FOREST AND STREAM. 



PIGEON SHOOTING IN KENTUCKY. 



Lbxinoton, Ky., October 17th, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



We have organized a, club at this place, tinder the name of 

 the Viley Shooting Club, and we hope to do some good work in a short 

 time. The following is a list of the officers and members: F. \F. 

 Woolley, president; M. D. Richardson, treasurer; R. Gilmore, secretary; 

 Executive Committee— Jmius Smith, chairman; C. M. Johnson and G. 

 A. DeLong. Members— 0. Y. Peck, D. Knoble, Jr., C.W.Bradley, 

 Samuel MeChesney, John Lamphear, H. P. Kinkead, John A. Headley, 

 Samuel Smith and Thomas Martin. All are amateurs. Below I hand 

 you the score of our first match against the Hunter's Club, of this city; 

 and considering the difference in practice of trap shooting (the Hunter 

 being an old organization) between the two, we feel somewhat elated at 

 our success, and hope to come off victorious in our return match. The 

 score is as follows, seven men from each clab shooting, ten single birds, 

 31 yards rise, 80 yards boundary:— 

 Hunter's Club , 541Viley Club 50 



I would send yon the score of each, but it would take too much of 

 your valuable space. The judges were Col. Frank Waters, C. M. John- 

 son and Major Joel Higgins, I will send you a report of the return 

 match* R. Gilmore, Secretary. 



CHILLED SHOT. 



■ ■ •* 



Boston, Mass., October 22d, 1875. 

 /Editor Forest and Stream:— 



As your foot note to my letter of the 11th instant refers to "English 

 'Opinions' " communication of September, I will again avail myself of 

 jour courtesy in the way of a few brief queries. Wishing simply to get 

 at the truth (having no interest whatever in any particular manufacture 

 of guns or shot), I have a very decided determination to have the best of 

 both if obtainable. Now, like Mr. Thomas Gradgrind, I want, facts. E. 

 O. says, "The shot called chilledln America are not the hard shot used 

 at the late trial." This may be so. but I have never heard of any chilled 

 shot here other than those I referred to as for sale by Mr. Schaefer, and 

 imported by him from Roberts^ Lampen & Co., Newcastle, England, and 

 these, I can say without fear of contradiction, are precisely similar, and 

 of the same make, as those used at the trial, and they are the shot we 

 have been trying in these parts with capital results. E. O. also says, 

 "All experience at game, and scientific data, are in favor of soft shot." 

 Possibly, but that is not the conclusion arrived at by sportsmen here, 

 and I confess that, failing to apprehend the theory in the case, and never 

 having met in my readings with the facts he refers to as sustaining it, I 

 shall feel under obligations to him if he will favor me with both, I am 

 not quite prepared to believe a soft substance to possess better penetra- 

 tion and killing qualities than a hard one, and in my own guns, both 

 choke bore and perfect cylinder, I know the chilled shot give the best 

 results. Why should they not? I am open to conviction on this, as on 

 all other matters. 



Your correspondent, S. S., describes the correct thing in the way of a 

 gun— one stock and two pairs of barrels; one choked, the other short and 

 open for covert. With these one good gun i8 a complete outfit, and, as 

 Frank Forester says, "The man of one gun is to be bewared; he is likely 

 to prove an ugly customer." Under Grip. 



[Will our English correspondent reply to the above? If 

 chilled shot was manufactured in this country and would 

 produce such superior effect it would doubtless come into 

 general favor, unless, indeed, the constant use should re- 

 sult in an undue amount of wear and tear to, gun barrels. 

 But we are already taxed for our shooting appliances far 

 beyond the imposition of our English cousins, and every- 

 thing but our powder and shot is imported, and pays a 

 duty — guus, shells, wads, caps, and, in many instances, 

 4og$ — all go to swell the list. Why our manufacturers do 

 not produce as good material is unexplained; that they do 

 not is beyond a question. We were recently shooting with 

 a gentleman who used paper shells of American manufac- 

 ture; his misfires amounted to at least fifty per cent., a re- 

 sult following which profanity was almost a virtue. Is it 

 inability, indifference, or a niggardly economy that im- 

 poses such material upon sportsmen who are desirous of 

 patronizing and encouraging home manufactures. — Ed.] 

