310 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Notembbb 17, 188 1 . 



Tho following day, however, promised to be a good "goose 

 day," and the party tallied ninety-two gocso a3 a result of 

 their prediction. 



The next day we were to leave at noon, so we put in a lit- 

 tle more powder and aimed closer, thereby bringing our total 

 up to L'01 geese, all of which we left the river with. 



Our friends at Lincoln were all remembered, and numer- 

 ous paries immediately organised to follow in our wake, 

 none of which hive yet icported. 



Quail are unusually abundant this fall, and a little later 

 the sport will be grand. 



Our ci'y would be a line location for a kennel of Gordons, 

 Laverocks and Irish Belters, also spaniels for ducking. 



C. L. B. 



THE LIFE SAVING STATION EMPLOYEES. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



I notice in your last number a correspondent mentions that 

 the decrease in wild fowl on Great South Bay, L, I., is due 

 to their being jacked by employees of the Life Saving Sta- 

 tions. 



Now, while I never heard of this being done by the men 

 along Baruegat Bay, N. J., they have the reputation of shoot- 

 ing a great deal at them from their stations as the birds 

 fly over, and from the vicinity. Long Beach contains the 

 best shooting grounds, and, many stations being on it, the 

 men patrolling carry guns and have excellent opportunities 

 to observe wlLre the most birds are, thus combining busi- 

 ness aud pleasure, besides selling their game to the market. 



That this continual fusillade scares away the birds is self 

 evident. I have also been told that during a flight of fowl 

 the best points were occupied by Life Saving men in sneak 

 boxes, their close proximity to the places enabling them to 

 get there first. 



To a city sportsman coming down here, after hiring a man 

 with boxe3 and decoys, it must be provoking to find a gov- 

 ernment employee ahead of him in the choicest spot, the re- 

 port of his double eighteen-pound seven bore spoiling the 

 shooting all around. 



Gentlemen that have been served this way once or twice 

 seldom come again, preferring to go to another place where 

 they can be sure of getting a good chance. 

 . The law for shooting only three days a week is kept pretty 

 fairly, but it sometimes happens to parties that those three 

 days prohibiting shooting are the best time, while the other 

 three days scarcely anything can be seen. 



If the government prohibited the Life Saving men from 

 shooting at all there would be more attention paid to wrecks 

 and warding off vessels from the shore. Ducks, geese aud 

 brant would increase where they are now scarce, and shooting 

 would be allowed every day. Lastly, more money would 

 ciiiie into the hands of the Daymen furnishing their services 

 to the New York and Philadelphia sportsmen who annually 

 shoot for wild fowl. Colin. 



STATE PIGEON TOURNAMENTS. 



Boston, Mass., Oct. 31. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



I was glad to see, in your editorial of Oct. 13, the subject 

 of trap-shooting opened for discussion. Every individual in 

 the community is in some way interested in the wild game 

 of this country, and none will deny their desire to have it 

 protected ; but how to check individual greed and avoid ex- 

 termination is the puzzle of many years' standing. A large 

 class of the public are ignorant of the brei ding seasons, and 

 will so consume the bird at any time of year when it can be 

 procured for money. Then comes the huckster, who will 

 buy anything which be can sell at a profit to his own pocket, 

 and he calls to bis aid bis co-worker, who also cares only for 

 the profit of to-day and will shoot the bird any day when he 

 can sell her. Evidently these are men not to be chosen as a 

 committee to tell us how to perpetuate the game interests of 

 our beautiful country. v\ e must have other men, men who 

 would spare the last two birds of the covey, or the mother of 

 the fawn, men who are humane, men who would study the 

 nature and habits of the game and give it protection in the 

 breeding season. 



Doubtless all members of our clubs and protective associa- 

 tions will say they are of the latter class, and do exert all 

 their influence to obtain the passage and execution of jud'ei- 

 ous lawB for that professed purpose, but do we ever ask our- 

 selves why we fail to get such stringent laws as we most de- 

 sire ? Why is it that we are so weak ? That our influence 

 is feeble no one can deny. We approach the law-maker with 

 a carefully drawn document, and we find ourselves confronted 

 by the united forces of the market dealer, professional shoot- 

 er aud the land owner. We can make friends of neither of 

 them, nor bring influence to break theirranks ; and are forced 

 to a compromise or temporary surrender, and perhaps, as 

 here in Massachusetts, instead of giving us the law for which 

 we plead, our legislature shows its opinion of the "club 

 sportsman" by passing a law prohibiting trap slaughter of 

 imprisoned birds within the limits of the Commonwealth, 

 which act by them aud their constituency is looked upon as 

 cruel, wanton and senseless. 



