Febeuaby 8, 1881.] 



FOREST AMD STREAM. 





tnd i 



tie greatly in favor of the Winchester 

 .. .ire Shipped to England. As il is well 

 known ih:ii no one i ; more fastidious or belter posted titan an 

 English sportantttn, accustomed to the very finest rifle, regard- 

 less of cost, this speaks volumes in praise of Uiis excellent 



g„ n . TlBADOB. 



P. S. "Owacliita'a" feHW lias j osteoma in. 1 admirehfs 

 Style, and concur IB llis Q0\VS: the mosl exacting mortal 

 could hardly expect ''Maud B." to make a good plough horse 

 ov circus perfoflner. |i EstUe8aanewitligunsananfl.es; if 

 vou have one have a Wiiioliestcr; il two, a Sharps and Win- 

 chester i the former for prairies aud the latter for ail kind? of 

 ghoolmg in timber, and wherever several shots can do more 

 good than One, for hunting in Cold weather, killing dangerous 

 game, Shooting Ort the run and self-defence. 



TIIK PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. 



Nbw Voi:k. .Ian. 2!). 



irlsroeii'S Association and its ac- 



vi- It! (ii " misrepresented in the 

 ■voml question : and 1 sincerely 

 intention. It is unfortunate, b'e- 



lanv of our members, and with! 



[ believe great injury will 



'tween 



Editor Forstt and 

 That the Long Isl 

 Hon on the game laws hai 

 Koi:r..-r AND bTKBAM " is be 

 believe this was nol your ii 

 cause a spirit of opposition tl 

 which in turn has excited m 

 oui firm and conciliatory ad 



nlly iuereai 



result to the friendly 



this and other sections ot tne state 



1 claim to know as well as any other human being What is 

 being done in thai association, because every docunjent, in- 

 cludimr the minutes, is in my possession. We challenge 

 courteous criticism and have repeatedly invited by totter atiti 

 through your columns, suggestions. W e have been attended, 

 by mi-ii of all classes, the market iiunter, the dealer and the 

 sportsman who hunts for pastime. Our committee has met 



sportsman v 



frequently aud expended much I 



the tacts and fl- 



ings ha\ 



l puMW 



i-,b, 



and labor to 



of these several classes. Their 

 d thoroughly advertised. We 



i tai 



neet- 

 have 



ipe should commence on or 

 end the 80th of December. 

 ,ri.- supposed to go shooting 

 il for thS ostensible purpose 



of game at the same, lime 

 ig game out of season By 

 'December it would be the 

 ■otn wholesale Slaughter in 

 i killed since ihe suow than 



Ifai ■ 



uld 



partridge, rabbits and I: tigiisu sn 



before 111.' 10th Of OctO ■ 

 As ihe law now stands parties i 

 for woodcock and partridge, bi 

 of killing quail or anything c 

 Shooting to come in for all kinds 

 Will prevent "Pot-hunter" killii 

 closing the seas 



the snow. More qnaii have beei 



11, rough the whole season. The wea 



unpropitious for thesporismcn after ll 



this respectable, rich and inlluenlial In . 



buy say from •ioOlooUObu-hels of buckwheat, and BO dr- 



"anize"that the birds would in some localities be sure to be 



red a gi at many birds would be saved which, if this weather 



continues much longer, there will be no birds, left alive to 



breed, and ao Law required to protect them for the next two 



vears. In IH33 vou could ■ audnpf iiud a bird. 



Nearly all the birds were destroyed by the hard weather: 



Gentlemen, feed the birds and keep them alive, aud then go 



I Here ''or M eh laws as may la paired lo protect 



them. 



To-day my man and team have been gone all day to feed 

 the birds, lie saw ten different lo s Ol birds and fed them 

 with enough wheal to last lor a week, bill 

 and they will require lobe fed again at 'lice. 1 name ibis to 

 you so vou may judge what is required in certain 

 be done. Pkaoi.-' 



t 



of the year ft 



This 



■nuud, provided it b 

 is been taken or cont 

 ave technically exam 



thev are and 

 result of an ill 



when the dea 



ion ihe 

 nesota 



ui h.s 

 allow 



•el'rig- 



plated. 



