FOREST AND STREAM. 



213 



Too close, nevertheless. You thought you had a good 

 enough afro, but it w;is in fact a careless one. Tl 

 looked too big, and you didn't draw your front sight down 

 ;is -fine as you would have done in shooting at a target. You 

 undoubtedly overshol him, SO remember that a deer may be 

 lost by a billing neglect of rare, even when close enough to 

 hit with a stone. 



We soon come in sight of another, feeding in a little 

 hollow, while we arc just peeping over a ridge. How small 

 it looks '. "Two hundred yards," you say to yourself, as you 

 pull up your 800-yard sight, 



Stop ! Put down that sight ! A deer in the woods is very 

 different from one on a powder can, in a market, stall or 

 show case of a museum. They often look small when toler- 

 ably close. That deer is not over 100 yards off; shoot With 

 perfectly level sight, and hold on the middle of the shoulder, 

 or just behind. 



You put down U\c sight ; but so sure are you that it is at 

 least 150 yards that you lake a coarse front sight and lire. 



■ ■■-!"! about fifty yards and stops. "Now he 

 IS two hundred yards, anyhow,'' VOU think, as you throw 

 up the 'JOo-yard Sight again, and" tire. On it goes a few 

 jumps aud slops again. You now drop behind a log, and, 

 resting the rifle over it, take a good sight and shoot." You 

 see the dirt fly from the side of a hill about six inches over 

 his back, and m a moment ho waves you a fond farewell 

 With his tail, as he clears the crest of the next ridge. 



••Pshaw ! Why, that last shot wasn't over 150 yards, and 

 the first wasn't over 00," you exclaim, as you now lake a 

 good look over, the ground, 



~ Correct ! You have made the common mistake of over- 

 estimating distance. The tendency to do this is amazing. 

 With two exceptions you will do it five times out of six', un- 

 less very cautious. These exceptions are game across water, 

 smooth, clean snow, and from one high hill to another, 

 ■where the intervening valley has a broad bottom, in which 

 cases you will be more apt to underestimate. If the valley 

 is V shaped, or if Shooting up hill, down hill, across brush, 

 or where you do not see the intervening ground, you will 

 be likely to over-estimate. Hence take tiffs as a rule of the 

 nit importance: use a rifle having the flattest possible tra- 

 ry up to 150 yards, and never, never, never raise sights. 

 Take coarse front sights, or hold high on game, unless very 

 certain of its necessity, and if there is any doubt on this 

 point d-cide always in favor of the level sight. I believe 

 that with an Express rifle it would be a safe rule never to 

 raise sights when shooting in timber. You would miss less 

 in the long run. 



If not very familiar with the trajectory of long-range 

 rifles, you will be apt to tni^s dser from 100 to 140 or 150 

 yards by holding a level sight on them, and having the ball 

 drop under. And after you do know their trajectory, you 

 will be extremely liable to uuder-shootin trying to avoid' the 

 danger of over-estimatiug distance, and to over-shoot the next 

 one, perhaps, in trying to avoid the previous error. Para- 

 doxical as it may seem, the longer the range of a rifle the 

 worse it is for hitting game from 00 up to 800 yards ; a point 

 I cannot now take lime to explain. 



Your next deer is down hill, about 80 yards away, and, 

 taking what you consider a very deliberate and accurate aim, 

 you see the ball tear the dirt just over him. The tendency 

 to over-shoot, downhill, is one of the inexplicable, thing's 

 about shooting. It is, however, easily' remedied, but will be 

 very apt to deceive you at first, unless you are careful. 



On a very long shot down a very steep lull (say from 600 

 to 1,000 feet, or over), you will be more apt to under-shoot. 

 Whether this is from being deceived in distance, or whether 

 the co-operation of the attraction of gravitation with the 

 downward motion of the ball increases the ratio of its drop, 

 I caunot say, but it is probably due to both causes. Such 

 shots are very deceptive, even when you know pretty closely 

 the altitude of the hill. The rule given by a correspondent 

 of Fokest and Stream sotne time since (to measure your 

 distance irom a point level with your station on a perpen- 

 i! line, erected over the game), though correct for 

 short distances or slight slopes, will not do for a very long 

 plunging shot, aud is at all events veiy difficult to apply. 



