332 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



I will endeavor to explain to the readers of the Forest 

 and Stream the manner in which such a number of birds 

 are found and killed in so short a space of time. 



The country for hundreds of miles on both sides of the 

 Missouri river is entirely devoid of timber of any kind. 

 When the cold weather approaches, birds of every descrip- 

 tion, elk, deer, antelope, and in fact almost every living 

 creature seeks the shelter of the timber which grows in the 

 river bottom. Consequently all you have to do to fill your 

 wagon is to be on the ground early, before the birds leave 

 their roosting places, and you can pick them off like a 

 farmer would his choice fruit. 



"Got twenty-one off one tree," said one of the party, and I 

 did not doubt it, for if there is one tree all you have to do 

 is to shoot the lowest ones first, and you can get them all 

 (if your ammunition holds out.) It seems a pity that these 

 noble birds should be destroyed so ruthlessly by pot hunt- 

 ers, but under the Territorial game laws there is no help 

 for it at present. Elk and deer are very plenty hereabouts, 

 and some antelope, but the latter are suffering from a dis- 

 ease similar to the "rot" in sheep. Large numbers have 

 bi.en found dead an the prairies the past fall, and neither 

 the white hunter or Indians can account for it or tell what 

 the disease is. 



The "wolfing" season has now commenced, and as it 

 may prove interesting to some of your numerous readers to 

 know how the immense number of the prairie wolf and 

 coyote pelts are secured*, I will "rise to explain." The 

 stock in trade of a party engaged in "wolfing" consists in 

 flour, bacon and strychnine, the first two articles named for 

 their own consumption, the last for the wolves. The first 

 thing to be done is to procure a bait. Generally a buffalo 

 is used, but if it happens to be out of a buffalo range, then 

 an elk, deer, coon, or other animal is made to answer the 

 purpose. The carcass is then impregnated with the poison 

 and placed where it will do the most good. Sometimes as 

 high as fifty wolves will be found of a morning scattered 

 about at intervals of a few yards from the carcass, that 

 they ate so ravenously of the night before. 



The "wolfers" proceed to gather up the animals slain, 

 carry them to camp, fix up another bait if necessary, and 

 then commences the labor of skinning and stretching. It 

 is no uncommon thing for a party of three men to come 

 down in the spring with four thousand pelts, and as they 

 will average one dollar and a half a pelt, it is a very profit- 

 able business, if you are only successful in your "catch." 



The men engaged in this business are different from the 

 professional buffalo hunters ; the trappers are in fact differ- 

 ent from anyone but "wolfers." When they receive their 

 money in the spring they always make great calculations on 

 having a "big time" in town, and they generally have it. 

 When thSir money is gone (and that is in a very few days), 

 they betake themselves back to their haunts in the woods 

 and on the prairies, and are seen no more within the con- 

 fines of civilization until another spring. Edgar. . 



— A new plan of pigeon shooting was inaugurated on 

 December 27th, at Babylon, L. I.; Messrs. Livingston and 

 „ Post shot for $100 a side, 20 birds each, 21 yards rise, and 

 ' 80 yards boundary. The conditions were that the shooters 

 should sit on the ground, as if shooting from a "blind," 

 thus : If the pigeons were driving birds and flew close to 

 the ground, it would be extremely difficult to get the gun 

 on them. The birds, however, were scarcely up to the 

 average, and the shooting, considering the above difficulty 

 and novelty, was excellent. Both gentlemen having killed 

 16 birds out of 20, they shot off the tie at five pigeons each, 

 and this time Mr. Post was successful by killing four birds 

 to his opponent's three. 



The second match was between Messrs. Deforest and 

 Snediker at 10 double birds each, for $100 a side, 100 yards 

 boundary, 1£ oz. shot, Mr. Deforest to shoot at 21 yards 

 rise, Mr. Snedicor at 10 yards. After some fine shooting 

 at very slow birds Mr. Deforest won the match by one 

 bird, having killed 15 out of 20, Mr. Snedicor killing 14 

 and losing six. 



Then followed a match between Messrs. Griswold and 

 Jones at 5 pigeons each, 21 yards rise, 80 yards boundary, 

 1± oz. shot. This match was won by Mr. Griswold, who 

 killed all his birds, Mr. Jones missing the fifth. 



SUMMARY. 



Babylon, L. I. , Dec. 27. 