3d our game 



II be violated 



I attempt 



billed and 

 inopera- 



uade that game of certain kinds could 

 e-i-:.vd by plating it in refrigerators, 

 Viciously distributed it would last rnOBl 

 ...3 urged (hat no more game would be 

 killed hutt.lut.il would be used here, in lieu of abroad, as 

 now is the fact, and would afford a delicacy lo the ciizous 

 Of our own State. The time asked by the dealer (part - ""' 

 for venison) was until -March 1 ; and this was based jl 

 facts that the main supply of venison enures from Ml 

 and lawfully may be killed until December 15, and 

 reach New York until after January 

 been represented as the de 

 die sale of game the year i 

 crated. No such action h: 



During the past year I ha 

 Jaws and am convinced Ilia 

 with impunity. I know th 

 to enforce the old excise la\ 

 so clogged the machinery ad 



tivo. 1 believe that the true tneory oi protection is uy uie 

 mutual conservation of tin- .-■vera', interests. W e have tried 

 to find thai plane upon which all can stand. Some appreci- 

 ate our efforts. In Now York Oily one association, neglect- 

 iug to avail itself or the tendered opportunity to corner with 

 us, has deemed it wise and proper to condemn. We gain no 

 assistance Or encouragement from obstructionists. 



Whin 1 consented to become the Seere'ary of the Long 

 Island Sportsmen's Association aud the President of the 

 Side .\:~o(:iatiou, it mi- with an expressed determination to 



attempt a reconciliation of the diverse interests uppar Iy 



affected by our inconsistent and ineffectual game laws. i mi 

 have had opportunities afforded to become familiar with the 

 steps taken lo earrv that determination lo a final result. 



[have. neither time nor inclination to pursue a fruitless 

 task Whether such shall be its termination will depend 

 largely upon our sportsmen throughout the Slate aud the tone 

 of the pres3.' 



Ihe full text of a proposed hill will be presented by the 

 committee lo the Long lslnnil Sportsmen's Association at its 

 of February 4, 1881. The action of that as- 



be foreshadowed, but from its i (position 



s members of each class, a fair, honest, con- 

 re wav be expected. 1 submit, as a reason- 

 able proposition, that any advice based upon ihe wide experi- 

 ence of sneb men is Tar more valuable than a theory or sea 

 presented by any one class, no matter how eminently r 

 sneefcabie. Please advise all interested to patient iy wait u 

 r ii some tangible spectre appears to create a panic. 



Abf.i. CuoijK. 

 If any misrepresentation has occurred, it has been in 

 ascribing to the association itself the adoption of the amend- 

 ment proposed by its coiuuiiltc •. We shall take pleasure 

 in correcting the mistake by publishing next week the repu- 

 diation of the clause by the society to-morrow night. 



SHOOTING IN OREGON. 



!'. ■ - i. ( 'in . 'in.., ion. Dec IS. 



II1AVE just returned from a pleasure trip through the 

 eastern pari of the State, which as yet is only sparsely 

 sel tied aud affords good sport for (JevotCQS Of ihe gun and 

 rod, also lo those admiring fine scenery. The region is espe- 

 cially enchanting. Among the most fertile valleys of the 

 State are the Grande Uonde and Powder Valleys, -ur. lunded 

 by the lofty Blue Mountains, covered with a dens 

 pine aud fir limber Numerous mountain Btro'ams wind 

 heir wav through the valleys, bordered by I 



annual t 



sociati 

 of rep 



THE GUN TAX ON LONG ISLAND. 



Editor Fore-it and Sinnm : 



I notice in your issue of the 35th ultimo that the Long 

 Island Sportsmen's Association contemplate applying to the 

 Legislature for the passage of an act confined to Long Island 

 for a tax for a license to shoot. 



The Legislature will never pass any such obnoxious and 

 absurd law. 



