Mr. Jenner.

Or you went squirrel shooting or rabbit shooting.

Mr. Oswald.

That is correct.

Mr. Jenner.

Just the two of you, or did anybody accompany you?

Mr. Oswald.

Three of us.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you have a rifle?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir; I did.

Mr. Jenner.

Those I take it were .22's.

Mr. Oswald.

All three were .22 caliber, that is correct.

Mr. Jenner.

Where did you obtain them?

Mr. Oswald.

Two of them belonged to me and one of them belonged to my brother-in-law.

Mr. Jenner.

Your brother-in-law?

Mr. Oswald.

My brother-in-law.

Mr. Jenner.

What is his name?

Mr. Oswald.

S. R. Mercer, Jr.

Mr. Jenner.

What was the occasion of this trip? How did it come about? Did you suggest it, your brother- in-law, Lee or how?

Mr. Oswald.

The day that I recall that Lee stayed with us in-between the time he was discharged and the time he was supposed to be leaving for New Orleans was a period of 2 to 3 days. One of those days, I feel sure was it Saturday, either we spent all day out at my in-laws' farm or the afternoon at the farm at which time Lee and I, and my brother-in-law went hunting.

Mr. Dulles.

Was this a couple of days before he left for Russia?

Mr. Oswald.

This was a couple of days before he left for New Orleans or about 1 day or 2 days before he left for New Orleans.

Mr. Dulles.

And then he shipped out?

Mr. Oswald.

To locate a job.

Mr. Jenner.

On that occasion, that incident, did he have occasion to discharge the .22 caliber rifle he was carrying?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir; he did.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you see him do so?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

From what shoulder did he, against which shoulder did he place the butt of the gun?

Mr. Oswald.

The right shoulder.

Mr. Jenner.

And with which hand or fingers of which hand did he pull the trigger and discharge the gun?

Mr. Oswald.

The right hand, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Did he exhibit any proficiency in the use of that .22 caliber gun on that occasion?

Mr. Oswald.

I would say an average amount.

Mr. Jenner.

Hunting rabbits or squirrels with a rifle takes pretty good marksmanship. Did any of you boys bring down a rabbit or squirrel, on the fly, I mean?

Mr. Oswald.

As I recall, one small, very small cottontail as he ran across the peanut field, all three of us were shooting at him, and my weapon that I had, one of the weapons that belonged to me, was a semi-automatic 22 and I perhaps had a burst of four or five rounds that I said I got him. But all three of us were shooting at him.
Mr. McKENZIE Did all three of you claim him?

Mr. Oswald.

No, sir; I did.

Mr. Jenner.

Was that your only victory on that hunting trip or did someone else shoot down a squirrel or a rabbit?

Mr. Oswald.

No squirrels were killed that day and perhaps I believe this was the occasion that we went into what we called a briar patch located off to the left of the farmhouse; at that particular time it was very thick with cottontails, and I believe we exterminated about eight of them at that time between the three of us because it was the type of brush and thorns that didn't grow very high but we were able to see over them, so getting three of us out there it wasn't very hard to kill eight of them.

Mr. Jenner.

Now, had you and your brother engaged in this very light form of hunting at any other time during your lifetime?