FOREST AND STREAM. 



395 



Baltimore, January 21, 1871. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



I read with much interest an article in your journal on the intelligence 

 of Dointers, and thought you would not object to hearing sometMng 

 more on the subject, though I must tell you I prefer the setter, and I 

 believe him to be the equal of any of the canine rece. 



Whilst at Cobb's Island last summer I was much strnck with the in- 

 telligence of a pointer pup in the posession of one of the men connected 

 with that famous shooting resort. Although but six months old, the dog 

 was already a good retriever. One morning his master detected him in 

 the act of digging most industriously at the roots of one of the trees of 

 the island. Timber being scarce and shade a desideratum, Master Puppy 

 was at once called off, but he returned immediately, and evinced such 

 pertinacity of purpose that the curiosity of the bystanders was aroused, 

 and it was unanimously agreed to let him dig. • You may judge of our 

 surprise when he unearthed some spoons, which doubtless had been hid- 

 • den by one of rhe domestics of the hotel. The owner of the puppy inline- 

 diately caused him to investigate the roots of all the trees on the island, 

 without success, however, and was then called upon to refuse fifty dol- 

 lars for the dog, which he did like a true sportsman. I can vouch for the 

 truth of the above, but would not like to endorse the statement of one 

 of the visitors that the would-be purchaser was from New Orleans. 



E. S. 



— It frequently happens that travelers woukllike to carry 

 their dogs by rail, and the matter has been hitherto left for 

 arrangement by feeing the baggage master, sometimes at 

 extortionate rates, and always with uncertainty as to what 

 the cost will amount to on a long journey over different 

 lines. We see that regular rates have now been adopted 

 on the road between Philadelphia and Baltimore, and the 

 example is one that should be followed elsewhere. These 

 prices are, for distances of fifteen miles and under, fifteen 

 cents; over fifteen and under thirty, twenty cents; over 

 thirty and under sixty, forty cents; over sixty and under 

 100, fifty cents; and 100 miles, seventy-five cents. 



\lwt %mi and j$$h. 



GAME IN SEASON FOR JANUARY. 



Moose, Alces Malchis.) 



Caribou, Tarandus Rangifer.) 



Gray.) 



Elk or Wapiti, Germs Canadensis.) Squirrels, Ked Black and 

 Rabbits, common Brown and Grey.) All kinds of Wild Fowl. 



FOR FLORIDA. 



Red Deer, Caricus Virginianus) Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo.) 

 Woodcock, Philohela rumor.) Quail, Ortyx Virginianus.) 



Snipe, Plover, Curlew, etc., in great 

 variety. 



[Under the head of "Game, and Fish m /Season" we can only specify iu 

 general terms the several varieties, because the laws of Slates vary so ■much 

 'that were ive to attempt to particularize toe could do no less than pubMsJi 

 those entire sections that relate to the kinds of game in question. This 

 would inquire a great amount of our space. In designating game- we are 

 guided by the laws of nature, upon, which all legislation is founded, and 

 bur readers would do well to provide themselves with the laws of their re- 

 spective States for constant reference. Otherwise, our attempts to assist them 



will only create confusion.} 



^ 



— We are delighted to perceive that the .people of Geor- 

 gia are moving in the matter of game protection in their 

 State. The South as a section, is sadly deficient in game 

 laws, which are especial^ needed at this time, when almost 

 every gunner one meets is an irresponsible negro, delighted 

 with his newly acquired privilege of "bearing arms," ig- 

 norant of the value and necessity of sumptuary laws, and 

 intent the year round on filling his bag. The following is 

 a copy of a new game law, introduced into the Georgia 

 Legislature, by T. R. Mills, (all praise and success attend 

 his efforts), to apply to the counties of Chatham and Bryan. 

 We trust it may be amended to cover the whole State, with 

 suitable special provision for the mountain district. 



Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 

 State of Georgia, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the 

 same, That the shooting, killing or destruction of any deer, 

 partridge, wild turkey or wild cluck, between the first day 

 of April and the first clay of October of any year, in the 

 counties of Chatham ancl Bryan, shall be held and deter- 

 mined a misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine not 

 exceeding five hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the 

 county jail not exceeding six months, at the discretion of 

 the court. 



Sec. 2. Be it farther enacted, Trapping of either or any. 

 bird mentioned in the premable of this act, at any season of 

 the year in said county, whether the same be done by the 

 use of traps, snares, nets, or any other means, shall be pun- 

 ished as provided in the first section of this act. 



Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the trapping or killing 

 by any means, of any mocking birds, at any season or time 

 of the year, shall be punished as provided in the first sec- 

 tion of this act. 



Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That the fact of the posses- 

 sion' of any bird described in the first section of this 

 act, at any time from the first day of April to the first day 

 of October of any year, shall be held as strong prima facie 

 evidence of the fact of killing or trapping or destroying, 

 and can only be overeome by positive proof to the 

 contrary. 



Section 5 repeals conflicting laws. 



Enactments of this kind are specialty needed in Florida, 

 where it is true they would be enforced with difficulty as 

 to pot-hunters, but might operate with some effectiveness 

 upon venders, hotel-keepers, and market men. We are 

 glad to see the mocking birds protected. By the cupidity 

 of those who catch them for the high price they bring as 

 songsters, they are in danger of being exterminated. 



—The Dunn County (Wisconsin) News tells of a mighty 

 hunter named Warren Young, who while hunting recently, 

 started on a run for a herd of four deer feeding, and with 

 a double-barrelled shot-gun killed three at twenty yards at 

 one shot, and then brought down the fourth with the second 

 barrel. The buck weighed 180 lbs., the doe 110, and the 

 two fawns 7o each. 



—Mr. H. G. Kelly died recently at Palmer, Massachu- 

 setts, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. He devoted 

 much of his middle life to explorations in Oregon, and is 

 believed to have been the first white man who ascended 

 the Columbia river. In one of his tours of exploration, 

 after he had been deserted by his last attendant, sick and 



feeble, armed only with a long fowling-piece, he had the 

 misfortune to fall from his horse, and break off the stock of 

 his gun just below the lock. To be alone, ill and unarmed, 

 among hostile Indians, many miles away from the home of 

 a civilized being, was a condition deplorable enough. Mr. 

 Kelly, however with true Yankee courage and ingenuity, 

 succeeded with his jack-knife, an old buffalo horn found in 

 the forest, and a part of the limb of a tree, in making a new 

 breech, and attached it to his gun, rendering it as service 

 able as ever. This gun he brought home with him, and a 

 few years ago presented it with other curiosities to the mu- 

 seum of Amherst College, where it can now be seen. For 

 the last twentv vears he lived the life of a hermit. 



—On Monday, January 21st, Sir George St. George Gore, 

 Bart., of County Donegal, Ireland, arrived at Jacksonville, 

 Florida, and took rooms at the Grand National Hotel, 

 having been preceded the day before by his retinue of 

 twenty-two sporting dogs, consisting of pointers, setters, 

 &c. , and three horses. He is bound for Manatee county, 

 which has been highly reeommencled to him as a good 

 sporting country, where he will remain some weeks. Sir 

 George is now sixty -three .years of age, having been born 

 in 1811, and succeeded as 8th Baronet on the demise of his 

 father in 1842. 



— As Mr. Twadell and one of our correspondents were 

 exercising their dogs not a mile from West Phila., on the 

 28d. inst., they noticed several flocks of purple grackles or 

 crow black birds, ancl a number of robins, and on return- 

 ing homeward, flushed a woodcock. The frogs had been 

 " peeting " while the sun was bright during the clay, which 

 was noticed for its spring-like balminess. How is this for 

 the 23d. day of January ? 



— We have received from Mr. W. B. Hall of Lancaster, 

 Pa., a most simple and ingenious tool for (creasing) fasten- 

 ing the wad in a cartridge. Former tools for this purpose, 

 we have always thought were lumbersome and complicated. 

