326 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 23, 1883. 



LONG ISLAND WILDFOWL. 



TDK fnw I shooting in ibis region in the mouth of t >--i oh.-i 

 has imi been as g I as usual this year, owing, doubtless, 



tn I tic mild weaihev'of llii' f:ill, tin- lii'i-il- mi) leaving their 

 northern Labrador haunts f or Iheir southern migrations as 

 soon as i.-u:il. So. Hie wildfowl Aid not appear in our bays 

 in great numbers until November came in, 



There is a large extent of watars. their favorite feeding 

 grounds, between Greouporl and Mont auk and Orient 

 Points, the former place being some twenty-five miiea 63s 

 linn and the latter about twelve miles, On (he fl»( approach 

 of tin- cold weather in October, flic flocks Brst begin to eol- 

 lcct. Mini finding good feeding Ln the wattsry pastures of 



Gardiner and I Vronic bays, llu\ seille.-ind abide there-till 



tin- increasing cold and Hie gathering i « « - adl ishes them 



to spread their wings and dopari for Virginian andOnxdliua 

 waters. They Brst in-, in u> gather around the rocky shores 

 of Montaufe, and a few years since the geese and brant, ihc 

 black flunk and widegon were t ti.-i c found in abundance, 

 more especially on the Groat Pond a1 Mpntaulc, So. wbao 

 tin- geese :iu>l i.r.-mt were plenty :ii Montauk, ihcie was ex- 

 cellent sport with them ai Cartwrigbl's Baron the soul h 

 short- of Gardiner's l-l.md. ant) in Goose l'ond, on that 

 island, and UmrewohavD had fine sporl wilhtliom, 



Bin in later years, when Great Pond has been open to the 

 salt tides and the fresh grass of the ponds has been killed 

 thereby, the dueis and geese ceased to frequent the pltfce, 

 and iln shooting was . reatly dhuUtislv d. 



Ilni there was no decrease in the numbers of the innumer- 

 able coots, sheldrakes, old squawsand l 8. 'In 



slats . hi- ily of small fish, (for 6 loon) and 



email clam-, muscles and scallops lor the coot, as tin se an- 

 us plenty as evor, Those fowl arc here as abundant as ever 



Tin- mom successful mode of killing them hero is by using 

 small battery boats, resting almost level with the water's 

 edge, li requires the "uss of two boats for iliai purpose; 

 one. the low-lying battery boat, in which the gunner is con- 

 cealed, and the other a larger row boaf in which the atiend- 

 ant gunner rows around, keeping the fowl in motion when 

 they settle upon the water, and picking op the dead and 

 cripples shot down from the battl ry 



But as before said, the fowl v., re scarce in October, 

 not until we h;\d some cOOlej v cither in .November did 

 they collect iu great numbers. But now they are in great 

 II" 'U- all the way from Moninuk Point, to Fort Pond, and 

 thence to Fire-place Point and still further west lo Roam 

 Island, on the southeast poiut of Shelter Island. Thej are 

 also to be found further west in Ndyffck and Peconic hays, 

 foj: the distance of thirty or forty miles. 



Great numhi ra of the fowl have been lately killed by sail- 

 ing on them. Tin- fowl, before they have been much dis- 

 turbed, will allow a fast sailing eatboat lo conic down upon 

 them from the windward, and will not spring From the 

 water until tpo late, and men the gunner tabes them easily 

 on the wing. As iin-y musl rise then against the wind, 

 they must approach within easy distance- of the fowler. The 

 boats have been thus cruising for them successfully for 

 the lasi iiuce week-, an.! greal aumbew iiav.-iici-n killed. 

