The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-28

I
| Fine shot Denton made out of the
wagon" observed Nelson.
| Who couldn't kill them with one
of those automatic pepper guns" OBJ
/ served Jim Nation.
| mo use talking" said Mort AL
| baugh, you can't hunt chickens I'M
| less you are able to make long Shots
| There is nothing like confidence -
| said Denton. Just think you are do
! ing it all and it makes you feel lot
| better
Rotten shooting. I call it," said
! Jack Hupp. "Why l could do better
than this down at Pratt. L tell you
there are no chickens in these blasted
sand hills
The chickens are here all right, -
responded Dell Travis, the optomist.
"All we have to do is to get out and
| find them"
re not here growled Hupp.
well we will get more this after
noon than we did this morning" re-
sponded Travis confidentally.
well, then we'd better get busy"
advised Chappelle.
Albaugh as a Long Range Shot.
This advice was Immediately acted
upon, the horses were hitched to the
wagons and a new start was made.
There was a strong wind blowing and
the sun was hot. The drivers headed
straight into the sand hills and it was
soon found that the game was to be
found If at all on the slopes away
from the wind and in the shade of
the hills. At the first stand made by
the dogs the hunters got out and adj
vanced cautiously. 1t was a single
bird which did not wait long but rose
swiftly fully forty yards away. Three
guns cracked simultaneously but the
bird continued on his way and there
was second volley and down he
came.
THAT was fine shot made" said
Albaugh. The other shooters kept
their peace.
This was repeated several times in
the course of the afternoon and AL
baugh always claimed all the long,
difficult shots.
The hot weather made it necessary
to stop often and water the dogs.
Frequently stops were made to pick
the sand bUrrs out of the feet of the
pointers. 1t was so hot, dry and windy
that sometimes the dogs would pass
within few feet of a chicken with
out catching scent. Mr.. Denton who
excelled in handling difficult chances.
got several birds from the buggy
which the dogs had passed. One
while the horses were in a brick trot
Its easy enough when you know
how" he commented blandly
1t was dark before the start was
made for Lakin. The party did not
return to the McCollum house but
started from the sand hills for the
town. The result was that one of the
wagons with its occupants came near
spending the night in the sand hills.
Albaugh. Travis, Chappelle and HupD
each had his own ideas about the di-
rections and as it turned out no one
was right, but just before dark the
road was stumbled onto and the rest
was easy. 1t is practically imposs
for the stranger to find the way out
of the sand hills in the dark unless he
is in a road but all roads lead to town
1t was found when the second wag-
on came up that nineteen birds had
been bagged in the afternoon max
ing total of thirty-four for the day, |
which was not so bad considering the |
disadvantages of the weather. Al |
baugh claimed seventeen of the birds
and the other hunters simply winked. |
The Second Days Hunt
The second day Albaugh deserted !
and the hunt was made without him |
but Notwithstanding that fact, forty |
two birds were bagged making a total |
of seventy-six for the hunt.
A journey was made to a pasture |
five or six miles from the McCollister
ranch house on the second day but |
aside from finding a pond and wind
mill where the dogs enjoyed a re-
journey brought few results 1t was
on this trip that Dell Travis scored a
long shot The bird, an old one had
risen from the hill side and Travis
that he had been hit. But after it
had flown probably three hundred
yards it went straight up into the air
fully one hundred feet and then came
down like a stone. With the hunt
ers went after the game it was not
there. 1t had fallen just over a hill
out of sight, Fifty yards away was
the other wagon however.
where is our chicken" asked
ST don't see your chicken replied
Denton evasiveIy.
.sWhere did you get that one
aslzed Chappelle, pointing to bird in
he wagon.
I'VE got it all right" said Denton
with a wink.
Then he acknowledged that he had
seen the bird fall after its pyrotechni-
al flight and said that it was stone
lead when he reached it.
Just before noon Hupp and Chap
oelle stumbled upon a rendezvous of
he chickens where the grasshoppers
we're plentiful. Hupp and Chappelle
lad only a few shells with them and |
hey nearly shouted themselves hoarse
fter they had exhausted their anu
lition trying to get the driver to fol-
ow them. Travis was also riding in
he wagon and Hupp gave him and
he driver a dressing down for their
eglect of the articles of war which
10Th will remember. They were