Dec. G, 1883.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



865 



hunter, made the neat-hitlers jump ana run up the oak for 

 •1< in Life. 



Thau tbe fusilade began. Lansing led off with both bar- 

 rels, tiud left lii-s gameln the tree, only to be brought to bag 

 by my right barrell, while Lansing, in full chase for number 

 two, loaded as he ran lor a distant sapling. His tight bar- 

 rel wounded the squirrel, which ran down (he sapling, I 

 missing as be ran, and tbe squirrel disappeared up a hollo w 

 tree, only to be drawn out by the tail by the excited Hoff- 

 mau, who gave the wounded animal a (ling into space, and 

 as he dropped Beauty welcomed him with open month to n 

 hospitable grave. 



And now the fun began. The Indian summer rain helped 

 Beauty in scenting the game, and the forty acre tract of oak 

 timber was alive with the nimble-footed quadrupeds. 



Lansing was in bis glory, and: as the sun began tosel 

 hunted our way back to ilames's Norway rat, only to find 

 him enjoying his fodder. Counting the spoils of the chase, 

 we numbered the slain and found ourselves the joyful pos- 

 sessors of twenty-six squirrels. We will bring these "gray- 

 backs" insight of the judicial eye of Brother Miller, But 

 Beauty opens her mouth down tbe woods again. Here is 

 No. at. Lansing proposes that we give our breech-loaders 

 to Foster and Hoffman, for they had never ceased to wonder 

 at the No. 10 shell going into our guns from the breech, and 

 they guaranteed to kiil the last "squirrel with four loads: 

 ami presently they returned beaming, and bearing their 

 honors and the dead rodent between then* This closed the 

 case. They had killed a single squirrel between them, not 

 because tiny couldn't, kill mure, but because they desired the 

 scarps to fnil before our tomahawks. Vy e gave them all our 

 unused shells, with ample pay for a day's work, for the 

 powder and shot Would do then! a power of good. The gray 

 rat bounced us home over the quasi turnpike with a speed 

 withiu a few minutes of 2:40. Lansing's supper table (for 

 he is a gourmet] groaned with salt-water eels, woodcock, 

 lerrapin'd Ui diamond back. The pheasant intended for my 

 evening meal had disappeared in the hands of some light-lin- 

 gered habitue Of the Hotel de Lansing, f wished it miglll be.S 

 caseof "dutnage-feasaiil" to the "conveyer" of that pheasant, 

 1 dreamed of squirrels and hig trees m the Yosemite "V al- 

 ley as full of big fox squirrels as President Arthur's West- 

 ern streams were of trout. 1 waked refreshed with theses 

 air that came into my window, like a giant, refreshed with 

 new wine. And when 1 go again to take 01V pleasure in the 

 Oresse Woods the Forest ahb Stream shall hear thereof. 



Camdbs, n. .i.. Nov. 27. James M. Scovel. 



giving tongue not far away. Running to the door he 



+:.,.-. -i-.- ...., I. :..... O nn1n ,i,»fA;rth,nm-naa tin* ipp.r 



fine doe making it 



lake, close to which the camp is located, 

 pealing rifle, ran to the edge of the ice, a 

 ' lead" at -her: she v. as a great distance 

 is a splendid shot and at the seventli 



down she went. The two dogs n 



MICHIGAN NOTES. 



IK your able criticism of "Sport with Hod and Gun," you 

 mention Mr. Lallan's claim that deer will not turn aside 

 from a fire on a runway, in rather a skeptical manner. 

 Now. the fact is. in this section fires are often built on run- 

 ways, as n deer in front of the dogs does not seem to care for 

 Such fiies. Our Michigan deer may be very peculiar as you 

 imply, but you must remember that as forest tires are com- 

 mon "in this' State, perhaps our deer become accustomed to 

 them. My own poor opinion, however, is that deer can 

 hardly "think" of two things at once; with hounds after 

 them, their whole thought is to escape from their pursuers. 

 A lire is not uncommon in the woods, so the deer will run by 

 it, or in fact nearly over it, as 1 have seen them do more 

 than once. U might be fair to add that where 1 have seen 

 such fires kindled they were either close to lakes or rivers, 

 and perhaps a deer making for water would push on desper- 

 ately by them rather than turn aside. A deer is a foolish 

 innocent at best: it is hard to say what; he will or will not do. 

