Noa S3, 1883.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



3 27 



men from the North are scattered over Virginia and the 

 eastern shore of Maryland lmbtlng partrftlges and pheasants. 



In November the true sportsman knows that tne partridge, 

 or, to call him by his proper name, the Urtij.r a fiiiiin, ■».■:, is 

 ft| his best its a game bird. Not now is he one of yourfeeble 

 fledglings, fluttering before you on a few pin feathers, With 

 a plaintive 'peep peep," but with a whir like a buzz-saw he 

 is up under your clog's nose and away, skimming like a 

 brown streak over the tops of the stunted undergrowth — 

 gone in an instant. A quick eye, a steady hand, a good gun 

 plenty Of practice von must have if you would stop 

 "Bob White" now. No mustard-seed shot, either. Call 



mil loudly with 3J drs. of powder and 1} uzs. of No. 7 



shot if you would have him listen to you. 



Virginia about, the present time is the place to go and find 

 linn at home willi bis family that has grown up around him 

 during the summer and fall till their breaste puff with fat- 

 ness under a wealth of speckled plumage, and their sleek 

 brown wings can carry them far out of the reach of the tyro 

 before be can cock his' gun. The best places to go partridge 

 ShOOtjtig just now lie m the State above mentioned. Along 

 the Rappahannock Biver is a vi-riiable paradise. The Sben- 

 nandoah Valley is full of game, and the wooded districts 

 along the Bull Run Mountains are promLingtiaefsforsports 

 men. Western North Carolina is to be reached by the 

 Virginia Midland Railroad, and the Eastern Shore? shooting 

 is not to be sneezed at by any means. 



it will cost a sportsman about $30 to go iuto Virginia for 

 a week's shooting. He wants about 400 shells, at. 90 cents a 

 hundred ; then he wants live pounds of good 40-cent powder 

 and a bag of No. 7 shot. A trifle over $8, therefore, com- 

 pletes hu outlil, barring all such luxuries as pocket flasks. 

 The rest will be spenl in car fare and the bed, bacon and 

 • • he gets at the farmhouse. A dog, 8'f course, or a 

 pair of them if possible, he must have. Let him look for a 

 paper of spilt needles in a haystack if he pleases, but he 

 cannot go into a stubble and expect to kick Bob White up 

 with the lor of his boot. And now on the night before the 

 ■ i : ■ i orth on the first day's hunt the honest farmer tells you 

 l hat, on such and such" a day he "skairt up a mess o' them 

 quailses in the old field acrost the crik." He also recollects 

 "a-hearin' 'em whistle in the stubble-field down lhar." Get 

 ting your points from the farmer in a general sort of a way, 

 you trust lo your knowledge of orfyxian habit and the noses 

 of the nli] red dog and the Laverark pup that arc then bowl 

 tngin concert with a bench-legged 'coon dog at their im- 

 promptu kennels. 



If die next morning is a Clear and still one. with a dew or 

 a. frost glistening over the dead ragweed and burdock, get up 

 early. Feed your dog the first thing on corn pone and milk. 

 Meat temporarily injures the actitcness of their scent. ;-.o flo 

 not indulge them. Fortify yourself with some good warm 

 grub and "sally torth. The a'ir is crisp and cool, and a bright 

 sun is dancing over the half-denuded branches of the oaks. 

 Skylarks in Hocks whirl up in front of your dogs as they 

 |ppe over the. trodden cornstalks. The field lark, with its 

 mellow note, also has not forsaken the country, and the prim 

 little blue bird shivers out a querulous note from the top of a 

 fence stake. OH in the distance on every side wells up 

 musically the cattle calls of the negroes on the fodder 

 wagons, and the responsive lowing of the steers shows the 

 morning feed is welcome. Down a little branch through 

 the stubble field you go, your dogs quartering back and 

 forth from the old' overgrown fence on the left to [he little 

 fringe of stunted blackjacks, whose stubborn leaves have re- 

 fall off. 



