4S6 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[3vh? 10, 1883. 



even bringing Up their boys to trap, Mime, and sell quails 

 (culled "cnlin," when you -don't waul them to know what 

 you mean), taking them to market with only a pinched head, 

 or broken neck. When a simple punch with an awl, or si jab 

 with d lork would enable thpm to swear they shut them, 

 without much risk of perjury. An occasional small shot 

 inserted in the hole would' satisfy any petit juryman of 

 modern times. 



You will see the expediency of educating the farmer and 

 his family unto I he standard.' so (hat he may be led to divide 

 with you occasionally when you cannot., consistently, pro- 

 vide your own table with the luxury of name in season, or 

 any other lime. 



BffVISIOK OF lire TATITFK. 



While Minn- may doubt the policy of mixing our affairs 

 with political questions to any great extent, [ would ask 

 your careful but cautious attention to the protection of 

 same, which, by a moderately elastic construction maj come 

 within the "tariff for revenue" side of the case. Game, if 

 BKOperly protected (from observation) can be made to pro- 

 duce revenue at all seasons of the year. Your wise consider- 

 ation of this fact is respectfully suggested. Trout, grayling, 

 and other protected game fishes will come under wis head. 

 Vuu musl nut consider that l recommend any interference 

 wiiii game, as understood by another branch of the sporting 

 fraternity. I allude to poker, both straight, draw and tunk, 

 kcuo, faro, croquet, polu, tennis, charades and base ball. 

 Tile various varieties of pool properly belong to the. Fish 



Commissioners, wkowould carp ataJay officious intermeddling 

 in thai channel. Tht! influence of' these classes of game 

 upon revenue is so uncertain, that I advise you to be very 

 careful to look over your bands the srcund t'ime previous to 

 risking money upon their value. 1 may, however, be al- 

 lowed to hint", as my individual opinion, the policy of re- 

 forming the rules now in vogue as to the Jackpot, so" called. 

 which is a destructive modem invention, and gives capital 



an undue advantage over labor, induces and encourages 

 strikes, causes lock ouls until the demand so far exceeds the 

 supply that production is stimulated to such extent that 

 decks are overloaded, holds are lull in Bush limes, when 

 many rash speculations are made, resulting in disaster in 

 the call. 1 may safely leave these matters to your mature 

 judgment, trusting you will deal fairly with them when it 

 comes your turn. 



IN CONC'I.t SIO.N. 



Thanking you, who are still awake, tor your kind indul- 

 gence and i In- deep interest you seen, to manifest in my re- 

 marks, and trusting you will not disturb those wrapped in 

 slumber, nor attract the attention of the police, by an enthu- 

 siastic applause. I beg to close by tendering my heartfelt 

 gratitude to you all, i'or the honors so often conferred upon 

 me. only asking you to attend my funeral in a body should 

 1 die before a quorum shall be present. 



A. H. MHB8HON, President K. 8. G. P. Club. 



East Saces-aw, Midi., Jan. 7, 1883. 



STAR WADS. 

 Riiiiur Forest aru.1 SHiwiw: 



t nder the above beading in your issue of June 21, one Of 

 your correspondents asks for some information from those 

 who have used them. My experience has not ye! been very 

 extensive, but as fur as it goes is decidedly in' favor of the 

 star wad. They have held the charge firmly in place ir 

 every shell in which I have used them, whether in new 

 paper shells or in those which I have unloaded. 



My gun is a W. & C. Scott Damascus barrel, 22-gauge, 

 Choked tO 14 at the muzzle, and 1 do not find that there has 

 been the least injury done To the barrels. I am convinced 

 lb. ii these wads cause Ihe gun to shoot closer than when a 

 cartridge is crimped. As evidence of this fact, 1 was shoot- 

 iugclay pigeons on the Fourth of July, and found that I 

 must get directly on the object or I would miss it; and then, 

 as a further lest, after others had shot and missed several. 

