206 



RECREATION. 



neighborhood mentioned that some parties 

 are shooting birds on Sunday mornings 

 only. I will detail an officer there on 

 Sunday mornings specially instructed to 

 arrest all parties found shooting birds. I 

 will also instruct the officers who cover 

 that neighborhood during the week to be 

 on the lookout. 



James McLaughlin, Captain. 



A DEER HUNT. 



On the first of October, opening day for 

 deer in this State, 3 of us started out 

 tor a hunt. Just as it was getting gray in 

 the East, after we had driven a few miles, 

 Bill, who had buck fever, thought he 

 saw a deer by the side of the road ; so he 

 got out, stalked his game carefully and 

 shot by the stripe on its 'back. A little 

 later, Bill had .another attack of buck fever 

 which cost the life of another skunk. 



On entering a strip of woods we flushed 

 a flock of grouse. Fred went on ahead of 

 the team and shot one of the birds. 



Just before we reached our stopping 

 place, and just as we got out of another 

 piece of woods, Bill saw a hawk sailing far 

 over our heads, and he sent after it one of 

 the prettiest shots I ever saw. The hawk 

 came to ground without being damaged 

 much, and he now adorns Bill's den. 



Putting the team up at our friend's, we 

 made our way to a pond about a mile dis- 

 tant, where deer had been known to come 

 down to drink. Circling the pond and sur- 

 rounding woods, we failed to start a deer, 

 so we struck off to the Northwest, over a 

 hill which Fred declared higher than any 

 of the great mountains we read of. How- 

 ever, we got over it after awhile and Fred 

 brought down another grouse. 



All being hungry and concluding it was 

 not likely we should see a deer, we re- 

 turned to our friend's house for dinner. 



After that, Bill, who was not feeling 

 well, drove the team toward home about 2 

 miles and put it up at a farmer's, while 

 Fred and I hunted our way down to the 

 same place. From there we all went out 

 to a sugar place for gray squirrels. Fred 

 got one, after a long wait. The boys then 

 cut across lots for home and supper, while 

 I hunted back up the hill and went for 

 the team. On the way up I flushed and 

 shot a grouse. Later, on entering another 

 wood, I brought down another grouse and 

 a gray. Getting my team, I drove toward 

 home. I stopped at Fred's house and 

 found the boys had brought down 2 more 

 grays, making a total of 4 gray squirrels, 

 4 grouse, 2 skunks and. one hawk. 



G. F. Locke, Irasburg, Vt. 



the efforts of the sportsmen of the State" 

 and the co-operation of one of the best 

 fish and game committees the State ever 

 had, we now have one of the best fish and 

 game laws in the Union. 



The sale of quails, woodcock and ruffed 

 grouse is prohibited at all times for the 

 next 2 years. These birds can not be 

 transported within the limits of the State 

 unless accompanied by the owner, and 

 transportation out of the State is prohibit- 

 ed at all times. 



No person may kill or have in his pos- 

 session more than 36 ruffed grouse in one 

 year. The open season for these birds is 

 60 days — the months of October and No- 

 vember. 



The use of ferrets is prohibited abso- 

 lutely for 4 years. No net, trap, or snare 

 for taking partridges or ruffed grouse or 

 quails shall be set, placed, or used where 

 such birds can be taken. 



The shooting of web-footed birds, snipe, 

 rail, and all shore birds, is prohibited be- 

 tween the first day of April and the first 

 day of September. The number of snipe, 

 plover, shore birds, and rail to be killed 

 in one day is limited to 50. 



All wild birds other than game birds are 

 protected at all times by a comprehensive 

 law. The State Game Commission is em- 

 powered to establish State game pre- 

 serves wherever they see fit. 



Our fish laws are practically unchanged, 

 and the new law which pro'hibits the plac- 

 ing of sawdust or shavings in any stream 

 inhabited by trout is an excellent one. 



This I believe, covers the most impor- 

 tant features of the new law, and now if 

 the sportsmen of the State will see that 

 they are enforced, the supply of game and 

 fish should be maintained indefinitely. 



F. P. Sherwood, Southport, Conn. 



AND THE LEAGUE DID IT. 

 Our Legislature has adjourned, after 

 giving us about what we wanted in rela- 

 tion to the fish and game laws. Through 



A POOR OUTLOOK IN MISSOURI. 



My wife and I spent last October in 

 Dawn, Livingston county, Missouri. 



The shooting there, for a legitimate 

 hunter, seems to get poorer each year. 

 Quails were fairly plentiful ; but the sea- 

 son being closed, I had to pass them. 

 However, the season makes no difference 

 to the natives in that vicinity. Thev 

 slaughter any kind of game on sight, and 

 at any time of year. They never heard of 

 a game warden, and but few know there 

 is a game or fish law. 



There are a few squirrels left in the 

 timber, but they will soon be gone, as the 

 forest is being rapidly cleared away. I 

 noticed that many fine trees had been cut 

 down and allowed to rot. 



Even song birds are becoming scarce in 

 that locality. The natives shoot them at 

 all seasons of the year; for practice, they 

 say. What few are not wantonly kUlec| 



