FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



467 



When opportunity affords I always take 

 a peep into every corner of your magazine. 

 In so doing I find some things of which I 

 approve and some otherwise; some things I 

 understand and some I do not. Note on 

 page 148 of your March issue a picture of 

 a boy shooter, Master Tom Metcalfe, 

 champion, etc. That picture reminds me 

 of how often, we read of men — full grown 

 men — who ought to know better, doing as 

 this boy is doing. There is some excuse 

 for a boy leaning on his gun, but none for 

 a man. " Didn't know it was loaded," 

 would be the proper epitaph for many a 

 grave. Krittick, Leadville, Colo. 



Then, too, our winter was quite open — no 

 heavy snows. C. H., Connorsville, Ind. 



I have read Recreation for about a year 

 and have learned several things from it. I 

 am much interested in guns and ammuni- 

 tion. I always read those articles first, and 

 would like to hear the opinion of some 

 shooters about the Lyman sights for rifles. 



Deer and antelope are thick here, as are 

 also wolves and coyotes. In the spring 

 there are always plenty of ducks. 



Each year there are many bear and 

 mountain lions killed in the hills near by. 

 I always shoot with a rifle and get plenty 

 of game, too. 



P. J. M., Maxwell City, N. M. 



I am very much interested in your maga- 

 zine and have been a subscriber since 

 March, 1896. My opinion of Recreation 

 is that it is the best sportsmen's journal 

 published, in this or any other country. 



Game is scarce here. At times we have a 

 few ducks, geese and snipe. We have good 

 bass fishing, in season. Rabbits and squir- 

 rels are scarce. The game laws are strictly 

 enforced but there are lots of pot-hunters, 

 who would kill game out of season if they 

 were not watched. 



G. W. M., Elizabeth, N. J. 



Large game was rather scarcer than 

 usual in this part of the country, last win- 

 ter, and very little hunting was done. 

 Plenty of deer could be found high up the 

 mountains, the snow not being deep enough 

 to drive them down. Prairie chickens are 

 plentiful all along the Okanogan river. No 

 trouble at all for a good shot to get 15 or 

 20 any morning. Also lots of grouse in 

 the edge of the fir timber; but by most 

 people they are not considered of good 

 flavor when feeding on fir buds. 



J. B. L., Clover, Wash. 



J. L., of North Vernon, Ind., says our 

 last Legislature passed a law prohibiting 

 the killing of quails, in this State, for 2 

 years. J. L. is in error. Such a bill passed 

 one branch, but was killed in the other. I 

 believe that in this county (Fayette) we 

 shall have more quails next fall than for 

 years past. But few were killed last season 

 Qti account of the heavy growth of ragweed. 



A meeting of the Oil City (Pa.) Gun 

 Club was recently held, when the follow- 

 ing officers were elected: 



L. L. Graham, president. 



A. Smedley, vice president. 



H. C. Reeser, secretary. 



H. C. Dorworth, treasurer. 



Directors — F. S. Bates, C. T. McClin- 

 tock, C. H. Lay, Jr. 



Arrangements were made for the Penn- 

 sylvania Sportsmen's association shoot, 

 which will take place under the auspices of 

 this club June 22d, 23d, 24th and 25th, in- 

 clusive. The railroads have offered to give 

 special rates to Oil City, on these dates, 

 and it is expected that 200 to 400 shooters 

 will attend. 



A St. Louis despatch says: 



" Game Warden Henry has instructed ex-Judge Clai- 

 borne to apply for warrants against 750 game-dealers and 

 restaurant-keepers in this city, who, it is alleged, have 

 violated the law by selling game during the close season. 

 The managers of 10 of the principal restaurants and sev- 

 eral game dealers have been selected to bear the brunt of the 

 first prosecution. A similar prosecution in Illinois recendy 

 cost one dealer $80,000." 



Good! I hope each of these 750 law 

 breakers, in St. Louis, will be equally un- 

 fortunate. I hope no one of them will have 

 money enough left to buy a beef steak when 

 he gets out of court. Editor. 



A meeting was held here, in March last, 

 for the purpose of forming a gun club. Dr. 

 S. D. Woods 'was elected temporary chair- 

 man and the Connellsville Gun Club was 

 formed. The following officers were 

 elected: President, Dr. J. C. Irwin; Secre- 

 tary, P. H. Pendleton; Treasurer, George 

 Balsley. The club starts off with 10 charter 

 members, with good prospects of increas- 

 ing the membership to 20 or more. 



P. H. P., Connellsville, Pa. 



We had good quail and rabbit shooting 

 last fall. The open season for quail shoot- 

 ing is October and November. I had fine 

 sport November 18th, with my dog and 

 gun, killing 13 quails and 4 rabbits. On 

 November 26th I killed 10 quails and 3 

 rabbits, and killed several rabbits later in 

 the winter. I shoot a 12 gauge Parker 

 hammerless gun, Sy 2 lbs., and it <1<> ( -; fine 

 work. I use 2>Va drams Dupont smokeless 

 powder and 1% oz. No. 7 shot. 



W. M., Woodson, 111. 



The hunting is rather poor around here. 

 Fish and game protector Pomeroy, of Erie 

 Co., was after 4 hunters, for shipping birds 

 out of the county. He got 3 of the men, 2 

 of whom settled for about $30. The other 

 would not settle, but is going to stand trial. 

 Sympathy is mostly with the hunters, but I 

 am not. F. E. L., Brocton, N. Y. 



