he thinks the hive should be, his 
experienced eyes keenly search each 
likely hollow tree, log and stump. 
Sometimes he is greatly puzzled. He 
has traveled the correct distance and no 
probable place for the hive is found, 
and yet his hunting instinct tells him 
the line is “hot.” Around and around 
the spot he walks, feeling in his every 
pulsation that the bees are close by. At 
last a brush-pile attracts his attention. 
It covers a fallen hollow log, and down 
through the brush the bees are seen 
coming and going, or he may find the 
bees have entered a squirrel hole, into a 
cavity formed by two buried rocks, or 
he may find them lodged in the top of a 
small fir, on account of being overtaken 
by a rainstorm on their way to the 
woods. Being unable to locate a home 
they have started to making comb and 
honey where they have lodged. The 
writer has found swarms in such loca- 
tions many times. 
In most States the common law allows 
a hunter to take his bees whether from 
a tree or in any location, and if he 
places his mark on the tree (usually his 
initials) it is generally respected by 
other hunters or finders of the hive. He 
sometimes lines bees to find the hive al- 
ready claimed. 
One hunter may care only for th« 
honey, another for both honey and bees. 
The latter takes a box with him large 
enough to accommodate any swarm, cuts 
down the tree, smokes the bees out, ex- 
tracts all the comb, places the box close 
to the mass of bees congregated around 
the queen, throws a sheet over box and 
bees, thoroughly wets same, and in a 
short time all the bees have transferred 
themselves into the box, which is plug- 
ged, and they are ready for cartage 
home. 
This covers the entire art of wild bee 
hunting and can be depended upon to be 
accurate, as it is the actual experience 
of an old bee hunter. 
The Limit on Chickens 
“Call off the dogs, Bill! You’re 
through for the day. We’ve got 
the limit.” 
“That’s the only thing I’ve got 
against Infallible, Jim. After we 
find the birds, it doesn’t take long 
enough to finish the shooting.” 
lnfa.lliblc 
A Smokeless Shotgun Powder 
HEI^ULES POWDEH^ CO. 
906 King Street 
Wilmington Delaware 
Famous Big Game Books 
By WELL-KNOWN SPORTSMEN 
We have just located a supply of the famous 
Boone and Crockett Club books. 
Edited by Theodore Roosevelt and Geo. 
Bird Grinnell. Price $3.50 each, postpaid. 
AMERICAN BIG GAME HUNTING 
HUNTING IN MANY LANDS 
TRAIL AND CAMP FIRE 
AMERICAN BIG GAME IN ITS HAUNTS 
HUNTING IN HIGH ALTITUDES 
FOREST & STREAM (Book Dept.) 
9 East 40th Street New York, N. Y. 
THE SHOOTING TIMES 
AND 
BRITISH SPORTSMAN 
The Sportsman’* Ideal Paper 
deals with 
SHOOTING, FISHING, SPORTING DOGS, Elc. 
SUBSCRIPTION; 30s PER ANNUM 
International 7noney orders obtainable at all 
Post Offices 
Specimen Copy forwarded Post Free on 
application. 
74-77 Temple Chambers, London, E. C. 4 
1 
In Writing to Advertisers mention Forest and Stream. It will identify you. 
