FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 1, lSSH. 



goes out full of vim and ardor, and who can cut down a 

 bird by the glint of its wings in the thickest covert? An 

 average country huntsman 18 a Ivro totheciaok shots Of 

 Richmond, Lynchburg and Charlottesville. 



Perhaps I 'do not exactly understand what "M." means 

 when he says the freedmau is not "a social or political 

 factor" in the Northside and Piedmont counties of the Suite, 

 as ho has never been admitted into Virginia society (noted 

 for its exclusiveness), but he casts 3,00(1 votes in Albemarle 

 county, and is regarded by every candidate for office as a 

 verv large "political factor," and L am very sure the gentle- 

 men who ran for Congrass last fall in the First District lying 

 in part on the Potomac River up to Acquis Creek, will be 

 enormously surprised to learn that the freedman has cleared 

 out of that part of the politician's vineyard, when he w«s 

 present, in the lute election to the number of 7,000 votes at 

 least. 



But "M." must forgive me if I fail to see the connection 

 between "a political and social factor," and a shooting and 

 bunting factor. There is a tribe of Indian? on the Pamun- 

 key River, In King William county, who make their living 

 by" fishing and hunting, and who arc death on fin, fur and 

 feather — but they can't vote, nary time. 



I have uo apology to make to the good-natured, shrewd, 

 shiftless freedman, since 1 know he will take no umbrage at 

 my savin sr lie pops Bob White i-verv time he sees him, if he 

 has a tuaee in his hand. But if 1 had known my reference 

 to him as one of the "factors" of bird scarcity would have 

 sunk so deep in "M.'s" heart t never should have mentioned 

 him. And it gives me genuine- pleasure to bear testimony 

 to the good Character, industry and honesty of u very large- 

 class of our colored population. 



"M." failed to read niv communication attentively. 1 

 expressly said that partridges are scarce all north of James 

 River, from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Chesapeake Bay. 



There are a number of negroes in and around Cuarlotle- 

 ville who keep dogs for 'possum and hare hunting, and all 

 this bud, snowy weather they have scoured the fields hare 

 hunting. Is there a while man in the world so green as to 

 believe iliat they refrain from shooting partridges whenever 

 they come upon them tbti game law to the contrary not- 

 withstanding? Rally wood. 

 [A, January, issa 



A ROCKY MOUNTAIN DEER HUNT. 



IN Montana the hlaektui! den winter in the heavily tim- 

 bered foothills adjacent to the main range of the Rocky 

 Mountains, staying there until the warm sun and melting 

 snows of April* reniiud them that the time has come to seek 

 the retirement of their mountain home, where, safe from 

 the pursuit of man, and far from the turmoil of the world, 

 they may raise their young in peace. 



The first heavy snowstorm hi October drives them from 

 the main range into the first foothills, where they stay Until 

 the heavier snows of winter push them further south. It 

 was at this time of the year, after the first heavy snow, that 

 my friend Dan, as line a young man as it has ever been my 

 pleasure to meet, and myself, decided to bring forth our 

 rifles, which had been laid away all summer, and try our 

 hick with the blaektuil. 



Early one bright October morning, having loaded our 

 wagon With '•grub" and blankets, with Hess and Moll, two 

 little mares as pretty as can be found anywhere, to haul 



E revisions and pack our game, and whistling to Prince, our 

 uuiiJ, to follow, we started for our camp in the foothills, 

 welve miles away. 



We had traveled some six miles, ami were passing through 

 a narrow valley when Dan says: "Look, what are those 

 while appearing animals moving along that little reef half- 

 way up the side of the hill?" It must have been a band of 

 antelope. They were watching us. so wc drove on till they 

 passed out of sight over the ridg* and into a little basin on 

 the side of the lull. Hastily unhitching Bess and Moll, and 

 tying them to the wagon, we carefully climhed to the top 

 o'f the reef, Looking between the rocks we saw some nice, 

 fat antelope feeding quiet!) in the basin, but out of range. 

