RECREA TION. 



225 



FROMTHEGAME FIELDS. 



E. W. Robins, of South Butte, Mont., an old 

 time mountaineer and hunter writes : 



You might perhaps be interested in a bear 



hunt, the coming spring, to begin as early as 



possible, in the Salmon river range in Idaho. 



The transportation will be by saddle and pack 



horses. Trip to continue 30, 60 or 90 days to suit 



the convenience of parties. The locality chosen 



is one of the best I know of for bear, both black 



and grizzly. Zoac, camas and other favorite 



roots grow on every plateau, and in every valley, 



and pine nuts, berries, etc., are found in the foot 

 hills. Salmon and trout fall an easy prey to bear 

 while ascending the small streams to reach their 

 spawning beds. 



We may reasonably expect an occasional shot 

 at wolverine, lynx, wolf, and even mountain lion. 

 Should the party desire to make a special hunt of 

 a few days for this animal, he is fairly plentiful 

 on the sheep ranges ; and one frequently comes 

 across the half-eaten carcass of a sheep, which is 

 his principal food. 



Bear are more easily found in early spring, 

 because they make more signs, and when found 

 their skins are in better condition than at any 

 other time. Our hunt will be favored by the 

 salmon trout run, which begins as soon as the ice 

 breaks up in Salmon river, at which time bear 

 collect in the vicinity of the small streams to catch 

 these fish. Altitude will also favor the hunt by 

 extending the season. We shall find good bear 

 on the high plateau four weeks after they have 

 shed in the valley, 7,000 feet below. The trip 

 as proposed will afford an excellent opportunity 

 for procuring a good set of game pictures. I am 

 glad to note the growing interest manifested by 

 sportsmen in the use of the camera. There cer- 

 tainly is a great deal of satisfaction in being able 

 to carry in the pocket the evidence of a difficult 

 feat in stalking, 



Should you be interested in the proposed hunt 

 and desire reference, please call at the Scientific 

 American office and have a chat with Mr. H. N. 

 Munn. We have smoked at the same camp-fire, 

 and slept under the same tree. 



46ERS. 



NEW 25 CALIBRE BULLETS. 



No cartridge has ever taken the 

 fancy of the small bore enthusiasts 

 so generally as the 25-calibre. It has 

 been popular from the first, and that 

 it is to remain so is evidenced by the 

 many modifications of it. The orig- 

 inal cartridge is the 25-20-86, same 

 as now made by the factories. The 

 86 gr bullet was thought to be too heavy on ac- 

 count of key-holing. The Ideal Manufacturing 

 Company has]designed a series of bullets varying 

 in weights from 46 to 96 grs. One weighing 77 

 grs. is especially effective. The cranks, however, 

 desired to use the heavier bullets. This led to 

 barrels being cut with a quicker twist, running 

 down from one turn in 18 inches to one in 8 

 inches. Mr. Pope, of Hartford, Conn., and Mr. 

 Lowe, of Fitchburg, Mass., are making these 

 special barrels. 



iiiiiia_i 4-3 



This grooving, of course, required 

 more powder and greater velocity. 

 The well known 32-40 Marlin shell 

 has been reduced at the muzzle so as 

 to fit the 25 calibre bullets. Excel- 

 lent results are being obtained with 

 these new cartridges and the Ideal 

 company is kept busy administering 

 to the wants of the riflemen. E. A. 

 Leopold, of Morristown, Pa., 

 sketched what he desired for a bul- 

 let (cut herewith), and sent the design to Mr. 

 Barlow, of the Ideal Manufacturing Company, 

 who made from it a cylindrical mould, which 

 enables the user to get any weight of bullet he 

 may desire. The wonderful work recently done 

 with this bullet is well known. 



The Ideal people tell me they are 

 now ready to meet the demands for 

 heavier 25 calibre grooved bullets, as 

 per cuts herewith. Single moulds 

 may be had to cast any of the 

 specified weights. The company 

 is also prepared to furnish the 

 "Perfection adjustable mould," 

 which casts the whole series of 

 weights. It is said the extreme 

 point is exactly the same shape as 

 the 25-20, but it is longer to the crimp shoulder, 

 so that the 32-40 Marlin shell reduced to 25 

 calibre, with this ball inserted, will be exactly the 

 same length as the standard 32-40 Marlin cart- 

 ridge, making ammunition that is properly pro- 

 portioned for repeating rifles. This rifle the 

 Marlin Fire Arms Co. is now at work on. The 

 rifle will be called the 25-35 Marlin, model '93. 



The cut of the regular 25-20 bullets will show 

 the difference in the length of the point and the 

 weights as compared with the 24-35. Of course, 

 for light weight or short range bullets, the series 

 of 25 20's will be better balanced, but where the 

 longer ball is desired, the 25-35 series will behest. 



G. C. Atkinson, Chicago, writes : 



Mr. R. T. L. Beard, of the Union National 

 Bank, Chicago, and I spent two weeks last 

 November in the wilds of Michigan. We killed 

 14 deer, mostly bucks, two of which were fine 

 specimens, weighing in the neighborhood of 200 

 pounds each. 



Winthrop, Wash. 

 Editor Recreation : 



Game is fairly abundant here this season, but 

 too much is being slaughtered for it to continue 

 so. More fur is being taken than for a number 

 of years, owing to hard times, which have driven 

 many old trappers to the mountains again. 



E. T. Johnson. 



Don F. Fraser, Fifteen Mile Stream, Nova 

 Scotia, writes : 



Caribou have been more plentiful during the 

 season of '94 than for several years past. Next 

 season by placing yourself in charge of a com- 

 petent guide, a head would be a sure thing. The 

 laws of Nova Scotia require a small license for 

 hunting, after which sportsmen are permitted to 

 take heads out of the province. 



