OUTDOOR Nebraska

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY NEBRASKA GAME, FORESTATION AND PARKS COMMISSION Editor: Dick H. Schaffer Managing editor: J. Greg Smith Associate editors: Pete C2ura, Mary Brashier Photographer-writer: Gene Hornbeck Artist: Claremont G. Pritchard Circulation: Lillian Meinecke NOVEMBER 1959 Vol. 37, No. 11 35 cents per copy $1.75 for one year $3 for two years Send subscriptions to: OUTDOOR NEBRASKA, State Capitol Lincoln 9 NEBRASKA GAME COMMISSION Don F. Robertson, North Platte, chairman George Pmkerton, Beatrice, vice chairman Robert H. Hall, Omaha Keith Kreycik, Valentine Wade Ellis, Alliance LeRoy Bahensky, Palmer Don C. Smith, Franklin DIRECTOR M. O. Steen DIVISION CHIEFS Eugene H. Baker, senior administrative assistant; engineering and operations Glen R. Foster, fisheries Lloyd P. Vance, game Dick H. Schaffer, information and education Willard R. Barbee, land management Jack D. Strain, state parks FEDERAL AID CO-ORDINATOR Phil Agee (Lincoln) PROJECT AND ASSISTANT PROJECT LEADERS Orty Orr, fisheries (Lincoln) Bill Bailey, big game (Lincoln) Clarence Newton, land management (Lincoln) Dale Bree, land management (Lincoln) Frank Foote, parks division (Lincoln) Frank Sleight, operations (Lincoln) Raymond Linder, upland game birds and small game (Fairmont) Dudley Osborn, boating (Lincoln) AREAMANAGERS Melvin Grim, Medicine Creek, Enders, Swanson (McCook) Ralph Craig. McConaughy Reser voir (Ogallala) Carl E. Gettmann, Lewis and Clark Lake (Bloomfield) CowlesLake RichardWolkow, (Omaha) Harold Edwards, Plattsmouth WaterfowlManagementArea RichardSpady, Sacramento WildlifeDevelopmentProject (Wilcox) DISTRICT SUPERVISORS DISTRICTI (Alliance,phone412) L. J. Cunningham, law enforcement Lem Hewitt, operations John Mathisen, game Harvey Suetsugu, big game Keith Donoho, fisheries Robert L. Schick, land management DISTRICT II (Bassett, phone 334) John Harpham, law enforcement Delmer Dorsey, operations Jack Walstrom, game Bruce McCarraher, fisheries Gerald Chaffin,land management DISTRICT III (Norfolk, phone FRontier 1-4950) Robert Benson, law enforcement Leonard Spoering, operations H. O. Compton, big game George Kidd, fisheries Jim Hubert, land management. DISTRICT IV (North Platte, phone LE 2-6225) Samuel Grasmick, law enforcement Don Hunt, operations Robert Thomas, fisheries Chester McClain,land management DISTRICT V (Lincoln,phone5-2951) Norbert Kampsnider, lawenforcement Robert Reynolds, operations George Schildman, game Delvin M. Whiteley, land management. Earl Kendle. fisheries RESEARCH BIOLOGISTS Karl E. Menzel, coturnix quail (Lincoln) Marvin Schwilling, grouse (Burwell) DavidLyon, pheasants (Fairmont) James Norman, pheasants (Fairmont) John Sweet, waterfowl (Stuart) Phone ME 8-5220 AREA CONSERVATION OFFICERS William J. Ahern, Box 1197, North Loup, phone 89 Robert Ator, 356 East 6, Wahoo Cecil Avey, 519 4th Street, Crawford, phone 228 William F. Bonsall. Box 305, Alma, phone 154 H. Lee Bowers, Benkelman, phone 49R Dale Bruha, 1627 No. 28, Lincoln Loron Bunney. Box 675, Ogallala, phone 247 Wayne S, Chord, Lakeview Route, Hay Springs Robert Downing, Box 343. Fremont, phone PA 1-4792 Lowell I. Fleming, Box 269, Lyons, phone Mutual 7-2383 Richard Furley, Box 221, Ponca. phone 58 Raymond Frandsen, P. O. 373. Humboldt, phone 5711 John D. Green, 7"0 West Avon Road, Lincoln, Phone 8-1165 (SPECIAL OFFICER—PILOT) Ed Greving, 316 West 31st, Kearney, phone 7-2777 William Gurnett,Box 225, Plattsmouth, phone 240 H. Burman Guyer, 1212 N. Washington, Lexington, phone Fairview 4-3208 Donald D. Hunt, Box 301. Oshkosh, phone PR 2-3697 Larry Iverson, Box 201, Hartington, phone ALpine 4-3500 Norbert J. Kampsnider, 615 N. 73. Lincoln Jim McCole, Box 268. Gering, ID 6-2686 Jack Morgan, Box 603, Valentine, phone 504 Roy E. Owen, Box 288, Crete, phone 446 Paul C. Phillipoe, Syracuse, phone 166W Fred Salak,2304 West 1st St.. Grand Island,phone DU 4-05R? Herman O. Schmidt, Jr., 1011 East Fourth, McCook, phone 992 W Harry A. Spall, 820 Clay Street, O'Neill, phone 637 Joe Ulrich, Box 492, Bridgeport, phone 100 Bruce Wiebe, P. O. Box 383, Hastings, phone 2-8317 Lyman Wilkinson. R. R.3. Humphrey, phone 2663 Gail Woodside, Box 443,Stromsburg,phone 5841 NEBRASKA FARMER PRINTING CO., LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

OUTDOOR NEBRASKA of ihe Air

SUNDAY WOW, Omaha, (590 kc) 7:15 a.m. KXXX, Colby, Kan. (790 kc) 8:15 a.m. KBRL, McCook (1300 kc) 10:00 a.m. KMMJ, Grand Isl. (750 kc) 10:15 a.m. KODY, N. Platte (1240 kc) 10:45 a.m. KOGA, Ogallala (830 kc) 12:45 p.m. KCNI, Broken Bow (1280 kc) 1:15 p.m. K-HUB, Fremont (1340 kc) 4:45 p.m. KFOR, Lincoln (1240 kc) 12:45 p.m. KLMS, Lincoln (1480 kc) 7:15 a.m. MONDAY KSID, Sidney(1340 kc) 5:30 p.m. TUESDAY KJSK, Columbus (900 kc) 1:30 p.m. THURSDAY KCOW, Alliance (1400 kc) 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY KLMS, Lincoln (1480 kc) 5:15 p.m. SATURDAY KOLT, Scottsb'ff (1320 kc) 12:45 p.m. KCSR, Chadron (1450 kc) 1:30 p.m. KWBE, Beatrice (1450 kc) 5:00 p.m. KHAS, Hastings (1230 kc) 5:45 p.m. KBRX, O'Neill (1350 kc) 5:30 p.m. KRVN, Lexington 11:45 a.m.

DEER a Plenty

by H. O. Compton Thought extinct in 1900's, species make dramatic comeback in state

MERRITT CARY let his horse pick the trail up the north slope of the Pine Ridge, then [ away from the banks of West Hat Creek whose headwaters were on up the slope. Glassing the pine-pocketed terrain, he was looking for mule deer. Years before, many deer had watered along the small stream's course—a plentiful food supply to first the Indians, and then the settlers. Now, in 1901, few deer were to be seen.

A Deer-Hunting Special

Cary had spent most of the last two months observing plants and wildlife common to Sioux County. Throughout the survey he hadn't seen a sign of mule deer, nor would he on this trip. Later, when he reported his findings to the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, he said that they "were extremely rare . . . and even extinct."

Today, 58 years later, Sioux and other counties in the Nebraska panhandle support the largest mule deer population in the state—approximately 20,000. Statewide, deer total an estimated 75,000, including both mule (blacktail) and whitetails. Both are native species. There are probably more deer within our boundaries than there were in the 1850's.

Deer have made a dramatic comeback from the years when they were believed doomed to extinction. But it was a slow process. Not until the 1930's had they increased to the point where their presence was known in various parts of the state. Game Commission surveys in 1939-40 showed between 2,000 and 3,000, mostly mule deer in the Pine Ridge and a few in the Platte and Niobrara River valleys and other areas.

Nebraska's first deer season took place in 1945, when 500 hunting permits were authorized for a controlled hunt in the Bessey Division of the Nebraska National Forest. The next open season came in 1949, with 1,500 hunting permits issued for an area including all or portions of six western and northwestern counties. Seasons have been heldevery year since, with gun-hunting permits increasing to a high of 16,500 in 1957. This year, 11,850 permits were authorized. Deer have multiplied to the point where rifle hunting is permitted in 68 of the state's 93 counties. Archery has been an annual affair throughout Nebraska since 1955, with no limit on the number of permits.

NOVEMBER,1959 3     DEER A PLENTY continued

Deer are managed on a unit system in Nebraska, allowing the Game Commission to control the kill and the distribution of hunting pressure. Either sex deer hunts are allowed in areas where deer generally are within the capacity of their range while other areas are restricted to the taking of antlered deer in order that deer numbers may increase. The Game Commission is also trapping and transplanting deer in low-population areas.

Both mule and white-tailed deer may be seen over much of the state, but the picture of predominance changes from east to west. Whitetails are more common in the extreme eastern portion of the state and along stream courses. Mule deer become more abundant in the vicinity of Antelope and Holt counties and continue as the predominate species on west.

