492 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



[July 81, 1881. 



v, '/!',/"'"''"'■" '\" r , 0rie ' c, ' e '-' l ' u owl. sr„j. n «.„•„,. three common 



J. 1 "!"^' /°' ,u '■■■'■]->'■ 'a;e\ir,eiekbii-il, .l : 7ee (l e.,« ,,/,rv„,',...,^. one white 



0#ff{* !?;*# #ft<? <§/*«, 



FOREST AND STREAM GAME TABLE 



OPJilf SEASONS. 

 The seasons, In which It is lawful to snoot game in tuc Severn I 

 States and Territories, open as designated In the following table. Ex- 

 cept ihe Minnesota pinnated gror.se season, which closes Oct. 1, none 

 ol the seasons named close before Nov. 1 , issi i 



Aug. 15.. 

 Oa",„ itH'i.l... 

 Idaho'. ! Aug. i., 



ill Sejjt. 1. 



Ind.. .. out, i . 

 town... SBpt l.\ 



Kan 



By*.... sept, i 



I.a kuig. •■.. 



iMf.s... 001 i. . 

 Mass. . 'tfov. 1 ., 

 Jllch.c . fieri . 1 .. 

 Minn .. Nov. I . 

 Miss. .. sept. 15 

 Mo. A.. Sept I. 

 Neti . .. Oct, i.. 



-Nev.. •. Aug. I.. 



.)nlr-i.. 



■July :.. 



JQIJ 10, 



All'.;. 1 . 

 A lip, 1 . 



July 4.. 



N. H 



N.,T./.. 

 ■\. Me.v. 

 N. V. a 

 N. C, * 



O 



Or 



sepi, i. 



Sept. I. 

 Aug. 1. 



A up. I.'. 



(jet. 15. 

 July i . 

 Oct. l.. 



AVash'.iAu^. l.. 

 \V. Va..|,7uly is.. 

 AVIs. ... Kepi . 15 

 Wyo... l Aus. 15. 



. ..MS. 



Sep i 15. 

 rrnht.'ei. 

 OCt. I . . . 



Aug. 15.. 



Nov. I... 



N0Y. 1... 



oot-i .. 



HepUl.J 



Oct, J... oct. l. 

 Nov. I... Kov. 1 

 Ct. 1... oct, 1, 



Unfed 



Pint* 



(Arouse. 



/'rinV.'e 





Chtek- 



<m>. 



Sept.' 15'. 





Oct i... 



OCt. 1.. 



Oct. 1... 





Aug. 15.. 



AUg. 15 



MOV. I ". 



Atlg. 1..S 



sepl. i 



Nov. 1... 



. uet, 2c. 



. S'pt. 15 



sept. I.. 



sept ;. 

 iiig. i. 

 DEL 1.. 



Aug. 1. 

 •rii'l'y V '. 



jh'ly i' '. 



sepi. i 



Oct. 15. 



opt i 



Si.pt. 1 



■I'tily to 



Isepc. 1.. 

 :S"|,t.i5. 



I OCt. 15.. 



Oct. i... 

 Sept. j.. 

 . Seta, 1.. 

 Nov. 1 . 

 Sept. I . . 

 Nov, 1.. 



OCl. I... 

 NOV. 1.. 

 Aug. 1 .J.Iuno . 

 Oct. 15.. Oct, I. 



Nov. I.. Sept. 1 



Sept. I 

 1'iohM 



issi 



Aug. 15 



Oct, 15.. 

 ALU'. 15., 

 Sept- 1 . ■ 

 Sept. i.. 

 NOV. 1 .. 

 Sept. 1.. 

 Sept. I.. 

 Oct. 1... 

 Sept. |.. 



Oct 15. 



Sept i! 



Nrjvill 



•Uliv i . 

 Oct, 1 . . 



Sept. i . * 







Sept. i.| oct. l.. 



Sept 1. 



• ! Sept. 16 



■ sept, if, 



;oet. i.. 



sept, i.i...., . 

 Aug. i J 



Sept. i-.sept. I. 



ls ' s: i Sept. ir, 



sept.i. 



Nov. l.. Aug. i.. 



■ U «P< |Atlg. I.. 



Oct 15. (Sept. I 

 Aug. I.. Aug. IS, 



Aug. I.. 



Sept. 1 . 

 Aug. 15 



Sept. l 



si- lit'.' i 



aus. i. 

 -Sept. 1 

 Sept. 1 



scpt.'i! 



