354 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



where tliere is a flock. Sure enougli, there they come, a 

 hen and a young gobbler, right at us. " Take them, Bob, ' ' 

 I say, and he fires both barrels quickly. The hen, with 

 rapid wing, climbs the air, right out to the top of the 

 trees, and sails away untouched, while the gobbler, with 

 leg hanging down, goes swinging through the timber, to 

 fall, with a crash, in the bushes a short distance from 

 us, but out of sight. "That's all right, Bob; we'll get 

 him after awhile." As Bob loads his gun, I slip to a 

 large tree near by, and laying my rifle up beside it, take a 

 shot at the turkey we saw light, and which had the 

 temerity to remain after Bob' s shooting. It wilts at the 

 keen rifle-crack, and falls like a chunk. " " Xow, Bob, fol- 

 low my instructions already given. Go to where you 

 hear Jeff barking, for there are several turkeys there. 

 Don't be uneasy about my part of the sjjort; you just 

 take care of yourself." I pass along where my turkey 

 fell, and hang it in a bush. After going a short distance, 

 a young gobbler is seen sitting high up in a tall pin-oak, 

 about 100 feet from me. It would be a nice shot to 

 take him now, but there are too many intervening 

 limbs. My plan is soon formed. There is a large over- 

 cup oak about half-way between me and him, and nearly 

 in line. Behind this I slip, and then on noiselessly to it, 

 taking care to keep the turkey exactly behind it from 

 me. I peep out, to make the discovery that I am in a 

 bad place to shoot, as there are so many twigs in the line 

 of sight. Both sides of the tree are tried, and then I 

 squat down, and see how the prospect is. I see the 

 turkey is growing restless, and so I step out from the tree, 

 in the hope of finding an open space through the limbs, 

 through which to shoot, but can't find it, and in sheer 

 desperation, since I must shoot very quickly, I do my 

 best at him; but he goes away unhurt, while I have 

 the poor satisfaction of seeing a limb half an inch thick 



