Arizona republican., 1921-02-20

Dean of the trapshooting world. Dan Bray of Columbus, Nebraska, is known to every trigger tickling fan
 He is a character met but once In a lifetime: has a personality of his own, directly foreign to the kid gloved, high -browed genuS-homo of the pres ent generation. His decided views on
 honesty and the conscientious man ner in which he trails that belief is his one religion. Upon his arrival in
 Nebraska he was made welcome by herds of buffalo and assorted tribes of red men, the latter became his fast friends Contentedly remaining in Nebra ska he has become wealthy, hy extensive increase in land values. For the~past half century his diversion has
 been wing shooting, at the trap and afield. Educated to shoot at a time
 when live birds were the old targets, he has finally drifted over to the crushing of inanimate clays, consist
 ently breaking those tar hawks at every meet he attends.
 For the past forty years Dan has
 been my friend. In this interim we have divided some substantial trap
 shooting purses. Living In an ex-
 cellent game country, he has ever been devotee of the open his greatest pleasure in life has been the entertain ment of friends, who could be per
 suaded to pull on his latch string" incidentally joining him in a Nebraska hunt. His home is three miles north of Columbus, Nebraska, one-half mile
 back from the Loupe river, deep treacherous stream-the annual fly
 way for migratory birds from time inn memorial. North, South and Middle Loupe rivers converge about forty
 miles above the home of Bray. Birds coming out of the north first aggre- gate in the sand hill country. follow ing down the Loupe to its confluence with the Platte.
 At the time of my first hunt with Dan.> about thirty-five years ago, | fences were non essential, wagon trails indistinctly marked, hunting parties few and far between-strictly terri tory of ranches. range cattle having been driven in from western plalnS. On this trip we were in quest of prai- rie chicken. Immense nocks were To- cated in every direction, specializing on bunch grass hides,-a bunch could be jumped from almost any cover. The bag limit was regulated by the amount of ammunition, means of transporta- ton, ones conscience, or number or l obliging friends who would accept a brace as gift when properly urged: | We hunted in democrat wagon, l with bed of unusual length to accom-
 modate his dogs, Frank and Buck as good a pair of pointers as ever
 covered field or located bird. Dan | had devoted much time to their train l ing and was especially proud of his | success They were excellent rang CTS. covering a great deal of ground I in all directions. As locating and l hacking experts they held the palm. l It was early in the. season, most | coveys were broods, running from six | to fifteen chickens. Later they az 1 gregate into immense flocl1s, hundreds | of birds getting together on the side | hills. The male birds, then puff out i those orange colored sacs on thel1 necks. jump boom and cavort, produc- ing that loud, hollow, resonant boom ing call so musical to a hunters ear | Indian lore predicts three freeze-upS and continued cold weather following spring booming" They usually feec
 on weed and grass seeds or grain, unti
 covered by snow. They then resort tt
 buds of elm trees or dried sumach
 Their migrations are usually limited tt
 two or three hundred miles. They sel
 dom affiliate with other birds, excep
 the sharp tailed grouse ,(feathered U
 their toes) who are members of thei
 original family.
 Equipped with a camp outfit, w
 stopped where night overlook us an
 water could be located. My host wa |, an expert culinary artist, who pride'
 himself upon the many different style in which he could serve those pra1rl , hens. He was an expert In the selec , 1 ton of young birds; their flesh,is dark . impregnated with a game flavor, foun in no other winged bird. As a sag brush chef, Daniel bears my brand c
 approval Prairie chicken were the so abundant, he annually killed a suf ficient number to pack a barrel c chicken breasts, which were allowe : to remain in a weak brine for a perio ' of three weeks. then smoked over . slow fire of hickory wood, until per
 fect1y cured. Later he sliced thi f culinary delicacy. Ia dried beef, fry
 ing in butter or rich cream gravy.
 Ohl Boy! Prairie chicken or pin
 | mated grouse, with maturity, becom
 very wary and foxy, lighting upo f mounds and hills, where they can lo s cate in every direction an attempte :. approach. Once disturbed by shoot :. ing, they afterwards take wing upo l the least provoca ton. They follow cu
 tnd finld- nd ci1riliza IiI.n III