FOREST AND STREAM. 



141 



we were then descending, and we crouched low behind some 

 rocks to see if he would follow it up the mountain. But when 

 he reached the path he put his nose to the ground, sniffed the 

 grass tainted by our footsteps of two hours before, and scorn- 

 fully throwing back his head, sprang out over the prairies, 

 and in a few moments disappeared from view in a distant 

 ravine. Arrived in camp, we learn that Reed has killed three 

 yearling bull elks and two mule deer bucks, and that he has 

 seen abundant fresh bear sign. We have now far more meat 

 than we can use, but there are several camps of herders in the 

 valley to whom we can give the Burplus. 



The following day Keed and I ascend the hills to secure our 

 meat and the horns of the largest elk, while Mr. Phillips 

 starts out for bears— and he found them, several; in fact, more 

 than he wanted. The way of it was this : It seems that he 

 had advanced some distance into the mountain, seeing plenty 

 of elk, but disdaining to shoot at them, for nothing less than 

 a bear would satisfy his ambition. Having reached a level 

 spot, free from undergrowth, but thickly covered wtth 

 dead timber, he paused to rest, and, while standing by a large 

 tree, was delighted at seeing a moderately large bear come up 

 over the hill, pursuing a course which would bring it within 

 fifty yards of the hunter. " Ha !" said P. to himself, "I will 

 let him pass me, so that I can give him a quartering shot be- 

 hind the shoulder j" so he prepared to slay the bpar. But be- 

 fore it was time to shoot, the head and shoulders of a second 

 appeared, following in the tracks of the first. Our hunter's 

 transports were somewhat moderated by the appearance of 

 bear No. 2 ; but still he determined to try them. He thought, 

 however, that it would be well to make sure that there were 

 no more coming, so just before shooting he cast a hasty glance 

 toward the hill, and beheld a sight which caused him to 

 abandon all notions of bear-killing for that day— for he saw 

 approaching a third bear. 



Mmiulruin horrendum, ing»ns i injorma, 



resembling in size, according to the account, nothing so much 

 aB a load of hay. All thoughts of shooting, except in case of 

 necessity, being given up, Phillips cast a wary eye about him 

 for a good tree to climb ; but, alas ! all that were within reach 

 were bare of bark and branches and so smooth and slippery 

 that even a sailor-man would have difficulty in ascending. 

 There was nothing for him but to remain quiet, in the hope 

 that the bears would pass him without discovering his pres- 

 ence, which they finally did. Although the relation of this 

 adventure was very amusing and caused unbounded laughter 

 in camp, there is no doubt that Sir. P.'s course was the only 

 wise one that could be adopted. To have attacked three bears 

 would have been foolhardiness, for in case of any accident, if 

 one's rifle failed to work properly, the result would be certain 

 death. All old hunters avoid bears, if they can, and advise 

 others to do the same, and it cannot be doubted that the ad- 

 vice is good . 



However, we got a bear during our stay here j but it was 

 more by good luck than good hunting. One morning, not 

 feeling quite well, I remained in camp, and Mr. Reed as- 

 cended one mountain while Mr. Phillips climbed the other. 

 Tom, our driver, accompanied the former to gather a pailful 

 of raspberries, which grew in the greatest profusion among 

 the rocks on the hillside. Just after passing the spot where 

 lay the remains of a deer, killed two days before, a bear ap- 

 peared trotting along among the rocks, not more than forty 

 yards distant and coming directly toward the two pedestrians. 

 Reed shouted, and when the bear stopped and raised its head 

 shot it in the neck. It fell down, but at once sprang to its 

 feet only to receive another ball, this time in the face below 

 the eye. It then rolled some feet down the'hillside, and, get- 

 ting up on its hind feet, tried to walk up the slope, where a 

 third shot gave it its quietus. While all tills was going on 

 Tom was dancing wildly about, flourishing a six-shooter, and, 

 while himself manifestly in a high state of excitement, im- 

 ploring Reed to be cool and make every shot tell. The ani- 

 mal proved to be a grizzly bear about eighteen months old. 

 Several times we watched by baits which we placed on the 

 mountains, but, though bears came and fed on them, they 

 never did so while we were lying in wait. 



