Feb. 28, 1882.| 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



71 



one turn in twenty inches, the owners of which are rising 

 seventy halls to the pound, with very satisfactory results. It 

 is evideut that the sharp twiat has nothing to do with the de- 

 flections of the ball (as "D. H. S." infers from the reading of 

 our Van Dyke's letter), hut from some simple cause. Either 

 the- ball D. H. S. uses is too large or too small. Let him try 

 my plan. I have faith in it aha think he will, after trying it. 

 In giving results of experimental rifle shooting, would it not 

 be well Co give the name of rifle, calibre, weight, length, and 

 sharpness of twist, as such data would be of benefit doubt- 

 less? 



Should the advice above given be of "benefit or interest to 

 any one, my objedt in writing will have been attained. 



East End. 



Hoohac Tram-El,, Mass. 



I would like to ask Mr. Van Dyke if a breech-loading rifle 

 will nol shoot steady at fifty yards, how it can do close work 

 at 200 or 300 yards' against a muzzle-loader that will shoot 

 exact at fifty yards," if it is loaded properly and sights 

 raised according 'to the distance? My experience has been 

 that a rifle that did not shoot steady at short rauge would not 

 at long range. It might make a centre shot occasionally, but 

 that would be all chance in my estimation. I agree with Mr. 

 Van Dyke as to the muzzle-loader being the most accurate at 

 fifty yards, but go still further to even 300 yards, and that a 

 patch can be made so as to load a conical ball as true from 

 the muzzle as those set in shells for the breech-loader's use. 

 But the query is to me, how it is that if the ball from the 

 braech-loader gets out of exact range at fifty yards, how it 

 gets back in range at 300 yards. I also agree with the above 

 a.s to the use of round balls at short range. P. .1. 



Glen's Falls, K. Y. 



THAT WONDERFUL SHOTGUN. 



<»tT>YRNE"does not wish to be discourteous, but there are 

 JD some things that are told of as happening in this 

 world that neither he nor any one else can refer to justly 

 without showing somewhat "of discourtesy. Therefore in 

 calling attention to the wonderful score made in "A Record 

 of Deer Shooting" in your issue of Feb. 2, 1882, by Rev. 

 Geo. W. Baines, Jr., of blank city, (if the reverend gentle- 

 man's city had been given I would have written directly to 

 him) in the Choctaw Nation, I fear that I may give personal 

 offence to its writer. If so I cannot help it. My excuse is, 

 and will be, that I am an industrious seeker out of facts and 

 the best guns, and am willing to expend a good deal of time 

 and money and to travel a good ways to get the proof of 

 which is the best shotgun to kill deer neatly' with, or even to 

 see a gun that will perform what this Baker gun is solemnly 

 declared to have done. "Byrne" has repeatedly said that if 

 the ten-bore three-barreled Baker gun can be bored so as to 

 shoot buckshot reasonably well — by reasonably well I mean 

 to kill a deer every time, so that it can be bagged or "hung 

 up" at a distance of thirty-five measured yards without a 

 failure — it would be a very efficient gun with which to 

 Stalk deer. But that our friend's ten-bore Baker gun, or any 

 other ten-bore shotgun, will perform the work that the read- 

 ing of Mr. Baine's note conveys to the reader, "Byrne" docs 

 not believe, and never will believe, until he sees the same 

 kind of work done. Not that "Byrne" wishes to say bluntly 

 that the gentleman has given us purposely an untruthful 

 record, but that he has made a mistake in the length of the 

 Choctaw yard, or some other way, for his note conveys the 

 meaning explicitly that there were all the shots fired at deer 

 on this bunt. 



