Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-02-04
NUMBER 80.
thermometers Idea OF Sport.
Sr. ALBANs. VT. Dec 5. 1875.
the Editor Of the Rod and Gun.

| liberty OF telling you about hare hunt
had few days ago. had been lying still
| for over a week. the weather and snow
keeping me in. till got into that state
they call desperate. and made up ny mind
to go thenext day if frozs for it. 1t had
been cold for about week, though it look
ed some now like thaw, so | ran over to
my friend BIS 20 see if he would 20
with me. | soon got his promise, and then
went home to get ready. for We had to walk
about six miles to our shooting ground.
was ready the next morning by six o'clock
with the old hound, and soon | saw my
friend coming down the road, who | will
call Bill. The morning was very cold, but
there was no crust, so we ran some chance
OF getting something to pay US for our long
walk. We lit our pipes, and an hour and a
halfs last walking soon passed away. What
with telling stories and smoking, we soon
found ourselves at the edge of the big
swamp. We struck wo0d-rOad that ran
through the swamp and followed it up
about half a mile we then LEI .he dog 90 .
and got on the run-ways about ten rods
apart. Soon the dog gave tongce. and we
knew the fun had commenced The hare
took a long turn to the west, almost out OF
hearing but we soon knew, by the sound
that the hare had turned and was coming
back. The baying OF Ihe hound grew near
er, and nearer. soon Bill brought his gun
to his shoulder. and fired. | knew by the
way Bill looked that his aim had not been
as coed as usual. Look out the little
beggar Is coming over your way which
soon found to be true. for about FIVE rods
from where | stood | saw white streaK
going through the young birches. | put
my gun to my shoulder, aimed well in adj
vance. pulled trigger, and had the satisfac-
ton of seeing Mr.. Hare kicking in the
snow. By the time | got TO the hare the
dog came up. " Have care, Ned. You
do not want to kill him over again, do yOu.
old dog? Go look for another one. that is
all want OF you" But Ned seemed to
think the hare belonged to him. and it took
a good deal OF urging 10 aeaa him OUT
again. After while he started. and pro-
ceeded 10 reload, after hanging the hare in
a crotch of small spruce that grew near.
| heard Bill calling " Did yOu get him
say there where are you 7 " by don t Won
let fellow know what you have done2" !
kept still till he came up. Did you get
him ?'' | said yes" :" Who're j. he?"
Up in that spruce" replied /, turning
around to show him. q Coed .. &scs gill,
he is gone Gone, is he?" II guess 50.
| guess you missed il" " No did not
look at that wool in the crotch, and that
blood on the snow. think the old dog
was looking out for No. /. and has gone off
with it. tell you wnat II -; yOu stay
here, Bill. and will 90 and follow this
thing out" 50 Bill went back 70 the road
and lit his pipe. | saw grin on his face.
and knew he did not believe had killed it;
50 | made up my mind to find the hare. if
l., Il - Ill l..
ing it. The trail was plain. and had no
work in following it till | came 10 an old
log here the trail seemed 70 end Old
Ned showed himself at this moment be
looked as if ne bad been doing something
wrong. say, old dog, what did you
steal my game for? and what have you
done with it ?" As could get no answer
from the dog. made up ny mind TO follow
back the track the dog came on. | follow
ed il back, and soon found. By The way it
turned, that it was coming back to the log
| soon got back. and sat down. | thought
the case over, and made up MY mind that
the hare was hid near the log. - thought
| would look under the log first. ! took
stick aud commenced pOking the snow. and
soon found what was after. There, under
the log, with a foot of snow over It, lald
Mr.. Hare all right. By this time the dog
had another one started hurried back to
the wOOd-rOai. and soon found Bill
" There, Bill wha, do you think of that
Does that look like missing him Bill!
looked az me with his mouth wide open,
and then said, tell You what it Is.
Shanks That old dog knows thing or
two, don't he - I" You bet =" said l.
