May 25, 1882.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



327 



fdtr\e !§,iq m\d 



HUNTING EXPERIENCES. 



SOME OBSERVATIONS UPON DOOSj ET AX. 



NEARLY all the correspondents of the Forest and 

 Stream, who have written on the subject have spoken 

 of Ihe scarcity of quail during the prist season. In this 

 section Uiere were plenty of birds in the spring to stock it 

 fully, and as the weather during the nesting and rearing 

 period was apparently well suited for it, our "sportsmen iu 

 dulged the hope of an abundant crop, so that they might 

 have all the amusement they desired. But, for some cause 

 or causes unknown, to me, these hopes were blasted, and it 

 was rarely the ease, that the most industrious and skillful 

 hunter was fully rewarded for his toil. In all my exper- 

 ience I never have known such a small number. It is 

 possible that, the severe drought -which prevailed over 

 the entire South, had something to do with it, inasmuch 

 as the vegetation was so stunted, that the open fields 

 offered no cover to the incubating birds, or to the young 

 ones after hatching; and the nests as well as the young chicks 

 fell an easy prey to their numerous enemies. I can conceive 

 of no other reason. But it is a fact that the birds were un- 

 usually scarce in the central part of the State, in some locali- 

 ties of which is to be found, as a general thing, as fine sport 

 as the country affords. I have been told by persons of entire 

 credibility, that it is uot uncommon for two fair dogs to find 

 during the course of a day from twenty to thirty covies in 

 that particular section. 



The statements of persons who are not familiar with the 

 habits of this bird, as to its abundance, must always be taken 

 with very "many grains of allowance." Its daily range is 

 quite circumscribed, and a man may flush the same covey a 

 half dozen different times, and suppose he has found a new 

 one. Because of too much trust in such representations, I 

 have often been subjected to bitter disappointment, and this 

 has happened to me, more than ever, during the past season. 

 Still t have had some sport, and a good deaf of healthful exer- 

 cise in getting it. The hope of finding a stid better place was 

 exhilarating enough to .give strength and elasticity to the 

 muscles, and when night came on, my couch was always a 

 bed of down, to which I went without waiting to recount 

 the haps and mishaps of the day. 



Several weeks ago two of us, ' 'well armed and equipped" 

 for a big hunt, went up on the Pee Dee, in the county of 

 Anson, to meet with a friend and lover of the gun, who had 

 given us a glorious account of the birds which he felt surf 

 abounded in some plantations ten or twelve miles further up 

 the river. We carried with us, besides our guns, hundreds 

 of loaded shells and three dogs. What their blood is I do 

 not know. They have high-sounding pedigrees, but any one 

 who has a dog for sale can write a pedigree royal enough for 

 the most aident believer in blood. Ours may be Laverack, 

 Llewellin, Limberger, LackaWana, Hopskip, Jumpit or 

 Humbugiana, for aught I know, or they may be a combina- 

 tion of all the breeds — the refined Mongrel — but they have 

 bottom, speed, nose and staunchness, with no mean retriev- 

 ing qualities, and we believed they could find the birds if 

 the birds could be found. Mark, a lemon and white setter 

 of four years, a fine hunter, steady as a stone fence, and an 

 excellent retriever; Lena, a liver-colored bitch of two and a 

 half years, who has a pedigree as long as a Welshman's, or 

 as a Plea in Chancery, the general characteristics of a setter, 

 except that her tail looks very like that; of a pointer, but a 

 fair hunter; and a toothless old waif, which was picked up as 

 he was tramping about the country ownerless, and called by 

 us, from his evident antiquity, the Mound Builder, (he is non- 

 historic, if not prc-historic)— these were our dogs. The last 

 named is white and orange, and, notwithstanding his age, 

 he possesses a physical vigor I have never seen surpassed. 