When il is necessary for the State to increase its taxation, 

 aud a tax of thin nature is approved by the Legislature and 

 pissed to be levied upon all persons and parts of the State 

 alike, that will be an equitable law, but to levy a tax upon 

 Long Islanders, with the view of excluding a great number 

 of persons enjoying the sport of shooting, would be, such an 

 outrageous partiality that no Legislature, however strong, 

 would dare, to pass such a law: 



As Judge Lott remarked, "what was wanted was less 

 law and more enforcement. 3 ' This to a very great extent is 

 true. Nevertheless, Ihe law ought to be so clear that there 

 ought not to be any trouble to enforce it, which, as it now 

 stands, there is the hitch. II, cannot, be enforced against 

 trespassers with any certainty or without, enormous expendi- 

 ture. However, we will let this passaud go to what is called 

 the close season, wherein the. law should be altered. 1 would 

 suggest that woodcock shooting should commence within the 

 first week of July and end the 1st, of Aiisust, recommencing 

 again at the same time the law shall be off for shooting gen- 

 erally. I would also suggest that the shooting for quail, 



season for Virginia pari ridge was also carried through arid a 

 strong one was put on recond declaring against shooting 

 game of any description on Sunday. These reeomnienda- 

 ii ins were all referred to the Committee on Legislation, corn- 

 poscd of E. C. Nichols, s. S. Cobb, President Holmes, T.N. 

 Cook and A. J. Keenev : aud .Messrs. G. W. Walcott, G. W. 

 Higby and .John E, Long were appointed a Committee on 

 Enforcement. These gentlemen are true sportsmen and will 

 do all in their power to enforce the provisions of the law rel- 

 aiive lo the preservation of.game. The Legislative Commit- 

 tee were also directed to prepare hills prohibiting the digging 

 of pits for deer, for the better protection of pigeons and for 

 the appointment of a Slate Game and Fish Warden to enforce 

 the laws in that particular province. 



Papers were read as follows: "Fishing Rods— How to 

 Make, Keep and I 'se Them." by S, W. Goodrich; "Game 

 Legislation and the Open Season," by ». IL Oilman; 

 ••Amendments lo the Fish Law." by Mar' in Melcalf; 

 ■• PJrook Trout in Oceana County," by L. G. Rutherford, and 

 "Notes on the Destruction of Deer," by Set retary Roiicy. 



Easi Saginaw was fixed as the place of holding the next 

 annual meeting and the association elected officers for 1881 

 as follows: President, E. S. Holmes: Secretary, Win. B. 

 Merslion ; Treasurer, N. A. Osgood. 



I ought, in justice lo ihe former Secretary, to record the 

 fad that lie peremptorily declined a re-election. 



The association is composed ol" representative men, who 

 conspicuously emphasize the difference between sportsmen 

 and so-called "sporting men." Gami:*. 



■: thi 



where Lira/.c bands of sleek ho 



_ _..d willo 



and cattle. . . 



This is the only purl of Oregon where may be found prai- 

 rie chickens, and this fall I saw my first specimen of this 

 beautiful bird, and as I have always wished, ibis, the first 

 chicken I ever beheld, in its peculiar flight fell clean to my 

 gun, and as I picked up the noble grouse il eemed ahuosl a 

 shame to kill so handsome a bird". Initiated into chick 

 shooting, I had fine sport 

 were so plenty as io be eas 

 they beco 



, without 



lid I lull 



bird for table use 

 some extensh 



< tbi 



dog, as they 

 ig on the black 



alcock. There 

 ■ Koude Yallev, 



aud at this 

 leaves, yet covio 

 evenings the bird 

 Buzzing through 

 shots to suii lh( i 

 out of the qucstioi 

 noon shoots, brum 

 would vary Ihe sj 

 by. Here was u 

 Mime continually 



itute 



Iy tlie hunt 



'si-1,1 aud 

 rsot" birds ( 



ii berries. Mornings and 

 groves in great numbers. 

 v present diilicult enough 

 Mid make a great slaughter 

 tcse places i. in two after- 



birds tat and plump, and 

 mallards in the river close 



i paradise, Easy hunting, 

 i fields most pleasing to th 



uld be kill 



ighl 111 



with me e 

 so what 

 dozens. 



