The Washington herald., 1907-11-24
How Two Nimrods Stocked
Thanksgiving Larders.
NovICES WOES END IN BLISS
Clay pipe Calls Result In Undesired
Reunion Taking GObblers by
Storm Fails 10 Work, but One Sue
cumbs to Clubbing and Other Plays
Valet at Hunters ImprOmptu Bath.
BY EDWIN VI. HAsBRoUcK.

Billy and l have been hunting COM
panions for twenty years. camping and
tramping together i'm every direction
within a radius of fifty miles of Wash
ington. We have roasted together on
hot August day In the woodcock covers.
and have frozen stift in our blind on a
February morning waiting for the first
streaks of daylight and the morning
flight II there IS anything in the way
Of feathered game on the eastern slope
OF the Allegheny Mountains we have not
hunted. please tell US. and we'll go after
IL. In fact. We are well-nigh inseparable.
and when 1 called him up one November
day about two weeks before Thanksgiv-
ing and uttered the magic word ''tur-
key" nothing more was necessary.
The result was that that Sunday morn
ing saw US aboard the old Arrowsmith,
bound down river, the most enthusiasts.
eager. expectant hunters the old boat ever
carried.
The trip was all too long, and II was
well along in the afternoon when We
pulled into the wharf and found our
friend George with his team waiting for
Us. and we were soon bowling along over
old Virginia roads In answer 10 eager
questions we learned that turkeys were
numerous. in fact. flock had been seen
crossing the road that day. Squirrels
We're plentiful. and quail and rabbits
could almost be had for the asking.
They Learn TO call"
Have you two ever practiced calling
! for turkeys?" asked George. when We
We're seated before the fire that evening
NO? Well, you fellows have something
to learn yet, and you'd better get busy.
for you may need it before the trip is
over"
| Accordingly. we visited the country
store and invested cents each in clay
pipes, and under our hosts instructions
began the execution Of sundry noises in
| tended TO resemble the call OF wild
hen turkey. Any self-respecting turkey
who had heard us would have been GO
ing yet, but after two hours hard work
we were as near perfect as we ever be-
came, and We went 70 bed.
Daylight found US several miles from
home scattered out in a pine woods in
which the turkeys had been roosting, but
Of course they had not roasted there that
particular night. and all our caution
and scheming went for naught A coun-
Gil Of war was held. with the result that
We separated, each taking a different
direction. with Instructions to meet at a
certain tree in a deep ravine known as
the retreat"
For an hour and more after leaving the
others the scribe worked cautiously
through the woods. scanning every hill.
side and valley inch by inch before rair
ing his head over the next rise: search
ing the ground for scratchings. and ever
listening for a gobble that would revea
the whereabouts OF his lordship."
And Call" Each Other.
| Occasionally places where turkeys haC
fed We're found. but the scratohings wer,
old. and things were looking rathe
slim. when a hen turkey called from al
opposite hilltop; and caught a glimpst
OF a lone bird feeding under a chestnu
tree. Suddenly I thought Of my ella,
pipe, and. like Ounce. pulled it out O.
my pocket and tried 20 initiate the cal
/ had Just heard That turkey waite,
just long enough 10 get the direction
and the air fairly smoked as the bird III
out for the next township. But TO m,
astonishment. another bird answered from
a different direction Dropping behind
log I called again, and got another an
swer I began 10 mink myself a turke,
caller sure enough. Presently l got an
other yelp, and after a moment replied
! This continued for some time, until
finally thought I detected something un
usual In the call of that turkey. ant
raised my head for a look. There abou
fifty yards away. was Billy's face peer
ing over his log and wondering wher
: that turkey was. Laugh? You coul
have heard us a mile. and then we bot
deliberately broke our pipes into littl
pieces and threw them away. "Tha
ends that fOolishness,' said Billy.
5 We compared notes, and his luck ha
; been similar to mine. He had seen on
: nice flock Of birds but they had see
+ him first. He had heard one bird cal
but nothing more. While We talked.
, single shot,rang out about a mile away
There goes George" said Billy "Bu
;: he missed him." said I. Lets 90 see.
said both at once And again we sepaI
= ated and took up the hunt When "
reached the retreat" there sat Georg
. by a good IRE. and hanging from a saI
n IL
and we were a couple of city duffer,
Oh. how we got it from George when "
; told him what fine chances we ha
> spoiled,
Flock StOrmed I'm Vain.
Next morning we took different d
e rection. and we hunted all day. Sever;
n times we found places where turkeys Ia
just been, and once a bunch was see
l. disappearing through the brush on on
T. side Of a ravine just as we came in o
the other. Along about 3 o'clock III
: writer cut loose for himself and Just Z
! dusk found himself well up in narro'
gulley, with something just tearing thing
loose out of sight around the next turi
Crawling on all tours TO the nearest ire
with a big root good view was had (,
the next hundred yards. but cautious Z
I had been, the birds-there were eight
them-had heard or seen something. ar
were out Of gun shot at the far en-
craning their necks and making ready f,
a run up the precipitous sides Not
moment was TO be lost, and jumping
my feet I ran toward them as fast
possible, pouring in both barrels
course | didn't get anything-I didn't d
serve TO. But how l longed for a thil
shot as one of them came directly ov,
my head, offering the prettiest kind of
shot. with shell stuck" in my gun.
know now that those birds were workir
to roost. and had l only waited and 70
lowed 7 could have had some fine spo
an hour later. but l didn't know it the
and I contented myself with sitting dow
and saying things.
Wednesday morning we took the tear
0ro1-e sOroa distance from home and q,