Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-11
4 CROW HUNT.
BIZ G. A. sFKPHUGs.

BIT G. A. srxPHUs.
WE had been busy planting corn all
day in the lower lot,-Father, VIII, and
], and Dave Holmes, the hired man. O.,
how hot IL was not o breath Of wind
down there; we could see the hot air
trembling over the ridges In the upper
field, Just as it does over the stove In the
winter dry rain" Dave calls It.
But It was Saturday, and we put in to get
it all planted that night for Mr.. Sim
mondfs folks were going to finish theirs
that day and Will and couldn't bear
10 have Bob and Id Dragging shout
getting through first.
When we went down to work IN the
morning there was crow sitting in the
top Of q hemlock near the fence. He
stayed there for as much az. an hour
watching us with an occasional hdx-r-r!
hdw-r-r! And four or five more new
over the field with one eye turned down
to zee what we were doing. They are
old settlers here that have had nests IN
the woods down by the brook these
twenty years, father says. I'll bet they
saw the corn in the tin dishes, and knew
Just ~ well what was going to be done
as we did. Last year they were very
bold, and cared no more for the scare.
crow men we made Of old clothes stuffed
with straw than nothing at all. They
would come down into the field foggy
mornings, when we could not see them,
and pull up the corn within rod Of the
worst looking scarecrow We had. But
one day at the mill old Deacon Murray
told father that il he should string twine
Al round the field the crows wouldn't
lioht down inside Of the twine. He saw
Il in his paper, and had tried 1t.
So we put down stakes and twined the
whole piece. The thing looked just like
telegraph, and Will and used to play 1t
was one. The stakes were put In loosely,
and would sway back and forth, 20 that
pull at one end could be felt at the farther
side of the field, behind the hill and by
tying bell to the stake at each end we
could send signals, which stood for dis
patches The Deacon was right about
the Irvine; the crows didn't como inside
of It. suppose they thought It was
snare.
Before we went up to dinner we had
put the Irvine around what we had got
planted. But Mr.. Crowwas not to be
fooled that way. When We came back
from dinner we found he had been dining
too. A big black fellow was keeping
watch in the tall hemlock, and when we
came in sight he sang out Justify to his
brother pilferers. There was great flap.
ping; whole flock flew up and stole
0uiitily away among the trees. They had
dug up fifty hills, some of them right un-
der the Irvine. All through the after
noon, as We worked, they kept sailing
over the field; and we could hear the
young ones cawing from the nests, down
In the woods "The twine isn't going to
stop them this year." said father; we
must try something else"
"Why don't you hang the young crows
up in the field here" said Dave. "That's
the way they did ct Mr.. 6avage's, where
I worked last season. They didn't come
near that field again, I tell you" l
couldn't help thinking that it was rather
q cruel way; but the prospect Of crow
hunt was 80 tempting that ! tried to get
rid OF that feeling, and worked away as
hard as could when father said that If
we got through in time we would 60
down and have look for the nests, and
try Mr.. 6avage's method.
We finished the field about six o'clock,
and then started after the crows. / carried
the gun, and Dave took an axe. A part.
ridge was drumming on his log, and we
stopped to get shot at him. But he few
before I fairly got sight of his ruffied
back. Just then we stumbled upon the
nest of the female, who was setting. Will
almost caught her in his hands. There
were fifteen eggs in the nest, about half as
large as hens eggs and of Q clouded gray
color. The great trees, birches and ma
pies, overhung the brook, and the rocks
among which it ran were covered with
mould and moss The young crows were
still enough now, and through the tree
tops we could see the old birds sailing In
silent anxiety many hundred feet over
head. They didn't allow their fears to
overcome their prudence enough to 60
near the nest.
After looking some time we saw nest
in the top Of a high maple. 1t was hard
one to climb, and it was decided to cut it
down. Father took the axe: the great
white chips few from the scarf, and in .
few minutes the tree staggered and with
Q harsh roaring crack fell But we had
our labor for our pains; It was last
years nest, dry and deserted. It really
looked % II the crows would have the
best Of this hunt. for 1t was now getting
dusk. But Wills keen eyes spiod another
nest In huge birch. moi 70 De tAken IN
again by An old nest, we fred charge Of
shot ct it, and had the satisfaction OF See
ing several black heads pop over the side,
quickly drawn back. How to get TO them
was.the next question, for the tree was a.
much az three feet through ct the ground,
altogether too big to climb "bear fashions"
and it would be good hours work to cut
it down.
"Fall that tall hemlock which stands on
the other side Of the brook into the birch"
said Dave. "Then we can 60 up the
hemlock into the birch just as easy ~ one
can 20 up stairs."
agreed !" and after few minutes
cutting the hemlock leaned over and
lodged it, top across one Of the great
birch limbs. But after all It was . rather
perilous looking Staircase. There,
John" said Dave, turning to me, "there's
Q chance to distinguish yourself"
"Let me CO." exclaimed Viii; II saw
the nest firsL"
"You may try 1t, john" said father. I
obeyed, and began to creep up the trunk,
but It was pretty hard work, and when /
had 1nA alOut forty feet from the stump,