 Mr. Halls' arrangement is convenience itself, and is so 

 light and small, that it can be carried in the pocket. The 

 tool can be held in the hand, does not require to be fasten- 

 ed to a table and does the work admirably. To those load- 

 ing their own cartridges for breech-loaders, we should think 

 Mr. Hall's invention would be invaluable. 



Byers, Ohio, Jan. 20th, 1874. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: — 



Our shooting in this section is not first rate, the hrush heing too thick 

 and high -and the laud too hilly. Still there are occasional spots where 

 one can get some good shooting. Rabbits, pheasants and quail are 

 quite plenty. Last season a party of two (myself and a boy of 15 years) 

 killed in a, hunt of three days 304 quail (not shooting at rabbits or harts, 

 as you call them) •working two pointers and using muzzle-loaders. My 

 count alone on the second day was 93 birds. This season I have not 

 hunted a great deal, not having the time. In fact have had only one 

 whole day's hunt, getting 54 quail and "6 rabbits; 25 of these quail I 

 killed in the afternoon in 26 shots, missing but once. 



I had half a day a couple of weeks since, and did what I call good 

 shooting, getting 22 shots and bagging 21 quail and 1 rabbit, not missing 

 a shot, and the birds all full grown and lusty fellows, too. H. C. S. 



— Our correspondent "Homo" sends some remarkable 

 scores in rail shooting at Port Penn, Delaware in 1873:— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: 



Not long since I gave you an account of our Rail shooting in the im- 

 mediate vicinity of Philadelphia. Since mailing you the matter I have 

 procured the score of a remarkable exhibit of the same shooting at Port 

 Penn, in 1873. 



Dr. E. J. Lewis has it recorded m his valuable work, that a famous 

 week of rail shooting was enjoyed at Chester, Penn., in 1846, and gives 

 the score in detail, and which I add to mine for sake of comparison. 

 The September of 1816 was noted for its quantity of birds, and no sea- 

 son has equalled it until 1873, when Mr. Kerlin boated 226 rail, the lar- 

 gest number ever known to have been bagged. Mr. J. M. Eyre, at Ches- 

 ter, in 1846, shot 195, and held grand "high boat" ever since, but now 

 resigns the position in favor of Mr. Kerlin. 



It will be seen the shooting at Chester covered a period of nine davs, 

 while at Port, Penn the "big tides" only lasted three days, and the foot- 

 ings of the two scores are not wide apart by any means. 



When it is taken into consideration that rail are nine times out of ten 

 shot singly and on the wing (they never should be messed), it requires 

 pretty rapid loading and firing to boat 150 birds in a period of three 

 hours each rail having to be retreived, remember, and oft times sought 



AT CHESTER IN 1S46. 



Sept. 3 

 Sept. 4 

 Sept. 4 

 Sept. 4 

 Sept. 4 

 Sept. 5 

 Sept. 5 

 Sept. 5 

 Sept. 5 

 Sept, 5 

 Sept. 5 

 Sept. 6 

 Sept, 6 

 Sept. 7 

 Sept. 7 

 Sept. 7 

 Sept, 7 



J. Irwin 



J. M. Eyre 



B. Pearson 



T. Thurlow 



E. Wells 



Matseneger 



J,M. Odenheimer 128 



B. Ford 

 Wells 

 A. Worrall 

 E. Wells 

 E. E. Eyre 

 S. Smith 



C. Price 

 Bringhurst 

 H. Taylor 

 H. Edwards 



82 rail 

 122 



101 

 83 



136 

 95 



151 



136 



114 



108 



93 



82 



91 



96 



108 



Sept. 7 

 Sept. 8 

 Sept. 8 

 Sept. 8 

 Sept. 8 

 Sept, 8 

 Sept. 8 

 Sept. 9 

 Sept. 9 

 Sept. 9 

 Sept. 9 

 Sept. 10 

 Sept.10 

 Sept. 10 

 Sept.10 

 Sept.ll 

 Sept.ll 



J. M. Eyre 



Matsenger 

 E. F. Eyre 

 Brown 

 C. Price 

 J. K. Bonsall 

 **J. M. Eyre 

 J. Newboid 

 J. Odenheimer 

 W. Read 

 G. Epley 

 J. Newboid 

 J. Bonsall 

 S. Smith 

 E. Eyre 

 E. Eyre 

 H. Edwards 



90 rail 

 122 " 