Without bringing up argument to show that it is the least 

 of these three, if it has detracted from the popularity and 

 efficiency of our game protective associations it is proved an 

 evil and should be discontinued. __— ; M. 



Wood Haven, Nov. 3. 

 Editor Forest emd Stream : 



First, let me say that I think State sportsmen's associa- 

 tions have been productive of much good in the calling to- 

 gether of men of sound minds, men who are well and favor- 

 ably known, men who are not found in any scheme for the 

 purpose of pocketing the almighty dollar, but men who have 

 a deep interest in the protection of game; and who would 

 not countenance or uphold any measure unfair, unjust or in 

 any way or manner intentionally commit an act which could 

 cause offence to the most humane, moral or fastidious (male 

 or female) who perchance honors the association with their 

 presence at the busiuess meetings of conventions or at the 

 shooting grow ds, 



I am well aware that a universal feeling of disgust was 

 manifested by visitors at the late tournament at Coney 

 Island And not only Visitors, but I presume every member 

 (f theN. Y. 8. A. was heartily ashamed to be compelled to 

 staud at the trap and shoot at what were called birds, when 

 wings were indeed wanting to make a show of life. This, 

 vii', is 1 believe the first time the sporting world has 

 ever been calkd to witness such an exhibition, and it is to 

 be hoped that it will be the last. If real live birds cannot 



be found, then let us try the glass ball or clay pigeon, A 

 Sta'e convention held for the sole purpose of discussing the 

 (probable) best and judicious method of preserving game 

 and fish, would find few veterans to " .ally round the flag" 

 of (birds' and animals') freedom. And as far as the term 

 cruelty may be applied, I really can see no mure in shooting 

 first-class birds from the trap than from tho open field. 



Again let Us consider the humane appeals of Henry Bergh 

 and bis followers, aud carry them to toe nesting places of the 

 poor abused and much slaughtered wild pigeon and let them 

 see what wholesale slaughter is. What is a little matter of 

 twenty, fifty or one hundred thousand birds for State con- 

 ventions compared with the hundreds of thousands shaken 

 from the nests, clubbed to death, packed in ice and sent to 

 tickle the palates of our fastidious game-preserving friends? 

 This custom has prevailed to such an extent that pigeons are 

 no more seen this side of the Mississippi. Their home within 

 the wilds of Pennsylvania last year was invaded by hundreds 

 of lawless beings — I cannot say men— who harrassed them 

 from early spring to tho close of nesting. They left, prob- 

 ably never to return, and now look for homes where hu- 

 manity and civilization is little known, and they may rear 

 their young in peace. I do not wish to convey the idea I hat 

 I fully indorse the convention's movements, but I say let us 

 have time for deliberation, let us have full and free discus- 

 sions on all matters pertaining to the interests and welfare of 

 the noble State we represent. Spend less time at tho trap, 

 and give a full, clear and honest expression of sentiment to 

 all that will go forih to clubs and individuals throughout the 

 land, that public opinion may be aroused, that the laws 

 already made may be enforced, and that by full and free dis- 

 cussion and mature deliberation we shall be enabled once 

 more to listen to the warbling songster, when the partridge, 

 the quail, the snipe and the pigeons, the deer, the moose 

 and the elk shall once more roam among us unmolested over 

 hill and plain, and man, game's enemy, shah lay aside his 

 gun and shoot no more. And shall we all be happy ? 



Observer. 



From the Newark Sunday Gall, JVov. 6 : 

 "It is very evident that the annual meetings held by sport- 

 ing associations will in future be held without the adjunct of 

 pigeon shooting tournaments. All such societies have, or 

 should have, for their primary object the preservation and 

 increase of gime; but heietofore pigeon slaughter has 

 seemed to ba the most important business at all their meet- 

 ings, and but little else has been accomplished." 



TRAPPING NESTING PIGEONS. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



I am a trapper ; have followedjit for years, and have taken 

 a great deal of pains to study the habits of wild pigeons, es- 

 pecially when on i heir nesting grounds. One gunner will do 

 more harm at a nesting place than one hundred netters, for 

 this reason : the pig. ons make but a very small nest, almost 

 flat on the top, and the egg (as they only lay one at a lime) 

 is very easily rolled out. The hunter comes along and fires 

 into them, and every bird in hearing of bis gun gets off from 

 its nest as soon as it can, and awav goes the egg at the same 

 time, and the nest is abandoned. The trapper makes so lit- 

 tle noise that the birds pay but very little attention to hitu, 

 and do aot leave their nests. 



Now, my theory is this: If the trappers aDd guuners are kept 

 out far enough so that the noise will not disturb the birds 

 they will not be driven from their nests nor can both of the 

 parent birds be captured, as they both have their part to do, 

 and they do it. If by any cause one goes out and does not 

 re' urn, the other one, be it male or female, stays in the nest- 

 ing imtil the young is reared. Therefore you cannot get 

 both without going in to the nesting or on the nesting ground. 



