NoTBsmBB 3, 1881.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



27 



POT METAL GUNS. 



Brooklyn, N. Y., Oct. 15. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



I write to pee if something could not be done to prevent 

 the selling of those miserable and dangerous we-ipons known 

 as "pot metal" guns. These guns are not only dangerous, 

 on account, of their liability to burst at the first shot, hut 

 what is still more alarruiug is that they are for sale by 

 nearly every gunsmith in Brooklyn, where they can be 

 bought for a dollar or two. 



Last week a young lad named Johnson, living in my vicin- 

 ity, bought one of these guns for a dollar, and went out 

 shooting. At the first discharge of tbeguu the barrel burst 

 Justin front of the trigger-gunnl, where the lad placed his 

 hand to steady the piece, blowing off his thumb and first 

 three fingers, and so shockingly mutilating his hand that it 

 was necessary to ampu'ate it. 



Accidents like these are contiutHlly happening all over the 

 length and breadth of this great land, but still these guns are 

 offered for sale. 



It is my opinion that dealers Bhould be held as much re- 

 sponsible in keeping and selling these dangerous weapons as 

 a druggist would be in knowingly and willfully mixing a 

 poison in a medical recipe. Habry Hunter. 



FARMERS AND SPORTSMEN. 



New Yobk, Oct. 28, 1881. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



The other day, while out Bbooting— no, not shooting, but 

 looking in vain for woodc- ck to shoot — I met a farmer who, 

 at first, was inclined to order me off in very short order, but 

 who thawed out alter a while, unburdened his mind to me 

 and poured out his wrongs in very much the following 

 words. Said he : '' We don't mind you fellers shooting so 

 much, if you didn't do any harm ; but some drive up, take 

 down the fences or open gates and leave them so, letting the 

 cattle out, and if we say anything, abuse and cuss us up hill 

 and down. Why, while my corn was standing last summer, 

 three fellers drove up, opened the bars and drove right into 

 the corn, and when 1 ordered them out, called me a blank 

 blank blank blank blank-. Then," continued he, "the rabbit- 

 hunters come up here long before the law is up, kill every- 

 thing, quail and all, and tear down our fences, and raise the 

 devil every way." 



I tiied to explain to him that sp rtsmen did not do such 

 things, and that it was just that class of p aching loafers that 

 caused all the trouble, not only killing off the game out of 

 season, but causing continued' ill-feeling among the farmers 

 toward every one with a dog or gun. The true sportsman 

 does not act like a hog when out, t eating down and destroy- 

 ing other people's property. They do more to increase and 

 protect game than any other class. The farmers should 

 combine with them to put down those who disregard the 

 game laws and the tights of the landowners. I believe that 

 a combination between tanners and sponstnen, such as you 

 have advised, will be the only way in which we can restore 

 the shooting; that, with the prevention of spring and 

 summer shooting, may give us sport again. 



W, Holbrbton. 



WILD TUKKEY CALLS. 



THE sport of wild turkey hunting is enjoyed by no set of 

 men more than by the hunters in and around Colum- 

 bus, Mississippi. Ti e success attending their annual camp 

 turkey hnDt attests their skill in this branch of sport, and the 

 callers used by them as a general thing differ but little. The 

 caller used by most of us is made as follows : Take a piece 

 of dog wood or maple, say six inches long by one and a half 

 inches in diameter, and with a small-sized bit bore a hole 

 through it lengthwise, then with a tapering or hollow bit 

 ream it out to 'he size of an inch and a quarter tapered to 

 size of small bit. At the other end insert a piece made either 

 of wood, h jrn or caue, according to fancy, for a mouth- 

 piece. The tone of the caller depends largely on the size of 

 the mouth-piece, and great care should be bestowed on this 

 part of the caller. When the turkey note is perfected to suit 

 the individual, the shape and finish can be arranged. A caller 

 adapted to one hunter cannot he used by another, unless he 

 is an adept in the business. Some hunters yelp by placing 

 the caller in the centre of their mouth, while others yelp from 

 the side. There are same notes which c muot be made from 

 the side of the mouth, hence the importance of learning to 

 yelp from the centre of the mouth. 