Game was so abundant near our camp that it was with great 

 difficulty that I could restrain my companions from slaughter- 

 ing it in far greater quantities than were necessary for our 

 own use. On one occasion, when we were all out together, 

 their feelings were especially lacerated. We saw half a dozen 

 small bands of elk, containing in all over one hundred indi- 

 viduals, and approached always to within one hundred yards, 

 and often much nearer ; but returned to camp without filing 

 a shot. We had already all the meat that we could make use 

 of, and, to me, it was far more pleasure to watch the graceful 

 and unconscious creatures than it would have been to kill 

 half a hundred of them. It would have been an amusing 

 sight could any one have seen us lying concealed behind rocks 

 or brush, myself in the middle, glass in hand, watching each 

 motion of the elk, while Reed and Phillips on either side were 

 occasionally sighting at the fattest of the band, but always 

 heeding my reiterated entreaties of, "Pray, don't shoot I" To 

 me the chief delight in hunting large game consists in being 

 able to approach my game within easy shooting distance. It 

 is a great satisfaction to be able to circumvent a creature like 

 an elk or deer, all of whose senses are sharpened by constant 

 use and are constantly on the alert. After you are within 

 ange it is merely a matter of careful shooting, and the mere 

 killing for killing's sake presents few attractions to me. 



To observe unseen the habits of large game affords me, 

 however, the most unmixed satisfaction, and happily I have 

 had abundant opportunity to gratify this taste while at this 



camp. It was my good fortune on several occasions to watch 

 for a loDg time bands of elk, deer and antelope, which were 

 perfectly unconscious of my presence, and certainly no more 

 charming sight could be imagined than the groups of graceful 

 animals, old and young, browsing through the lovely parks or 

 lying on the hillsides. As 1 watch the bands of elk I could 

 distinguish with my glasses each movement of the various in- 

 dividuals as they passed before me, the bulls and cows se- 

 dately feeding or rubbing themselves against the trees, and the 

 calves now taking a bite of grass or vigorously punching their 

 mother's bags to make the milk flow more freely. Sometimes 

 two calves, in a frolicsome mood, would chase one another 

 over the grass and, occasionally stopping and rearing up, 

 would pretend to fight, playfully striking at each other with 

 with their sharp hoofs. How delightful, too, to watch the 

 antelope, innocent yet watchful, and ready to bound away at 

 the first suspicion of danger. 



I should like to tell you of the many interest'ng birds seen 

 here; of the duck3 on the lake, the sage grouse on the prairie 

 and the dusky grouse in the mountains ; but my letter has al- 

 ready spun itself out to an unconscionable length. Of the 

 dusky grouse let me say a word ere I close. But few of your 

 Eastern leaders are acquainted with them, I imagine, yet they 

 are one of the finest game birds of this continent. Yielding 

 in size only to the sage grouse, they are far superior to it in 

 the excellence of their flesh, fully equaling m this respect the 

 ruffed grouse of our New England forests. Could they be ac- 

 climatized in the East they would be a magnificent addition 

 to our present list of game birds. Here in the mountains they 

 feed at this season almost altogether upon a species of low 

 whortleberry. This plant grows only about six inches high, 

 and bears a very sweet and well-flavored red fruit, which lends 

 to the flesh of the birds a peculiar delicacy. While wander- 

 ing over the mountains one morning I came upon a brood of 

 these birds about three-fourths grown, and, besides the mother, 

 there was with them an old cock. The male birds usually 

 keep apart from the young broods until autumn, when they 

 descend from the high mountains, where they have passed the 

 summer, uniting into packs at the approach of winter. My 

 attention was first drawn to this little family by the running 

 off of the old cock, and I advanced into the midst of the group 

 without exciting the suspicions of any of the others. There, 

 seated on a log, for half an hour I watched their actions as 

 they moved about, often within ten feet of me, diligently 

 picking the berries and continually uttering a soft clucking 

 note. They seemed very sociable in disposition. Once in a 

 while one of the brood would wander so far from the others 

 that he could not hear their calls, and when this took place he 

 would elevate and spread his tail, and ruffling up the feathers 

 of his neck, a sign of suspicion and uneasiness, would run 

 back until he joined the brood. This habit of calling to one 

 another while feeding is common to many gallinaceous birds, 

 the most familiar examples being the common turkey and the 

 Guinea fowl. It has also been noticed in the Massena quail, 

 but not, so far as my recollection serves me, in any of the 

 North American grouse. I have recently, however, noted the 

 same thing in the young broods of sage grouse. 



