FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



i39 



For small game shooting 1 use a 22 Mar- 

 lin repeater; and recommend it to anyone 

 looking for a rifle for this purpose. 



If M. A. Lewis intends to shoot nothing 

 larger than ducks, I advise him to buy the 

 22 calibre rifle. 



The short cartridge is the thing to use 

 on such game as grouse and quails; while 

 for ducks, etc., the long rifle cartridges are 

 all right. 



For game as large as geese, the 25 or 32 

 calibre would be better. 



E. F. Pope, Colmesneil, Tex. 



The Klondike boom has helped Seattle, 

 but there is nothing permanent about it. 



Hundreds of men have left this country 

 for Alaska. They are still at Skaguay or 

 back here again. This boom is one of the 

 silliest things imaginable. Old men, feeble 

 men, inexperienced men and all kinds of 

 men, are going there; and when they get 

 there they will wonder, why they went. 



A young, robust, single man, out of em- 

 ployment, experienced and with some 

 means, may do well enough; but for others 

 to go, is folly. 



Men in search of adventure, with means 

 to gratify their desire, may find what they 

 are looking for; but if they want hunting, 

 they will get left. There is no game after 

 leaving Skaguay, or getting into the snow 

 and ice. They laugh at a man who packs 

 a rifle over the trail, or through the pass. 



Alaska proper, below the timber line is 

 another thing entirely. But the settling up 

 of that country will destroy the goose that 

 laid the golden egg. Our geese and ducks 

 will not be killed by the market hunter, the 

 game hog or the spring shooter. They will 

 be destroyed on their breeding grounds; 

 and we will have to depend for our supply 

 on such as straggle down from the extreme 

 frozen North. 



But thus it goes. Civilization advances: 

 the game retreats and disappears. Man 

 reclaims the land but obliterates every liv- 

 ing wild creature. 



J. C. Nattrass, New Whatcom, Wash. 



I notice in October Recreation, an ar- 

 ticle by D. L. C. on deer in Vermont. I 

 spent 7 weeks in Washington and Windsor 

 counties, and can corroborate the state- 

 ments made in the article mentioned. 



While there, I saw fawns feeding uncon- 

 cernedly in the fields. One came within 

 20 rods of my father's house at midday; 

 and after feeding for a while, crossed the 

 road and disappeared in the woods. Deer 

 is not the only game in Vermont, for ruffed 

 grouse are plenty. Woodchucks and 

 coons are to be found in good numbers. 

 My father set a trap in his cornfield, for 

 coons, and caught 2 in it at once. Each 

 coon had 2 legs in the jaws of the trap. 



C. H. R., Leominster, Mass. . 



I am located in Southern Idaho, at 

 Weiser, where the river of that name 

 empties in the great Snake river. There 

 are no quails in this section. In the spring 

 and fall we have fair duck shooting on the 

 rivers. Often, 4 or 5 persons will kill 10 

 to 15 ducks in a day, on the Weiser. The 

 finest duck and goose shooting, in this part 

 of Idaho, is found on the Payette river, 16 

 miles from here. Grouse, both ruffed and 

 pinnated, are numerous. Deer and a few 

 black bears can be found within 20 or 30 

 miles. On the headwaters of Salmon river, 

 150 miles from Weiser, deer, elk and bears 

 are plentiful. 



I am not a guide, but would take pleasure 

 in giving any brother hunter information 

 about this country. 



John W. Ayers, Weiser, Idaho. 



A few weeks ago a hunter, named Pow- 

 ers, was gathering huckleberries in the 

 woods about 10 miles from Tacoma, and in 

 the neighborhood of Gig Harbor. While 

 engaged in filling his baskets he suddenly 

 came upon a pack of 7 bears which were 

 feeding on the same luscious berries, and 

 for which they have an especial fondness. 

 Fortunately Mr. Powers had taken his rifle 

 along and he quickly brought down one 

 of the bears. The others took to their 

 heels. He put a second bullet into the 

 wounded bear to finish him. The big 

 black fellow's carcass, weighing about 300 

 pounds, was on exhibition in front of a 

 C. street market the next day. 



M. S. H., Tacoma, Wash. 



Sheriff W. S. Tuttle, of Keene, who is 

 one of the best bird shots in New Hamp- 

 shire, made a new record for himself, hunt- 

 ing woodcock. Four birds were bagged in 

 succession, with the first barrel, and the 

 fifth was missed with the first barrel and 

 shot with the second. A sixth was missed, 

 but was replaced by a plump grouse. The 

 setter used on this occasion was a Llewel- 

 lyn, procured by the sheriff some months 

 since, in Washington, Pa. 



Edward W. Wild, Keene, N. H. 



Last week I camped, for 2 days, with 2 

 friends at Island pond, in Hampstead, 

 N. H. The weather was beautiful, and we 

 enjoyed camping exceedingly. I shot 12 

 ruffed grouse, 4 rabbits and a woodcock. 

 The other boys had equally good success. 

 Game appears to, be plentiful this season. 



Recreation is having a great sale at our 

 news-stands. I hope it will attain a still 

 larger circulation, as it is the best sports- 

 man's journal in existence. 



Waumbek, Lawrence, Mass. 