There are three basic types of country in Nebraska where deer occur: river courses and breaks; the Sand Hills; and areas such as the Pine Ridge which have a natural growth of ponderosa pine.

There are a number of characteristics such as gait, tail, ears, and antlers that distinguish the mule deer from the whitetail. The mule deer was so named because of his ears. They are a good one-fourth larger than the whitetail's. The whitetail's tail gives him away right away. Its underside is pure white and when the deer is running, it waves flag-like. It probably relays alarm to other deer. The mule deer doesn't run; he bounces, taking off stiff-leggedly on all fours and landing on all fours. The whitetail, on the other hand, takes off with a full head of steam, and unlike the mule deer, doesn't look back to find out what has bothered him.

Antlers help distinguish the two species. In the whitetail, the points on each antler arise from a single main beam. The mule's are basically in the form of smaller "Y's". Both species shed their antlers, growing a new set each year.

Whitetails are more prolific than mule deer. Productivity, however, is determined by quantity and quality of food. A two-year-old doe will have her fawn in late spring or summer. The fawn is almost helpless at birth. Weighing only six or seven pounds, it lies still for several days, depending on its spotted coat to hide it from enemies. The doe is nearby, however, to fend off intruders.

The fawn forages for food as soon as he is physically able. His legs are like elongated toothpicks, seeming incapable of carrying even his small body. But he grows quickly. With each passing day he becomes wiser in the ways of survival. At three months, he is weaned and must depend entirely on plant life for food. He may stay with his mother until the next mating season in November. But after she has mated, he is pretty much on his own.

Protective legislation and unit herd management allowing deer numbers to increase within the carrying capacities of their ranges have played an important part in restoring deer to former numbers. The point has been reached where adequate harvest is a major factor in managing deer, making it possible for Nebraskans to utilize and enjoy this great resource.

THE END The author, a trained technician in deer management, is a district supervisor of big game in District Three at Norfolk. NOVEMBER,1959 5   6 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

TRACK of the RACK

Cautious, wily, and fast, a trophy buck will test your hunting skill by Bruce Pauihamus

YOU'RE IN for a workout if your target is a trophy whitetail. First off, your buck became a little wiser in the ways of survival each year he traded his antlers in on a larger size. Like as not, he's been through at least four hunting seasons, each sharpening his already potent senses of sight, smell, and hearing to the point where he can outsmart many a hunter. But he has his weaknesses. Learn them, and you'll have your buck.

A Deer-Hunting Special

Nebraska's two deer species are as different as night and day. Whitetails are as crafty as they come. Mule deer, on the other hand, can often be fooled because they're such curious critters. When spooked, whitetails will take off in a flash of speed, crashing into the heaviest cover, crawling on their stomachs, if need be, to get away. Mule deer will generally stay in the open, breaking their bounding gait for a second look to see what has bothered them.

A knowledge of the deer's eating, drinking, and sleeping habits pays off in the hunting field. Deer are more active during the morning and evening hours when they leave their resting beds for food and water. Hunt them during these periods as they are less alert. Deer rest during midday, usually selecting areas where they can keep a close watch for intruders. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't hunt during midday; it's just a lot tougher.

Deer senses are acute. His eyes can pick up your movement long before you see him. Testing the wind, his keen nose can pick up the slightest hint of NOVEMBER,1959 7   danger. His ears are tuned in on all unfamiliar noises, and he'll be off and running if he doesn't like what he hears.

TRACK OF THE RACK continued The wise buck wont make many mistakes. Food, water, and cover are his weaknesses

How do you beat this built-in radar system? Admittedly, you won't have to work in as close if you're gun hunting. Bow hunting is another story. There are a number of techniques that I've used through the years that have helped me get in close enough for plenty of good shots, either with gun or bow.

When I was a youngster an old mountain man taught me how to walk within swatting distance of deer in an open stubble field. We would get down wind and walk quietly toward the feeding deer. The minute a head would come up we would stop. The deer would look right at us, but as long as we didn't move, we were just another tree or post to them. An alfalfa field is an excellent place to try this since it affords quiet walking.

I've tried sneaking up on deer in the woods in this manner and have almost always failed. They heard me before I got close enough, or as has often been the case, picked up my scent because of shifting wind patterns. Side draws and canyons cause such shifts. So when hunting in such areas, toss a handful of dry weeds or sand in the air each time you change the direction of your stalk. I use a trick that usually works when hunting mule deer in broken country. If the deer breaks before I can get off a shot, I give a couple of sharp whistles. Usually, he'll stop in his tracks, turn around, and look to see where the noise came from. Incidentally, I've found that fawns and does usually break from cover first, the bucks slipping away later in the opposite direction. Get in a position where you can see such movement.

Be sure to check the wind before selecting a stand for still-hunting. Stands are positioned along regularly traveled routes to and from feeding areas and water holes. If the deer are returning to the bedding grounds after feeding, be sure that the wind is blowing past them toward you. Still-hunting is just what its name implies. You've got to be quiet, limit your movements, and be patient if you expect to get a good shot.

You can often spot deer from the road. Glass the area as you go along. Once you sight a deer, get out of the car on the far side, detour back from it to terrain that will hide you, then circle back and across the road until you're behind the deer (final position will be determined by wind). While the car holds the deer's attention, you'll be able to get in a position that will offer plenty of shots. I might mention a similar situation that worked well for 8 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   me. While driving with a hunting companion, I spotted a good-sized doe halfway up a ridge, above a stand of ponderosa pines. I stopped the car and both of us began working toward her. I could see that the deer was about to take off so I motioned to my friend to move over to a clearing some 50 yards to his right to hold the deer's attention. The deception worked perfectly. When I got to the bottom of the hill, there stood my deer, still watching my friend in the clearing.

Buckbrush patches like those found in the Sand Hills offer an excellent challenge for stalking. Wait until about 10 in the morning after it warms up and then work your way toward the brush and the resting deer. Granted, you'll have to work to get in close, but once you do you'll almost be sure to find a deer waiting for you.

If your shot only wounds a deer and it runs out of sight, use common sense in tracking him. You'll find blood if he's been hit hard. If you don't see blood, look for tracks. If you lose the trail, go back to the spot where you picked up the track, then investigate the terrain in ever-widening circles. Look ahead of you, not down, when searching for a track in tall grass. You'll be able to pick up the trail a lot easier.

Neophyte hunters will usually pick a weapon that is too powerful, whether it be gun or bow. A highpowered rifle, for example, that makes you flinch, thus spoiling your accuracy, is worse than none at all. When archery hunting, I use a composite curve bow with a 45-pound pull. It is smoother and faster than the older, straight-limbed bows.

No matter what your weapon preference may be, you've got to know deer to bag them. Learn their habits and how to work in close so the shots that you do get are effective. Get out in the field and practice tracking and stalking. Learn to recognize signs of deer; become familiar with spots where they feed, drink, and rest. You'll find that this added effort pays off, come hunting season.

THE END Bruce Paulhamus is a veteran deer hunter from Valentine, Nebraska. Feeling that gun hunting was too tame, Bruce now hunts solely with a bow. NOVEMBER,1959 9

10 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA  

From Field to Freezer

by Frank Foote Key to good venison is proper core in the field. Then butchering, cooking come easy

THERE WAS a time when writing on how to care for and prepare deer meat would have been in vain, for such know-how was common knowledge. Today, though, those pioneer meat-care skills have almost disappeared from the American scene. As one first-time deer hunter said, "If I had to dress a deer, I wouldn't know which end to start cutting."

Placing good venison on the table depends pretty much on whether you're a trophy or pot hunter. Big racks come from more mature deer, and often the older bucks mean tougher meat. For the best venison, shoot the younger deer that haven't been disturbed or run. There's a lot of meaning in the old saying, "Shoot the deer that you see jump from its bed." Experienced hunters know that meat from a running deer can't be good.

A Deer-Hunting Special

Where you shoot your deer can make a difference. If you are good with a rifle, and don't want a trophy head, place your shot four to five inches below and behind the ear. It kills cleanly with little meat loss. The heart-lung shot is also good. Just remember to place the bullet forward of the diaphragm.

Say you've dropped a deer—now what do you do? Approach the downed animal with caution, ready to shoot if the deer makes a final desperate lunge. Every year there are a number of hunters who have been hospitalized because their "dead" deer wasn't dead. Tag your deer once you're sure that it's dead, then "stick" the carcass for immediate bleeding. Do this just above the breastbone. By cutting deep enough, you'll sever the main arteries and veins feeding from the heart. Work the knife in and down several times until you get a good flow of blood. Let gravity help you. Place the deer's head downhill and work the hind legs back and forth several times. Reverse the procedure, raising the head high enough to drain the blood from the neck.

Bleeding accomplished, you're ready to hog-dress your deer. Make a small, shallow cut in the midline of the stomach just to the rear of the breastbone Be careful not to puncture any part of the digestive tract. Facing the rear of the deer, place your knife hand inside the cut, angling the point of your knife back toward you. Crowd the intestines away from the cutting surface of the knife and continue to cut to the crotch. Your cut should continue back and completely encircle the anus so that it will be possible to pull the entire rectal area forward into the body cavity. Next cut deeply to the bone and carefully split the center pelvic arch.

Now, working forward, cut out the diaphragm close to the chest wall and pull the heart and lungs NOVEMBER,1959 11   into the cavity. Reach as far up the neck as possible and cut the windpipe. This done, turn the carcass on its side and dump out the entrails and lungs. Put the liver and heart in a cloth bag to keep them clean and permit cooling.

