a4r 
-A.-Dril 24r 
WILD GOOSE SIIOOTI.VG 0\ THE WESTERN 
PRAIRIES. 
BY TOM TRAMP. 
It may not prove uninterestint; to give a passing des- 
cription of this famous game bird. We see it standing 
on the sandy margin of some lowland sheet of water in 
the interior, his wary eye ever on the lookout, its out- 
stretched neck, its huge body, deep, dusky brown — ap- 
proaching closely to black in color — covering of soft 
thick feathers, a pure white bar across the tail feathers 
and a circular band of white about its throat that giyes 
it a peculiarly wild appearance. The breast is much 
lighter in color than the other parts of its body it has 
large stout legs and thick webbed feet of a black color, 
and a strong compact bill of the same color. Large 
specimens often reach the weight of fifteen pounds, while 
their average avoirdupois is about equal that of the com- 
mon domestic goose. The flesh when properly pre- 
pared and cooked, makes a most grateful addition to 
the table; the meat is somewhat dark in color, with a 
peculiar gamey taste that is pronounced by most people 
who have had an opportunity of testing it, to be excel- 
lent eating. The wild goose most commonly met with 
is familiarly known as the Canada goose, the one just 
described and of which I shall endeavor to give some 
particulars as it is most numerous, and most sought for 
by sportsmen. 
With the coming of the first months of spring it is not 
unusual to hear the loud, well-known “honk” of the 
Canada goose as it wings its swift flight to the Xorth- 
em regions along high in the air far out of the reach of 
the numerous shots that are sent after them, which have 
no effect except to produce a mighty clamor among the 
ranks as if to enquire if anything had gone wrong with 
any of them and they move more regularly along, still 
now and then the leader of the wedge shaped ranks 
drops back to the rear and gives place to some other 
veteran leader who shall cut the air for its trusting com- 
panions. Thus they wing their way on, until interrupt- 
ed in their course by severe weather or until their arri- 
val at some favorite feeding ground of former years. 
Xow they settle down wearied and worn with their 
long journe}', the war upon them commences. Soon 
the word spreads that the geese are here and a lively 
demand springs up for all the coarse shot from BB up, 
that has been lying for a 3 -ear in the small country 
store. The old tobacco rubbish is carefully gleaned out 
and it is weighed out to our rustic brother who aspiring 
to the mysteries of the trigger, sallies forth with his long 
musket, a relic of ancient times, probably remodeled. 
Sorr}- to say he is seldom rewarded for his pains, except 
by the sight of a falling feather or a drooping leg. Not 
so is it with our experienced and educated sportsman. 
He is perhaps acquainted with some favorite spot that 
the numerous flocks pass over in going to or from their 
feeding grounds. Cautiousl}- at the first glimpse of day 
light he propels his light-hunting canoe t,hrough tall 
canes and rice stalks, and anchoring his boat at the 
point of some lagoon that the geese are bound to pass 
over in going to the morning feeding grounds, he awaits 
the morning, lying concealed with the tall rushes bent 
over his boat and person, so that their pr}-ing eye may 
not discover him and give him the cold shoulder by 
changing their course and passing out of range. This 
is provided for and as the morning breeze begins to 
ruffle the placid smoothness of the waters the feathered 
hosts grow restless, flitting from one side to the other 
and across the corners of the lake. 
Our sportsman does not notice the small flocks of 
ducks as they pass swiftly over h’s hiding place. He is 
after geese and would not spoil his morning’s sport by a 
reckless shot. How the chilled limbs are received and 
the nerves quickened with the rush of warm blood 
through his body; a short distance down the lagoon he 
sees an immense flock of wild geese coming directly 
towards him in their steady flight. This is not a time 
to grow restless, for a cool, stead 3 -, sure aim and arm, 
are needed to make the feathers fl}-; an inadvertent 
move, or the careless shifting of the gun will spoil all. 
Throwing a glance to see that hammers and pins are in 
position, motionless, he bides his time. They are on 
him, within 45 yards, not just 3 ’et. They move on a 
few yards to his side. There are tweut 3 ’-five or thirtv- 
of them, sure. Now, up go the heavy barrels and as 
the geese turn in a confused mass, the deadly contents 
of the first barrel meet them and down come thiee 
line birds splashing in the water. Now single out 
another nice bird and drop him quickly with the other 
barrel_as they are only about thirty five yards distant. 
