FOREST AND STREAM. 



163 



the former combined, that made him shift his first proper, 

 or, if you will, most beautiful position, only to resume it 

 after a moment's trial of the other ? All of this was done 

 without a single "heed" even; it was the young dog's blood 

 that told there, for during the evening he pointed three sin- 

 gle birds. I now take him out whenever I go. He has 

 found several dead birds by pointing, for although a good 

 retriever of anything inanimate he will yet only bring a 

 dead bird when thrown from the hand. 



I have written the above on the spur of the moment, see- 

 ing accounts in your paper of the shooting of elk, moose, 

 grouse, etc., but scarcely a word about our small game, and 

 dogs to hunt it. I hardly think the above is fit for your 

 columns, still, with a sneaking hope that it is, here it goes. 



Respectfully yours, Geqrg-e C, E. 

 +++. _ 



BLACK BASS FISHING INTHE MAUMEE. 



♦ 



Toxtoga.w, Ohio. 

 Editor Forest and Stream :— 



Twenty-three miles above Toledo, Ohio, are the rapids 

 of the Maumee, here a river large enough, for small steam-. 

 era to ply in some seasons of the year. While sojourning 

 at the little village of Tontogany, a railroad station on the 

 D. and M. R. R., twenty-two miles above Toledo, I heard 

 that fine sport could be had fishing for black bass in the 

 river, and being a lover of that manly art I was not long in 

 making one of a company of four. I had been reading 

 Prime's "I Go a Fishing," until I was filled with a desire 

 to show off to my friends how much I had learned of the 

 art Piscatorial. 



A tramp of two miles brought us to the river, quite a 

 grand looking stream, and the autumn woods were gorgeous 

 with their tints of gold and red leaves, while the wild grape 

 vines hung in festoons and garlands from the over-hanging 

 trees down to the very edge of the water. It was just such 

 a place as would inspire a poet or a painter; but as I was 

 neither I only smoked away at my pipe and enjoyed the 

 soft autumnal air and caught some young frogs for bait, 

 while John and George caught a lot of minnows, and Frank 

 made a bargain with old Sam for a boat. 



At first we cast from the shore for rock bass, and soon 

 were busy, as they bit well, and we caught some that 

 weighed two pounds each, but they were not gamey enough 

 and we rowed out into the river, here about 500 feet wide', 

 and cast our lines. Hardly had my minnow touched the 

 water when a dash, a jerk and a pull, and then a slack line 

 told me only too plainly that I had failed to hook my fish ; 

 but my next cast was better, for no sooner had iny bait- 

 touched water than a snap, a jerk, then a whisting of my 

 line, as the fish flew through the water, made me give it 

 line and let it play, as it darted from side to side, then 

 suddenly stopped to ' possum,' the boys said, when i gen- 

 tly hauled in on the line; but no sooner did he feel himself 

 being drawn in than he made a dash, and again the water 

 fairly foamed with his exertions to escape. I played him 

 for a few minutes when I thought it time to see how he 

 looked, and by gently hauling and slacking I landed a fine 

 specimen of black bass that turned the scales at three and 

 one-quarter pounds. I was elated at my success, but while 

 I was hooking one fish John had killed two equally as large 

 as mine. 



The sport was glorious, as bass were plenty and took the 

 bait eagerly, seeming to prefer minnows to young frogf.. 

 The day was calm and beautiful, with a soft haze in the 

 atmosphere, while in sheltered places along shore the 

 leaves formed a carpet of bright hues on the water. Some- 

 times with all our care in handling one would tear loose 

 from the hook, but we caught enough, anyhow, and the 

 few escaping only made the sport more exciting and served 

 to make us more cautious. At times we would all four 

 have a fish on our hooks at once, then there was laughing 

 ami bantering as to who would land the largest fish. We 

 fished until we were tired, then rowed to the island and 

 sat in the shade and ate our lunch which we had brouo-ht 

 with us. Towards evening we again rowed out into the 

 stream, cast our lines and caught a few, but the best time 

 to fish is in the morning. 



I have cast lines in many waters, have brought the 

 speckled trout from among the rocks, and speared sturgeon 

 on the upper lakes; but I never had as good "luck" or as 

 fine sport as this day's work on the Maumee. The way 

 they bit would have delighted even as expert an angler as 

 the editor of Forest and Stream. 



