312 



FOREST AND STREAM 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL, 



Devoted to Field and Aquatic Sports, Ppactical Natural History, 

 J<r*« u t -ture, the Protection of Game, Preservation of Forests, 

 Alio the Inculcation in Men and Women of a healthy interest 

 m Out-door Recreation and Study : 



PUBLISHED BY 



^anBt mtd £tr$mt §nMMing {$atnpaqg> 



— AT— 



17 CHATHAM STREET, (CITY HALL SQUARE) NEW YORK, 



[Post Office Box 2832.1 



127 SOUTH THIRD STREET, PHILADELPHIA. 



Teraw, Five Dollars a Year, Strictly In Advance. 



A discount of twenty-five per cent, allowed for five copies and upwards. 



Advertising Rates. 



. In regular advertising columns, nonpareil type, 12 lines to the inch, 25 

 cents per line. Advertisements on outside page, 40 cents per line. Reading 

 notices, 50 cents per line. Advertisements in double column 25 per cent, 

 extra. Where advertisements are inserted over 1 month, a discount of 

 10 per cent, will be made; over three months, 20 per cent; over six 

 months, 30 per cent. 



NEW YORK, THURSDAY, BCEEMBEJi 23, 1875. 



To Correspondents. 



All communications whatever, whether relating to business or literary 

 correspondence, must be addressed to The Pobest and Stream Pub- 

 lishing Company. Personal or private letters of course excepted. 



All communications intended for publication must be accompanied with 

 real name, as a guaranty of good faith. Names will not be published if 

 objection be made. No anonymous contributions will be regarded. 

 , Articles relating to any topic within the scope of this paper are solicited. 



We cannot promise to return rejected manuscripts. 



Secretaries of Clubs and Associations are urged to favor us with brief 

 notes of their movements and transactions, as it is the aim of this paper 

 to become a medium of useful and reliable information between gentle- 

 men sportsmen from one end of the country to the other ; and they will 

 find our columns a desirable medium for advertising announcements. 



The Publishers of Forest and Stream aim to merit and secure the 

 patronage and countenance of that portion of the community whose re- 

 fined intelligence enables them to properly appreciate and enjoy all that 

 8 beautiful in Nature, It will pander to no depraved tastes, nor pervert 

 the. legitimate sports of land and water to those base uses which always 

 tend to make them unpopular with the virtuous and good. No advertise- 

 ment or business notice of an immoral character will be received on any 

 terms ; and nothing will be admitted to any department of the paper that 

 may not be read with propriety in the home circle. 



We cannot be responsible for the dereliction of the mail service, if 

 money remitted to us is lost. 



Advertisements should be sent in by Saturday of each week, if possible. 



CHARLES 11 ALLOCK, Editor. 



WILLIAM C. HARRIS, Business Manager. 



A MERRY CHRISTMAS ! ! 



-*♦+- 



Chbistmas for Poor Children. — The Children's Aid 

 Society, which has been an important agency for the relief 

 of the suffering poor, appeals to the benevolent, young and 

 old, for means to enlarge its usefulness during the ap- 

 proaching holidays. The Society desires means to send 

 out a party of homeless children to the West, to furnish 

 clothing, shoes and food to thousands of destitute children 

 in the city, and to give good Christmas dinners to the in- 

 mates of the Lodging Houses. Donations of provisions 

 and clothing may be sent to the Central Office, 19 East 

 Fourth street; money may be tent to W. A. Booth, Presi- 

 dent, 100 "Wall street, J. E. Williams, Treasurer, Met. 

 Nat. Bank, 108 Broadway, or C L. Brace, Secretary, 19 

 East Fourth street, New York. This society has cared for 

 about 14,000 boys and girls in its five Lodging Houses, 

 during the year, of whom over 4,000 have been provided 

 with homes; over 10,000 children have attended the various 

 schools of the Society, and many thousands more been fur- 

 nished with meals and lodging. The almoners of such wide- 

 extended and important charities deserve encouragement. 