 1 shot, and broke them at least 50 to BOyds. distance: all 

 of the lime 1 was using bVlnns. of Dupont No. 2 powder, 

 and l^oz. No. 8 shot. The metal of which these wads are 

 made is 80 soli thai it would appear impossible to injure the 

 barrels of a sun. and yet they do hold the paper wad down 



rfectfy. J. H. T. 



■•.';,' 



GAME IN COLORADO. 



I^HE game in Colorado is fast decreasing, owing to the 

 non-enforcement of a not very stringent game taw. 

 Your correspondent interviewed one of the oldest and best 

 informed sportsman in the State. He .said that, within the 

 last fifteen years buffalo could bo found within a few min- 

 utes' ride of Denver in immense herds of thousands, and 

 antelope could be seen in the oulskiits of Ihe city; in fact, 

 about six years ago one wandered into the city during a 

 blinding snow storm. Some four years ago, "during the 

 month Ol January, when the antelope made their appear 

 anee. after a severe snow storm, hunting for food, 28. r j were 

 killed by slag bounds, near the exposition grounds. This 

 was during the close season. It is only a tew years ago 

 that the black-tail deer could be found* within two hours' 

 ride of Denver; anil also that famous .animal the Rocky 

 Mountain sheep could be found in large numbers in Die 

 neighborhood of Hear Creek and Clear (.'reek Canon, while 

 the cinnamon, black and grizzly bears were abundant 

 enouah lo satisfy Ihe most bloodthirsty tourist. 



With the advent of the railroads into the mountains all 

 this was changed: all the employes of the railroad com- 

 panies, from the contractor to the train boy, considered the 

 game their property and slaughtered indiscriminately, in 

 season and out. iii places where the railroads do not reach, 

 the stockmen and desperadoes kill the game, blow up the 

 rish with dynamite, and in many cases kill deer in Ihe close 

 season for their hides only. "Even the Well-to-do stock 

 raisers, men who would consider it an insult if you accused 

 them of breaking the law, kill a large amount of game in 

 the eU.se season, justifying themselves by a clause' in the 

 game law which allows a man to kill game for his own use 

 only. Buffalo cannot now be found within 600 miles of 

 In re, while only fifteen years ago there could be seen thou- 

 sands of them. ' This may sound exaggerated, but it is a 

 bare fact and can be proven. 



The Legislature litre is not competent (o enact a suitable 

 game law, and unless the people will elect men that can 

 appreciate the value of the game and fish to Colorado, things 

 will get worse instead of belter. It is a well-known fact 

 i' i ! i. in and foreign spot tsraen have contributed in DO 

 small degree to the welfare of Colorada, and if the game is' 

 not protected, she will lose one of her greatest attractions to 

 tourists. Wealthy men come here in search of health, rec- 



reation and good hunting; and in many eases have loctiled 

 here and greatly increased the prosperity of this State, If 

 liegami be exterminated, the attraction for the moneyed 

 lourist is gone, and Wyoming or Montana will reap the 

 benefits that Colorado can and should have. There are in 

 this city of Denver men who, if they would, could do a great 

 deal to stop this ill-gal killing of game, and if they can' only 

 be persuaded lo set the ball rolling, will tind plenty of sup- 

 porters in tie- other towns throughout the Slate. 



In Grand county some prominent men who have openly 

 violated the game laws only a few days ago, shot each other, 

 which ]. roves, in this State at least, that a man who will 

 break Hie game laws will commit murder. 



When the citizens of Colorado awaken to the fact that 

 she is fast losing one of her greatest attractions, then (hey 

 will enact and enforce a law that will protect the game and 

 fish, but unless they do this very soon it will be too late. 



That Office Boy. . 



Henvhu, Colorado, July. 1883. 



