FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



TWO NORTH DAKOTA BUTCHERS. 



While on a hunting trip to Four Mile 

 creek last fall we had a most remarkable 

 experience. On wading into a slough 

 about sundown we discovered hundreds of 

 ducks, mostly teal and mallards. My com- 

 panion, Chaplain Hadley, is a dead shot, 

 notwithstanding his ministerial profession. 

 We fired into the slough, and when the 

 ducks got up we both raked them. Then 

 we waded into the slough and picked up 

 75 ducks, about 20 wing-broken ones hav- 

 ing escaped. 



We believe this is the record for last 

 year. As witness of this hunt we refer to 

 Mr. Stacey Corwin, Agent, at Bull Head 

 Station. 



Frank Murphy, 

 Ivy Hadley, 



Fort Yates, N. D. 



Chaplain Hadley should feel heartily 

 ashamed of himself for having committed 

 such a slaughter. As a minister of the 

 Gospel he should teach decency in field 

 sports as well as in other sports and pas- 

 times, and I trust he may do so in the fu- 

 ture. — Editor. 



PASSING THE LIMIT. 



We have a marsh of 3,000 acres under 

 fence. We own the ground, have a club 

 house, and are incorporated under the 

 State law as the Rice Lake Hunting Club, 

 with a membership of 25, and have 5 

 shooting privileges. We had the finest 

 mallard shooting last fall we have ever en- 

 joyed. On 5 consecutive Mondays, com- 

 mencing October 16, I brought in 20, 48, 

 25, 24 and 30 — all mallards. A party of 9 

 of us on October 23 brought in 288 ducks, 

 mostly mallards. The marsh is 12 miles 

 from our city and as most of the members 1 

 are in business in this city we cannot get 

 away more than one day at a time, usually 

 Monday. We do not shoot Saturday nor 

 Sunday. 



The biggest score for one gun one day 

 was 95 birds; next highest, 72, and 35 

 and 40 several times. 



J. C. Thompson, Jr., Canton, 111. 



You and your friends overstepped the 

 bounds of decency every time you killed 

 more than 20 birds to the man in any one 

 day. If you were sportsmen in the best 

 sense of the word you would be satisfied 

 with 10 birds each for a day's shooting. 



That you own the land does not give you 

 a right to slaughter the birds. They be- 

 long to the people of the 'State at large 

 and you should recognize the rights of 

 others. Furthermore, you should look 

 farther ahead than to-morrow. Would you 

 not like to have a few ducks left ro years 



hence? Certainly; but if you and your 

 associates continue your reckless butchery 

 there will not be a mallard left in the 

 whole countiy 5 years from to-day. — Ed. 



I prepared the above letters, with com- 

 ments thereon, for publication; but know- 

 ing Mr. E. S. Thompson's sentiments on 

 this question of handling game butchers, I 

 sent these letters to him with the request 

 that he censor or censure them as he might 

 deem necesary. Here is his reply: 



On the question of roasting pork, you 

 know I am with you to the last ditch, 

 in principle. The only disagreement is 

 in manner of warfare. I do not believe in 

 "dum-dum" bullets and "no quarter." The 

 first turns public opinion against us and 

 loses many who are with us in spirit; and 

 the "no quarter" principle fosters desperate 

 resistance and removes all possibility of a 

 graceful surrender, followed by possible 

 conversion to our way of thinking. In 

 fsct, I am inclined to let first offenses go 

 with a warning. By such a method we 

 could, I believe, turn the sinners into 

 friends instead of mortal enemies. The 

 man does not live who does not fear a 

 roast in print. You have in your hands a 

 terrible weapon, but I am sure it can be 

 made more terrible by securing the sup- 

 port of a considerable body of men who 

 do not yet realize how much harm they 

 are doing by their reckless killing of game. 



The word "hog" is such a strong one 

 that its full terrors would be better used 

 on rare occasions, and a large number of 

 sensitive people would escape shock. In 

 place of "A Pair of North Dakota Shoats" 

 I should say "Two Shameless Butchers in 

 North Dakota"; or even leave out the 

 "shameless," and tone down the rest of the 

 article so that the Chaplain would not be 

 inspired with lasting resentment, but would 

 begin to think, "Well, may be it wasn't 

 such a grand thing after all"; and later he 

 might subscribe to Recreation, join the 

 L. A. S., and promise never again to com- 

 mit such butchery. It is obvious from 

 reading the letter they had no idea they 

 were committing a crime. 



In the J. C. Thompson matter I should 

 rather head it "Passing the Limit/' When 

 we remember that within a year club mem- 

 bers have boasted in print of 400 ducks a 

 day to one gun, we cannot expect these 

 men, who are putting up their money for 

 the privilege of shooting, to believe all at 

 once that they are sinning when they kill 

 20 to 50 birds a day on their own grounds. 

 They must be educated up to it, but also 

 kept with us. We want their influence on 

 our side. I am with you in the fight and 

 am ready to do all in my power for the 



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