 Wo decided that Dan was to go around to the right and try 

 to head them off, and 1 was to stay where I was. I waited 

 SOWS time, and as he did not appear, and the antelope were 

 feeiing away from me, 1 concluded to go around them to 

 the tell. By dodging and crawling 1 at last got ahead of 

 them, and skipping from behind a tree to get a shot, 1 beard 

 the report of Dan's gun find saw one of the antelope drop. 

 The rest ran through a pass between Dan and me, and as 

 they rri by we both shot, but still they rushed on. Fol- 

 lowing them a little way! almost, fell over a two-year-old 

 buck lying in the long grass, which had evidently been shot 

 as he was passing us, and running a short distance had 

 fallen dead. Packing the two antelope to the wagon we 

 hastened on to camp. 



After a hard pull, a long pull, and a pull all together, at 

 4 o'clock we reached the head of the little stream on the edge 

 Of our hunting ground, where we were to camp. After mov- 

 ing our camp outfit into the brush for shelter and picketing 

 the hOCSGS, I suggested, as there was still an hour of day- 

 light, that Dan, taking the dog, should go up into that heavy 

 timber at the top of the hill, while I took a stroll down the 

 creek, and as 1 had seen fresh sign of deer in the brush close 

 to camp, 1 felt quite sure of seeing some whitctail. 



The creek was a small one, with only a few bushes along 

 it — just room for a deer to hide. 1'was walking quietly 

 along the bank, above the creek, a few hundred yards below 

 the camp, when 1 noticed the bushes moving a little jusl 

 ahead Oj mo I heard a louder crashing, and out jumped 

 four whitelaii. ; u old doe. a yearling, and two fawns. They 

 slopped an instant to look at me, and quickly taking aim at the 

 doe, 1 tired. They were loo close and my bullet went over her. 

 At the shot they loped off. waving their white flags at me in 

 defiance. Another shot a little lower at the yearling passed 

 through both her shoulders, bringing her quickly" to the 

 ground, when she was soon dispatched. The other three 

 ran on till they came to the heavy brush along the Dearborn 

 Rivet, and I was obliged to give them up. 



Bringing the yearling into camp I was preparing supper 

 of antelope steaks, potatoes, flapjacks and coffee, when 

 Dan arrived. He had struck fresh sign as soon as he entered 

 the timber, and going very carefully, a deer which had 

 heard a uoioe in the brush below ran across and StOod in 

 front of him, looking at him. not fifty yards off. He could 

 barely see the deer in the brush, but aiming just back of the 

 shoulders he fired. The deer ran and be. shot again. Going 

 to the spot where the deer had stood he found blood. Fol- 

 lowing- the dog's lead in tin: direction in which the deer ran. 

 lie was taken to the dead deer, a two-year-old buck, which 

 had run fifty yards and then fallen dead, shot through the 

 hinge, .liter supper we made our beds of hemlock boughs. 



or, as we call them' "mountain feathers," and well satisfied 

 with our day's sport slept as only tired hunters can sleep. 



Break fast 'was eaten next, morning at daylight, and we 

 were off for the runway, one-quarter of a mile from camp 

 We watched from behind the scrub pines until sunrise, and 

 as the deer thought they would stay at home and not travel 

 that day, we followed up the gulch to visit them. We had 

 passed through several heavy patches of timber, when we 

 saw tracks in the old snow drifts, and then separating. Dan 

 took down into the heavy timber of the ravine, and 1 kept 

 on the edge. I bud just entered a dry pine pole patch, 

 when a three-prong buck, which had been lying down re-t- 

 ing, sprang to Ids feet. He stood and looked at me. lie 

 was seventy-five yards off, and as vet half asleep. Slowly 1 

 raised my" rifle, sighted carefully and fired, lb- sprang 

 awav, apparently unhurt. At the shot Dan came up, and 1 

 told him "I had "just, missed the finest shot at a buck Iliad 

 ever had." There was no sign of blood. Keeping the dog 

 still fast, we let him take the trail. He led us out into the 

 open, and at a hundred yards from where I shot we stood 

 over the body of the dead deer, He was shot through the 

 lungs, and going at full speed, had stopped short, reared up 

 ami fallen backward dead, for he lay facing the direction 

 from which he started. Dragging him to the nearest tree, 

 we hung him up and marked the place. 