As I always work for down-hill or level shots, and always 

 where possible get above deer, 1 have not had enough long 

 up-hill BHots 10 fium any reliable judgment upon them. I 

 never have had any trouble with short shots ; but have found 

 a tendency to over-estimate distance on long ones. For such 

 shots the uile above referred to is undoubtedly correct. 



Long range shooting on game I have quite fully discussed 

 in a former article. The beginner should avoid every 

 attempt of the kind. There is no more captivating delusion 

 in the world, and the expert target shooter is more apt to 

 fall into it than any one else. And this trouble cannot be 

 removed by any arrangement of sights or artificial point 

 blank, as it is the liability to mistake in judging distance 

 that makes it, and not the fact that you have a sliding sight. 

 Have a rifle that wilt hit a deer at 140 yards, when held just 

 as you would hold it to hil one at 40 yards ; for 170 yards 

 use" the same sight as fine as before, hill hold for the lop of 

 the shoulder ; for 300 yards take full front sight, but still 

 hold on the deer ; lor 300 have a leal sight, or scale elevator, 

 on the back sight, aud never, never, except occasionally on 

 the plains, or unless game is scarce aud has taken the alarm, 

 shoot beyond that, but try to get closer, and in timber 

 never raise your sights tor the first year. You will, of 

 course, lose game by this, but in the long run not half as 

 much as you otherwise would, and will have far fewer 

 cripples. When your first shots fail on a long shot do not 

 try to shift the sights if your hall strikes within a foot or 

 two, but hold the IronL sight higher or lower uext time. If 

 your sight is easily shifted you may risk it, and if your ball 

 is much astray you will have to. 



Anolher mistake you will be apt to make is to shoot at 

 the middle of your game. A deer hit anywhere from three 

 inches back of the shoulder to the hip, unless the back-bone 

 or kidneys be touched, can run for miles, unless shot with 

 an extra large ball, and often even then unless the ball is 

 expansive. In such case let it alone until it lies down aud 

 sickens, and don't go after it, even then, if you can possibly 

 set around or above it for another shot. In, or just behind 

 itr, about oue-tbird the way up, isthe best place to 

 shoot, if you cau get a chance ; but you will have to take 

 shots just where you can get them, especially on the run. 



You may find Other troubles in your way. The ball may 

 be deflected by unseen twigs of trees. The sun may light 

 up the lower part of the back of the front sigbt, so that you 

 may mistake it for the fop, and thus shoot too high. This 

 is more common than is supposed, especially in running 

 shots, and for this reason only the tip of the sight should be 

 kept bright, and the rest dulled with acid. Pol 

 over bare, ground, ivory or white agate is the best for the 

 front sight. The sun may also shine on one side of the 



front sight in such a way as to rnal 



It may so strike the back sight, as to make you 

 bol torn Of the notch ; or i! may glim- 

 mer on your barrels, so as to make a mirage of your front 

 sight. All these things should be attended to before going 

 to the field, and you should be accustomed to lib the Centre 

 With open sights with the sun in any dir 



But the great point is to never be. in a hurry, but shoot 

 just as you would at a target. Place no dependence upon 

 rapidity of fire, but no matter bow fast you can shoot, 

 lire every shot with as much care as if it were your last ball. 

 Speed of fire is a great thing, but tends to carelessness at 

 first. There is a vast amount of space outside of game, and 

 the love of aball for the empty space is marvellous. Be self- 

 reliant, but not over-COflfldent, and never chuckle "My meat" 

 until you've got its throat cut. Don't try to he smart about 

 shooting the instant the rifle comes to a level, as you read 

 about in novels ; but let it lie level long enough to be sure it 

 is right. Don't be ashamed of taking a rest, when you can 

 just' as well get it as not, especially on long shots. If your 

 hand trembles from crawling, running or climbing, wait a 

 moment or two ; but if it trembles from excitement it will 

 only lie apt to get worse. In the latter case, take a rest, if 

 you can, either on some tree or rock, or your knee, and if 

 in- 1 1 1 ; i ill wiggles let it wiggle, but. when it wiggles on the 

 righ! place pull. Nothing cau take the place of experience, 

 but by observing these few hints you will save much time, 

 game and vexation. 



f#m$ Jlfafl and %mu 



GAME IN SEASON FOR OCTOBER. 