In hunting, different notes will have to be made according 

 to the game which you are in pursuit of. For instance, if 

 a flock of turkeys were flushed, and it were necessary to kill 

 the old hen, you wou'd yelp like a young turkey, if a young 

 one was desired, you would imitate the hen. And in pursuit 

 of the g ande-tt and most noble of all birds, the gobbler, you 

 would not yelp like either of them, but you would bring to 

 your aid patience, "turkey sense," and all the cunning possi- 

 ble to capture him. If "Ke 'Uk" will read an article written 

 by Dr. Rawliogs Young, of Corinth, Miss., on hunting the 

 gobbler, he wilt get an insight of the troubles which beset 

 even the best of our hunters. Lowndes. 



we can along the bottoms of the Missouri River. These bot- 

 toms are covered near the river with dense growths of cotton- 

 wood, willow and brush, in which quail find a splendid 

 cover. 



A large elk, weighing 475 lbs. dressed, was shot about six 

 weeks since within 20 m'des of this city, right iu the midst of 

 a thickly settled farming country, and shot too by a Russian, 

 with a shot-gun. I had a steak of him— strong as bull beef. 

 But what could have brought this fellow away down here ? 



I. E. West. 



DAKOTA GAME. 



Yankton, Dakota, Oct. 26th. 



WE are just in the time of our best water-fowl shooting. 

 Geese and ducks until you cannot rest. I was riding 

 out with some ladies a few days since, with my gun along to 

 keep off the wolves and buffaloes, which many Eastern people 

 suppose endauger life in this vicinity and when within one 

 hundred \ards of the ci'y limits 1 saw a flock of geese com- 

 ing toward us. I sprang out, while the carriage drove on, 

 and shot one from the road. Within a half mile further on, 

 1 saw a flock of the "snowy geese" (the other was a 

 Canada goose) in a field. I crept up and, when within about 

 one hundred yards, some one fired into the flock and killed 

 five. As they rose, they came within about 80 yards, so that 

 1 killed one with a wire cartridge Thus I got two fine 

 young geese within a half hour. Large numbers of geese 

 and mallard ducks are shot every day. 



In spite of the snow and floods of last winter and spring, 

 the prairie chickens were never more plentiful than this fall, 

 and I am told ihat the quail are thicker than ever. This is 

 my information from gentlemen who know whereof they 

 speak. 1 am surprised, for I fully expected that the flooded 

 bottoms of the spting had about finished the few that the cold 

 and snow of last winter had left alive. I never saw a country 

 where so many covies of quails could be found in a day as 



Springfield Woodoook Shooting — After I left Spring- 

 field, Mass., I learned from the sportsmen of that city that 

 the woodcock — I refer to the flight birds— made their appear- 

 ance the very day following my departure. The ground Dr. 

 Williams, Mr. Harrington and your correspondent worked 

 out could not have been better for migrating birds to stop 

 and tarry in. Yet, as I wrote you. we bagged but few. 

 The day after I left the same ground was hunted, and many 

 new woodcock were found and killed by Mr. Harrington. 

 Oh, that 1 h«d waited! I am now almost a pointer man. 

 Ta'k about the short-haired dog being unfit to work in a 

 rough and rugged country, or that he is knocked up by 

 briery thickets. Well, it may all be so, but the pointers of 

 Springfield do not come under that class; and then they are 

 so pronounced in their points. No " inching in," but firm 

 as a boulder when the scent is satisfactory.— Homo. 



Quail Destroying Crops— San Francisco, Cal., Oct. 21. — 

 Editor Forest and Stream : A curious state of affairs is re 

 veuled by extracts from a letter recently received by Mr, J, 

 P. Spooner, Secretary of the State Sportsmen's Association, 

 from Mr. G. F. Metriam, of Apex, San Diego county, this 

 Slate. The writer says : "The game law, as it now stands 

 on tiie statute, is one which cannot be obeyed in this end of 

 the S'ate without involving nearly a tot d destruction of crops. 

