GAME NOTES. 



North Platte, Neb. 

 Editor Recreation : 



While shooting quail, grouse or ducks, the 

 sportsman often comes unexpectedly on a 

 deer, or other large game, and it pays to 

 carry, in a convenient pocket, a few cart- 

 ridges loaded with buckshot. 



I have made numerous experiments to 

 determine the best method of loading buck- 

 shot, to obtain the best pattern and penetra- 

 tion, and will give the results for the benefit 

 of those who have neither time nor opportu- 

 nity to make tests for themselves. First, 

 select buckshot of such a size as will ''cham- 

 ber" at the muzzle of the gun. This will 

 depend on the amount of choke and the 

 gauge. If shot about three-tenths of an inch 

 in diameter are used, four will chamber in a 

 io-gauge and three in a 12-gauge. Three 

 layers are enough for a load. This makes a 

 io-gauge load contain 12, and a 12-gauge 

 load 9 shot, respectively. For distances un- 

 der 6o yards good results may be obtained 

 by loading the shot in layers packed in saw- 

 dust, to make them stay in place while pass- 

 ing through the barrel. Each layer should 

 be packed separately and carefully. A card 

 wad should be placed on top and the shell 

 crimped as usual. 



With this load, at 40 yards, my io-gauge 

 gun put 11 and 12 shot in a 36-inch circle, 

 and one pellet went through three inches of 

 pine. At 60 yards, the same gun put five 

 or six shot in a 30-inch circle and my 12- 

 gauge gave a pattern of four to five, all pass- 

 ing through an inch board. 



For distances over 60 yards close patterns 

 can be made by loading as follows : 



For a io-gauge take a short piece of 12- 

 gauge paper shell and put a card wad in 

 one end to form a cup or case. Then load 

 the buckshot in this as described above and 

 place this case in the cartridge so that case 

 and all will be discharged from the gun. 

 If the case be made up with a wad placed 

 over all, in the cartridge, it will generally 

 fly like a ball up to 100 yards, and will 

 bore a %-inch hole through the target. 

 Sometimes one or two shot will escape and 

 be found a few inches from the large hole. 



To make the shot scatter more put no wad 

 in the top of the case, but put a card wad in 

 the cartridge over the case. By this method 

 of loading, I put eight out of nine buckshot 

 inside a 30-inch circle at 60 yards. 



For a 12-gauge gun a smaller case and 

 smaller buckshot would be needed, but no 

 case should be used which cannot be pressed 

 through the muzzle of the gun. Such a load 

 will do terrible execution at ranges within 

 100 yards, and with it a man need not fear to 

 face even a bear. M. K. Barnum. 



best sport I have had in 10 years. In three 

 days we took over 500 fish' that averaged 

 about three to the pound. Not very large, 

 but they made up in game what they lacked 

 in weight. I used a 6-oz. rod. and found tli.it 

 with 100 feet of line out, in the swift tide off 

 Mattinecock Point, with two fish strikn 

 once, it was great sport. My friend used 

 heavier tackle and, consequently, caught 

 the larger number, but with the light gear I 

 used, think I had the most sport. 



The run of striped bass is now beginnin , r . 

 On the 15th, George Murray took 15, runnin; 

 from 1%. to 7Y 2 pounds, and to-day Charle, 

 Valentine took 6 that weighed 17 pounds, 

 altogether. 



Quite a number of loons are flying now, 

 and coots, shelldrakes and black ducks are 

 beginning to make their appearance. We 

 have as good coot and squaw shooting here, 

 as can be found on the Sound. They take 

 lots of killing, and many a fair shot who has 

 not been there before, is likely to wonder 

 why they don't drop. It takes an old hand 

 to bag three birds out of five. 

 . I notice in your last issue the poor market 

 shooter comes in for some more hot shot from 

 one of your correspondents, but as tar as 

 my personal experience is concerned, while 

 it may be unfortunate that the manner in 

 which they earn an existence takes away 

 much game the sportsman would like to kill, 

 yet most of them are better men than many 

 of the people who term themselves sports- 

 men. 



A. S. I). 



Glen Cove, L. I., Sept. 15, 1895. 

 Editor Recreation: 



On the second of September a friend and 

 I started in snapper fishing. I fish or shoot 

 about four days out of five, but this was the 



PUGET SOUND NOTES. 



Seattle, Wash. 

 Editor Recreation : 



Shooting in this State, since the openinj 

 the season, has been accomplished under 

 difficulties, owing to the lack of moisture 

 and to the forest fires. The whole 1' 

 Sound region has been apparently ablaze tor 

 the past three weeks, and both game and 

 property have suffered in consequence. 



Several of our local sportsmen are just 

 back from Wilson's creek and vicinity, 

 report chickens abundant, but con. 

 in immense covevs along the creek beds and 

 marshes, with few in their accustomed 

 haunts. This is also attributable to the want 

 of rain. Great numbers of deer and other 

 large game have been driven from the foot 

 hills by the fires, and have seemingly lost all 

 fear of man in their efforts to escape from 

 the flames. 



The State Sportsmen's Association me 

 here, under the auspices of the local Rod 

 and Gun Club, on the 27th of October. Ai 

 rangements are being made for a three days' 

 tournament, the time to be dh ided between 

 live birds and inanimate targets. Several 

 individual matches will lie shot for handsome 

 purses. 



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