Now to their habits. When the time comes for them to 

 nest they pick a location where there is plenty of timber, 

 water and mast or shack, build their nests, lay one egg and 

 commence to sit. The female stays on the nest and the male 

 goes for feed in the morning. When it returns it takes the 

 nest, and the female goes for feed. She comes back and the 

 male goes again, and returns the same day. This is kept up 

 cor twenty-eight days (if the birds are not .■•hot), fourteen days 

 lo hatch and fourteen days to rear the young. 



On the last day, the young btc filled up full of feed, and 

 the body Of birds leave for anothei nesting. There are al- 

 ways a few old birds left, and in about two days they com- 

 mence to whip and pull the young birds out, and take care 

 of them and feed them until they are ready for the journey, 

 when they follow the old ones. A Trapper. 



Champaign Co.. O. 



Bangor, Me., Oct. 39. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



The advertisement of the "Saxon " gun I saw in Harper's 

 Toun$ People. It caused some considerable talk, and I know 

 th'it a number of parties called the attention of dealers in 

 guns and asked why single breach-loaders could not be sold 

 as cheaply by them. I am glad you have told the plain 

 truth about these guns, for I had frequently seen them in the 

 country hardware stores for sale for f 3 or $4. 1 am glad we 

 have a paper that is ready to do justice to the public by 

 stating facts. 



Hulled grouse are not plentiful this season. It is thought 

 that the wet spring caused the young to die, if they were 

 we'd hatched. H. N. P. 



CHEAP GUNS. • 



New York, Oct. 29. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



The writer has, for some time, been on the lookout for a 

 long-range breech-loading single-barrel duck gun, with metal 

 enough in it to prevent its killing at both ends. Search 

 through tl.c principal New York guu stores failed to reveal 

 anything meeting the requirement, except some 4 or 8 bore 

 guns of English make and at high price (#100 and over), 

 but a really good and well-finished long-range ten-bore was 

 not found. Passing up Broadway, attracted by a placard in 

 the window of a presumably respectable firm, advertising a 

 gun, and stating that the gun was the "best single-barrel 

 gun in the world." On entering, the salesman confidently 

 asserted that such was the case, although the price was but 

 $15. Upon examination, I found a gun of exceedingly 

 rough workmanship. A few minutes conversation induced 

 the salesman to withdraw his assertion of "best," etc. 

 Noticing that there was quite a gap between the barrel and 

 the breech, I passed the ticket bearing the price, etc., into 

 this gap, expecting thus to disconcert the salesman a little. 

 Not at all. He quickly informed me that when the cartridge 

 was in it would be all right. 



Now, is it not time to make some effort to discourage ap- 

 parently respectable firms from dealing in such trash, and by 

 false representations palming it off on the unwary? Is it 

 not time that a proof-house, similar to the English ones, 

 were established in this country ? Is it not time that an 

 <\ merican maker can be found who will offer a first-class 

 single ten-bore long-range gun, with the modern improve- 

 ments found in double guns, at a price not to exceed, say 

 $50? Greener advertises a single eight-bore " full choked, 

 to kill at 140 yards," for from fifteen to twenty-five guineas. 

 Is it not possible, therefore, to make a ten-bore to kill at 100 

 yards, of sufficient, weight (nine to ten pounds) to stand 

 heavy charges without heavy recoil; and, if so, why is it 

 not done? Single Barrel, 



HIS FIRST MISS. 



ViOKsnrr.ci, Miss., Nov. 7. 

 Editor Fao'est and Stream : 



My friend, Capt. Mike Hughes, a railroad contractor, is 

 executing a contract on the "Vicksburg and Ship island Bail- 

 road. He established a construction camp a few miles below 

 here, and has a jolly Irishman named MeNamara, in charge. 

 When Mac first established his camp he had a fire made under 

 an oak tree on the road ide, and his cook suspended a dinner 

 pot over the same. 



One day Mac discover, d a squirrel on the tree, and de- 

 termined to Bhoot it. There was an old Queen Anne musket 

 in the camp that had been loaded from some period in the 

 remote past. Nobody knew what kind of load was in it — 

 whether for bear, deer, snipe or Britishers; but MacNamara, 

 who is a brave Irishman, determined to use it on this occa- 

 sion upon the venturesome squirrel, which was eating acorns 

 over his camp fire. So he manoeuvred for position, and at 

 last got a fair shot, when, with reckless temerity, he pulled 

 the trigger of the " Queen Anne." 