A Revolver BtobY.— ESito' Fomt „„d Strtdm: Your 

 readers have undoubtedly all heard of the traditionary luna- 

 tic, who, during (be heat of an engagement, loaded six 

 charges of powder and shot in his musket, one above an- 

 other, in order to gel six successive whacks at the enemy 

 without stopping lo reload; also, of the fellow who goes 

 hunting once a year in the summer time and always manages 

 to ram two big charges down one barrel of his gun at a criti- 

 cal moment, when he sees a red squirrel smiling at him from 

 the opposite side of a tree limb. What f want to chronicle 

 is ii newly -discovered method Of compound loading, which 

 certainly beats both the foregoing by a vast majority. Last 

 summer my brother Walter, accompanied by several other 

 boys, went down the Ohio River a few miles "from towu, and 

 while in a grove tried target shooting with a 7-shot, .33- 

 caliher revolver. Strange to relate, after each discharge no 

 bullet marks could be found anywhere. At length, when 

 the shooter tried to cock the revojver for the sixth shol, he 

 found the concern would not work. In the investigation 

 which followed a. remarkable discovery was made in the 

 barrel. There, wedged tightly together, one behind the 

 other, were the live lost bullets," jammed into one mass, with 

 the tail end of the fifth bullet projecting into the cylinder 

 and clogging its action. The cylinder was found to have 

 been put into the revolver out of a true line with the barrel, 

 and the bullets, moreover, being rather too large and tight 

 for the weapon, they had lodged, one upon the other, in the 

 barrel, as described." The mystery to me is Why the tool 

 didn't WOW up. As the Irishman would say, "The facts in 

 this case are entirely true." -W. (Kentucky). 



. Western New York.— Mexico. N. Y r ., July 9.— I fea: 

 that the fall shooting in this vicinity will be a failure; at 

 least will afford but little sport to local sportsmen. In talk- 

 ing with a gentleman yesterday (who always keeps his eyes 

 open) he said we would have a few woodcock as he had seen 

 one or two broods in his rambles. Big and Little Sandy 



rmds have been mentioned in your paper frequently, and, 

 need say nothing of them. ' Oswego sportsmen control, 

 in part, if not entirely, all the duck shooting at both ponds. 

 The ruffed grouse is 'no longer seen in this locality, I don't 

 suppose there are twenty-five birds in the county. In my 

 early boyhood I used to find a covey in almost every piece 

 of woods. Now there are none. 'Tis the parasite or worm 

 and not the hunter that has destroyed our best game bird, 

 The bass fishing at Mexico Poiut continues good, though I 

 understand that the best fishing is found at Captain Sam 

 Nichol's, up the lake and nearer to Oswego. — J. W. S. 



TnE Charms of Florida. — There are hundreds of your 

 readers, who like the writer, have spent winters delightful 

 ami pleasant to remember among the lakes, the woods and 

 marshes of Florida. Go there from the snow and ice, the 

 slush, wind and rain of our northern winters; camp (not iu 

 the hotels nor among the "crackers," bull in your own tent 

 under the pines; sail in your own boat; leave the lines of 

 tourists' travel; go anywhere in South Florida and good 

 sport with rod or gun "can be had for those who seek it pa- 

 tiently and do not expect too much. As for the climate, it 

 can restore weak lungs I know from experience. I also 

 know that W the southern end of Ihe Peninsula it is usually 

 dry, delightful weather from January to April. For fish- 

 ing, where COD it be equaled? Of game there is enough, ex 

 eepl for those who wish to slay their thousands in a day, 

 and all from the deck of a steamer.— C. 



Reed Birds at the Seaside. — In stating that the reed 

 bird wa's never found near salt water, I only intended to con- 

 vey the idea that the bird was not abundant in such locali- 

 ties, or in numbers that would warrant their being sought 

 for, and thus criticized the article referred to. They are 

 plentiful in season, and in the best condition for the table 

 only when they are feeding on the seeds of the fresh-water 

 reed, and then are not game. I have killed them in May for 

 mounting in boholiuk plumage near the seaside. Those 

 shot, as stated, among beach plum bushes near the salt 

 meadows could not have been iu prime condition. Your 

 correspondent has killed wild pigeons on the beach that 

 skirts the New Jersey coast, but would not advise such 

 grounds to be selected by the sportsmen. He has also seen a 

 horse fly over the river.— Homo. 