Suddenly Ihe old dog draws up in his long gallop. He 

 uial.es a round with his nose to the ground and his tail 

 fairly describing circles with excitement. There! He 

 crouches! His t;ul grows rigid, and his head, dropped a 

 little below the shoulders, points to the birds. The puppy, 

 not old enough to back stand, bounds up until the sceiit 

 strikes him, and he, too, is converted into a statue, a little 

 awry as to his body and unsteady as to his legs, but staunch 

 all the same, Now, it you have* trained your dogs to flush, 

 hid them ■'hie on." If you haven't as is probably the ease, 

 walk up gradually and warily, everything in readiness. 

 You pass by the dogs, who move a littlu uneasily. You 

 kick a small patch of briers, when whir-r-r-r-r — all around 

 you — Ibis way and that— whiz! bang! halloo! '■There, 

 'steady. Good dOg, Bring it here. Put down." You 

 were, as usual, startled by the covey, and you missed your 

 first bird at ten yards as clean as a whistle. The second 

 bird, off to Iheh'ft, you plumped your number sevens into 

 at the right distance'. Bite his neck and end his agony. 

 A full-grown cock it is. with the- white clearh marked 

 along the side of his head. Your dog has only gently 

 mouthed it, Slip it into the pocket ol your shooting coat, 

 and start after his "brelheren and sistereu," who are 

 scattered along the fence and in the blackjack thicket. 



Now you want good dogs. They must be careful and 

 keen of nose. One bird is up frorn'uuder that old pile Of 

 brush. You cut him down and your dog, who springs un- 

 hidden to "fetch" it, flushes another. A snap shot knocks 

 a handfu' of feathers from his back and wing, but he keeps 

 ou. and is lost in Ihe woods beyond, After awhile you hunt 

 over in that direction and your dog stands. You may then 

 pick lip a dead bird. It is your "crippler." The next 

 covey you flush scatters into a stiff swamp, grown up with 

 long green brambles, chicken-grape vines and blackberry 

 flushes. 'Ibis is the time your shooting comes in. Snap 

 shots every time. Quick thev must be. almost to banging 

 iiwuv at tlie whir of wings. A really go»d partridge shot 

 kills eight out of ten birds in this kind' of a place every time. 

 So you' go through the forenoon, finding all ihe birds out on 

 the hillsides feeding, away from their roosting places; As 

 you come out of I ac edge of a moist grove or skirt along a 

 drain grownup with bushes a woodcock jumps up. No 

 ■July cook" now. No flickering flight and' impotent twit- 

 ter. He, too, is in his prime; strong, robust and rosy- 

 breasted. You cut his wings as he skirts over the top of a 

 pin-oak, and when your dog finds him and brings him to you 

 he i urns out to be fat and heavy. 



But. ah! You halt at noon by a spring that trickles out of 

 some rock, and draw forth those sandwiches of "salt-rising" 

 bread and "home cuahed" bacon. Unscrewing the top of 

 your pocket-pistol you shoot these slightly, and with an 

 appetite bred by the sport, and whetted by the pi i feet con- 

 tentment with which you survey yonr two dozen birds, you 

 fall to tossing a fragment now and then to the dignified dog 

 and the more importunate puppy that gaze wistfully at you, 

 \ iwisk-d ciimiette or a whiff from that black pipe.'anu'you 



eoff again A. wind has sprung up, and you know that 

 I" birds are to be found on the sheltered side of declivities 

 or under the lee of accommodating stone fences. You hud 

 it harder shooting now. A bird going with the wind is like 

 a Sash of lightning, and one rising against the wind twists 



around the trees and through the bushes, so that he is a very 

 erratic mark. 



Adozen more in the afternoon completes your bap, and if 

 you care to knock over the "ole hyar" that your dog bounces 

 out of a brier pitch in front of you, take him along. If you 

 aspire to be English and "swell', " you will say when you get 

 back that the "sport was faiah; "dozen and art" brace, or so, 

 don't you know." Thechanc.es are, however, that you are 

 very considerably elated with your success, even though it 

 is moderate, and after seeing your game put away in a cool 

 place you go over your day's sport, make all your good shots 

 again," andrelate all of your mishaps lo the farmer over some 

 smoking corn bread and fried bacon at the supper table. 