"Byrne" does not dispute that out of several dozens or 

 hundreds of shots fired at deer at varying distances such 

 effective shots as this record shows could be gathered possi- 

 bly, but barely possibly. ' 'Byrne" will give two thousand 

 dollars for a gun that will make a record such as a person 

 would gather from this article, namely : the seven consecu- 

 tive shots. "Byrne" will pay very high wages for exhibition 

 purposes for the man that can steady the gun well enough to 

 make this record to go along with the gun. "Byrne" will 

 put up turkeys so long as he is young enough to carry them, 

 and let Mr. Baines or anyone else shoot at them with his ten- 

 bore gun for ten cents a shot, seventy-five yards, and give 

 him every turkey he kills, or give two dollars per bird and 

 keep the dead turkeys if the shooter fears be will get too 

 much meat, and he may use any load or any sort or size of 

 loose shot he wishes. "Byrne" will put up chickens at 

 eighty-seven yards, at five cents a shot, for him to shoot at 

 with "No. 6 shot, and give the chicken and two dollars for 

 each one killed. For the rifle-barrel of this wonderful gun 

 "Byrne" will put up deer, or their effigy, at distances 

 ranging from 125 to 173 yards, for one dollar a shot, and 

 give ten dollars for every shot that would "hang up meat," 

 the shots to be made off-hand, hunter style, in the woods, and 

 out bounds allowed for the deer to run after being hit one 

 hundred yards. "Byrne" feels so confident that he can 

 double in "pattern and" force any that your correspondent can 

 make with his ten-bore gun with his five-bore gun bored 

 especially for buckshot, that he will undertake to do it for 

 one hundred consecutive shots for one dollar a shot, each 

 gun to be loaded with loose ammunition as the owner pleases, 

 or any sized shot. Yet "Byrne" believes that the recently 

 made, guns of the make alluded to are among the very best 

 shooting guns of their gauge made anywhere, a well made 

 and very good bargain at the prices they are sold for, 

 and he is also well aware that the five-bore single-barrel 

 muzzle-loading gun that he has used here this winter will 

 not make anywhere near such a score as Mr. Baines' reads, 

 yet he is not afraid to make the above challenges, or to shoot 

 them or to have them shot. 



I was told by the agent at Little Rock, Arkansas, about 

 four months ago, that these three-barreled guns would per- 

 form just such wonders as the Rev. Mr. Baines' records that 

 his has done, or in other records that ''they would kill a 

 deer dead in his tracks every time, 75 to 100 "yards." That 

 was exactly the kind of a gun I wanted to get to hunt with 

 here this winter. But so confident was I that no shotgun in 

 the world would do it with loose ammunition, that 1 ques- 

 tioned closely as to how he would load, and found that he 

 meant that they would do this wonderful work loaded in 

 in just that way with loose shot. I then told him that I 

 thought I had a shotgun with me in the city that would put 

 four times as many"buckshot in a thirty-inch circle, forty 

 yards, as any ten-bore Baker gun that he could produce. He 

 "flared lip" "talked big, told me to bring in my gun," that 

 "such a thing was impossible," he "was ready to shoot any - 

 limc," etCi Three days afterwards, when I brought in my 

 gun, there were too many it's in the way on his part to get up 

 a match. For fear I have made a mistake right here, I will 

 explain that it was in the gimshop that has the agency of 

 the Baker gun, being a stranger, I cannot say that this talk 

 passed between me and the agent himself, or the propr : etor. 



It is possible, and even probable, that I would have been beaten 

 if we had shot, but I thought not, and my money was ready 

 to back my belief. 



"Byrne" has (raveled many a mile and spent a good deal of 

 money in visiting these men thai can hit a silver dollar every 

 time off-hand with a rifle 75 yards, but, has never been SO forlu- 

 nate as to find one who could place ten couseoutivo balls at 

 that distance in that way that could be covered with a coffee- 

 cup saucer, let alone the dollar. He is veiy anxious to see 

 such a feat performed. He has put up chickens sixty-five 

 yards for fifteen to twenty duck hunters with good choke- 

 bore duck guns to shoot at, they to load as they pleased, with 

 the privilege of shooting so long as they wished for five cents 

 a shot, they to have every chicken they hit hard enough so 

 that it could be gathered if it was a duck, and the result was, 

 that when "the boys" had fired forty -seven shots they had 

 bagged three chickens. These chickens were placed standing 

 on a smooth greensward, yet these same men w T ould tell 

 you franklv that their guns wonld kill a duck, a very much 

 harder bird to kill, ' 'seventy -five or eighty yards every time." 

 I write these remarks in the same spirit, lhat "Skeptic" does 

 on page eighteen, of the same issue, which Mr. Baiue's article 

 appears. "Old Time Pistol Shots," and your editorial remarks. 