Well, my hunt in Freeze Out is over, and to-morrow we 

 start for Medicine Bow. My time here has been pleasantly, 

 I think profitably, occupied, and with a sigh I bid adieu for- 

 ever to these grand old hills and this happy valley. Yo. 



In Camp among the Freeze Out Mountains, Wyoming. 



GAME PROTECTION. 



Game Pboteotobs vs. Pot Huntbrs.— A Providence, R. 

 I, correspondent who is a member of a game protective as- 

 sociation, has sent us the following out-burst of indignation 

 over the unwarranted destruction of small fry. We agree 

 with him that there is a great deal of cant among those who 

 hunt and fish. Too much vilifying of the professional hunter 

 by those whose claims to any true sportsmanlike sentiments 

 are themselves microscopic : 



You, who have done so much to enlighten the " heathen " 

 especially in this country, cannot but be surprised to learn of 

 the gross stupidity, meanness and unlimited hoggishness that 

 still prevails among some who set themselves up as game and 

 fish protectors. What are we to think of the benefit — to say 

 nothing of the intelligence— of a game and fish protective as- 

 sociation whose members and officers make a practice of 

 catching and killing every little black bass of half a pound 

 weight or less that comes to their hook. And then they 

 brag of " big catches " (?) aDd obtain the name of " big bass 

 fishermen " (?). Don't such practice smack strongly of "Big 

 Injin " or a like semi-savage state ? And then ws hear the 

 same individuals talk learnedly about "pot-hunters," and the 

 crime of taking and killing little half-grown birds. For one 

 I would like to know how much more honorable the fisher- 

 man is who makes his brags about killing a large number of lit- 

 tle fish, than the "pothunter" who destroys little birds by the 

 wholesale? Have the little bass of half-pound weight or less 

 spawned? Let some of these " Big Injin" bass destroyers 

 who brag on numbers, answer, with facts obtained from some 

 reliable pisciculturist ; as who would otherwise place any con- 

 fidence in a statement from such fishermen as we are talking 

 about, whose fathers must have been poachers, judging from 

 the acts of their progeny. Espbit fort. 



N. J. State Association.— This association held a regularly 

 adjourned meeting at the Clarendon Hotel, Newark, on 

 Thursday, September 5, for the purpose of completing their 

 organization. The meeting was well attended, and the en- 

 thusiasm was of an earnest character. Eleven clubs were 

 represented and paid their initiation fees. The President 

 named the following gentlemen as the Standing Committee on 

 Rules, Regulations and Game Laws : Vice-President Charles 

 H. Raymond, of the Morristown Gun Club; "William Hayes 



of the Newark Shooting Society; Theodore Morford, of the 

 Newton Gun Club ; W. H. Richards, of the West Jersey 

 Game Protective Association, and W. A. Linn, of the Bergen 

 County Sportsmen's Association for the Protection of Game 

 and Fish. A number of communications from the various 

 local clubs throughout the Shite, suggesting amendments to 

 the game laws, were received and referred to the Standing 

 Committee. The Committee on Selection of Grounds for 

 Holding the State Tournament rendered their report, which 

 was received, and, on motion of Vice-President Raymond, 

 the Committee were continued and given full power to make 

 all necessary arrangements and take full control of the tour- 

 nament. The Committee wera also increased in number, as 

 well as power, and now consists of the follnwing-named gen- 

 tlemen: Or. J. Q. Bird, G. B. Eaton, C. H. Raymond, f. O. 

 Blauvelt, J. von Leogerke, William Hughes, W. J. Dunlap, 

 E. M. Quimby and D. Kellev. After some, excellent speeches 

 by President. Eaton, Vice-President. Raymond, Dr. J. 6. 

 Bird and others, on the nature, absolute need and true work 

 of the association, the convention adjourned, to meet acain at 

 the call of the President, which meeiing will take place some 

 time in October, when it is proposed to hold the first annual 

 tournament. At that meeting an opportunity will be given 

 those clubs not already belonging to the association to unite 

 with it by sending delegates and paying the initiation fee. 

 That the New Jersey State Association for the Protection of 

 Fish and Game is destined to fill a long-felt want is already 

 clearly demonstrated by the large number of letters of inquiry 

 and suggestion that are being daily received by the association 

 from every quarter of the State. 



