FOREST AND STREAM* 



115 



■1 in quantity. Theyare good enough Indians 

 when in camp, but bad etiouj 11 Hi <• oiil of it. They are 

 willing to swap and dicker, i".u our chances of trade will 

 be better when -we reach Milk River or Horse Ran. Our 

 poeitwn is close to the 49m parallel. I trust to 

 sometime about the end of October. 8. 



Koi emu/ P<m,Eoeky WoiivtaU ! Mumbfa. 



Fur fforest 

 GROUSE SHOOTING IN COLORADO. 



FOR weeks previous to September 1st, nil the good, had 

 nut! indifferent, shots in litis city had heuii or- the 

 far intelligence rehiliveto the "chicken drop" 



for the year. Every rnncheman ivnd charcoal lnirii'-r, 

 whose rniiehe or camp was located near the "divide," wns, 

 on (heir arrival in [OWll, l.nt'on lulled and i|ihj-imu, In, 

 51 ir Nimrod, as to whether chickens were plenty in 

 their neighborhood or not. 



None hud been more, anxious than the Doctor .-aid Sicir.-r 

 for the 1st to come, mid lliey, With Clarence as a volunteer 

 driver tor the occasion, left town on the afternoon of Ihe 

 81s! of August. They had with them Bain, :i red setter, 

 and Frank, a liver and white pointer, froni whom great 

 things were, expected. Arriving at the twenty mile house 

 in lime for tea, the team was put out and amimreme ll 

 footed with mine host Parker for the night. Parker's is 



twenty- miles from Denver, as the tiau thellousi tadi 



cates. In order that an early start -in the morning might; 

 be obtained we retired at 9 o'clock. 



Breakfast was over by 6 o'clock, and BOOH after we were 

 on our way to the hunting grounds. They are in 1 1 1 ■ ; .■! . 

 from 'lo six miles from where we had .-topped over 

 night. These gulches are water courses in wel weather for 

 the drainage of the surrounding country, are from ten to 

 fifty feet in width, wilb thick cover on 'each side for some 

 distance; beyond tins, open prairie, affording most capital 

 shooting at chickens when routed out of the gulch and 

 passing in open view. As a rule the sharp tailed grouse, 

 ■■e.v,'., i,c-:i u«) the only prairie chicken we have in 

 Colorado, are to be found in these gulches. I 'niikc the pin- 

 nated grouse or prairie chicken of Illinois, they are but sel- 

 dom found away from cover. 



Arriving where we wished lo hunt, the dogs were sent 

 in, Sam inking to business splendidly, Frank" noting only 

 middling well, and placing ourselves on opposite aides of 

 the gulch, we bunted 'for a mile without seeing a 

 bird. "We were becoming Aiuewhnl discouraged when 11 

 jack rabbit stalled from its form about tony yards in front 

 of Sierra, whosenr a charge of number eight shot after him. 

 Immediately Sam bolted and ran the rabbit, and aftei 

 chase of one hundred and fifty vards it. fell dead, When he 

 brought it in. it has been a mailer of great speculation to 

 Sierra since, as to how, or in what manner Sam knew this 

 rabbit was wounded, as he never runs a rabbit, and during 

 the day at least a hundred jumped up in front of him and 

 he paid no attention to them, breaking a switch from a 

 plum bush, Sierra was about to reprimand him severely, 

 when, just as the rod wns descending the whir and kul; 

 faik, oi chickens with tie sharp reports of the Doctor's 

 sun, drove every other thought, except chickens, out of 

 Sierra'.-, head, and Sam escaped for this time. 