■l nt. ^.e.-col., Sept 1 ; Idaho, Aug. I ; Neb.. Oct. i ; Kev., Aug l • 



Is. ,\lf-x,Scpl, 1 ; I ■lah. A ill', l; Wee... Aug. 15. - ' b ' 



Bufiafo.— Cola, Sept. l : Neb., 'id. i : \. Mex., Sept. 1. 



Caribou.— Xlc, Oct. l : >'. II., sept., 1 ,-. 



Daces.— Ala., Aug. 1 ; Gal., .1 uly i ; Ga., Oct. I ; Kan., Aug, 1 ; Miss 

 Sept. 15; Mo., A M g. 1 ; N i '., Oct. I ; S. I ., Oc.i. 15. s ' " 



irtfc-Colo., Sept.. I; Mali", Aug 1; 511,:,)., Nov. I : Neb., Oct 1 ■ 

 Aug'l5 Ug ' 1; N ' ^ Hfpt,l; '-"'"'"'yl; t'tali, Aug. i; "vvyo.; 



Mouse — Me,, Oct. I ; N. H,., Sept 



lift „»((,: 



6.. Jlllv 1. 



t. I;Ncv.,Aug. l; N. Mex., 



Me'. 



Aug. 



Mo., An 



Sept, 1 ; 



Plover.— II. C, Sent. 1 

 II., Aug. l; Pa.:.lulyl5 



nail.— Del., Sept, 5: S 



mtttMri.—j>e1, Sept 



Snipe.— Dakota, \vg- 



' In these States then 

 piles to sale or possess!" 



c In Tipper renins ula deer season opens Aug. 15. il cduoriili 

 protected to 18S3. e In coos countv deer ,-ea-o'i open- \uk' 1 • moose 

 and Cariboo Sept. 1. r First open woodcock season leearj iulv I * 

 will close Aug. 1. ,-,' Qlii.ll e.iejiiUug 1 evil,: 1,1 ted 10 Nov. i."7ssi 'incoun' 

 tlcsof Montgomery, sclienectarly, Saratoga and .v.temv wildfowl 

 season In long island waters (mens Oct.. L ,': lew Live relates to fe- 

 male deeronly. 



1 ; Nev., Sept. 1; x. 



1. 



, Aug. '25 ; Pa., Bent, I. 



,Septl;N. o., Oct. is. 



HOUNDING VS. STILL HUNTING, 



WE continue tlie publication this week of the numerous 

 replies received in response to our request for experi- 

 ence and observation on the subject of deer-hunting. The 

 particular points of the inquiry were as follows : 



1st. What is the character of the country referred to ? 



2d. What is iho prevailing method of hunting deer? 



: L ' :i '"-' -1 ' 1--, ",. ..raei'i.-uu in ,.!,,■. ;,,,,. o, „, ,- L .re.i-ee-.-i 



to, and its effects. Does it drive deer out of the country ? 



4th. Describe in like manner still hunting and its effects. 



5th. What class of men lull the moEt deer ?— market hunters or 

 parties of sportsmen V— residents or non-residents ? 



6th. Would resident sportsmen approve of a law prohibiting 

 hounding deer ? Would the residents assist In enforcing it '! 



7th. Would they approve of a law permitting hounding, hut pro- 

 hibiting the Inilrng or capturing of the deer after it has been run 

 into the water ? Would such a law be practicable ? 



8th. What is the open season for deer? 



9th. What are the tuutor habits of deer, so far as you have per- 

 sonally observed them. 



MAINE AGAIN — " PENOBSCOT " PR0DU0ES HIS XHATJT. 



_.„ Newport, July 13. 



Editor Forest arid Stream: 



I have just arrived home from a three months' sojourn in 

 Canada, and, it is needless to say, have been eagerly devour- 

 ing Ihe contents of the pile of Fopkbtakd .Stke.yms thai have 

 accumulated during my absence. That is how it occurs lhat 

 I have only just seen the criticism on uiy article under the 

 abOTe heading in your issue of May 5. The writer "pro- 

 poses to answer some points of that article." Let us see how 

 he succeeded. I cheerfully admit lhat " the region drained 

 by the Machias is many limes larger" than that described by 

 me; but as the place I described does not touch the Machias 

 waters at all I fail to see what connection that observation 

 has with the article under criticism. I arrived on the 

 grouudNov. 13 and left, Nov. 22, and would like lo ask 

 "Old Tug " where he found the "admissions " which caused 

 him such "boundless surprise," and, as he himself advocates 

 a law allowing shooting through Sept., 1! the "sui prise " is 



not a little inconsistent when he thinks they have been killed 

 in that month ? He has "bunted and explored this region 

 asiar as Beddington." As that is at least Unity miles from 

 the tract described by lire I can well believe that he did not 

 hear "the music of the hounds" coursing deer at the lakes 

 named in my article. 