Moose, Alcm malchte. 



enl'lbou, 'J'artulih/.-: .:■:■ 



Elk or wapiti, Cervm canade 



Bed or Va. deer, C. lirginUnua 

 squirrels, red, black aud gray. 

 Hares, brown aud gray. 

 Heed or lice euro, ±K!i'-i,r.inix cryz- We * 

 Jtecl- 

 Wlld turkey, Ik'soyris yallopavo. Ma. 



Pinnated grouae or prairie chick- Red- 

 en. Qup&iania cupula. Tri 

 Ruffed sfrou.se or pheasant, Banana Grea 



Black-bellied plover, ox-eye, Squa- 



larola helvetica. 

 Ring plover, .KiiaUtie mrmipahiut- 



tus. 

 Slid, or long-shanks, Uimantopus 



ox-hlrd, 

 1 rnarlin, 



Quail or partridge, Orlyxviiyinia- Will e 



iroled godwit 

 /tk'oa. 

 , 'atait.ua nemipalrnatu&. 

 Tattler, Totaiucx vuUanoleucua. 

 YeUow-shauks, Totanus Jlavipea. 



"Bay birds" generally, including various species ol plovor, sand 

 piper, snipe, curlew, oyster-catcher, surf birds, ptialaropes, avocets, 

 etc., coming under the group Limacola: or Shore Birds. 



tsr This table does not apply to all the States. It is meant to repre- 

 sent the game which is generally in season at this time. State regula- 

 tions may prohibit the killing ot some species of game here mentioned. 



Game in JIauket.— rUmated grouse (prairie chickens), .$1.25 

 per pair ; partridge (raffed grouse), $1. 00 pair ; mal- 

 lard ducks, 75 oenta per pair; black do., 75 cents per pair ; 

 widgeon do. , 60 cents par pair; broad bill do., GO cents per pair; 

 teal do., 50 cents per pair; Wilson snipe, $2.50 per doz.: 

 plover, $3 50 per doz. ; bay birds, large, $3.00 per doz. ; do. small, 

 80 cents per doz.; raUa, $1.25 per doz.; rood birds, $1.00 per doz.; 

 wild pigeons, alall fed, $3.00 per doz.: Phildelphia squabs, $3.00 

 per doz. 



Poultry — Philadelphia and Bucks County dry picked chickens, 

 20 to 22 cents per pound , do. fowls, 16 to 18 cents ; do. turkeys, 

 16 to 20 cents ; do. duoks, 16 to 20 cents; do. geese, 15 to IS 

 cents ; State aud Western chickens, 15 to IS cents ; do. turkeys, 

 15 to 18 cents ; do fowls, 13 to 16 cents ; do. ducks, 13 to 16 cents; 

 do. geese, 10 to 12 cents. 



Massaohcsetts— Spencer, Oct. 5.— The annual hunt of the 

 Sportsman's Club took place on Thursday with thirteen men 

 on a side. E. M. Bliss and L. M. French were captains. 

 Ohas. Allen was umpire. The game counted as follows : Fox, 

 coon and mink, 100 points each ; partridge, woodcock, snipe, 

 duck, 50 points each ; rabbit, woodchuck, gray squirrel, 

 muskrat, crow, weasel, pigeon, hawk, owl, kingfisher, Gar- 

 field woodpecker, 25 points each ; pigeon hawk, 10 points : 

 red squirrel, jay and crow blackbird, 5 points. The hunters 

 returned home at 7 o'clock and the game was counted in the 

 Town Hall. Captain French's side secured 2 woodchucks, 13 

 gray squirrels, (53 red squirrels, 7 crows, 1 partridge, 1 pigeon 

 and 3 jays, making a total of 910 points. Captain Bliss' side 

 brought in 10 gray squirrels,l rabbit, 58 red squirrels, 3 wood- 

 peckers and (j jays, making a total of 815 points ; Captain 

 French winning the match by 85 points. After the count the 

 hunters with their ladies sat down to well filled tables at the 

 expense of the losing side. 



Wattham, Oct, 5.— I have noticed quite a number of wild 

 pigeons, in flocks from two to fifteen (generally in pairs), 

 flying from the northeast to the southwest. The fall flight of 

 woodcock has fairly set in, aud fine large birds they are. 