"What luck Doctor?" "A clean miss, but we can get 

 them: one flew to the right and two to the left. You take the 

 one in the willows aud'Td take those on Ihe bill," "All 

 right," saidSierra. "HereSam. go on." The dog had scarce- 

 ly got To the willows when he came to a point. Landseer 

 never drew or issued so handsome a picture — the beautiful 

 sheen of Sam's lighl hairy coat — the out-stretched neck — 

 Straightened tall— quivering lips.— uplifted fool— the rigid 

 body — in all, one of the most oxhilerating sights in the 

 world. With n loud whir, up through the willow,;, arose 

 a full grown bird, bang went Sierra's gun — a handful of 

 feathers— and a thump on the ground told the. tale. "Fetch 

 bim here, Sam." "(_io"d dog."— And the joyous voice of 

 Sierra is beard l o shout, "Hello Doctor, you owe the cham- 

 paigne, I've cor Ihe first bird." Soon after a cove.v of five 

 birds was found and all bagged, then more birds, Sam 

 doing wonders in the Way of finding birds and retrieving 

 them after they had been dropped. The Doctor in the 

 meanwhile was "out of luck in not finding birds and in 

 having trouble with his dog, which finally ran oil entirely 

 to Parker's, where we found hitn in the evening. 



Hunting all day with varying luck, on our return to 

 Parker's we counted heads. Sierra produced thirty -one, 

 the Doctor eleven — and two that both had shot. Into at the 

 same lime, making in all, forty-four, as fine full grown fat 

 prairie chickens as were ever bagged. Our volunteer 

 driver, Clarence^ did wonders in the way of driving, and 

 since his return I understand has applied "to the proper au- 

 thorities for the position of referee in the horse racing at 

 the coming Territorial fair — says he hits had experience in 

 racing. 



We arrived home at 9 o'clock in the evening tired, but 

 so enthusiastic and well satified that we have "determined 

 on having one more hunt; wdien it occurs I'll let you know 

 the result. 



Sam, the dog who so distinguished himself on this occa- 

 sion, is a deep red Irish setter, with a most silky coat that 

 glistens in the. sunlight, white breast, white feet; small 

 white spot on the back, and white lip on the tail, was 

 four years old on .May 21st, 1874. I have owned and hunted 

 him for three seasons and have never owned so good a dog. 

 He is indefatigable, hunting as well iu the afternoon as in 

 the morning when fresh. Money would'nt buy him, lie is 

 not for mile, but deserves to be immortalized by having his 

 good qualities lauded in the Forest and STliBAM. 



flencer, September qih 1874 Stektcv 



For Forest and Stream,. 

 SPORT IN NORTHERN CANADA. 



YOUR favor of the 4th found me at Alexandria Bay on 

 my arrival. I found that {.dace so crowded, fashion- 

 able, and dressy, and Ihe fishing so poor, that I staid but. 

 one day, when, taking my old boatman, Jerome Thomson, I 

 I started for the Canada lakes, first fishing Charleston Lake, 

 some twenty-two miles back of Ganauoque, reached by 

 row boat via Ganauoque Piiver and Wilsey Creek, also by 

 stage from Brockville out. This creek" flows through 

 drowned lands, and in the proper season is full of ducks. 



The black bass at Charleston Lake are small, 

 one and three quarter pounds, but are very gamey, a one 

 pound bass giving as much sport as a three pound St. Law- 

 rence bass. T caught 110 in one day with the minnow. 



There are two fair hotels, charging one dollar per day. 

 Boat accommodations poor. The lake is full of islands, 

 and affords excellent camping grounds. At Gananoque 

 we took the Canadian line of boats to Port Hope, thence 



rail to Lindsay, where wo launched on the Scuroo river, 

 and pulled nine miles to ihe entrance 01 Pigeon Luke, and 

 at the foot of the kike on Little Bob River, made our bead 

 quarters at Boticaygeon, 



" This is a good place tor any sportsman desiring variety. 

 In May, June, and July musealonge can be c.auchl in any 

 quantities. They run from live to twenty pound-, averag- 

 ing about nine pounds. Black bass are also plenty, gamey, 



Duck SVGre scarce this year, still we got. a few. 



Partridges and snipe were plenty. Deer plenty, and hounds 

 and sinners can be found at the village. Half a mile be- 

 yond Bolieaygeuu the rivet enters Pigeon Lake, and from 



' -an be reached numerous others, nil Well supplied 



With listi. At Bobcaygeon good holel hoard can be bad at 

 five dollars per week. The best place is kept, by John 

 Sim-.oLi, whose wife makes it a place .of home 1, it 

 This place can be reached by steamboat (Capt Craudalll 

 from Lindsay. There are no boats or guides. 



