508 



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FOREbT AND STREAM. 



[JaisTtaby 36, 1882. 



tains 18,000 acre?, and its owner was the largest tobacco 

 grower in the business, lie owned slaves by the hundred, 

 "L">1; what large barns for housing and curing tobacco," said 

 our guide : "T mule the boards to cover I hat house, and it 

 required 14,000 to cover it." "Listen," said one of the par- 

 ty. "Poire fellow has started thai fox." And in the dia- 

 i 1:1 Hear the musical notes of a pack of hounds 

 in full cry after Reynard. It reminded me of a scene in 

 ' ' The Chase," in Scott'e ' ' Lady of the Lake :" 



■■ 'it e (Jeep mouthed ninod hound's heavy bay, 

 Resounded up the rooky way." 

 Then wc heard the report, of a gun, and was sure Eeynard 

 had felts mething larger than Ed's No. 10's; but it turned 

 out to lie a darkey shooting at rabbits. We then turned and 

 beat toward - qr horses. Near where we had before flushed 

 the first one we now flushed several more. They go in every 

 direction. We advance and soon Daisy is on a point. The 

 grouse {rolls up wild, and Ed. sbootB but misses. Then a 

 cOveyOf quail buret from an old fallen tree-top. and 

 then bang, bang, bang, on all sides, and two " bite the dust." 

 I advance and let fly both barrels, but get no meat. Every 

 few st< ps and we "turn loose " at quail or grouse. George 

 lOt fired his old musket yet. ITp goes a grouse mid 

 Tommie "turns loose" both barrels, but Mr. Grouse sails 

 em '• alle stunee." We work Lim down on the hill beyond. 

 Soon we are. ihere, and old Sport has him hard aud fast. In 

 a fallen tree-top again. With a roar and whirr he bursts from 

 Ins cove r and cleaves the air, and when above the tops of the 

 scrubby oaks that cover the hill-side, simultaneously three 



s ring i in and the bird falls as dead as Bacchus. Then 

 each msti rushes up and swears he killed it. Then a young 

 man with two large horns strapped to him (he was after 

 Reynard) appeared upon the scene and said: "Yes, there 

 was a e ivey of a of these birds, but I killed 3 of them." That 



mted" the hunt. Dear reader, if you are not already 



tired Of this story I would say that if a certain stream flooded 



by ! i.e recent rains was fordable, I would be with those 



jgh$ to give the gronse a round to-morrow. 



George has not shot his musket jet. 



Bikdo. 



The only birdB we started were what are here known as 

 English snipe. They are not quite so large as the Eastern 



bird fo called, but very similar in appearance. They jump 

 up one. at a time, and fly but a short distance, and when the 

 day is favorable, one need not hunt over more tban five or six 

 acres to si cure a bag. 



When we came to determine the result of our day's sport 

 we found that we had seventy ducks including mnllard, 

 widgeon, teal, sprig and canvas-backs, two geese and 

 twenty-one snipe. The quantity seems large, but our success 

 was not unusual. We have friends who average above this 

 quantity for every day's shooting the season through. 



Mallards Can now be bought in San Francisco markets for 

 $2 50 per dozen ; teal, $1 ; sprig-tail, $1.25; widgeon, $1 ; 

 canvas backs, $3 25; quail, 85 cents, etc, These figures 

 certainly point to an over-supply of birds. If you are 

 seeking' for a hunting ground where game is never wantirg, 

 that is accessible and free from the discomforts of winter 

 cold, this is the place to select. We are a long way off, and 

 it costs much time and money to get to us, but never will a 

 lover of sport in I he field regret having crossed the country to 

 pitch tent, with us. E. B. C. 



FLORIDA SHOOTING. 



A DAY'S SHOOTING IN CALIFORNIA. 



