FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



461 



While hunting on the headwaters of 

 Moon Creek in Canyon City mountains, 

 Eastern Oregon, I discovered 3 deer. Two 

 were lying down, while the third stood 

 guard, meanwhile feeding near Dy. 



I crept up a small gulch to within 75 

 yards of them and saw all 3 lying down. 

 Selecting the best looking one, I aimed 

 back of the shoulder and fired. The deer 

 sprang to its feet, ran about 125 yards 

 across the gulch and fell. On examination 

 I found fully one-half the heart shot away. 



I have shot a number of deer through the 

 heart, that have run from 50 yards to l /\ 

 mile. 



The photo of red foxes, on page 435 of 

 Recreation, reminds me of a silver fox at 

 Wickiup Flat, where I and Buckskin Sam 

 camped 2 weeks in the summer of '89. She 

 had her den in a small rimrock about ^2 

 mile from our camp. Although we fre- 

 quently saw her it was only once that her 

 little ones were seen. One evening Sam 

 saw them all playing near an old pine log. 

 They were capering about like so many 

 kittens. On discovering Sam they scudded 

 into their hole, and one bright-eyed little 

 fellow poked his head out and barked his 

 shrill warning. Almost instantly the moth- 

 er appeared, and with all her art endeavored 

 to draw Sam's attention from her little ones. 

 The mother love was so strong that, when 

 Sam approached her den she came within 

 10 paces of him. 



PRACTICAL GAME PROTECTION. 



Berthoud, Colo. 



Editor Recreation: The shooting was 

 fine here last spring, ducks and geese being 

 plentiful, but as nearly all the private lakes 

 or reservoirs are either posted or rented, it 

 is difficult matter for a " foreigner " to get 

 any shooting. I have been, for a number 

 of years, trying to get the farmers to keep 

 the hunters away, and it is being done now. 

 In consequence we have lots of ducks nest- 

 ing around here, every summer. I allow 

 no one to shoot on my lake, not even my- 

 self; and it is a pleasure to see at least 100 

 little yellow dumplings swimming around 

 with their mothers, perfectly secure from 

 hunters or hawks, as I wage an eternal war 

 on the latter. 



Last summer, while cutting alfalfa, I 

 found about a dozen duck nests, and as I 

 raised the cutter bar and left a shelter of 

 hay standing around them, the eggs all 

 hatched and ultimately found their way 

 into my lake, safe from intrusion. The 

 young ducks would frequently come into 

 the barn-yard, to eat with my Pekins. I 

 thought a lot of the little things and would 

 as soon commit murder as kill one of them 



Frank Cook. 



Here is an excellent lesson for farmers. 

 If they would all take as good care of the 



birds' nests they find as Mr. Cook does, 

 bird life would be much more abundant 

 than now, even in spite of all the killing. 



Don't raise the birds for sportsmen to 

 kill; but raise them and then forbid all 

 men to harm them — just as Mr. Cook does. 

 — Editor. 



FUR, FIN AND FEATHERS. 



Have just had a day's hunt with Prof. O. 

 J. Blanchard, and his famous pack of dogs. 

 With 8 dogs we arrived at the coon dens 

 at daybreak. The dogs treed 2 coons, be- 

 fore the latter had time to reach their dens 

 in the rocks. The fox dogs found a fox 

 track. We turned them loose, and they 

 soon had the fox running. The ground 

 was damp and they had no trouble in keep- 

 ing close to their game. We had no chance 

 to shoot, as he did not come within range. 

 As the chase swept past us, we loosed the 

 2 lurchers. 



They passed the other dogs. Coming up 

 with the fox the leading lurcher struck him 

 with his shoulder. Over rolled the fox; 

 and before he could regain his feet, the 

 second dog caught him, and brought him 

 to us. 



We left the 2 coons and the fox at a 

 house near by, and went on toward Mt. 

 McGregor. 



In a patch of briars, on the way, the 

 dogs found a lot of rabbits. Four bunnies 

 were run in, where we could catch them. 

 The rest got to holes in the ground. 



In a thick clump of pines, a little farther 

 along, the Professor and I each secured a 

 grouse. We now had all the game we 

 cared to carry, and took the road for home. 



W. B. Scoten, Saratoga Springs, N. Y. 



MONGOLIAN PHEASANTS IN OHIO. 



The open season for rabbits, squirrels, 

 quails, ruffed grouse and mongolian phea- 

 sants expired December 15, after nearly 4 

 months of the best hunting we have enjoyed 

 for several years. Rabbits were unusually 

 plenty, and despite incessant shooting by 

 market hunters and game hogs, there are 

 sufficient left for seed. Quails were more 

 numerous than ever before and most of 

 them escaped the would-be nimrods of 

 these parts. The quails were wild, and 

 when a covey was flushed they would fly 

 high; rising from the ground perpendicu- 

 larly. Cover for them is excellent, and if 

 they can escape hawks, and that depraved 

 specimen of htunanity, the person who 

 hunts during the close season, we will have 

 splendid shooting next season. We have 

 good game laws, and the State game war- 

 den lives here. As a result, violations of the 

 law are becoming less frequent than former- 

 ly. Grouse and mongolian pheasants are 

 seen oftener, and in time we will have good 

 grouse shooting. The pheasants cannot be 



