jASTlMlTfl, 1881] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



451 



ine. TJiat night at supper I asked the " maltre de la mai- 

 80n" if any sportsnien had bttca tip Ibis way lately, lie re- 

 plied in the alDrniative. "And did thrr ect anv game?" I 

 asked. "No, but they bought a lot of ihicks before leaving." 

 Bo my two noted sportameu had been Bhostijig with the 

 laiffhty dollar, and I did not miss telling Hieni so. 



Previous to retiring Tor the night I tooicu -walk around the 

 house, and in the direction of the beach I heard a continnal 

 nonking for -which I cuuld not account, but -was soon en- 

 lightened by the landlord. ' ' Thev beloni.^ (o hunters around 

 Iicre -who shoot at night:" This wa.s t^lcven o'clock and the 

 nioon -was cointnenciiig to pul in nn nppearance. 



Next morning a trio of tliuae midnight poachers inquired 

 if I did not w-ftht to buy some dnclts to lake home. They were 

 fwiqnniiirerl by ihe landloj,] of my Inok. The had sold a lot 

 to two gents thu.t liad iiecii up there a few days previous. I 

 did not buy. 



I hired a team and drove about eighteen miles to an old 

 woodcock fihooliug ground and left the boy with the horses, 

 and with a cocker, that niur-h4all;eci-or dnir lately, biiirired 

 si-vandone purlrid^e, nfjei' Ir^m.pi'it; nf.ou'i fonr'lionrs" I 

 afterward leanierl Hint two .'.f lljiise siime pn-aebei's hud 

 killed twcnly.tUree cocks on the same trrounds about a week 

 previous. 



Kow as I mentioned in the foregoing part of this letter, the 

 protection our game gets is simply ridictdous. The two 

 would-be sportsmen who bonebt the duck fri.m those poneh- 

 ers knew perfectly -well Ihcy -^vere killed ut niirbt and that it 

 was ill contradiction of the laws, vet Ihr-v coitiUciiHnced (he 

 offence. The-,. ;.- it.,!,. ■„• ,10 u.e'm loa;^!,,!: ri-.niplriint-? with 

 theimthorin. -'^ - ,,iild end wl^i-r.^ tuev wen: laid. 



The public . , - , , !.,.n with p:n-tri.:lse3- sonie farujers 



bringing in :i: n.tnr, ■'yy\\\y bm;e for sale, ^.'ol oiic of thD-se 

 birdi? wore crer touched with shot, every one of tlicni were 

 B >ared and then taken and pricked with a'sharp fork to sliow 

 Where tliey -were shot. 



Theoiilyonc of the same law.s looked after here is that 

 rcspcclina: Ilsli, aiirl tbatls easily necr.unled for. Sonic fzentle- 

 jnen havniiTan inlerest in a lake so worried the aulliorilies 

 thai til!"- -I I.-; leoned a liah inspector, and he dues his work 

 thi" 'ificn notice in oiu- papers the seizures he 



ni;i!: unlawful seasons. 



'-'i ' . 1 some old files of our daily papers, dated 



Jlay, 1 came an ops a coijy of ibe ffame law.s, on the one aide, 

 and among tbe dnilv ilem.s oti the other, "First woodcock of 

 the season killed by ilr. P.;" and back for seTCral years it 

 . has been a persisiem course of rivalry between Sir." P. and 

 Mr. J. who. would kill the lir.st woodcock of the .seasoti, and 

 the la-w reitds, woodcock, etc.. elc. not to bt; killed before 

 August, yet they were alwav.s killed in jAIay. 



I am afraid ibcre is no lioj-e fe.r us, unless Honic of the true 

 blooded sporlsm. ,11 r-riiii 101^1 ili;,- and worry the life (ml of 

 the authorities uulii they do some detinite good. S. F. 



FISH AND GAME IN TENNESSEE. 



THE autumn of 1880 was not so good for anglers as was 

 the autumn of 1879, for the reason that the warm 

 weatlicrand drought continued s(> leo. ^.pA i\,., r.,ina set in so 

 ■heavy and the cold weather follov Nevenhe- 



less, we had our usual fall tri; unncncuig 



about the 30th of October and cuni , ■ ' irozcu out. 



■Our first trip ia October was an uuujualiy pleasant one, and 

 althoun-h our catch was not so large as we anticipated, it was 

 TVeli divided among our partj' of si.v. Nor weic our fish as 

 Iwge as usual, running all the way up from one pound to 

 fimrtcen pounds. 