WE are a long way off out here on the western edge of 

 the continent with two great mountain walls and 

 Sn-a'most endless stretch of desert and plain separating us 

 from the East,, our former home. The dear old associations 

 that are photographed so endearingly upon our memory 

 crowd bao.i into vivid remembrance as we write. How we 

 treasure up the bright recollections of our happy home away 

 over there in New England. What a joyous boyhood we 

 lived out in it and how little did we anticipate the building 

 of a new one for ourselves here on the Pacific Ocean, thai 

 always seemed so far away, when we w T ere told about it at 

 school and had the great intervening space pointed out to us 

 on the map. Recollections are not all that comes to us, 

 however, irotu the morning side of the "Rockies," for we 

 .'.re well within the reach of the Forkst and Stream, whose 

 ly arrival is always looked for and never fails to bring 

 ■with if much of pleasure. 



Our State is a hunter's paradise ! Within one hundred 

 miles of her largest city can be had for the seeking game of 

 every description — including bear. The tastes of any sports- 

 man, whether he choose gun or rifle, can be gratified within 

 four hours' ride from the centre of San Francisco. Water- 

 fowl swarm in the marshes aud along the shores of the bay. 

 and can always be found in season sunning themselves on the 

 •1 lughs running inland and are easily reached in small boats 

 L irge game frequents the foot hills that form the first line of 

 atii ms one must surmount in traveling from high water 

 marks toward the Sierras. 

 Late in the ai erpoon I left town, with the popular 

 iager of the Occidental Hotel, a brother of Mr. Wether- 

 bee, of the Windsor in New York, and rode out on the 

 Central Pacific thirty-five miles to Suisun, a town cf consid- 

 erable importance and very conveniently near the tide, or 

 marsh lands for wildfowl. Sam P. met us on our arrival 

 and reported birds in large numbers. Next morning we 

 were up a long two hours before the sun and on our way to 

 the creek, where the boat was lying and our guide waiting 

 for us. All our traps were carefully stowed away, and we 

 pulled on to the main slough, a wide, deep creek, frinsed 

 with lule tenor twelve feet high on either side. A long, 

 tedious pull of three miles was at last finished. Theoais 

 were taken in and our seals alloted, the guide going to the 

 Stern with his scull in hand, W. stationing himself in the 

 , and I just behind him. The boat's head was pointed 

 up a narrow brunch slough and we made ready, for the fun 

 was shortly to begin. "No noise now. Look out," Bam 

 railed out. Slowly and stealthily we begin to penetrate to- 

 ri open basin that Ues a short, distance ahead. The 

 ii oar makes no sound as it moves back and forth 

 i ,h the water, under the stern, and propels us steadily 

 forward. We hold our breath in eager expectation ; our 

 tull-cocked, are in position fox prompt use. Just the 

 c side of this next Bend lies the open sheet of water. 

 It, does not spread over more than an acre or two, and is 

 a' roost sure to be covered with birds. Oh, the glorious 

 eagerness of that minute! The delicious sensation of im- 

 patience to see at once the birds we almost know are there. 

 Til - boat moves out from behiud the tide that has hidden it 

 e take in at a glance the whole space. What a betting 

 iogs and feet on the water. What a whistling ano 

 I i\int.ie endeavor to get ou< of harm's way. How those wings 

 pound tie air. Quick, fire ! We give, them four barrels of 



nd pickup seven widgeons, Ihree mallards and two teal. 



so bud, even though there were so many to shoot at. 



get a duck or two as we scull back to 



ile main slough, and then go on our way, till, reaching other 



branches or small creeks, we shoot them up and down with 



varying success. 



The gee^o up toward the. wheat-fields come down to the 

 edge of ihe marsh all making a tremendous racket, for ail 

 the world UJse the shnultoas of a whole school full of hoys 

 ■ at recess. We scull up toward them, run the boat's 

 bow >m to the iiiink that is here free from tule, jump quickly 

 ii-, ire, and as the geese rise, give ihem a, double slvt , but 

 iataiice is gieat and the Bhol small, and we get but two, 

 i, M,i ,on ever hear the horribln din that, tea thousand 



■ nake? We do not ezaggera'e tn the 



■ :ii we insist [hut Ihere rose from Ihe 



ti tJffui - US irr leiet tins number. These fheks are 



, .,, ■■■for eizc; and the fanners who have wheat ranches 



(idjominj ■ 1 leeu io delend thecrops against 



truct ■ ■ : .■■;■■■ 



, , " ■!'■-•!• in tr up 'lie day we look a turn at the Bnipe. 