 The hunt of the Turtle .Lake party (mentioned in one of 

 my recent letters) was suddenly broken up by the death of 

 Mr. George Gillman, at Detroit, this last week. Mr. E. H. 

 Gillman being summoned home to attend the funeral of his 

 Irtte partner and brother. The parly had excellent sport 

 while they staid, killing fifteen or twenty deer. They re- 

 port them not as numerous as last season. Strange, isn't it. 

 when we think of the thousands slain at all times of the 

 year? 



The only way to save the devoted animals is by preserving 

 the shooting on an immense scale. If our millionaire pine 

 land owners were wise they would at once take energetic 

 steps toward preservation. There's money in it, sure. 1 

 believe in less than five years the best deer countries of our 

 State will be preserved, in a crude way perhaps, but still 

 preserved. Attempts at preservation of large tracts could 

 only result in good were they successful or not, for special 

 attention would he directed* to wanton slaughter or killing 

 for hides alone. If some ol our sturdy lumbermen once 

 take it into their heads that the thousands of deer slain in 

 their forests are property of value, then heaven help the 

 slavers. 



Henry Crane and George Abbott, Madison, Mich., were 

 out after 'coons a few nights since. After shooting one or 

 two, they let their dog have the next 'coon that came down, 

 but Hit- 'coon proving loo much for the dog, Mr. Abbott took 

 his loaded gun bv the muzzle, and with singular tecl.le- 

 ness, clubbed the 'coon with it. It is not to be wondered at 

 that Mr, Abbott is dead. How any man with any experi- 

 ence could think of using a loaded shotgun as a club, 1 can- 

 not conceive. Even if The gun was not loaded the chances 

 would be that a blow would break the stock of the weapon. 

 The interest in trap-shooofing is decidedly upon the in 

 crease in Detroit. One or two coteries of gentlemen are 

 now having their regular shoots at clay-pigeons and the in- 

 fection is sure to spread. It's just like boy-' games, you 

 know— marbles for instance. We all remember each spring 

 how of ti sudden every boy was devoted to that game — so 

 mote it be with the trap. 



At a recent meeting of the Lake St. Clair Fishing and Shoot- 

 ing Club, it was unanimously voted to increase the Balaiy ( " 

 the popular steward, Mr. Dwight Whitney, and a eon-ndeiah 

 sum was also voted him as an immediate expression of ti 

 satisfaction at his season's management. As there are two 

 hundred members in the club, the action is a great compli- 

 ment to popular Dwight Whitney. 



himself out of a severe cold. By the way, that's a most com- 

 fortable camp that was built for the party referred to, this 

 last summer; some of you from Park Bow must come out 

 i a ...u and see for yourselves; the Windsor Hotel is 

 nothing beside it. Well,' the Colonel proceeded to doctor 

 himself and was doing well, when he hoard the hounds 



' e sa w a 

 ■covered 

 He seized his fe- 

 ld began "pump- 

 off, but. the Colonel 

 ■ eighth discharge 

 her soon came up 

 and held her while the Colonel, well satisfied with his long- 

 range shooting, ordered the darkey cook to go and bring her 

 in. Tie- darkey went and although the doe thrashed around 

 considerably, upsetting him two or three times on the glassy 

 ice. he succeeded in cutting her throat and dragged her to 

 the shore. There it was found that the deer's tail had been 

 cut off close to the rump by oueof the bullets andwashang- 

 iug by a mere shred, but nowhere else had a bullet touched 

 that devoted animal. I am inclined to admire the Colonel's 

 economy and masterly shooting. Of course he claims that 

 lie did hot wish the ballet to spoil any meat. Delta. 



Detroit. Mich., Dee. 1. 



A THANKSGIVING GROWL. 



PHANICSGIVING DAY. ami as bright, mild and inviting 

 i as the 1st of October. 1 had planned an extensive day's 

 mooting for this occasion, but a fiendish cough has me in its 

 clutches and keeps me prisoner. 



