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Little fellow was staying at the Aunt and Uncles. Dad had drill that weekend, new sib was having a hard time adjusting to the world.
Young un' had shot 22 rimfire at a NRA sponsored range, learned quick, mowed yards with a push mower for ammo. "Gunny" had taken a shine to the thin lanky brat.
"Ok, I know the women folk are driving you nuts", My Uncle said. " You did a fine job of racking and burning the leaves, tell you what, I gotta put some time in at the plant tomorrow (Sat.), how 'bout I turn you loose on the back property with my single shot 22, and you get us some squirrel for the pot?" WOW!!
I had never hunted with my dad--he was always too busy. My Uncle had taken me out, Gunny had me over some, but for a kid to be set loose on his own--WOW!!
Daylight had not started to burn when we fired up the old truck, uncle bit off his cigar and commenced chewing. The canvas sleeve had the single shot, in a old green military pouch was some other stuff. "Here, you'll need this"-as he handed me the bolt for the gun, "and oh , knowing you you'll appreciate this". I didn't have to untie the drawstring from the leather pouch to know its contents. WOW!!
I headed off from the plant toward the woods, had walked the property before but checked the hand drawn map Uncle had sketched with the fountain pen-checked my compass and off I went.
I sat on part of a tree hit by lightening, my back against what was left of the old tree. I could hear the creek water down the trail. Squirrels making a rukus, boy the smell of that sausage and biscuit wrapped in wax paper--gonna have to wait. I slipped the bolt into the rifle, the 22 long eased into the open breech. C'mon, c'mon this side of the tree puh-leeeese! I had on my left little finger a circle of leather, using a nail I had punched a hole in two quarters, I ever so gently 'scraped' these two-bits together--YES!
As the squirrel came to my side of the tree, I ever so gently closed the bolt, unsafed the gun...plop! WOW!!
I had 4 squirrels, in the burlap tote. Beginning to rain and I could care less. I open the mason jar and drank the milk to wash down the sausage and biscuits, putting away my trash...what's this...a candy bar...WOW what a treat!!
Rained subsided, and I heard them cooing down the trail, I thought of the leather pouch and grinned.
I heard the Whistle from the plant--my signal to head back in. I removed the bolt from the rifle, took a length of leather and using slip-knots made a sling. Over the other shoulder I slung the burlap bag. BEEP BEEP, couple of the fellows from the plant in a company truck, "Hop on the tailgate, save you some walking...any luck?.
We entered the plant, Uncle grabbed the burlap bag, fellow workers curious to see what the nephew had. I went over to the corner by the fire, when my hands warmed up, I ran a thong and a patch through the bore with that stuff in a brown bottle and orange label. I wiped off the bolt, and lightly oiled both the gun and the bolt from a tin can with the same name--Hoppe's. Putting the bolt in a piece of wax paper ..."Hey what the devil are ...how'd he...no bullet holes". My Uncle with that laugh of his lifted my coatail...red faced and laughing he produced my slingshot and pointed to the doves. "What, you run out of 22's", one of the men asked." Oh no sir, its just -well - I mean the longs are 23 cents a box...and I ...well I practice and , and they just a roosting and all...". My Uncle said that's allright, I bought those for you , but right considerate.
"Well lets dress 'em here", my Uncle said. About that time my Uncle's boss came in. Grinning he watched me as I handed my Uncle his Old Timer. " Son...you ain't gotta a knife?" I hung my head...raised up and " I lost it...its was just a cheap one...but playing in the woods, climbing trees ...I heard it fall...I never found it...leaves too thick".
We were finishing up dressing the game when the Uncle's boss came outside, he placed two cups of coffee on the tailgate. As I drank from the tin the thick black liquid. " Here son, I think you proved yourself out there today". He reached into the bib of his overalls and placed in my hand a yellow handled knife. Through my swelled up eyes and mist I read "Case Trapper". "Yep, them yellow one's easier to find when dropped". "WOW...err Thank You Sir!!" "And here, got some more of these too". I untied the drawsting from the leather pouch, he added some more ball bearing to the mix, "Thanks...Sir!"
I awoke when we turned into my Uncle's gravel driveway, clutching the new knife, the stick I had whittled on lay on the floorboard. " Well, go clean up and take a nap. I tell them girl cousins of yours to let you alone. I'll set Momma up with getting game ready for supper, ...gonna eat good tonight with 4 squirrels and 4 doves on the table".
