468 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jastjabt 13, 1881. 



every , i . ,i;.;|..,nre aTOuiirl, as fish ,ire very sus- 



ceiJlii liithiiften burst the air bladder. We 



kuowiMii i. iiviny lisb killed by the necessary blast- 



ing operudons lor the improvement of our rivers and har- 

 bors, but we do uot see the necessilv of torpedo salutes. 



^diqe ^ag and fan. 



BUFFALO HUNTING. 



BUFFALO luiiitiug, or rather buffalo slaughter, is the 

 most uniiitM'esliug pjistirae I know of. I cannot call 

 itasporl, lis there-can be no sport iti any such a tame, one- 

 sided affair, tlic result of ^^^hirh is settled nine times out of 

 ten froii) the very sian. 



One fn-r|u(iit!.v liiiilf: meo, vaiii-alorious and conceited in 

 their ov, n prowess, avIio ilcpict ;i buiialo hunt as one of the 

 moat glorious ihiug^s out, besides dwelling in a sickening, 

 grandilociiienl strain upon the ]ipril and" tremendous risks 

 they have run in killing these i'ig-heiided and bearded cows. 

 A buffaio lool-LS feroei us, but Ids airpijiirrmee is so at vari- 

 anee and in direct opposition to his iiaiure, thai lie alwavs 

 reminds one of the fable in v.-hich the Umvint;' of (he doiikiiy 

 frightened ;i«'-\- ri;r- li, 111 



AchuUBam.-i ' <■. ■ > •; ^i; srampedi?d by u bunch i.f weeds 

 drifting past . -n . i, , :l,ry will go right slraidit abend, 

 over and 111!:. i' ■ .; j iii-iin:' fio' too IjewihlenTl toUnow 

 orc;ir, ,: ,:; lii,-. ground they cover, 

 cou=^ s greatly to their credit, 



and;; _ ia pluck, hearuig, eye- 



sight aii,i h. L-in,. itiM.v l...Jo.~f.-.^ piudigious Strength, backed "by 

 no end of wind, qualities which, it combined witli cotn-age, 

 would make them one of the most formidable animals of this 

 continent. 



Iplead guilty to having killed a few buftVdo, never for 

 sport but the first time, "'as I Avas so disgusted with my.self 

 t-hat I never had the heart to do it again; and I must "con- 

 fess that now : i !:, ii:;L I ..fhe to kill something "big." yet 1 

 would not L; , ", ;w on a buffalo hunt any iuorc 



than I woril.l ' ti roost and .sla.ughter pige'nns by 



tJie sackful v.iili ;. t.i..jiguii. Ferhap.s my'eariy traiidng oil 

 snipe and woodcock has rendered me unfit for thi,s kind of 

 murder. 



Tfiere are two ways of killing buffalo ; one is by stalking 

 after once sighted, and the other is running tlicn) down on 

 horseVmck. It aniounls to tlie same thing in the end, so far 

 as the tnilTiil'tis cnneerned, f.ir these two~reasonS; 



Fiisv i' ■ ' :!way from a decent horne, and 



tbcrr!,, , ] 



Sec : .1 out, can't climb a tree (Mark 



Twai:; : I 'j :■' ithstanding), bmrow, fly away, 



or in .inv \\;ii dispose of himself. 8o he stand's like a 

 statue .-aid is killed. 



This is the fate that awaits him in any event; so I suppose 

 lie may as ^ve'l be philosophical about it and die— uot 

 game— "but sink: on all fours and droii with a thud, the recol- 

 lection of which even now undies nic feel ashamed of ever 

 liaving killed one of these harmless, good-tempered, easy- 

 going fellows — unless indued it were for meat — on the same 

 principle that a farmer kills a pig, etc. 