 Though staunch he evinces very little earnestness when on a 

 Stand, and is regardless of all obligation to hunt any where 

 within half a mile of the sportsman. Thus prepared we 

 reached the river at. the appointed hour, halloed to ourfriend, 

 the owner of "Saint's Rest," who soon came with his "flat," 

 into which our buggies were driven, and we were trans- 

 ported in safety to the promised land. Very soon we 

 reached his hospitable house and were cordially received by 

 his excellent wife, whom he styles Molly Stark, who gave us 

 a sub tintial and well -prepared dinner, and treated us, in all 

 respects, as only a well-bred, unpretending and sensible 

 woman knows how to do. His friends say that the madam 

 is far too good for him — is this unusual?— -and wonder is 

 often expressed how he happened to such good fortune as to 



secure her, and she such ? fortune as to be captured by 



him. Bui such questions suggest themselves too often to 

 admit of long solution, and I shall be far from attempting to 

 grapple with the vexing problem. After we had done full 

 justice to the dinner, helped Bishop Crickett, our host, fix up 

 his "tricks," we started for the happy hunting grounds, our 

 host bestriding his favorite mule, with "Slikes." his hunting 

 hoy behind him, and Kate, Ids setter bitch, following in a 

 gentle trot. We reached our several destinations about, sun- 

 down, having agreed to breakfast together the following 

 morning; and then started out to enjoy our anticipated sport. 

 We met at the appointed time, and were joined by two 

 local sportsmen, one of whom is an excellent shot on the 

 wing, and his equal as a turkey hunter caimot be found. 

 Soou we start off, dividing into three parties. "Bunk" and 

 1 look his dog Brown and my Lena; Teceel and the Bishop 

 — he does not belong to the Episcopate, but the name is a 

 euphouism only — took Mark and Kate and the Mound 

 Builder; and Wat L. and George D. a little setter bitch 

 called Lile, who has energy, without, so far as I could see, 

 any other recommendation. Soou after we separated, Lena 

 in running down the wind flushed a covey, which sell led in 

 the open stubble. "Bunk" got out; of his buggy, and 1 dis- 

 mounted from my horse. We went up, flushed the birds, 

 and each brought down two, Where the others went we 

 never could tell; but, as the day opened well, not doubting 

 that we could find as many as we wanted, we left them to 

 seek others for the tilling of our bags. The report of our 

 guns brought the Mound Builder, who stuck to us— or rather 

 occasionally showed himself to us— during the entire day. 

 But the old adage is, that, "a good beginning makes a bad 

 ending;" and such was the experience we httO. The country 

 looked as if it was a favorite place for birds, but they were 

 not there. At night we had twenty -six, of which the owner 

 of Lile could justly claim but one. I got thirteen and 

 "Bunk" twelve. Teceel. the Bishop and Dock, a ,son of T. 

 who, for a bov, shoots well, succeeded in getting thirty- 

 three. The following day our luck was not near so good, 

 and we determined to see what could be done nearer home — 



the Bishop having told us that he had heard "birds were 

 plentiful" on the old Martin plantation, just below the mouth 

 of Brown Creek. To that we devoted an afternoon, and 

 found, instead of an abundance, a decided scarcity of 

 whal we sought. With feelings approaching disgust we re- 

 turned to the "Bishop's Palace," reaching its hospitable por- 

 tals about sundown, received a kindly welcome, a good sup- 

 per which the hostess had ready for our enjoyment, and soon 

 retired to bed, having agreed to take an early start the fol- 

 lowing morning to scour some neighboring plantations, in 

 the hope of obtaining better sport than any which we had 

 had. 



So, after a night's repose, sweet and refreshing as few ex- 

 cept "laboring "men" enjoy — there are plenty of "laboring 

 men" besides those who have the gus'ang admiration and 

 solicitude of Congressmen — and a he ,rty breakfast, we set 

 out. It is useless to particularize tie incidents of our last 

 day in the fields. Mark and the Mound Builder held out 

 admirably, whilst Kate who spends little energy in "widen- 

 ing circles," was apparently fresh as she was on the first 

 day. Lena had lost her owner the preceding afternoon, and 

 was "a Btranger in a strange land," but was found the next 

 morning. We started six or eight covies and bagged thirty- 

 eight birds, my score being disgustingly meagre, The 

 entire footing up showed that we had seciired one hundred 

 and twenty -one during the hunt, ■ The following morning 

 we bade, our friends adieu, and returned to our homes, prom- 

 ising that when November comes again, the visit will be 

 renewed, if life and health and other conditions will allow. 