After equipping ourselves with the best tackle, good teams, 

 good wagons and ten is and a good cook, we struck out for 

 the Buffalo, a beaulirul, clear slrcain in Perr)"- County, dis- 

 tant seventy-five rniles, over a very rough country road. We 

 made the trip very jtleasaiiily in one and a half day's travel, 

 and located on the ed^e of tbe' slieam at noeai of Thursday. 

 The afternoon was siieut in pitcbiiig our teiUs, resting, lo- 

 cating and providing forour stock. Tue forenofju of AYedues- 

 day -was siient on a. trip to Cane Creek, live miles olf, for 

 minnows. Having procnred a thousand fine minnows, and 

 partaking of a good dinuer prejiarcd for llui ndnnow catch- 

 ers, we were ready to lash our reels and go at it all right. 

 The clouds were Uirpaleniug and a high wind blowing. We 

 did not veutuiri out far fn'in camp that evening. The residt 

 was about fifteen black bass, fvvo jacks and a fine blue 

 forked tail cat. Wc continued fishing until the nex-t Tues- 

 day night, taking, all told, eighty five iish, the largest black 

 bass being four pounds, the largest jack eight and a half 

 pounds, and the largest blue cat fourteen pounds — many 

 more than our party cotild consume, and as man}- as we 

 deemed sufQcient to carry home. Much of our time was in- 

 terrupted by storms and rain. A\'o had our gims along, and 

 from them the party feasted daily upon mallard and teal 

 ducks and squirrels. We fotmd the natives generous and 

 as kind as could be, furnishing us with everything needed. 

 A more hospitable people do not live than the people of Buf- 

 ffdei, nor dues a finer stream tun for fine fish. 



Another party followed us a week later, and striking the 

 stream eighteen or tweniy miles lower down, had much bet- 

 ter luck and -iveather than we had, one of the party alone 

 taking twelve black bass, all averaging over four pounds 

 each, and oue jack weighing sixteen pounds, besides many 

 other fish. He was on a deeper part of the river, and nearer 

 its coiiiluence with Duek fiiver, a famous fishing stream. 



Another party went out later to Heelfoot Lake, 140 miles 

 distant, and reached it just as the snow and ice sot in. They 

 hail a rough time, bul captured in one-half day's time 

 si.vty black ltn«s, running from three to sis and a quarter 

 pounds each. They killed ten geese and a lar^ number of 

 ducks. 



Now that angling is cut ofJ by the rough weather, huntmg 

 is the order of the day. Quail are numerous. A few pheas- 

 ants and a few wild turkeys are the game sought with the gun. 

 Squirrels, opos.sums and Ihe red and gray fox are also abun- 

 dant, wilh the gray hare, for the dogs. The summer was 

 favorable for the quad, raid huge numbers are being shot. I 

 suppose now it would be an easy day's work for a good shot, 

 with bis dog, to bag tif ly per day. We have a colored boy, 

 C'harlcv, who is an inveterate hunter, has a first-rate pointer 

 dog and a favorite gim, improvised by himself. He takes 

 Uioni on the wing in true sportsman style, and his gun is an 

 oJd army musket, with rifle bore, about one-half of'the barrel 

 cut off, leaving him a very short gun. He took a little walk 

 round this evening for a ciiuple of hom-s and brought me in 

 ten as fine, fat birds as yon ever .'aw in the New York mar- 

 ket. One evening last week he came in with forty quail, and 

 it is common, eveiy day's work to bring in two or three dozen 

 birds. We find fr(3m one to a lialf-dozen coveys on every 

 farm, and the farmers are very liberal, all allowing hunting 



upon their farms without objection if the linnters will keep 

 away from the stock yards and barns. Prom all I can sre 

 from the reports in your paper I nm inclined to think we 

 have as good country, and game aiid fish as fine and abun- 

 dant afl any county re|torled. We Lave good hunters, gnod 

 guns and laoklo as anybody, a.s hospilalile people and as 

 cheap living, and as good as can be found. The expenses 

 total of our parly, stove and cook, and for fourteen days, 

 cost us, all told, !*.5.15 each, and our cormty is as easy of ac- 

 cess as any. We liave sp.lendid railroads leading to llie 

 bnnling-groinids .'iiid the hiinler can always find willing hunt- 



a lo £ro with Ihcin, free of cost. J. B M. 



Fraiildiit, Tenn., Aue. 



REYNARD'S WILES. 



