A Skirmisb with Squirrels 327 



mark. Quite frequently an animal would be dis- 

 covered lying flat upon a large limb, or sticking 

 close to a tree-bole. In such cases it was a favorite 

 trick to try the " barking " shot i.e. to cause the 

 ball to strike immediately under the squirrel. If the 

 ball be large and correctly placed, the shock will 

 bounce the game from its hold and send it down as 

 dead as though the lead had pierced it. This feat 

 of " barking " squirrels has been questioned by many 

 doubters, but I have both seen it done and per- 

 formed it so many times that I wonder that every 

 squirrel hunter does not know all about it. I never 

 attempted it with an arm of extremely small caliber. 

 Vastly more difficult feats are performed daily in 

 shooting galleries. 



The best time for the rifle is during those brave 

 brown days when nuts are ripe, and the most profit- 

 able hours are immediately after sunrise and toward 

 sunset. Then the squirrels are busy feeding, and 

 the true still-hunter will find much to interest him, 

 even should he fail to bag one head of game. That 

 all things come to him who waits is peculiarly 

 applicable to this form of sport. There is no use in 

 tramping noisily about. Sharp eyes and ears see 

 and hear you long before you can locate their 

 owners the one reliable way is to keep still and 

 listen. 



Let us go into this wood where broad-leaved 

 hickories, sturdy oaks, scattering chestnuts, tower- 

 ing elms, and fine beeches, and maples are min- 

 gled in fair proportion. Tread lightly here, 'tis 

 squirrel-haunted ground, and yonder is an ex- 

 cellent seat, a mossy log well within the shadow 