Early in December of the past year, owing to the glowing 

 accounts we had received of the abundance of birds, Teceel, 

 Bro. Duffrey, Mud and myself, concluded to visit the county 

 of Chatham, and especially the "Hickory Mountains" sec- 

 tion of it, lying nine miles west of the town of Pittsboro, 

 Teceel and Mud carried sixteen-bore guns, Duffrey a twenty- 

 bore, and I a twelve. We were amply provided with loaded 

 shells, unless we should have the good fortune to have over 

 eight hundred shots. But we did not have a good supply of 

 dogs, having been disappointed in securing one or two which 

 had been promised for this special occasion. Having seen 

 an advertisement of a bitch represented to be young, healthy, 

 staunch, and "a splendid retriever from land and water," 

 and needing just such a one for the hunt, I wrote to the 

 advertiser to send her on by express, and, if she was as re- 

 commended, 1 would send him a check for the price asked 

 in the advertisement. She came as I had requested, but 

 looked as if there had been a famine in the land where she was 

 raised. My hopes fell very low when I saw her, but I con- 

 cluded to take her on and give her a fair trial. 



Besides this bitch, Bro. Duffrey had his dog Bob, and 

 Teceel a good-looking young setter belonging to Dr. T. of 

 Wilmington, who wanted him to have some country air, and 

 a little training during the season, his professional services 

 confining him to the service of his patients. He has the 

 somewhat significant name of Nix. Thus prepared, we took 

 the train for.Moncure, a station of the Raleigh and Augusta 

 Air Line Road, which bears the same relation to Pittsboro 

 that Callao does to the City of Lima — it is its port. Arriving 

 about day, we repaired to an unpretending hotel, got our 

 breakfast, and soon thereafter started for the residence of a 

 gentleman where we were to make our headquarters during 

 our stay. He met us in Pittsboro, and we reached his house 

 late in the afternoon. When we got within two miles of his 

 house, Bro. Duffrey, Mud and I concluded we would range 

 through some inviting looking fields and get a supply of 

 birds for our morning's meal. "Bob" and the bitch, who 

 was "staunch and a good retriever from land and water," 

 were lo do duty for us, while Teceel went forward with our 

 host, meaning to give Nix a trial in some iuclosures near the 

 dwelling. Both our dogs were wild, but the bitch showed 

 her careful training by defying all authority, leaving me to 

 indulge my philosophy and patience, while she roamed _ at 

 will beyond the range of my vision, apparent^ endeavoring 

 to show me. that she meant to demonstrate that this was a 

 free country, and that she was the freest of the free. I fear 

 I was not very amiable while she was exhibiting thefieetness 

 of her limbs, and felt much disposed to doubt whether she 

 had ever hunted anything except crusts of bread and bones 

 with which to sate "her morbid appetite. Since then I have 

 had little faith in the "tricks of trade" which are seen in 

 advertisements, regarding them as intended mainly to "entrap 

 the unwary" purchaser, and cause him to pay out his money 

 for a comparatively valueless article. Despairing of ever 

 being able to command obedience from her, and chock full 

 of disgust and anger I left the untractablc bitch to indulge 

 her own fancies, while I followed Bro. Duffrey and "Bob," 

 in the hope that he, at least, had not lost the benefits of his 

 education. After going a few hundred yards Bob showed 

 signs that ".something was in the wind,"*and just then the 

 bitch made her appearance and came up to me near a high 

 fence by which I was standing. 



Pretty soon, to my astonishment, she indicated a "stand," 

 looking through the fence, as if the game was there. But as 

 there was no cover, I regarded it as a "false point." Con- 

 cluding, however, that it was barely possible that some 

 flushed bird had found refuge in that' unlikely spot, 1 got 

 ready for the contingency. She would not "hie on" and 1 

 crossed the fence to flush the bird myself, if any was 

 there. To my astonishment a cock whirred off, from within 

 three feet of her nose, and she started in full pursuit, to 

 catch it. I shot it down, and then yelled until I was hoarse, 

 trying to call her back. She did come at Last, I endeavored 

 to make her "fetch," but that was just what she did not 

 mean to do. What a "retriever from land!" 