 "Pistol Scores. " Not to make any one appear to be willfully un- 

 truthful nor to make any one mad. but to try and keep sports- 

 men within the bounds of reason, even when writing fiction— 

 andl willingly admit that 1 sometimes drop a little fiction into a 

 poor hunt, to make a point, or add to its interest, but always 

 try and keep within the bounds of reason or possibilities. 

 Then, to sum up, if Mr, Baine made twenty to fifty shots 

 from which these seven were chosen as examples to show the 

 power of the gun all can believe him, and "Byron" will con- 

 sider- this gun nothing wonderful at all, but yet'good. But if he 

 means as his article reads, that these were seven consecutive 

 shots, and intends to say, and seeks to make us believe, that 

 his gun will make that kind of a record right along, 

 "Byrne," for one. will place himself on record that he be- 

 lieves such a score is absolutely among the impossibilities, 

 will place it alongside of the story of Dr." Wealherly, "killing 

 nine turkeys at "120 yards with a Smith & "Wesson ordinary 

 five-inch, five-shot pistol, killing four out of five shots, as 

 wind, simple wind. 



"Byrne" has very carefully targeted the best make of Smith 

 & "Wesson .38-cal, pistol, a fine shooting weapon, that over- 

 shot; four inches at fifteen steps, with "thirty-eight long" 

 cartridges, seventy-five yards, measured yards, and "found the 

 fall of the ball to be, when aimed exactly, as when it over- 

 shot four inches at fifteen feet, and I .guess that a ball aimed 

 with this same pistol in the same way at 120 yards away, 

 woidd be found to strike twelve feet under the mark. Again, 

 "Byrne" don't believe that it is within the possibihties for 

 Dr." Weatherly or any other man to find a, pistol with a five- 

 inch barrel that when fh'mly placed, practicaly immovable, 

 and one shot fired from it and a turkey placed where that 

 ball hit, will place five balls in succession near enough that 

 spot to kill four turkeys out of five, or two out of five. 



"Byrne" believes that it is within the possibilities for a 

 man to place ten consecutive shots off-hand with a rifle, 

 seventy -five yards, that could all be covered with a saucer, 

 and that there may be a few men that can do it, or even do 

 better, but he has not been so fortunate, as to see one shoot 

 that could do it, even with a dead rest. He has often been 

 able to get within twenty-five or thirty miles of the man who 

 can hit a silver dollar every time, seventy-five yards off-hand, 

 but he always dissolves into very fine mist on his nearer ap- 

 proach. Byrne. 



Crockett's Bluff, Ark. 



Southern Illinois Association.— A committee of this 

 society have issued the following call : In July, 1881 , there 

 was organized in the city of Du Quoin, an association called 

 the "Southern Illinois Sportsmen's Association," having for 

 its objects the securing of proper legislation for the protec- 

 tion of game, birds and fish during the seasons when it is 

 improper to pursue or to kill them; the encouragement of 

 our citizens in their efforts to increase, the varieties and num- 

 bers of our game birds and fish ; and the organization and 

 encouragement of subordinate associations and clubs, for the 

 vigorous enforcement of all laws against the killing, sale, or 

 shipment of any such game, birds or fish. This association 

 is composed of individual members, and not of subordinate 

 clubs or associations. The membership fee is $1, annual 

 dues, $1 (payable in advance) ; and members are liable to an 

 assessment not to exceed $1 in any one year. All well- 

 disposed persons living in the State south of the Ohio and 

 Mississippi Railroad, or in the tier of counties through which 

 said road passes, are cordially invited to come out and join 

 us, to the end that a strong organization for the protection of 

 game, etc., may be built up in this end of the State. Our 

 next annual meeting will be held at Mt. Vernon, 111., on the 

 16th and 17th of May, 1882, when liberal prizes will be 

 offered for proficiency in wing shooting. The association 

 will meet in convention on the night of the 16th. The offi- 

 cers for the ensuing term are: Dr. J. J. Jennelle, Du Quoin, 

 President; John Forsyth, Centralia, First Vice-President; 

 R. G. Sylvester, Carbondale, Second' Vice-President ; C. P, 

 Richards, Du Quoin, Recording and Corresponding Secre- 

 tary; Don Onstott, Du Quoin, Treasurer. Board of Direc- 

 tors— C. A. Hobbs, Mt. Vernon, Chairman; H. M. Condit, 

 Centralia; Sam. Hewitt, Carbondale; Dr. D. H. Parker, 

 Cairo; C. H. St. Clair, Benton. 



