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RECREATION. 



New Whatcom, Wash. 

 Editor Recreation. 



I have, since June gth last, made two trips 

 to the Slate Creek Mining District, 125 

 miles from here, 118 of which I made on 

 foot. I am interested in some mining prop- 

 erty up there, which accounts for these long 

 tramps. Our camp was within one-half mile 

 of the summit of Crater Mountain, just over 

 the divide from the Methow District. The 

 day after my departure for home, two of the 

 boys started out, on a prospecting trip and 

 took a rifle along, thinking they might see a 

 bear. The first night they camped in a pretty 

 basin at the foot of Crater Mountain and 

 three miles from our camp. They had just 

 finished dinner and were smoking, when, on 

 looking across the creek, they saw two cinna- 

 mon bears about 75 yards distant and en- 

 tirely unconscious of the presence of the 

 camp. Mr. McKay, who had the rifle (a 38- 

 55 Winchester), killed them both with three 

 shots. While they were skinning these a 

 black bear came sauntering along and Mc- 

 Kay added him to his bag, making three in 

 five minutes. 



The two cinnamons weighed about 400 

 pounds each, while the black weighed about 

 350 pounds. I saw the hides 10 days later, 

 and they were all in good condition. One of 

 the other boys was out a few days before 

 this and ran up to within 50 feet of a mon- 

 ster silver tip, but unfortunately had left 

 his rifle in camp. The bear's tracks, as well 

 as those of several others, were seen later, in 

 that locality, but their hides being poor, it 

 would have been useless to kill them, except 

 for meat, and they had plenty in camp. 

 Goats are plentiful on that range, as well 

 as mule deer. J. S. Stangroom. 



Seattle, Washington, July 20, 1895. 



Editor Recreation. 



The season in this State opens on the first 

 day of August, and sportsmen are anticipat- 

 ing large bags of game in consequence of 

 the exceptionally early and dry spring on 

 Puget Sound this year. Late spring rains 

 have been a destructive feature in feathered 

 game preservation here for several succes- 

 sive seasons. 



Two members of that fraternity known as 

 "market-hunters" were dealt summary jus- 

 tice last week in this city for marketing 

 young mallard ducks and grouse out of sea- 

 son. 



Two restaurant-proprietors to whom they 

 sold their bags were also arraigned. Each 

 plead guilty and was fined $10 and costs. 



This is the first conviction obtained in the 

 courts here within the recollection of sports- 

 men. May others follow. 



Local sportsmen are agitating the advisa- 

 bility of organizing a " State Game Associa- 

 tion," having for its primary object the de- 

 tection and prosecution of such offenders as 

 the above. A meeting has been called to 

 take initiatory steps. 



Local dog-fanciers are exceedingly desir- 



ous of revivifying the Seattle Kennel Club, 

 and if persistence and organized effort will 

 accomplish it, the> purpose to hold a show 

 next year. An effectual barrier for the past 

 two years has been inability to raise the 

 necessary $500 in cash premiums exacted by 

 the American Kennel Club, of which this 

 club is a member. 



Recreation is filling "a long felt want" 

 in this locality. 



C. B, Yandell. 



Since I last wrote you a rich gold field has 

 been opened to the world at the head of the 

 Methow and " times " are very lively. I 

 suppose 500 men are in there by this time. 

 It is good for business, but the game will be 

 driven farther back. Still, I think it might 

 repay you to try your luck in the land north 

 of the "strike." Guy Waring. 



Several bunches of elk have been seen 

 lately; sage chickens are almost full grown 

 and are plentiful. People on the mountains 

 report deer everywhere. 



James Fullerton, Ten Sleep, Wyo. 



A swan with four claws on each foot was 

 killed at Clark's Fork, Idaho, on the Pend 

 d'Oreille river, and was mounted by J. W. 

 Withers of Spokane. It was a male bird, 

 weighed 26 lbs. and had a spread of 7 ft. 

 4 in. 



You can not make any mistake as to snipe 

 now. They are here. One thousand weak- 

 fish were caught by my guests last Sunday. 

 M. S. Hungerford, Lanoka, 

 Ocean Co., N. J. 



Valentine, Neb., is in the midst of one of 

 the finest hunting and fishing regions in the 

 West. Small game abound in the sand hills 

 and trout fishing is good. 



James McKenna, Ruthven, Iowa. 



Sportsmen who have visited the Massa- 

 chusetts coast in quest of shore birds do not 

 make flattering reports. A few good bags 

 have been made, but all agree that thus lar 

 the flight is small. 



From Glendon and Iowa Falls, la., come 

 reports that hundreds of young prairie 

 chickens are being killed in open violation 

 of law. It is rather late in the day for such 

 work to be permitted in any thickly-settled 

 country. 



E. L. Dolittle, of Menominee, Wis., has 

 been appointed a game warden for his dis- 

 trict. He is said to be an ardent sportsman, 

 which of course means that he is in favor of 

 a strict enforcement of the game laws. 