I do not write this for publication, but often see in your 

 answers to correspondents inquiries where the above 

 might come into play. And again, I see by your issue of 

 the LOtti you were but a few miles back of where, I. went, 

 ' eomtiare what you saw with what 1 saw. Iu 

 Pigeon and Sturgeon lakes we caught from seven to ten 

 musealonge apiece per day, fishing only one or two hours 

 early, ami the same late in Ihe day. The Indians from 

 Buck Horse Lake, s'tx miles away, bring in the "lunge"— 

 as they call them — and sell them at five cents per pound, 

 die -r<l; head and tail cut off, and back bone taken out. 

 Yours truly. W. 0. E0.4.N. 



'h ago, Sept, mber 14ffi, 1874 



A DAY WIT H THE BAY SNIPE. 



A FEW days since, with' Major Beckwith and C. K. 

 Smith. Ex-Superintendent of Telegraph of the New 

 York Fire Department, (and two more genial spirits and 

 keener sports, to say nothing about practical jokers, one 

 does not oflei) rind) the undersigned, with his new breech- 

 loader, took the morning train at Hunter's Point for Shin- 

 1 in ard a day with (he waders. And speaking of 

 that gun, allow me to remark that it is a splendid article, 

 and proved well worthy of its generous donors. A ride of 

 three and a half hours 'on the cars, and a couple of miles in 

 a lumber wagon furnished at the station by tne miller of 



the place, brought, us to the do 



micil of William Lane, the 



best shot, the most successful 1 



uck stool er, and one of the 



best fellows in all that region, 

 reception, and soon had oui 



We met with a hearty 



feet under his table and 



enjoying a satisfactory dinner. 



After our meal, with the 



mo. ifs in the trim sail boat a 



nd Lane as steersman, we 



started for the meadow acres 



s the bay. As we sped on 



our way .1 shrill, peculiar cry 



broke on our ears: 



••Wild iia the scream 



at tlerarlew 



From crag to eras ch 



• signal flew." 



Now as there were no crags 



anywhere in view around 



♦hat salt, marsh, and as the cut 



lew turned out to be a loon 



some half a mile down the Inn 



, 1 don't know as the above 



quotation is very appropriate, 1 



ml. I (bought it sounded well, 



and rather wanted to put it in. 





We were soon at our point; having located our boat _ 

 the grass and put out the stools, we awaited further de- 

 velopments. The Major bad made a bet of a dose of medi- 

 cine (?) all around, that he would kill the first bird. Soon 

 Lane called out, "down boys," and commenced a peculiar 

 whistle, and we perceived a half dozen large birds coming 

 towards us, and as they dropped their long legs preparatory 

 to alighting among the stools, the Major let drive, ami sure 

 enough, he killed his bird; but had he waited a moment 

 longer, we could all have got a shot and probably bagged 

 every one of the bunch. Many and harsh were the exple- 

 tives hurled at hirn, but as he" waded out and brought iu 

 that splendid marlin, he coolv said: "I guess I'll take that. 

 prescription," (beverage hecalled it)— life cheek of thai man 

 is ' ondfirful, Soon we got a crack at =ome yellow shanks 

 aud jack snipe, they call them. Then for some time notk- 

 ing coming lo us, Smith and myself went off prospecting 

 down the meadow. We soon got among the ddwitchers, 

 and had some fine sport, getting some twenty or more; a 

 half dozen rail, two snipe, a bittern and a couple of hawks 

 that came sailing by, we dropped out of pure cusserl- 

 ness I suppose. 



I had forgotten to mention that Lane, previous to sinn- 

 ing had put a dozen or two clams in the boat which (the 

 bird:, rim flying with sufficient rapidity) for excitement he 

 was to roast for us before our return to the boat. We found 

 them about ready, nicely roasted, and with melted butter 

 they looked templing enough. Just as we were gathered 

 around and Smith hud a nice fat one well buttered on his 

 cake of hard tack, a Wilson snipe came scaiping by and 

 dropped about a hundred yards astern of us. That Was 

 enough for me, and off I started, telling them to save me 

 a clam. Upon nearing the long bill he" again arose and 

 dropped a few rods further off. The next time he came 

 up,T fortunately brought him to bag, though along shot. 