A Kindly Act.— The fish dealers of Gloucester, Mass., 

 have forwarded to the Howard Mission of this city a pres- 

 ent of 3,000 pounds of cured fish, which, with the potatoes 

 supplied by other charitable persons will make a hearty 

 meal for many a hungry family this Winter. The gener- 

 osity of sailors is proverbial, and in this instance the virtue 

 is extending to the shore division of the calling. 

 — «*♦♦> 



From the West. — We recently received a pleasant call 

 from Mr. Zimmerman of the St. Paul Sportsman's Asso- 

 ciation, who presented us with photographs of himself and 

 his splendid dogs, Fuller and Occie, also one of Mr. G. W. 

 Baldwin, who for two years past has held the champion 

 badge of Minnesota against all comers at the trap. If they 

 shoot as well as they photograph in Minnesota, their 

 4 'artists" must be at the top of the tree. 



By the bye, speaking of photographs, we are indebted 

 to Rev. Joseph Waugh, principal of the Hollidaysburg 

 (Pa.) Seminary, for another, showing a perfect pyramid of 

 game, and indicating that the institution of learning, over 

 which Mr. Waugh presides is admirably adapted as a 

 place for teaching the young idea how to shoot. 



SUGGESTIONS TO NEW RIFLE ORGAN- 

 IZATIONS. 



FOR practical purposes, at the commencement of a 

 rifle organization use military arms, for such weapons 

 are exceedingly accurate at all ranges up to 500 yards. 

 One great point to be gained by employing these particular 

 arms, is, that they are inexpensive and readily obtainable, 

 but what is more important is the fact that by using mili- 

 tary arms National Guardsmen are naturally led to become 

 a part of such association, and regimental officers of all 

 grades are ready to give their assistance. Having a pre- 

 ponderence of military men in the association is of vital 

 importance, as it entitles it to public support. 



It is exceedingly unwise at the initial movement of the 

 rifle range to devote too much attention to long range shoot- 

 ing. As it is, we are all inclined to think that a great 

 many associations outside of New York are giving too 

 much of their time to this branch of rifle practice. Let us 

 have prose first, and afterward we may indulge in poetry. 

 In order, then, that men should be somewhat accustomed 

 to their arms, is the reason that we advise at first the use 

 of the military rifle. As the taste increases, more accurate 

 and elegant arms, adapted for distances over 500 'yards, 

 may be employed. 



At 200 yards, as an extreme range, outside of the military 

 arms there are innumerable rifles which do capital work, 

 and which are readily purchasable at a low figure. Most 

 especially develop, then, offhand shooting, for the simple 

 reason that in a very short time, with a moderate amount 

 of practice, the members will be amazed at the skill ac- 

 quired. Most individuals in a rifle association are ac- 

 customed to shoot off-hand, but have never been taught 

 to appreciate distance, nor effects of elevation, nor 

 any of those simple corrections for light or wind, which 

 enter so largely into accurate shooting. As there is nothing 

 very new or not readily comprehensible to those shoot- 

 ing offhand, as to position alone, these more novel points 

 as to corrections may be readily inculcated. Off- hand 

 shooting, predisposing to composure of nerve and steadi- 

 ness, is the first great school of the rifle. It may be taken 

 pretty much as a fact that a man who can score bullseyes 

 offhand at 200 yards, will find no difficulty in doing the 

 same thing at 1000 yards, while there are a great many 

 skillful riflemen who may be dabsters at extreme ranges, 

 who would not make an average of centres at 200 yards. 

