394 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



JUNE IS A CLOSE MONTH FOR GAME. 



New York State Chxyiwtion.— A.n abundance of birds 

 having been secured fur the Rochester Convention the date 

 has been fixed for July 7. 



For an Example.— A man in Iowa, according to the report 

 of the Stale against Hardle, 47 Iowa, 647, pointed a revolver 

 at a lady, thinking it empty. It was loaded, went off, and the 

 lady died of fright. When brought to court the prisoner's 

 counsel requested the court to charge the jury that he was not 

 blanieable if his act was what any man of ordinary prudence 

 aod caution might have done. The court declined, observing : 

 " No jury would be warranted in finding that men of ordinary 

 prudence so conduct themselves. Human lite is not to be 

 sported with by the use of firearms, even though the person 

 using them may have good reason to believe that the weapon 

 used ia not loaded, or that being loaded, it will do no injury. 

 "When persons engage in such reckless sport they should be 

 held liable for the consequences of their acts." The sentence 

 was one year in the penitentiary. 



Florida— TUutrUle, Brevard Co., Jum &— Just returned 

 from a professional visit to Lake Harnjy. Finished the final 

 location of R. K. trom this place to the lake. The road is 

 half built, and its completion will be pushed this summer, so 

 visitors caa rely on steam transit for themselves and boats 

 from the upperSt. Join's to Indian River, by December 1. 

 Saw plenty of deer and quail. Tracks of bears, 'coons and 

 Wildcats numerous. Two wild turkeys seen by the party. A 

 few "Btilts, humilities or lawyers" (Hima.Htopus nigrimUis), 

 were seen on the shores of the lake. In the Pi ue Bowers 

 noticed quite a number of Carolina doves, Zenaiduoa caro- 

 lir«-risi«, and ground doves, Chamaepelia passerina. Sand hill 

 cranes, Grui canadensis, were very numerous but wary. 

 Their loud calls were heard almost constantly throughout the 

 sparse pine wood?, but we could not succeed in shooting any 

 with our shot-guns. With a rifle they could be easily brought 

 to bag. Herons, owls, eagles and ospreys numerous. Deer 

 hunters' Old camps were numerous throughout the country 

 the B. Ti. traverses. One hunter last winter killed 2G deer 

 along the line in six weeks. Al. I. Gator. 



Monatee, June '.).— The drought from -which the peninsular 

 porticn of this Stat; is suffering is seriously injuring tte fruit 

 and other crops. It is thought the oranges will entirely fail. 

 Many old orange trees are dying, young and vigorous ones 

 must follow suit if rain does not fall within a few days. Re- 

 ports from the interior of this county (Manateo) state that 

 streams never before known to be without running water are 

 dry, and that cattle, deer, bear and wolves in great numbers 

 aTe gathered about the lakes, which contain the only water 

 left upoD the face of the country. The Myakka Lakes, which 

 are usually eight to ten or twelve feet deep are abandoned by 

 the alligators for want of water enough to cover their scaly 

 backs, and the herons wado in the deep places. The mighty 

 black buss that till these lakes and affluent streams during the 

 -wet .season are crowded in great schools in the deep holes and 

 can be killed with slicks. An ambition to make a big bag of 

 game could be easily gratified at these last watering places 

 for the famishing game, but it could be done only to gratify 

 such an ambition, as the weather is toe hot to save any meat. 

 W. S. Warnkb. 



Arkansas— OUnton, June 6.— No shooting at present, ex 

 cept squirrels. There are plenty of breeding turkeys left 

 over. This is the best turkey country on record, and pros- 

 pects good. Deer in moderate quantity. The old does and 

 their fawns are frecmently seen in the woods. Have heard of 

 no bears The prospect for next fall's quail shooting is un- 

 commonly good, The hard winter left plenty of breeding 

 families. In a recent trip through " Oil Trough Bottom," 

 extending from Jaeksonport westward somefilteen miles, I 

 saw hundreds— enough, should no young be raised, to make 

 what at the East would be called good shooting. And the 

 same is true of all sections where small grain is freely raised, 



Tell. 



