The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-10-31
a PHENoMRNAL DC.
Gees North En Spring and south q.
ram Loaded with Large
Size Shot.

FAN Loaded with Large
size Shot.
u got another shot at him yesterday
but he got away sgain, said E. M. Gale
the candy man, to an cid friend he raE
against on Sixteenth street, relates the
Denver Post
Shot at who2" vas the surprised re-
joinder.
mo who; it was an II, but I call II
him-the lone mallard; didn'tT tell You
about him?'
9sever; tell me now"
@Why, the lone mallard, the big duch
that leads the charmed life, comes to the
lake on my Weld county ranch twice &
year and leases me and flies away
again"
First I eyer heard of him"
"Vell, besstil and you'll hear some
more. In the first place, he's the big
gest duck / ever saw-biggeston earth
and I'll bet money on t. Isaw himthres
years ago-no, two years and a half ago
It'll be three years next spring. W
out after ducks and I'd rather hunt
ducks than to eat"
COR to drink" inquired his friend.
Don't get funny. / said eat, but ]
was going to tell you | am always hang
ing about that lake during the season.
and one day I sighted a big duck coming
up from the south. He looked as bis
as a turkey, and really, I'll bet he weighs
- pounds, and there's many a turkey
that don't weigh that. He splashed
down In among a lot Of smaller duckl
that had hoated up to within easy shoot
ing distance from the blind was crouch
ing behind, and l made up my mind to
get him.
Il had a good gun, 11-bore, and my
shells had heavy charges Of No. 6 shot
in them. Well, l had no sooner stood
up than the lone mallard saw me and
rose in a hurry. When he was about 20
feet up l let drive with my right barrel.
He didn't so much as flicker. Then let
him have my left, and / felt sure l hit
him, but he Just keptright on. Thought
he would circle and come back, but he
didn't. His ticket seemed to be a
through one, and his stop-oYer privilege
was limited.
II didn't do anything more about him
till the following fall, when he cam
along again one day and dropped into
the water right where he had lit the
spring before. This time / got two more
shots at him, and 1 knocked a feather
out Of him, but that wal all 1 could do
with him, He didn't wait for any more
trouble, but pursued his way north.
Ever since that time, twice a year,
that old duck comes quacking along,
and I've shot him till 1 know he must be
half full of lead, but I can't bring him
down. Generally, you will find a big
duck leading a whole flock, keeping his
place at the apex Of the triangle they
form in their fight. Doubtless he has
his s~weethearts here and there along the
line Of his route, but he shuns all So
ciety while on his aerial voyages.
II have been laying for him for a week
past, and yesterday, when he came piling
down from the north, L.was ready. witha
new gun and shells loaded with No. 5
shot.
TIL put an end to his fooling this
4 halu " myself as ne WOOD
down within each reach of me, aud then
let loose at him in earnest. shot at
him three times, the last shot certainly
effect on his left wing, for ne went
off lame on that side, but the tough old
rascal managed to flap away and / sup
pose by this tine he is pretty near to
Texas.
Il don't know what to make Of that
bird. l can say without boasting that
am a good shot, but can't do anything
this phenomenal fowl. / think
here must be a duck doctor somewhere
down south who patches up my old
friend and fits him for running the
gauntlet with ne.
But I'm going to get that duck some
lay I've got that big green feather stuck
Up over my desk, and I'm bound to have
he rest of them if have to use a Calling
gum"