Owing to ill-health and had weather, 1 have had but few 

 opportunities to shoot since the season began. 1 have been 

 out three times with the following result: First trip, out all 

 day, resting from 10 M. to S P. M.; bag. 32 quail and 1 

 dove. Second time, all day, 23 quail and I hare. Third trip, 

 one afternoon from 2 P. M. until sundown, 9 quail, Shares 

 and 1 dove. Total, quail 64, hares 3. doves 2. 



Quad are certainly more abundant this season than they 

 have been here for several years before. However, they in- 

 variably feed near the thickets, into which they generally 

 nlungeas soon as Hushed. These thickets are of the kind 

 described in the clipping from the Baltimore Bum., published 

 "in your issue of Nov. 32. "Stiff swamp, grown up with 

 long green brambles, chicken grape-vines and blackberry 

 bushes." This is the place in which the correspondent says 

 "a really good partridge shot kills eight out of ten birds 

 every time." 1 agree with him, but only every time that he 

 finds a bevy of ten huddled under the briers. ' A man wdio 

 can kill eight out of ten birds every time in such cover as is 

 here described, would have no difficulty in killing ten out 

 of eight hi ordinary cover. 



I have had over twenty years' enjoyment and experience 

 as a wing-shot, and in that time have made the acquaintance 

 of many enthusiastic lovers of the gun— amateurs I mean — 

 I knowno professionals, and I have never met but one indi- 

 vidual who affirmed himself capable of such a feat as to 

 always kill eighty per cent, of the game shot at. This phe- 

 nomenal shot proved to he a commercial man from Chicago, 

 whom I mot on a train on the M. K. and T. R. R., and who 

 betrayed in the course of the conversation that he did not 

 know a [jointer from a setter. 



No, the place to make such scores is not in the taugled 

 thicket, or even on the open stubbles, but in the columns of 

 a daily newspaper, and the arm necessary is merely a well- 

 pointed FaberNo. 2. 



I presume that I have expended too much bile on this 

 topic, but then remember that I am chained to the house on 

 the only perfect day for quail shooting 1 have seen this sea- 

 sou, and is it not enough to raise the bile after one has been 

 forced to abandon a bevy of plump, well-fed, strong-flying 

 birds because of their- taking refuge in a thicket, to be 

 greeted by the statement almost as soon as he opens his 

 paper that in such a place a really good shot ought to kill 

 eight out of ten? Will. 



he 



which are plenty there. A hunter just iu from the range re 

 ports a herd of buffalo numberingnbout oj.OOO in the vicinity 

 of the Belle Fourche. and also that about Forty lodge- of 

 Gros Ventres are hunting them, besides a large number of 

 Milk River half breeds. A man brought five coyotes which 

 ho poisoned near Huntley. .Judge- Matheson punched their 

 heads, or rather their ears, and issued the certificate b 

 bounty allowed by law. Missoula county ranchmen are an- 

 noyed by the hears. The Mnjiioman- says : " A huge bear. 

 and a cunning one, has been at work in the Sweethouse dis- 

 lifferent breeds of hogs. Bruin lee-, dis- 

 ry generously all over the neighborhood, 

 -eek, when pursued, took a full grown sow 

 ce and off into the mountains, getting 

 n first-class shape.'' CtNNAHOW. 



trict, taking i 

 tributedhis calls vi 

 and one night last ^ 

 clear through a fei 

 away with his prize 



Bra 



L Moi 



.nil. Nov. at. 







GUN AND GAME IN TEXAS. 



UR shooting season, which at, first seemed so bright, has 



MONTANA GAME NOTES. 



FOREST AHD Sniii.VM", you know, wonders "what kind of 

 dcerwehaveupiu Michigan." Well, possibly, nay probably, 

 Michigan deer are peculiar. Their latest" peculiarity has 

 been discovered by our amiable friend Col. M.. of Penn- 

 sylvania, who has just accomplished his first, deer hunt in 

 Michigau. Fresh from the Adhondacks, this season, where 

 he killed three deer with two shots from his rifle, he gaily 



comes to this stale and goes with tie- Detroit party to Turtle 



Lake cam]-,, where he bags a deer by simply cutting off its 

 tail with a ride ball. It happened thus: The Colon.:!, not 

 feeling just right one morning, concluded not to go out on 

 the warpath with the others, but remained at camp to doctor 



The Clark's Fork hunting party are back, and report game 

 plenty. There were six of them, Messrs. Hulme, Breucbaud, 

 "Webb, How ley. Wilde and Watts. They have written au 

 account for our local papers from which 1 make some ex- 

 tracts: "The second day we took up our line up Clark/: 

 Fork, crossing and recrossing the stream nine times. We 

 made 30 miles and camped at. the ninth crossing. We saw 

 in iiher than chickens, and even at. this early stage of 

 hunt, they had ceased toeallattentionso numerous were they. 