CC- 



But every fo: 

 have bis dav, ai 

 hunt. Enseonu" 

 iiills echoed wiib 

 tox sliji into the 



ic high leap land 



FOR ways that are dark and tricks that are vain " a 

 red fox will compare favorably with any living 

 creature, not excepting "Ah Sin" himself. Among the 

 many resources at his eommaiid to outwit his natural enemy, 

 the hound, lie-^niard prizes most dearly a rail fence, a road 

 and tbe ifzen" surface of a river, and "in these davs of deep 

 snows will rarely fail lo avail himself of one of tiiese means 

 of safety. The I'ail raises the line of .seent loo high for the 

 hoimd's nose, the fro-zon river and tbe well be'aten roiul, be- 

 sides the good foaiiig they ttt'Tord him, retain not a particle 

 of fhe, tell-tale scent so dear to the pursuer. 



(Jn two occasions F. and 1. as well as my keen-Scented old 

 hound .JelT, bad found our fe,v vanish into thin •-:•■ "^ '•'"■ 

 particnlnr point, and llioii[rii Ilie snow lay d, 

 ground, and by it we could see tb.it the frix li:;.; 

 the road, m amount of perseverance on onr pari r ■ . ' 

 us v.-bat had become of lura aft ej- iliai. In vain we waited 

 up and down tbe road in search of the tell-tale track; not a 

 break in fhe even surface of the snow could be found, and 

 we were oliliged lo return home and own ourselves outwitted, 

 while l^eyiiard, no doubt, sal watching ns from .some safe 

 distance, and savins -with i^-wZ. " Vv'hot fools fhe.se morlals 

 be!" ' " 



. no doubt, as well as every dog, must 

 d tlie inj-stery was .solved on the next 

 Ion a high piece of grouud, and while the 

 (lie mellow voice of the old dog, 1 saw tbe 

 road, follow it for a hundred rods, then by 

 1 lop of a rail fence which ran at liglil 

 miglcs with ihe highway, and hounding along the uppermost 

 rail nimbly, reach a piece of plowed ground which the wind 

 had blo-wn bare of snow, run across the plowed field lo with- 

 in about ninety yards of me, when, jumpuig on a big rocl<, 

 he curled himself up and delibemtely lay do-wn to wafeh the 

 effect of hi.s little game and enjoy "the" diseonirituie of the 

 hound. I dared nol move, so opening my breech-loader I 

 slipped in a long-range thread-wound cartridge, took careful 

 aim, and sent a charge of double B shot through Reymu'd's 

 handsome fur. 



But fo.ves know more mischievous tricks than this, and 

 dear 10 the lieart of evei'y old fox is a scamper down tlie 

 smooth stu-face of a frozen river, -which, liesides otTering an 

 opportunity of e.scape, often permits lum to take direrevcnge 

 on his troublesome enemy the hound. For Reynard is versed 

 in physics and knows full well the difference of weight 

 between himself and his pursuer : instinct teaches him io a 

 nicety the exact thickness of ice rcqtnred to bear his light 

 fur-covered borlv, and that on sucli ice his more ponderous 

 enemy may not venture safely. If you doubt all this stand, 

 as 1 often "do, so as to look down some swift siream almost 

 frozen over and covered with light snow, ami note how the 

 trailof the tlying fr.x gi'acefully curves toward every hole 

 and invariably skirts the very edge of every piece of swift 

 open wafer. Many a good hounii has ended" his days by ven- 

 tiu-ing to foUov/ where his tricky enemy did lead, and I 

 imagine if foxes ever laugh, and Ihey certainly look as 

 though they did. Reynard must laugh as he hears the echo of 

 the houud's deep bark suddenly die away and knows his 

 game has been successful. But wc did not laugh, F. and I, 

 when .all at once silence settled over the hills, hut a minute 

 liefore musical with the cheery notes of old Jeff's voice, for 

 we knew the dog was on the ireacherous river, and wilhout 

 losing a second F. hurried toward a piece of open water not 

 far distant. On reaching it our fears were at. once realized. 

 Caught in the swift current, benumbed with tbe cold and ex- 

 hausted by tlie attem])ls he had made to save himself, old 

 Jeff la}' with his head on the ice, his limbs almost motion- 

 less, and whining piteously. There was no lime to be lost, 

 and unable to resist the dog's mute appeal for help, F. 

 stretched himself on the treacherous ice, seized the animal by 

 the necii, ]mlle-d him out, and in a minute the dog -n'as roll- 

 ing joyfully at out feet. Though benumbed witn cold and 

 covered with ice he at once took up the scc^lt with an angry 

 bark, and two hours after we had the satisfaction of killing 

 the fox after one of the best runs I ever saw. OIjD Jeff. 



OUR DETROIT LETTER. 



Detroit, Dec. 31. 