 , «•-•*- 



GROUSE SHOOTING IN IOWA— THE 

 SETTER BISMARCK, Etc. 



Philadelphia, Oct. 22, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream :— 



Meeting the "Squire" of your staff, shortly after my return from the 

 West, he made me promise to furnish a short account Of my shooting. 

 Starting with Bismarck from this city September 8th, and spending a 

 day at Chicago, I arrived at State Centre, Marshall county, Iowa, about 

 2 P. M. on the 11th. I found my friend Shipman at the depot in hunt- 

 ing dress, with a two-horse team and his dogs, waiting my arrival to give 

 me an evening's shoot. In a few minutes I had unpacked my baggage, 

 changed my dress, and with gun and Biz I was with him in the wagon, 

 and the team making last time for the prairies. After driving some six 

 or eight miles we let the dogs into the stubble fields and soon found the 

 buds. That evening I killed ten and Shipman eleven. The next day 

 was Sunday. 



On Monday I went by myself; rode out on a "buck board" with a boy 

 10 drive. A "buck board" is simply the skeleton of a wagon with a seat 

 And a board for the feet , and on the hind axle is tied a box, in which we 

 carried the birds. I started in a southwest direction, and after proceed- 

 ing about eight miles commenced shooting. This day 1 bagged twenty- 

 three chickens and a few snipe. During the week I gunned in this man- 

 ner, averaging about twenty grouse per day, a few snipe, and some 

 ducks. I enjoyed the week very much, as my horse was very suitable, 

 and took no notice of the gun or its report. She had but one eye, so cer- 

 tainly did not see much on the other side of tne bead. The place once 

 occupied by the eye was entirely vacant. The name of this horse, which 

 was of the feminine order, was Cyrilda. She was a good traveler, true 

 as steel never shied at objects, nor moved a muscle at the report of the 

 gun. I often fired from the wagon every day, killing more or less with- 

 out rising from the seat, and scarcely ever doing so or getting out until 

 the dogs pointed. Shooting in this way at my time of life is pleasanter 

 than continued walking with pockets loaded with these huge birds. In 

 short I never carried over half a dozen cartridges in my pockets, every- 

 thing in the nature of luggage being in the box attached to the buck 

 board, which was always at hand. Twice I got sloughed (slooed) during 

 the week. Cyrilda got fast in a quagmire, and I was obliged to unbar- 

 ness before she could, only by superhuman, or rather superequine, efforts 

 extricate herself. Getting "slooed" is a serious business; one of these 

 events occurred in this manner: Driving near a slough I noticed a flock 

 of duck= sitting among the reeds in the water. I let them have one bar- 

 rel and gave them the other as they rose. Biz helped me to gather three 

 from the water, but I noticed one fall in the grass on the other side, so I 

 got into the buck board and started for the place. I drove, as I sup- 

 posed, far enough from the slouch to enable Cyrilda to proceed without 

 danger, but it was a mistake— all of a sudden Cyrilda went down. I was 

 obliged to jump out into the water about knee-deep and unharness. I 

 then pulled the buck board out on to the dry ground, and after everything 

 W^ elear. I wad©& ia to assist, Cyrilda. Getting hold of her shoulder 



and lifting to the utmost of my strength, Cyrilda reared and extricated 

 her fore feet, only to make a lunge in my direction, falling again, this 

 time with my legs under her body, so that I was fastened in this position 

 with only head above water. I finally extricated myself, but with every 

 thread of clothing dripping with water. I again assisted Cyrilda; she 

 would rear, pitch, and flounder; then rest awhile and try It again; at 

 last poor Cyrilda reached terra jirtna. After harnessing and hitching her 

 to th« buck board we drove on the prairie, and Biz found the duck. My 

 boy driver said this duck was a "dam duck," but they are usually known 

 as "mallards." This experience occurred about sunset as I was,, return- 

 ing to my quarters, and I was obliged to ride at least six miles wet to 

 the skin. I gave the boys at the village an account of my mishaps, but 

 instead of receiving sympathy they laughed at my misfortunes. On the 

 other occasion of getting "slooed" Cyrilda broke some of the harness 

 and one of the shafts to the buck board. I instructed my driver particu- 

 larly not to mention anything of this second mishap. 