\"V. B. B, 



Partridge shooting iu Massachusetts has beeu ruined by 

 wood ticks. These worms attack the birds,especially about 

 the neck, and from one to sixteen of them are found on a 

 single partridge. Out of seventy -six birds examined by our 

 informant only one was found free from the ticks. This 

 pest seems to have extended into Connecticut also, as of six 

 birds on a Hartford game dealer's hook one morning last 

 week, not one was found free from the burrow ing vermin. 

 The quail shooting is reported as excellent. This is some- 

 thing unusual for Massachusetts, and shot-gun owuers jrre 

 jubilant. 



New Yoke— HameHavittB, 0,1,. T.— Nothing shot lately but 

 squirrels, black, gray, red and flying. It is not uncommon for 

 one gun to get '30 black and gray a day. One black shot here 

 weighed 2 lbs. 7oz. Another shot must have been a cross bu- 

 tween a gray and a fox squirrel, gray on back, fox color on 

 belly and' breast ; weighed over 21ba.; one black with a while 

 tail, John. 



Buffalo, Oct, 5.— A party of Buffalo sportsmen, con- 

 sisting of Sam Winansand Frank Lusk, of Batavia, Charles 

 igo, and myself, went hunting October 3, and 

 made the following good bag: 38 woodcock,"'.) partridge and 

 1 rabbit. We call liiis good spolt for this part of the country. 



j. a g. 



South Brooklyn Sportsman's Clara. — At a meeting in 

 the club rooms, at the Orchard House, corner Thirty-fifth 



street and Third avenue, the following officers were elected . 

 Fred Scheiker, Fres.; John Warony, Viee-l'res.; Paul; Bas- 

 singer, Sec,; Gustave Boysen, Treas. 



Shelter Island, Oct. 6. —The coot within a, few days have 

 begun to appear in numbers, but they do not yet begin to 

 work up the bays in sufficient numbers to make sport. The 

 worthless cormorants and loons, however, have bad a good 

 tligbi last week. I do not hear I md broad-bills 



are yet plenty in Shinnecock and South bays. The weather 

 has been too warm for them to be on their migratory flight. 

 Isaac McIellan. 



Kouins.— The shooting of robins in New York State is per- 

 mitted during the months of September, October, November 

 and December, except in the counties of Kings, Queens, Put- 

 nam and Suffolk, whore the time is limited to the last three 

 months. 



New Jersey— Forked Stiver, Sept. 30.— We have had 



some fine bay bird shootintr. Gapt. Mathews, with Mr. Tom 

 Ward, of Freehold, shot 113 large ones a few days since. Mr. 

 C. Cashman, of New York, also had some fine shooting last 

 week, having killed one day over HO birds. The prospects 

 for duck shooting look well, as the birds are alteady begin- 

 ning to make their appearance in large numbers. Arthur. 



Barnegat Inlet, Oct. 1.— Black ducks and sprig tails plenty. 

 For the past few days large flocks can be seen daily on the 

 flats near the Clam Island aud High Bar. B. 



Pennsylvania— Wolf Bun, Oct. 4— Woodcock shooting is 

 a failure this season in Ey coming County. They have never 

 been known to be so scarce, although we have some very 

 choice grounds. Quails are plentier than they have been for 

 years ; grouse also plenty, owing to a very mild winter. 



Niok. 



Greenville, Oct. 4.— Pheasant shooting began the 1st inst. 

 Birds are plenty and sport good. B. 



Wi*t Ohtster, Oct. 3.— Messrs. John T. Ingram, Isaac Dar- 

 lington and Thomas Darlington, of West Chester, Pa., went 

 on a short fishing excursion to File's Eddy, on the Susque- 

 hanna River, a few days ago. As the result of their combined 

 labors, they returned home with M0 black bass, weighing 

 from two to four pounds each, aud report that 325 were 

 caught in one day by themselves. Such extraordinary good 

 luck is unprecedented in the history of bass fishing at Fite's 

 Eddy. T. 



MaVeytovm, Oct. 7.— Deer, I hear, are pretty numerous in 

 Licking Creek Mountains, a short distance from this town, 

 three being shot on the first day of the season, October 1. 