FROM FIELD TO FREEZER continued Keep carcass cool, clean, for return home

Now split the breastbone and your deer is hogdressed. Using clean water or snow, wash the body cavity, then wipe it out with clean rags. Cleanliness when combined with low temperatures will prevent meat spoilage. Use a stick to spread the ribs for cooling. Once cooled (the longer, the better), place the carcass on the car where it can continue cooling, but not on the hood or fenders where motor heat will keep the carcass warm. A clean, open trunk works much better, as does a car top carrier.

After the carcass has been checked and sealed at a checking station, remove the hide and head, and quarter and chill the venison for the best possible meat. To skin, split the hide down the inside of both front and back legs to a point past the hocks, and work out the legs. Laying the carcass on its back, work the hide loose up the ribs from the belly cut previously made, then hoist the deer and work the hide down the back and off. Be careful of cutting if you want the deer hide. Once off, salt it with two or three pounds of rock salt. Then fold the hide into a neat package, hair-side out.

Cold-storage plants are not a must for cooling. Take advantage of seasonally cool nighttime temperatures to do the job. Shroud your quarters with clean muslin, and if possible, hang them in a tree for good air circulation. Body heat will dissipate quickly if you follow this procedure.

BUTCHERING

Most folks like to age venison a few days before cutting, wrapping, and freezing. Here, again, some judgement is needed. The purpose of aging is to make the venison tender. Young deer need less aging than old deer. Deer which have been gut shot, too, need not be allowed to age too long.

How you have your venison cut for freezing depends on several factors. Most old-timers claim that only the loins should be broiled or fried for steaks, the balance being cut for roasts and stews, or ground for hamburger. Some "fudge" a little and order steaks from the round if the deer is young. Many outdoorsmen prefer to butcher their deer. If you are a novice at this, check the butchering chart for the various cuts you can use.

COOKING

Basic rules for deer cookery differ from those for beef.Deer fat sets up fast when cold, becoming 12 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   tallowy and unpalatable. Experienced cooks remove as much fat as possible before cooking. The deer is a rugged animal, and the cook will find a marinade helpful in breaking down the sinew and muscles of the tougher cuts of meat.

There are probably as many methods of cooking venison as there are cooks. Here are some timeproven recipes that will make your hunt worthwhile.

Roast Venison

Rump, round, or standing rib makes the best roast. Thaw your meat and trim off all possible skin, sinew, and fat. Marinate roast in a mixture of 1/2 part vinegar and 1/2 part water, adding a tablespoon of salt for each quart of water. Make enough mixture to completely cover the roast. Add 8 bay leaves and 8 whole cloves. Insert a sharp knife into each square inch of surface to allow liquid to penetrate. Marinate roast 24 hours in above mixture. Remove roast from marinade, drain, rinse lightly with tap water, and dry. Put roast in refrigerator or freezer. Allow meat to become firm but do not freeze.

When the meat becomes firm, take it out of the refrigerator, then lard in pieces of cold, firm beef suet and bacon that are cut about XA inch square and 3 inches long. Completely cover roast with strips of beef suet and bacon. Add water to bottom of roasting pan and place roast in 325° F. oven. Allow 25 minutes per pound. Baste frequently, adding more water to pan as necessary.

Deerburger

Many folks grind much of their deer, especially if the animal is an older one. If done properly, this is a great way to handle the meat, making a welcome change from hamburger and sausage. Here's how to do it.

First, remove all possible deer fat from the carcass, after the processor has quartered it. Once done, weigh the venison, and then have the processor blend four parts deer meat with one part beef leaf fat. You can get this high-quality, digestible fat from your butcher. Grind several times, being sure that you get a good blend. Freeze and use as you would ground beef.

Deer Steaks

Loin is preferred for steaks. Cut your steaks thin, not over 1/2 inch thick. Carefully remove all fat and fiber. Marinate, using same formula as for deer roasts, rinse and dry. If your deer is a mature animal, pound meat to break down fibers. Salt and pepper to taste. Fry in a generous amount of melted butter, using medium heat. Sear both sides of steaks first, then cook until done. Deer differs from beef in that a rare steak is usually tough; medium-well-done is best. Fry in butter or beef suet; serve on warm plates immediately.

Marinade

Want a fancier marinade for a special dinner? Here's one for the gourmets. Mince 1/2 pound carrots, 1/2 pound onions, and V2 pound celery. Fry these in 1/4 pound lard or olive oil without letting them attain color. Add the following: 1 quart water, 1 quart vinegar, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 bunch chopped parsley leaves, 3 bay leaves, 1 bunch thyme, 1/2 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, a dash of mace, 1 teaspoon crushed whole peppers, 1 teaspoon crushed whole allspice, and 2 tablespoons salt. Simmer the whole mixture 1/2 hour, and put it aside to chill.

After removing the meat from the marinade, drain and dry thoroughly, then set it aside for 1/2 hour or so. An hour before cooking the meat, brush all exposed surfaces with olive oil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes, and repeat the process.

Deer can and should be wonderful eating. Just remember that venison isn't pork or beef, and needs to be treated in its own special way. A venison dinner will prove a real treat.

THE END NOVEMBER,1959 13

How to Stay Alive

by Jim Tische Dont hit the panic button when lost, and you'll survive

THE THOUGHT of being lost in Nebraska may fall as a joke on some ears, seeming nigh on to impossible in a plains state as this. But it isn't impossible, as records dramatically point out. Sudden blizzards and expansive, unfamiliar terrain have both taken their toll, and being lost or overcome by the elements is no joke. Either can result in serious injury or death that may have been prevented by good common sense and adequate preparation.

Suppose you aren't lost, but just marooned by a sudden storm.The Armistice Day blizzard of 1940 is a classic example, showing that an early winter storm can be severe and strike quickly. The day was typical for fall—rainy but not too cold. At noon the blizzard struck, "so quickly it caught both states (Nebraska and Iowa) by surprise" reported one newspaper. Sweeping down from the north, the storm blanketed much of the state with its icy whiteness, trapping both man and animal in its path. Cars were stranded. Livestock suffocated. Fortunately, no human lives were lost. It could have been a different situation, however, if deer hunters had been afield as they will be this fall in wide-open areas like the Sand Hills and the Pine Ridge.

One of the most important things to remember in a ticklish situation is not to panic. Don't lose your head and start rushing around in circles or try traveling on foot at night or in a blizzard. It will only lead to exhaustion and more confusion; then you will be fighting a losing battle.

No hard and fast rules can be laid down for survival. Conditions vary, depending on the weather situation and type of terrain. But the necessities for survival in all cases are food, warmth, shelter, and clothing. If you are equipped and keep your head, your chances for survival are good.

A survival kit, weighing only four to six pounds and carried with you while hunting, can mean the difference between life and the "deep six". This kit will fit easily in a knapsack. One of the most important items in such a kit is matches. Several watertight containers filled with matches will work fine. Keep one container in the kit, the other in the car.

OUTDOOR NEBRASKA  

When it comes to starting fires, candles are a handy item. They can also work as waterproof containers. Hollow out the bottom half of the candle, put the matches inside, and then seal the open end with wax.

What about food? Many outdoorsmen carry sandwiches, but these will not last forever. The right kind of food adds little weight to the knapsack. Nothing hits the stomach with as much reassurance as a hot drink. Tea is the quickest stimulant of the caffeine drinks. Four tea bags, which will brew many cups, weigh only a fraction of an ounce. Incidentally, a canteen cup will prove handy for brewing or cooking.

Dehydrated soup, another light item, is good and nourishing. The water for soup can come from melted snow or ice, or from a nearby stream or lake. Remember to boil the water for safety. Two other items to include in the kit are chocolate and raisins. Both are top emergency rations, for they are light, furnish quick energy, and can be stored for long periods.

A lightweight poncho or tarp, along with some light cord (nylon is good), is recommended for emergency gear. To cut wood for fire and shelter you should equip yourself with a sharp knife and hand axe. You'll need a shelter if you are caught in a severe storm. In such a situation, try to make camp with a minimum of time and energy. Haystacks, trees, clumps of bushes, or a large rock will break the wind and make a relatively warm site. If possible, consider the following factors in picking a camp: available food, protection from wind and storm, bedding and shelter material, firewood, drinking water, and level ground for your bed.

A lean-to would be easy to build from available timber in the Pine Ridge and along rivers and streams. It and another elaborate shelter are illustrated. Clip and include them in your kit. With such shelters, you will be able to use your tarp or poncho for insulation, under or over you. In the Sand Hills, the tarp can be anchored against a bank or haystack to make a lean-to. Hay from the stack could serve as fuel for a fire. Make sure, however, that you don't burn down your shelter. The primary purpose of a shelter is to break air movement and retain the heat from your fire and body. Keep the fire going and your clothing dry.

If caught in a situation where there is heavy and drifted snow, you can make a trench in a low drift or bank for protection. Line the floor, if material is available. Bed construction can be of grass, dry leaves, or boughs, and the more boughs or grass you use, the better. Build a fire at the entrance and reflect heat inward with a reflector of logs, boughs, or snow blocks. If you build a fire in a snow shelter, there is danger of carbon monoxide poisoning; a more open shelter is necessary.