 The third day we look upour journey with the firinintf 

 of going to "Gray Bull." tbe hunting ground of the famous 

 bear hunter, Col. Pickett. But when we reached Bennett 

 creek itwas decided by vote to go up this stream. This __ 

 was a great mistake as we afterward, when too late, found, tion and 

 out. for had we pursued the original programme as we had Ace " 

 mappi d out before leaving Billings, at a distance not exceed- 

 ing 0(1 miles from Bennett creek we would have found au 

 abundance of elk, sheep and deer. This we ascertained from 

 Count du Doiv, who has a 'large horse ranch near the mouth 

 of the Stinking Water. The count brought in eight or ten 

 magnificent heads of elk and sheep; also three monstrous 

 grizzly bear skins. Going up Bennett creek we saw three or 

 four large bands of antelope and several white-tail deer, 

 but did not get a shot. We followed up Bennett creek as far 

 as practicable and went into camp. The first, evening in this 

 camp Chas. Watts brought down the largest black-tail buck 

 I ever saw. We hunted from this camp four days with no 

 further success, which seemed unaccountable tn"us; but an 

 old hunter. who enjoys the sobriquet of Red .lack, told us the 

 elk and sheep had not come down from the main range, 

 where we were, and that tbe deer, those in bands; had come- 

 down with the first storm and had gone over on the tributa- 

 ries of the Slinking Water and the foothills of the Pryor 

 Mountains. We would not have to go 100 yards from our 

 camp to kill more chickens than Tom Mullen's steed could 

 carry. I have been m .-Slates and Tea ritories that boast of their 

 tine chicken shooting, but nothing 1 ever saw is any com- 

 parison t.0 the numbers we saw on Bennett and lioek creeks. 

 Reaching the forks of Rock creek, all made camp and here 

 We had our best hunting, each killing a deer and chickens 

 by the dozens. We could have had far better success at this 

 camp only for the Indians who were, a mped in huge numbers 

 near us. probably 100 lodges." 



Several other "hunting excursions have been successful. 

 Louis II. Borne and Geo. W. Smiley of Billings, have re- 

 turned from the Lake Basin. They brought in ume antelope 

 and some smaller game. Messrs. Brown anil Loffer are back 

 from the Painted Kobe, Well supplied with deer and antelope 



been very disappointing. We expected au immense 

 flight of ducks, geese, snipe, etc.. as soon as cold weather 

 set in. No doubt we would have beeu gratified hail the 

 cold weather only set in, but, with the exception of one or 

 two days, it has been as balmy as simmer. 



At thebeginningof the season every one predicted au early 

 winter. All noticed that the bay birds made their appear- 

 ance fully two weeks in advance of those of last vc.ir. The 

 conclusion arrived at was that they had been driven south 

 by stress of weather. Of course, then, if the weather grew 

 severe so early at the north ours would he corresponding. 

 This idea took root, and grew to such an extent that predic- 

 tions were made, as many imagined, upon a sure thing. 

 And now; well, disappointments have been many, and if any 

 foretelling is indulged in next year it w ill be at variance 

 with the foreteller's Idea; if he thinks an early season likely 

 he will predict a late. one. 



Ducks and geese have remained north of us, although 1 

 understand that in the rice fields of Louisiana they are 

 unusually plentiful, ami are iu perfect condition. 



In some of the middle counties of this State, mallards 

 have made their appearance in very large uumbcrs, taking 

 possession of the timber and growing itelieiously fat upon 

 acorns. 



A few canvas-backs have made their appearance at the 

 bend of East Bay, but arc not in good condition. As a rule 

 •as-back shooting in November and December can 

 hardly be excelled. The birds then are large and tine, and 

 are eagerly sought for by both sportsmen and pot-hunters, 

 Tiiis year" seems to be an exception, very few ducks of any 

 variety making their appearance in their usual haunts. I 

 am in hopes of yet getting enough cold weather to bring l he- 

 birds with us. 