One-armed Men to the Frost— Editor Forest and 

 Stream ' I have corresponded with you a long time, but you 

 did not know that I have only a left arm and that I am also 

 deaf About ten year3 ago I was working in Tilusville, and 

 had part of a torpedo for an oil well burst in my hands, 

 •which paralyzed the nerves of hearing. I have heard paining 

 since but I can see and feel anything. 1 can feel a pin drop 

 on the bare floor ten feet away from me, and in the woods 1 

 always get the first sight at any moving object. About five 

 vears ago while at work at my trade in a machine shop here, 

 I was caught in a belt and whirled around a shaft (that was 

 onlv two Feet from the wall) about 500 times. It tore my 

 right arm off at the elbow and broke my log so the bone 

 stuck out six inches. Few men have ever taken such a ride 

 aud lived to tell about it. Friends said to get a hand-organ ; 

 but with my young brother I statted a general repairing 

 shop and have paid since §1,0(10 for tools aud bought a house 

 for S800. I can do as fine work as ever, can handle a shot- 

 gun with any in the field, and I have yet to see the man who 

 can beat me with a .23 cal. ride or pistol. John Tenuej, also 

 a one-armed man here, is a fine shot, and is always first at 

 our trap shoots. J- Otts Fellows. 



» •«■ — . — , 



EXPERIENCE WITH DITTMAR POW- 

 DER. 



ISditob Forest and Stream : 



Warren, Warren Co., Pa., May 9, 1879. 

 I u aed Dittmar powder last summer and fall. I liked its 

 Cleanliness, though I got an impression that it rusted the gun 

 barrel more than black powder unless immediately cleaned. 

 It is pleasant to have little recoil and so you can see your 

 bird fall or fly and get a good socond shot. In the fall 1 

 loaded with :H drams, two pink-edge wads on powder pressed 

 down as I press black powder, and cardboard wad on 1 : , oz. 

 aliot This load in 13 bore 91 pound Greener gun had a recoil 

 canal to black powder, and the report unusually loud for 

 Di uuiar powder. Some lime in the winter a friend and my- 

 self were shooting at glass balls with black powder. I hap- 

 pened to have two shells of the Diltmar loaded as above, prob- 

 ably two months before. They astonished me and damaged 



my gun. I believe if it had not been extra strong it would 

 have been ruined. The report was like that of a rifle, and 

 the recoil like the kick of a mule. My friend shot first. He 

 was whirled half way round and complained of his eare ring- 

 ing and head aching. I then tried it and was served the same 

 way. It was more like a stroke of lightning than the recoil 

 of a gun. The gun would not open. The top lever was 

 stuck fast. Finally we pressed the gun against a tree and the 

 lever worked. But the gun was loosened and rattles since 

 that. 



Now a light load may possibly be safe. That load, 3J- drs., 

 is not large, but I don't shoot any more such if I know it ! 

 The pOwder was letter C, bought last summer at Binghamton 

 headquarters, and was no doubt a genuine article. From this 

 I conclude that Dittmar powder is very uncertain and cor- 

 respondingly unsafe. Penn. 

 Commenting on this statement of facts, Carl Dittmar says : 

 I think the powder must have been purchased before the 

 5th of November last year, from which time I made the new 

 and slower kind. Of this kind, which i3 marked as tested 

 with heavy loads, there has no: been a single complaint yet. 

 The powder referred to in " Penn's " letter was of the kind 

 Capt. Bogardus recommended and has used in all his exhibi- 

 tions. I myself should not like to use it in heavy charges, 

 but I think it is impossible that 3} drs. could do any harm. I 

 think there must have been an accidental overcharge, the 

 measure being wrong, or something of the kind. If he will 

 send me a sample ina glass bottle I will test it in the govern- 

 ment pressure gauge and give honestly the result ; if it is too 

 quick for safety I will admit the fact. The powder now 

 made is all tested by the pressure gauge. A case of overload- 

 ing cannot happen with the new powder, and I do not give 

 auy extra instruction, the powder will work no matter how 

 it is loaded. 



flrat. Dial lulatJlblc tendency of imperfect bodle>, which nave no com- 

 pensating rotation, to diverge, and the movement, more or less (later- 

 rally) or the shotia passing through the bore, m tbat their AfgTlC was 

 never begun iallne with 1 lie bore. It Hserns to have been a fair recog- 

 nition of this last fact which suggested choking, us the ricciehat. on the 

 incline at the muzzle would have a tendency to correct, f,_,r a certain 

 dutanco at leart, many of these shot which would have been wild 

 nyers. 