 At the report of my piece another arose and alighted close, 

 by, which I soon also bagged. Upon returning to the boat 

 I was chagrined to see the last: clam dissappearing down 

 the Major's capacious throat. In vain were my expostula- 

 tions that it was a shame and an outrage; the Major cooly 

 said lie thought 1 was having a good time, aud would'nt 

 waul any, and that there was only enough for them. And 

 all the -way back across the buy how be expatiated on 

 those luscious clams, swimming 111 that fresh home-made 

 butter. It was outrageous, but I had to take it the best I could. 



The next morning we were off again before da}' break, 

 as we B ished to return in time for the 2 P. M. train for 

 home. Upon startiug out. we took with us a couple of bot- 

 tles of fresh water to dilute the medicine so necessary in 

 those malarious districts where fever and ague might be 

 contracted, though I don't know that there was any 

 special danger; but you know "an ounce of prevention,"" 

 ifec. , and we took along several ounces, of course. 



Upon reaching the ground Lane proposed' dividing our 

 party— to leave the Major on one point, or bar, with a 

 dozen or more stools, while he took Smith and myself a- 

 cross the channel to a point opposite. While putting out 

 the stools and the Major was busy fixing up his place to lie 

 in, (no pun intended) Smith managed to empty one of 

 the bottles, replacing it filled with salt water, "while I 

 slipped the ague preventative into my shooting coat pocket. 

 We were, soon at our stations, Lane returned to the Major, 

 and a few birds began to show themselves. Ah, then I 

 realized tlu benefit of a good whistler, or caller, for snipe. 

 Lane could call the birds right away from us, and (hey had 

 double the sport we did. Finally 1 saw the Major looking 

 anxiously around in the boat; I knew vary well he was 



fearful of a shake; he has those fears very often when out 

 shunting, =ometiines as often as every half hour. They 

 effect him more frequently though in ihe evening alter our 

 day's hunt, and when silling around with the party all to- 

 gether-. 



Al lunch time 1 saw 1 lie- Major dipping into the basket; 

 soon he seemed dry, and poured out a cup of wafer from 

 the bottle, lipped back his bend, took a couple of gulps— a 



sputter, an awful contortion of countenance— a i 



out-throwing of the lunch previously taken in, and 1 called 

 out "haw ,',- ,. ,, . . ' The language that then and 



there is-ucd from that young man's lips could never have 

 been learned at Sunday school in that shape, or been in- 

 spired by the Apostles of old. Upon meeting later in (be 

 day be cried quits. 



Wb arrived al Lane Sih due time, and after an ample 

 dinner of duck, tender and juicy — for Mrs. L. does know 

 how to roast a duck to a nicety— we were off for the train. 

 Our birds— tied up iu neat bunches, between seventy and 

 eighty in all— Consisting of marlin yellow shanks, or tattler, 

 and brown breasts, brant birds, rail, and others. Well 

 satisfied with our two half day's sport, we need nril ft ' 

 here that there are tew spots contiguous 10 New York that 

 furnish such facilities for sport as Pon Quogue, and that 

 more efficient and gentlemanly gunners than William Lane 

 and his son it is rare to find, ' But the duck season, which 

 commences about the middle of October, is the time to 

 lake it at its best. Lane has twenty-four wild geese that 

 helm- trained down to use as stools, and to see those geese 

 perform, especially two famous ganders that will honk and 

 CalidoWl aei Fl HOW bipeds to destruction, is a sight well 

 wonh going a bun &i L miles to see. About the 80th we 

 propose Lo again witness the performance, and they say 

 Major Billings will go with us, if he does, then there will 

 he fun and you may again hear from JaCO bstakf. 



QUAIL AND QUAIL SHOOTING. 