 Turkeys and rabbits are exceedingly plenty, but cannot be 

 legally shot until the loth inst. Squirrels this year are some- 

 what scarce. Pheasants are unexceptionally plenty. Part- 

 ridges, ducks and other small game are reasonably plenty. 



E. J. S. 



Blooming Grove Park.— In reply to recent inquiries rela- 

 tive to the present condition of Blooming Grove Park and the 

 game to be found there we are pleased to feel at liberty to lay 

 the following informal letter before our readers. It is written 

 by the President of the Association. This Park is rapidly 

 meeting the expectations of its original projectors, who 

 designed to make it the leading game preserve in the world. 

 Its financial affairs are very flourishing : 



Office or the Blooming Grove Pabk Assoc., :i7 Park liow\ 

 New y ork, October 3, 1S7S. j 

 There were twenty persona at the Park last Sunday, most of whom 

 have been there since July. The summer visitors are leaving, but the 

 sportsmen remain for grouse shooting anil deer hunting. A great deal 

 has been done this season in the way of Improvements, both at. the 

 clnb house and grounds. The new road from "MUlvllle is u great suc- 

 cess. It Is thoroughly made and drained, and the Club team makes 

 the trip in about onehour to the station. The wild turkeys Irom Judge 

 Caton hatched two litgofls, but, through an aeuideut, they were exposed 

 to rain, and the young chicks all died— a great disi-ppolnrmem. 

 Clnh-honse has been in charge of Mr. nylaud, as Superintendent, who 

 gives satisfaction to all by bis careful attention, and provides good fare 

 well served. The black bass flshlng at Lake Laura has been excellent. 

 There Is a shanty for flshlng parties, tilted up with bunks, and a game- 

 keeper in attendance, there. Boats have been placed at Lake Laura 

 and Beaver Lake, where there is a landing for thoBe who like pickerel 

 a jd perch fishing. The gamekeeper at. the breeding park reports that 

 he has seen several buo.es ontside the fence, and they will probably en- 

 ter through the traps, attracted by the herd Inside. Huffed grouse are 

 very plenty. A lady artist report* that while sketching she saw several 

 broods, and was startled by ttielr ft ?ing around her. The prospects fox 

 bear hunting in November are good . Several have been seen in the 

 vicinity of tho Knob. It is proposed to have a ladies' archery match 

 near this city soon. John Avkbv. 



Virginia — Zeesburg, Oct. i. — Some few pigeons havo been 

 killed near this place. T. W. 



North Carolina— Monroe, Oct. 2.— Quail have been scarce 

 here since. December, 1876. A large snow at that time, which 

 remained on the ground for four weeks, came near destroying 

 all of them, and in some localities they were entirely killed 

 out. Very few have been killed since that time, the farmers 

 especially using every means to protect them. This season 

 has been unusually favorable for their rearing : the spring 

 was very dry. The prospects for winter sport are now good, 

 as quantities of quail can be found within one or two miles' 

 wall;; from town. Three covies wandered into town, and, 

 becoming bewildered and spattered, took shelter iu trees along 

 the streets, on top of houses and under wood-piles, and I 

 think at least a dozen were killed with rocks and sticks to- 

 day. We have no close season here, but no one thinks of 

 kUling quail before the first of October. I went out yester- 

 day, and found several covies, but most of them were not 

 over half grown, so I have decided not to go again before the 

 loth of this month or 1st of November. There are only about 

 three men in the county who keep pointers or setters, so 

 we have all we can do to keep our engagements with our good 

 farmers, who invite us to see them and hunt for two or three 

 days at a time. Avery- 



South Caholina— Port Royal, Oct. o.— I notice Jack cur- 

 lew, willets, large and small, white^cgrets, sandpipers, etc, 

 every day on the marshes and flats, but not in large numbers. 



C. G. K. 



Alabama— Athens, Sept. 30.— Quail shooting has opened 

 briskly. There seems to be an unusual amount of them in 

 the surrounding country. Two or three coveys have made 

 their appearance on the streets ; several were caught in Ihe 

 stores. The citizens of Ibis place are very fortunate in this 

 respect: a few months ago, a deer that was chased by dogs 

 ran thr jugh town, jumping over obstacles in his way, among 

 which was a gentlemau sitting in front of his store reading a 