In accounting for the difference of opinion as to size of shot beat 

 salted to turkey shootlog, it was not my intention to convey the Idea 

 that No. 4 or S was large enough. I do not think bo, no matter what 

 their velocity, but wanted to show that there was greater power by 

 on of Increase ic powder charge la choke-bore than cylinder bore, 

 aad therefore smaller shot were admissible. In small game like qaall 

 shot may be much smaller than with the cylinder, but in case of 

 birds which have such powers of resistance as turkeys, we never had 

 power enough in any shot which gave enough pellets to the ounce to 

 offer any chances. It seems fortunate, however, that the choka-ivire 

 shows its finest shooting with all the larger sizes of drop shot. Four 

 to 4J4 drs. powder, 1 l-8tl oza. single B shot, from a 10-bore, 30 or 32- 

 Inch choue, 91b. gun, should Btrike a turkey with 7 to 12 shot; at Dfiy 

 yards and go clean through. This will drop any turkey at oace. This 

 to better shooting than caa be expected from any cyliader of that size 

 unless a wire cartridge be used when there arises the objection of mis- 

 placed pattern. B, L. H. 



BORE AND % SIZE OF SHOT. 



Enfieltj, N. C, May, 1S79. 

 Editob Foeest And Stream : 



The fact that these things have been mooted between men whose 

 lives and fortunes have beeu devoted to the production of approximate 

 perfection is sufficient to make me modest in my opinions, but you 

 doubt ess have observed that most ot a shooting man's knowledge, 

 having been gained by experiences which were often attended by m s- 

 fonuae, co.ues to him In quite a forcible manner, aud he remembers 

 them us a burnt child doss the are. And it Is, therefore, on account of 

 the flrmueas of cravieUon that I make the few following remarks. I 

 shall not attempt to sa-staia them by any very scicatiac arguments. 

 Tbat they are facts eislly proven by any one Is sufficient. Until you 

 called attention to the fact it did not strike me that I had made obser- 

 vation, not, almost the opinion of moat shouting men. Oae is very 

 much convinced, and quickly forgets that but a very short time ago he 

 believed differently. Therefore I did not seek to make plala what may 

 to some have seemed obvious. Our oblect was simply to account for 

 the difference of opinion la a very plain way. I mean the difference 0[ 

 opinion between the Fobest and Stbeam and the questioner, Mr . 

 Mclnturff, the variance being chiefly in size of shot to be used on cer- 

 tain 'game, it seemed clear to mo that' the two parues were using 

 widely different arms, viz-, one bored straight aad the other reduced at 

 the muzzle. It was a general opinion for many years that length gave 

 special value to a shot-gun, and indeed the rifle did not escape pet 

 names on account of the three or four extra feet on the muzzle. Pub 

 He opinion demanded those kinds la length. Why did they? Nearly 

 all the rifles were coarsely sighted and of Blow twist, suited to round 

 balls and short range. Why was a long rifle ot this kind more accurate 

 than a short one of the same kind 1 The Hue of Bight was longer, aud 

 that la about the whole reason. 



In the shot-gua leagth had the same popular demaad. It was be- 

 lieved to have better shooting qualifies ia pattera and penetration 

 The balance of the gan was not cared much about, as wing shootmg 

 was not much in vogue. 1 believe that better patterns were generally 

 obtalued from long bores, though I do not believe that the penetrai Ion 

 was equal to ihe bores of medium length, tbe charges being equal. 

 Take as aa Instance a 14 B,, BO-lnch cylinder bore, and charge with ia 

 drs. F powder and Ijf ozs. Bhot. The pattera will be excellent, and 

 tbe killing power fair, if the shot are large enough to compensate tor 

 the slow flight. Same gun with -2K to 3 drs. powder and same charge 

 shot, the pattern will always be diminished and penetration increased. 