 Match $200, 20 birds each, both barrels allowed, battery 

 style, 21 yards rise, 80 yards boundary, 1£ oz. shot, be- 

 tween Messrs Post and Livingston. 



SCORE. 



Mr. Post-1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 

 1 ? i_Total, 20; killed 16; missed 4. Gun used, Westley 

 Richards 10 bore breech-loader. 



Mr. Livingston— 1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 



11 1 Total, 20; killed 16; missed 4. Gun used, Dou- 



gall 10 bore breech-loader. 



THE TIE. 



Mr. Post— 1, 1, 1, 1, 0— Total, 5; killed 4; missed 1. 

 Mr. Livingston— 1, 1 0, 1, 0— Total, 5; killed 3; missed 2. 



SUMMARY. 



Same Day.— Match $200, between Messrs. Deforest and 

 Snedicor, at 10 double birds each, 100 yards boundary, l£ 

 oz. shot, Mr. Deforest at 21 yards rise, Mr. Snedicor at 10. 



SCORE. 



Mr. Deforest— 10, 11, 10, 11, 11, 10, 11, 01, 10, 11— Total, 

 20; killed 15; missed 5. 



Mr. Snedicor— 10, 11, 10, 11, 11, 11, 01, 00, 01, 11— Total, 

 20; killed 14; missed 6. 



SUMMARY. 



Same Day— $— , 5 birds each, 21 yards rise, 80 yards 



Messrs. Griswold and 



Score 

 



1 

 1 

 1 







1 

 1 



1 







boundary, \\ oz. shot, between 

 Jones. 



SCORE. 



Mr. Griswold— 1, 1, 1, 1, 1— Total, 5; killed 5. 



Mr. Jones— 1, 1, 1, 1, 0— Total, 5; killed 4; missed 1. 



— The Staten Island Game and Shooting Association of 

 Port Richmond passed the afternoon of Christmas day at 

 turkey, chicken and pigeon shooting. Below we give the 

 score of the pigeon shooting; sweepstakes at 6 bird's each, 

 21 yards rise, and 80 boundary. 

 Name. 



Louis Palmer 



J. Reibecker 1 



George Trauter 1 



C. M. Johnson 1 



George Beyer 



J. E. Raythen 



H. Shilling ,1 



John H. Decker , 1 



W, M.Crane 



SWEEPSTAKES— FIVE BIRDS. 



Louis Palmer 1 



C.M.Johnson 



George Trauter : 1 



John A. Decker 1 10 11 



— A pigeon pop took place at Vanderveer's stores, 

 Flatbush, on Christmas day; 12 chances, $5 each for a $50 

 fine muzzle loader, 10 guage, usual rules, 21 yards rise, etc. 

 5 birds each. 

 Name Score Total Name Score Total 



E. H. M 1 1 1 1 0-4S.A 1110 1—4 



W. B 1111 1—5 S. L 1110 0—3 



H. Ks 1 1 1 M B. C 110 0-2 



S. R 1110 1— 4 A. C 10 10 0—2 



S. L 1 1 1 1-4 C. L 1110 0-3 



A. D 10 10 0—2 S. L 110 1 0—3 



W. B. winning the gun. 



There was al?o a match at Dexter's on Christmas day 

 between W. B. and Mr. Bay, for $25 a side, 25 birds et ch, 

 21 yards rise, etc. W. B. killed 22; Mr. Bay 20. 



Immediately afterwards Mr. W. B. and Mr. C. Svea 

 shot for $25 each, W. B. giving five dead birds in 25. W. 



B. killed 21; C. Svea 13, leaving W. B. the winner; birds 

 very good and a very gentlemanly affair throughout. 



— The Sweepstakes of the Woodside Shooting Club on 

 Wednesday Dec. 24th passed off in a very pleasant and 

 satisfactory manner. The Sweepstakes was for a purse of 

 $50 at ten birds each, Long Island rules, 21 yards rise, 80 

 yards boundary, 1J oz. shot, from H and T traps; 7 mem- 

 bers were present td participate in the contest, accompanied 

 by numerous friends of the club. The day was perfect 

 and no accident occurred to mar the sport. 



Name. Score. Killed. 



L.Sursduf 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1 6 



J. Sprague 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 4 



C. Kelley 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0. 1, 5 



J. Rikcr 1, 1, 1, 1,1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 9 



H. N. Terrett 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1 7 



William Cameron 1, 0, 0, 1, 1? 0, 1. 1, % 1 6 



E. Bisbee 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1 8 



|[ Judges— Wm. Sursduf and J. A. F. Kelly. 



