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RECREA TION. 



I have read your articles on the destruc- 

 tion of game and am doing all I can to pre- 

 vent it. I work among cats. In the farm- 

 ing districts they destroy enough game to 

 send them to prison for life. One summer, 

 in 2 weeks on a farm, I saw a pet female 

 cat catch quails and rabbits and whippings 

 did not break her of the trick. I saw her 

 have 10 rabbits and 5 quails. Every farm 

 has from one to io cats and they kill thou- 

 sands of small game. The game laws of 

 New York protect you if you kill hounds 

 running deer. Will it protect you if you kill 

 cats? If not let US have a law that will. 

 Each dead cat is equal to 6o birds or rabbits 

 a year. J. M. Austin, Middletown, N. Y. 



Complaints were made to me during the 

 summer, from towns in Litchfield county, 

 about persons violating our game laws. In 

 one case 3 Italians were hunting before the 

 law was off and, for want of larger game, 

 shooting song and insectivorous birds. One 

 of the men was arrested, and as he acknowl- 

 edged killing 5 robins and 2 blue birds, was 

 fined $7 and costs. The law says the fine 

 shall be $1 for each bird killed or had in 

 possession. I have no doubt the offender 

 was ignorant of the law; but he will long 

 remember the instruction he received from 

 the Court and the amount of money he had 

 to pay. 



^ F. C. Barnes, Game Warden, Litchfield 

 Co., Conn. 



The following re smoking will be appre- 

 ciated by all lovers of the weed. I was once 

 with a hunting party on the Upper Ottawa, 

 and we had as guide a French Canadian or 

 " habitant " as the natives are called. He 

 smoked, of course, and one evening at the 

 camp fire the smoking habit was discussed. 

 Our habitant was called upon for his reasons 

 for burning the weed. After puffing away 

 in contemplative silence for a few moments, 

 he replied, 



" When I am in de wood all by mesef, 

 long ways from home or de camp, I feels 

 bad, ver lone some. Den I takes out me 

 pipe, sets on log, smoke, smoke and I come 

 glad." A. V. Harmer, Cadillac, Mich. 



I have just finished reading C. H. Ben- 

 nett's letter to you, printed in November 

 Recreation. 



I lived on Raquette lake 3 years and a 

 meaner man than this same Bennett could 

 not be found anywhere. From what Mr. 

 Hartley says and the letter Bennett wrote 

 you, your readers will draw their own con- 

 clusions. 



If I could only catch Bennett with game 

 of any kind, out of season, I would climb on 

 the witness stand with both feet, and the L. 

 A. S. would again inhale the fragrant odor 

 of roast pork. 



R. N. Finck, New York City. 



Will you, or some reader, tell me how 

 to preserve game, such as turkeys, ducks, 

 and squirrels? This query applies to this 

 latitude, where the weather frequently be- 

 comes warm in late fall and winter, or early 

 spring. 



R. P. Burhaus, City Editor Gazetteer,. 

 Denison, Tex. 



There is no way of preserving game in 

 its natural condition except in cold storage. 

 Several compounds have been put on the 

 market, at different times, which were 

 recommended for this purpose, but none of 

 them have proved successful. The best way 

 is not to kill any more game than can be 

 eaten within a few days. — Editor. 



The game in this locality is gradually de- 

 creasing in quantity as the country becomes 

 older and more closely settled. The smaller 

 varieties, such as red and gray squirrels, 

 rabbits, quails, ruffed grouse and prairie 

 chickens, can still be found in considerable 

 numbers. There are several small lakes and 

 streams within a few miles of this city, on 

 which fair duck shooting can be had during 

 the spring and autumn flights. Pickerel, the 

 gamiest fish we have, are often taken from 

 some of these lakes. 



H. L. Hill, Lake Mills, la. 



You should not shoot ducks in the spring. 

 — Editor. 



Grouse were scarce here last fall: few 

 broods being raised on account of wet 

 weather. Woodcock were also scarce. Few 

 were found on their usual summer grounds. 

 All I got, or heard of, were killed high up 

 in the timber. There was no flight to speak 

 of. Something has gone wrong with them, 

 but whether because of better guns or of 

 high market price, I do not know. 



Squirrels were wonderfully abundant. 

 There was plenty of food for them, and they 

 came here in freight cars, I think. Some 

 big bags were made. 



Deer in Vermont were not so plentiful as 

 they were supposed to be before the season 

 opened. E. L. Ward, Fair Haven, Vt. 



A few of our local sportsmen have leased 

 640 acres for a park in which to propagate 

 game. It will be stocked with pheasants, 

 quails, woodcock, grouse, gray and black 

 squirrels, hares and rabbits. I think the 

 enterprise will be a success, as the promoter, 

 Mr. P. R. Sleight, is a hustler. 



This State should take pattern after Ore- 

 gon, and have a State hatchery for pheas- 

 ants. They are the coming bird — gamy, 

 hardy, and good breeders, and I think read- 

 ers of Recreation in New York will agree 

 with me. Will not our sportsmen take it 

 up and see what can be done toward estab- 

 lishing such a hatchery? 



B. J. P., Newark, N. Y. 