 An old gunner (('apt. Dill ROSS, ..f the yacht Xaluna) has 

 Just dropped into mi room to bell moof his late trip for 

 fowl. Mi had wiih him in his comfortable craft a small 

 party of gunners, but Bill says they went more for frolic 

 and rest from work than for real sport, and did not kill one- 

 ipiuier as iii.o'.y iiird.- as skillful, earnest fowler.-, migni 



have done. They got only alioul ninety fowl, Chiefly cool, 

 with a dozen Mark duck and twenty sliclidi.'ik". He -ays 

 the fowl will continue to be very plentiful until the cold 

 weather iu the middle of December; and then they will dis- 

 appear. 



iiill lias a fine boat with large cabin, and its he is a 

 skillful navigator, and knows all the best place-, a gunning 

 party will always do well to Secure his services. Your 

 corrcspoiideni --H." has had good times with Iiill, and is ex- 

 pected daily to he here for his fall crui-e 



Isaac McLeu.an. 



GaEBNPORT, L. L, November 20. 1882. 



BEAR HUNTING IN MAINE. 



TEDS iollowing letter (writes Mr. George Shepard Page) 

 may be of inlerc.-i to w.ur iead-.-i - The Walter ha- fre- 

 quently served as my guide ai the Bang) lej Lakes, As his 

 story indicates, he is a man of greal eouragi and endurance. 

 He is verv well informed, having been employed in leaching 

 school for several I. rm-. In meeting him tortile iir-1 lime, 

 one would hardly realize that p noted hear slayer was 

 hidden to the courteous* intelligent person With whom he 

 was conversing Mr. Taylor lias killed nearly thirty hears. 

 His letter is dated Kyron, Main . Ma} '■'■. 18*2; ii has been 

 awaiting my return from Europe, lie says: 



[ havehad some exciting bear hunts since 1 saw you 

 Last winter 1 hunted a little. Bears are very plenty, and 

 quite hold. 1 lost quite a large numherot sheep last spring 

 and summer, killed by hears— one large sheep was killed in 

 my pasture and dragged aboul iweniy rod- iuio the wppds 



nedrnggea bcrovera log which was about three feel high, 

 Two winters ago I spent iw. mv-nine day.- hunting bears. 



1-iu -i\ and Shot, three. A S. Young was with me pari 

 of Hie lime, and pail Of the lime I was alone. On llald 

 i-.,i • Mountain in "Andover Surplus," we had been follow 

 ing a large hear several days, and were going over the 

 smoother, hardj frozen snow and ice, cutting places for our 

 Eeet with the ax, when we suddenly came to a fresh tract! 

 of an old bear and two cubs. There wa- a little llghl snow 

 on the hard cmst. Add Young, Ben Mitchell and myself 

 were together We followed these tracks about twenty 

 rods when we came to their den, In a cave in the rock-. 

 We. of course, thought thai wc were sure of all three of 



ion'rcvnlv,',' and 1 mj I w char:, I, d fllOtgun one barrel 

 loaded wiih a hall and the Other with huek-hot: hut 1 

 changed with Men, ami took his revolver, a- 1 was going 

 inlolhcnioulh of Ihc den to Start lli'-m out, while the 

 other- were to lake Stations SlOUnd and take them when 

 they cam,- out. Ihii ihev didn'i starl easily, ami I got h pole 

 ami was iryiiiLf lo punch them out, when lien ori d out, 

 **There comes one above there." Of course we all looted 

 n the direction. 