The past week I spent at my friend Shipman's, but birds are not plenty 

 in that neighborhood. One is obliged to drive from four to six miles be- 

 fore reaching the prairie. Near the town the land is fenced and under 

 cultivation. Sunday evening Shipman, with two very fleet nags hitched 

 to a light buggy, drove about twelve miles in a northwest direction to 

 Farmer Price's, where we put up for the night, intending to make a full 

 day on Monday at the grouse. That day I bagged twenty-six, Shipman 

 twenty-five; one sandhill crane and about twenty ducks were also killed. 

 We saw six geese and tried to get a shot at them, but to no purpose. If 

 we had not been diverted from the grouse by the other game we could 

 easily have bagged forty grouse each that day. Last year I killed on the 

 22d of September on that ground forty-two grouse. Shipman's method 

 of approaching cranes is in this wise: when the wind is fresh, with dogs 

 in 1 he wagon, drive down with the wind on to the crane at full speed. 

 The cranes when they rife are obliged to fly against the wind and in your 

 direction. We then fire from the wagon. In this manner we got near 

 enough to kill one dead with No. 6 shot. We got several shots at cranes 

 that day, and would have killed more had our cartridge been loaded with 

 coarse]* shot. Tuesday we gunned homeward, killing about forty grouse, 

 some snipe, and a few ducks. The remainder of this week I made Ship- 

 man's my quarters, having Cyrilda and the buck board in service. 



I occasionally took a shooting friend along, especially those who had 

 brag dogs. I never boast of my dog, but am proud of my shooting 

 qualities. Relying entirely upon this, my strong hold, I could easily beat 

 any of those fellows about two to one. After shooting at State Centre 

 from the 11th to the 27th inclusive, I was about to pack up and come 

 home when I was persuaded to give them another trial, which I did, and 

 was badly beaten, and that by a base stratagem. Each of them— Ship- 

 man and Fairhead— had two bitches. One of these animals was in that 

 peculiar condition to which such creatures are liable two or three times 

 in the course of the year. She was tucked away under the seat, and 1 

 knew nothing of the circumstance until we got out of the wagon after 

 driving some ten miles to the hunting ground. Old Biz soon left me. 

 He and that miserable cur got hid away in a corn-field for npward of an 

 hour. I called and whistled, all to no purpose. Aiterl fonnd the rascal 

 he would not hunt, any, but leave me and go with Fairhead. I msnaged 

 to kill eleven, while Fairhead bagged twenty, and Shipman seventeen; 

 so out of forty-eight I got only eleven, and these I "walked up" in the 

 corn. Out of this business there came very near being an unpleasant- 

 ness, but as Fairhead gave me all the birds, packed them carefully in 

 ice, furnishing ice and otherwise treating me handsomely, I concluded 

 to say nothing more about it. The birds I brought home in splendid 

 condition. 



The total of the trip of my own shooting was 209 grouse, 42 snipe, and 

 about 50 ducks. The sandhill crane and some other birds were killed 

 between us. This is the seventh season that I have hunted grouse at 

 State Centre. The first was in 1866. Then there was scarcely a dwell- 

 ing where now there is a very busy and thriving town. The Northwest- 

 ern Railway had just opened through the country— a beautiful and roll- 

 ing prairie, extending as far as the eye can reach. I am confident I saw 

 more chickens in oi e day in 1866 than I saw during the entire trip of this 

 season, but when chickens are so abundant you do not get a proportion- 

 ate number of shots. When they are plenty they gather in flocks of often 

 fifty to a hundred, called packs, and you seldom get any more from one 

 of these flocks than you do now from a bunch of, say half a dozen. 