Sanford, Fla., Jan. 19. 



Eight miles from here up the St. Johns the ducks, chiefly 

 widgeon and coots, are found in large numbers, 1 have gone 

 to the grounds several timeB, and always got, a few birds ; 

 though, haviug no decoys, have made no large bags. 



Toward dusk and In early morning the birds are constantly 

 flying, and the possibilities of making large bags seem fair. 

 The last time 1 went up the river I took blankets and camped 

 in the large Speir grove on the bank of the river. This grove, 

 with its large orange trees and clean, dry ground makes a fine 

 spot to spend the night, and in the morning one can start out 

 fresh and rested to try the ducks. 



When I started out in the morning I came across a small 

 flock of coots and tried the effects of a thread- woimd car- 

 tridge at one hundred yards. Result; Three coots — one 

 minus his head, which I found several feet from his body. 

 The next time I fired was at a flock of curlew sitting on the 

 bank about ninety yards away. The distance was too long 

 for an ordinary cartridge, so I again shot a thread- wound, 

 but it mangled the bird dreadfully. Should think they could 

 be used at deer with success. Has any one tried it? 



Three days ago I was after quail, whenmy piinter stopped 

 near a bunch of grass, when, to my horror, I saw a large 

 rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike the dog. I fired imme- 

 diately and hit the snake about a couple of feet from his tail; 

 the charge of shot passed so near the dog's head that he 

 seemed stunned for a second and the snake'shead vibraicd as 

 if to Btl ike, eo I shot again and blew off its head. I had just 

 counted the rattles on the monster's tail — there were eleven 

 rattles and a button — when I heard someThing crawling 

 through the grass and saw another rattler approaching, which 

 I shot. ThiB one was not bs large, having six rattles and a 

 buttou. In quail shooting here it behooves one to use one 

 eye in looking for snnlies ; keep the other on the dog's move- 

 ments and walk by faith. 



I understand that all the game laws for Florida have been 

 repealed, and that there is now no restriction on any kind of 

 shooting. Am I correct ? Trump. 



[Yes.] 



ARKANSAS TRAPPERS. 



Camp on Little Red River, > 

 Jan'y 10th, 1883 , 



Stimulated by an inordinate desire of experiencing wood- 

 craft in its wider sense, Chas. E. Confurr, Joe McCluskey 

 and J. Smith Stimmel, of Greene county, Ohio, left their homes 

 early in November for b winter's campaign in White River 

 swamp. Being unacquainted with the nature of the country, 

 they required several weeks to gam any knowledge of the 

 best localities, therefore their trapping operations have been 

 somewhat limited, still both sport and catch have been en- 

 tirely satisfactory. It was not until early in December that 

 it was the writer's good fortune to join the " jolly trio.' 1 



From close observations, I must say that 'coon and mink, 

 ihe principal trapping here, are scarcer than the best trappers 

 have known for several years, from the fact we suppose Chat 

 Ihe Bcorn crop is almost a total failure. But what varmints 

 lire captured arc very fat — making our supposition less pro. 

 biiblc. Sums also show they have emigrated eastward, but in 

 next, month we anticipate a fair catch. 



Practical trapping has the same basis as any other busi- 

 ness. One cannot make good success at it unless favorable 

 opportunities are at hand, hence the amateur should not 

 imagine too much in the catch, nor paint camp life in too 

 bright colors. None but the genuine sportsman can find 

 pleasure in camp life for an entire season. The "Arkansas 

 trappers" are beyOnd a doubt natural woodsmen, for they 

 apparently can extract every particle of pleasure in camping 

 and iis appendages. Lengthy tramps, perhaps carrying a 

 venisoD, a pack of furs, or any load that it may fall to our 

 lit to carry, serve only to give impetus to our weary steps, 

 or relish to a. dinner of boiled bcanB, roast 'coon, hot Coffee, 

 " sow belly," etc. We enjoy flue sport, deer hunting, when 

 our " run " of traps do not require our entire attention, fre- 

 quently seeing ten and fourteen each day, I do not mean 

 mat that number iB brought into camp, but we have venison 

 sufficient to supply our larder, and several pairs of antlers, 

 of which any buck would feel proud, ornament the ridge 

 pole of our tent. Whether or not gun wads increase in 

 value from leu cents to one dollar, more similar ornaments 

 shall occupy like posiliena. 



