A Novel Muskrat Hunt. 



ing. and saw several flocks of mallards circling over a pond a 

 half mile away, my prospective stay in the little village looked 

 much brighter than on the night before. I was late getting 

 down to the dining room, and, while waiting for my breakfast 

 order, I noticed a bright young man across the table from me 

 that I at once took a liking to, and, when he commenced to talk- 

 gun and shoot, it was not long before an attachment sprang up 

 between us. This gentleman (whom I will call Steve) was 

 teacher of the town school and proved to be one of the most 

 jovial companions and best shots that I ever struck up an 

 acquaintance with. 



As the days lengthened, the ducks, geese and cranes came 

 in from the south by thousands ; the ponds and prairie were 

 covered with them, and wherever there was a piece of burnt 

 land a flock of white cranes could be seen grazing over it 

 looking at a distance like a flock of sheep. To get a bag of 

 ducks in that locality was an easy matter, as there were but 

 few fields and consequently but few feeding grounds for them 

 to resort to. But to stalk those white and sandhill cranes on 

 the open prairie and get within range was not an easy matter. 

 Many a time have I crawled over the wet, soggy prairie for a 

 half mile only to have them get up just out of range. 



One evening, as I sat dozing over the stove in the little 

 hotel office, Steve rushed in, saying, "I just saw a farmer over 

 at the store. He says the ice is going out of the big slough 

 and there's great muskrat shooting. Be ready for an early 

 start in the morning. Don't forget to have a good lunch put 

 up and have the little rifle ready. Good night ! Be sure and be 

 ready." 



The team was at the door in the morning by the time I 

 had breakfast, and we were soon on the road to the shoot- 

 ing ground. \Yhen fairly started I told Steve that if I had not 

 had a good deal of confidence in him I should never have 

 started out on such a trip, as the idea of shooting muskrats for 

 sport reminded me very much of a snipe hunt I once took part 

 in, in which I was given the post of first bag-holder. Steve 



[40] 