I MAY be prejudiced in favor of the quail, us giving a 

 greater amount of real enjovmeut to the sportsman 



than any of the game birds of tlieTnited State-: hut surely 

 will find many who will side with me in placing its pursuit 

 foremost in the lis! of American field Sports. The Ameri- 

 can quail breeds ifl almost every Slate in the Union, and 

 there is a diversity of opinion among naturalists ami nmr- 

 men, whether it regularly hatches two broods a vear. Both 

 sides have strong advocates, but I am inclined to believe 

 fhe matter is entirely dependent upon the character of 

 season and climate. In latitudes where spring and sum- 

 mer are short, very likely but one is raised as a rule; but 

 in more southern sections, probably two are often reared 

 If the parent birds are successful in the hntcbiug period 

 and the, nest and young have not been destroyed, lliey re- 

 main with the brood and do not hatch a second; but on the 

 other hand, if any mishap befalls their eggs or young in 

 early summer, undoubtedly the hen begins anothei 'iie.si 

 and hatches again. This may account for the great diver 

 sily in the size, of quail in different coveys we -o ufie:i 

 notice in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. As late as the 

 middle of November the writer has found them too young 

 to be killed, plainly showing they were brought forth late 

 in the summer, aud 1 have always observed that a great 

 number of half-grown coveys are seen in seasons which fol- 

 low wet and cold springs. 



We can have no belter law- in regard lo the quail than 

 the present one of Pennsylvania, which protects them from 

 January 1st until November; but in Kent County, Dela- 

 ware, quail shooting is tolerated until February loth, and I 

 can see nothing more damaging to the increase and preser- 

 vation of the" bird, especially if deep snows cover the 

 ground after the 1st of the year, and shooting continues. 

 All persecution at this time should cease, and The quail be 

 allowed to seek what little food there is for ihcm during 

 such periods, fn Maryland October 20th is given as the 

 opening day for the sportsman, which is almost two weeks 

 sooner than il should be. 



It must be urged by tb.fi National Sportsmen's Associa- 

 tion that a United States law shall lie passed making the 

 season for quail shooting a uniform one, throughout the 

 country — namely, from November 1st until January 1st in 



The quail is by far the best, bird we have on which to 

 break setters and" pointers, as the trail the feeding covey 

 leaves behind it is stronger iu scent and undoubtedly of 

 greater scope than that of tiny other game, giving (he 

 young dog an amount of independence, rauge, speed and 

 camion attainable iu the pursuit of no other: besides the 

 stubbornness with which it lies brings forth in the well-bred 

 setter and pointer that staunchness of point which the 

 sportsman so an xiously looks for aud so greatly values iu 

 his young beginner. After startiug a covey and scattering 

 the birds'" no doubt every observant" sportsman has noticed 

 how difficult it has been for his dog to find the single quail 

 although directly marked lo a particular spot. This habit of 

 the. bird to lie until almost trodden upon, and lo seemingly 

 baffle the nose of the finest seller or pointer, has gi,en rise 

 tc the question whether it can nofonUirily withold its scent, 

 but. Ihcre is no reason for attributing to it such powers, and 

 I think it readily explained. After being flushed and shot 

 at, the covev. in its flight, scatters in every direction, mak- 

 ing all haste to escapefrom danger, and each quail pitches 

 info whatever cover offers the best concealment — crouching 

 into the smallest possible space, with feathers pressed tightly 

 to its body, preventing little if any scent to pass off for 

 a lime, or at least until they move and suppose danger has 

 passed. Thus it is uot a will power on the part of the bird, 

 but resulting entirely from the body (from whence their 

 scent issues,)" being so firmly pressed by the quail with its 

 plumage in its endeavors to hide. 



In Ihe latter part of September and first of October the 

 quail in some sections of the country begins what is termed 

 the running season, which may be accounted for in a 

 measure as" follows:— In cultivated and settled regions 

 where many broods have been hatched during the summer, 

 much of the food on which they were dependent is 

 ...J and taken away by the farmer in putting in his 

 winter grain and turning the soil; a part of the birds im- 

 pelled by instinct to seek other quarters for the winter be- 

 gin Ihe movement and travel great distances until the 

 proper shelter and ground is discovered, where they settle for 

 the season. 



In the work the sportsmen of the United States will have 

 before them in connection with the National Association,, 

 let all attention be paid to the protection of the quail in 

 those Slates where no law is known, and where if steps are 

 not taken to punish unseasonable slaughter, we will have 

 the bird as scarce as it is in the Eastern States. Homo. 