Our Operations in the future will be confined to the vicinity 

 of the UTtmth of this river, which is the. best trapping section 

 in this section, as it is in the wilderness. Perhaps our 

 camp will not be as attractive to the near citizens. We shall 

 have a chain of some thirteen lakes to trap, a good locality 

 for d. ct and the heavy cane brakes for hear. Then we shall 

 i xpi i ! to send extraordinary reports, of (rapping and hunting, 

 and pr bably an account of an exciting bear hour. J. Lee 

 Smeflli y, a practical trapper, and fur dealer, Dugdale, Pa., 

 y ill join us shortly for. huniimr and trapping for several 

 weeks. He comes down solely for sport. 



I i c of iui p:o i.v has killed a gray eagle measuring 7 feet. 

 8 n ches from lip 10 up of wings when spread. This was the 

 ; rgesc bird any of the patty had ever seen, and ia conse- 

 quence each one has a part of the bird as a curiosity. 



Tile weather this season bus been very mild, which has a 

 tendency to depieciate value of furs. 



Wi-'.Tt-R D. Chjlori-:-?. 



GAME IN OREGON.; 



Eugene City, Or., Jan. 6, 1882. 

 Editor F went and Stream: 



Owing to long-continued and heavy rains this fall our 

 sportsmen have spent less time than usual among the fowls. 

 On the prairies, in the stubbles and through the marshes there 

 are countless thousands of mallards, teals, tprig-tails and 

 widgeons. Decoys, sink boats and like contrivances for the 

 slaughter of ducks are unknown, yet a great many are shot 

 at fly-ways as the ducks pass to and fro" from their feeding 

 places. Canada geese and snow geese are not so plentiful as 

 earlier in the fall, but still afford fair shooting Feeding 

 altogether on graiu they became very fat. Snipe shooting is 

 poor, as all the meadows are overflown and probably will 

 not he first-class till epring. Hundreds then may be shot in 

 a day on the green flats a few miles from town. 



Ruffed grouse are pretty well thinned out near by, but back 

 in the sparsely settled districts they are plentiful and fifty a 

 day to a single gun may be bagged. Not one out of a hun- 

 dred of these 'birds killed are shot on the wing, but with 

 the aid of a small dog of doubtful pedigree I hey are treed and 

 potted, sometimes several off the same" tree or busb. 



The past season was a v?rv favorable one for our only kind 

 of quail — the mountain quail. As they are shy and general- 

 ly found in thick cover, very few are shot, yet dozens of 

 them are trapped and sold. Should any one wish to try 

 the experiment of transplanting these beautiful birds to the 

 East they would find no trouble in obtaining a good start of 

 quails at a low price. 



In the mountains, deer are being slaughtered by hundreds, 

 u many cases solely for their hides. Already, where herds 

 f the white-tail could once be seen, they arc now extermi- 

 laled, and uuless the legislature passes suitable and strict 

 laws, deer hunting in this State will be a sport of th 



I was out shooting one day last week and got eU - 

 and gefjse. With a full choke Fox gun, one goose was per- 

 forated with 86 No. 4 shot while passing low over heat!. 



J. S. 



A DEER CHASE ON LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN. 



Chattanooga, Teun. 



HAD you been sitt'mg on the bluff at Rock City, on 

 the brow of Lookout Mountain (which, by the way, 

 is a "park'' now), last Wednesday, you would have heard 

 some very pretty music made by nine hounds after a four- 

 year old buck. The deer had been caught, previously and 

 allowed to recuperate his strength and eneigies, when it was 

 published far and wide among lovers of such sport that he 

 would be turned loose at Hiwkins' Spring, and everybody 

 and his dogs were invited. At the appointed time there as- 

 sembled somo twenty or twenty-five gentlemen, a few of 

 whom brought the best dogs of their packs. Joe D bbs 

 brought four "either of which could catch him ;'' Frank 

 C uiehfltld, two; Ed Tally, one; Tom Bradley, one, and 

 two other gentlemen one each. 



