FOREST • AND STREAM: 



171 



Tie shooting of game birds is also restricted to October, 

 mber and December, and the breaking of the law eutails 

 Lit $25 a bird. To show our appreciation oi the last 

 . if the Legislature, the club of this city has gone energeti- 

 cally to work, and last week captured, tried and convicted a 

 number of parties. 



At a meeting of the club in the spring, it was decided that 

 posters containing the essential features of the law sbould he 

 broadcast throughout the eastern portion of the State 

 where no frame clubs are known to exist, so that no oue might 

 fail to observe the law through ignorance, and it may be said 

 here that one of the. parties who have just been heavily fined 

 for breaking the law at Asbford had one of these very posters 

 :it his house. These notices were sent to every town in Ilart- 

 I'ord, Windham and Tolland counties, and to most of those in 

 Middlesex county. A reward of ten dollars was offered for 

 such evidence as would produce conviction of any one violat- 

 ing the law. Soon letters began to arrive, stating that certain 

 parties were infringing the law, but in each case the witnesses 

 slated that they were so fearful of having their barns burned 

 or their cattle or horses maimed or killed, if known to have 

 given this information, that they were unwilling to aid in con- 

 the offender, or even to have their names mentioned in 

 ilou with it, They begged the club to send a reliable 

 detective for the purpose. This was accordingly done, and as 

 a Tesult of his operations, three of the most notorious of these 

 fellows have been convicted and heavily fined during the past 

 week, and the club has information of eight or ten more who 

 will be prosecuted during the coming week and who are cer- 

 tain to be convicted. It is evident that the game laws can be 

 -enforced if earnest efforts are made to do so. Of course all 

 this requires a liberal outlay of money, and any persons 

 throughout the State who may feel inclined to aid the work 

 •can do so by becoming members of the club and paying the 

 annual fee of five dollars. It is believed that a strong central 

 ■organization, by a liberal use of detectives, cau accomplish 

 more than scattered clubs of few members in various parts of 

 ,lhe State. If these marauders cau once be convinced that 

 there exists a determination to enforce the law by those who 

 are able to do it, they will cease to become law breakers, sim- 

 cnuse they will had the amount of lines which they may 

 he compelled to pay will far exceed any probable profit, which 

 the)' may make from the sale of their birds. None of these 

 men are true sportsmen, but. most of them are hired by par- 

 lies to procure game, for the Boston and New York markets. 



The Hartford Game Club is an organization composed of 

 gentlemen, well known in the highest circles of society in this 

 city and vicinity, members of the law and medical profession, 

 .together with our honored Governor, being of the number. 

 These gentlemen are fond of a day's sport with rod and gun 

 .and are in favor of such laws as shall afford to all the privilege 

 of taking fish and game in their proper seasons, and at the 

 «ime time protect them from being killed or captured during 

 their breeding period. Their efforts were first directed toward 

 securing suitable legislation, and in consequence it is believed 

 that, the statutes in refereuce to fish and game in Connecticut 

 are better adapted to the purpose than those of any other Nc w 

 England State. But this is not sufficient. Someone must be 

 on the look-out to see that these laws are enforced; and "what 

 is everybody's business is nobody's business," so the club 

 think they have made a dash in the right direction, and desire 

 the co-operation of all true sportsmen. The enthusiastic 

 meeting of the club held last Friday night, presided over by 

 our genial President, Mr. Lyman B. Jewell, showed the inter- 

 est taken in the work, and the money pledged to carry out 

 the laws their sincere devotion to the cause. T. S. S. 



Authority of Supervisoks.— The current number of the 

 fun; Fin and Feat/uir takes us to task for informing a cor- 

 respondent that the supervisors have the right to lengthen the 

 close season for game. He says : 



" Wc have carefully examined the statutes of this Slate (N. 

 Y.), from the present to many years back, and the only shadow 

 Of authority we can find the supervisors have for altering the 

 close seasons for game and fish is derived from Section 16, 

 chap. 482, passed June 5th, 1875, which empowers them 



| To provide for the protection and preservation, subject to the laws of 

 ate, of game animals and birds, and flsli and shell-fish hi all wa- 

 ter r within the territorial jurisdiction of the couniy, and to prescribe 

 and enforce the collection of penalties for the violation of any laws or 

 regulations they may make pursuant to the provisions of this subdivi- 

 sion. 



