14 



Grouse; eight hnd been shot, the remainder had beeu 

 snared. 



BIRD BUTCHERY IN PIKE COUNTY. 



The following- article from the pen of the Milford Pa., 

 correspondent of the New York Sun, published Novem- 

 ber 15, 189G, will give some idea of the snarer's wort 

 in Pike county, and the same condition of affairs exists 

 in other counties of Pennsylvania: 



•Hunters in Pike county complain of the scarcity of game in 

 certain sections where in years gone by it was very abundant, 

 and they attribute the scarcity to poachers. It is true that 

 large bags of birds have been captured in the present season, 

 and these lead to the stories that game is plentiful. 



"This, however, is not the case," said the veteran guide and 

 hunter, Charley Mott, of this borough. "Nine out of every ten 

 of the supposed large bags of birds are the results of from 

 400 to 600 snares, covering the choicest hunting grounds for a 

 radius of five miles or more from the home, or temporary stop- 

 ping place, of the poacher. The shipments to New York city 

 usually represent the fruits of the set guns of two or more of 

 the poachers, and are the result of from four days to one week 

 with the deadly devices. 



"One week ago a shipper of birds was seen travelling in the 

 woods, not with dog and gun but with a two-bushel sack 

 fastened over his shoulder and directing his course toward the 

 grounds that a few years ago were the most famous to be 

 found anywhere for that noble bird, the Ruffed Grouse. What 

 manner of cover or grounds productive of birds can long stand 

 3u:h wanton and i'bgal destruction and continue to g ve pleas- 

 ure to the sportsman? 



"For many years," continued Mr. Mott, "I found great pleas- 

 ure and fine sport shooting on the grounds referred to, but the 

 wonderful scarcity of birds of late and the discovery as to 

 the cause of this scarcity have led me and sporting friends to 

 abandon the section as a shooting resort." 



Mr. Mott is of the opinion that if measures are not taken 

 soon to protect young grouse from the summer wnndmck 

 shooters and to break up the marketing of snared birds, grouse 

 will be virtually extinct in Pike county in the near future. 