94 " 

 97 " 



91 " 

 107 " 

 195 " 



81 " 

 132 " 

 107 " 



85 " 



83 " 

 141 " 

 103 " 

 115 " 

 101 " 

 107 " 



Total . 



.1917 



Total 1851 



1917 



3768 



AT PORT PENN IN 1873. 



9 *Young&Saunders 96 " 

 9 Luff . 50 " 



9 Luff, Jr. 65 " 



9 *Stett & Newboid 123 " 

 9 Fisher 176 " 



10 Flowers 135 " 



10 Longbotham 126 " 



10 Baker 75 " 



10 Kerlin 92 " 



10 Biddle 104 " 



10 Be Camp 109 " 



10 *Yountr&Saunders 88 " 

 10 Thouron 143 " 



10 *Steel & Newborn" 91 " 

 10 Fisher 74 " 



10 Fisher 156 " 



Total 1703 



1770 



3473 

 nVhore two names occur on the score it indicates the sportsmen did 



not engage professional push'ene but pushed and shot turn about. 

 *-The two greatest scores ever made on the Delaware river. 

 tllr: Mason was alone in his boat, and at the rising of the rail dropped 



me pole and shot his bird*, 



Sept, 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept, 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept, 

 Sept, 

 Sept, 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 



8 tMason 



8 Flower 



8 Longbotham 



ft "RfjfcPT* 



8 *Saunders& Young 



8 Thuron 



8 Lehman 



8 *Steel & Newboid 



8 Fisher 



9 **Kerlin 



9 Longbotham 



9 Baker 



9 Flower 



9 Fisher 



9 Beddle 

 9 De Camp 



72 rail 

 100 " 

 115 " 

 115 " 

 144 " 



104 " 

 89 " 



220 " 

 Kit " 

 120 " 

 145 " 



re " 



72 " 

 72 rail 



Sept. 



Sept, 

 Sept, 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept, 

 Sept, 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 

 Sept. 



Total. 



.1770 



Port Penn is alike noted for its 'excellent snipe shooting and duck 

 shooting in the ice and can be reached both by steamboat and railroad 

 to Delaware City, where Mr. Lord will be on hand with his wagon if de- 

 sired "Homo." 



" — Wolves are unusually abundant in all parts of Canada 

 this winter, and many persons have had narrow escapes 

 from the varmints. 



PIGEON BHOOTINC4. 



— A Sweepstake pigeon match was shot at DeerfootPark 



on January 20th ; Long Island Rules; 9 entries, $5 each; 5 



birds. 



Name. Score. Total. 



Dr. Ireland 11111 5 



T. Broadway 11110 4 



Ch. Wingate 11110 4 



Ed. Madison 11110 4 



O. Townsend 110 10 3 



W. B 1 1 1 3 



Hicks 10 10 1 3 



McFall 10 1 



D. Aten 



Ireland won first money, Broadway, Madison and Win- 

 gate second. 



Broadway, Townsend and Hicks shot off ties. Hicks 

 missed, leaving Birdseye andL. Townsend winners of third 

 money. 



Second Sweepstakes— Same day; $3 entrance; 3 birds 



each. 



Name. Score. Total. 



Broadway Ill 3 



C. Townsend Ill 3 



Dr. Ireland Ill 3 



C Wingate Ill • 3 



Ditmars 110 2 



Ed. Madison 110 2 



Edwards 1 1 2 



McFall 110 2 



W. Birdseye 1 1 



S. Memier 000 



Broadway, Ireland, Townsend and Wingate shared the 

 first money. Birdseye got third monejr. 