 After all, there is no sport that compares with partridge 

 Shooting to the true hunter. Even to a man who kills only 

 one bird out of five the sensation is the same. Kail, plover, 

 prairie chickens, grouse, and even ducks fail to afford the 

 sport in connection with their death that little "Bob White" 

 does. Humanitarians call it cruel sport, and perhaps it is, 

 hut there are few men who would not indulge in it if they 

 could. 



NEED OF NATIONAL LEGISLATION. 



Editor Ibrest and Stream: 



Thi' article which appears on the initial page of the last 

 issue of your excellent journal is one that justly merits the 

 attention" and applause of all right-thinking people, whether 

 in the ranks of sportsmen or not. 



It needs not the. gift of prophets to discern that a few 

 years more of reckless slaughter like that of the last two de- 

 cades must result in the absolute extermination of many of 

 the. noblest forms of native auiinal life in this country. But 

 deploring or bewailing the ruinous depletion already wrought 

 is less to the purpose than seeking and applying tile remedy 

 before it shall be forever too late, and this fact makes such 

 efforts as yours eminently valuable. 



The proposition to reach the matter by national legislation 

 seems the best if not the only practicable method of salva- 

 tion for what is yet left of the large game of the Yellow- 

 stone region, which manifestly will soon be the only favor- 

 able ground for the purpose in question. 



It is gratifying to know that we have at least one advo- 

 cate in the person of the Senator you name, and if we could 

 enlist the sympathy of more like him it would be an achieve- 

 ment for which posterity would infinitely bless us. 



It is true many causes' are operating, and will continue to 

 operate, disastrously to the preservation of game, which are 

 broad and inevitable from the nature of things, as the rapid 

 settling of all available portions of former wild sections, 

 railroad extension, improvement in firearms, etc; but the 

 cardinal difficulty to be met is undoubtedly the intemperate 

 and indiscriminate destruction of game animals at all times 

 and in all conditions. 



The invasion of our choicest shooting grounds by unscru- 

 pulous foreigners is also an evil that should receive prompt 

 and effectual treatment at our hands. Many of these fellows 

 seem to imagine that once on the plains or in the mountains 

 they are free of all restraint and not amenable to any law, 

 moral or civil. 



It is to be boiled that you will receive a measure of encour- 

 agement in keeping with the merit of all your efforts in the 

 interest of true sportsmen, and succeed in further promoting 

 all that tends to make the skillful and prudent use of the 

 gun one Of the manliest of manly recreations. 



W. D. Zimmerman. 



NORKISTOWN, l-'a 



DUCK SHOOTING BY STEAM POWER. 



THE perusal of an account of a day's duck shooting in the 

 last number of the Forest a.nd Stv.kam suggests a 

 contribution in that line, the result ot a days "outing" on 

 the waters adjacent to this city. We were Invited, three of 

 us, to go out after black ducks in a steam launch. Never 

 having had any experience in duck shooting in this country, 

 all my shooting having been done on the Pacific coast. I was 

 verdant as to the style of thing hereabouts and did not know 

 where or how we were going. However, according to 

 appointment, we met at the foot of Twenty-third si reel of a 

 lowery threatening morning, about the first of this month, 

 when I found that our launch was n magnificent steam yacht, 

 awaiting us with steam up ready lo Start, and we were soon 

 steaming out past Throgg's Neck iuio the Sound. 



We ran about an hour and when abreast of Greenwich the 

 captain repeated ducks on the weather bow. Immediately 

 guns were brought oil deck, ammunition placed handily, and 

 the steamer headed for them. We had on board as cabin 

 boy, an excitable young Frenchman, who seeing the quota 

 of preparation, immediately dropping his dishes produced a 

 No. 10 shotgun and proceeded lo take a hand in the fray on 

 his own account. While waiting for the boat to come within 

 range, and when about five hundred yards distant Louis, in 

 a high state of excitement, blazed away, regardless of any- 

 thing or anybody in range. His shot struck the water about. 

 ten feet from the boat, but the report, although not equal to 

 that of any ordinary pop gun, frightened away the game. 

 Louis bring properly and duly "cussed" and sat upon, retired 

 to the kitchen in disgust and disgrace. 



