The Washington herald., 1907-12-22

4 Christmas dinner graced with meat
that one has killed himself. has an espe-
ciaIly pleasing flavor. And once having
experienced the delights OF a Yuletide
game dinner. the writer considers it his
sacred duty to provide for the table on
this eventful occasion.
Just about this time every year he gets
bad attack of duck fever. and as there
is no known remedy for the fatal malady
other than a good duck hunt, ducks
usually grace the Christmas dinner table.
AccordingIy. one morning not so very
many years ago. when word came from
an old riverman that the mallards were
coming in on a piece Of marsh that in
times past had furnished an abundance
OF sport, the message found me ready and
waiting. and it did not take long TO
gather ny belongings and HE me away
Tor the little shack on the river.
A few hours by steamer, followed by
an hours rowing. brought the place in
sight, with old Tom at the wharf 10
meet me.
We'll Cap" he said. reckon you done
hit it right this time; you generally gifts
here jest about the day after, but you
shore are all right for oncet-"
The marsh bordered wide-mouth
creek and comprised several hundred
acres During the previous fall it had
been covered with a luxurant growth Of
wild rice that afforded the finest kind of
feeding ground, and as there had been
very little cunning on il 50 far, the birds
had not been much disturbed
Scattering punches of birds could be
seen during the afternoon. and toward
evening there were added to by numerous
nocks that came in for the night. As for
old Tom, he was a veteran QUICKER; what
he didn't know about the business wasn't
worth knowing. and his outfit. always at
my disposal. was one Of the most COM
plete 1 ever saw, and comprised, among
other things. a fine flock Of live decoys
and two "call" ducks.
The next morning dawned dark and
cloudy with wind from the southeast. Two
men lay behind a blind in the middle Of
the marsh waiting for the morning flight.
In front Of them, not twenty yards away,
flock of decoys danced on the surface
Of the water.
Mark" and two heads ducked behind
the blind as a bunch Of five birds head
ed for the decoys but concluded to pass
on. From the opposite direction two
swung in from the river. circled and We're
for passing by when one Of the decoys
raised himself in the water and Topped
his wings. That settled it. Back they
came. circled four times. and lit square
in the center of the decoys.
As we rose TO our feet the ducks sprung
into the air The right barrel spoke, and
the earthly career Of one paddler was
ended then and there, but the left was a
clean miss. and old Tom settled the other
ones business and wiped the writer's
eye. There ensued a long wait. Ducks
were dying here and there and oc-
casionally a shot from various quarters
showed that somebody was getting sport
If we were not Suddenly over a bunch
of grass a flock of about a dozen could
be seen headed straight for our blind.
Down we went as the birds swung
round and round in response 10 vigor-
Gus calls from our decoys Several
times they came directly over them
but circled yet again. Finally. with
an assurance born only Of confidence in
our live birds they started to settle
and the writer turned loose both bar
rels square into the middle of the flock
How ii ever happened. only those
who have done likewise can explain,
hut not a single feather fell. and the
flock dashed away in CONSERVATION
with two more barrels from Tom ma
terially accelerating their speed. The
look of utter amazement on Toms face
was comical. but the writer didn't get
over his disgust all day. Such oppor-
tunities are rare. and it took clean
1Y-r ell
bolster up our dropping spirits
About 10 o'clock the wind that had
been blowing steadily began to in
crease i'm volume. and il looked nasty.
White caps were running even on the
sheltered creek
Now theIl come in off the bay
said Tom. and sure enough in about
half an hour string after string Of NAL
lards could be seen coming over the
tree tops. Most of these settled them
selves comfortably out in the middle
Of the stream, the first bunch settling
there, Of course. serving as lures for
the next. but enough swung into our
blind to make the shooting good.
Presently a little bunch Of four NAL
lards swung over to US, paid not the
slightest heed to our decOys. but
pumped down in a slough behind us
and just out Of gun shot That was
an insult that no reputable hunter
would stand. and forthwith began a
careful crawl behind patches Of grass
and clumps Of rUshes. IT took a lot of
patience and a good deal Of self-re-
straint to work W 20 within shooting
distance, and as we arose to our feet
after a twenty minutes stalk, four OF
the most astOnished ducks climbed
hCaVenWaTd.
Four barrels spoke and three birds
struck the water. the other making a
clean getaway. One was winged and
required second dose to settle him.
and We got back to the blind Just i'm
time 10 see a solitary black duck that had
been hobnobbing with the decoys. de-
part in hot haste. Had we supposed
anything 90 be there we could have
gotten that ono easily.
We had not long to wait for our re-
venge however. five ducks swung in to
us n response TO vigorous calling. and as
they started TO alight were met with a
hot reception and left two of their num-
Der behind. A third, after going several
hundred yards. concluded he was tired.