Snipe. I am glad to report, are here in fair numbers, 

 Thev, in absence of other game, have received my undi- 

 vided attention, and I must confess, that although 1 have 

 been very successful 1 have missed a great many more times 

 than 1 have hit. Nemo. 



Galveston, Texas, Nov. 30. 



The weather has been growing gradually cooler, and the 

 winter season is fairly upon us; already reports are coming 

 in of good bags. We tire all looking forward with eagerness 

 for the advent of the first severe norther that will sweep 

 over our sunny State, knowing it. will be the harbinger of 

 myriads of wildfowl fleeing southward iu pursuit of more 

 congenial feeding grounds. 



There is a large crop of mast in the river bottoms, and 

 there will no doubt be some rare sport with the ducks and 

 geese. We have already had one or two slight northers, but 

 the game has not, as yet appeared iu very great numbers. I 

 had a little rare fun a few days ago during the prevalence 

 of a slight, norther. Standing at my office window I saw 

 what 1 supposed to be a brace of canvas-bucks fly past very 

 low. After a few circles they settled almost in the limits of 

 the tow r n; they were evidently lost or bewildered by the 

 force of the wind. Procuring a small .32-cshber Remington 

 rifle, the only weapon handy, 1 sallied forth in pursuit, and 

 by taking to" the woods on the edge of the town 1 succeeded 

 in getting within 90 or 100 yards. I discovered the object 

 of my search much to my surprise to be two fine wild geese, 

 and til the distance of 90" yards they bore an extreme resem- 

 blance to the tame ones as they stretched their long necks 

 high in the air. I took careful aim and fired, but much to 

 my disgust scored a clean miss. The next time I was more 

 fortunate, and had the satisfaction of seeing tin- feathers fly. 

 Both look to flight and went about 500 yards. By dint of 

 isiderable crawling and dodging 1 succeeded in approach- 



ing within 60 yards 



the ground, one dead 

 and was in possessioi 

 might 



f my game, aud^diseovered them on 



1 soon put the finis to the other one, 



if a prize of which any sportsman 



ueh as they were both in tine condi- 



l>j two friends I took a trip into Milam 

 county a few days 'ago for partridges. We took our dogs 

 and guns in wagon, with ample provisions for a week's 

 camp-hunt; On the third morning we had an opportunity 

 to enjoy a kind of sport that I warrant not many sportsmen 

 east of the Mississippi ever behold — catching jack-rabbits 

 with greyhounds on the prairies. A friend came into camp 

 bringing three very fine hounds, and accepting his invitation, 

 we proceeded to witness the only kind ot sport in Which the 

 greyhound is useful in this country, its wonderful speed 

 and eudurance being the only thing capable of circumveut-' 

 ing that of the "mule-eared rabbit, a, it in called in I hi.-, 

 country. Those who arc familiar with the habits of this 

 !i 1 1 k animal need not tie told of its wonderful speed and 

 activity, it is much larger than the common rabbit, and is 

 noted for the extreme length of its limbs and cars, the latter 

 in some cases reaching the extraordinary length of ^\\'c or 

 six inches. There was plenty of gameat the place we hunted. 

 and it was an exciting scene to watch the fleeing animals 

 pursued by the graceful greyhounds. The dogs ran in 

 Indian file, audit resembled a veritable blue streak to see 

 them stretching out in pursuit ; the leader on overtaking the 

 fleet footed rodent would suddenly seize it by t! '"■■•-' '■■ 

 ing it in the air, and as this required a very sudden stop, the 

 velocity was generally too great for their equilibrium, and 

 the bounds would turn a doz'en somersaults in the endeavor 

 to stop, each dog snapping at the unfortunate hare s£ it 

 .a --ill: and for a lew minutes the scene would be rather 

 ridiculous, there seemed to be an indiscriminate mixture of 

 dog legs and bodies on the greensward, with ocea mi 

 glimpses of hare. 



Game laws. 1 regret to say, are little regarded in this State. 

 but I hope the time will come when all sportsmen will 

 recognize the great need of protection, and eaforeesuoh law 