 Some men can dance very elegantly who walk very 

 awkwardly. A good leaven of military men in all country 

 rifle associations, on account of the discipline which they 

 bring into it, is of the greatest advantage. It is true that 

 the country soldier does not rendezvous in a palatial armory, 

 nor can he be resplendent in a showy uniform, nor does 

 there exist the esprit de corps which is found in the crack 

 city regiment. Even his drill may be looser, and martinet 

 officers exceptional, but what he has is, in the first place, 

 greater familiarity with arms in general, and what is better, 

 more time, more leisure than the city man which he can 

 devote to practice. It is extremely difficult in a large city 

 to find men, engaged in any business, members of military 

 organizations, who can find the opportunity to shoot. In 

 the country men are not so entirely absorbed in their busi- 

 ness. The distance to be traveled over in New York, for 

 instance, in order to get to a range takes several hours, 

 and it is a whole day's business to go and return. In the 

 country, a mile off from the town centre, a squad of men 

 could practice, and accomplish in a couple of hours or so, 

 what would have taken the New York man all day to get 

 through with. So certain are we that the country possesses 

 the stuff out of which the ablest marksmen are to be made, 

 that we believe, in time to come, in the next three or four 

 years, that the champion men in some future American 

 team, will be in the major part drawn from the country 

 and country towns, and not from the larger cities. The 

 best proof we can now bring forward, in defending this 

 prophecy, and of the excellence of country organizations, 

 is the skill developed in the Fourth regiment, of Oswego, 

 and it is no small feather in their cap, that a company of 

 them beat clean out of sight such crack city companies as 

 those of the New York Twenty-seventh and Twenty-third 

 regiments. It was a familiar early acquaintance with off- 

 hand shooting which gave the Oswego men almost fifty 

 per cent, better scores than their competitors. 



It might be well, in order to interest a certain class of 

 marksmen, who, though good as off-hand riflemen, do not 

 care for the monotony of regular target shooting, and who 

 are used to sporting rifles, to practice on a moving target. 

 Such targets could be made out of sheet iron, either in the 

 shape of a man or a deer, and fastened on a track and al- 

 lowed to pass down an inclined plane. For such a purpose 

 the inclined track should be about 50 feet long and the 

 volocity imparted to the figure ought to be about 7 to 8 miles 

 an hour. This kind of work would be sure to bring out 

 the hunting element, the men certain to knock a deer over 

 when running through the woods. That coolness and 

 quickness of aim which is found so abundantly in the 

 country could show its prowess here. Before a running 

 deer on a range the country marksman would develop such 

 wonderful skill that the city man would play a ridiculous 

 figure. In regard to "the running deer" it seems singular 

 that the manufactureis of repeating arms have not seen 

 before this the advantage of such a moving mark, as the 

 use would essentially help to establish the claims to ex- 

 cellence urged by various makers. It would be a triumph 

 of marksmanship and of arms to see a man hit a running 

 deer three or four times as it passed over a space of fifty 

 feet. Such a target is about being provided at Creedmoor. 



The system of monthly matches for badges, to be shot 



for until won by the same individual three times, has done 

 more to stimulate rifle practice than anything else. It al- 

 lows the inexperienced opportunities of measuring their 

 strength against veteran shots. It keeps up a pleasurable 

 excitement and occupies the range. It induces many in- 

 different shots to enter into the association, and men of 

 means are never found wanting, who are not glad to offer 

 prizes for such a worthy cause as the development of 

 military rifle shooting. Lastly, by all means propitiate 

 the local press. Never on gala occasions neglect having a 

 Peess Match. Creedmoor and the National Rifle Associa- 

 tion, in fact, the whole rifle movement in the United States, 

 owes a great deal of its progress to newspaper men. 

 Treat your local editor and the reporter who comes on the 

 ground with the utmost courtesy. If he does not under- 

 stand it all at a glance, you may be sure that he will be at 

 the very bottom of it in a remarkably short time. Ink and 

 paper, though they are noiseless, keep up a din of an in- 

 cessant character no rifle can make. Then it is best always 

 to advertise your matches. Above all, remember that 

 ranges and rifles associations are made chiefly for the 

 soldier, and that the element so unfortunately called "the 

 sporting man" must have no place on it. Sedulously keep 

 down all bets, or wagers, or anything likely to convert 

 your association into a gaming club. So far in this coun- 

 try, and it may be one of the reasons for the great success 

 of the rifle movement, no missionary association has ever 

 been purer, nor freer from the gambling pollution than our 

 rifle organizations. 