In regard to the number of deer killed, I had it from Ihe 

 hunters themselves, and it was fully confirmed by the express 

 agent, who shipped the saddles. ' • Old Tug" has been ' ■ kept 

 posted" by the lumbermen. These lumbermen kill more 



leer illegally than all other men cc 

 outnumber the hunters as twenty to c 

 facilities arc a hundred times 

 camps in the midst of the. deer, and 

 transport them through the bai '• 1 • a 

 may prove au informer. D01 



ibined, because they 

 e, and bt cause their 

 living as they do in 

 lot being obliged to 

 where any man met 

 ,ny one suppose that the 



" fioss" is going to pay eight or ten cenls per pound for beef 

 when venison can be had for the killing? Not much! And 

 this would be excusable, but usually over one-half of the 

 crew are "Provi, icemen," who care nothing for our game or 

 its preservation, and who kill (hem Sundays for sport. As 

 the writer has camped among them twenty-seven winters, 

 he knows whereof he affirms. 



The allusion to " L. U.'s camp" furnished me material for 

 ft good, hearty laugh . Having carried a rifle twelve of the 

 best years of my life for a livelihood, and with a score of 

 deer lulled squarely by still hunting at least equal to any in 

 the >State, I think I had a right to laugh. 



Nothing in my article justifies " Old Tug's" diatribe about 

 "businessmen" and "class legislation." Isiniply proposed 

 to change the law so as to give all an an eoual chance. 



But what are we lo think of "Old Tug's " substitute for 

 the conclusion of my article ? "H dosrs are not allowed to 

 hunt deer no other legislation will be necessary !" This would 

 allow both jack and crust hunting; and it is a nota- 

 ble fact that however widely experienced hunters differ in 

 their views, in regard lo Ihe comparative effects of bound- 

 ing as against still-hunting, ihey are without exception 

 -agreed as to ihe destructive effects of the two former meth- 

 ods. A glance through Iheir' communications in your col- 

 umns will, justify my assertion. Jack hunling is 'but liitle 

 practiced in this Stale except iu the Rangclcy Lake District, 

 where it has been introduced by visiting sportsmen. Crust 

 hunting is what annihilates the deer in our State. At least 

 every fourth winter ihe snow gets to be three feet, deep' in 

 ihe woods; ihen the slaughter goes ou. No "cm " nor 

 "army gun " is needed. The former makes too much noise, 

 and the latter is a useless encumbrance, for when one Can cut 

 the deera' throats with a jack-knife or beat out their brains 

 with a club, what is the use of a gun ? Last winter was a 

 favorable one for dee-\ and but few were killed. The winter 

 before was the reverse. Over 100 doer were hauled out 

 through the town of Greenfi irl, after the middle of Febru- 

 ary ; most of them killed on the track wlrch "Old Tug" 

 says is so well "protected." I hold myself in readiness to 

 prove my statement. 



Now a few words to " C. F. S." in retard to there being 

 no deer or hounding twenty ye-irs ago. I have kept acominu- 

 ous diary since 1850, and a fragmentary one since I SOI. In 

 it is recorded not only every deer killed, but every one seen, 

 audsoof all other kinds of game. 1 find my last regular season's 

 hunting on the Union River waters and Vicinity was in 1860 

 My score for that season is thirty-three deer and tw 

 Ihe latter killed November IS and 27, the former all before 

 Jan. 15, which was the close season at that time. There were 

 four men hounding in Alligator and Williams ponds: Jack 

 Darling, Isaiah JYIorey, Peol Sockis and John Penny weight 

 ! en was my sixth season on those witters, and bounding had 

 been done, every year and has been done every year since, as 

 well as years and years before. In 1859 a. mini well known 

 in all the eastern part of the State had about thirty Indians 

 and over that number of hounds employed in running deer 

 into "Jiuislriltkook dead water," on the Malta 

 River, and, finally, the first deer I over saw, over 

 years ago, was a noble buck, swimming the Penobscot River, 

 followed by a magnificent hound. The only deer I ever 

 killed, chased by hounds into water, I killed iu Upper jYIo- 

 pang Lake, with a paddle I it being strictly a fjneBtion of 

 meat for the nine fishermen encamped on its banks. 