Li stalking the Inmler need only Ixicaref^il as to the wind, 

 as a IjulTalodoes not trouble himself much in looking about 

 lor his cnciiiies, so ibat when they appear it is too late to 

 save himself. Whoa once yon see iheganie. pioceed as in 

 antelope slionling regarding vom- monnt^oulv a 

 little nwiTC SCI, for reinember this, a b'uffalo 

 will strike mortid terror lo a horse's heart, so that 

 no ordhiary lariat and picket-pin will hold him should one of 

 these sheep in wolf's clotliing happen to come near him. To 

 avoid being left on foot, then, secure your horse nitli a strong; 

 rope and r:ist fill biin by the halter, as slionld lie ]-.ull franti-' 

 callv^ . :' I iv will, if fnsteneo i: :1, iii : vvill eul up 



hisi -ill generally bri-.l, ■ 'r-r pulling 



tilled: ,Mi!h or smashing ! — - To avoid 



all thi.-. ..,-. ■: .-in.iig halter, long, N.inii |.iri,i,-i. in, strong 

 rope, say thirty teet long; unbridle the Uuise, when he will 

 probably graze lill you return, and in tliis manner occupy his 

 time, which if be were left Inidled would hang heavily on 

 liis hands, and becoming impatient would the more retidily 

 perceive any Imtt'alo that might chance to conio in .sight — an"d 

 then good-bye horse if not properly seemed. 



The stalking part requires no great amount of skill, and any 

 man with ordinary common sense can approach, on favorable 

 ground, to within .seventy-five to one hundred yards, at which 

 distance one .shot bidiiud the shoulder will settle tlie taisiness 

 — if not, be ready when he turns t^i tindout "what's the row," 

 and let him have" it ljruvei-!i I be eyes ; that will finish llim if 

 it Strikes him faiiiy. Some men" are so inibuod witll tlie 

 "miracidons " that Ihey will insist that a luiiTili.',-. ii. ni is 

 imperviiuB to a rille-ball. Tlial, of eom-.?e. m' ■ i. ;i.-, Ui- 

 rifle ; all I can sa\- is, that even wiih seventy yiii:- - v- 



dor and 400 grains lead I have always seni a lHni,.lu to giass 

 when hitsrpiarely belwcen and a littlu above the eyes, or just 

 beliiud and a little under the etir. ranging forward. Kitber 

 of These shots null penetrate the brain and cause instant death. 

 I have seen several killed in tills manner with acal. .45 Colt's 

 and Smith & Wesson's revolver, and idso A\itli Winchester 

 riUes with orilv forty grains powiler and 200 grains lead. So 

 1 must beg leave to disbelieve, in U'hj. the statemenls above 

 referred to. As to the miitted hair and dust which eolleets 

 on the forehead of an old bull, why that might to some e.v- 

 tent stop a smtdl ladlei, but anything up to or over 370 grams 

 lead and scventv grains p.owder will drop a buffalo stone dead 

 if properlv diliv. red, and a lighter load is not, in my opinion, 

 worth sp.'aking uljont. 



In rniiriing butfaio much depends upon llie horse — far 

 more, in faci^ than upon the lider— for as I htive said before, 

 however intich mcllle a hra-se may have, the sight of a buffalo 

 istoo inuehfor llim— at lirst, tuiyway. Afterward, yvhen he 

 discovers how lianiilesg tbev are, he becomes braver: and I 

 have seen horses liiat at first went into wb.at in men would be 

 caUed convulsi-ius. go and snifl around a dead Imllalo with 

 asmuch compusiini as th-v wMiiiit ail- ;i i I,. >--ack. Per- 

 haps chev felt elirap a" liaving di.^inay :uwardice 



and wanted in snow i,lT ibeir newl'/ ■-■ y ■ : mi,, ye. 