A word as to fly fishing. Men who have had experience 

 at fishing here say that in May and June it would do you 

 good to see how black bass snap up a fly; but later in the 

 season they find it almost impossible to get a rise. I have- 

 never tried it, but would like to hear through these columns 

 if any one has had success in fly fishing j u August or Sep- 

 tember. "Freeat." 



TWO WEEK'S RAN^eT-TraNGELY. 



October, 12, 1873. 

 Editor of Forest and Stream:— 



We wanted to go a fishing where we would rind plenty 

 of fish, so we took your advice and went to the. Rangely 

 chain of lakes for a two week's trip. Our route was by rail 

 to Farmington, thence by stage to Phillips, and next 

 morning once more to "Kimballs," at the head of the lake. 

 Fortune favored us and we secured the services of Charlie 

 Soule for guide, cook and general head center, and a better 

 guide no one could desire. Off we go by boat the length of 

 the lake, nine miles, to the outlet, where we had the 

 promise of good sport and large fish. Two Sheldrake 

 ducks fell to our lot on the way. At an hour before sun- 

 set w» were there and soon our tent was pitched. Then 



* 



came the news of no luck that day; yet we would not be 

 denied the pleasure of a few casts. Once Mgain fortune 

 favored us, for after ten minutes of patient waiting a fine 

 rise fell to my lot, and in a dozen minutes more a fine 

 trout of two and a half pounds lay panting in the net. 

 Supper for three was he, and none too much at that. No 

 luck next morning, so off we go for the Rock and Cupsup- 

 tuc Lake, for says Charlie Soule, " If the fish 1 aint here, 

 we will go and find them, and that before night." Sure 

 enough, we did. Five miles up the Cupsuptuc we landed 

 at Birch Island in the midst of as fine a rain drizzle as ever 

 you saw. Instead of pitching tent in the rain we took pos- 

 session of a log camp, and after stowing away our things 

 and taking a bite and a sup, we made preparations for 

 sport. " I guess they have struck in to the mouth of the 

 river by this time," says Charlie; so off we go, and a half 

 mile from camp, close by the mouth of the river and under 

 the edge of the lilly pads, we prepare for glory or disap- 

 pointment. A good fresh south wind was blowing, and 

 rainy was the weather; just the day to kill trout say we. 

 A half dozen casts — nothing. Half a dozen more and we 

 are at work in earnest. Springing out of the water they 

 came, two at a time, three at a time, dashing over each 

 other in their eagerness to take our flies. We we:e using 

 "Scarlet Ibis" in the 1 middle, " Montreal" on the bottom 

 and " Brown Hackle" for top fly, and grand service did 

 they do on this and all succeeding days. Ten day's fishing 

 and only using up two Scarlet Ibis flies, is pretty tall work, 

 and by actual count I took 127 trout on my first Ibis before 

 t'was worn out. Sharp work we had till dusk, and then 

 seventy-five beauties lay before us. Only a few as low as 

 three quarters of a pound, some sixty or so between three- 

 fourths and two and a half pounds, one of three pounds 

 and two of four pounds each. 



