The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-13
WILD PIGEONS
When They Made Dark
the Very Heavens.
A Hunter of sGCbbIers Misses The
Whole Crowd But Shoots off a
Bushel of Legs.


the memory of some of our older citizens
that many years ago there was an un-
usual flight of wild pigeons in this sec
ton, something never before heard of.
They came by the thousands, made dark
Tie very heavens and with q roar of the
deepest thunder. When they alghted at
night for a roosting place on trees they
broke down the limbs as if of feather
weight, many killed by the fall and next
morning the dead ones We're picked up
by the basket fulls. Nothing like it had
ever before been known, the Oldest citi
zeps opened their eyes in amazement, nor
can the mind conceive the picture pre-
sented, a dark cloud, as they were dis
turbed on the feeding grounds and put
TO flight. 1t was n grand army scene
only up in the heavens, and 1 fear never
again to be presented to mortal vision.
While the people were killing them by
the hundreds. If not thousands. an old
friend of mine, n wild turkey hunter, be
came enthused and concluded that he
would like to be in it too. though his pre-
vious experience had been in following
after the festive gobbler Going to his
grandtather's house-he persuaded the
use OF his gun as II granny l am going
10 get some of them pigeons. too. / can
kill gobblers and l be dog If / can't kill
pigeons too" The gun was an old flat
and steel that very likely had been used
by his great grandfather in the Revolu
tionary War. about AZ inches in length
number six bore and weighing about Is
pounds. After much persuasion he secur
ed the use OF it though il was an heir
loom, and on the assurance that the pay
therefor was to be not less than bushel
OF pigeons. Carrying ii home he examln-
ed 1t critically, oiled up its every part
with beeswaX and tallow--as was in vogue
in those days-and saw to IL mindtely that
the ramrod-~a reed-would not faul--but
coast all clear in its downward course
towards the end of the barrel. l should
have said il had only one barrel Soon
IL was in satisfactory shape to do the des
perate work before it. Next morning our
friend, the gobbler hunter, proceeded to
the ficld-about six acres-where the
pigeons were reported to be using as a
feeding ground. Cutting some pine tops
he proceeded TO make 4" a blind" on the
edge of the field--with a weather.beaten
pine stump for a seat so as to be monarch
of all he surveyed. Twas nearly sunset
when this work was finished and about
dark when he reached home. Another ex-
animation OF the flint and steel and he
loaded her well up, about one pound of
powder and four pounds of shot--as he
wanted to be sure of his game-then laid
her by the mirrow. Soon he was sleeping
the sleep of the just man made perfect
visions of wild pigeons before him-their
songs a lullaby filling his whole soul with
the music of happy days before. Next
day with gun shouldered We find him on
his way to 1.-The blind" followed by his
ever faithful "Tige.' a pin could have
been heard TO drop as with snake-like
tread he approached. In good time he
was inside-"Tige" by his side, as also
n box of matches for emergencies and
a flask whose contents the memory of
man TO this day llnoweth not. The day
star had long been up and daylight began
10 dawn. Soon "A bright red tinge appear
ed in the eastern horizon as the Day God
emerged from his sleeping robes. a scene
ever TO captivate the painters brush. and
our friends heart began 10 throb-"pit-a
pat as had often been before when the
gobbler in all his glory was approaching
near. Looking TO the westward II granny
they are coming-Old True Blue
you must show yourself this time
sertain, as the cloud of pi-
geons draw nearer. Nearer and
nearer il comes, faster and faster
beats our hunters heart enseonced as he
is in the "blind" Dog on you. Tige.
keep stlll. I'll wait till they lght-then
I'll get more of EN-" Soon they did
light. thousands and Observation-Disclosures
covering the sx-acre field. All is now
ready, gun cooked. dead aim taken bang
land a report quite like young cannon.
AS recoil pads had not been invented in
those days-our friend was knocked near
" scnseless. but he cared not for that
just so he got the pigeons. a. the smoke
from his gun cleared away-to his surprise
Re saw the last one of the pigeons soar
ing heavenwards-hying away--with their
bodies untouched by a single shot I'm.
accountable was this, so our hunter left
his blind where the pigeons had been
feeding. Surprised was he TO find it COW
cred with pigeon legs only and while not
supersti;Ious-this rather baffled his
thoughts. though for so many years be-
fore he was supposed to know all that
pertains TO the craftsman's lore. Scratch
ing his head, thinking over 1t. II granny
II know how IL was. fired just little
too late. shot little under the pigeons
and cut off all their legs close TO their
bodies Had been just little sooner
/ would have gotten them all" About
four bushels Of their legs were found
while the pigeons themselves went of
lcrless. Well" he said this is my
frst wild pigeon hunt-dogged ii faint
my last and gathering UP as many Of
The legs as ne could carry-onward he
went home and converted them into tur-
kew callers. Thus to this day--the bone
i we'll nigh altogether used as turkey
caller and to our friend belongs the glory
OF It's invention. Gun was returned to is