Florida Notes.— New York, Feb. 19, 1882.— Having 

 just returned from the wilds of Florida, and noticing in your 

 last issue a message "Rice Bird" communicated, I determined 

 to pen you a little news, mentioning a few of the friends of 

 the Forest and Stream who are now in Florida, of course 

 not including "Al. Fresco" and other residents of the 

 State. My intention in visiting the South was to join the 

 party under Dr. Hcnshall, who contemplated a journey 

 around the coast, but who at present is camped somewhere 

 near Lake "Worth. All like the Doctor, and he probably 

 knows more about Florida than any one, with the exception 

 of say one or two. The original party who contemplated 

 mailing the trip with the Doctor consisted of himself and 

 wife, B. H. Mayor and wife, the latter, Mrs. Mayor, being a 

 wonderful shot with either shotgun or rifle, and a great lover 

 of nature and sport, as also is her husband, whom you know 

 as a correspondent, and many of your readers as an "enthusiast 

 in field sports and a sure shot. Next comes C. L. Jordan, from 

 Texas, the most ardent sportsman and expert fisherman I ever 

 knew. John Norton, of Bristol, Conn. , also joined the party, 

 well known by a large circle of readers of the Forest and 

 Stream a.s a "true sportsman" and a "staunch friend." 

 Frank Strobar must not be forgotten, as he is a professional 

 sailor, guide and sportsman, and I would advise anyone, 

 going to Indian River, Florida, to see him and get advice' and 

 information, which he will gladly give gratis. I have 



secured the promise of all persons mentioned to give the 

 Forest and Stream a full ae count of their delightful trip 

 through Southern Florida. I will some time in future give a 

 description of some, of my many Wanderings and adventures 

 in Southern Florida myself.— .\rnrsT Tine. 



New Hampshire Game Caw.— The amended game law 

 of New Hampshire makes the open season for deer, moose 

 and Caribou from Sept. 1 lo Dec. 1, and makes it penal to 

 capture alive, as well as to kill any during close time. Gray 

 squirrels are also protected until Sept. 1; and rabbit-shooting 

 changed from Oct. 1 to Sept. 1, so that with the exception of 

 woodcock, ducks and upland plover, which may be shot in 

 August, all shooting begins Sept. 1, and there is no excuse 

 for any one taking a gun into the woods before that time and 

 shooting young raffed grouse under the pretence that he is 

 after gray" squirrels. — Sam. Webber. 



Another Old Gra. — L. G. Parke, of Camden, N. .1.. 

 has a revolutionary relic in the shape of a powder-horn. It 

 was made by his grandfather, at the age of eighteen, then 

 a soldier in the revolutionary war, from the horn of an ox 

 slaughtered for beef in the' army. The surface is almost 

 entirely covered with carving, among which are representa- 

 tions of fortifications, buildings, ships, weapons, etc., and 

 the following inscription: 



"Daniel * Parke \* his * horn; Roxbury, 1775. 18 Jyr. 

 liberty or death." 



The horn is evidently in just as good condition as it ever 

 was. 



Highland Park, III.— Feb. 13, 1882.— The first flock 

 of pigeons seen by myself was a week ago, and since then 

 they have been coming very fast. Both bluebirds and 

 robins are here, and the Chicago markets are full of ducks 

 and geese. I have not seen so mild weather and so much of it 

 in February since 1864, and that was in the latter part of the 

 month. In that year snipe were found by myself on the 

 Illinois River, on" March 4th. On two different occasions 

 since I have been living here my dogs have treed woodchuek. 

 Once, in a giant oak, the woodchuek only ascended to the 

 first fluff), but in the other case he took to a tree so tall and 

 slender that two of us w r ere unable to shake him out. — Harrv 

 Hunter. 