GAME PROTECTION. 



THIS special department of our paper, which we make 

 so prominent at the present time, is most valuable, 

 because it not only reflects the opinions and personal ob- 

 servations of our leading sportsmen all over the country, 

 but serves as a receptacle for valuable information and 

 discussion respecting the habits of creatures, the proper 

 times for fixing close seasons, the rights of farmers and 

 landowners, the depredations of poachers, violations of 

 law, &c. &c. ; all of which will eventually be of great 

 service to any committee appointed to investigate these 

 matters. 



With regard to the difficult problem of law to stop viola- 

 tions of the game laws and punish offenders, in face of a 

 strong public prejudice against their enactment, which 

 makes prosecutors odious, too much wisdom cannot be 

 secured. One correspondent whose influence and reputa- 

 tion is wide, writes as follows regarding the abuses in the 

 Adirondack^ : — 



"I need not assure you that I am interested in the preservation of our 

 Adirondack game; at the same time I must confess that I have become 

 sick of the game law business. The law has been changed so often that 

 I have little confiiencein its being made efficient, and still less in keep- 

 ing it so, if perchance the right policy should ever be adopted. You 

 know that hotel keepers, guides, and hunters break the law in relation 

 to deer, and have always done so without fear of consequences. Can 

 you suggest any way to make the law operative in the woods? 



"You know my views in relation to the market question. TheAdi. 

 rondack territory cannot afford to furnish venison for our large city 

 markets. I may remark here that with a dead letter law that forbids 

 killing deer after Nov. 10, the market season is kept open until Feb. 1st, 

 the natural effect of which in respect to still hunting, needs no com- 

 ment. If there is really any intention to improve the law and make 

 it more efficient for the preservation of game, I shall rejoice, and will 

 do all in my power, but I very much fear, from past experience, that 

 nothing will come of it. If night hunting and still hunting in deep 

 snows could be suppressed, leaving August, September and October 

 open for hunting, the deer would increase rapidly. I should by all 

 means advise an early closure of the market season in respect to ven- 

 ison." 



We take few exceptions to the law as it now stands, 

 which is good enough, if enforced. One remedy has been 

 suggested by a prominent resident in the Adirondack 

 country. It is to secure the services of detectives appoint- 

 ed by the State, and paid for out of a special appropria- 

 tion, to visit the lakes and known hunting grounds with 

 power to arrest the first person caught violating the laws. 

 When caught, the offender should be punished. In the 

 wilderness the news of the arrest, fine, or imprisonment, 

 would spread like wild fire, and from his knowledge of 

 men there, he feels certain that it would have the effect to 

 deter all others from infringing the laws, except in out of 

 the way places. 



In our opinion, to make any good law wholly effective,, 

 there should be a Chief Game Commissioner, appointed by 

 the Governor of the State, having jurisdiction over its en- 

 tire territory; the State should be divided into districts 

 and each district be placed in charge of a Deputy Game 

 Commissioner to be appointed by the chief; these in turn 

 to select proper overseers and wardens and employ them 

 on sufficient salaries to police the river courses and forest 

 ranges assigned to them— the salaries to be provided as 

 hereinbefore suggested. This system is in force and suc- 

 cessful operation in Nova Scotia andean easily be adopted 

 here. 



With regard to the collecting of game for wholesale 

 shipment to market, we have long been aware of the ex 

 tensive operations in the West and Middle States, but did 

 not know until lately that the same system was in vogue 

 to any great extent in New England and the British Pro- 

 vinces. One informant in New England says that for the 

 past few years market shooters have come far and near, 

 and made it a business to go through the country towns, 

 loaning cheap guns to the farmer and supplying them 

 with ammunition, and paying them five to ten cents for 

 each ruffed grouse they would bring in to the nearest 

 office, and then ship the game thus obtained to the Boston 

 and New York markets. An officer of the Eastern Ex- 

 press Company has stated that on a single day last Octo- 