Ordinarily, one will be well advised during severe weather to get into a shelter of sorts or to stay with your vehicle. Prompted by fear, people leave cars and shelters even though inadequately clothed for the weather. They stake everything against unreasonable odds in an attempt to walk blindly into unfamiliar territory. Even abandoning cars in home territory is many times fatal. Carrying a blanket or two in a car for such emergencies is wise. With the shelter of a vehicle and blankets, you should, in most instances, be safe until help arrives.

When you are afield it would be smart to include a compass and, if available, a map of the hunting area in your survival kit. When hiking into an area, try to judge distances traveled and take compass bearings whenever you change directions. Remember important landmarks. In populated areas, you can usually walk yourself out of trouble by traveling in a straight line. Set a pace, though, which will leave you with plenty of reserve energy should you have to walk most of the day. But above all, don't travel during the storm when visibility is bad and danger of exhaustion is great. In most cases, friends or family will be worried and start to search for you. So signals are handy.

One of the most common signals, if fuel is available, is the three smokes. Build three fires in a conspicuous location and in a straight line, 50 to 100 feet apart. When the fires are blazing, cover with green foliage. Then you'll have smoke galore. A help signal can be made by placing boughs in the snow tramping out words with your feet.

Survival costs very little time, money, and effort to be prepared. It is up to each individual.

THE END NOVEMBER,1959 15

Majestic Goose

South-sweeping wings bear Canadas to Platte by Mary Brashier

THE NOVEMBER night was misty, and in the dim glow from the yard light the wafting drops of moisture told of the snowflakes that would soon follow. Slowly from the gloom above emerged a faint sound. Closer and clearer it came, a raucous yet melodious honking—the Canadas were flying.

A Goose-Hunting Special

Below them was the Garden County Refuge on the Platte River. The wTing-weary migrants slipped into a down-drifting pattern. Settling into the water, they folded their pinions precisely. The urge of reaching their winter home at Lewellen had kept them air borne far into the night.

The sun was high in the sky the next morning before all the Canadas on the sand bar stirred. The air lanes had been busy throughout the night. A regiment of mallards lighted in a grainfield nearby, and swimming upstream came a pack of mergansers, their green heads glistening in the sun.

The grace and power exhibited by the Canadas in flight changes to comic awkwardness on the ground. Their periscope necks bob and twist ludicrously, and their heavy bodies seem incapable of graceful flight.

As more of the sleeping geese on the refuge awoke and flapped their wings, a mass hunger came over them, and they flew in a compact but awkward flock to a nearby wheat field. With single purpose the Canadas marched onto the first patches of succulent green blades, nipping them off in a business like manner. Once eating, the honkers systematically suck up the feed, and as they move about, they give off a humming sound which carries some distance.

Throughout the winter, at morning and evening, the refuge residents alternated between grainfields and sand bar. Hunters claimed some of their numbers before the open season ran out, but the flock always found safety in the refuge at night. Always there were two or three sentinels—long black stockings stretched up, constantly vigilant.

An off-limits poacher startled them one evening, but instead of lumbering into flight, they crouched to the sand and lay flat with their long necks outstretched. Those in the water dropped their heads to the surface and drifted gently with the current, looking not at all like Canada geese. The trespasser, seeing them only as pieces of driftwood, went away.

The impulse to return north comes early to wintering flocks. Some are on their way by February. Canada geese are thought to pair for life, and many of the two-year-olds mated for the first time before the spring flight.

There is no prouder creature than the honker jousting for the lady of his choice. After a long battle with another gander, the victorious one approaches his prize with his head snaking along the ground, hissing in sinister fashion. Facing each other, their necks twist and twine. Oftentimes the vanquished recovers some of his pride and advances once again. The two combatants spar for position, battering each other with their powerful wings. Suddenly the mated gander seizes his antagonist's head with his bill, the full-Nelson hold of goosedom, and drives him away with lashing wings.

The Canadas are among the earliest breeders in the far North. Their nests are constructed of grass, reeds, and leaves and lined with down and are often situated on a mound in marshes, offering full view of each pair's territory. Usually their nests are deserted before many of the other waterfowl lay their eggs.

The gander is a determined defendant of his family. If pressed from his mate's side he will shake his neck as if to dislocate it and launch a full-flight attack at the interloper. Canadas have been known to attack a man and knock him to the ground. The old white-collar is also careful of his brood when in the water, even though the loss of his flight feathers through molt prevents him from flying. Subterfuge is his only protection, and he's good at it.

Whitecaps on the breeding lake arouse a summer-dormant instinct in the old ganders, and gray clouds heavy with snow encourage their restlessness once again. Small family flocks gather at the larger bodies of water to gabble and preen. Then one wind whipped morning they launch into the sky for their southward migration.

The Canadas that circled over the Platte River that November night were of the Lewellen flock, which habitually winters in that vicinity. This flock, numbering about 1,300 birds five years ago, had dwindled to a fraction of its former size. Last year the Game Commission moved the goose season up to protect the birds.

Next spring the Canadas will again pattern the sky as their majestic V's stretch to the northlands. It's a stirring sight, one that can never be repeated enough.

THE END NOVEMBER,1959 17

GUIDE to Goose Hunters

Survey lists choice spots still available to gunner

THE NEWCOMER to goose hunting soon begins to feel the old-timers just about have the best shooting spots sewed up tight here. But the honker hunter should take heart. There are still areas where a man can hunt. These are the public lands and few privately owned acreages which still support excellent gunning from water blinds, and the many locations in the state where hunters can take geese from a squadron flying overland to feed in the cornfields.

A Goose-Hunting Special

Bright spots are the chain-of-lakes regions in southwestern Nebraska. These reservoirs, maintained by the Game Commission, federal agencies, and public-power districts, lie directly under the western goose flights. Most of these areas, refuges excepted, are open to public waterfowl hunting. The Corps of Engineers, for example, assigns permanent blind sites each season, while the Bureau of Reclamation exerts no controls over some of its waters, such as Medicine Creek and Enders reservoirs. Most Game Commission recreation grounds are open to shooting during waterfowl season, so long as no blinds or other devices are constructed.

In response to a survey designed to benefit the goose hunter without a hunting site, conservation officers over the entire state listed the areas open to honker hunting. As expected, the most optimistic reports came from the reservoir region.

The warden at Lake McConaughy returned an enthusiastic report. Conditions this fall, he wrote, are better than in other years because of the extremely high water level in the spring, and the very big drawndown during irrigation season. The high water 18 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   killed all vegetation, he explained, and the drop left more sand beach than in other years.

"A goose wants to rest on the shore where he can see a long way in each direction," he said, "Many blinds are built on this beach, but there is room for many hunters, with 50 miles of shore line. Field goose shooting could also be arranged with the farmer on whose land the geese are feeding."

Johnson Lake, another reservoir in the same area, usually holds a flock of Canada geese during the western fall flight, reports another conservation officer. These geese, he advised, raft in the center of the lake, and frequent nearby private lands for feed. The area around the lake is open to the public, and many hunters take their bags from pass shooting as the geese come by.

Normally, a few flocks of geese concentrate on Sutherland, Maloney, and Jeffery Canyon Reservoirs. These areas are all open to public hunting. Swanson Lake and Enders Lake are also goosehunting areas which may be utilized by the public. Much of the Republican River remains unleased, and after the lagoons freeze up, there may be some goose shooting on the river. Most of the farmers will let goose hunters go over their land to the river if permission is asked. Ponds and lagoons in the area are generally leased.

Lake Babcock, about three miles north of Columbus, and the surrounding Loup River Power District land and private farm lands are a waterfowl refuge, reports the warden for that area. However, he continues, many geese are taken on private farm land in the area outside the refuge. Stubble fields would be a gold mine here, visited regularly by honkers in search of feed. The hunter must depend upon artful camouflage, but he could bag his limit as surely as the river-blind hunter with wet feet.

In an effort to ease the blind situation in Nebraska, the Game Commission is offering this year for the first time a set of rental blinds at Cowles Lake in eastern Nebraska. Cowles is on the Platte River near Venice, just about equidistant from Lincoln and Omaha. The units are reserved on a "first come, first served" daily basis. Also new this year are free blinds at Sacramento, with hunters still able to roam the area under the present setup.

For hunters who plan to do their goose hunting along the major streams in the state, the outlook is pretty dismal. The Platte River is locked up tight, practically all available areas being leased. Most Missouri River locations are also either leased or privately owned. Some blinds are available for hire on the Missouri. Furnished with the blinds are ample decoys and transportation to the blind, if necessary.

North along the "Big Muddy", where goose hunting should be very good, according to informants well acquainted with the area, all the good sites are posted and will be used heavily by those already in the locality. The conservation officer from that district reports that if the prospective hunter does not know personally the people controlling the pits, he will have to resort to other methods of gunning.

There will be a small private river frontage north of Ponca that will be open to the public, at a price. But the most rewarding goose shooting on the Missouri River is not on the river itself but in the wheat fields about a mile back. The hunter could negotiate with the farmer to build a pit blind, use some camouflage clothing, and take geese as they come by.

Another exceptionally rewarding goose-hunting spot, especially for smaller geese, is in the country around the confluence of the Loup rivers. Along the lower Loups from Fullerton to Loup City the water sites are leased up tight, and a goose hunter must have a friend or contact on the river.

