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RECREATION. 



GAME HOGS. 



Windsor, Colo. 



Editor Recreation: We have it on 

 good authority that 2 small hunting parties, 

 each numbering 4 or 5, killed 170, and over 

 200 ducks, a few days ago, in the vicinity 

 of Windsor. We were foolish enough to 

 think that Colorado had a game law to 

 protect the ducks from such wanton de- 

 struction; but must have been mistaken. 

 We supposed 20 ducks at one time was the 

 legal limit for each person, for one day; but 

 it seems the restriction is generally disre- 

 garded. We also supposed game was the 

 common property of all the people and that 

 all had equal rights and privileges before 

 the law. It seems this is not so; for men 

 band together, buy exclusive rights, and 

 exemption from the pains and penalties of 

 violated law, to hunt on our lakes and 

 reservoirs, because they have more money 

 than the commonalty. These men exclude 

 all but the favored few, and exterminate 

 the game without let or hindrance. 



We are also informed that wheat is scat- 

 tered around the lakes. This attracts the 

 ducks from every quarter, the slaughter be- 

 gins, and the hoggish propensity is glutted. 



If the restraining law is not rigidly en- 

 forced, a few more years will witness the 

 entire annihilation of all our water fowls in 

 Colorado. 



This is to caution all our people, espe- 

 cially all sportsmen, to keep within proper 

 bounds, and not recklessly engage in the 

 wanton destruction of our game — what lit- 

 tle is left. Those who delight in wanton 

 destruction of our game birds are danger- 

 ous citizens, and should be shunned. 



Geo. J. Rowe. 



WITH THE GROUSE IN MICHIGAN. 



One morning I started to hunt over the 

 4 miles to where my friend Bill was stop- 

 ping. About 2 miles from town my setter 

 pointed. In endeavoring to get closer to 

 him I straddled a log — when whir-r-r — ■ 

 from under it went the first grouse of the 

 season, without my firing a shot. In a 

 patch of alders the dog flushed a wily old 

 cock, and just as he reached the top of the 

 brush I caught him, and he struck the 

 ground with a thud. At Saddle-bag lake, 

 formerly a favorite haunt for grouse, I 

 found one more bird. I saw but 3 birds 

 all day; yet when I reached Bill's, he con- 

 gratulated me on having seen so many. 

 Owing to the failure of the beech-nut crop, 

 the birds have migrated from that part of 

 the country. The next morning we started 

 for the lumber country, 12 miles North of 

 Evart; sending our things by wagon, while 

 we walked, and hunted on the way. 



On the third day we were up early, and 

 found the birds plentiful. We came in at 

 night, tired but happy, with 11 big birds. 



When I returned home, at the end of a 



week, with 42 grouse and 17 quails, I felt 

 I had my share for one season. I shoot 

 2^4 drams of smokeless powder and i l /% oz. 

 of No. 8 soft shot. I find I can kill as far 

 with my 28 inch open gun as I ever could 

 with a 30 inch choke bore. 



Guy D. Lundy, Mt. Clemens, Mich. 



SOME CALIFORNIA DUCK HOGS. 

 Here is a report of some exploits of cer- 

 tain members of the family swinus mergan- 

 ser — var. Calif ornicus. 



Wednesday of this week was the banner day for duck 

 shooting, in this neighborhood. Thousands of widgeon 

 visited us and fed on the farmer's grain, in ponds and along 

 creeks. On that day Dr. C. F. Grant had the shoot of his 

 life. He bagged 82 birds. J. H. Durst killed 48. Frank 

 and Sam Enochs and Nate Hollingshead brought in over 70. 



The day following there was no shooting. Where Dr. 

 Grant killed 8^ Wednesday he got but 10 Thursday, and 

 where Durst got 48 he bagged but 29. This is the story 

 from all hunters. The ducks left, or else refused to fly. 



While speaking of Wednesday we must not fail to men- 

 tion the exploit of Joe Hollingshead, at pot shooting. At 

 his ranch he baited a small pond which he could approach 

 behind an embankment. The ducks soon crowded the hole 

 and Joe went forth to the slaughter with his old muzzle- 

 loader heavily charged. He fired one barrel and knew no 

 more. When he came to his senses, a few seconds later, his 

 face was bleeding and sore and before him the water was 

 sprinkled with dead ducks. The old gun had worked both 

 ways. As Joe picked up and counted 20 ducks he felt of 

 his face and began to figure how many ducks he would have 

 killed had he been able to fire the second barrel. 



Wheatland (Cal.) " Four Corners." 



I am informed that J. H. Durst, who is 

 mentioned in the above report, is the editor 

 of the " Four Corners," and he at least 

 should have known better than to have 

 been found in this herd of swine. Many 

 game hogs are ignorant of the laws, and 

 even of the ethics of sportsmanship, but a 

 man who reads, and a man who assumes to 

 write stuff for others to read, should cer- 

 tainly be far above such dirty work as is 

 credited to these 4 animals. 



Note the lamentation of the editor, where 

 he says, " The day following there was no 

 shooting." He seems surprised that the 

 ducks should have fled from a country 

 where they were so ruthlessly slaughtered; 

 but if they had not done so, they would have 

 displayed far less intelligence than their 

 pursuers did. Any duck that had as much 

 sense as a mud hen would take the hint and 

 get out of a country that was infested with 

 such vermin. 



Editor Durst seems to entertain an un- 

 favorable opinion of Joe Hollingshead be- 

 cause of his pot shooting tendencies, and 

 while the old gun treated Joe exactly right, 

 he is not a bit more a pot hunter than Mr. 

 Durst, Dr. Grant, the Enochs or Nat. Hoi-* 

 lingshead. Joe at least had sense enough 

 to quit when he got enough, while the 

 others did not. 



A HEART SHOT AND SOME FOXES. 



W. T. FOGLE. 



I can heartily second all Hon. L. A. Huff- 

 man says in regard to heart shots not prov- 

 ing instantly fatal. 



