The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-05-01

Are ducks attracted by the odor
, of petroleum? We all know that
fish of the Sucker" variety. in
countless numbers are drawn to the
oil fields by the get-rich- quick
stock statesmen. In my Judgment,
feathered aces of the air visit Okla
homa, the land of gushers. impelled
by voracious appetites which are
catered to by sportsmen .promot-
ing preserves. At one time l was
invited by my Old friend, Tom
Hartman. banker in Tulsa, Okla,
to icin a party for December
duck hurt. Sid Mallory. an oil
magnate of Tulsa, and Rolla Pop"
! Heikes, professional shot of Day
ton, Ohio, completed the quartet.
Comfortably ensconced il Hart
mans touring car which was
freighted with every duck hunting
accessory that fertile imagina-
ton or immeditae acquaintance
with the ways and means commit
tee could produce. we added TO
our, party as travelling companions,
two red Irish settlers, as fine dogs
as ever pointed a bevy Of quail or
extracted a cockle-burr.
A 20 mile run against time land
ed US in the Verdigris river bot
toms adjacent to Verdigris Lake
which covers a territory one and
one-half miles long by one mile
wide. the largest natural lake in
Oklahoma. This body of water has
been planted to wild rice. celery,
duck potatoes" and grass-nuts,
| with an excellent stand of yonko
pin, pond-lily or Egyptian lotus.
| which when eaten by the winged
beauties occasioned total forget
fulness or desire to depart from the
lakes. Shore lines are skirted with
a rank growth of slough grass.
This, with the beds of rice, celery
and grass-nuts creates for duck
dom" a perfect mecca of culinary
delicacies. Near the lake, nesting
! in a grove of oak trees, is a COM
mcdious club house or hunting
lodge. As we entered. warm vel
come was extended by an immense
fire place loaded with burning logs
which reflected good cheer and i'm
| pregnated the atmosphere with a
wave of good fellowship. Floors
were covered with many rugs, evil
dence Of the large game killed by
President Hartman on his many
excursions to the Canadian Rock
les. Mounted heads graced the
four walls making the hunters
/ lodge most attractive and inviting.
A dining table. which could be very
materially. reduced in size, was a
noticeable feature, later adding 10
the evening entertainment without
the introduction of the Oul1a board.
| Our first morning we were astir
in advance of the crows. At day
light we had our block decoys set
and our live birds anchored so that
Ethey we're unable to see each
other, hence a continuous calling
Twas to be heard. Permanent blinds
of buckbrush and tules had been
constructed along the shore at IN
teryals. which needed only a little
retouching to make them habitable
and post excellent. the home birds
having become so accustomed &c
their presence evinced no rear
They were bua9t to accommodate
1.-TWO hunters, engendering sociablt
ity, a marked characteristic found
in all true sportsmen. An elegant
flight of holdover birds was ON. the
shooting opportunities were many
There is at all times colony o.
migratory birds on Verdigris Lake
who waived their Texas and Gull
rights, remaining through the sea'
SON in Oklahoma, seductive land o.
plenty and desirable surroundings
Almost every species Of ducks was
represented and were riding grace,
fully on the miniature groune
lswells, while . white silvered sheer