There is no more nervy type of gander-getting than out in a flat stubble field or a weedy corn patch. Dry-land hunting for geese is very profitable, as the birds habitually feed by the thousands away from water. A hunter can, with the landowner's permission of course, set up some feeding decoys in a field and secret himself as best as possible in the available vegetation. Nebraska has plenty of available grainfields near water, and geese must eat, so the hunter is in business without even half trying.

But the goose hunter who wants to gamble tries pass shooting, not because he can't find a blind, but simply because he knows there is no more difficult and thrilling method. You may be sure this hunter knows his area. He knows the feeding stations of the geese, and their resting lakes. He knows that they make their flights for food as regularly as the sun. Perfect concealment for him is paramount, but he needs no elaborate blind setup, instead utilizing the existing cover.

Available blind sites for goose hunters in Nebraska are not too numerous, as the gunners well know. But those blinds and other suitable areas open to the public are in excellent goose-visited locations. Filling out his bag will depend upon the hunter this year, just as it has every other year. He may have to change his tactics a little to take advantage of public-area shooting or grainfield wingshooting, but as he grows more skillful in these methods he will find pit-gunning not nearly so essential. Choice spots are only that; they help considerably, but they still don't bring the downed goose crashing into water.

THE END NOVEMBER,1959 19

Three Ways to Geese

Sneak, pass, or pit know-how key to bagging ganders. But watch weather by Pete Czura

GEESE ARE goofy. But so are goose hunters, and each year the two zany adversaries match wits, with geese generally on the winning end. They've got a bag of tricks that are almost unbeatable. They'll fly over the most cleverly hidden blind as if it were aglow with a neon sign reading "GOOSE HUNTERS HERE". Then, just to be different, they'll barge in unannounced while the hunter is in open water changing stool patterns, only to be safely out of range again by time the frustrated nimrod gets back to the blind and his gun.

A Goose-Hunting Special

Some flocks will hover around a decoy set and never drop down. A friend of mine couldn't stand such snubbing any longer and leaped from his blind, yelling angrily. His mouth opened in amazement as the geese peeled off and winged right at him. An instant later he was all smiles as he hiked out to retrieve two hefty geese.

There are three popular ways you can hunt geese: (1) always tough sneak shooting, (2) fairly comfortable blind or pit shooting, and (3) always exciting pass shooting.

Sneak shooting is a rugged sport. It's usually done in large marshes, cornfields, and wheat fields. To be successful, you must know the birds' habits where they rest and feed and the air ways they use.

Pick a snowy or foggy day for sneak shooting, for geese can't see you as well. You'll want to keep well hidden from their wary eyes as you work in close to them. When there's snow, wear white camouflage clothing to blend in with the background. Some hunters use white rubber ponchos. Others don old bed sheets with eyeholes cut in the hood. Some men 20 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   even carry this camouflage idea a bit further by dressing their retrievers in some sort of white suit.

A dead-grass-colored camouflage suit is good when you're sneak shooting on clear, dry days. Should you be using a golden retriever, both of you would blend perfectly into the background. To help your deception, smudge soot or mud on your face to break the shine. I know one veteran who went so far as to pull a woman's nylon stocking over his head and face, peering out at the world through slits in the mask.

In my early goose-shooting days, I used a method that paid off handsomely. I didn't use a blind or pit; I simply lay flat on the ground, covering myself with a couple of gunny sacks with fake grass sewn on them. Hidden, I would wait until the geese settled among the decoys before I made my play. When I stood up—they would bust away, giving me plenty of wing shots.

Geese are shot from four types of blinds: rock, pit, platform, and stake. Rock blinds are seldom used in Nebraska. Pit blinds are dug along big river banks such as the Missouri; platform blinds are erected on piles over shallow water, and stake blinds are found around small lakes and ponds.

When pit or blind hunting, make certain that your outfit is constructed of material that blends with the surrounding area. And when hunting from a blind, use a small spread of 24 floating decoys. If you're fortunate enough to have a blind near a sand bar where geese often rest, use 24 to 28 decoys spread on the sand. Make sure, however, that your decoys have the appearance of resting geese. This will lure the flyers down for a close look and when they do, you're in business.

In building a pit blind, pick an area clear of any growth or vegetation so nothing obstructs your view.Set your decoys facing into the wind, with a few upwind from your pit. Birds coming onto your stools will pass directly over or in front of your goose pit. Never set your decoys in a way to attract geese behind the pit or cause them to land down wind.

There isn't a goose hunter alive who isn't cooking up new schemes to trick the honkers. Here's a rather bizarre rig that paid dividends. Several years ago, airplane-builder Glenn Martin dreamed up a mirror blind. This device had three sides of plateglass mirrors, a camouflaged painted rear, and a throw-back top. Spotted in a cornfield on an overcast day, it became almost invisible. A man could stand 100 yards away and see only cornstalks, real and mirrored. Geese dropped down within spitting range of this blind, pitching in so close the shooters inside could have bagged limits with No. 9 shells using skeet guns.

Decoys should be used when shooting from a goose blind. They must be capable of fooling a wary gander, and the pattern they're set in can spell the difference between success and failure. A decoy must look natural, whether afloat or on shore in a feeding stance. Vary your arrangements to simulate natural goose-feeding patterns. A poor day of hunting can often be attributed to nothing more than a poor stool arrangement.

This brings to mind an experience I had afield. Two men in an ideally located blind next to mine had a badly set stool. Geese headed for their spread as they came in from the marsh. When they got in close, however, the lead gander would give a few nervous honks and the whole gang would shift toward my stool.

Decoys can be made out of almost anything. Take those pictured on the cover. They're made by cutting an old tire into four pieces, each turned inside out. A seven to nine-inch board is nailed inside each bend, and one-inch boards cut into the shape of a goose necks are attached at varying angles. Here is NOVEMBER,1959 21   even a simpler way to make decoys. Simply throw small white sacks into the air and let them settle down around the blind. Some hunters have gone to the extent of tearing up their undershirts into chunks, and others have even used handkerchiefs to lure geese.

THREE WAYS TO 6EESE continued Pick a day when the weather is lousy. You'll hit pay dirt almost every time

Next to a live goose, a dead one is the best decoy. Just shove a little stick in the dead bird's bill and prop up his head with a small forked stick. Set him up in shallow water or on the ground, and he'll draw geese in like a magnet.

Decoys can be made out of newspapers bent into a triangle shape. Clay or mud mounds work fine, too. Thrust a feather slantwise in each mound and watch the results. An Indian guide once did the same for me, using duck feathers. With this rig, we got our limit in less than 15 minutes.

Goose calling is entirely different from duck calling, and requires plenty of skill. Where duck calling has become standardized, goose callers invent all kinds of fantastic tricks to bring the birds down within range. Indian guides, for example, shout, cackle, and scream to turn geese and bring them in.

There are many good goose calls available, and with a little practice, possibly using a goose-call record, you can become a proficient caller.

Pass shooting, the last of the three popular goose hunting methods, is the most thrilling form of all, but it takes an expert to bring them down. Geese travel overland in regular air ways from resting water to feed beds. The experienced hunter hides along this route and waits for the fun to begin. A favorite place for pass shooting is a clump of thick bushes near the top of a high ridge. A cornfield is also good, as are haystacks. Hiding within the top of the stack, you can bust them as they swing past. But don't use a stack more than once a week or geese will soon shy away from it.

Watch for a loner when you're afield. A good spread coupled with good calling will entice him down. Geese are clannish, and a young goose, separated from its family, will seek admittance to other family groups, making him vulnerable to your rig and call.

Use a retriever when you go after honkers. The dog pays off particularly when geese are dropped in flowing water or are merely crippled and take off running. There are several good breeds available, including the Labrador, goldens, and Chesapeake bays—the three most frequently seen in a Nebraska blind—as well as Weimaraners and Irish and American water spaniels.

What is the best gun for geese? One favorite is the 12 gauge automatic with a modified bore, using No. 6 shells with regular field loads. Killing power and pattern are the same, but shot density decreases with a smaller gauge shell. For instance, a 12 gauge No. 6 shell provides 279 pellets, but a 20 gauge in a No. 6 has only 223 pellets. Although pattern density and penetration are important in selecting shot size, pellet shock, too, plays a big role in bagging geese. To be frank, a good shot can belt geese with a 16 gauge or even a 20 when shooting over stools at under 40 yards—if the gun doesn't give a broken pattern. Since many of us shoot under short ranges, the 16's and 20's will provide most of us with sufficient firepower to drop the big* birds.

Goose hunting has no set rules—well, maybe just one. If you expect to get honkers, stay down and keep still. Don't get fidgety when the big birds swing near your guns. Wait till they're in range. Then spring up and bust them good.THE END

22 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

GOOSE COOKERY

Wild gander is makings for Thanksgiving dinner 1. Pull down on breast feathers 2. Remove the wings and head 3. Pliers good for large feathers 4. Singe lightly, but thoroughly 5. Take viscera from anal cut. Don't break green gall bladder 6. Two-inch cut in neck removes crop, unbroken, and windpipe 7. Pick pin feathers, save giblets

STUFFING MAKES the goose, say many game chefs. And with equal vigor, they defend their right to pack almost any ingredients into a goose—mushrooms or Madeira, onions or oysters.

A Goose-Hunting Special

The most basic ingredient in preparing a wild goose for the table, however, is time. It not only may take all morning to roast the magnificent gander, but also extra hours to combine all the makings before cooking, particularly if the stuffing is an elaborate one.