Adirondack Lands. — Before now, we have suggested the 

 need of action on the part of the State of New York to care 

 for the Adirondack park, the magnificent but unappreciated 

 property of the State — unappreciated because a, gross, sordid 

 disposition to turn it all to money fails to get satisfaction; 

 and we are. in hearty accord with an editorial of the TJtiea 

 Hardd's which expands a suggestion made by Governor 

 Cornell into the advice that the "Legislature put a stop to the 

 stupid sale of Adirondack lands and set to work to save or 

 restore the forests. Any citizen of the State, furnished with 

 the average amount of information, is aware that no one buys 

 a tract of Adirondack timber land save to denude it of trees 

 and surrender it again. While money-grasping vandals may 

 be eager to ruin this fine piece of scenery, the State of New 

 York ought to be able to refuse the petty revenue it derives 

 by sacrificing so much beauty and natural wealth. There is 

 not a county in the Northern part of the State that is not 

 pecuniarily" interested in keeping the Adirondack park an 

 attractive and delightful resort. The forest supply, science 

 shows, is intimately associated with the amount of yearly 

 rainfall; while, as the Herald, reminds us all, "we need" these 

 waters if wc are to preserve our canal system," and, of 

 course, the lakes are dependent on the rainfall. Let the 

 Legislature make haste to stay the destruction of the public 

 forests. — Syracuse Standard. 



The Ohio Trouble. — Wauseon, O., Feb. 16.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: Examine the inclosed slip, and remember 

 that this represents the intelligence of our game law makers. 

 The report is taken from a daily paper: "There was consid- 

 erable discussion this afternoon over Mr. Patterson's bill to 

 protect wild fowl in the State of Ohio, and providing a fine 

 and imprisonment for any man who hunts prairie chickens, 

 quail, duck and other birds otherwise than with the regular 

 shoulder gun. Mr. Liceysaid he should vote against the 

 bill because he did not believe in hunters roaming at large 

 over other people's property and shooting wildly and reck- 

 lessly around and destroying and maiming horses, cattle, etc. 

 Mr. Licey said that last fall some of these reckless, lawless 

 hunters were on his premises, and seeing one of his fine 

 heifers, remarked that it would make a fine mark to shoot 

 at, and finally one shot at it and killed it, therefore he should 

 vote against the bill, as he did not want hunting at all. Mr, 

 Alexander moved to amend so as to include cows in the list 

 of things that it would be unlawful to kill before January. 

 1884. The bill finally passed with a few votes against it"" 

 The bill will pass and shut us out of shooting in Ohio for 

 two years more. Plenty of birds will be left for the cats, 

 the hawks, foxes and pot-hunters' shooting every winter, 

 while the sportsman, who never shoots more than he wants 

 for himself, and never "ground mashes," will be shut out, 

 and no more birds left in '84 than now. I am ready to give 

 away a fine dog. — H. 



Trapping in Arkansas. — A three weeks' trip to White 

 county, Ark., in January, did not show us as much sport and 

 game as we anticipated. Taking passage by through ex- 

 press from Philadelphia, we landed at Kensett, Ark., In just 

 forty-seven hours. The weather was unusually disagreeable, 

 being a succession of cloudy, rainy and sleety days, so that 

 we scarcely had half a dozen days of pleasant sunshine dur- 

 ing our whole stay. Had not been in town two hours before 

 we saw a dead deer brought in on a horse. It had been 

 killed about three-quarters of a mile out of town. The 

 very unfavorable crop year just past made almost every 

 man turn hunter, and in consequence of which deer and all 

 kind of game had to suffer. Our host informed us that he 

 had no doubt but there had been from 1,500 to 2,000 deer 

 alone shipped out of White county the present season; this 

 may seem large, but it is probably very little exaggerated. We 

 spent ten days camping with a party of Green county (Ohio) 

 boys trapping on Little Red River, and in that time moved 

 down on to White River. They had not had much success, 

 owing partly to the scarcity of coon and mink and from the 

 fact that there is much more trapping done of late years than 

 formerly, and the fur-bearing animals are growing much 

 scarcer. The better trapping is further sorTfh, even into 

 Louisiana, but then the fur is of little value and but few spare 

 the trouble and time of catching it. The principal fur of that 

 section of Arkansas adjacent to Little Red River and White 

 River, is raccoon and mink, and they both declined from 25 

 to 33 per cent, from last year, so that there is but little 

 money in trapping in that part of the country.— J Lee 



SlEEDLHY. 