On the hills among the s 

 bits, cotton tails and sage 

 thought wen: very good ea'.i 

 Sometimes the stage betwec 

 through literally miles of t 

 cood dog is very necessary, 

 lie nearly stepped on before 

 than No. -I you will only 

 wilh a swoop they will sai 

 mile. After that they usual 



Knocking 

 away very a 



yards," break . 

 somewhere betwt 

 as possible, and r 

 Die again. Duck 

 sive tide lake 

 gust, but. re' 

 stubble fields 

 in fuller pin 

 lot as line 



id here daily, but 

 oachCS slaughter, 

 soutetn, to make 



d jack rab- 

 i young, I 

 mlii'ul, and 



1 



, whei 

 •cry pi 

 mil 

 ine th 



ofte 

 Wi 

 hardy blrdi 



ad. A 



ich like a j 



I well rerne. 



its thigh. 



tin 



"tin 



taller 

 ._,._, and 



y off for probably a 

 d. 



y work, as they start 

 iking forty angles in 

 one I shot; fully Sixty 



most pathetic noise, 

 vhieh I ended as soon 

 ver be so enjoyable to 

 itch around an exten- 

 good shooting in Am 

 lioeks, frequent the 



stronger on wing and 



i, wild fowl shooting 



by 



October, and then 



gc: bul, . . 



a ihe Willamette Valley 



gbotne in this place have got quite a number 



of geese, undone afternoon, while standing by a IVm-i . got 

 five Canada geese and eight mallards. When the North 

 Pacific line is completed, let Jerome Marble come in the 

 " Worchesier" and see our immense numbers of geese aud 

 ducks. J- S. 



I HAVE already acquainted j 

 first day's doiu 



THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION. 



DrxiaiiT. Jan. 08. 

 telegraph With" the 



>f the Michigan StatirSportmeii's As- 

 .„„ and forwarded by a previous mail certain signilicanl 

 letters bearing on the ga ne lawi , written by the President of 

 the LuKe St. Clair Fishing and Shooting Club. 



The second day's proceedings were direclly to the point, 

 the. first thing at the morning session being the report of the 

 Committee on Laws for the Protection of Game, It was dis- 

 cussed serin-tin,. That, portion of Section I of the proposed 

 law relating to the division, of the State known as the L pper 

 Peninsula was stricken out, thus placing both peninsulas On 

 the same footing with respect to the open season and, in 

 fact, in all other respects. A spirited effort was made, led by 

 Secretary Boney, of the association, to incorporate a provis- 

 ion prohibiting the killing of deer while in the water. This 

 -,-;: i k-ai.cd, but the advocates of Ihe scheme to fix the open 

 Season for woodcock from August, 1 to January 1 were more 

 successful, Ihey having carried their point, triumphantly. An 

 entirely new section w~as agreed to, as follows: 



\n i.M'Son shall kill ov destroy any piunated grouse, commonly 

 called prairie chicken, until alter the 81st of August, 1KS.3, mill 



thereafter only in the months of September, Ootoher and Nov.,m- 

 ber ol each year. 

 A resolution making November and December the open 



THOUGHTLESSNESS IN HANDLING GUNS. 



Dbtuoit, Minn., Jan 3. 



I HAVE noticed several little hits in vour recent issues on 

 careless handling of guns by inexperienced hands or ex- 

 perienced hands through thoughllesness. Now, of course, 

 care can be taken and a irrcat many accidents avoided; but 

 il lakes, as the old saying says, experience to learn wisdom. 

 I htive always considered myself pretty careful at handling 

 fire-arms, but I think that the incident that happened to mo 

 some time ago had the desired effect upon uie and 1 now con- 

 sider myself "tire-proof." 