Why not save that big Canada or frosty snow goose for a really festive occasion such as Thanksgiving dinner or the Christmas banquet? The holidayplanned recipe included here will merit extra-good cheer during the celebration.

Mattamuskeet Goose

Hunters on Lake Mattamuskeet in North Carolina delight in this recipe. They pass up the large, imposing ganders in the lead of the "V" formation for a youthful, more tender gosling at the tail. After they've cleaned the goose, they follow these instructions:

Place 1/2 pound of chicken livers, the goose liver and heart, 6 ounces of Madeira, 1 cup chicken stock (or bouillon), 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, and 14 teaspoon dry tarragon in a saucepan and simmer under cover till the livers and heart are tender. Meanwhile, render the fat from 1/2 pound sausage meat, crumbling the meat in a pan while cooking. Score 1 pound chestnuts on the flat face of each with a sharp knife, and boil in salt water 15 minutes. Allow to cool, remove shells and skins, and mash the meat with a fork.

When the livers are tender, remove and chop fine. Return to Madeira sauce, adding 1 cup sliced mushrooms, the crumbled sausage meat, and chestnuts. Add salt and pepper to taste; if mixture is too moist, add bread crumbs until the proper consistency is obtained. Here, if it is an older bird, you may feel the goose needs extra fat. If so, you can run three strips of salt pork down each side of the breast with a larding needle about 1/2 inch under the skin.

Stuff the goose, after rubbing inside and out with salt and pepper, place in a roasting pan, and add some more salt pork to the breast. Place in preheated oven at 475 °F. for 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare basting sauce by placing 1 cup dry white wine, 1 cup orange juice, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. Baste goose frequently until tender. When done, drain excess grease, add 1/2 cup water to the wine, and scrape the pan while heating over a light flame. Slowly add 1 cup heavy cream to the gravy and carry the steaming goose and gravy to the holiday table.

THE END OCTOBER, 1959 23

Rabbits by the Numbers

by George Schildman Beset by enemies, the cottontail still bounces jauntily on Nebraska trails

BORN TO an unkind world, the cottontail hops a harassed road. Only 1 of 20 newborn rabbits reaches his first birthday. But the bunny bounces back, for Mama rabbit invented the word "prolific". Ultimately, she could overwhelm us with her offspring if it weren't for the hawk, owls, and hunters.

A Rabbit-Hunting Special

Completely immoral, the female rabbit hops from lover to lover. A day or two after pairing off, she turns on her current mate and viciously drives him out of her territory. A month later she drops her litter, and may mate again before the young are one day old. In such fashion she can achieve three, four, or more families in a single season.

Courting rabbits put a ballerina to shame. A pair poses facing each other. While one leaps straight up in the air, the other scurries underneath. This is repeated again and again. The commotion may attract rivals, who sometimes jump four feet high and take enormous bounds.

Three or four days before gestation is over, the female selects her nest site, frequently along a grass roadside. She digs a shallow hole with her forepaws and lines it with bits of grass and with fur which she pulls out of her breast.

Her young arrive unexpectedly. She may be taking an afternoon snooze, or may be off nibbling on grass and tender raspberry shoots far from her carefully arranged nest. But as soon as her last hairless youngster is born and fed, she carries each to the nest. Mother doesn't spoil her young by too much attention. During the day, and even at night, she draws a warm blanket of fur and grass over them and hops away, observing the nest without attracting attention to it.

Rabbits average four or five to a litter, but may range from one to nine. They are pink little morsels, blind and deaf, with glued-down ears. At first, they sleep most of the time, snuggled quietly together. By 12 days, they may venture out of the nest to pick at tempting green sprouts. They stay put during the day, in a tiny hidden rabbit form. At night, the young return to the nest, huddling together for warmth.At 14 to 16 days, they are independent enough to go on their own for good. Usually they stay within a mile of their birthplace.

The mother makes no effort to drive them out, even when her next litter comes along. She will not, however, allow any other adult female on her home range.

A young rabbit soon discovers the convenience of a brush pile. What appears as a tangled mass on the outside gives way to orderly runs and escape routes on the inside. The rabbits gnaw out secret runways and scratch out forms where they can sit cozily, protected from snuffling dogs or hunters crashing on the roof.

The cottontail spends the day time sleeping or resting in the form, often with his rear backed up against a mass of shrubs or a small tree. By sunset he is hopping around, feeding and indulging in other rabbity interests. At sunup, he's back in bed.

A rabbit will eat anything, but the bulk of his summer menu is grass and sedge. He's fond of clover and prefers it to most other forage plants. Goldenrod, chickweed, and strawberries add variety. Winter food consists mainly of twigs and bark of woody plants, as well as buds and needles of some conifers.Scattered kernels of corn are relished.

Cottontails lead a rough life. Plowing, cultivating, and other farming operations wreck many nests. Heavy rains flood many others, tumbling the young out of the nests' safety, making them easy targets for predators. Hunters take their toll, and diseases find the cottontail vulnerable. Winters are hard on them; browse may be scarce, unless snows are deep enough to lift the rabbits up to new shoots and bark.

The cottontail isn't helpless, of course. He's a good short-distance runner, and his zigzagging tactics confuse many a beagle. Brush piles hide him from soaring hawks, and his claw-tipped back feet can lash wickedly when infighting.

If, academically, we eliminated the rabbit's enemies, we could be knee-deep in cottontails in a space of years. If each female produced four litters a year, each containing five young, 22 rabbits would complete the season. The next year, 220 more cottontails would be added to the original 22, and in five years, with complete survival, more than 322,000 rabbits would be produced from each original pair. That's a lot of rabbits. But thanks to a combination of natural and hunter harvest, we have a rabbit population that's compatible to ours.

THE END The author is district game supervisor inRegionFive. NOVEMBER,1959 25

Bard of the Briers

The beagle has the cottontails number. Let him make your hunt successful by DavidLionberger

THE SWEETEST melody ever composed cannot top the chant of beagles hot on the trail of game. Pounding through thickets that man avoids, bawling to their hearts' content, these bards of the briers swing rabbits around within easy gun range. And you can bet that once they've made their swing, they haven't missed any rabbits.

A Rabbit-Hunting Special

I own two beagles, and believe me, they work the year-around. I take them afield every chance I get. Both are capable of driving a cottontail to the gun. That's why I use beagles; they make hunting easier.

Last fall is a good example. While hunting rabbits near Fairmont, I was enjoying great success whenever I put down "Buck", my "high-bawling" beagle. He covers the ground like a blanket, trying to pick up the scent of a rabbit. Then comes the moment when he strikes a hot trail and goes off singing. I simply stand near the spot where he took up the chase and usually, after a few minutes, he'll swing a puffing rabbit into gun range.

Whenever a rabbit is put up by a hound, he will begin his run by just keeping a jump ahead of the pursuing dog. Eventually, if not pressed too close, the rabbit will make a huge circle and wind up at the exact spot where he was flushed. If the hunter who uses a beagle remembers this, 9 times out of 10, he'll add a cottontail to the pot.

A few words of caution to those of you starting with a young beagle. Get the pup accustomed to sudden, sharp noises, like banging pans. Fire an occasional firecracker, or a blank .22 pistol while he's eating so he'll associate the noises with something pleasant. When your beagle is about four months old, take him afield. Let him run to his heart's content, but don't make these early sessions too long.

A common practice in teaching a pup how to hunt is to let him run alongside a seasoned campaigner. He'll learn faster this way, but he may also pick up the old hound's faults. Although this system works, your dog is apt to become an independent hunter; I don't want such a dog. My dogs hunt for me and always before the gun.

Don't worry if your pup disappears for a few minutes his first time afield. If he's lost, he'll let you know darn quick where he's at by his whimpering. But don't go to him. Make him come to you. Call his name and continue calling until he responds.

Begin serious training after a couple of these breakdown sessions. With a walking stick in hand, encourage the pup to help you explore every likely looking tuft of grass, brush pile, clump of weeds; 26 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   any place that might hide a rabbit. Don't expect a miracle at this stage. If by chance he takes off after the first rabbit you bounce out of hiding, it will be surprising. Generally, he will just stand in amazement as the rabbit scoots off. Practice patience, for he's still in the kindergarten stage.

You might help matters by picking your dog up and taking him to the spot where the rabbit had been kicked up. There point your finger at the rabbit track, or line and encourage the pup to pick up the trail. Keep this up, and sooner or later, he'll catch on and take off in high gear. And as long as he continues to show interest in the line, walk along and coax him to keep following it.

Some beagles can be taught to retrieve. It's fairly simple: Get a fresh knucklebone, large enough to prevent him from putting it all in his mouth. Next tie two long pieces of cord to the hound's collar. Now, with a helper holding one end of the cord and you the other, toss the bone between you two. As soon as the beagle picks up the bone, say "Fetch", and begin to pull him gently toward you. Take the bone, pet him, and repeat the lesson. Don't spend more than 10 minutes a day at one session, else he'll tire and lose interest. After a few lessons you can discard the cords and he'll return the bone promptly to hand.

When you take your hound afield for the first actual retrieving test, make sure you kill that first rabbit you flush. Then encourage the pup to pick up the rabbit by saying "Fetch!". When he does pick it up, back off a few paces, making him come to you. Before long he'll make long retrieves without any commands. Incidentally, retrieving game prevents the beagle from becoming a mangier of game. It also keeps him from eating or burying the rabbit when it drops dead at a point beyond your range of vision.

