FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. I 7 1 



a lantern and reflector, somewhat higher than the head of the hunter when seated. 

 The reflector is arranged so as to throw the rays of light forward. In the earlier 

 days of Adirondack hunting this lantern was constructed by placing a semi-circular 

 disk on top of the standard, with a curved sheet of birch bark nailed to the back 

 edge of the disk. For a light, candles or bunches of pitch pine slivers were used, 

 the birch bark acting as a reflector. This device constitutes the "jack," or "jack- 

 light." When the jack is lighted the hunter, sitting behind it, is concealed in the 

 darkness which becomes more intense by reason of the light and shadow of the broad 

 reflector. 



In late years the hunters have largely discarded the lantern-jack for a bulls- 

 eye lantern, which is worn upon the head. When the latter device is used 

 a leathern cap is worn, sometimes in the shape of a helmet, but more often a 

 turban-shaped cap without a frontpiece. This patent jack is nothing more than a 

 dark-lantern with a strong lens, which is kept covered with a leather cap-piece when 

 the light is not needed. One advantage of this " headlight " jack is, that by tilting 

 the hat over the left eye the light will shine on the rear sight of a rifle as well as 

 on the forward sight. Some use a small lantern mounted on the stock of the rifle, 

 and raised just high enough to permit the hunter to sight under it. Some hunters use 

 a shot-gun for night-hunting instead of a rifle, putting in a heavy charge of buck- 

 shot. With the old-fashioned jack the hunter could only see the forward sight on 

 his gun as it projected from under the light, and so was obliged to use a shot-gun 

 whose scattering charge was more apt to bring down the deer than the single 

 bullet from a rifle. But with the patent jack worn on the head, throwing its light 

 on both forward and back sight, the expert shots are using rifles largely for this kind 

 of hunting. 



Starting late in the evening of a moonless night, after the last gleam of twilight 

 has disappeared, the sportsman and his guide, seated in their boat, drift or paddle 

 to the hunting ground in search of the deer which on every still, warm night in 

 August may be found feeding on the aquatic vegetation which grows in the 

 shallow waters along the lakes and rivers. If on a river the guide lets his boat 

 drift silently down the stream ; if on a lake or pond, he paddles noiselessly along 

 the shores. The darkness and oppressive stillness, combined with the weird, noise- 

 less movement of the boat, furnish an experience that is always fascinating to the 

 hunter, even though it makes his heart beat so loudly that he fancies he can hear 

 each throb. Soon a noise is heard which indicates the proximity of the game. 

 It may be a slight splash in the water, or the breaking of a branch on the shore. 

 The boat is silently turned in the direction of the sound, and steered by the 



guide so that the jack sends its search-light up and down the shore. If the 

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