THE next meeting of the Michigan State Medal Associa- 

 tion will be held here on Tuesday, Jan. 4, when there 

 will be an extremely lively contest, if one may judge from 

 the present state of' feeling of the prospective cont'cstants. 

 The medal is now held by Edward .S. Barbour, an amateur, 

 who does comparatively little trap-shooting, but who some- 

 times steps to the front with an astoni.sher. lie won the 

 medal by killing eleven siraight birds, and they were fast 

 flyers too, wrcsiing the lionor of its possession" from that 

 splendid shol, Ed GiUman. This Association works tmder 

 English rules, hut it has a sort of managing conmtittee who 

 insist on handicapping manj- of the recognized good shots, 

 sending them back to thirty yards to puU aiainst their less 

 eminent opponents' at iwei"ily-one yards. This is not a mat- 

 ter in which I have any personal concern, but I cannot help 

 hearing a good deal that is said about it. The fact is, there is 

 considerable dissatisfaction with the action of the committee 

 in this respect, many believing it to be unnecessarily arbi- 

 trary, and a hardship for those who chance to he skillful shots. 

 The committee is composed of Jolm E. Long, J. V. D. 

 Eldredge and Wm. J. Jlason, all UTeproachablo sportsmen 

 and gentlemen, whose motives it would be presumption to 

 impugn ; and yet they are severely criticised for their official 

 conduct. One prominent member of the Association, who 

 lives in the interior of the State, has practically withdrawn 

 Oil account of the handicapping regulation. He asserts that 

 inasmuch as the Association's prime object is the promotion 

 of field shooting, there is not only notiimg to be gained by 

 such a regulation, but that it breeds rebellion and a sense of 

 injustice on the part of those at whom it is directed. I only 

 echo sentiments which I have repeatedly heard expressed, 



and I give them to the readers of Forest and Stream as 

 a wholly disinterested spectator of the doings of fhe as,«ocia- 

 tion. 1 do not think there is much room to doubt that the 

 managenierii is a little primitive in its methods and that a 

 decided eliange is imminent. It may be of interest to thosp 

 not acquainted -ivith the fact to fie told lliat Ihe medal over 

 which there have been so many spirileri and splendid con- 

 tests remains the property of llie assit<-i;ifi,,u uiilil somemem- 

 ber .shall have w<ni it three sncressive limes. 



This day ends the game season, and I assure you it baa 

 been a lively one in these pa'ts. The hunlers have had merry 

 times and the dealers and commission men have had their 

 hands fidl of business. 



A small parly^ of Detroilers went down toUfaidstone Cross, 

 in Canada, last Jlonday for a week's frolic among Ihe game, 

 but -wifh the thermometer at tvveiity-lwo degrees ficlo-w zerO 

 they found rather indilferent comfort. They ran ujinu plenty 

 of quail, paiuidges and wild turkeys, but liic tweni v-l wo dc- 

 grccs chilled llieir ardor and drove them home wi'th a bag 

 composed of forfv-lhree rpiail and fifteen parlridgc.s. 



E. H Gillnian'was presented yesK rda\' liv James Moore, 

 of Toledo, wilb a (Jordoti setter pnp|.y, now five months old, 

 sired by Grouse; I do not know the dam. Fanciers herea- 

 bout alli (;t to see some mighty promising points in the 

 puppy. 



Tbe Point Mouillie Pbooling and rishing Club will hold 

 its annual meetiiur ' - ]-:, and on the IStli of Janu- 



ary the State >prii .iiinn will ineet .at J,ansing, 



" ■, iVhieh bodv will be asked 



,-0 linii-i.un-;rllIS loll 

 ^ T shall keejj tbe readers of Feii:i 

 ed of everytliing of inlerest or i 



under the n 

 lakc 





laws of this 

 iSiiiEA.M in- 

 ill that con- 

 G. P. 0. 



THE SIL-VTSR LAKE STAND. 



JiJdiU'r F,md,r,id Sirmm: 



In your issue of December 23 I see that a Mr. "X."has 

 delivered an opinion on the wild gee.se shooting at Silver 

 Jjalie, an accomit of wliicli voii miblicb^fl in tTm TM-rt^....^i«.- 



ntinil 

 He 



nu accomit of wliich you published in the preceding 

 tircly wolcoine to his opinion. There are others 



alio 



-1 I think might diifer from him, and I should like to be 

 ed a cliance to saj' a little in regard fo lliis shoothig, but 

 a-" \.," whose arlicle is written in sneli u mannef tis to 

 it iindeftirable to stale anylhiiigfor his lienefit. 