 They are not half as plentiful this season as last, but owing to the heavy 

 crop of grass they lay well to a dog's point. 



This is the sixth year I have hunted them over Biz, who is now in the 

 eighth year of his age . He hunts with as much endurance as ever. I 

 hunted him every day but one of this trip except the Sundays. There 

 seems to be no tire to him. He scorns riding in a wagon, even after a 

 week's hunt. Three-quarters at least of all the birds killed w 7 ere over 

 his points. Some days every bird killed was from his point. 



David Bbooks. 

 _« — — »»» 



SHOOTING ON CAPE COD. 



Portsmouth, N. H., October 17th, 1875. 

 Editor Forest .and Stream: — 



Myself and friend, Mr. James Carroll, with our staunch and faithful 

 dog— Dandy, a fine pointer; Speed, a staunch and good setter, and 

 Bounce, my Laverack and Irish prize winner— started on Monday down 

 the cape, arriving the same evening at Eastham. On Tuesday morning 

 we prepared for grass birds and snipe. After a row of about two miles, 

 we landed on the marshes of Nosset Harbor, a fine marsh of two or three 

 miles square. We had only walked a few yards, when old Dandy brought 

 up stiff, being well backed by Speed and Bounce. Up went a snipe, to 

 be brought down by your humble servant. After bagging several of the 

 same sort, we fonnd good grass bird shooting. It being my first hunt on 

 them, I was surprised to see they were so near a game bird, as I saw 

 them lay to the dogs as well as snipe. They are very fat and well suited 

 for the table. After about four hours' work our bag consisted of thir- 

 teen snipe, forty-f our grass birds and three yellow legs. On Wednesday 

 the 30th, we shot over tht same marsh wiLh about the same luck. On 

 Thursday we went in search of quail, and on Friday we were successful 

 in finding three large coveys, and after breakfast we started for the 

 swamps. Arriving at the edge of the brush and near a log, up went a 

 snipe out of range. I pulled on him, however, and marked him down 

 on a sandhill two hundred yards off. Thinking he must be hit, we went 

 after him, when he got up again, and was nicely brought to bay. Just 

 as Bounce was bringing him in, Dandy and Speed came to a point, and 

 up went about fifty quail, heading for the swamp. Three fine fellows 

 fell to our guns, and we marked the covey down in the grass among 

 some little pines, and in a short time we were among them, and such 

 sport as we had for about two hours cannot be described. After ahout 

 two hours' shooting it commenced raining very hard, and we were forced 

 to leave the field and start for home, where we counted our bags, and 

 found thirty-five quail and one snipe, making In all about one hundred 

 and thirty birds. After partaking of dinner, we bid good bye to our 

 friends, Mr. and Mrs. Penniman, and ooarded the train for Portsmouth, 

 where we arrived in good order, well pleased with our trip down the 

 cape. Quail. 



«»«»i ■ ■ - : 



NOTES FROM INDIANA. 



Valparaiso, Ind., October 16th, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Rumors of war! AH along the banks of the Calumet and down the 

 Kankakee the firing has been rapid for days past. No call for re-inforce- 

 ments has yet been issued; but flying squadrons of— geese— have been 

 passing all day long, hungering, hastening towards the scene of conflict. 

 Reports have come in from the outposts, but they are not entirely satis- 

 factory; so I am going to rig ray light battery of No. 20 C. F.B. L. e 4 

 drachms powder and 1 oz. of No. 6, and hasten to join the fray. 