Madison, Ditmar, McFall and Edwards shot off first miss 

 out. Finally McFall and Edwards shot out, leaving Mad- 

 ison and Ditmar the winners. 



^nipping. 



TRAPPING THE FISHER. 



Editor Forest and Stream: — 



Of the habits and characteristics of the fisher I know but 

 little, except by experience in trapping. They are rarely 

 found in this vicinity, and only far back into the densest 

 forest, sbunning the haunts of man. Individuals of the 

 species taken by me seldom exceed seven pounds in weight, 

 and measuring four feet and one or two inclies in length. 

 JSTewhouse, in an early edition of his "Trapper's Guide," 

 says it "has been seen watching for fish, lying upon a log 

 that crosses a stream, with head inclined downwards, ready 

 for a plunge." I think the conclusion is erroneous, and ar- 

 rived at from the fact that they are prone to lie and run 

 upon logs and fallen trees. They are great travellers, and 

 will avail themselves of every chance to run thus. Be- 

 sides, they are as loth to take to water as a fox, though 

 frequenting the borders of streams, and prefer meat to fish 

 in taking bait. They are gross feeders, and no meat is too 

 stale for them. They go in pairs, and when one is taken I 

 invariably get its mate soon in the same or an adjacent 

 trap. If one is found by its mate in a trap it will at once 

 kill and devour it. They are not in the least shy of a trap, 

 and will as readily enter one as a skunk or woodchuck, 

 but they are a powerful animal, and a trap must be a good 

 one to hold them. When taken in a steel trap it must be 

 set with a spring pole to swing them clear of the ground, 

 or they will amputate their leg at once. Still, the spring 

 pole is not reliable, as*by long setting or in freezing weather 

 it loses its elasticity. Of late years I have used a trap sim- 

 ple in construction, that never fails to hold them. When 

 the trap is sprung a wire loop is forced down upon their 

 bodies by a lever purchase with a pole, confining them so 

 that the more they struggle the tighter it draws, and kills 

 immediately. 



The last pair taken in a steel trap afforded much enjoy- 

 ment, an account of which may be of interest to new be- 

 ginners. It was mid-winter that I learned by a lumberman 

 that a fisher had crossed his road on the mountain near 

 by. Near where the track was seen I set a large wolf trap, 

 with spikes in the jaws, rather trusting to catching the 

 game around the body than trust a pole, the weather being 

 very cold. At my first visit I found a female fisher caught 

 by a hind leg close to its body, and busily amputating its 

 limb. It had gnawed its ham through to the bone, and was 

 quite weak from loss of blood. I despatched her and re- 

 set the trap. On visiting it two mornings later I found it 

 sprung and a portion of a fisher's fore foot in the jaws. It 

 did not take long to decide what to do. It had commenced 

 to thaw during the night, rendering the deep, light snow 

 very soft. I retraced my steps homeward, filled a pocket 

 with chaff, in another put a No. 11 Newhouse trap (a favo- 

 rite make), took a light axe and my five foot Indian snow 

 shoes, and went back to the trail. It was easy to follow 

 from its depth and the blood. A weary tramp of two miles, 

 often sinking knee deep, brought me to the abrupt side of 

 a steep mountain. Faint and weary I was, but not disheart- 

 ened, and after many trials to ascend, not unlike the fabled 

 efforts of the frog in the well, I at last succeeded, and soon 

 run in my game. At the entrance to the den I set the trap, 

 using the chaff to bed it to prevent its freezing to the snow 

 or settling. A moose maple grew conveniently near lor a 

 spring pole. By this time the temperature had commenced 

 to lower, and the clouds to assume that dirty, ragged look 

 indicative of squall}^ weather, so, to protect the trap from 

 being covered by snow or uncovered by the wind, I fash- 

 ioned the still plastic snow into an . oven-shaped roof over 