 Now, take 14 cylinder bcre, 34ineh gun, ana it will give as good pat- 

 torn with i'A drs. powder and ljjf ozs. shot as did the 30-inch bore with 

 2% drs. powder and \U ozs. shot. It is clearly seen by a mind at alj 

 mechanical tbat there Is no hocus-pocus about tula; I here must be 

 some rational reason. Does It not seem quite plain that, friction is the 

 thing in this niattor ? Else, why this analogy between the short 

 barrels with a slow charge of powder, and the longer barrels w.th 

 a quicker charge 1 



Friction Is always Increased with an Increase of the powder charge, 

 because the " npset " of the shot charge ia Increased, by which means 

 ihe pellets are cut by friction, aud leave the gun inoie or less wildly in 

 proportion to their velocity. To prove that this is so let ub get rid of 

 tbat bad effect of the upset, which ia mostly resultant from the 

 wedging and jamming of the shot between the shot and powder wads, 

 by an experiment with buck shot. Take aa an InBtanee a No. 10, 30 or 

 32 Inch cylinder bore; pnt In 3% or 4 dra. powder and two good felt 

 wads, and then select such back shot as It will exactly chamber ; drop 

 down a layer— four if It chambers four— then shove down a tn in card- 

 board wad, then put in another layer, and so on until four layers and 

 f rar wads have been used. The same ends may be accomplished by 

 putting In fine sawdust between each layer, sufficient only to make 

 each succeeding lajer have a level floor on which to rest. A few of 

 the coarsest experiments with this charge will convince any one that 

 this is as good a killing charge at ao yards as the ordinary way of pour- 

 ing the shot in loose will give at 40 yards. In the instance of the loose 

 shot there will be no uniformity ot force in the flight of the individual 

 shot, more than half of the charge having bat little penetration, whUe 

 In the instance of the layered shot, their flight will be almost perfectly 

 uniform in force, have greater force, and the pattern will be as greatly 

 improved. These shot have not only traveled in a straight line 

 tbrongh the barrel, but leave the gan in a spherical form, and subse- 

 quently travel faster and atralghter for obvious reasons. If a single 

 shot much too Binal) for the bore be placed on a powder wad, and have 

 flne Bawdnst firmly packed aronnd it, and then a wad on same, It can 

 be relied on to be almost as accurate at a short distance as though It 

 fitted the smooth bore. This, therefore, seems conclusive— that the 

 highest excellence attainable by the straight or cylinder bore is to be 

 arrived at by lessened friction and shot, which leaves the bore in 

 spherical form. First of all there muat be foroe. Therefore, the 

 length of barrel must be sufficient for the consumption of a proper 

 charge of powder (just what length that Is in the various sizes seems 

 heat determined by the makers, who have lime and means of testing 

 beyond that of moBt mere sportsmen), a highly polished and lubricated 

 bore, and Bhot of snmeient hardness to remain uncut in passing out. 

 There then remains only two reasons why theae shot, at the distance 

 of their extreme flight, have at all diverged from a Btralght line s or, in 

 other words, make a pattern larger than the gun wad, They are, 



PIGEON MATCHES. 



Se^d in Scores Eaely. — To insure insertion in current 

 issues all scores should reach us Mondays or Tuesdays. Re- 

 ports should therefore be mailed upon the same day the 

 matches are shot. Promptness on the part of correspondents 

 will materially enhance the proper record of field contests. 



New Jkhsey Stats Association.— As there aoenis to be a probabil- 

 ity of there being plenty of wild pigeons soon, the committee on the 

 Slate tournament are hurrying matters, and the tournament will come 

 off aa eoon aB the birds arrive, which will be the latter part ot this 

 month or early In July. The committee have been somewhat em- 

 barrassed In the selection of grounds, but have finally settled upon 

 West Side Driving Park, Morion, N, J., as the most convenient and ac- 

 cessible. Due notice of the days determined opon will be given. 



A Novsl Match.— A shootlbg match for the one-armed champion- 

 ship ot the United States and a purse of gsOO will take place at West 

 Side Driving Park, Marion, New Jersey, July 9, between W. S. Canon, 

 of Newark, N. J., and L. H. Houghton, of Cassvllle, Wisconsin. Mr. 

 Canon is a member of the Jersey City Heights Gun Club ; physically of 

 line figure, pleasant address, and a favorite among his cinb members ; 

 about 5ft. llin. in height, and weighs 176 lbs. ; is an excellent Bliol. 

 ilr. Bongnton is a gentlemen of eulture, being the teacher in the place 

 of his residence ; ia of finelorm and physique, standing over bix feet 

 in his stockings, and has attained some celebrity at the West as a wing 

 shooter. As the contestants are both gentlemen amateurs, the match 

 Will be couductcd honestly, and bids fair to be one of the most interest- 

 in.', aB It will be the most novel, of the season. The conditions an : 

 30 birds, 30 yards rise, traps, 80 yards boundary, both barrels: othei- 

 wlse American rnleB. 