It was now only ten o'clock, and we were quite encouraged 

 at the prospect of a good day's sport, Dan was to take the 

 edge of the timber, and 1 was to take the inside. 



Dan heard a rushing, crashing sound on the hillside 

 above him, and saw two large bucks running madly down 

 toward him. The timber was so thick that lie oniy got a 

 snap-shot tit them as they sped past him. They had winded 

 me, and never noticed Dan at all till he fired. " 



Meeting again, as agreed, we now came to an open glade, 

 Where the timber had been burnt oil', and the ground was 

 covered with low bushes and fallen trees. At first we saw 

 nothing unusual, but on closer inspection Dan thought he 

 saw a pair of horns above the grass in a little clearing. On 

 examining it with the glass, we not only saw through the 

 brush the owner of the horns, but three or four more deer 

 partly hidden by the undergrowth. They were too far for 

 a shot, and we Were to windward of them. Fortunately 

 the air was very still, and they had not scented us. We 

 crept back over the bill out of' sight, and held a council of 

 war, which resulted in Dan making a long detour of the 

 woods and approach iug the deer under cover of the bushes 

 till he was within 150 yards of them. A snapping of a 

 stick, and in an instant" with a snort the old buck was on 

 his feet, followed by Wo does and two fawns. 



Meanwhile I had gone to the head of the ravine with the 

 dog to intercept them if they took up the mountain. 

 Watching Dan 1 saw the smoke from his gun and at the re- 

 port the Seer jumped around a little but did not run. Again 

 his Winchester spoke to them and I saw one of the docs 

 fall. She was up again now, and although behind the rest 

 was making a good run. Up the hdl they came, passing 

 me 200 yards off. 1 shot, but my gun being sighted for 100 

 yards niv bullet fell short. By this lime the doe was lag- 

 ging a little, and turning Prince loose I hastened after him. 

 Presently 1 heard him bark; he had overtaken her and was 

 having a' desperate fight. Several times she shook him off, 

 when Dan, closing up, finished her with a shot which broke 

 her back. He had shot her too far back and too low down 

 the first time. Without the dog we would have lost her, 

 although eventually she would have died We hung her up 

 out Of reach of the' wolves on the edge of the limber and by 

 a roundabout way started for camp. 



We saw several more deer but could not gel a shot until 

 crossing a gulch near camp. At the foot of a ravine I saw a 

 large brick which had just come down from the limber and 

 was on his way to water. HewasSOQ vftrds oil. I raised 

 my sight, dropped on one knee, fired, and to my surprise, 

 saw him fall. Running up to him I found his neck was 

 broken by the bullet, and with a few convulsive kicks, he 

 relinquished the struggle. Next day we packed our game 

 to camp; finding one of the deer which we had hung up was 

 considerably torn by a mountain lion, and as we had all the 

 meat we needed for present wants, and the clouds were 

 threatening snow, we struck camp for home, which we 

 reached in" good season, feeling very much the better for OUT 

 few days' camping in the Rocky Mountains. 



If au'y of your readers ever visit Montana and will come to 

 my sheep ranch in October or November, 1 will be most- 

 happy to show them the home of the deer and mountain 

 sheet), and if they can't kill one it will be their own fault. 

 If they have lost any bear and want to find him, I can put 

 them on the track where, if they don't find the bear, perhaps 

 the bear will find them. Tiik Rockils. 



I must^ he allowed to express a grave doubt whether any 

 justice of the peace, who really comprehended the eharae- 



THAT REMARKABLE SHOT IN FLORIDA. 



IN the FoiiEST aki> Sthk.vm, of .January 18. "Youi's for 

 truth— Knick," writes thus: "I see that your corres- 

 pondent 'Wells.' says he doubts the statement I made of a 

 deer being killed with No. shot, etc." What part of the 

 "etc." did I doubt? What is the "etc ."? Now I beg to 

 assure "Knick" that I think he will find it rather difficult 

 to discover the "doubts" to which he refers, in the article 

 in question. 1 surely said I should accept the statement, as 

 being true, hut suggested that it would have been rather 

 more satisfactory if the writer had condescended to inform 

 us what was the distance of the unfortunate deer from 

 the fortunate sportsman, id the time the remarkable oc- 

 currence took place. It v. as a remarkable shot, and for that 

 reason, "Knick" handed it down to history— or contributed 

 it to hi-story, I admitted that a good charge of gunpowder 

 would kill a deer, at very short range, with No. 9 shot in 

 front of it. But I did sa'y, and 1 reiterate it, that beyond a 

 very short distance, such a charge would not penetrate the 

 hide of a buck in the "blue season." 