On we went, after Brother D. had bagged a bird — the 

 others of the covey being nan inventus— -xwA soon reached a 

 valley which gave fine promise of sport, Away went the 

 ' 'staunch retriever, " in her lawless flight, Until she disappeared 

 in the thicket several hundred yards away. Bob caught, the 

 contagion, defied all authority and flushed a fine covey, 

 which settled in a patch of impenetrable briars. We got 

 several chance shots, and managed to secure two or three 

 birds. In the meanwhile, my bitch, who had coursing in her 

 veins the gentle blood of the United Kingdom, showed her 

 lineage by flushing every bird she found, or ran over, and 

 chasing them with all the headlong vigor she had; and this 

 she continued to do until the "sable goddess" took "her 

 ehon throne." With light bags and heavy hearts we took 

 up the toilsome journey, and " wen ry o'er the hills our course 

 did homeward 'bend." Not being able to "retrieve" the 

 hitch, I left her in the full enjoyment of her liberty, trusting 

 that When it became dark her appetite, if not her sense of 

 duty, would lead her to quit the chase* But; as she was on 

 trial only, and not mine, and had exhibited such unmistak- 

 able disregard of all obligation to do what was promised in 

 her behalf. 1 thought it economical, at least, to stop after I 

 had gone aOout five hundred yards, and invoke her presence 



by the vigorous use. of my whistle, with an occasional yell to 

 the full extent of the power of my lungs. At last she came 

 up — not because I had lost her, but because she had lost me. 

 And then, being a stranger in those parte, I was lost, and 

 had to halloo for Bro. Duffrey. His then especially sweet 

 voice came in soft music to my ears, and slowly 1 dragged 

 my weary limbs toward the spot where I knew I should 

 have a kindly welcome, a substantial supper, and a chance 

 to stretch my languid frame for soft aud sweet, repose, per- 

 haps to dream of "retrieving," the following day, all the 

 lost glories of the one that was passed. Before retiring, 

 however, I cleaned my gun and fed my valuable ^canine 

 acquisition. She " set" to the victuals well and " retrieved " 

 them in the most cultivated style. In that she^showed her 

 breeding. 



The next, morning 1 noticed a throbbing about her head, 

 Which Teceel, who is "high larnt" on the dog question, pro- 

 nounced one of the rcliquim of distemper. But she was cap- 

 able of eating a fu'l bait. We left early ; Teceel and I to- 

 gerher.with the wild bitch, and the very tame Nix— the fierce. 

 Lueretia and the gentle Tarquin— and Bro. D, and Mud, 

 willi Bob. The bitch was less wild, having tired herself 

 somewhat by the exertions of the preceding day, and Nix 

 managed not only to keep within sight, but never to get more 

 than thirty yards* from the sportsmen. This was, probably, 

 either the result of his affection for his guardian, or a whole- 

 some fear of varmints, if he got beyond the range of the guns. 

 Well, we had a lonely time, with these antipodal canines. 

 The bitch did set a few covies— nearly all she found, I pre- 

 sume; but when they flushed, she was moved with an irresist- 

 ible desire to be on hand when they settled, and would have 

 been there always, but; for the fact that the birds flew faster 

 than she could run. Now and then wc got iu ahead of her, 

 because of her want of recognition of their locality, and 

 secured a bird. Nix did retrieve, and that was about all he 

 would do. 



Brother D. and Mud had kept up a considerable fusilade 

 during the day, and we were apprehensive that they would 

 play the chanticleer on us at night. This excited us to 

 remarkably hard work; but with all our efforts in this re- 

 gard, we had the pleasure of finding but few birds. And, of 

 course, when the lengthening shadows warned us that we 

 must return, we had Tittle difficulty in carrying the game 

 in our bags. The whole of that day's work amounted to just 

 twenty -three birds. When we met our rivals, we were, not 

 much displeased to learn that their success had been less than 

 ours. 



