THE REFERENDUM 



187 



pard and I saw a partridge drumming and 

 found it necessary to throw sticks at it in or- 

 der to chase it away. I would not dare to 

 relate this had I not a witness. 



Can not too highly praise your magazine, 

 and hope to always see it before the public. 

 Peter F. Wagner, New York Mills. 



CHICAGO ARCHERS 



"The Chicago Archers" held their annual 

 meeting December 8th and elected the fol- 

 lowing officers : 



President, Dr. Wm. Carver Williams; 

 vice-president, F. E. Canfield ; secretary- 

 treasurer, A. E. Spink. Executive commit- 

 tee, Ben Keys and H. W. Bishop, with the 

 ■above officers, Field captain, Dr. Edward B. 

 Weston. 



During the coming season there will be a 

 handicap shoot each week. Also a weekly 

 contest for club championships, which will 

 be awarded to those making the highest av- 

 erage scores during the season, provided ten 

 scores have been handed in. 



DOGS ON THE TRAIN 



Editor Recreation : 



I have just read your editorial concern- 

 ing "dogs on the train." During the years 

 when I dwelt in the East I had much diffi- 

 culty regarding the transportation of dogs 

 for hunting purposes from one point to an- 

 other. But since I removed to California I 

 have discovered one railroad company that 

 is actuated by common-sense principles re- 

 garding the traveling sportsman and his 

 canine assistants. This road is the Califor- 

 nia Northwestern Railroad. The manage- 

 ment permits the free transportation of all 

 dogs in its smoking cars when accompanied 

 by their owners. I have known of many 

 instances where this privilege was taken 

 advantage of, and I have availed myself of 

 it occasionally, and I have never yet known 

 of any loss to the company by its kindliness 

 to the traveler and his dogs. 



The California Northwestern Railroad 

 Company's line runs through Marin, Sonoma 

 and Mendocino counties, California. Along 

 its line, and in the country tributary to it, 

 may be found good shooting and hunting — 

 duck, quail, deer and other game being 

 abundant in their seasons. 



Some of our Eastern sportsmen who visit 

 the West should pay a visit to Mendocino 

 County. They would find a hospitable peo- 

 ple and plenty of game. The summer is 

 long and dry, but they will not suffer from 

 want of water, and, while the winter may be 

 very damp — the rainfall being very heavy 

 during that season — they will not be able 

 to freeze to death, no matter how hard they 

 may try. These counties lie north of San 

 Francisco, and are not in the route usually 

 traveled by the visitor from the Eastern 

 States. Ignatius Sutherland, Sonoma, Cal. 



FROM FAR WASHINGTON 



Editor Recreation : 



Game, both large and small, seems to be 

 fairly abundant in the Puget Sound coun- 

 try this fall. But it is more due to the 

 cover and protection afforded by nature 

 than to the game laws and the warden 

 Duck hunting is undergoing a change, and 

 the days of the free lance are over, as the 

 best duck grounds are being taken up by 

 clubs who sow the ponds or sloughs with 

 grain. The birds have been slower in com- 

 ing south than they are usually, due to the 

 warm weather we have been enjoying, and 

 duck hunters are anxiously awaiting the 

 first winter storm. Deer, as always, are 

 abundant in the foothills of the Cascade 

 and Olympic Mountains and deer hunting 

 is becoming more popular, although the 

 thick brush makes hunting without hounds 

 rather uncertain. 



The mongolian pheasant seems to have 

 •taken root at last, and in certain parts of 

 the State many coveys can 'be seen in a 

 day's tramp. As it is, many are killed un- 

 lawfully, as the law allows hunters to kill 

 the cock birds while the hens are protected. 

 Of course it's unnecessary to state that a 

 law of this kind is useless and childish. 

 If it were ever possible to invariably dis- 

 tinguish the male from the female birds 

 many hens would warm the hunting bag. 

 But under certain conditions it is impossible 

 for the hunter to determine the difference. 



I saw an article in a State newspaper 

 saying that the Dolly Varden trout were 

 "not protected by law as they destroyed 

 salmon eggs" ! Ye Gods ! What were the 

 imen who made this law? Certainly not 

 those who had the welfare of our trout at 

 heart, for all of our trout eat salmon eggs, 

 and there are many, many beautiful streams 

 where the Dolly Varden abounds that are 

 never visited by salmon. If they want to 

 protect salmon they might go to the can- 

 neries and the riddle of "Where do the 

 salmon go?" would be solved. 



Belmore H. Browne, Tacoina, Wash. 



CHICAGO FOR SPORT 



Editor Recreation: 



I have been a reader of Recreation for 

 some time and have never noticed an arti- 

 cle on the chances for game in the vicinity 

 of Chicago. 



Although it is situated right on Lake 

 Michigan, business men and others, cramped 

 up in a little office all week, can take their 

 guns and have a little practice on duck or 

 jack-snipe without even going out of the 

 city limits. 



There are a good many old piers along 

 the lake that offer a good blind for a patient 

 duck hunter that is willing to brave the 

 wind and rain; also little swamps all around 

 the city, where any one can try their luck on 