The supervisors in various counties of New York State have 

 been in the habit of making local laws regulating the takin g 

 of game and fish. In April last the Court of Appeals decided 

 in favor of the local authorities, affirming the right of the 

 supervisors to legislate in these premises. The case in which 

 the decision was given is that of Hallock against Doniiny and 

 Osborn (the latter two Easthampton Bay constables), for 

 false imprisonment. At the hearing of the case at the Suffolk 

 County r Circuit, before Judge Pratt, the plaintiff was nonsuit- 

 ed. This decision was reversed by the General Term, and a 

 new trial ordered. The court of last resort reversed the Gen- 

 eral Term decision and sustained Judge Pratt ; and this case 

 decided a number of others pending on the same state of 

 Cacts. 



i J Tub Nbw Yokk State Patik.— The project of converting 

 the Adirondack region into a State Park was, iu 1873, con- 

 sidered by the Legislature. After some preliminary proceed- 

 ings the matter was however dropped; and has not since been 

 carried through. This plan, in its connection with the whole- 

 sale destruction of game in the North Woods, bas been recent- 

 ly discussed iuan able editorial in the Utioa Morning Tltntbl, 

 Which called out the subjoined letter from Mr. P. H. Agan, 

 whose views are entitled to the serious consideration of all 

 interested in this scheme. We have before urged in these 



columns that the Legislature pass the necessary enactments, 

 and we now call upon sportsmen and sportsmen's clubs for 

 united and determined action in this scheme : 

 To the Editor of the UUca Monuriu Herald: 



In your weekly issue of the 4th, I notice an editorial article 

 upon the preservation of game in the Adironacks the perusal 

 of which suggested the few words I send you in this com- 

 munication." 



The "startling fads" you mention concerning the whole- 

 sale slaughter of deer in the wilderness are well known to all 

 frequenters of that region. The general public also have 

 knowledge of them through the medium of the newspapers 

 Which are constantly giving them publicity. 



Your suggestion that the State should create, by law, a for- 

 ester with necessary assistants, having requisite power to en- 

 force tin- game laws is wise. There is no other efficient means 

 for remeding the evil complained of. This was one of the 

 measures contemplated by those, who sought a few years ago 

 the creation of a State Parkin the wilderness; They strove 

 by a very simple legislative act to preserve the w r oods, the 

 waters, the fish and the game of that wild region. lam sorry 

 lo say that the effort, contrary to your statement, failed. 

 New York has no " State Park," although it has at hand all 

 I lie material for a maguilicent one. Some day the Legislature 

 may seize the opportunity to create such a park. It would 

 cost nothing, but would lie worth a great deal to the people' of 

 the State. " P. H. A. 



Si/rtici/te, Sept. lo. 



^ Eagle's West, Ad iron flacks, September, 1877.— Bl health, 

 the effect of hard service in times past, kept the writer 

 hereof away from Fokkst and Stream a great part of 

 the season, and broke up his promised Adirondack tour 

 altogether, and he fears will break up another to the far-famed 

 Grant County woods and waters in West Virginia, spoken of 

 in an enticing sketch in " our paper" — the F. and S. and R. 

 and G., some weeks since. 



But I did manage to get in two days of the last week of the 

 season on the Beaver Hill and to pull in, on dark flies, mostly 

 black ant, about 250 nice speckled trout. 



I was too mad most of the time, however, to fish well, for 

 thei e was a gang of pot-hangers over there, fishing night and 

 day, going up all the little brooks that run into the stream and 

 taking out the trout from under the rocks with their hands, lit- 

 erally by bushels, for the water was so low the poor things 

 could not escape that kind of fishing. 



I can forgive a hungry man if he plays crane to get enough 

 to cat ; but such wholesale slaughter— such a low-lived grab- 

 game should elicit the scorn of all true sportsmen. The same 

 gang were shooting ruffed grouse before the seaon, well know- 

 ing that there was no game constable over in that wilderness, 

 nothing that they possessed in the shape of a conscience to 

 stop them. The Beaver Hill a few years ago was one of the 

 best streams in the State. But its day has' gone — I fear for- 

 ever gone ! Gangs go in, in the winter, and "fish the ponds in 

 which the stream heads, through the ice, taking out trout by 

 the thousand, regardless of law or policy, and now it hardly 

 pays a true, sporsman to go there for enjoyment, 



in 1872 I camped two months on its banks, had three large 

 wall tents full of guests most of the time, and rarely did I 

 ever go over a quarter of a mile from camp to catch all re- 

 quired for my table. 



Now, to make the same catch, miles have to be waded over 

 and the stream whipped till one's arm aches, even with an 

 eight ounce rod, such as I always use. 



But enough grumbl ing : if it docs a little good and shames 

 some of the inhuman fellows who ape the name of sportsman, 

 I shall be gratified. "Ned Buntline." 