Another highlight during training occurs when the dog begins to "open up"—to bark excitedly as he follows the line. When you have such a beagle who hits the line well and lets loose with a deep, ringing song, you'll know that you have a real hunting beagle.

Tales of the beagle's ability to find and flush pheasants are becoming widespread. When used for upland-game-bird hunting, the dog's style makes it a simple matter for the gunner to keep pace with him. There have been cases of beagles being used for retrieving crippled birds, too.

Rabbits have been fleeing from beagles since the days of King Henry VIII. And for centuries, these merry little hounds have been close to the hearts of thousands of sportsmen. In 1874, it is reported that Sir Millias imported a few beagles from France to England. Queen Alexandria, an avid beagle fancier, helped to promote its popularity. In the 1880's, direct descendants of the Millias stock were imported to America. Since then beagles have grown in popularity and today are the most favored of the registered dogs.

Recently a few Nebraska sportsmen began using the sad-eyed, slow-plodding basset hound for rabbit hunting. Of ancient lineage, the basset has flourished for centuries in France and Belgium where he was used principally to trail deer, hare, rabbits, and other game. The origin of the breed dates back to the old French bloodhound and the St. Hubert hounds.

According to basset owners, these dogs are unexcelled when it comes to trailing and flushing pheasants. Their owners brag about the dogs' ability for steady, accurate trailing. They say that the bassets give plenty of tongue when pursuing game and that their short legs are made to order for plowing through dense cover. With the exception of the pure bloodhound, basset owners say no breed can lay claim to greater scenting ability.

Call him by any name, the hound with the merry voice—the beagle—is making a definite bid to become the sportsman's best friend afield. What has sold me and thousands of other hunters is that the beagle practically trains himself. Just put him near the lair of the cottontail, then listen to the sweetest music this side of heaven as the little hound busts through briers in his search for game.

THE END The author is an ardent beagle enthusiast from Lincoln. He owns two registered beagles, working with them endlessly to develop them as top-notch hunting dogs. NOVEMBER,1959 27

Rabbit Hunting Run-Around

Fair game all year, cottontails offer plenty of shooting thrills by Robert Downing

WEATHER IS the key to successful rabbit hunting. It controls, almost dictates, the activities of rabbits everywhere. When the weather is clear, get out to restock your bunny larder. When it's bad, stay home, the rabbits do, holeing up till the weather clears.

A Rabbit-Hunting Special

The ideal day to hunt rabbits—at least for me-is during a thaw, with the temperature in the high 30's. A warm dewy morning in the early fall is also good, as are days when there is a light, misty drizzle. An overcast, but balmy day without much wind is fine, too.

If you hunt without a dog, look for rabbits in places you consider ideal cover. Thick brush piles, or any depression in the ground, are among their favorite resting spots. A pile of rocks, maybe an old culvert or drain tile are also good. Give the brush piles an occasional kick or two when you come on them. And don't overlook grass clumps. You'll be surprised at the number of rabbits that will scamper out. Farm wood lots and fields are a rabbit hunter's paradise. Abandoned farms also are good.

You'll find rabbits all over the state in the fall. When you go after them, don't look for rabbits. Instead, search typical rabbit habitat. Try the alfalfa and clover fields. Prowl along the ditch banks, multiflora hedges, and brush-grown fences. Walk through grain stubble, cornfields, dry swamps, small swales, or along old stream banks.

Rabbit hunting in the winter is an entirely different setup. Cottontails head for the thickest shelter, congregating in brushy swamps, big marshes, and swales, willows and plum thickets, and the dense growth of creek and river bottoms. Many move into brush heaps, or under abandoned buildings.

OUTDOOR NEBRASKA 28  

An example of winter concentration is the terrific build-up of rabbits found in the Missouri River bottoms along the Nebraska-Iowa border. I have spotted as many as 85 rabbits in a single acre of dense willows. The Nebraska outdoorsman need never hang up his gun for lack of shooting opportunities. There are plenty of rabbits in the state, an abundance reflected in our year-long season and liberal bag limits.

Hunting rabbits in the snow is fun. This situation makes it comparatively easy for you to find game and track it. The cottontail's habit of feeding and frolicking all night makes him easy to locate and trail the next morning, especially after a light snowfall. I've bagged many a cottontail hiding in a brush pile simply because his trail led me there.

All rabbits behave the same way. If you jump one and don't drop it on the get-away, pick a shooting stand not far from the spot where you kicked him up. Give him time and eventually he'll swing around and back to you. When he does, you'll add another rabbit to the larder.

Use dogs when rabbit hunting. They'll flush plenty of rabbits that you would ordinarily overlook. Beagles and bassets are top rabbit dogs. They'll find rabbits in two ways: cold-tracking and by guessing and probing every promising spot. The strictly coldtracker is at a disadvantage, for he often wastes time on a stale track, where a smarter dog would bust headlong into the right spot and send rabbits streaking for safety.

It's a good policy to field dress your rabbits as you go along. Each time you nail one, clean out his innards, and cover the carcass with snow if available. The snow serves as a refrigerator and keeps him cool until you return to pick him up when you're finished hunting.

Years ago, fear of tularemia kept some hunters from going out after cottontails. But there is no real danger if you follow this simple procedure. Don't take any rabbits that act sick or refuse to run. To be entirely safe, slip on a pair of inexpensive rubber gloves before you dress out your game. If you prefer to dress rabbits when they're shot, carry the gloves with you afield—they won't take up much room in your pocket.

The shotgun is a sure-fire meat-getter. My preference leans towards a 20 gauge, using No. 6 or No. 7 1/2 shot. It takes a good shot to hit a rabbit when he takes off dodging around clumps of grass like a whirling dervish. Other times he reminds me a fandango dancer doing a solo for his life, as he zigzags every which way to escape the shot of chilled lead. Give some lead. When he's in high gear he is moving 44 feet per second.

Nebraska hunters have developed a habit of being choosy when they go afield, taking only pheasants, for example, during pheasant hunting season, saving rabbits for later hunting. Remember, game can't be stock-piled. Take advantage of the opportunities that arise by bagging a rabbit or two when you're afield after other game. You'll have a lot more fun.

THE END The author, an experienced and enthusiastic rabbit hunter, is a Game Commission conservation officer stationed at Fremont. NOVEMBER,1959 29

Bushy fall Shoot Down

Who says squirrels are slick critters? You'll bag your share and more if you use the waiting game by BillBailey

THE CHANGING season spelled squirrel hunting. It filtered in through the window on a sparkling breeze; it reflected from the countryside in brilliant reds and yellows. Ultimately, it made everything else seem insignificant, almost demanding that I get out of the office and go afield.

OUTDOOR NEBRASKA  

Squirrel season had opened on September 12. Other gunners had already enjoyed several weekends of hunting, but still I had plenty of time. The season ran through December 31, and all reports indicated that squirrels were plentiful.

I was out early in the morning, planning on reaching the woods before sunrise. Hunting is at its best in the early hours and late afternoon; squirrels are most active then.

My destination was a wood lot along the Big Blue River, north of Ulysses in southeast Nebraska. I passed several likely looking areas because I'd made previous arrangements with a farmer to hunt at Ulysses.

A Squirrel-Hunting Special

The sun's first rays were just over the horizon when I arrived at my destination. A low mist hung over the timber, its chill cutting through my light jacket. Only a gentle breeze fanned the blades of nearby ripening corn, pointing to a perfect day for hunting.

As I moved along the cornfield, the raspy bark of an early rising "bushytail" broke the stillness. He seemed to be near the edge of the timber adjacent to the cornfield. Sounds carried well in the moist air, and sapsuckers and flickers were also making their presence known. I waited momentarily until he again scolded in his chattering, cocky manner. This time I had the sound located. The squirrel was in a large-spreading bur oak at the edge of the corn, probably breakfasting on acorns and a few kernels of corn. Slowly moving toward the tree, I strained my eyes for the reddish ball of fur that was causing the commotion. The chattering stopped; his sensitive ears had caught my movement through the corn, my first mistake.

Squirrels are curious animals, so the waiting game was in order. Stalking and waiting is the most common hunting technique, with plenty of emphasis on the latter. Usually the squirrel will venture out before too long to check on the intruder.

This was what I hoped for as I sat down at the base of another tree, selecting an inconspicuous spot that gave me a good view. My eyes searched each limb for abnormal off-color bumps that could be a squirrel flattened against the tree. He was well hidden and probably watching me just as intently as I was looking for him.

Scanning nearby trees, I noted several leaf nests, used for loafing, protection, or rearing of young. A large black-walnut tree near the edge of the timber was laden with fruit, a sure spot for squirrels. The oaks, too, had a heavy mast crop of acorns. The heavy production of these favored foods when combined with waste corn from the field would keep the squirrels in good shape through the winter. Without abundant food, many would be in poor condition for the breeding seasons. Most old females produce a litter in mid-February to mid-April, and again from late June to September if quality food is abundant. Yearling females probably produce but one litter. It appears that the reproduction rate depends largely on the quantity and quality of the food supply. If the rest of the wood lots were as abundant as this, next year's squirrel crop would be good.