Texas Prairie Chickens, — Indianola, Tex., July 9. — 

 Have had nice showers these last few days, and look forward 

 to good prairie chicken and plover shooting on the 1st of 

 August, when the season opens. — G. A. 



Prairie Chickens in Minnesota.— Sauk Centre, July 

 10. — Present prospects are good for prairie chickens, as if 

 is a dry season and has not been bad by flooding the 



marshes for any length of time. — Deli.. 



•'Bates's Tuavkls in Minohoa."— The editor of this journal wishes 

 to procure a copy of "Bateti's Travels in Minorca," and will thank 

 any reader who may direct him to where the book can be found, or 

 Who may send to him the. full title page. 



. son of Mr. Henry Christison, living a few miles west of 

 Winchester, IU., met" with a painful accident a short time ago 

 which will cause him the loss of one of his eyes. While en- 

 gaged is the sport of fishing the hook in some way or other 

 caught in his eye, sinking in the pupil beyond the beard of the 

 hook, making it necessary to have a. surgical operation per- 

 formed. 



hit nnd Miver 



lo insure prompt attention, communications should be ad- 

 dressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., mid not to 

 individuals, tn whose absence from the office matters of im- 

 portance are liable to delay. 



AXOLIXG KESOBTS.—We shall be glad to have f< 

 cation notes of rjood fishing localities'. Will not ox 

 spondents foror us with notes of desirable points for 



: p " hn ; 



'nglil, 



A DAY'S SPORT AT CEDAR STUMP. 



ON June 25, 1883, two veteran anglers might have been 

 seen at Middle Dam Camp, on the Rangelev Lake, 

 making preparations for a trip some distance away. Any 

 one knowing the country and the men well would have said", 

 "There is business ahead," and as the backboard was driven 

 up in front of the camp, Judge P. and the Scribe stepped 

 aboard, with lunch basket, landing-net, and two good fly- 

 rods. As the horses started down the road toward Cedar 

 Stump Landing, the boys in camp began to understand what 

 w r as up, and soon one remarked, "That means trout, for 

 those two old coons know what they are about, and 1 have 

 noticed a mischievous look about their eves for the last half 

 hour." 



Three and one-half miles ride, and we left the buekboard 

 and waflted down the old trail a half mile to Cedar Stump 

 Landing. As we parted the alders and stepped out on to 

 the locks by the riverside we looked down the si ream on to 

 the still water below the rapids. The trout could be seen 

 breaking water in a half dozen places at a time, but entirely 

 out of our reach. 



"A boat, my kitigdom for a boat .'"broke forth from the 

 lips of the Scribe, but no boat was to be had, ami the next 

 best thing to do was to lish the "spring hole" and the 

 rapids. Carefully creeping out on the rocks we began to 

 cast; the instant the flics touched the water both rods made 

 their hows, and with heavy tug's and plunges the fish swung 

 down the stream. 



"I say, Judge, this looks like business— both fast to large 

 fish at once." 



"Yes, Mr. Scribe, we've struck it this time." 



We carefully work our fish up near enough to sec them, 

 and, "Chubs, by thunder," when the Judge unhooks two 

 chubs weighing nearly two pounds each, and they were 

 whacked on to the rocks in a way that indicated great dis- 

 pleasure. About Ibis time the Scribe's face took' on such 

 long dimensions that it is not necessary to say that he had 

 duplicated the Judge's catch of chubs! We 'kept at work, 

 however, until this kind of game was well cleared out, 

 when we concluded to yvadc back to the shore and let the 

 water in the pools quiet duwn, then try again; for we were 

 sure there were trout in them, and large ones at that. Ten 

 minutes' rest and the Judge decides to go upstream some 

 six or eight rods to a nice looking pool, while the Sciibe 

 leisurely walks about two-thirds the way across the river, 

 clearing the flies for a long cast toward'the "spring bole." 