NewHamfsuibe— Ashland, June T.— Ashland Gun Clutt; weekly 

 contest; IS bull match, miss und out, Bogardus trap and rales: 



LA Ham 2d— 1 



J G Morrison ..1 2d— 1 111110 



E i J Waiaer 1 2d— 1 1 



AS Clark 1 1 2d— 1 1 



aosnepara- i i o aa— i 111111111111 



June 14— SO ball match for 20-.b. bug of Tatham's chilled shot ; miss 

 and out; won by S. U. bhepard, who broke UO. 

 Same Day— Weekly contest for 15 ball, Bogardua trap and rales : 



AS Clark II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 0—9 



K P Warren 1 1111110001111 1—13 



J G Morrison 1 111110 1111111 1—14 



Geo o.ividson U lOllUUOOOllw 



St: BhaniltU I 1110111111111 1—14 



LAHam .1 lioolllllllll 1—13 



Ties on fourteen. 



J G Morrison 8 SCShepanl ...» 



Ties on thirteen. 



JSP Warner i LAilam 3 



M. 



Manchester— Manchester Shooting Club; regular weekly shoot 

 Jane 11; Card's rotating trap; lSyaids. Use: 



' 1 1 "l 1 1 1 1 1-9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1—S 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 0-9 

 O Ease— 



000110000 0-2 10 100010 0—3 010000000 0— 1 

 N A Eouinsua— 



1 1 1 i 1 (I 0-5 010010000 0—9 110 10 0—3 

 W H Vlelccry- 



I) 10010000 0—2 100100000 0—2 000000000 0—0 



Greeley— 



100111000 1—5 

 M Wadleigh— 



1110 1 1—5 0100011 11 1—1 100011111 0— fl 

 C W Farmer— 



0100 (10100 0—2 000101010 0—3 10 1 10 1 0—4 

 Jallua E Wilson— 



1001010 1— i 10 10 10 10 1-6 00010010 0—2 



1 A Moore— 111111011 1— 9 110 111111 1—S 

 H Wheeler— 1 1 0— 2 1 1 1 I 1 1 o 1-T 

 G F Elliott— 111110 10—0 1 o 1 o 1 1 0—4 

 B A Sherburne— 001000000 0—1 



J.K. W.Sbo. 

 Nsw IUybn Gcn Clt/b— JSJm Hami, Conn., June 11.— Monthly match, 

 club grounds: 



Armstrong l 001110110110111101 i— 14 



Jorey I 10011 1 I 1 1 i 1 1 1 i 1 I 1 1 1—18 



Beers 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 u o i n- is 



penn 1 1 1 1 1 1 i n l i n l l o i u l i t_is 



Langdon oill I l I i l 1 l i o l l I l o 1 u— 10 



Folsom 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ; 1 l 1 1 1 1 l l i l 1—19 



Hanson i uiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii l— ia 



Puntr 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 fi 1 1 1 1-19 



Bronson I 1 o I i l ti i 1 l l l 1 i l l o 1 1 1— U 



Smith o oiullioioillioinii it— 12 



Nichols 1 1 i ii 1 110 111110 11111 1— IT 



Fulton 1 1 (I u 1 1 1 i 1 n— 7 



Ties on nineteen. 



Folsom 1 1 1—3 Hansom l o 1 1 1—4 



Porter l l 1—3 



Nbw York— Cazmovia, June 13.— Fourth fortalghtiy shoot of Oaze- 

 novla Gnn Club at Frogmour ; Caida rotating trap, Bi)g*rdas rules : 



Crutteuden 1 lOllllooiilll 1—12 



DKan l l 1 o 1 fl l 1 o I i 1 1 0-10 



Aiwell 1 1 o 1 1 1 n 1 1 1 1 1 1— n 



I'sul ,,.0 i) 0100000 II 1111 1— u 



Bggiestons iiiiioiiiooiio l— u 



H awn 11 10 1 11110 1 1—10 



Bass - i i i ii " l ii i ti I i U i 1-- a 



Divier r.l 10 1 1 I i 1 j 



Porter - o o o l o o i u o l n i u t- t 



Morse 1 1 o 1 1 1 1 1 l 1 i i_u 



Webber l I 1 1 1 1 D 1— T 



Mather » « u 1 o 1 1 1 il l— 5 



Egglestane lost Blxth on position. HAMMBatisss. 