Ontario Close Season.— Deer— December 15 to September 

 15— cannot be exported at any time ; pheasants, partridges, 

 grouse, prairio fowl and wild turkeys, February 1 to October 

 1 ; quails, January 1 to October 1 ; woodcock, January 1 to 

 August 1 ; snipe, May 1 to August 15 ; mallard, gray, black, 

 wood and teal ducks, January 1 to September 1 • other ducks, 

 swans and geese, May 1 to September 1 ; hares, March 1 to 

 September 1 ; trout, September 15 to May 1 ; bass, May 15 

 to June 15. 



New Hampshire Close Season — Editor Forest and 

 Stream: A new code of fish and game laws was passed at 

 the last session of the Legislature, the close time for plover, 

 yellow-legs, sand-pipers, rail and woodcock being from Feb. 1 

 to Aug. 1, and that for ruffed grouse, quail or partridge being 

 from Feb. 1 to Sept. 1. Sam Webbkb. 



Manchester, N. S., Sept. 13. 



Wisconsin Wolves.— Wisconsin offers a bounty of $5 for 

 every wolf scalp. Last year the State paid out $1(3,000 on 

 its wolt bounty. But the varmints are on the increase, and 

 now it is suspected that some astute patriots are raising wolves 

 for their scalps. 



J^$ §iHe. 



Walnut Hill— Sept. 12.— The rauge was thronged to wit- 

 ness the shooting of the experts, prior to their departure for 

 New York. Ranges, 800, 900 and 1,000 yards. The shoot- 

 ing was simply superb. Mr. Davison made a clean string 

 of bull's at 900 yards. In fact all the experts showed their 

 flue powers : 



J S Sumner. 



800 4 555543S55545 5 6— 72 



900 3 55556655SS554 6-72 



1,100 .,5 6564655565435 6—71—215 



W H Jackson 



S00 5 5*55556545345 4—69 



910 5 5455548565564 5—72 



1.0UO 4 44 8554 5 5 56855 4—70— 311 



L SaunclerB. 



800 5 5545655455655 4—73 



900 4 5504444584546 5—68 



1,000 6 5455445454455 4— 68— 808 



A Henry Hebbard. 



800 ..4 5555550555555 5—69 



900 5 6548455056556 5—71 



1,000 5 344535566 4 554 B-67— 207 



J Cbadwell. 



SCO 5 555*563 555555 4-71 



900 5 6B55545455645 5—72 



1,000 ,....11 5156524555553 8— 64— 207 



J F Brown. 



S00 5 4553563455584 6—68 



?00 3 4655555656345 4—08 



1,000 5 534555543 4 556 5—63—204 



8 Wilder. 



800 5 6454564665555 6—72 



000 5 4645455454556 6—70 



1,000 5 5655458 3 3 3364 3— j1— 208 



C O Hebbard. 



800 4 5446545455555 4—69 



900 3 3655456555455 5— 1>9 



1,000 5 554555a56363A 6— .3— 201 



E W Davison. 



800 6 484665565 4 85 6 5—68 



90D 5 5665505565556 5—76 



1,000 5 54653A4405346 3—66—198 



1,000.. 



..0 5653435055450 3—52 



.,4 4555655556555 4—72 



...5 656S856435354 4—68—100 



B WUItamB. 



...4 4443454454555 4—64 



...5 385455 5 645563 6—67 



..A45553A5445340 0—47—178 



The fall meeting of the Massachusetts Rifle Association 

 will take place on the 2d and 3d of October. There are six 

 matches arranged for the meeting, including a military com- 

 petition, open to all members of the Massachusetts Militia and 

 Massachusetts Rule Association, at 200 yards. The State 

 team match, at 200 yards, will be open to teams of five 

 from all rifle associations in Massachusetts. There are two 

 other short-range matches, one a riug-target match, open to 

 all comers, at 200 yards, for twelve valuable prizes. The 

 "champion's match" is at 300, 600 and 1,000 yards. The 

 Ballard rifle match, open to all comers, is the remaining com- 

 petition, the prize being a Ballard mid-rauge rifle. 



Medford, Sept. 11.— Bellevue Range. Third competition 

 amateur series ; 



Two hundred yards. 



WE Gnerrler 44 John Grady 4 



H H D (Justling i-l IE Karnes- 40 



HHDOustUng (re-entry) 42 John Grady (re-entry) 40 



HMHarrts 41 V,aim Sawyer » 



HKKlcaardeou 41 W 