The whole neighborhood was startled — thought he was 

 blasting rock. Mac had gotten up on a log to get a better 

 view of the tree, and he was laid flat upon his back, with a 

 bleeding nose, by the recoil, while the old musket jumped 

 over his head and landed in a pond, muzzle down. Later in- 

 vestigation developed the fact that a negro had loaded it for 

 a Christmas gun last winter and then was afraid to shoot it: 

 off. 



Mac, with commendable celerity, recovered the position 

 which is characteristic of man, and stood upright. He saw 

 with some surprise that he had killed the squirrel; which lay 

 sprawling in the ashes near the suspended pot. A country- 

 man, who happened to be passing at the time, saw the whole- 

 proceeding. Mac, with ready Irish wit, wiped the blood off 

 his nose, and coolly rematked : "Begorra, that's the fust 

 time I've missed yet." 



The countryman replied : "Why, you didn't miss him, 

 there he lays!" 



" Yis," says Mac, " but I always dhrop 'em into the pot." 



Marooner. 



FLUSHING A RATTLER. 



SPEAKING of snakes reminds me of an adventure I had 

 with a good sized rattler about three years since. It 

 was late in the shooting season, being the first days in April, 

 and I was out working a young dog that I was anxious might 

 have as much expeiierce as possible before the close season 

 began on the 15th. I had found half a dozen quail iu a field, 

 and, after being flushed, they dropped in the swampy ground 

 near by. The foliage on the trees and bushes was far along 

 toward full development, making it hard to see and to pene- 

 trate into the thick growth. Arriving at the edge of the 

 swamp I sent the puppy in. After making his way probably 

 thirty feet he pointed. I immedia'ely advanced to flush the 

 birds, and when within a few feet of the dog was alarmed by 

 the vigorous rattle of that terrible reptile, the rattlesnake. 



I stopped iustanter, and so did the rattler's music. I ex- 

 amined the ground in front and each side, but could not dis- 

 cover my disagreeable neighbor. Peeling that he cou'd noi, 

 be very near, 1 stepped forward again, and again was warned 

 to stay proceedings. With my eye I carefully went over the 

 ground ag^iiu, but failed to see the snake. By this time tho 

 dog was becoming uneasy, and I determined to get him out 

 of the way, fearful least 'be should be struck by the snake. 

 Being now within reaching distance of the dog 1 bent over 

 and lifted him from the ground. The movement alarmed the 

 snake, and he rattled, but this time behind me. 



There I was, boxed and thoroughly frightened. 1 turned 

 about slowly and made one step forward, and again was 

 warned. I looked and looked, aud as I could not, see the 

 reptile immediately in my path I made a rush and jump and 

 got safely out. 



I was now determined, if possible, to kill the ugly thine. 

 Cocking my gun, I advanced cautiously, and soon heard the 

 buzz-z-z. It sounded some distance in front. J kepi, him 

 going by striking the low bushes with my foot, in order bat 

 1 might have less difficulty in locating him. Suddenly I saw 

 something move with great rapidity some ten or tsveh 

 in front. There he was coiled, head erect and n BS] I . nrjfi i 

 his new spring suit. I could not but admire him; he bad 

 been good enough to warn me ; he really did look beautiful ; 

 but the scriptural injunction must be fulfilled, aud although 

 it was not the heel of man that crushed his head, one ounce 

 of No. 8, backed by 3] dims. Hazard's No. 4 Duck, did it 

 most effectually. I pulled oil' his rattles, and counted eight, 

 and the button. 



During the winter season no danger from snakes attends 

 a tramp through this country. It is only in the warm days 

 of early spring and early fall that the danger is real. In 

 summer the danger is great, hence rambles in the woods aud 

 near water courses are not fashionable. Lovers don't take 

 much to sequestered nooks in the woods and Sunday 

 in the field*. The business of courting is conducted on the 

 front porch. Dice; SwrvELLEK. 



-» .g. a , — , 



A Fine Minnesota Season— Minneapolis, Minn., Nov. 

 8. — The fall shooting iu this State has been unsurpassed fur 

 a number of years. Fine bags have been made in the vicinity 

 of the city, a friend and myself making a bag of forly 

 black duck in an evening and morning shooting on the bridge 

 pass at the Rice Lakes, The St. Paul sportsmen have medB 

 some very large bags from stands on their shooting grounds, 

 The last cold days anel snow storm seem to have sent the 

 ducks on South, as several parties who have been onl report, 

 no ducks around. One huuter bagged 100 gray squirrels, 3 

 'coons and 10 duck in a three days' tramp along the Crow 

 River. Partridge are reported more plenty than for years 

 in the timber west of us. Several parties left yesterday with 

 dogs, guns, etc., for a crack on the deer.— P. V. H, 