I have always been a still-hunter, and as such fought hounds 

 bitterly and persiste " 



-ag 



nailed for facts, not op 



score of writers in fav, 

 deplete the deer, and 1 

 that il did, nothing \ 

 the vexed qui 



Id be gs 



But. facts 



such 1 gave ; hard bottom facts 



competent, witnesses to testify to, if necessary. I repeat em- 

 phatically: Protect deer from Jan. 1 to Aug. 1 (so as to cut off 

 jack and crust hunting) and dr 



but Foricst amo Stream 



ly, and I submit thai if a 

 ling argued that it did not 

 iber of still hunters argued 

 ctl toward a settlement of 

 ill bear their weight, and 

 hich I can bring scores of 



ill in 



e and multiply. 

 Penotisoot. 



WHSX.MoPEI.ASn OOtlNTY, T-KNIs'HTI.VAN! A. 



RoSs Fcrn-aou. Penn. 



Having been bom and brought, up in the shade of the for- 

 est, I had a very good chance to s'udy nature, which I mede 

 use of in an awkward way, as 1 had no books or time to 

 waste las other people would say). At present my home is 

 on a spur of the Alleghany mountain, called Laurel Hill; 

 and is steep, mountainous land such as deer call a paradise 

 The prevailing method of hunting is still-hunting by name, 

 but not by practice, as not. one out of fifty hunt very slijf. 



Hounding here is not put in practice, as it is unlawful in 

 this county ("Westmoreland), but. ihere are three orfourpacks 

 of hounds in the neighborhood, that are kept tinder the pre- 

 tence of hunting foxes ; but 1 do not know of a single fox 

 being killed with all four packs, but I do know of twelve or 

 fifteen deer; and with the list of unknown, it would count, 

 up thirty, which are more than were killed bv still hunters in 

 the same territory last, season. 'The hounds are not kept 

 close, but sleal away and run a deer until ihey catch and 

 kill it, and, of course eat it, as they arc nearly starved, their 

 masters not having enough to buy the necessaries of life and 

 wants of their families. 



This is a needless slaughter of the deer. 1 sav slaughter, as 

 every deer killed this time of the year with'fawnsjBOunts 

 two or three next season. The one caught and killed by 

 hounds near our house was dissected and we found three fawn 

 with her. 



I do not think Ibis kind of hounding drifts deer from the 

 country, but it takes them out, which is worse. 



1 have not time or space to fully describe still-hunting here, 

 but we do not sec much until the first tracking unowiu the 

 season, and then wc see everybody from fourteen to four 

 score years old, nearly : some armed With old Harper's Ferry 

 muskets, some with horse-pistols tied on a slick, and some 

 with all the latest models of improved repeaters and breech- 

 loaders. 



The effects are about the same with both class of hunters. 

 The one with the modern gun has the theory of hunting, but 

 cannot see the deer to shoot ; and the one with the horse- 

 pistol has the practice and sees the deer, but cannot shoot it. 

 I think that the non-resident market hunter kills the most. 



The resident sportsmen would approve of a plan to r.rUrmi- 

 naU- the hounds and would assist in enforcing the present 

 lav,- were they not afraid that the lawless parties who own 

 the hounds wotdd burn their buildings. 



I do not think that they would approve of hunling deer 

 under any circumstances, as it would not be practicable, but 

 destructive to our game. 



The open season is from October 1 to December 10, which i 

 makes it long enough. 



In the first part of the winter the deer are in the habit of 

 roaming around and gathering in droves of from four to ten 

 or twelve ; in the latter pirt of winter staying em top of the 

 mountain if the winter is open, and coming down into the 

 hollows along the stream and under civer of the large laurel 

 iu the spring and summer, which gives the hounds all the 

 better chiinee to chase them. 



The fawns are dropped in the latter days of May or the 

 first few days of June, and ought not be shot before the first 

 or October under any circumstances, as 1 think they are 

 hardly large enough for game then. 



I think that still-hunting is the only proper way to hunt 

 deer in the Eastern, Midiile or Southern States, because it 

 combines science, art and genuine pleasure and amusement, 

 which gives a person exercise and health, while hounding is 

 nothing but cruelty and death to the deer. Shwky. 



FATBTXB AND SOMERSET COUNTIES, PBNTN. 



„,., „ Uniootwn, Penn., July 13. 



Editor Foi-at ami Stream : 



Your correspondent signing himself " R. T. C. 8." iu 

 writing about the running of deer with dogs in the counties 

 of Fayette and Somerset, this State, says that he has hunted 

 every fall for eight years iu the Allegheny Mountains a 

 greater part of the time in these two counties, and, that the 

 first year deer were plentiful, but the second year thev , the 

 deer) were chased out by dogs, have never "since returned 

 and consequently none are now found iu the localities re- 

 ferred to. 



