PIONEER HUNTERS OF THE KANKAKEE 

 ly, but I went and picked up my squirrel. Father 

 said I was initiated. I am sure it was a labor oi 

 love on his part and I made repeated progress 

 under his tutoring. That same Fall I began my 

 practicing on wing shots, Near our house and 

 between the main land and swamp timber was 

 a strip oi open marsh. This was a great fly- 

 way for ducks, from the north bend of the river 

 across to Sandy Hook. One afternoon 1 took 

 the gun out on this fly-way, hid behind some 

 pucker bush, shot and killed the first duck that 

 came along which happened to be a Grey Mal- 

 lard or Greenhead. I waded out in the marsh. 

 The water was about two feet deep and cold, as 

 it was late in November. It was the proudest 

 moment in my life. I took the duck to the 

 house, Father being away from home. Mother 

 wanted to have it for supper but I would not 

 have it that way. I wanted Father to see it, 

 feathers and all. As I have said, it was the 

 proudest moment of my life when I showed the 

 bird to my Father, It was my first game bird. 



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