The old hear came out first find her two cubs followed 

 her. We fired cighl shot- at them, and we Ihoughl thai we 



had killed the old one, hut sin- finally came on her feet 

 again and went oil' leaving a trail of blood. We followed 

 till dark, i hen went to a logging camp in the valley below 

 and Mopped all night. Tin- next day we drove one of the 



cuh- mil ,,| anoila rden oil a high bluff and followed him 

 two days, when we decided to divide the crew, and Add 

 was io follow this cuh while Ben and I went hack to look 

 after the old hear and the other cuh We found their trail 

 and followed it lo another den which they had found among 

 a pile of huge boulders, it was a hard place, and we were 

 not certain that they had mopped there lil) we had cutaway 

 theice sufficiently to get down and look into a cars aboul 



twenty feet under the Hal side of a large rock. 1 got a long 

 pole and punched in till 1 b&w th-ir eyes glisten, then 1 

 knew Ihev were there; but we eouldn'l drive them out, SO 

 W6 out the ice away and 1 got down Mat on inv he.lv and 

 crept in aboul half my length so as to let the light Shine in 

 over my head, and with mv pole I punched her til] I could 

 -ee her cv,- shine, ilnn I Took as good aim as i could and 

 flrod. 1 backed oui pretty soon, 'l fired twice before I hit 

 her. The second lime I put a large bullet in fust to the left 

 Of her right, eve. Then the ( ub curled down behind his 



mother so snug that I could only just see his eve- and ear-, 

 and win D i slopped punching him he would he entirely out 

 of sight, 1 flrcd three times before I killed him. [t was 

 almost dark when we go) them out of the den. We left 

 them there that night. Next ilaywcgol help and hauled 



limn, down to tin road and took OUT team find went home. 



I have the pioturcsof flihrbearand cub. Perhaps you would 

 lil to • - i I v Addison S. Young has killed two or three 

 lately. A very large bear was shot in Weld lasi week. 



IflT.l'HKN T.AVf.OK. 



THE NEW YORK GAME LAW. 



WMw Vbrml vmd Stream 



Deah Slit— Will you r. 



Game Protective Asaocia 



game laws. For the past 

 bnportanl change- have I: 



low the "Utica Fish and 



hearing on Ihc subject Of 



essions of the Legislature, 



nges have been pending, without avail, mainly 



r the great diversity oi opinions. Doubtiess 



the sulijeel will again heJiel'ore llie loiniiig -e-sion. when 

 il behooves those interested, to unite upon such changes a- 

 are most needful and best calculated to attain good results. 

 The I'lica Pish and (lame Protective Association was in- 

 corporated about two year- ago. to nieei i In- want- which il- 

 nane- implies— revive llie lagging inlercsl iulhe ganii law 

 — and to enforce its provisions when its violation was the 



s. To prohibit catching and marketing of undcrsize trout, 

 either dead or alive, sons to protect the fry -cm out by our 



Slale halcherics to slock lakes and sin auis' This is aveiy 



important necessity. 



9. To prevent spring duck shooting on their llighl to 

 breeding ground-;. 



10. To prevent the netting and hap -homing of wild 



i !,i- was a I', v. . oOOBt plentiful, bnt 



now h.eome the rare.-l game bird of this Mate. Their 

 natural flights afforded the ffnesl and most ah-indant sport, 

 hut are now so depleted bv uels that their flights, are lim- 

 ited to other sections. 



To some of your leaders ihc force of the above propositions 

 will readily occur, lo others a word of explanation will he 

 proper. 



\Vh\ shorten Ihc,, pen seasons beyond what the} u-ed lo 

 he': An-uer: Spiirls'meu have increased tenfold in num- 

 ber and dexterity, wiih improved appliances. Game is 

 growing -i an,, in -pile of the bcsl protection. I!' we would 

 prevent total extermination we must cither shorten the sea- 

 sons jn prohibit altogether lor a lime. The shortened sea- 

 son i- o,ef,-rahl„. 



Why prohibit woodcock shooting in August when it used 

 to be in .lulv. inswer: Better ask -why kill woodcock at 

 all iu July or August. In July some of the young can ilv, 

 but others cannot; the weather is hoi; hinisalescit. quickly 

 decay, and are no more In Season than a fresh hatched 

 chicken. In August they are moulting and sickly, There 

 is no reason for killing them except to enable pot-hunters to 

 supply fashionable resorts. A game dealer stated lo the 

 writer, "Why do you prohibit woodcock in this county in 

 August? If I could buy and sell them I might make a U-w 

 pennies." He was pacified on being told thai Oneida and 

 Herkimer birds were all being saved, and lhal ho could 



make these "few pennies" in September }'us1 as well, witb,- 

 ou1 supplying sickly birds to his patrons. Besides this— and 

 a greater reason as every sportsman know.- -in August the 

 broods of partridges frequenl the same low grounds as 

 woodcock, and the temptation is great, even to " 



■sfil 



'have 'employed and paid ot 

 organization is needed in e 

 nitty safely say that durim 

 hee'n a violation, and the g 

 the opening of the sc 



■ [0 



dele, 



A 



As a result, 

 there has har 



id undisturbed 

 t should be. There have he 



.light violations in remote pi 

 hut with ail our members reporting at headquarters, every 



In Oneida and Herkimer Counties, woodcock and part- 

 rid':!: shooting opens September i. while we regret to notice 



in inhere rties woodcock may be killed August 1. This 



allowed shooting around as, has made our efforts to pre- 

 serve woodcock in Augusl li.ore dillicuh. but vet with our 

 vigilance we have substantially succeeded. 



