3 62 



RECREA T10N. 



passage way. Then we built a fire and, 

 with a few shots, started the birds. In 10 

 minutes the net was full of ducks and geese. 

 We untied the upper ropes, let down the 

 net, and secured our birds. Then we raised 

 it time and again, until we were tired out and 

 had caught 2 full wagon loads of ducks. 

 Setting the net once more, we crawled to 

 our tents, to awake in the morning, just as 

 a flock of geese struck the net and carried 

 it skyward. Encouraged by our luck, we 

 set the quail net for turkeys. We got 14, 

 the first drive, but the net was ruined. Af- 

 ter that we shot scores of deer, turkeys and 

 game of all kinds, staying a full month. 

 Then we went home and blistered our 

 tongues telling about it. 



Adam Leigher, Dositt, 111. 



SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 



Few people taking part in the mad rush 

 for gold to Alaska and the Northwest Ter- 

 ritory, know they are passing a wonderfully 

 rich quartz country in the Alexanderian 

 archipelago. This region will have a great 

 future. The quartz is rich and in inexhaust- 

 ible quantity. 



There is every facility for cheap mining; 

 plenty of timber and water. The majority 

 of the mines are near salt water, where 

 vessels of any tonnage can land. 



Prospecting is difficult, on account of the 

 thick covering of grass, brush and timber. 

 So far it has been confined to places along 

 the beach and up the creeks. 



Some of the islands are over 100 miles 

 in length by 60 in breadth, with lofty snow 

 covered peaks and lovely grassy parks. 

 These parks, so pleasing to the eye, are 

 difficult to travel over. The moss, being 

 saturated with water, is soft, yielding and 

 tiresome to walk on. 



Snow comes in November and lasts until 

 the first of June; it falls about 5 feet on 

 the level at tide water. In March, April 

 and May it is crusted and may be walked 

 over anywhere. I have seen 3 months of 

 fine summer weather; yet the prevailing 

 summer climate is humid, with much light 

 rain and fog. Spruce and hemlock is the 

 prevailing timber; with cotton wood in the 

 higher basins and plenty of alder along the 

 valleys. A few scattering patches of Doug- 

 lass fir grow i.i sheltered nooks on the lower 

 levels. There are some fine groves of yel- 

 low cedar, a valuable timber for many pur- 

 poses. 



Deer, bear and grouse are plentiful, also 

 minks and land otters. There are a few 

 Alaska sable (or martens), wolverines, lynx, 

 porcupines, and marmots. 



There are no cougars, wild cats, coons or 

 skunks in Southeastern Alaska. But wild 

 fowl are there without number and in 

 endless variety. The trout and deep sea 

 fishing is first class. The water power is 

 unlimited. L. L. Bales, Seattle, Wash. 



THOSE DOGS OF HIS. 



Cora, Wyo. 



Editor Recreation: Some time ago, 

 Mr. Poole, of Wind river, criticised me for 

 running bear with dogs. 



I suppose he wrote the letter before he 

 knew the facts, as he was at our camp later 

 and acknowledged he had made a mistake. 



As there has been so much talk, I will 

 offer wagers for the benefit of those who 

 think our dogs run elk, deer, or antelope. 

 Any doubter can put down any sum, from 

 $5 up, and it will be covered. 



First. That we can turn any of the old 

 hounds loose in plain sight of elk, deer or 

 antelope, and the dogs will not offer to 

 run them. 



Second. That we can turn the hounds 

 on the trail of either bear, mountain lion, 

 lynx, wild cat, wolf, coyote or wolverine, 

 and the hounds will run through bands of 

 deer, elk or antelope, and not molest them. 



Third. That here in the mountains elk, 

 deer and antelope pay little attention to 

 the noise of a pack of hounds, and will 

 barely get out of their way. 



We have hunted our hounds here for 

 years, and' I have seen, time and again, elk, 

 deer and antelope feeding within plain 

 sight and hearing of the pack in full cry, 

 and never looking up. 



In camp the hounds are kept in yards, 

 and are barking and howling half the time; 

 yet anyone can go out and kill game within 

 hearing of them. I suppose this is because 

 Western game is so used to hearing the 

 coyotes. 



Does anyone suppose we ape big enough 

 fools to spend money building a sports- 

 men's camp, and then run all the game 

 away from it? 



Game wintered well on the head of Green 

 river, and hundreds of elk are in sight on 

 the hills. Coyotes are plentiful and bold; 

 coming to the camp in broad daylight. 



We have caught some with the fox 

 hounds. The dogs, when in good condi- 

 tion, can run one down in about 4 hours. 

 W. W. 



SNIPE SHOOTING IN KENTUCKY. 



REV. F. M. THOMAS. 



About the middle of March the Kentucky 

 sportsman begins to rub up his gun, laid 

 away since the quail season, and look anx- 

 iously for warm rains, on whose Southern 

 breezes the snipe are wafted within range. 

 After such a rain a few flocks may be 

 foun-d in low . lying, wet meadows where 

 there is sufficient cover. Their number 

 gradually increases until, about the last of 

 the month, there is fine sport. The birds 

 on their arrival are quite lean and not very 

 toothsome; but after feeding for 2 or 3 weeks 

 they become fat and tempting to the most 

 epicurean palate. From the gunner's point 

 of view, they afford most excellent sport. 

 The shooting season lasts 4 to 5 weeks. 