There was glory enough, and says Charlie, " I told you 

 so." And not one was killed and wasted, for friends were 

 coming the next day and the}' should have them to take 

 home; and this same Charlie made it his rule never to kill 

 more than lie could use. If guides were all of his stamp, 

 there would be plenty of fish for us always. This was our 

 first day's work, and we could have repeated it day after 

 day had we been so disposed. Scarcely twice did we fish 

 in the same spot. We were moving all the time. To 

 " Toothacker Cove" we went the next day, and there we 

 found them; up " Cupsuptuc river" the next day, and there 

 they were above the falls the next, and so on and on, and 

 always we struck them. Every fish not badly hooked was 

 put back. It seemed very fine to put a two pound trout- 

 back in his native element, but when you take a four pounder, 

 and hold him tenderly in your two hands, and gaze at his 

 every spot, and feast your eyes on his beauty, and then 

 place him gently over the side of the boat, and watch him 

 sail away, and say "bless you, old beauty, go, increase and 

 multiply," you will call to mind that it is one of those 

 times that tries men's souls. And when again your very next 

 fish is another four pounder and you go through those very 

 same proceedings, you will experience some very strange 

 feelings around the region pf the heart, and you will just 

 lay your pole away, and say you think you won't fish any 

 more, and then wonder if anybody else is just such a great 

 honorable fool as you are. That is what we did: and so we 

 went. Too soon the time came for us to bid good bye to 

 pleasure and go back to work. But a grand time we had, 

 and never should we have had it but for our faith in the 

 columns of the Forest and Stream. Much mure could I 

 tell you of the black ducks, sheldrake, pigeons, and par- 

 tridges that fell to our lot, but I have said enough. Some 

 other day I will tell you more. Truly yours, 



_ Wellsie. 



X -*•♦♦► 



CALLING MOOSE IN NEW BRUNSWICK. 



WILLIAM H. VENNING, Esq., whose experience in 

 salmon fishing has been attested to in a most at- 

 tractive article printed in one of the earlier numbers of 

 Forest and Stream, writes the following spirited sketch 

 of a moose hunt on the Miramichi:— - 



"The moose can be 'called' only in the rutting season, 

 which is earlier in New Brunswick than in Nova Scotia 

 and other parts of the Dominion. In the latter places it is 

 seldom that 'calling' is successful earlier than September, 

 but in the former Province the latter part of August is not 

 considered too early. We had commenced our 'outing' on 

 the river in the last week in July— it was now near the end 

 of August— and, though rather early for a good prospect of 

 success, yet Abe, our guide, hoped that it was possible to 

 entice some roaming bull to answer the simulated call of 

 the cow. 



"The night was a bright moonlight one, and we soon 

 reached the edge of the barren. Noting in which direction 

 the current of air set, Abe posted Fred in a clump of bushes 

 that gave him a full view of the barren plain before him, 

 impressing upon him that on no account must he speak or 

 move; then going to leeward of him a few rods, he as- 

 cended a tree about twelve feet, and, using his "call," lis- 

 tened with eager ears for the slightest sound that might 

 break the profound silence of the forest. This 'call' is a 

 trumpet of birch bark about eighteen inches long— the 

 small end an inch in diameter and the large end about four 

 or five. With this simple instrument, long practice enables 

 a good hunter to imitate the loAving of the cow moose so 

 perfectly that the finest ear can scarcely distinguish between 

 the real and simulated sound. For a long time Abe re- 

 peated his 'calls' at intervals, imitating the several peculi- 

 arities of the female lowing, but no other sound broke the 

 stillness. For more than an hour had Fred impatiently 

 waited, his eye sweeping the barren, and so still that he 



was conscious of every pulsation. He began to grow tired 

 of this dull work, and several timei was on the point of re- 

 linquishing hope and leaving his ambush; but remember- 

 ing the parting advice of Abe, he determined that his own 

 impatience should not be chargeable with their want of 

 success. This was a wise resolve on Fred's part, for the 

 practiced ear of Abe had detected a sound, and again the 

 'calls' were repeated with all the skill at his command. At 

 length an answering low, faint from the distance, reached 

 the ear of Fred, and again his heart beat with suppressed 

 excitement. Abe felt certain that his knowledge of the 

 habits of the moose, male and female, would enable him 

 to entice the bull within an easy shot, and, knowing Fred's 

 certainty with the rifle, he had strong hopes of a successful 

 issue to their hunt. He now changed his calls to a soft, 

 low note; they were answered by a deep and resonant bel- 

 low from the bull. Presently the sound of dry under- 

 brush, breaking under a heavy tread, was heard to wind- 

 ward of Fred's position, and indicated to him in what di - 

 flection to look for the appearance of his expected visitor; 

 after a few moments of intense anxiety, a large bull moose 

 burst out of the thick woods that bordered the barren into 

 open view in the bright moonlight. He paused, looked 

 round, and gave a bellow; this was answered by a soft low 

 from the tree beyond Fred, and the bull approached the 

 spot in a direct line, so that he would have passed the 

 bushes that concealed his foe. With rifle ready, Fred 

 waited till the advancing animal was within forty yards of 

 him, when, taking deliberate aim at the breast, he fired. 