Soon another flock was reported on Ihe port bow, and 

 again we headed for them. The fowl were wild and the 

 shots long enough to strain any gun. Finally, after a fusi- 

 lade of two hours, a cripple was reported, and around and 

 around we went after that poor cluck. We chased him miles, 

 but finally, with a dozen more settling shots and a scoop net, 

 the game was brought on deck. I looked at the duck curi- 

 ously and wonderingly, making a mental calculation how 

 many pounds of lead he would pan out if smelted. 1 said, 

 "Is "l his what you call a black duck/" He looked tome 

 wonderfully like an old coot, at least that is what we call 

 them in California, and if any one ever conceived the idea 

 of shooting them you could "load a boat with them in an 

 hour; in fact, the "Bay of San Francisco is so covered with, 

 them that they scarcely get out of the way of the ferryboats, 

 and as tor eating them, not even a Frenchman, who is sup. 

 posed to eat anything, ever does that. 



We had on board a gun sent down by the owner of the 

 yacht, a long, heavy No. 4 caliber, and cartridges thai 



looked more tormidaf 



one proposed, iuasm 

 should try the long-r 

 OUt, lull 'no one seen' 

 one of Ihe party vol 

 next duck he saw. 



■ than those for a Galling gun. Bonn 

 5b as the birds were wild, that we 

 ange No. 4 on them It, was brought 

 ed anxious tb Mail in on it. Filially 

 unteered to I ry it, and did so on Ihe 

 It was like the report of a pounder. 

 The venturesome youth staggered back and turned a little 

 pale, but declared it did not kick anything to speak of, mid 

 SO induced the next fellow to try' it. He smothered his 

 agony, and Anally all were induced ta try that gun, and con- 



sequently there were three fellows next day with shoulders 

 black and blue; and lame arms? Well, I should say so. 

 Later in the afternoon another bird was reported down, 



and it took about half a ton of coal ami twenty or thirty 

 shots to secure him. By this time it began to be darkish, and 

 we steered for home. Arriving at our dock too late for din- 

 ner ashore, we concluded to dine, sleep aboard and resume 

 operations again next day. We had a glorious dinner, and 

 after a. delicious smoke dozed off to sleep and slept the sleep 

 of the sportsman. 



The next morning after breakfast we started out again, 

 this time with recruited ranks, the owner coming ou board 

 with a party of frit aids. We steamed out into the Sound, 

 but it, was blowing fresh, and the motion was too much for 

 the party generally, two or three only of us being unaffected, 

 The steamer was iiea, led hack and down through the Kills 

 and so around through the inside navigation of the Jersey 

 nit not a duck did we see, too much petroleum down 

 ty for a fowl spelled with a "w." although fisul 

 generally. 



eturued to the dock and landed. The two carcasses 

 lefuuet coots were lying In state on the forward 

 ' and Louis, the French boy, was made happy by the 



n thereof. 



re shot ducks in Texas, California and the West; been 



that w 

 enouir! 



We 

 of the 

 "bitts. 

 donati 



1 ha . _ _ 

 out a great many times during the last twenty years, but I 

 never went forth to slaughter before in a |8O,0O0 steam 

 yacht, with French cooks, and on a diet of pi it.} </,: toil, ijni.ii 

 and Cliquot. Just for curiosity I figured up the expense of 

 the two days' shooting, ami herewith give it to you: 



vtwo days.. 



One ease champagne 3d 



Oue box cigars, .. . ., . .. 25 



Cook's department , 25 



Three hundred roan, is ot ammunition 15 



Carriages to and from dock ,"> 



Total $185 



Here we have a grand total of $185 as the expense of the 

 two days' shooting, divided by results, two old coots, giving 

 the cost, of Bame as $1)3.511 "each, the. highest probably on 

 record. I do not preteud to be familiar with the mode and 

 manner of duck shooting- in this part of the country, this be- 

 ing my first experience. All 1 can say is, that it seems to be 

 rather" tin expensive pastime, and I don't think the ordinary 

 slate of finances will enable me to return the civility in this 

 style, for which I am truly sorry, for the thing was done up 

 tight royally, our host, being a prince of a fellow, but if he 

 ever strikes the Pact lie Coast we will return the favor to the 

 best of our ability: We won't, promise him quite so much in 

 (he way of luxuries, but we will try to "sec" those two coots 

 and goliini a few canvas-backs and mallards better. 