When vou see a hei'i gL:i a- 1 ' ,- [iilc without be- 



ing seen— Ibis, on roUiny I'a ' aimiih— keep the 



Windinyonrface.and win n y - .,: ■ ! lOurself of all the 



cover tl'" lai"-! ^'iyi-y.j y, y . ':,,;; nkilies. etc., 



why tin 1 ' ■ light of 



your I . 1^ yards, 



and tlyyi -y y ■■ '^ 'i' ■ -y,' , ■ ' .i ■--..■ • ■ ■■: If you 

 have your" choice of rifles use a W'inchester carbine— if no 

 repeater then a Sharps— the lighter the better. Keep yoiir 



-ble, as it 



easier to load as 

 iny moment, and 

 handy. If you 



od , 



ilo: 



lutright if possi- 

 after his chase 

 and then carri 



same calibre, .shoot 

 knocks, and is niiu: 

 W 



fhui; 

 \V,-s- 



i-idel 

 ir thu 



Ru 



ter to have 

 ■belt in re 



magazine always full, if poss: 



you go; besides, you iraiy bedisnioinifed at 



then a few shots "at yonr tingeiys' cnd.- 



findyonr hor.so is giving out, vrhy mak 



then your loaded tube i's read}' tii do gi 



wound a dozen, and find them all seal 



limping about in all ilirections. Kill them 



We, a.s your hcase will be pretty well blow 



and can't \'ory well follow woiiuded gaua 



j'ou to camp. So do your work in style , it is much mor'e 



sportsmanlike, to say nothing of the sufEering you can 



often so easily avoid. 



If revolvers are used, cliangc sides. The Smith & Wesson 

 self-e.vtractor, cal. .45, is the best, but a Colt peacemaker, 

 more po\vder, and will stand mor^ hard 

 ,-.,:,.. ,1p;,,i,,,i Beware of the Smith & 

 l;>eft( I- contrivance to tear yom- 

 lb nail could uot easily be con- 

 ply iiad, but the original" Smith & 

 jdels are excellent, and 

 iriicy and rajiidity of Ihe. It is always 

 ■ even tliree pistrils, and to keep one "in 

 then if you are thrown (pardon me, I 

 mean dismonnledj, ov your horse falls with you, it may be 

 eonvi'nient to liave six shots, all remlv to cheek any undue 

 familiarity an old wounded bull might wish to beitow on 

 you, although the poor laaites are glad enough to be let aleiio 

 as a general thing. 



In connection witli the chase, I will give a wriukle that I 

 learned in South America, the land of horsemen, and al- 

 though not a preventive yet it is an admirable antidote. 

 W^hen on the full run it is sometimes ruinous to ,slop; in 

 fact, in some kinds of sport a halt would lose all. Still, If a 

 niim .i'-^'iJ lill 1.1 tr,,) nr any thing of value he is in a quandary. 

 If I" Ids game; if he goes on he parts with 



wlyy i ml chances are as twenty to one that he 



nrvi! I However good a rider you may be, yon 



can't stop to ]nek up your pistol, for the simple reason that 

 you are past it before it reaches the ground. So just fling 

 off your hat, or drop a good big handkerchief; either of 

 these can be seen for a long way, and as your pistol is near 

 lluait ynn can readily find it on your return--if you are in 

 luck. I sometimes have lost both, but that seldom occm's, 

 uiile'^s in the evening, in which case it is better to dismount. 

 The liiitfeJo's tongue is considered a tidbit, and many a 

 poor brute has lo.st Ins life lo alTord some Indian or '■soi- 

 disant" spnrfsmau food for oiki nieal. it is very amusing to 

 see a novice carve if out. He pries o]ieu tlie buue jaws, 

 grabs the tongue with the left htmd, .pulls on it and' slashes 

 lucky if he succeeds in getliug half: so 



when i 



ng 1: 



ist bi 



by the 



rrger— 



th tl 



fonislierl llial liioseare t 



ec killed a very small In 



le. lurn liie head sideways, insert the 



yiw, and from the under or outer 



lie hide, follow the jawbone with 



I h, iben on the other, well up to the 



1), iiud uut the tongue still from under 



nd slash it off at the roots, divest it of 



liave a morsel fit for a king. 