It is done and who will say it has not required 
patience, skill, and nerve to accomplish the act. The 
least impatience, the smallest misjudgment of the dis- 
tance or the slightest variation in the aim, and it proves 
a misfortune or “bad luck” as it is called, instead of the 
most exciting sport. 
The four plump birds are retrieved, and the former 
position regained as soon as possible, for another flock 
is sure to come up any moment. Likely the next 
chance may- require even more tact. They may go sail- 
ing majestically along at fifty yards; in goes a couple 
shells of 00 shot into the heavy breech of the No. 10 
breech-loader. Mark, as they' make the direct line to 
your side, the shortest possible distance they will get, 
but yet at long range, deliver your fire, both barrels in 
quick succession : but deliver the charge squarely into 
each bird, and you will probably be rewarded with a 
brace, may be one. Stil', again, the distance may have 
been a few y'ards too long, and you have nothing for 
your trouble. You have an hour or an hour and a half 
stay in your ambush: probably you have gotten a dozen 
shots; if so, you have done admirably, and should have 
an exceedingly heavy bag; probably you have had but 
the first shot . Still you have done well, since you have 
bagged a bird, which many an hour’s drive or many 
a chille'd body has failed to produce. 
If y-oH have a companion with you be careful to un- 
derstand each other perfectly, and move at a sign — one 
take the foremost, the other the middle or hindmost of 
the flock. And if four single birds should then come 
within thirty -five yards let not one pass out of bounds 
alive. If you are second man wait on the hindmost 
brace. Very often a third gun may be of service, and 
it often happens for a bird or two to drop pierced with 
the bullet like shot. This shooting is understood by 
but few sportsmen, and when accomplished proves ex- 
ceedingly exciting. 
Leaving the birds now to pass on to their northern 
breeding grounds, we will take another feature of the 
sport in the fall. When each pair returns accom- 
panied by- a dozen young birds, which are about equal 
in appearance to the older ones, but not so heavy or 
strong; neither so wary. Arriving along with the 
ducks in their tour to southern quarters, about the last 
of September, the advance guard reaches the lower 
lake region. In the autumn season their stay- is somewhat 
longer than in the vernal flight. They are often seen in 
small flocks, standing on new breaking or newly- 
ploughed lauds, a favorite resort. They also visit the 
winter wheat fields, when the tender tops of the grain 
have just started. Here they- congregate often in great 
numbers, and make sad havoc. When these places of 
resort are ascertained several methods are used to ap- 
proach them. It will be understood that they frequent 
only those places where they- may have a clear view of 
the surrounding country-, and an easy chance of escape. 
To shoot them in these situations requires great skill 
and manoeuvring. The most practical and successful 
mode is stalking with a horse. The hunter suitably pro- 
vided with a heavy long range gun, must go care- 
fully alongside the horse, keeping the latter always be- 
tween him and the game. Approaching in continually- 
decreasing circles, he soon finds himself within range, 
when he pours out the deadly fire. They may be ap- 
proached also on horseback. An instance is known to 
the writer, showing their continual wariness and quick 
perception of danger. A small boy on horseback was 
herding cattle in the neighborhood of a large flock of 
geese. During the morning he repeatedly rode within 
thirty- yards of them while feeding. Going out in the 
afternoon he carried an old musket on his back, still 
riding the horse. He started for the geese, thinking to 
bag a bird or two. But they would not allow him to 
approach, and took the alarm from far out of range, 
and flew- away. The reason usually assigned is the 
sight of the gun, but I am hardly- disposed to credit 
them with this degree of intelligence. I should be more 
inclined to the opinion of the different manner in which 
they are approached, as they will remain comparatively 
near a laborer in the field, while they will not stay in 
the same field with a hunter who is anxious for a closer 
acquaintance. It, therefore, requires judgment and 
skill to get within range without arousing their sus- 
picions for their safety. 