After this things ran smooth, and We had
SIX hares, and though, if We could get one
more we would 20 home. 81 We took the
dog and went 10 the other end of the
swamp, and let him out again Soon he
had one started, and IL tOOk straight
course through the woods. away ont of
hearing. We soon heard the dog coming.
but we were tired, and did not keep as good
watch a We ought TO, Tor the dog passed
not more than FIVE rods off. but We did not
see the hare, 50 we had the fun OF waiting
till he came around again. While We are
waiting. | might as well impress on the
readers OF this poor attempt at stoEy-writ-
ing the importance of keeping your eyes
open il You ever 20 hare-hunting. and wish
to have good luck for it takes all the eye
person has-aud more, too, s1metimgs-
to see the hare as he goes by. taking ten
feet Jumps May be there will only be one
clear spot where you can see him, any way.
anu " ullt Nbu ulC lNhAhh- AlbNhA nietl NChA
tobacco or watching Il squirrel. Ir. Hare
has taken that clear spot on the fly. Aud
when you see the dog passing right under
your nose and'no hare, You would be will
ing TO swear no hare had passed. have
been there, and know itmyseif. but near
the dog coming, and shall have 20 leave
my advice Till another time. Bill was TAX
ing his case on an old moss covered log that
laid near the edge of the road, and, q near
a. | could tell, was about halt asleep. The
dog had kept still for quite while, and
began to think he had lost the track, when
all at once he sang out. not more than fifty
rods away. got my gun ready. end looked
upand down the path and through the
brush, and soon saw the hare coming, as
cool as you please. He logged along as Il.
he had all day before him The dog sang
out again. What change in the hare
those long ears went back Hat TO his neck !;
he turned and went off like streak towards
Bill, and stopped a the edge of the path,
not more thar ten feet from him. Bill
brought his gun TO his shoulder, and, with
out taking any ann, fired. The old hare
put on sail and ran right under Bills gun
barrel. and went off up the path towards
me. Bill sprang up, and commenced yell
ing Z" Shoot him kick him let him
nave 1t never mind me-" But, of course.
would not fire when he was in range. The
hare took 4 turn when he got a few feet
from me. and went of Ikea streak through
the woods let him have charge, but it
was no use. Bill came up raving just
to think the little devils coming right un-
der my gun-barrel, as it he thought |
could not do anything TO HIM. just let me
get another chance at hin. and il do not
take the jumps ont of him | will eat my
shirt" - But. | say, Bill, what was the
reason you missed him when he sat up there.
not more than ten rees from you?" Bill
looked al me a minute, spit few times,
scratched his head, and said he guessed he
had got some tobacco in his eye, ior he had
lust lit his pipe before he fired. | could not
keep from laughing. and Bill saw did not
believe him. - Go TO the devil, old Shanksl
can shoot as good as you can any day"
saw Bill was little tender about it, 50 quit
bOthering him. " Bill it seems 20 me - II
the dog was barking in one place. guess
will take a run over that way, and SCI
what be is doing" got near the place
had last heard the dog. sand soon saw wha;
the trouble was. The hare was taking
short turns around the edges of q small
clearing. Every once IN while he would
put his head down and dive into the snow
| and come up about a rod ahead. OF course
when the dog came TO where the hare went
under. he would lose the track. and it would
take quite while tor him TO find IL oct
Then he would go along till the bare play
| ed the same trick. | watched the perform
| ance short time, and then called Bill. lt
soon came up, and | told him how the har'
had been playing it on the dog. We nadt
up our minds to have the hare the first tint
he cane near enough 10 fire. Soon We saw
him coming, playing the same old trick. II
was coming like a streak. but it dove undel
the snow just out OF range, and AS i, broke
| the surface in coming out, Bill fired. Th'
hare gave one jump and fell dead. Bill gavi
a yell. and then ran over to get him. L
/ was the biggest one We had shot that win
ter. The dog soon came up, and was very
| glad that his share of the hunt was over
| We slung the hares over pole, lii oul
pipes and started. After a long walk ",
got home, just at dark, tired and hungry
| After good, warm supper and pipe vi
turned in, and were soon sound asleep.
sHaSKs