I suppose "Knick" inferred my doubts, from the fact 

 that 1 made his statement the foundation of some remarks 

 upon the extravagance of expression. Perhaps he is rather 

 sensitive in regard to it. But I do trust that he will not 

 permit ('apt. v. J. S. to make any oath on the subject. 

 There is no use of swearing about" it, Ordinarily the ex- 

 pression of a willingness to swear to some big story suggests 

 a doubt of its truth. But 1 surrender. Capt. Y. J. S. 

 killed a deer in Florida with No. 9 shot, propelled by four 

 drams of gunpowder, "a little, over twenty yards measured." 

 Howinueh "over?" What sort of a measure was used? 

 Hunters' measure, or cloth measure? How did he find the 

 exact .spot where he stood, and where the ,leer was When he 

 shot? But as the narrator proposes to fortify himself by 

 the oath of b respectable witness, before a justice of the 

 peace, all doubt must vanish; and so '"pHKUt:, " procnl exto 

 pr.ifnni,"— "or words to that effect." But. "I reiterate. " it 

 was n very remarkable shot. 



ind duties of h 

 used to strengthen, by thi 



be killed a aeeV ' a duck o 



allowed, or rafter empowt 



tors of controversy belwee 



In mere matters ofopinioi 



involved, they have no such rn 

 somebodv might object, that 1 

 time and' place of iu'vestigat 



mid allow his office to lie 

 Mcmnitiesof an oath, the i, 

 i. as to the distance at which 

 sand-hill crane. Justices are 

 1 to administer oaths, in mat- 

 art ies in regard to legal rights. 

 vhen no legal right or duty is 

 authority. Even if they did, 

 did not have notice of the 

 ) that he might have been 



present either in person or by attorney, and subjected the 

 affiant to a cross-examination. But, I object to all swearing 

 upon the subject except, perhaps, as to that pni-loflhc 

 comment which states that the Shot penetrated the "ribs." 

 That. I must say, requires a little corroboration, That is 

 indeed remarkable. 



Now, 1 trusl Ihaveuot offended n 

 an extent that be will not have the ! 

 I always make allowance for a vivid 

 1 lake many statements of sportsnit 

 was just this measure I 



hunter in the FOREST and 



about Lincolnton, in this Slate, it w, 

 find covevs of quail containing fiftv b 

 believe; I do not believe it now. 

 of these birds, and never yet saw- 

 men are often deceived by the 

 few men have such accuracy of 

 the number of birds as they" with 

 So much for that. 



friend "Kuiek"tosueh 

 ndness to forgive me. 

 nagirifltion. and confess 



"turn tjritiio radix." It 

 [he assertion of a 



few 

 rds. 



ago, that 

 uncommon to 

 That I did not 



i largeasthat, GentK 

 irance of things, and 

 as to be able to count 



• with great \elocily 

 Wells.' 



[We have the records of half a dozen authentic cases 

 where deer had been killed with No. 10 shot, and in one or 

 two instances over points. Several of these case.-, have been 

 recorded in Foukst akb Stream. It is hardly necessary to 

 say that in every instance the deer were shot 'at very short 

 range.] 



INDIANA GAME INTERESTS. 



A BILL to prohibit quail shooting for three years has 

 been introduced into the Indiana Legislature. Mr. 

 A. C. Lanier, of Aladison, has published a circular in which 

 he says: 



"It" does not seem possible for the Legislature of Indiana 

 to convene wilkout having a tilt, at the game law. No State 

 has a better law than our-, ami none more universally ob- 

 served. There is before the House now a bid (It. B.' No. 