 The quails abound here in vast flocks, as many probably as 

 5,00i» at a time being seen together. They begin on our 

 wheat and other grain as soon as it. shoots up, and keep at it 

 until it is put in the sacks. Very few of us pass a year with- 

 out paying a tax to them of from Ave to twenty acres. They 

 also destroy our garden vegetables. I have ten acres of Mus- 

 cat grapes, which they took about all. We must trap or 

 poison them, for shooting is of no avail. The law against 

 shooting must remain a dead letter here. My next neighbor 

 lost twenty-one acres of grape-vines by them. They ate 

 every leaf and nearly all the vines more than a few weeks 

 ago. Another has had to stand guard over his vineyard 

 every night for four months, shooting every little while to 

 scare them. Last year they utterly destroyed four acres of 

 grape-vines for me. Now, what is to b • done? We live so 

 far away that none of your sportsmen will come here to clear 

 out these nuisances. As it is now, we are obliged to use 

 por-on to get rid of the quail, which might as well be caught 

 and sent tresh to market, to be eaten by men instead of buz- 

 zards and vermin. As the law now'stands it works great in- 

 justice upon every farmer in this end of the State, and ought 

 to be changed Is your association willing to make a change, 

 and, if so, what ?" It is probable that the subject will come 

 up for consideration at the next meeting of the society. 



Golden Gate. 



Loading for Deer. — Editor Forest and Stream : I have 

 killed many deer with a muzzle-loading rifle, and I have 

 found that by loading with two bullets, prepared as shown 

 in the cut, 1 could kill the game much quicker than 

 in any other way. With these balls 1 hever 

 had a deer run over thirty ynrds, and 

 have dropped several in their tracks. I 

 put in a good charge of powder; then I take 

 a bullet with the neck trimmed flat, and, 

 placing it in the muzzle, neck up, trim patch close ; jar the 

 gun to settle the powder and put the ball down on to the 

 powder. Next I put in a ball neck down. If the balls are 

 trimmed right they will not spread over two inches in fifty 

 yards. A 10-lbs., 50-cal. gun, loaded with one hundred 

 grains of powder and two balls would be very destructive 

 under seventy-five yards. It is surprising how a deer will 

 go to grass with two balls shot through him, say one inch 

 and a half apart. — John A. Gaylord. 



Sullivan County Game — Eldred, Oct. 31. — Editor Forest 

 and Stream : I notice in Forest and Stbkam of Oct. 29, 

 that another gentleman has been sold by coming to Eldred. 

 Now, 1 have no recollection of any man coming to my pi ice 

 by that name, but some have come who had bad luck. 

 A party hunted deer last week here, and did not even get a 

 shot, but I started several deer every day, and the last fore- 

 noon started four, and within twenty minutes' walk of my 

 house. The fact is that they are so thick here thai Dan 

 Hallock caught one by the tail and killed it, and Dr. Johu 

 Butler, of 102 East Twenty-second street., New York city, 

 was an eye-witness to the affair. I will guarantee to start a 

 deer any time next month (November) in less than two hours 

 out from my house, or else I will pay all the expenses of 

 any party coming here and staying one week. As for small 

 game, William Hammond, of Thirtieth street, N. Y., came 

 hVre and another gentleman from New Jersey, and in the 

 first two days bagged a half bushel of ducks, partridges, 

 quail, woodcock and yellowleg snipe. Saturday Mr. Ham- 

 mond went home. He had one pair of black ducks, sevi ral 

 other ducks, four yellow eg snipe, four partridges and a lot 

 of Equirrels; all ihotin two days. The man who can't find 

 partridges, woodcock and duck here either is not much of a 

 hunter or he gets the wrong kind of a guide. Partridges are 

 not as plentiful as they were five years ago, but a man who 

 can travel ten or twelve miles per day can g-t ten or 

 twelve birds. Deer are very plenty, more plentiful than for 

 the last five years. I do not know this from one or two 

 weeks' hunting, but from thirty years' experience iu Pike 

 and Sullivan counties. I have given gentlemen forty shots 

 at partridges in one day, and only a few years ago. I be- 

 lieve I could raise forty birds to-morrow. Gentlemen who 

 come to Eldred through my advertising should call and see 

 me. Not all have luck. My dogs are not trained to catch 

 birds. — J. M. Bradley. 