The next day ill fortune clung to us. Game was scarce, 

 and our dogs gave abundant evidence of having been sorely 

 taxed by their labors. Our bitch being too much fagged to 

 run at large, behaved herself much better, and did some good 

 work, not only in finding and setting birds, but in occasion- 

 ally retrieving in good style. Still, I determined that she 

 was far below the'standard of my hopes, and that the best 

 thing I could do would be to return her to the party who 

 had sent her. So, on the following day. after we had 

 started for the railroad, disgusted with the dog and the hunt, 

 a gentleman who had called to see us suggested that ho 

 knew of some fields on our road, where he thought We 

 could find far more birds than we had yet seen, and pre- 

 vailed on us to make the effort, I left my dog in the wagon, 

 not caring to be worried with her any more, but Bro. D. 

 insisted that I give her another chance. I did so, and she 

 soon stood a covey. Then they flushed, she pursued, as 

 usual, and got beyond my sight. 'Not long after this I heard 

 a gun about two hundred yards off, and the piercing cry of 

 a dog. I supposed that Bro. D. had given Bob the benefit, 

 of a load to teach him obedience, and called to Mud to come 

 on with the dog. His faint voice came back, "She's shot." 

 Not. many minutes elapsed before I saw Bro. D. coming up 

 with the' unfortunate dog, the victim of undue zeal, iu his 

 arms, looking as if his very heart was broken. Sure enough, 

 he had accidentally given her the entire contents of one of 

 his barrels, she having run between him and the bird just as 

 be was in the act of shooting. She now carries fully fifty 

 No. 9 shot between her shoulders. That mishap made a 

 trade, for I could not return her. She got well in a. few 

 weeks, and future trials and some, severe discipline hnve 

 made her a pretty fair hunter. Possibly Bro. D. taught her 

 a lesson. 



It is but just to say that usually the region where we 

 hunted is one of the finest places for birds in (lie State. A 

 few years before, three gentlemen, in three days, and on the 

 same" fields, killed two hundred and fifty and 'left hundreds 

 for breeding. But the naked stubble fields enabled the 

 hawks to play havoc with them the past year. Notwith- 

 standing we did poorly in the trial, we had a pleasant time, 

 and think of making an effort in the future for better luck 

 in the same territory. Wells. 



COLORADO STATE ASSOCIATION. 



IN response to the call issued May 4, a meeting of sports- 

 men convened at Denver May 17. The Republican of 

 that city reports ; 



The room was filled with gentlemen from different sections 

 of the State, and the interest manifested was of such a nature 

 as to show that in the organization of the proposed associa- 

 tion there was to bean earnestness and hearty co-operation 

 that would insure the objects and ends sought to be accom- 

 plished. Among those present were: Charles Kiessig, Lead- 

 ville Rifle Club; A. W. Hogle, J. M. Fisher, George B. 

 Dougan aud D. H. Dougan, Leadville Gun Club; W. C. 

 Sanders, C. L. Hanna. Greeley ; W. E. Sistv, Idaho Springs; 

 J. M. Roberts, F. M. Keith. American Field Club, Pueblo; 

 T. J. Batz, W. L. Bayles, South Pueblo Gun Chili, E. G. 

 Owens, W. N. Bvers.'W. Y. Sedan, OhaHes h. Dow. 11. S. 

 G. Davis, W. B. Davis, C. 0. Comptou, J. C. Woods, J. M. 

 Anderson, Mix Neef, Charles Roth, J. Harrison Mills, J. 

 Cook, Jr.. W. M. Anderson. .John P. Lower, L. Kershaw, 

 II. VV. Baldwin and Judge Molt, of Denver. 



Judge Molt stated the object of the meeting to be the 

 organization of tin association for the protection of game 

 and fish— to see that the State, laws were not. violated. Fisli 

 and game could not be protected unless through a regularly 

 organized and incorporated association. The object is to 

 have a central organization at Denver, after which it is 

 posed to organize auxiliaries or branches in every county in 

 Colorado. The association at Denver, however, is to be the 

 head — in the nature of a State organization. 



W. N. Byers was selected as Chairman and Jacob S. 

 Sedan, Secretary. 



The plan of 'organization was discussed at some length, 

 and it was finally determined to limit the existence of the 

 organization to twenty years; to incorporate under the laws 

 of the State under the name of "The Colorado Gara and 

 Fish Protective Association." It was decided to chose r.t'ue 