New Jeesey.— At the last meeting of the West Jersey 

 Game Protective Association, J. Howard Willetts was elected 

 Pres. ; George E. Taylor, Treas. ; R. T. Miller, Sec. The 

 meeting took active measures toward changing the time for 

 shooting reed birds from the 15th of August to the old time, 

 the 1st of September. During the past year there have been 

 placed by the society 2,200 black bass and 1,400 quail. An 

 appropriation of $1,000 was made for the further introduction 

 of quail, and a bounty of twenty-five cents is to be paid on 

 foxes and hawks. The police expenses of the year have 

 been #584.65. 



A New Game Club.— A number of gentlemen residing in 

 Hackensack, N. J., met at the residence of J. J. Berry, a few 

 days ago and organized a society for the protection of game, 

 to be called the " Bergen County Society for the Protection of 

 Game and Fish." The following were the officers elected: 

 Wakeman Holberton, Pres.: W. A. Linn, Sec.; J. J. Berry, 

 Treas. It is the intention of the society to prosecute all of- 

 fenders and also to indulge somewhat in glass ball and rifle 

 practice. 



«' Illegal Fishermen Punished in Ohio.— Cincinnati, Sept. 

 21. — A case has just been disposed of before one of our courts 

 which is gratifying to lovers of game and fish protection. 

 The defendants, Debolt Rinkles, V. and Jacob Winnings, 

 were farmers living near Barnesburg, Hamilton County, and 

 were indicted for illegally fishing by seining, in the Waters of 

 the Big Miami, on July 24, 1877. The parties plead guilty, 

 pleading in their reply that they were merely fishing for their 

 own amusement, and hot for profit. The court caused the 

 law to be read to them, and in passing sentence, remarked 

 that the object of the law was a very salutary one. It was to 

 protect fish from being destroyed with seine or net, or in any 

 manner than by hook and fine, the object being to give Ash. 

 an equal chance with the angler. Reference was made to the 

 propriety of the formation of Associations for the protection 

 of game and fish, and the court stated that, as the parties had 

 not in this case caugjit the fish for profit, and had pleaded 

 guilty, the sentence would be the minimum one. They were 

 then lined (Ofy each and costs. Several other parties who 

 have been operating on the-sanje stream and also depopulating 

 the waters of the Little Miami, have been spotted, and it- 

 nothing happens, will be prosecuted. May the good work ' go 

 on, we say, and these evil doers be brought up with a round 

 turn < B. E. DrjoATONE. 



\l[t lj£ifle. 



OUR TEAM PICTURES. 



The cuts which wc present in our extra sheet of to-day of 

 the British team have been engraved expressly for our pages 

 from most excellent photographs taken by Fredericks &. Co., 

 of 770 Broadway, N. Y. They show to the life the linea- 

 ments of this celebrated band of small-bore experts, and will 

 enable the readers of the Forest asd Stream and Rod and 

 Gun to see at a glance of what stuff riflemen are made. 



Sir Henry Ha.lford is an Englishman through and through 

 —a sportsman and a gentlemen, ready to own up to a fai 

 square defeat, when such shall befall him, but with the same 

 breath to declare his willingness to try conclusions again. 

 His love for the rifle and rifle shooting has led him to take a 

 very active part in the management of the affairs of the Na- 

 tional Rifle Association of Great Britain, and in the council 

 board and on the field at Wimbledon his presence is rarely 

 wanting. His abundant leisure and ample means have en- 

 abled him to gratify his inclinations as a marksman to their 

 full bent, and since I860 he has taken and maintained a posi- 

 tion among the foremost rifle shots of England. He has fired 

 seven times in the Elcho shield eight, twice making the lead- 

 ing scores. He is now 49 years of age, stands about 5 feet 0^ 

 inches' high, and shoots in the " Fulton" position. 



Joshua K. Millner is one of the Irish wing of the team, and 

 a genuine Irishman he is. He is a young man, his years being 

 less than thirty, and in build he is lithe rather than bulky 

 As a rifle shot he has enjoyed great experience, and as a mem- 

 ber of the Irish eight on several occasions has done gallant 

 work ; 202 was made by him at Wimbledon recently, the 

 best that range can boast. While at Creedmoor, a year ago 

 his spurt of fifteen consecutive bull's-eyes at 1,000 yards makes 

 him as w^ell the champion here. His posture in firinc is a 

 peculiar modification of the 'back position, the barrel rests 

 upon the upturned toes, while the heel is tucked into the ri»ht 

 arm-pit. ° 



Lieut. George Fenton is another of the Irish contingents 

 and his great, stalwart form and broad, resolute face have been 

 seen on other occasions at Creedmoor. He is thirty years of 

 age, full 6 feet tall, and weighs 187 lbs. In all his small-bore 

 experience Lieut. Fenton enjoys the peculiarity of never hav- 

 ing scored a miss in a match. He has fired at Dollymount and 

 at \\ imblcdon, and has been on the Irish eieht several times. 