 80) forbidding the killing of quail for I love years. The ob- 

 ject of this bill i*. no doubt, to make quail iuore abundant; 

 Lett u greater mistake could not In- made. It is not the gun 

 that destroys so many birds, but the cold waves thai sweep 

 down suddenly from the North that freezes them to death 

 as they sit huddled together in the field. Whenever the 

 temperature falls IS. or 20 degrees below zero, the quails are 

 frozen to death in whole coveys. They rarely seek a shel 

 lered place to roost, but are usually found' in the open 

 field, oftentimes in the most exposed positions. 



"During the seasons of 1H54 and '5a, the quail were more 

 aburdant than ever known h.-tote or since, in this Stale. 

 The three preceding winters h-nl lied, mild and the sum 

 mers dry and favorable to Heir nesting: but. the winter of 

 1S!,-)K almost destroyed the entire crop. When spring ciiim- 

 and summer the whistle of the male bird was rarely heard. 

 When the season arrived for shooting it was .t rare 'thing to 

 find a covey. 



"From iHijfi a gradual increase took place until Jan. 1, 

 1811-1. On the morning of that day the mcrcitiy fell from 

 30 to 25 below zero. Thousands and tens of th . . ., 



of birds were frozen to death before noon. 



"From 1804 to 1881 the in ■■■-.. Ii more man 



once occurred where the winter was mild thai Hie summer 

 was wet and unfavorable for nesting, and so uo Increase 

 took place. 



"Tne winter of 1881, like those of '50 and '01, was also 

 very destructive to the quail. In many portions of the 

 State one-half or more of the crop perished from cold, and 

 in other portions nine out of ten died from starvation, tin- 

 g-round being covered with snow for a long time. 



The excessive cold of winter ami a wet summer both 

 lard the increase of quail. Last summer was u lair ill ust ra- 

 it season. The first nest- 

 both drowned out by the 

 July. Many of the quail 

 •conn tiroou. The prairie hens never have but one. 

 e i:- a simple anil true history of the increase and de- 

 >f quail in our Slate nurt the' causes therefor, for the 

 past twenty-nine years. If there is any portion of it where 

 prohibition could effect any good I cannot sec it,. It litis 

 been tried in Ohio and signally failed. If it. were enforced 

 by law, the trap and the hawk would take the place of the 

 gun. 'The Lord gtveth the increase.' So let us enjoy it 

 when it comes, and uot make laws trying to forbid that 

 over which we have no control." 



Mr. F. M. Gilbert, the well-known humorist, and editor 

 of the Evansville An/iix, has recently been appointed game 

 warden of the First District of Indiana. In a late issue of 

 his paper he announced his intentions in this vigorous man- 

 ner: 



"It is highly probable that in this city a little more atten- 

 tion w ill be paid to the game law in the future. It has been 

 shamefully neglected here, having been openly violated by 

 parties who knew better, we have been appointed game 

 warden in this district and we propose to do our duty. It. 

 is a thankless position, as till such positions are, but we 

 don't propose to be intimidated. Right is right, and wrongs 

 no man. Parties who have handled game in this city in pal 

 years have laughed when cautioned. Netted quail have 

 "been openly exposed, and it is safe to say that not one dealei 

 out of fifty in this city ever looks to see whether the birds 

 consigned to him by eApress, or by some farmer, have been 

 netted or shot. It fe just such disregard of the law that has 

 made decent shooting anywhere in the vicinity of Evans 

 villi- a thing of the pest. 'The man who loves 'to go out in 

 the fresh air and hunt game legitimately find,- none; it has 

 ii, been s.eritieed for the sake ol the stomachs of a few epi- 

 eiin.. ]■>,.,-■ time anything is attempted in the way of 

 stopping- this -wholes Br of quail, a virtue 



foes up, and the air is full of 'malice' and 'persecution.' 

 attic bench-legged scribblers, who don't, know a j 

 from a gutter-snipe raise their paws in virtuous indignation, 

 and add their feeble howls to tie- rest. We are happy to 

 B&J thai things are now entirely changed and there is a 

 general feeling all over the country that this wholesale 

 butchery must'be stopped, no matter who suffers. We wish 

 to say nghthere that to any and everybody who makes any 



tion ol the injurious 



""• ■ ■ of quail and pr 



had a ,e-c 

 ' He: 



m 