Referee— C T. Howell, Jr. 



Malaga, N. J., Dec. 26th, 1873. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: — 



Will some of your numerous correspondents explain the 

 relative merits of "Central," and "pin fire" breech-loaders? 

 The writer, who has used a "Scott pin fire" for the past 

 four years, finds, upon inquiry, at quite a number of "gun 

 stores," both in New York and Philadelphia, that but com- 

 paratively few "pin fires" are now made. From what little 

 we have seen of "Central fire" guns, it strikes us that the 

 "pin" is a safer and preferable gun for general use. First, 

 one can more readily see whether the shell is exploded — 

 the projection of the pin being at once a guide, without un- 

 hinging the gun. Second, the construction of the "pin 

 gun" is more simple. No spiral springs or plungers con- 

 nected with it, as on the "Central fire, "and consequently, 

 less liable to get out of order. Third, when out of order, 

 more readily repaired at any shop. 



Will some advocate of the "Central fire" explain through 

 your columns why it is that the use of the "Central" has 

 become so fashionable as to render the purchase of (at times) 

 a large quantity of pin shells very difficult. 



Yours, "Pin Fire." 



— An error occurred in the repetition of certain scores in 

 our last number, which was so evidently a mistake of the 

 types as to be manifest to all readers. We shall correct 

 the same in a future issue. 



+ 



Secretaries of University and College Athletic Clubs will please mail 

 heir reports not later than Monday in each week. 

 * 



The remarkable weather of the early part of this win- 

 ter is shown in the fact that the Boston base ball club 

 played a game of ball on their grounds on Christmas day 

 in the presence of about five hundred spectators. The 

 contest was rendered unusually interesting, from its being 

 played under the new rule of ten men and ten innings. 

 The score is as follows :— Spalding's side, 16; H. Wright's 

 side, 18. Time of game, one hour and fifty minutes. 



— Skating was inaugurated for the season of 1873 and 

 1874 on December 29th, when the ball was run up at the 

 Union and Capitoline skating lakes, Brooklyn. There will 

 be good skating there all this week. All the public ponds 

 are now giving an opportunity for recreation for these holi- 

 day times which young and old of both sexes eagerly avail 

 themselves of. In Brooklyn a few sleighs have ventured 

 out, but sleighing is indifferent in these parts, even in the 

 suburbs. Only six inches fell last Saturday night, and the 

 warm sun of the succeeding day greatly reduced its quan- 

 tity and rendered it little available for runners. 



— Our correspondents from the several Universities and 

 Colleges have written us that owing to the deep snow they 

 were obliged to postpone the foot ball matches and other 

 athletic pastimes. 



— The grand billiard tournament between Maurice Daly 

 and Francois Ubassy was finished on December 27th, 

 Daly being the victor. The fifth of the series of matches 

 was played in the afternoon of December 27th, in Chris. 

 O'Connor's billiard saloon, in Union square, being a game 

 of 500 points up. It was won by Daly in fifty-seven inn- 

 ings, Ubassy only scoring 360 points. The sixth and last 

 of the series of games came off in the evening of the same 

 day, at the Spingler House billiard room, and resulted in 

 another victory for Daly, who ran the game out on the 

 thirty-seventh inning, Ubassy making only 236 points. 



— * — 



All communications from Secretaries and friends shoidd be mailed net 

 later than Monday in each week. 



*g — - 



HIGH WATER, FOR THE WEEK. 



DATE. 



BOSTON. 



NEW YORK. |CHARL'ST'N 



Jan. 1 



Jan. 2 



Jan. 3 



h. m. 



10 24 



11 15 

 eve. 3 



49 



1 32 



1 14 



2 52 



h. m. | 



7 1 



7 56 



8 48 ! 



9 34 1 

 10 17 



10 56 



11 36 1 



h. m. 



6 24 



7 15 



8 3 

 8 49 



Jan. 5 



Jan. 6. 



Jan. 7 



9 32 

 10 14 

 JO 52 







— The Bayonne Yacht Club, held its regular monthly 

 meeting at 72 Beaver street, on the 25th of December. 