They- are also shot with the rifle at this season, and 
afford fine sport. The guns most used are small bore 
telescope rifles, and many a goose is brought to bag by 
their use, at seventy-five rods distance. The, newest 
and most successful of all methods is shooting over 
decoys. For this purpose a suitable feeding ground is 
selected, and a blind constructed either of straw or an 
excavation in the earth. The decoys, a dozen in num- 
ber, are staked out. The best for this purpose are live 
domesticated wild geese. As soon as a flock comes ip 
sight the decoys give forth a shrill call, and rarely- in 
deed is it that the geese do not make directly for them; 
and if a little coolness and patience is indulged they 
will be most sure to alight amongst the tame ones, 
when they are met with terrible destruction. They are 
hunted in this manner to a great extent in the Southern 
States, where they winter and have their regular feed- 
ing grounds. In fact, every means are used to approach 
them, as they are greatly- coveted as a prime bird in 
every respect. "With the first fall of snow they- move 
southward, and by the middle of November our last 
geese are gone South. 
WILDERNESS SKETCHES. -NO. 5. 
BY BALSAM. 
C-a-k-e-s! C-o-f-f-e-e! “ Yes, yes, boys, just as quick 
as I can get tew it, you seem to be awful hungry, this 
morning.” Such was the reply of old Carl our guide, 
to our repeated cry for grub, as seated around our bark 
table, we made the old woods ring with our constant de- 
mand for “hash.” It was a lovely morning in July, 
the sun came up behind the woods from the rear of our 
camp like a ball of fire, not a breath of wind rippled 
the waters of the lake which lay before us, calm as a 
miil-pond, not a sound broke the quiet stillness, save the 
occasional chirp of the birds, or the chattering of the 
squirrels as they played about over the fallen tree tops. 
In fact, it was one of those mornings that gave signs of 
a hot day. Our guide, clad in patched pants, with red 
stockings reaching up to his knees, and a red flannel 
shirt, presented a picturesque appearance, as bending 
over the Are he coiiked flapjacks and trout, and while 
so doing amused himself by singing: 
Oh my name it is Josephns Orange Blossom, 
I'm de gayest colored gemman in de land — ’’ 
“C-a-k e-s!” “Yes, cakes, nothing but cakes, how 
many more are you going to eat, before you 
get a square ineal? ” Here my chum let out 
with “ C-o-f-f-e-e ” to be answ ered by some one on 
the lake with “Halloo.” As our camp faced away 
from the lake, we all rushed out to see the newcomers 
who had taken the liberty to invade our solitude. As 
we reached the shore we saw a boat containing two per- 
sons rapidly approaching, and soon had the pleasure of 
greeting the newcomers, the first human beings we had 
seen fora week. They seemed badly demoralized and 
had evidently had a hard lime coming in, as they had 
no guide, they had to do their own work, and drawing 
their boat up the rapids had about played them out, but 
the worst of all, they found us in the only camp on the 
lake, and they would either have to build one, or go on 
to the lake above, with a mile “carry” to go over. Fi- 
nally they concluded to stay on the lake with us, and 
build a camp on a springhole below, where there had al- 
ready been an old camp, and which with a little fixing 
up, would do very well for two persons, so they de- 
partedf and we soon heard their axe as they were hard 
at work chopping and peeling bark for their shanty. 
At last Carl got us filled up once more, although it was 
a big contract for him to fill, our pipes in our mouths, 
we debated among ourselves as to how we should spend 
the Jay. After much puffing and proposing this and 
that, we came to the conclusion to visit the lakes above 
for a day- or two, and have a “bout” with the salmon 
trout. So taking provisions enough to last us, with our 
blan’aets, rods and rifles, we were soon embarked 
and were gliding over the lake. My chum sat in the 
bow, Carl with the oars, and myself with the paddle 
in the stern, and we soon left our camp far behind. 
Below us, where the lake follows the shore till it reaches 
the point, we could see the blue smoke curling slowly 
upward from the camp which the boys had built, and 
where they were getting breakfast and resting after their 
hard morning’s work on the rapids. Ahead of us the 
mountains formed the western shore of the lake, cov- 
ered with evergreens and reflecting itself in the lake as 
in a mirror. Not a breath of wind stirred its surface, 
and except the occasional plunge of some trout as he 
left the water in pursuit of some insect, or an old loon 
screaming away up near the head of the lake, we were __ 
the only living beings visible in this forest retreat. 
“Well, boys, this is what I call comfort, this being 
up here^in the wilderness far away from the haunu ot 