When all was ready the buck was driven out of the "park" 

 at the end of a lane, some seventy-five yards from where the 

 dogs were held; and Mr. Hawkins shouted, "Let 'em 

 1 tose." Dobbs' Lead got a Bight of the deer and was off 

 after him in a jiffy. Crutchfield held his dogs longer, say- 

 ing, "I want to give Dobbs' dogs a good start." Lead 

 seemed to understand that the buck was circling around the 

 field, and endeavored to head him off. He thus gained 

 about fifty yardB the start of the rest of the pock. Orutch- 

 field's dogs took the trail, not having had a sight, and were 

 off — all being lost to sight but not to sound. We started to 

 follow, but perceiving the circle that was being run, retraced 

 our steps and watted at the other end of the lane. Hero they 

 come in full cry, Dobbs' Lead still ahead, closely pressed 

 by Crutcbfield's Fan, It was a glorious sight, aud the 

 soul of every man present seemed to have entered into the 

 sport, for not a sound could be heard but the cry of the 

 dogs and an occasional halloo from Dobbs or Crutchfield, who 

 followed the hounds. Just as they crossed the road up came 

 1'om Bacon with his puck, all tied, but with heads up ami 

 ems well forward. They sh*wed their eagerness to " go in." 

 Upon being questioned as to why he did not "put them in,"' 

 Bacon quietly replied that "some folks sa.y Dobbs' dogs kill 

 sheep, and I won't, run with him." After about two hours' 

 ruu, during which the dogs became scattered over several 

 miles, some being faster than others, but still giving good 

 mu-ic, the deer look the creek, which, from recent rains, 

 bid become flooded, and the dogs gave up, all except Crulch- 

 tield's Guess and Talley's Muse. Soon after crossing the 

 creek Guess overlook him and caught hold of the ham, 

 (■becking him BO thai Muse caught at ihe throat, but seized a 

 piece of flannel instead of ihe bide. Guess let iro his hold to 

 gp io the help of Muse, when her hold on Ihe flannel broke 

 loose and off went the buck into a lane, down the lane, over 

 the fence into Martin's yard, where he was again caught by 

 two curs in the yard. They were beaten off, as were also 

 Guess and Muse, and it was found that the deer wasn't at all 

 hurt, but only scratched ; so he was taken back to the park ; 

 and when he gets over this one we will have another chase 

 out of him. 



The deer seem all to be leaving the mountains and flocking 

 into the valless, and in one or two instances they have taken 

 up with the cattle in pastures iu sight of farm houses. About 

 three weeka since I saw one quietly grazing with sheep 

 wilhin a hundred feet of the fence. Another was killed 

 with clubs by a party who were fishing about Ihree miles 

 above town while it was crossiug the river; and on yes- 

 terday I received word from a friend across the river, within 

 sight of town, that a fine buck had been seen for two or 

 three days successively in his pasture, aud that he wanted 

 me to bring over my dogs. How do you account for their 

 becoming so tame ? It is not from want, of mast, I reckon, 

 for the winter has been very mild, and at this lime the grass 

 is as green as in spring, ami many of the trees are budding. 



Do foxes ever take water ! Have heard divers and sundry 

 opinions, but would like to hear some facts. 



I. C. Lodob. 



| It is not an unusual thing for a pursued fox to take t" the 

 water. We recall several such instances that have come 

 under our own observation. We should like to hear from 

 Col. Tucker on ibis point. Another favorite strategera of 

 the fox, when pursued in winter, is to lead his pursuer-; rin 

 to tin: thinnest kind Of ice, over which he can skim in - I 

 but which will not bear the weigbl of the dogs At such 

 times Reynard always makes for the ragged edge of an air- 

 hole, and many a ducking has he given the hounds in litis 

 way. We know of some instances in which valuable houndB 

 have gone under the ice and it :. lol a tbl 