 With a snort of fear and anguish, the huge bull tossed his 

 antlered head and fell heavily to the earth. He immedi- 

 ately rose to his feet, and made direct for the w T oods; this 

 brought his side toward Fred, who instantly stepped from his 

 crouching place, and before the wounded bull had made 

 six paces the second barrel was discharged', and again he 

 fell, this time headlong to the earth. A desperate struggle 

 to regain his feet Avas made, but when half up lie rolled 

 heavily on his side, and a few spasmodic kicks ended the 

 career of a splendid specimen of the largest of the deer 

 tribe. 



"Abe had dropped from his roost on the first report, and 

 was now by Fred's side, congratulating him omhis success. 

 As all necessity for silence was now over, they were both 

 hilarious over their trophy. Abe took out his sheath knife 

 and cut the throat of the nearly dead animal. Leaving 

 him where lie lay till morning, they both returned to camp, 

 quite delighted with their rare luck in 'calling moose' so 

 early in the season. 



"A few minutes after reaching camp saw a cheerful fire, 

 the kettle boiling, and our patient hunters prepared to en- 

 joy a good meal after their long and tedious ambush. After 

 talking over the incidents of this victory, and gaining much 

 practical information from Abe's descriptions of former 

 hunts in which he had participated, either as caller or 

 marksman, and sometimes as both, we all betook ourselves 

 to sleep, well pleased. 



"In the morning, when we woke, the sun was »high; the 

 first things that met our eyes as we stepped from the tent 

 were the antlers of the buM on one side and the skin stretched 

 out to dry on the other. The men had risen with the sun, 

 and leaving us to enjoy our morning nap, had gone to the 

 barren, skinned the moose, removed the splendid antlers 

 and the choice parts of the meat, had brought all to our 

 rendezvous, and prepared breakfast before we had shaken 

 off our drowsiness. 



"We breakfasted off moose steak, with a roasted bone, 

 full of delicious marrow, as gravy. The moose is never 

 very fat, and generally the steak, though tender and of fine 

 flavor, is apt, unless carefully broiled, to be rather dry; but. 

 the addition of the rich marrow of the shank bones makes 

 a luscious dish, and we all enjoyed it hugely." 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Were I alone responsible for the article in last week's 

 issue in regard to dredging, I should willingly let it go as it 

 is, mistakes and all, confident that quite a fair proportion 

 of your readers would not detect the errors, and to those 

 who did it would be a source of self-congratulation that 

 they were able to. But I fear that the Professor who kindly 

 furnished me with a list of Latin names may not feel will- 

 ing to have them misapplied. Therefore I ask space to 

 correct a few. 



First, either your proof reader or I mixed the clams. 

 The "Quohog" and "Calistaconvexa"are not the same. The 

 LopMus Americanus has two common English names viz • 

 the "goosefish," and the "angler," from its habits. 'lam 

 made to say that "by the angler " it is called bv its Latin 

 name. Not by any angler that we met, I fancy. 



The pale, straw-colored starfish is the ctemdmus, not clem 

 dtcus. Other minor mistakes in the spelling of a few Latin 

 words are evidently simply typographical errors. 



Yours, L. A. Beardslee, 



Shamming Poverty.— An acquaintance of the writer of 

 these pages, while he lodged in a certain town was alarmed 

 by hearing in a neighboring house a sort of periodical pun- 

 ishment going on daily. Heavy blows were given, and a 

 person was continually crying out "Amaun! amaun I 

 (Mercy, mercy)— I have nothing! Heaven is my witness I 

 have nothing!" Upon inquiry he learned that the sufferer 

 was a merchant reputed to be very rich, who afterwards 

 confessed to him that, having understood the governor of 

 the place was determined to have a share in his wealth, and 

 expecting to be put to the torture, he had resolved to hab- 

 ituate himself to the endurance of pain in order to be 

 able, to resist the threatened demands. He had brought 

 himself to bear one thousand strokes of the stick, and as 

 he was able to counterfeit exhaustion, he hoped to be able 

 to bear as many blows as they would venture to inflict 

 short of death, without conceding any of his monev — 

 Fmxer's Penut. 