iiw of no meat that, siu-passes that of a 



when roasted m the hide, called in 



"''■'," literally meat in the hide. For 



IIS' i s better ceoked that way, as much 



that 



"Ohi biiiKl!. 



evidently h 



The proper v:»\ 

 knife at theayiy"Mi 

 side, cutting ii i 

 the knife, firs, i . 

 throat. Kow leueu 

 the jaw-, haul away 

 the hide, and then y 



I must say lliat I kn. 

 buffalo calf. iy?pecially 

 Spanish '' Cam, r.,i: .-i 

 that matter any nayii t 

 of the very is-. , i 



All old bull i .y .1. I lias a twang that I don't relish, 

 but then it bi . . ml tr, iiieees, and to my palate is 



away aheafi n. he^^, ■ i, ij, ijossiim and all such oily stuff . 

 This is merely ;t mailer of lasie, so as I diin't eat oysiers I 

 sup|iO.MLiI am excluded fnnii giving an opinion in the eulmarv 

 art. Il takes a sood swift horse li, overbaul a call' when left 

 to himself. AVben in the herd ami .in Hie nin the cows always 

 nianiige to gel ihem in the midiile Pa- tuotection, just behind 

 the Inills, when the eov.ss bring up the rear, so that calves arc 

 well ijroteefed and coiuparaiively seldoiu killed. This ac- 

 counts for Ihe erroneous idea that all buffalo meat is tough, 

 as the majiiritv killed are bulls, old fellows that, have seen 

 belter davs, some irrav v^ith age and stiff in everv -joint. 

 When breaking a horse from fear of buffal- '"• . .. ill v.i-. 



don't lead him up to one that is bloody, as \ ..;'_.. 



alone will terrify most horses; so for the llr.-i [; m mi ;- a 

 him up gently and nottooclo.se to a dead buifalo, one that 

 has not been operated upon. An intelligent hoise soon loses 

 all tear when he finds that no harm is done- him, and after a 

 little experience he wUl dash up alongside of a jioor fugitive 

 and afford you the most murderous shots ; sometimes rhaer 

 seen men ivlace their carbine muzzle within two feet of ile 

 ear ; and that, by the wav, is a sure shot. 



'I'lie onlv danger that "l can see is in beins pitched, and 

 none but the snresyfooted horse can follow buffalo long 

 oniinrf to arief. What to you appears .a iierfer-i 

 ic," is a mere plaything for a Inilfal.. lie ivill 

 n a wash-out or guilv, with bank-, rh' ' .■■ Iilyli 

 . as a steeple. Then you think yon 1 . .■ imi.i .yie i 

 not a bit of it ; he simply charges this bank, ai,il ii; iiis iai- 



up the olher'side, wbia-e no horse, however active, 



it through; a«'ay he goes, fresh as a lark, ivhi 



doing your best to gel out of a tight place, -'i".: 



this dodge on me, I simply dismount before _ 



as he soes up the opposite bank I break 



l.ullet, and that saves lots of trouble. If I h:. . ,, 



I sro down a'^ best I can and come out soinewlifre 



Ijosife side, but rarely in the bulfalo's Ir.iek, fr. 



they are very appropriately termed the "survey 



prairie and bad lands," yet it is in their quiet mo 



they display their ingenuity and pra'rie love b 



most level road, and not when pursued and half scared t 



death. 



A Texas steer or a South American bull has nnire " sand " 

 and is f:ir nmre dangerous than a dozen butfulo, but they 

 cannot compare with him in getting over rough ground and 

 scaling impassable walls, possibly owing to their being too 

 heavy aft and uot so powerful in the chest and legs. 



TlBAJJOE. 



idtle 



Id liv 



lomeutg that 

 • finding the 



The Oatawissa CT^rm—OatmeUna, Pmfi.., triiii. S.^Tlie 



annual election of officers of Catawissa Fish and Game Pro- 

 tective Club, held in parlor .\, Snsqnelanua Hotel, to- 

 night, resulted in the election of G. "W. Ifeitsuvder, Fres't.; 

 Abel Thomas, V. P ; William Eycr, Treas,: H. B Aldrich, 

 Secl'y. The society has done some good work, and we hope to 

 continue our influence iu the protection of fish and game 

 We shall conttiiue the practice of glass ball shooting. Should 

 be pleased to meet any of our neighboring clubs who wish to 

 shoot with us. H. B. Aldbioh, Sec'y. 