PoDGERS. 



New York, Nov. 10. 



OUR DETROIT LETTER. 



"f \J HILE sitting in our office yesterday- 1 noticed an elderly 

 It man come into the store antl make some inquiries 

 about garments often worn by sportsmen. He was about 

 three score vcars of age. of sprue, but sinewy frame; his 

 hair and small beard were well silvered with gray; the ex- 

 pression of Ids sharply cut features was kind and benevolent, 

 but decided and firm 'withal, while his clear gray eye's pro- 

 claimed him to be a man whom it would be safe to "tic to." 

 That man is a .deer hunter sure, 1 said to myself, and a good 

 rifle shot as well. And SO it proved, or, rather, he told me 

 that lie had just returned from the north and was en route 

 for his home at Puinesville, O., and that lie had, with a few 

 others, been still-hunting at Black Lake, back of Cheboygan. 

 As to being a good shot with the rifle, he did not say; how- 

 ever, without knowing, I'll vouch for his skill, liis quiet 

 words betrayed a keen love for deer hunting. Sis prefer- 

 ence was a still-hunt, but he recognized the rights of others 

 to use hounds, if allowed by- law; "and if the deer were shot 

 on the runways with rifles, he said it was surely a sports- 

 manlike way of hunting. 



I should liked to have had a party of Chicago sportsmen, 

 who were camped near our friend at Black Lake, hear his 

 few words in reference to their man nor of hunting. He said ; 

 "A party of gentlemen from Chicago were camped near us. 

 They were supplied with wines; beer, servants, anda perfect 

 arsenal of weapons. They hired three hunters to take dogs 

 out and drive the deer to ihe lake, while these Chicago 'hun- 

 ters kept watch upon the beach, where two light boats were 

 in readiness. As soon as. a deer took to water, then these 

 Chicago gentlemen were rowed out by servants to shoot the 

 game. By the way. isn't it illegal in your State to kill deer 

 in the waterv These gentlemen were waxing fat from good 

 living and lack of work, it's a pity they could not experi- 

 ence the solid satisfaction of packing a buck, ktlledvm a still- 

 hunt, several miles to camp, with no paid hunters nor ser- 

 vants to assist." I should like to have a hunt, with thePaiues- 

 ville gentleman. Should this meet his eye, will he please 

 mark me down and come and see me when he next visits 

 this city. 



Does anyone want good quail shooting? Call, then, on 

 C. G. Jewett, of Howell, Mich He is well known as a 

 man of veracity as well as a splendid shot. He telephoned 

 in to-day on a matter of business. I asked how the quail 

 shooting was out there. "Lots of quails," he replied; "two 

 thousand to the quarter acre till around here, but Messrs. 

 Long and Field, from Detroit, were out Saturday and only 

 got forty, it was too windy. Good bye." 



Duck shooting on the marshes is about finished. The 

 severe storms prevailing during the past week have caused 

 very low water in the Lake Erie marshes, while the cold 

 snap has frozen it solid. Should we have soon some mild 

 weather with high water there may be some more good 

 shooting, but otherwise we must look to the rivers and air 

 holes. Ou the whole, duck shooting this season has been 

 excellent, 



Not much field shooting has la-en done the past week on 

 account ot continued storms. There ought to be some line 

 bags made on the first pleasant day. Delta. 



Detroit, Midi.. ;\ov. 17. 



lit; Wants -to Sei.i. a BONAXZA. — YftlCOUr, N- S., Nov. 



15. — Eilttnr Fun si mut Utrewm: Please inform your readers 

 WC have here, at the mouth of Ausalile River, olio of the best 



duck and goose grounds on the lake and not natch shooting 

 is done. | havehud for the last live nights a flock of 800 m 

 mrae wild g«e*c within twenty-five yards of my blind, and 

 ducks innumerable. 1 will give a good sh»t the: best show 

 for the season, for pay. 1 have been the past three weeks 

 working up the flock by live decoys and feeding them, and 

 allow no hunters to molest. — D. it, Bybam. 