 The third time, and the flies came dancing over the very 

 spot intended. "Great Scott! what a trout; he is two feet 

 long if an inch"; but he just missed the stretcher fly and 

 was gone like a flash. At that instant a cry is heard 'from 

 the Judge, above the roar of the waters, '''Come with the 

 lauding net," but the temptation wits too strong, and the 

 Scribe made another cast. 



O ye beanpole fishermen I Ye penurious stay-at-homes 1 

 Ye gingerly fellows that are afraid of a little tar and oil 

 anil a few musquitoes, and ye who dig and delve from year 

 to year, and will not take an outing and bask iu the golden 

 sunlight, and wander through the majestic forests and by 

 the pearly streams. To you I do not address myself, ft 

 would be casting pearls before swine, but to the man who can 

 wield the By-rod well, and who understands the gentle art, 

 and loves the woods and rills, and hears the sweet bird song 

 ster as his gladsome notes float through the green vales and 

 from the mountain sides, to you I would say: The ecstacy 

 of the next moment cannot tie described, but you. and you 

 only, can understand it well. 



The sun had struggled through a rift in the clouds, which 

 gave the rippling water a bright golden tinge, through which 

 the form of a monster trout shone with the brilliancy of 

 a rainbow as he. plowed onward and upward through the 

 rushing water, and with a splash that would have given an 

 amateur the "buck fever." closed his huge jaws over the 

 light-winged "Montreal." A strike, a "twang" from the 

 line, andaiush of sixty feet down stream, when the old and 

 tried ten-ounce split-bamboo says, ••Whoa'." and 1 lind thai 

 I am fast to a trout that weighs from four to live pounds, 

 and a stubborn fighter at thai. Bui I will not weary Forest 

 and Stream's readeis with a repetition of the playing and 

 netting of a trout when it has been done so ably many limes 

 before. Suffice it to say, that 1 had forgotten the "Judge, 

 wdio bad towed his two-pot.nd trout ashore and saved him, 

 and now stood by my side, and, as he<gently slipped the 

 net under my trout, quietly remarked; "1 saw ihe whole 

 business and"'twas well done." 



After a short rest we struck out again, and in a half hour, 

 we added to our catch two more trout weighing three 

 pounds each. At this juncture the Jcdge concluded to cross 

 the river and fish down toward the still water. I was busy 

 casting for a large fish that would rise but would not take 

 any fly I had in my book, when I heard a tremendous splash 

 across the river. I glanced across and, O horror of horors, 

 no Judge to be seen, hut only a hat struggling with the cur- 

 rent, which finally makes its way lo the snore and slowly 

 rises from the water with something iu the shape of a man 

 under it, aud both disappear in the woods, f never allow 

 myself to laugh at other's misfortunes, but this thing was so 

 sudden, so unexpected, although I was told by a near rela- 

 tive of the Judge, that if he got excited he was liable to fall 

 in. I stood perched upon a small, pointed rock in the river 

 at this time, and I w r ell knew that if 1 even suickered the 

 Judge would not like it, and I might lose my balance; so 1 

 bit my lips, pinched my ears, and even pounded my sides, 

 to keep down the great waves of laughter that came bubbling 

 up and trying to escape. All at once I began to see-saw on 

 that rock; 1 reeled, and teetered, and waltzed around, until 

 1 found I had got lo go, theu with a yell of half rageaod 



half laughter, ami one grand swish, I slid off the m-k and 

 stood in the water nearly up lo my waist. The Judge told 

 me afterward that he saw me standing on a rock, and as my 

 bead was turned ne guessed I was laughing at something, 

 and he did not know theu, neither will he until he reads this, 

 that the Scribe shipped full as much water on that memor- 

 able day as he did. 