NOVEMBER,1959 31   BUSHYTAIL SHOOT DOWN continued Don't risk spoiling game by neglect. Prompt field dressing makes meat tasty

Ten minutes had passed without movement or sound from hunter or hunted. Then it happened. My panning eye caught the squirrel as it raced along an upper branch of the tree. He began his descent on the opposite side and was momentarily out of view. Suddenly he jumped to a limb no more than 20 yards from me and again started his raspy scolding. I eased the .22 to my shoulder, settled the bead on his ear, and squeezed the trigger. The squirrel toppled, briefly clinging to the limb, then crashed to the ground. Picking up my prize, I examined him closely to determine his age. He was a young male, as indicated by the condition of the scrotum. The skin on the rear portion was smooth, brownish black, and fairly free of hair. The forward part was still well covered with hair. If he had been an adult male, most of the lower portion of his scrotum would have been blackened and free of hair. A female's age can be determined by the condition of the mammary glands, the juvenile's being less developed and hidden by hair.

Some hunters use other aging techniques. One test involves skinning—the young squirrels are easy to skin and old squirrels are tough. These terms are relative, however, and a squirrel that is tough to skin by one hunter may be easy to another.

A squirrel's age can mean different things. A young animal means an easily prepared and tasty meal, and an abundance of young also means good reproduction success.

Well pleased with my first shot, I moved over to the large walnut tree and took up a comfortable waiting position on a log. I was no sooner settled than a squirrel passed near my vantage point on his way to the cornfield. In a moment bushytail No. 2 was added to my bag.

Squirrels in the wood lot were preparing for winter. Small diggings could be seen near most of the oaks and around the walnut trees where they had buried acorns or nuts. One ambitious fellow had drug an ear of corn into the wood's edge. Fox squirrels store their food, usually burying it in the ground and sometimes in tree cavities near the food tree. Squirrels seem less alert when laying in a winter food supply, giving the patient hunter plenty chances to pot them.

I filled my limit of five squirrels by mid-morning, and in the process had missed four. All were in good condition, averaging a little less than two pounds each. None had accumulated the heavy layers of winter fat that would be so evident in December.

I trudged back to the car, the warm sun giving a golden cast to the rustling blades of corn, providing and end to a perfect morning afield. I had relived an American tradition.

THE END The author, an ardent squirrel-hunting enthusiast, is Commission Big Game project leader. 32 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

Small Game Recipes

Modern recipes add glamour to rabbits and squirrels that were pioneer's diet

SMALL GAME cookery is a long-standing tradition with Americans. For our forefathers, bringing home old "bushytail" was a necessity, but today some of us, dazzled by the flashing ringnecks, or lured by bigger game, have neglected rabbits and squirrels.

A Rabbit, Squirrel-Hunting Special

Dyed-in-the-wool hunters, however, will tell you there's no better Saturday-night supper than fricasseed squirrel. Quite innocently, these same squirrels were the teachers of marksmanship to many of our present-day riflemen who now scorn them.

Field clean your rabbit to avoid the chance of spoilage. Insert a knife in the front center of the chest, cutting a hole several inches wide. Grasp the rabbit by the rear feet and "crack the whip" with the animal. Not only will this clean out the insides well enough for field needs, but snapping the head off will give more complete drainage of blood.

There are two quick and easy methods you can use in skinning. One is to make a circular cut around the middle of the body, grasp the edges of the severed skin with a hand on either side of the cut, and pull away from the middle toward either end. This system is especially recommended for squirrels. If done properly, this leaves little loose hair sticking to the carcass. Dipping the animal in cold water before skinning keeps the hairs from flying. You might want to singe to be sure that all hair is removed.

Or you can tie the hind legs together and hang the animal on a nail or hook. With a sharp knife, cut around the feet and slash a little to secure a hold on the skin. Then simply pull down, peeling off the skin like a glove.

Cut off the hind legs near the backbone; cut off the forelegs, cutting into part of the ribs to make these pieces more nearly the size of the hind legs. Then cut the remainder of the backbone lengthwise into two pieces.

FriedorBreadedRabbit

Put rabbit in cold water containing 1 tablespoon salt for 1 hour. Beat one egg with fork until light 1 or 2 minutes. Then beat 1 tablespoon milk with it. Dip each piece of rabbit into the mixture and into fine, dried bread crumbs to which salt and pepper have been added. Melt 2 tablespoons fat in a heavy frying pan. Fry slowly to a medium brown on both sides. Then cover, without adding water, and steam gently till tender—20 to 30 minutes. Place pan on asbestos mat if necessary. Serve on hot platter with slices of lemon. Cranberry sauce, currant jelly, or spiced grapes are good accompaniments.

Rabbit Stew

Prepare and soak rabbit as before. Put in saucepan, add 1 1/2 pints clear meat broth (or beef bouillon) , 1 small carrot, a few stalks of celery, and 1 small onion. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Then remove greens. When ready for final cooking, add 1/2 cup stewed, strained tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce if desired. Simmer, covered, until tender—about 30 minutes. Make gravy from leavings.

34 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   Hasenpfeffer

Disjoint rabbit, wash and place in crock or jar with enough vinegar and water in equal parts to cover. Add onion, a few cloves, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Let the meat soak for two days. Then wipe dry and brown in hot butter, turning frequently. Slowly add some of the mixture used for soaking the meat to the depth of % inch, cover tightly, and let simmer until done—about 30 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Just before serving, stir sour cream into sauce.

Most rabbit recipes are adaptable to squirrels. Young squirrels, opened down the breast and laid flat, may be pan-steamed. Older ones are best stewed. You will find a roll of tender white meat on each side of the backbone. Don't forget to remove the small, waxy scent glands inside the forelegs.

Fricasseed Squirrel

Rub pieces of squirrel with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. Pan-fry with 3 slices chopped bacon for 30 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon sliced onion, 1 1/2 teaspoonslemonjuice,1/3cupbroth,andcover tightly. Cook slowly 3 hours.

Take Pity on the Poor Sportsman who has missed-out on OUTDOOR NEBRASKA'S "bonusbigthree"specialhunting issues. TELLHIM TO SUBSCRIBENOW Brunswick Stew—VirginiaStyle

Soak 2 or 3 squirrels 1/2 hour in cold salted water. Add 1 tablespoon salt to 1 gallon water, boil 5 minutes. Then put in 1 minced small onion, 1 pint butter or lima beans, 1 pint green corn, 1/2 pound salt pork cut in fine strips, 6 parboiled and sliced potatoes, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and the squirrels. Cover and stew very slowly for 2 1/2 hours, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add 1 quart tomatoes and 2 tablespoons white sugar and stew 1 hour longer. Then add 2 1/2 pound butter cut into bits the size of a walnut and rolled in flour. Boil 10 minutes. Serve at once.

Too many people shy away from hunting rabbits because of tularemia fear. Tularemia is not rare, but chances of your contracting it from handling a diseased rabbit are almost nil for two good reasons. One is that the disease works so fast in the rabbit that he dies off quickly. The second is that the disease is almost entirely wiped out in rabbits by the second week after frost. By snow time, when most of our Nebraska hunters track the cottontails, the possibility of picking up an animal with tularemia is almost nonexistent.

If you want to be very careful, use gloves in skinning the rabbit. If you find the liver discolored, you have not observed an infalible sign of tularemia. Dog tapeworms leave white spotty cysts on the liver much as does the tularemia parasite. You would have to be experienced to recognize the difference between the two. If you have cooked the meat thoroughly, it is safe to eat. Don't stay home from a wonderful day in the field because of fear of tularemia.

Whether you try the famous huntsman's squirrel dish of the Old Dominion, or simply fry your rabbit, you'll agree that Nebraska's small game are no mean dishes in themselves. Add a frosty day in the open and you've got a good thing going.

THE END

Hunting Seasons

Here are seasons, bags, areas of interest this month DEER Rifle Season Season dates:November 7 through 1 1 Open area:Ten areas open including Pine Ridge, Plains,Upper Platte, Northern Sand Hills, Southern Sand Hills, Southwest, SouthCentral, Central, Upper Missouri and East Central management units (see map) Limit: 1 mule deer or white-tailed deer (either sex in Pine Ridge and Upper Platte, one antlered deer with a fork on at least one antler in remaining eight areas) Archery Season Season dates:September 12 through December 31(exclusive of dates open to rifle hunting in areas open to rifle hunting) Open area (northern portion):Entire state north and west of highways U.S. 2 west to U.S. 6 at Lincoln, along U.S. 6 to U.S. 281 at Hastings, south to Kansas border Bag limit (northern portion): 1 (either sex) Open area (southern portion): Portion of state south and east of above line Bag limit (southern portion): 1 (antlered deer with fork on at least one antler) GEESE Season dates:October 1 0 through December 23 Open area:Entire state Bag limit:5 Possession limit:5 Shootinghours: Sunrisetosunsetexceptopeningdaywhen shooting begins at noon. Bag and possession limit on geese may not include more than (a) one white-fronted goose, (b), two Canada geese or its subspecies, or (c) one Canada goose or its subspecies and one white-fronted goose SQUIRRELS Season dates:September 12 through December 31 Open area:Entire state Bag limit:5 Possession limit:1 0 Shooting hours:One-half hour before sunrise to sunset COTTONTAIL RABBITS Season dates:January 1 through December 31 Open area:Entire state Bag limit:10 Possession limit:20 Shooting hours:One-half hour before sunrise to sunset Postmaster: If undeliverable FOR ANY REASON, notify sender, stating reason, on FORM 3547, postage for which is guaranteed. BULK RATE U. S. POSTAGE PAID Lincoln, Nebr. Permit No. 694