0ne warm day in winter father and I went hunting. I had the rifle thatday. We went south, crossed the windfall and Reed creek, and went intowhat we called the "big woods." We followed deer, but seemed to be veryunlucky, for I couldn't shoot them. We travelled in the woods all day andhunted the best we could.

Just at sundown, deer that have been followed all day are apt to stop andbrowse a little. Then if the wind is favorable and blowing from them toyou, it is possible to get a shot at them; but if the wind is blowingfrom you to them, you can't get within gunshot of them. They will scentyou. They happened to be on the windward side, as we called it. I got ashot at one and killed it. It was late and, carelessly, I didn't load therifle. It being near night, I thought I should not have a chance to shootanything more.

It sometimes was my custom to load the rifle after shooting, and if I didn't haveany use for it before, when I got near home, I shot at a mark on a treeor something. In that way I practiced shooting and let the folks know Iwas coming. In this way I also kept the rifle from rusting, as occasionallyit was wet; when I got into the house I cleaned it off and wiped it out.