FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



3°3 



Recreation, who killed 300 squirrels in a 

 season and 105 quails in one day I think 

 those men are pure hogs, with the emphasis 

 on the whole word. 



Mr. Roche says they are expert hunters. 

 I would like him to tell me what difference 

 that makes. Because a man can drop 105 

 quail in 10 hours, he is not justified in do- 

 ing so. 



My definition of the term game hog is 

 " one who does more than his fair share in 

 the extermination of game." This leads to 

 the question, "What is his fair share?" 

 In my opinion Mr. John F. Knight was a 

 hog, that day, by about 80 birds. How 

 many quail will be left in Posey county in 

 5 years, at that rate? This is a problem that 

 should have the serious consideration of 

 every true sportsman. 



Last fall I had an opportunity of playing 

 hog with ruffed grouse; but stopped short 

 on my 15th bird, although I had not been 

 out much over 2 hours. 



This is a good country for bass, muska- 

 longe, ducks and grouse; and to all readers 

 of Recreation I extend a hearty invitation 

 to come over and enjoy some good sport. 

 This invitation, however, does not apply to 

 John F. Knight & Co. 



Arthur S. Parkin. 



r 



P. S. I intend taking some photos of 

 deer shooting, for Recreation's competi- 

 tions, this fall. 



Noting your request for an expression of 

 opinion, by your readers, as to what is a 

 reasonable bag of game for one day's shoot- 

 ing, where the law names no limit, I wish to 

 say I think a reasonable bag of game for 

 one, 2 or 3 days' shooting is all one can kill 

 with a gun, and make good use of, either 

 personally or by putting it in the hands of 

 others who can and will make good use of 

 it.* It is more reprehensible to kill one- 

 game bird and let it spoil than to kill 100 for 

 which the shooter has need and which he 

 can preserve and take care of. 



It is unlikely anyone will make an un- 

 reasonable bag under such conditions, as 

 the growing scarcity of game keeps limit- 

 ing the shooter's capacity to kill, and in re- 

 mote sections, where game is still abundant, 

 the shooter's capacity to use it will be the 

 limit. 



I say " kill with a gun " for I don't wish 

 to open the road to the ink hunter; for of 

 all classes of hunters the ink hunter is the 

 worst game destroyer. 



It is so easy to go out and shoot away a 

 whole bottle of ink, and never miss a shot, 

 that the bag usually grows to such undue 

 proportions as to disgust even a market 

 hunter. He is likely to think he is not get- 



* This is a very extravagant theory, for this age of the 

 world, and I am sure Mr. Jaques will find few men, among 

 the readers of Recreation, who will agree with him. — 

 Editor. 



ting his share, and to redouble his efforts, 

 while the farmers, country merchants, and 

 rural sportsmen generally, seeing how utter- 

 ly impossible it is for them to get their 

 share during the open reason, improve their 

 opportunities the year round. 



E. P. Jaques, Geneseo, 111. 



In the August number of Recreation I 

 read the report of Mr. Roche regarding a 

 friend who he says killed 300 squirrels in one 

 season; yet Mr. Roche claims the man is 

 not a game hog. I think he is. 



If every shooter should kill that many 

 squirrels, in one season, there would not be 

 enough left in the whole State of Indiana to 

 stock an apple orchard. 



As to what constitutes a good bag, for a 

 day's shooting, my idea would be 3 or 4 

 squirrels a day, killed with a 22 calibre, or 

 other small bore rifle. The idea of a man 

 going out with a shot gun to kill a little 

 squirrel, that will sit still and let you shoot 

 at him, is decidedly unsportsmanlike, to me. 



I expect to take a hunt this fall, in Mich- 

 igan, after big game, and if I bring out one 

 good head, shall consider my hunt a grand 

 success. 



D. Wogaman, Quincy, O. 



You ask for opinions of your readers as 

 to what constitutes a reasonable bag of 

 game. I consider the figures you set down 

 very liberal, say 15 to 25 quails or 10 to 15 

 ducks, chickens, or squirrels. This would 

 make a fine day's sport. 



I look upon the man who goes out every 

 day he can, and shoots all he possibly can 

 (to make a record), as being no better than 

 the market hunter. The one shoots for 

 gain. The other to satisfy a selfish ambi- 

 tion, without any thought as to the protec- 

 tion of the game; and it is a poor excuse for 

 him to say he did not let the game waste, but 

 that he gave it away to his friends. The 

 fact of his thinking it necessary to make any 

 excuse, shows he knows, in his heart, he 

 has done a mean piece of work. 



I am pleased to see you take this matter 

 up and will be glad to read the opinions of 

 others. 



T. A., Rochester, N. Y. 



ON THE YELLOWSTONE. 



During our outing in Montana, in 1896, 

 the severity of the weather was phenom- 

 enal. Leaving St. Paul on November 4th, 

 we reached Glendive on the 5th, and the 

 evening of the 6th found us snugly camped, 

 under a double tent, on Big Bear island, 

 in the Yellowstone valley. There was every 

 evidence of stormy weather and we made 

 unusual preparations for keeping out the 

 cold. 



We banked up and trenched around the 