 He is a farm advocate of the prone, or " belly" position in fir- 

 ing, and thinks it as good as any other. 



William Rigby is a cousin of John Rigby, and is associated 

 with that gentleman in the firm of John Rigby & Co makers 

 of the celebrated Rigby Fire arms. He has visited this coun- 

 try as a member of former Irish teams, and in his quiet, al- 

 most solemn way of shooting impresses the spectator as a 

 formidable adversary. He is about forty years of age, and 

 uses a position exactly similar to Milluer's in firinc. He has 

 be«m a pretty steady representative on the Irish eight, and has 

 in private competitions enjoyed a good run of success 



William Ferguson is the sole Scotchman on the team and 

 was fully worthy of his place. He holds the post of color ser- 

 geant m the First Inverness regiment of volunteers and does 

 equally good service at Snider rifle shooting and at long-range 

 work. He is short of stature, about forty years of age and for 

 nearly a score of years has been prize winning on Scotch and 

 English range«. On the Elcho shield Scottish eight Sergt. 

 Ferguson has fired again and again. His posiiion iu firino- is 

 a back one with rifle resting between the crossed legs. 



Arthur Paget Humphry is the youngest man on the team, 

 almost as slim as a whip-stick in build. He is twenty-seven 

 years of age and has not yet dissolved his connection with 

 Cambridge University, his intention being to enter upon the 

 profession of law. He, too, is an old Snider shot and has won 

 the highest distinction attainable to an English volunteer— tie 

 Queen's prize for his corps of the Cambridge University rifler. 

 Latterly he has devoted himself to long-range work and on 

 two occasions has fired on the English eight. He uses the 

 prone position in firing. 



Henry Saville Ward Evans is another of the young men of 

 the team and has a quiet, self-dependent way of working 

 which makes him a team, whose system is to have each shift 

 for himself. 1 Ie is small in build and shoots in a back posiiion 

 peculiar to himself, crossing his legs and pulling off' the 

 trigger with his left hand. He is a barrister and is connected 

 with the Inns of Court Rifles, "the Devil's Own" as they are 

 humorously dubbed. He came over hist year as a friend of 

 the Irish Riflemen, and at home has tired for years at Wimble- 

 don and always with brilliant success. 



Lieut-CoUames Fenton derives his rank from his post in 

 Uie^llh Lancashire Volunteers. His extensive acquaintance 

 with military shooting leads him to keep to the belly position 

 at long range work, making him not so reliable as he other- 

 wise would be. He has for many years been successful in 

 winnmgm place upon the English Eight for the Elcho Shield 

 Match, and to recite the list of his deeds and successes in mi 

 vatc contests would be tedious. He is a stout-built gentleman 

 with lull beard, and filled the post of trusted counselor to Sir 

 Henry. 



A CHAPTER OF ERRORS. 



I. The officers of the American Rifle Association an- 

 nounced a contest for the De Pevstcr Badge at their range 

 at Glendrake on Thursday last, but in place of the Spirited 

 contest in SOO-yai'ds' shooting which was anticipated the 

 day was spent in a wrangle, and ended in a temporary set. 

 lleineut ot (he dispute before a justice of the peace. The 

 badge, which is a valuable one aud much prized by the Na- 

 tional Guard marksmen, has been since the last coiUest 

 some, months ago, field by Lieut. J. A. Gee, of the Eighth 

 Nowlork Regiment, under the custom of allowing"" the 

 winners to hold the trophy, from match to match until it 

 is finally won for the third time. When the hour for shoot- 

 . ; the match had arrived, the trophy was demanded from 

 Lieut. Gee. He >rei used to deliver it until the match had 

 iccn fired. Major Coburn, of the Twenty-scvenlli Reeii 

 merit, the executive officer or (he range, refused to permit 

 the Competition to g<A on until the badge was formally in 

 possession ol the association.. Each of the contestants held 

 to his position and spent the day iu heated discussions of 

 the situation, a number of the Eighth Regiment men and 

 others filling up the time in subscription or sweepstake 

 shooting. When Lieut, Gee came to leave the range late iu 