A person may be careful in a groat many points, but ne 

 generally lias a weak point somewhere, and I did not prove 

 myself to be an exception to what T believe to be a rule. One 

 day in the Spring I had been out hunting and had wandered 

 about for half a 'day without success and was wending my 

 wav homeward when I met u team that was going across the 

 bike wilh a patty to lish. I made up my mind to accompany 

 ■ neni and s,-e if ] couldn't run on to a few dinks, and accord- 

 ingly laid my gun in behind the seats and piled in on top of 

 [J. 'Mow, il never occurred to me thai that gun was ln dan- 

 ger of going off during that entire ride, but if it had the only 

 damage would have been no end-board in the buggy, so we 

 will leave that "weak point" and puss on. When we ar- 

 rived at our destination I jumped out and reached for my 



3 I have heard of hundreds of accidents happening just as 

 mine did. and il has alwavs been a mystery to me how it did 

 happen. I raised the gun up wilh Ihe muzzle pointed side- 

 ways and thought it was coming all right, but one of the 

 (rigyers struck the end-board and throw the gun around, 

 pointing it at niv head, or nearly so. The gun was discharged 

 and Ihe charge of shot passed under the rim of my hat, one 

 shot grazing my cheek, taking off a little skin. The barrel 

 was within a few inches of niv ear at the time of the dis- 

 charge, aud vou may imagine how much I could hear with 

 that ear for the remainder or that day. If anybody had told 

 me before that event look place that such a thing could hap- 

 pen to me I would have thought them a little "off." Andso 

 it is with a great many others ; they think themselves above 

 having advice given to them, and only realize the fact too 

 late that they are only human and are apt. to forget Ihetn- 

 selyeB. No doubt numerous other readers of the PoaBST Asm 

 Stubam can give some of their experiences in "taking les- 

 sens." and thUs give timely warning to some unwary sports- 

 man. Lei us hear from you. H. 



Wild Fown a.t CrniiiTL-oir.— Never in my remembrance 

 has the shoot inu: been as good at Currituck as it has been 

 'his s.ason. We do not know how to account for it, uuless 

 It is that the extreme cold weather has driven the birds 

 South, I am a resident of Currituck. Have been livmg 

 here for about eighteen years, and during the past two years 

 have kepi an account of all the birds I shot ; and I find that 

 up to t|iis time, January 15, 1 have shot more birds than I 

 ever shot in a whole season before. From October 1 to Janu- 

 ary 11 I have shot liiOO ducks, fourteen geese, seven swan 

 and two snow geese. These were all shot from paints and 

 ponds in the meadows. My largest bag was one hundred 

 ducks 1 write this to show the people in the North and in 

 other parts of the United Stales what they miss by not com- 

 ing to Currituck duck shooting. The gunners who shoot, 

 from bat t cries have also shot a great number of red heads 

 andcauva8 backs. P. Hampton and H. Taylor, two of our 

 celebrated battery shooters, shot 335 red heads in one day. 

 We have also a great many English snipe in February and 

 March ; and in July, August and September we have bay 

 snipe, such as yellow legs, plover, curlew and all other kinds 

 of snipe that follow the sea coast. During the past two 

 years we have seen more green backs (or golden plover) than 

 we have ever seen at Cobb's Island or any other place on the 

 coast of the Atlantic. Graxup.. 



ItEIJJOiS— GharMtCHh, III, Jan. 17.— Quails, scju 

 pinnated grouse scarce ; turkeys and ruffed jjr 



•els 



and 



rery 



3 no deer to be found in this part of the country, 



the last one was run off with hounds on Decern her 4, 1S78. 

 The only good bag that I know of being made in one day 

 this winter was on November 20 by a company of twenty 

 men out for a day's shooting. When they reached the field 

 they divided into companies of ten men each, with J. E. 

 Curd captain of company A and Win. E. Jeffries captain of 

 Company B- I the company hilling the least game to pay for 

 a "amc supper. When thev returned at night thev counted 

 the "•amc. ' Curd's company killed 211 rabbits and 60 quails; 

 Jeffries' company killed 211 rabbits aud 40 quails ; Curd's 

 company winning by forty counts. Total, 452 rabbits and 

 100 mmils-a verv (rood day's bag. It is said that 1,000 rab- 

 bits were killed to-day by men who went from town. The 

 supper was served up at. the Maples House, the best, hotel in 

 the city for sportsmen to stop at. Pds Sofirbki.. 



The Ohio Game Law.— A bill introduced into the Ohio 

 General Assembly to prohibit quail and prairie chicken shoot- 



