Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-12-01
Havre De Grace Duck Hunting
Old Capt. CoIhoun's Stories.

was the very purpose ii our visit.
After we cleared the mouth of the
Susquehanna, with its beautiful steep
wooded shores southwestern point. we
headed for the eastern shore of the
bay Half way between us and the
yellow splotched mountains standing
guard against the northeast gales OF
winter, lay the newly-formed fats and
islets growing riot with stunted VIII
lows and acres of wild oats, the haunt
of the blackbirds, reedbirds and later
the blackhead ducks. To the south
and east again of these stretched for
miles the reedy fats known as the
celery patch, interspersed with water
lanes, through which the QUICKER poles
his way to his favorite stand or blind.
At intervals along the shore lay
overturned sink boxes awaiting the
first of November to be pushed over
board and weighted down with ballast
until their owners weight will Just
bring them flush with the waterline.
Where good feeding grounds come
sunk In the shore part way so that a
man may stand up in them protected
from the wfntry blasts and from the
view of low flying birds by screens of
fresh-cut reeds. Creeks and CUTS in
Vulnerable run far inshore up which
the summer and mallard species
can be found in their haunts at break
of day by softly sculling down upon
them from windward in the omnI-
present flat-bottom boats of Havre de
Grace. These are fitted with ''bung
hole" in the stern board, so a long
1.-THE car can be welded by the
hunter while lying almost prone on
the bottom boards. Your duck is
quick to notice anything that APP
pears human or suspicious, but an
apparently empty boat or a big bunch
of grass slowly floating toward them
seldom causes them to take wing I'M
til within very easy gunshot distance.
1T was right about here" com
mented the weather-beaten guide, as
we passed the point of Mill creek,
that l come across two big ganboats
and they certainly gave me pretty
stern chase. | was in my little per-
lice boat-it was one / built myself
special to purpose, narrow and smart
with outriggers so as to take nine
foot oars and | could catch anything
] started after-a-looking around to
see where that hoom-boom came from
when presently / see double flash,
kinder cross-cross and a holy smather
and quacking of ducks. ! GER
tainly made that boat fly through
the water, but although l had my oars
muff1ed they saw me first and had
their small boat out and headed
acrosI my bows before I could get to
them. The Teller in the little boat
fouled my oars and wanted TO know
where l was agoing in such a tarna-
tion hurry. | told him twas my bust
ness and he best look out. for | sus-
picioned then who he was. We
cleared away and | started after 'em
again, but want no use-that Teller
got foul of me again. | was mad
clear through and pulled out my diff
ference-my revolver. you know-and
told him If he did it again it would
be him. and me- But Id lost too much
time already; they'd done got the two
big boats ashore in Cecil county,
which was outer my jurisdiction, and
the guns ashore where couldn't
fetch them So we got to chatting to-
her friendly like, now that it was
100 late, whilst / prospected around
the big boats to see how it was they
had kept hid so well. That was many
wears ago when | was fresher to the
business, you see, and dingbust me II
they hadn't hung curtains of black
calico from the gunnels clear TO the
water, making no shadow at all, while
the oyerhanging sides of my boat
made a black mark in the water that
could be seen good ways off, Pres
emily the other Teller came in in the
skiff and ! asked him how many
ducks they gotten on the one, shot
He SAYS 81 mallard-thats going
some. don't you Think"
Yes, yes, captain interposed one
of the party, but that isn't telling us
about the fix Judge Watson got into
Won't you tell us about that too?''
well, guess you all know the
Judge and how he weighs nigh on to
500 and amt more n knee high to
grasshopper when he stands up
straightest l do believe when that
man wanted to seem tall he'd lay
down on his belly and fiaunt his coat
tails in the air. Anyhow, it was all
solid flesh, as we come to find out
later, and mighty unhandy to tackle
! from, the outside without no block and