In the practical workings of Ibis law we have gained 

 much experience, and from the results ascertained, we are 

 satisfied that this is a mosi salutary law for the whole Stale, 

 as it is impossible do preserve partridge, when woodcock 

 may he kill.-., in Augu-I. 



'['here is no reason why woodcock should be killed before 

 September and every reason why they should not he killed in 

 August. The reasons urged are that gilnni rs are anxious to 

 gel oui sooner. Thai i- no reason at all, else why not an 

 open season the year round.' Why any law stall against if: 

 Amilher assigned reason is lhal m certain northern pari- of 

 the Mate, "woodcock have abOUl September 1 and are qdI 

 found whercthey werein August." This might besome reason 



tlieirhal.il-. Tiny do nol leave even I I 



30th of October and frequently not till November or JDecem- 



Richfleld, 



fails. 



1 like plai 



The 



i utterly 



Now ail true sportsmen '.market hunters and club houses 

 excepted) will agree upon one proposition* viz: that- game 

 should be protected in the most practical way. The ob- 

 ject of ihis article i- to lay licforc your n aders the results of 

 our most careful observation, experience, -and study upon 

 thjs subject, via.: 



1. Tha: there is from year !o year a marked decrease in 

 both fish and game, owing to the improvement of guns and 

 tackle, l he increase in the niimhcr of sportsmen and their 

 dexterity. 



3. Thai il we would prevent the entire extermination of 



both iish and game, wilhin a few wars, there needs to he a 



.;, ,...,!.,., ,,, j M . 



Vhal shall Ik 



done, 



and ht 



w shall we do 



r: TolbispuT] 



,,,-e I will f 



ul her i 



elate o 



ir experience. 









id real 





1. The law- a 



:., | QOfl 1 



ce, are ( 



Veil as 



in 1 as they go; 



nil we need dial 







isious. 





2. Thai laws. -u 



i- n! no avail 







and lo enforce 



them needs an Or 







VII 111 



every county. 



by which each m 











iiv 



i I : 



irk. 



:i. Ail -poll-men will abide I he sea-on ami zealously up- 

 hold the law if assured that when the season opens the game 

 will be found undisturbed. They feel ooufldent when each 

 i- on,- of the del,.-, the- and knows what is going on. 



!. '|'l pen -eason for hoth Iish and game should be 



shortened, especially for trout, woodcock and partridge. 



:,. (>p,-n -i-a -,,u- over tin- Stale should lie uniform as far 

 as possible. 



f. The open season for woodcock and partridge should be 

 oas.to prevent killing of partridge' under pre 

 tenseof hunting woodcock in August, if we would pro- 

 Lee! partridge- which, as we have found, have been killed 



and served up at club houses as "short-billed" woodcock 



wh.-re Augu-I woodcock are allowed. 



r. To prohibit catching trout through the ice at any lime 

 anil in any way. 



mi, 



We 



have discovered that young partridges have beenkilled, 



shipped, sold and served up in Aitgusi as •■long and short 

 billed" woodcock. Result is, that the law-abiding spoils- 

 man for sake of shootihg sickly woodcock in Angus: finds 

 himself robbed of partridge.- in Sep-i:iiihe|- and October. 

 Better to wait tili September, and all have an equal chance, 

 without pulling temptations and excuses in the «::; of pot- 

 hunters. Let them wait. Keep) their guns silent mean- 

 while in the brush. They can wail. The season then is 

 long enough, cspi eia!ly as their wants lend to the destruc- 

 tion and add nothing 1 1 > the preservation of game. 



