The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-01-03
WOODMAN'S TRIP .
AFTER DUCKS
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INTooDMAN had been waiting
w with no little impatience ever
since the duck season opened for some
water to get into the marsh, so he could
go and get some mallards. 1t was
very simple proposition, as he stated it
to the Office. The maSsh was now all
dried out and the birds wouldn't linger.
There was nothing there but few
yaller-legs and redheads. 1t was un-
derstood that Woodman was in tele-
graphic communication with the marsh
daily, and as soon as the water began
to come in he would be off, and great
would be the slaughter of the birds.
Herbert said he thought the game
law ought to be amended so a man
couldn't kill more than dozen birds
day, just as it is in the matter of taxi
ing perch and pickerel. bass or WALL
eyed pike; but Woodman said that
would only affect pot hunters, and pot
hunters wouldn't mind the law, any
way.
Nearly every day disreputable-look-
ing characters would come into the
office to talk to Woodman. and the
manager regarded them with evident
suspicion. They generally resembled
thugs, and one was quite evidently a
porch climber. Sometimes they had
dogs with them that acted as if they
were away from home and fearful of
bad treatment.
At length it rained and sleeted for a
couple of days. The office shivered and
hugged the radiators, but Woodman
sat in his shirt sleeves with his window
open two or three inches and his face
wreathed in smiles. Bromley said
something about rheumatism. and also
made remarks about some people get
ting out on the roof, but Woodman
needed him not. He whistled tuneful
bird calls as he read letters from the
agents. All the Others had taken their
vacations in July and August, bu,
Woodman had his coming.
One morning Woodman came down
with his gun in canvas case. He took
| it out and put it together, and the girl
| stenographers ran into the back room.
He expatiated on the barrels, which
were indeed of CLASSY smoothness, and
|
said they were double-and-twist and
made of welded horseshoe nails. Brom-
| ley said they were probably made in
Germany of welded fiddlesticks, but
Bromley was promptly silenced. Wood,
man eXhi, led the action and the but
ternut stock. which was the finest ever
put on pair of barrels. The air-cush-
ion was explained, and the weight and
composition of the cartridges was dwelt
upon at great length.
Woodman also divulged a secret
known only to chosen few, of SO
splitting or manipulating a cartridge
by cutting it open and contracting the
air chamber by the insertion of a bit
of chewing gum or something of that
sort, that the shot would carry a tire.
mendous distance without scattering
to the inevitable and complete annihi-
lation of any unfortunate bird that got
in the way.
Bromley made notes of this to send
to the game warden and to illustrate
his next lecture before the Audubon
society.
Then came the anxiously looked-fo
wire that the water was in the marsh
and some ducks had been seen in the
neighborhood of Browns island, and
Woodman announced that he would be
lost to the world for the next two
weeks.
His scheme was mapped out, in strict
confidence, as follows: He and his
companions would go down to Wildtr's
and there take tent-raft and canoe
and float down the Kankakee, taking
the birds as they went. When they got
into flock they would stay till they
got them, and then go on at their leis-
ure. In about ten days or SO they
would reach the confines of civilization
at Shelby, laden with the spoils of the
final days shooting, and would leave
the raft and boat and take train foI
home. For companions he would have
only Lon Hayman and Al Marks. the
former noted sportsman and the Lat
ter . native, q very child Of the marsh,
AT Shabby they would have time for q
eoapls Of days with old eAady. . NOTED
tsAssttsA and youns eaadS. wko hAd