WOW!!!
Young un' had shot 22 rimfire at a NRA sponsored range, learned quick, mowed yards with a push mower for ammo. "Gunny" had taken a shine to the thin lanky brat.
"Ok, I know the women folk are driving you nuts", My Uncle said. " You did a fine job of racking and burning the leaves, tell you what, I gotta put some time in at the plant tomorrow (Sat.), how 'bout I turn you loose on the back property with my single shot 22, and you get us some squirrel for the pot?" WOW!!
I had never hunted with my dad--he was always too busy. My Uncle had taken me out, Gunny had me over some, but for a kid to be set loose on his own--WOW!!
Daylight had not started to burn when we fired up the old truck, uncle bit off his cigar and commenced chewing. The canvas sleeve had the single shot, in a old green military pouch was some other stuff. "Here, you'll need this"-as he handed me the bolt for the gun, "and oh , knowing you you'll appreciate this". I didn't have to untie the drawstring from the leather pouch to know its contents. WOW!!
I headed off from the plant toward the woods, had walked the property before but checked the hand drawn map Uncle had sketched with the fountain pen-checked my compass and off I went.
I sat on part of a tree hit by lightening, my back against what was left of the old tree. I could hear the creek water down the trail. Squirrels making a rukus, boy the smell of that sausage and biscuit wrapped in wax paper--gonna have to wait. I slipped the bolt into the rifle, the 22 long eased into the open breech. C'mon, c'mon this side of the tree puh-leeeese! I had on my left little finger a circle of leather, using a nail I had punched a hole in two quarters, I ever so gently 'scraped' these two-bits together--YES!
As the squirrel came to my side of the tree, I ever so gently closed the bolt, unsafed the gun...plop! WOW!!
I had 4 squirrels, in the burlap tote. Beginning to rain and I could care less. I open the mason jar and drank the milk to wash down the sausage and biscuits, putting away my trash...what's this...a candy bar...WOW what a treat!!
Rained subsided, and I heard them cooing down the trail, I thought of the leather pouch and grinned.
I heard the Whistle from the plant--my signal to head back in. I removed the bolt from the rifle, took a length of leather and using slip-knots made a sling. Over the other shoulder I slung the burlap bag. BEEP BEEP, couple of the fellows from the plant in a company truck, "Hop on the tailgate, save you some walking...any luck?.
We entered the plant, Uncle grabbed the burlap bag, fellow workers curious to see what the nephew had. I went over to the corner by the fire, when my hands warmed up, I ran a thong and a patch through the bore with that stuff in a brown bottle and orange label. I wiped off the bolt, and lightly oiled both the gun and the bolt from a tin can with the same name--Hoppe's. Putting the bolt in a piece of wax paper ..."Hey what the devil are ...how'd he...no bullet holes". My Uncle with that laugh of his lifted my coatail...red faced and laughing he produced my slingshot and pointed to the doves. "What, you run out of 22's", one of the men asked." Oh no sir, its just -well - I mean the longs are 23 cents a box...and I ...well I practice and , and they just a roosting and all...". My Uncle said that's allright, I bought those for you , but right considerate.
"Well lets dress 'em here", my Uncle said. About that time my Uncle's boss came in. Grinning he watched me as I handed my Uncle his Old Timer. " Son...you ain't gotta a knife?" I hung my head...raised up and " I lost it...its was just a cheap one...but playing in the woods, climbing trees ...I heard it fall...I never found it...leaves too thick".
We were finishing up dressing the game when the Uncle's boss came outside, he placed two cups of coffee on the tailgate. As I drank from the tin the thick black liquid. " Here son, I think you proved yourself out there today". He reached into the bib of his overalls and placed in my hand a yellow handled knife. Through my swelled up eyes and mist I read "Case Trapper". "Yep, them yellow one's easier to find when dropped". "WOW...err Thank You Sir!!" "And here, got some more of these too". I untied the drawsting from the leather pouch, he added some more ball bearing to the mix, "Thanks...Sir!"
I awoke when we turned into my Uncle's gravel driveway, clutching the new knife, the stick I had whittled on lay on the floorboard. " Well, go clean up and take a nap. I tell them girl cousins of yours to let you alone. I'll set Momma up with getting game ready for supper, ...gonna eat good tonight with 4 squirrels and 4 doves on the table".
WOW!!!
