The Squirrel Hunters of Ohio; or, Glimpses of Pioneer LifeJones, N. E. (Nelson Edward)
History
The Squirrel Hunters of Ohio; or, Glimpses of Pioneer Life
Jones, N. E. (Nelson Edward)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Ohio; Ohio -- History -- 1787-1865; Ohio -- Social life and customs
Quail shooting has been, but is no longer, an interesting field sport
in Ohio. Wing shooting, while diminishing the aggregate number, by
subtracting from each covey, does not often destroy the entire family,
and under proper legislation, has its benefits and advantages, and
generally insures the preservation of an abundance to propagate another
season. The sport, also, to some extent, draws from the destructive
spoils of the pot-hunter and trapper, making the birds coy, suspicious
and not easily seen. True, there is a possibility that the sportsman
with dog and gun may destroy a whole family by shooting on the wing.
A chapter of this kind occurred to the writer. While riding along the
road in a buggy with a friend, our pointer companion came to a stand
some distance in front, with nose and tail paralleled to the line of
fence. The birds rose by concert in line along the fence, while the
rear bird, or first to rise was covered and fired at. The atmosphere
was so the smoke obscured results, excepting that of a wounded bird
crossing the road for a sorghum field. An effort was made to intercept
and capture it, but failed. The friend who sat in the buggy and had a
good view of the situation, declared every bird fell. A walk over the
ground proved it true, as from the first to the last in the distance of
about twenty yards or more, eleven dead birds were picked up. The next
day on passing the spot, the dog came to a point on a wounded bird,
which was captured and killed as a kindness. Here the whole covey was
exterminated; but as the perpetrator felt “sorry” for the act, and did
not intend it, and would never do it again, it should not be considered
unpardonable.
The quail is a bird favorable to the happiness of man and advancement
of civilization, is of inestimable value as a permanent resident,
for the reason he is independent of forests for the maintenance of
existence and perpetuation. He is the bird of field and farm and the
only one from which a single pair can produce and rear to maturity more
than half a hundred young in one season, to present as choice morsels
of food for the weary farmer and protector.
It is comforting to the sportsman to feel assured there is one resident
game bird the iniquity of the pot-hunter can not exterminate. So long
as forests and mountains last, the Ruffed Grouse will be able to
maintain an abiding place. And many are the pleasant reminiscences of
the hunter connected with the pursuit of this wary bird; it is a sport
once enjoyed can never be lost from among the sunny associations of
the past. Even the name brings to view the ragged mountains, rocky
ravines, shady dells, babbling brooks and quiet streams in forests,
ripe with every shade and tint of autumn colors, quiet secluded places
where nature reveals her sweetest charms in inimitable splendor that
mocks the artist’s pencil and poet’s pen--the home and haunts of this
beautiful bird.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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