Sensible Providence Sportsmen — Providence, R. I., 

 Oct. 26.— Editor Forest and Strewn: Much has been said 

 about the preservation of the quail in the columns of your 

 journal. Sound advice haB ever been given by correspond- 

 ents, but I fear in the main it has not been followed. I must, 

 illustrate, however, what was done by a few sportsmen of 

 this city and the success that resulted from their efforts. 

 Last winter, we all know, was a very fatal one to quail, and 

 you remember those interested in field sports were solicited 



to have a care in feeding the half starved birds until the 

 ground became bare and they were able to eira their own 

 livelihood. Here in Providence, R. I., a few gentlemen — I 

 say few, as but two or three interested themselves in the mat- 

 ter — furnished the editors of one of the daily papers that had 

 a InrKe country circulation one of the articles on the preserva- 

 tion of game that appeared in Forkst and Stream, and from 

 this article another was penned and published in the daily 

 journal. In it farmers were asked to take, a part in saving 

 what birds remained alive, and money was sent to several 

 to purchase feed. Thus many became interested, aud the 

 consequence is that quite a respectable showing of coveys are 

 reported this autumn, and the return this sport-manlike few 

 now have is a special invitation from the farmers to enjoy 

 ;ood quail shooting. This is »n illustration of what may be 

 lone all over the Middle and Eastern States during a winter 

 of snows and sleet. The expense will be but trifling. Let 

 us ail try it next time.— Homo. 



Another Old Powder Hoen. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Youi last issue contains a paragraph relating to a powder bom 

 made by Daniel Boone, which recalls to my mind an anecdote 

 of somewhat similar import. I have a connection who lived 

 in Maysville, Ky. , a few years ago, whose great, grandfather. 

 Major Bowman, was a cotemporary of Boone's, and who was 

 an Indian fighter and bear hunter in the pioneer days of Ken- 

 tucky. This descendant of Major Bowman possessed an an- 

 cient powder horn, which bad been owned and nsed by his 

 ancestor, and had been handed down as an heirloom. Dur- 

 ing the late war it was "lost, strayed or stolen," but was for- 

 tunately recovered a few years after the close of the war. 

 This gentleman was at that time editing a newspaper in 

 Maysvilie.andasthepowder horn had become nolorious among 

 his acquaintance he announced its recovery iu a local para- 

 graph, stating further that if any wete curious to see it, they 

 might do so by I al ing at his sanctum. He had at that time 

 two very ptecocious boys, one five and the other seven years 

 of age. The elder one wis in the habit of casting his eye 

 over the local paragraphs of the paper, and had no iced that 

 one about his "great grandfather's powder hotn." While 

 playing about in the office, the younger boy found in some 

 cranny a large jaw tooth of a horse or some other animal, 

 and asked his brother what it was. The elder boy looked at 

 it gravely, and jerking his thumb over his shoulder toward 

 his father, who sat at his desk, replied, "I guess it's his 

 great grandfather's tooth. — Maroonur. 