Shorten the other end. also, to at leasl December 1. Why? 

 Because after December the cold rains and snows set in. 

 Sportsmen do not go oui then; the brush is deserted. Then 

 the pari ridge snarer takes his opportunity, after sportsmen 

 have left. Then they share with impunity, which they 

 could not do. while sportsmen frequent the brush, without 

 being caught at it. 



This "trapper" is most destructive of game; he works for 

 profit, nol .-purl: in- will let the birds alone if lie can't, sell 



them. Therefore, take away the now best month of his 

 Opportunity— December — if yon would preserve partridge-. 

 It is difficult to catch these men ia the act, although the 

 birds en an idea of its extent. Tliev are 



readily distinEnished from killed ones by their black throats. 

 One man in this section snared ovi r 500 birds in one season, 

 others in proportion. There is scarcely a bird 18ft for seed. 

 Why Stop "trout fishing through the ice? Answer: It is 

 nearly as dish native as spawn-lied fishing. The sun shining 

 through a hole in die ice draws the trout around il for air 

 and warmth, where they are eaughl in large numbers by 

 men who make il a business, to the depletion of lakes and 

 streams when the summer lishing comes on. Prohibit all 



Why stop catching small trout and marketing them? The 

 reason appears above as to the State small fry. There are 

 o'thei reasons. Isl. You cannot have large ones without 

 ftrsl having small ones. 2d, The small ones are easily 



eaughi around the spring brooks wnere they are spawned, 



They are being eaughl in such va.-i numbers' as lo Ihrealen 

 [utter depletion, They are caught, kept alive in pens, 

 and carted off to restaurants and markets, where, i hey an- 

 kept alive to be served out to Customers. Over 1()(), i)00 were 

 caught. and taken from one stream in this section in One 

 year. This destruction of small iiout under six inches long 

 is the hundredfold destruction of larger ones. As they are 

 mostlj for sole in markets, their -ale should he prohibited, 

 or else- abandon the idea of -tocking streams. If we would 

 preserve trout, we musi preserve the little ones. 



I cannot expect to go over the whole subject in this article, 

 [n conclusion, allow me to hope that at the coming session 

 wema\ be able to obtain these necessary provisions and 

 changes in Ihc law, and lhal. sport-men may unite Without 

 diversity to obtain the object. 



If we keep steadily in mind Ihc ••preservation" of Iish 

 and game, we can do much good: but if we lose sight of 

 this bv granting special privileges to individuals, market- 

 hunters, marketmen and clubs, wo shall fall -hort of the 

 great good we all de-ire. "Proper protection" means a 

 ''iimiled season ' in limited ways, and is nol found in what 

 marketmen, market-hunters or .fashionable resorte, may call 

 their "best interests." 



There has been much clamor by individuals for special 



that when we no fishing in the Adirondncks we 



may tike our guns and kill a few deer, or when we go to 



on the spawning beds. Fisheumen with trap net.- have also 

 thi \ I , allowed a couple of months to fish with 

 nets, as a reward for holding oil the rest of the year, and 

 Ihe like. Now. all these may seem reasonable: but the tacl 

 is lhal privileges to otic are equally for all, and can only 

 result in utter destruciion if tolerated, The "Armstrong 

 bill." once passed and vetoed, was mainly prepared by this 

 association With great care and consideration, and embodies 

 the provisions which aiv so much needed. Il was framed 

 to meet actual occurrences. We invite the co-operation of 

 ail , ami st sportsmen in its behalf and support. 



• loIIN 1). ('01. 1, INS. 



Yiee-Pre.-'t I'lica Fish and Game Protective Association. 



- v.. Nov. 14. ISiS. 



Any Jim-son sending ilieir address to il. H. Pooler. Sorcna, La SnJle 

 Oo., ill . will receive In return five ;i fine colored bthogragh reJSfe 

 SL-uting pinnated graosa scooting" on the prairies, ulsn a ciitulogue 

 oi' cartridge, holders, belts, vests, &e.— Adv. 