Let us see how this statement will compare with the facts. 

 I have lived in Fayette County some tweulv-six years and 

 have hunted deer with dogs every fall for ten years pas', and 

 at no time prior to 1878 were deer so plentiful as they now 

 are and have been for the last three seas .ns. In the fall of 

 1879 more than twenty deer were killed within fifteen miles 

 of Uniontown and last year fully that many were brought in 

 —all killed in this county, where deer have been run with 

 li ee from time immemorial. Now, as to the adjoining 

 county of Somerset, whence the deer were all run out years 

 ago ami have forgotten to return, 1 still-hunted there iii the 

 fall of 187!). I found deer in goodly numbers within a Tew 

 miles of Confluence, but tor every deer track I also found a 

 dozen bushwhacking wolverines following the hot Scent like 

 s euth hounds. Every day I was out I heard dogs ruunintr 

 and knew they were owned by parties living right there On 

 the hunting grounds, the statute forbidding the running of 

 deer with dogs in Somerset County notwithstanding. Last 

 season a great many deer were killed within six or seven 

 miles of C-onflucnce, one party killing seven. Deer arc killed 

 there on that same ground every year, in season and out. of 

 season, with the aid of dogs and without ihem, at artificial 



salt: 



drive 

 food, 



in the heat of summer and i. 

 El-winter and early spring, to ■ 

 by the severity of the weather 



de 



illicit 



IS 11 



both, 1 

 being routed tt 

 about exterminating 

 once witness the novi 

 of these bushwhackei 

 ; see him, down 



ily to be either 



all-foi 



thickets 



1 they are 

 carcity of 

 icds or, on 



ov. Talk 

 you could 



me of one 

 nek of ft 



1 thicket, and' re- 



entry hear him give tongue and break the brush ... 

 thit would pul to shame 1 he veriest old lop-eared hound in 

 the country and make him shrink to nothins at thought of 

 his own utter insignificance as compared with this impro- 

 vised nondescript. Then wc would like to have vour judg- 

 ment in the matter, which one of the methods emplo veil would 

 teem best adapted to run, not otily deer, but also" all other 

 kinds of game out of the country. c. II. 8. 



OUR DETROIT LETTER. 



THE heat in this city has been almost beyond endurance 

 for a fortnight ; 100 degrees in the shade has frequently 

 been touched and no day in J uly hasmade any concessions 1 le- 

 low 90 degrees. Many Detroiters have not sufficient plethora 

 of purse to make a seaside or mountainous refuge practicable, 

 and so they avail themselves of the next best (hum, and lie.e. 

 to the islands of lake and river hereabout. One of Hie most 

 frequented localities for the favored is known as the St. Clair 

 flats. There, if anywhere in this latitude, a breeze is to he 

 had, and, while there are no scenic di versions, there is a beau- 

 ty and peaeefulness in the prospect quite enjoyable, and jyhen 

 to that are added the delights of bass fishiug uncqualed any- 

 where else ou the continent, I take it we can dispense with 

 salt water or mountain air with tolerable resignation. While 

 the Lake St. Clair Fishing and Shooting Club exercises its 

 prerogaiive of exclusivencss in the selection of company, we 

 cowans and barbarians can do very well at the Star Island 

 blouse, in the same region. There all who choose to go are 

 Welcome, and summer fishing makes the days glide by on 

 happiest zephyrs of enjoyment. 

 I need not remind readers of Forest axi 



there is no summer sport quite 

 ing, or that nothing under the 1 

 n ell-cooked fish served up pipi 

 ler taking its last s ' 

 a tenderness and a 



est A>m Stream that 

 .-tizing as a day's fish- 

 19 lsi ud as a 

 within ten minutes af- 

 aters. There is a flavor, 

 ish about fish thus eaten that dwellers 

 away from their haunts can never know. The Star Island 

 House presents a lively scone for a sportsman ou Sunday. 

 Then, in particular, the city pours its swarms of hoi human- 

 ity into the cooling region, and fishing and shooting parties 

 arc made up by scores. You can see the :u in 1 evn'on Mon- 

 day with sunburned tioses and hear their enthusiastic and 

 Oalderoiik tales of fishinst and shooting achievements. It's 

 enough to set oue's blood dancing to hear them talk, and the 



fac: that they nev 



rience persuades r 



At the Flats the 



! au oppr 

 they an. 



repeat the expu- 

 td earnest, 



lalities. Starch— lit- 

 liar.s are never seen 

 1 Of new and green 

 traw hat and a bait 

 iighty luxuriousthey 