\ been shooting ail the early fall over dogs, 

 id partridges for the benefit' Of 

 very kindly invited to take np 

 :MM-in,wT!sIand at Silver Lake 



-■ -inu (he interest and 



i -■ uj whicfnhc live dc- 



ick. 



make it iiru 



The -ftTit 

 and atler -v 

 health and for sport 

 ills qnarlers at l! 

 while hnmbiL'- tb: I ' i. 

 pleasure he to.ik i 

 coys were bandleil -,-,--- 1 : - : : ■ 



■Po he able to turn geese 'iron 

 then light them— birds headerl 

 lUvCly has traveled the route 

 north for yx-ars— seems 10 m 

 tiiink that no man, sportsmari 

 "X."), can he present at sucli 

 citement. The number of hin 

 cm learn, varies from five to eii 

 flying, as well 



ed; 



id s 



iiieir liubt far overhead, and 

 y a shy old gander that moat 

 bael; and forth from the far 

 to require great skill, and I 

 rnol (unless we except Mr. 

 (I time and not enjoy the ex- 

 i usually shot at, as near as I 

 H. aiul the shouting is usually 

 vhere ibey arc often scatfer- 



,1 of the geese killed of the number mentioned 

 in the last article were shot down at handsome distances. 



The ' ' butchery%" so called by " X.," as nearly as I can see, 

 consists in now and then gnttinga ch.inco to deco}-, and shoot 

 at a bunch of geese— a small part of the thousands upon thou- 

 sands which fly by, far overhead. Why, the whole number 

 killed last year's fall and this at this stand amounted to less 

 than seventy each season an average of little more tiian one 

 each day during the time the stand was occupied, and I be- 

 lieve this ruimber may be killed in the West in three or four 

 days, and no deaibt, perhaps, by some of ttie reiaders of your 

 paper. 



t happen to know tl/at the ownera of this stand are men 

 who go there for real enjoyment and for rest fi-om hard -work 

 and care. 



I would also say that of the many with whom 1 have talked 

 in regard to the shooting in quesiion, perfect gentlemen and 

 good sportsmen, not one has put forth an opinion like that 

 from "X," and I believe there were none of them 



not have enjoyed being present. 



ho would 

 B. C M. 



I have long lieen a reader of vour paper, and am pleased to 

 say 1 like it better and better. Its tvpoffraphical appearance 

 is very much improved, and the tone of its editorial and cor- 

 respondence tend more and more to ihe elevation of a soimd 

 moral standard among its readers. The term "Gentlemen 

 Sportsmen" was snggestcd to my mind by reading the well- 

 timed reply of " X" in renard to the Sil'ver Lake perform- 

 ance. Wby, Mr. Editor, the pot hunter, win, hunts for the 



li fai.dlv, is a. 



market s 



of support 

 ;on with 



i.Tentlemcn Sportsmen" 



prince in compa 

 we read about. 



Not long since your paper contained an account, of a party 

 who made a trip llirough Maine— ainona: fheiu a notable ati- 

 tlior of works on sporting— wfiere it was stated they bii'^'ed 

 fourteen deer, closing up their ijerfornianccs Oct. '0. 'fhey 

 had commenced ibc bJib of September, but Ihey did not 



state how many of them were shot during that month the 



close season. It seems improbable the deer should have been 

 all killed in October. If not, wero they "gentlemen eports- 

 men ? " 



Men go out upon the pr-d--- - -..' ■' „,i bi.lTaloes for their 

 tongues, le.aving the care: , m i,e devoured by 



wolves; others enter into , arrann-ement to see 



how many ruffed grouse-, - ,-;:!:l1s, woodcock, etc., 



they- can bag in a given time, slaughtering indiscriminfttely 

 everything their eyes rest upon. Are these "gentlemen 

 sportsmen ? " 



I have known members of a Game Protective Association 

 to shoot coots by the score for the fun of the thing, Mtd 

 bring them home to rot, sonietimts makine- Sunday 'their 

 special gala day for this purpose. It wi-! - ;; :',i the 

 birds should have at leasi oue day s rest i dur- 



ing open season. Are ihese " gp'ntlemei! 



But I will not weary you or your ren |i : Ijefore 

 said, I am glad something is being done to elevate the moral 

 tone of our people in regard to game. Let us ail sec to it 

 that good laws are enacted and enforced, and frown upon 

 and denounce, so far as our influence extends, the ruthless 

 butchering of game that is not ulUizcd for the food of man. 

 Dsrs VoBisoru. 

 .^^^.^t 



We have received the Constitution and By-laws with the 

 Rules for Trap, Rifle and Pistol Shooting of' the New York 

 State Association, 