THE DBEK LAW. 



Editor Fomt and Stream : 



I have looked with considerable interest for the report of 

 Ibc last meeting of the Long I.sland Association's Game Com- 

 miilep, |,i see wdiat recommendations tiiey would make for 

 jierfeetuig llie law relating to "protection of deer," aud am 

 very much surprised lo learn, through your issue of 6th 

 inst., that Ihey recommend an open season" of three months 

 at a time of the year when doer can only be obtained through 

 the agency of dogs driving them to water, and t,hcn close by 

 saying "hounding deer to^lie strictly prohibited." 



I am not in favor of hounding deer, and wish means could 

 be provided for keeping dogs out. of the xVdirondaek region. 

 But the inhabitants of That region are mostly those who kill 

 deer in the taU for market, and musi use dogj miae or less. 

 Later, when snow comes, they Idh iu still -hiLuting, and pre- 

 fer that method, owing to the .skill required and "consequent 

 greater pleasm-e, also the better condition of the venison 



when obta 

 in driving a dei 

 kill it with a cl 

 getting the dee: 

 ihronyii ili- Is 



spoil -IM-I I . 

 The m,r .' r- 



Not 

 r to 



that 1 l,a 

 ■aler, then paildling 

 delilieiatcty ixiwalfa 



n gluries 

 up In i|. either to 

 uound it, and after 

 ijiivenient, shoot il 

 luch aciions. The 



nil entirely different ca- 

 paciiy If, ;;iiiue iroiu ms iiaiii . ' eugs. He geucr- 



ally is a poor man aud obliy iry opporttmity 



for earning money. Tlius il • i 'til tend spring 



fishing parties and fall deer dri , ; i. y The sportsmim 

 whom he caters for in early summer must htive venison, 

 when there is veiy little skill required lo kill deer, and I 

 know a great many guides who will only allow the necessi- 

 ties to be met; but, unfortunately, there are others who 

 stand on no ceremony, think it cunning to paddle a green- 

 horn up to a deer by jack lights, and do it as often as required 

 to meet the whims ol their party, being well aware that the 

 iiiereli' !H !liereof know no difference fietween getting up to 

 ser ia ,'y ay .and June and the more difticult feat of supply- 

 ing ;, rnuy, with vcnisou in Augu.st aud September by the 

 same 11,1 th, id. Tlie credit for" skill as a padiller is what 

 lieldeg the \yiiiii y nt the average gaiide. 



If w,, eyiiiltl have a law relating to the capture of deer that 

 'ould suit the leiwest sportsman, the probabilities tu-e that 



the guides and himl 

 cations without stepping 

 to some, in the Adironda 

 areriyhllvof the opinior 

 and laws be enacted that 

 Laws enacted t 



, Id he unable to puisne their 

 ver the line. There ia a vaslness, 

 i region. The guides and bun ter.s 

 that they should have a hearing, 

 rill greath' protect their Interests, 

 the influence of people in remote 

 regions without consulting them always will stir to rebellion 

 the inhabitants of the Adirontlacks, because it is so sure to be 

 in some measm-e seemingly unjust to them. 



