FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



203 



that were certainly killed could not be 

 found in the thick cover. Guns became so 

 hot they could not be held in the hand, 

 and several times 2 rabbits were killed at 

 one shot. 



In one month more than 1,700 rabbits 

 were killed bv wire hunting within 7 miles 

 of this town ; to say nothing of those killed 

 by farmers and solitary hunters. Of course, 

 hunting with a wire is possible only in a 

 country of large, treeless stretches and 

 where there are few fences. 



Alva Clapp. 



AN OFFICIAL GAME LAW VIOLATOR. 



Maurice Thompson, well known as a 

 writer on archery and other subjects, pub- 

 lishes an article in the June number di the 

 Atlantic Monthly entitled "An Archer on 

 the Kankakee," to which I have called the 

 attention of the Indiana State game war- 

 den. The trip to the Kankakee is stated, 

 on page 767, to have been made in May. 

 On page 769 Mr. Thompson says, "I made 

 a fine shot at a woodcock — out of season, 

 but precious good to eat — and bagged it 

 for a broil." 



On page 772, speaking of his arrival at 

 a certain club house (in Indiana) Mr. 

 Thompson says, "Reached here at 4 o'clock. 

 Chickens (grouse) on a dry swell of wild 

 prairie Southward. Went after them — a 

 hungry man regards not the game law of 

 Indiana — and had a breezy time shooting. 

 They were not very wild ; or possibly the 

 stiff, piercing, East wind numbed them. I 

 tramped around after them and shot per- 

 haps 50 times ; but the wind caught my 

 arrows with rough hands and tossed them 

 up, down, sidewise. It was almost impos- 

 sible to foretell the drift of a shot in extent 

 or direction, and the wily birds somehow 

 would manage not to be down the wind 

 much of the time. I killed but one, and 

 that in a remarkable way." 



Mr. Thompson says elsewhere in his ar- 

 ticle that he is an officer of the State. 

 Everybody knows him as a well-informed 

 and popular writer, and the spectacle of 

 such a man shooting woodcock and prairie 

 chickens in May — in direct violation of the 

 laws of his State — is one to be deplored. 

 That he should then write of his exploits, 

 and that a standard magazine like the 

 Atlantic Monthly should publish his story 

 for the mis-education of young and old, is 

 astounding. I have written the State game 

 warden of Indiana, calling his attention to 

 this infraction of the law, and I sincerely 

 hope he may discharge his duty in the 

 matter. 



My letter to the Fish and Game Com- 

 missioner was as follows: 



I enclose herewith copy of an editorial 

 I have prepared, to which I invite your 

 careful attention. I suggest that you get 



a copy of the June number of the Atlantic 

 Monthly and read the article in question 

 carefully. This is a case that should not 

 be allowed to go unpunished a day longer 

 than necessary. Mr. Thompson should be 

 proceeded against much more severely 

 than the ignorant farmer's boy or the ig- 

 norant working man of the city who unwit- 

 tingly breaks the law. 



I should be glad to be advised of your 

 action in the matter. Yours truly, 



G. O. Shields, Prest. L. A. S. 



Following is his reply: 



Columbus, Ind., July 4th, 1900. 

 Mr. G. O. Shields, President League of 



American Sportsmen, New York. 



My dear Sir: The article by Mr. Maurice 

 Thompson, in the Atlantic Monthly, seems 

 to have been written when he was in con- 

 nection with the State Geological De- 

 partment. By looking at an official regis- 

 ter of Indiana, I find that Mr. Thompson's 

 connection with that department ceased in 

 December, 1888. He was therefore writing 

 of a transaction that occurred 12 years ago. 

 All such misdemeanors are barred by the 

 statute of limitations after 2 years, and it 

 is therefore impossible to make a case 

 against him. 



Regretting I can not make an example 

 of the gentleman, and thanking you for 

 your promptness in notifying me, I am, 

 Very truly, 



Z. T. Sweeney, 

 Com'r. of F. & G., Indiana. 



The statute of limitations may save Mr. 

 Thompson from deserved punishment, but 

 it does not save him from the shame of 

 having broken a State law while a State 

 officer and of having boasted of it. — Ed- 

 itor. 



HUNTERS WHO SHOULD BE HUNTED. 



Selma, Ohio. 

 Editor Recreation : 



I read in your magazine of many hunters 

 being shot in Northern Michigan and Wis- 

 consin last fall. Of course these killings 

 are called accidental, and probably a large 

 majority are; but not all. The hunting 

 ground in Northern Michigan that I used 

 to be familiar with is on the headwaters of 

 the Rifle river in Ogema county. A num- 

 ber of lakes are there, all fine bodies of 

 water. The Rifle lake covers about 500 

 acres. George's lake, about 80 rods South 

 of the Rifle, covers nearly 300. Henderson 

 lake is about the size of the last named, 

 and is 4 miles South of it. 



Sage's lake is 4 miles East of Hender- 

 son's, and is the prettiest of all. It is about 

 a mile wide and some 15 miles long. The 

 fall feeding grounds of the deer are North 

 of these lakes, and the later feeding 

 grounds are some 20 miles South of Sage's 

 lake, down on what are called the plains. 



