Home for the Hunter

As boss of Chicago's Marshall Field & Co.'s gun department, Charlie Hunter had long fretted over one big handicap for his customers. Since many of them had no opportunity to practice shooting under actual hunting conditions, they were likely to miss their duck or pheasant when the big chance came. What they really needed, he thought, was a place where they could practice under actual field conditions, thus make every shot count. By last week, after more than eleven years of on & off prodding, Marshall Field had decided Hunter was right. In a $100,000, 192-acre wooded area 33 miles northwest of Chicago, the store prepared to open Fieldale Farm, a practice range for hunters, with almost every type of hunting condition simulated on the grounds.

In the heavy woods, two 40-ft. towers have been erected to sail out clay ducks for the hunter in a blind below. For the quail, pheasant and partridge hunter, the store has built a 1,000-ft. fairway lined with corn shocks and rail fences. As the hunter stalks along, an accompanying "triggerman" follows him, releasing fast-flying clay birds that simulate the flights of the different game birds. The price for such fun: about $3 for 25 targets.

With a high overhead (40 employees), Charlie Hunter figures he will be doing well to break even. To help, the store has reconstructed an old barn into a gun shop, stocked it with guns ranging from $75 to more than $2,000. Other items: shooting gloves, alpaca-lined pants and red underwear. Next year, with an eye on the 650,000 hunting and fishing licenses issued in & around the Chicago area, Hunter hopes to add a pond to the farm, sell fishing practice and equipment as well.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.