It's a pity, ia'nt it? The pot hunters are getting the best of the birds; 

 alwajgonthe ground &»ys *kea& «l th* JUghtftboy u% prepared for 



the slaughter— nothing else. They seldom shoot at flyi n „ h a 

 sneaking, cat like, upon the unsuspecting young flocks th* ' ^ 

 five, ten and fifteen at a single discharge. Oh, how I hate'tae y , Cnt( * 0w,J 

 men, I mean). Well, the ducks have come, but long C ont? (thep ° l 

 rains, gleet ani snow has at last driven them south. It seem 10 )! 1611 ta ^ 

 since the season opened for pinnated grouse, and now it's m U f tacia y 

 Geese have been moving south in great numbers of late, and tl r 19, 

 kee marsh must be alive with the honk, honk, honk, momincr and • ^ 

 Messrs. Westcett and Davis, of the Philadelphia Sportsme » ^^ 

 have been shooting with me for a day or two. I very much, r o 8 .^ u ^ 

 the chicken shooting was over, practically speaking!! for Mr w + 



aonmn^ anvinne +"*-* Viqtta q i^otr of +li am TXT« -..!^:i . i ^tC0t,[ 



seemed anxious to have a day at them. We visited my old st 

 grounds, but the birds were wild and did not give us any sh-i/ 03 ' 511 ^ 

 mentioning. W. brought one down which got up away to his htt°)!^ 



circled around over him, and he must have dropped hirn fully ten ' a 

 with No. 9 shot at that. We had a good day at snipe, killing an^h ' 

 chicken on the way to the marsh. This is the second day at snin 

 I don't know how many the gentlemen bagged, but near a htmd^ 

 Next week they have arranged a trip to the Kankakee and to ihe CM 

 met, and as they are both superb shots, I have no doubt will make fl ?' 

 bags. Eastern gentlemen will always find a hearty welcome and "^ 

 pains will be spared to make their trips successful. Yonrs, W, H H U ° 

 . -+++• 



DEER HUNTING IN VIRGINIA. 

 » .. - 



Belle Fonte, Nottoway Co., Va., Oct. 2jd, lgft 

 Editor Forest and Stream :— 



Captain Eraser and party, including my brother and self, accomp anied 

 by seven deer hounds, hunted the Hone & Fraser estates, in Dimviddio 

 county, last week. First day killed two and st-.rted eight; second day" 

 killed none, started four; third day, broke a fine buck's leg, but he swam 

 the Nottoway River and got away; killed none, startea three others- 

 fourth day, hunted Col. Tucker's and Mr. Edwin Eraser's plantation hi 

 Brnnswick county, joining another party; killed three, all of them being 

 shot by Mr. Frank Jones at two stands. Two deer were killed right and 

 left on the full jump. I regard this as a great* field performance, as 

 these deer were hunted and killed In true sportsmanlike manner, none of 

 them being on or near water, but on the full run through pines and oaks 

 The annual camp deer hunt takes place on the Cabaniss estate in Noven^ 

 ber, where the prominent deer hunters of Nottoway, Dinwiddie and 

 Brunswick meet. I start for Memphis, Tenn., to-morrow, to attend the 

 Tennessee State Sportsmen's Convention, as judge of dogs, etc., and to 

 represent your journal. If all accounts are accurate, there will be a 

 meeting of owners of pointers, setters and hounds, also field sportsmen 

 such as this country has never seen before. However you will soon hear 

 from me. Jno, M. Taylob. 

 , „ — ^ # ^^_ — _ _ 



GAME PROTECTION IN NEW JESEY. 



Philadelphia, October, 1375. 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



In one of the September numbers of your paper I saw a notice (which 

 is taken from the Germantown lelegrapli) informing all persons who de- 

 sire to shoot in the six lower counties of New Jersey, that they are 

 obliged to purchase certificates of membership in the West Jersey Game 

 Protective Society, or be liable to arrest and imprisonment.. Thear- 

 tide concludes with the remark that they (the Qermantovvn Telegraph) 