If I am not greatly mistaken the present law iu relation to 

 hounding of deer was passed through the iufluttncc oi- peti- 

 if an association in close proximity to one of the he.st 



deer burning regions of Ibis Stale. 

 iu two years one woiii: '•" -a 

 to my knowledge la . i 

 kiOed something liki; i y 

 in the water, and wi ir . i.lu 

 the venison in the lake, s|ioii 

 who e;mic up from iMaryland 

 log-house, had several guides 

 when August 15th aixived, ar 

 a month. A man who form 

 know better, keeps a hotel on a 



What the effect has been 



y ii.id to learn. It has come 



during the last autumn 



i'efore dogs, Avhich means 



; 1-1 sink a greater portion of 



. I kii.iw of another party 



1 Jidy, eiglif strong, buili a 



d dogs, till ready for "music" 



"music" they liatl for about 



i}' was a guide and ought to 



adjoining lake to tlie one 



the JIaryland psrly were encamped on. He keeps two dogs 

 aud " drives " all the time. In reply to my saying "You 

 will drive all the deer away from this region," he said, "Well, 

 the game is op. n and f intend to get my share. The law al- 

 lows it, they .say." There are so many like him who abuse 

 their privileges ihat I should be pleaeed never to see another 



hound in the' 



The early dtiy 

 to the woods 'a li 

 sport and go hoi 



uf r 



-eut the 



of doi 



ntonly d, 



sitar-tiy 

 study to i 

 ject "to be 



■;i.l siiortsmeu in- 

 used, have lluiu 

 disposed to be 

 ui.on the law if 

 we get a great 

 ilructive sports- 

 md lie who obeys 

 ubject of 



In my ojiii 

 s to enlist tl 



ivoidd-be inoffensive sportsi 

 How to meet the question has licen 

 1 great many. As the law now stands we are sub- 

 ing overrun with sportsmen from other States and 

 •nr deer rapidly disappear. While one .set of men 

 ', laws another set oppcse them. Should the prop. 

 li^sedfor the protection of game and one giving 

 ir y to sportsmen Ibc qnesiion would st'dl remain, 

 see that it is piroperly enforced? 



ion tlie best way lo have the deer law enforced 

 in prorceting the dccr tlur- 

 I ■' . - ' niijg them 



and 1: 

 ing the winter, spring and ei 

 certain privileges thai the sni 

 not get. The guide and hum 

 few deer for market. 1 do nm 

 kill 



ire I 



. del 



aftei 



3 wary at that limiy 

 e that time and the i 

 ily foi 



.uy In 



ii'.-ent the 

 I feel Con- 

 or 20, and 

 would de- 

 if doss he- 

 weeks 



idsumuier tourist fi 

 fident that the fawn will 

 the deer begins to be ipii 

 iTccale killing deer lief, 

 fore September 1, and tli 

 It is the opinion of ma 

 crease if it were possible f 

 June iffld "cnisting" ia 

 July 15 to January 1 and j 

 There is a colony of Dutch , : i •' the west side" 



ho are as lawle.ss'as "all possessed." Dming the deep snow 

 e been known to kill 800 deer while the poor 

 lyierfeclly helpless, and to "float" all during 

 d July. Who, ■ , .. : 'i v "",. i er 



but witll the ,. n,. 



lial the de, 



■' i' ling" in Hay and 



'pen Reason from 



2 Ihey iia 



May, June 



iu plenty u 



comi'elled lo prohibit fl 



Ihey do on Long Island audi,. .. ..i.y, . :.:.-... , . .. ,.....;, a 



law of moderation and one that wUi not cause rebelliou in 



the Adirondack region. 



The first year the jircsAnt law went into effect to hound 

 deer the assoeiatioii that petitioned for it was very strenu- 

 ous and watchful during the close seasrin and suceeedi;d in 

 oliiaiuing informal ion liiat a Certain hotel. keeper in tlie woods 

 had killed deer for bis lable. Tliey involved hini in a law- 

 suit, which naturally incensed the man whose interest it is 

 to protect the deer. 'W'liat was the result 'f His ideas are 

 that the law shall not prevent his killing deer occasionally 

 for bistable and stiU allow the outsiders to come in at another 

 time and kill as many deer as they please, before dogs and 

 helplessly in the water, without a chance, of escape, ylanjr- 

 ally it is hard for such men to submit to the present arrange- 

 ment. He is a determined man, an excellent still-hunter 