 There was a large attendance of members, and several re- 

 presentatives of other clubs present. The occasion was for 

 the distribution of prizes won by the members during the 

 late autumn regatta. The following are the names of the 

 yachts and owners who received prizes : — 



1st. class sloops. — Qui Vive, Thomas Chapman, Bay- 

 onne Yacht Club — Club prize, large and elegant music box. 



1st. class sloop.— Elizabeth, Commodore Tynon, Staple- 

 ton Yacht Club — Union prize, handsome large French 

 bronze clock. 



2d. class sloop. — Jeannette, Commodore Pearson, Bay- 

 onne Yacht Club — Club prize elegant music box. 



2d. class sloop. — Eclipse, Captain McKinstry, Pavonia 

 Yacht Club — Union prize, silver tea set, consisting of five 

 pieces and salver, all handsomely engraved. 



3d. class sloop. — Idle Hour, Thomas Taylor, Bayonne 

 Yacht Club — Club prize, silver set, consisting of water 

 pitcher, goblets, slop bowl and salver, all handsomely en- 

 graved. 



3d. class sloop. — Joe Saunders, Frank Bates, Long Island 

 Yacht Club — Union prize, large silver urn for ice water, 

 elegantly engraved. 



Bayonne, Mr. P. McGiehan, Bayonne Yacht Club- 

 Prize won at regatta of the club, August, 1869. 



After the presentation of the prizes the members sat 

 down to an elegant collation. William T. Lee, John M. 

 Sawyer, George Dunning and others responded to appro- 

 priate toasts. During the evening Captain G. A. Beling 

 presented Joseph Elsworth with a handsome oil painting 

 representing the last race of the Meta with the Vision, off 

 Sandy Hook. Mr. C. C. Hough, President of the club, 

 gave the painting to "Captain Joe," and the latter feelingly 

 responded. The meeting was a grand success. 



— General W. W. Sanford, of St. Louis, is building a 

 new schooner yacht at Baltimore under the supervision of 

 his sailing master, who formerly sailed his yacht the 

 "Eddie." He is a practical sailor and boat builder, the 

 schooner when finished will measure about 80 tons. A full 

 description of this new schooner will appear in these 

 columns in a future number. 



—Com. W. H. Langley, of the "Addie," will build a 

 schooner yacht this winter, providing he can make terms 

 for the sale of his victorious sloop. The "Addie" is 52 tons 

 new measurement, in complete order and could be made 

 ready for sea in three days. She was built by Kirby, of 

 Rye, N. Y., for John Voorhees and was formerly the 

 "Addie V," and afterwards purchased by Mr. Langley, who 

 won in one season some $2,500 worth of silver plate. 



College Boating Management. — The Freshman class 

 is the largest that has ever entered Harvard; it by no 

 means lacks good material for a crew, yet it seems in great 

 danger of doing worse even than the last Freshman Class. 

 The Class of '76 were at least enthusiastic, subscribing 

 liberally to meet the expenses of their crew and having all 

 winter long in the Gymnasium from ten to twelve men 

 working for it; but our new associates seem entirely for- 

 getful of the fact that the rest of the college expect them to 

 send a crew to the next regatta. Yet perhaps I am wrong 

 in this; perhaps the Freshmen are mindful of the fact, but 

 think that all that is essential to success at the next race is 

 to elect a captain, a man almost wholly ignorant of rowing, 

 and to enter a crew in the fall races so good as to show that 

 if proper measures are taken, the class can send out a crew 

 which will retrieve the disgrace of last year. 



That which is of the first importance, in entering upon 

 the selection of a crew, is the choice of a proper man for 

 captain. It seems incredible that the Freshman Class 

 should, year after year, keep up the childish jealousy be- 

 tween the men fitted in Boston and those fitted elsewhere. 

 It is a fact, I believe, that the election held last fall, so far 

 from being a choice of the man best fitted for the captaincy, 

 was merely a struggle between the supporters of two gentle- 

 men who rested their claims upon the fact that one was 

 fitted at a certain school and his competitor at another! 

 The spirit that seems to actuate the men, as one of the 

 members of the class is reported to have said, was this: 

 "We don't care a straw for the office, but we want to defeat 



that man from ." If this were not their first year in 



Cambridge, they would know that just such a spirit among 

 the fellows has already greatly injured one or two Fresh- 

 man crews: and members of the other classes fear that it 

 will succeed in gaining another victim in the '77 crew. 



To those who know anything about this class, and who 

 have watched their crew, it is quite evident that there is 

 no one among them fitted by knowledge and experience to 