Woodyille Duck Shooting — Mottville, N. Y., Oct. 28. — 

 The two comm'inications in your columns regarding " Game 

 a - Eldred, N. Y.," reminds me of my experience at another 

 hunting ground— Woodville, N. Y. Last year I heard great 

 stories of duck and snipe shooting on the marshes at that place, 

 and went down last November. Stayed five days, got seven 

 ducks, ten snipe and one partridge — about what 1 expected for 

 one day's hunting. But the weather was too fine for ducks and 

 it was too late for suipe, and my seeming failure was readily 

 excused. Last April I watched for good duck weather, and, 

 as it was near the first of May, dare not wait any longer, so I 

 loaded my ammunition train and started again for Wood- 

 ville. Stayed four days ; result, five ducks; " weather was 

 too nice," they said. No wind to drive the ducks off the big 

 lake. Snipe began to arrive the day I went home. Well, 

 my faith in Woodville as a good shooting ground was not en- 

 tirely gone, and, the weather signs being favorable, I went 

 there on the 12lh of the present mouth. Everything was 

 lovely and the ducks flew low, and by Saturday, the 151b, I 

 had shot thirty-four ducks, mostly red-heads, about forty 

 snipe and plover and one partridge, and it was not first. -cla'S 

 duck weather, either. So let our Eldred hunters tuke courage 

 and try again. My experience is (hit ducks are like the 

 colored preacher's white brudder, "very onsartain." I have 

 this much to say for Woodville — even if you get no game 

 you will have a good time stopping at " Woods'," a good, 

 home-like place, free from drunkenness and contusion 

 (usually found at such places ), a good table, kind and oblig- 

 ing people about you. Boats are provided with decays and 

 fishing taikle, and " George " or " Uncle Steve" to show you 

 around. It is your own fault if you don't have a good time. 



Novice. 



Trapping Quail in Virginia. — Iu your issue of October 

 13 " Frank " wants to know where to come to iu Virginia to 

 get quail. In your issue of October 20 " W. 0. W." re- 

 sponds by saying : "It is against law to trap quail in this 

 State at any time." I am sorry to say that " W. O. W." is 

 mistaken. " It iB unlawful to trap wild turkeys at any time ; 

 but under the law as it now stands, contained in the acts of 

 the General Assembly of April 2, 1879. and March 9, 1880, 

 " partridges or quail " may be captured by means of net* or 

 traps of any kind between the fifteenth of October and the 

 first of Jan u -jy of each year ; except that in the fifty coun- 

 ties enumerated in the act of March 9, 1830, the open season 

 extends from the first of November to the first of February 

 of each year. So that "Frank" may get quail anywhere in 

 Virginia from the first of November to the lirst of January. 



M. 



Blaok Hawk. Club— Whitewater, Wis.— At the annual 

 meeting of the Black Hawk Club, of Lake Koshkonot g, 

 Wisconsin, October 21, 1»S1, the following officers were 

 elected for the ensuing year : George W. Esterly, President, 

 Whitewater, Wis. ; (ieorge W. Peck, Vice President, Mil- 

 waukee, Wis. ; W. S. Dalliba, Secretary, Chicago, III. ; J. 

 A. Partridge, Treasurer, Whitewater, Wis. This association 

 is now in fine running order, having a club house and other 

 buildings for the comfort and pleasure of its members, lo- 

 cated on Black Hawk Island, where canvas back abound in 

 large numbers, owing to the fact that wild celery grows all 

 over this lake luxuriantly, the lake being four miles wide 

 and about nine miles long. 



Shinneoock: Bay — Good Ground, L. I., October 31. — 

 There are several targe bodies of duck in the Bay, but so far 

 have not afforded the usual shooting, owing to the unusually 

 warm weather. Birds feed nights during warm and calm 

 nights. We look for splendid sho .ting immediately after 

 the weather comes cooler. The ihree day's law is repealed 

 and we can now shoot every day. Some geese have come 

 into the bay, but we do not look for a flight until after 

 November 8, when we shall have both brant and geese. 

 We have had bay snipe up to this time fairly plenty, and at 

 times in October very plenty. William N. Lane. 



How It May Be Done— New Y'ork City, Oct. 11.— 

 Editor Forest, and Stream : The restaurant at 5 Pine street 

 is selling what are termed "high holders" on the bill of 

 fare. If I mistake not, these birds come under the heading 