 consider the act of Assembly, f 1 em wMch the West Jersey Game Pro- 

 tective Society derive their charter, unconstitutional, and an outrage oa 

 the community. If, Mr. Editor, such a charge as the above had appeared 

 in the Germantown Telegraph only, I should not have thought it neces- 

 sary to answer it; but when published in such a paper as the Forest 

 and Stream, which is recognized by all as one of the leading sporting 

 papers of the country, and with no comments to the contrary by yon, as 

 to the un justness of such allegations, I cannot let such remarks pass by 

 unanswered. Those persons who declare our charter unconstitutional, 

 do so on the ground that it distinguishes between the citizens of New 

 Jersey and other States, and prohibits citizens of other States from en- 

 joying the same benefits. As this question is purely a legal one, Ida 

 not intend to burden you with a legal argument, but will refer you to the 

 case of Haney et at vs. Compton, which is reported, I believe, in 3 Ver- 

 00m (New Jersey Reports). In that case the constitutionality of the 

 rights of non-resident oysternien, under an act of Legislature, are felly 

 diccussed. Under an act of Assembly no non-resident can engage, or be 

 employed, in the oyster trade in the State, under penalty of seizure and 

 confiscation of his boat and tackle. This act is analogous to the act 

 under which we derive our charter, and it has been sustained by the Su- 

 preme Court of New Jersey. 



It will be found that all cases in which State laws have been held to be 

 unconstitutional, as trenching upon the privileges and immunities of tbe 

 citizens of the several Statee, that the State Legislature has attempted 

 to define the way in which individuals may use their property; to define 

 the way in which property may be used in which the State has no inter- 

 est, and not as in the present case to define the way in which its own -the 

 State's own— property may he used. See also the case of Corfidd vs. 

 Coryell, -i W&sh. C. C. Rep. 371. For the benefit, therefore, of those 

 who wish to contest this matter, I think it may be safely said that a de- 

 cision of a Supreme Court of the United States w r oulcl be necessary for 

 a final disposal of the question. And should any one desire to enter into 

 litigation with us on this point, we are prepared to right it. oat to the 

 end. Leaving, therefore, the question of constitutionality to the courts, 

 we come to the second remark of the Germantown Telegraph, to wit: 

 That our charter is an outrage on the community. How an outrage on 

 the community? Are we working against the community? Are we try- 

 ing to exclude the community from joining our Society? Let us, Mr. 

 Editor, look for one moment at our charter, and see what it requires. It 

 requires all non-residents to take out certificates at the cost of five dol- 

 lars the first year and two dollars every succeeding year, and resident 

 members, by our by-laws, are required to pay three .dollars the first year, 

 and two dollars for each succeeding year. The only requirements to 

 membership are the payment of dues, and as no election is necessary, it 

 is not possible to exclude any person from membership on the ground of 

 prejudice or dislike. The funds of the .Society are derived from the 

 membership dues, and after defraying all current expenses, the charter 

 of the Society requires the balance of the funds to be expended in tw 

 purchase of fish and game. This has been most faithfully adhered to, 

 and last season the Society purchased nine hundred quail and ten pai« 

 of prairie chickens, which was all they were able to obtain so late aw 

 season. This season the Society has already purchased 225 black oa= > < 

 and have stocked several streams. Arrangements have been made 

 purchase 200 more fish, 4,000 quail, and 400 prairie chickens. This gam 

 and fish is distributed among the different members, over the six coo i- 

 ties which are included in our charter, ae evenly as possible. In an 

 tion to the above, the Society uses every possible means in its power 

 prevent the shooting o£> game and fishing out of season. 



Now, Mr. Editor, this is what the Society has done, and this is the 

 ject for which it was formed. If the Society can only succeed in repi 

 ishing each year the stock of game which has been shot out theprev 

 season, and thus giving gocd shooting for the coming one, it wih 

 accomplished its ends. If this is an outrage on the community, then 

 sooner we do away with game protective societies the better. 



It is to be regretted that a paper like the Germantown Tel jJ^. 

 which professes to take an interest in sporting matters, does not firs _ 

 quire into the objects and actions of a Society like ours, before con 

 ingit. A** 00 * 



**~M» — 



Harmless Amusement. — Mr. Mucklestone (after in 1 

 ing his bird for the twentieth time): I say, Gaskins, 1 ■ 

 believe the birds are frightened at me ! Old Keeper (Want"/'' 

 Thev didn't ought to be sir! 



