FOREST AND STREAM 
124 . 
ifle. 
GAME IN SEASON FOR APRIL. 
1 Wild fowl, snipe and geese to April 15th. The remainder of the 
\ month is a close season. 
£ —-—® ' 
[ Under the head of “ Game, and Ftsa in /Season'" ice can only specify in 
i general terms the several varie'ies, because the laws of States vary so much 
' that were we to attempt to particularize we could do no less than publish 
those entire sections that relate to the kinds of game in question. This 
> W ou,ld require a great amount of our space. In designating gam£ we are 
! guided by the laws of nature , upon which all legislation is founded , and 
■ our readers would do well to provide themselves with the laws of their re¬ 
spective States for constant reference. Otherwise , our attempts to assist them 
will only createrconfusion .] 
\ * 
—On Thursday of last week Messrs. A. C. Lawrence, 
Peter Lynch, and party, accompanied by two brace of set- 
55 ters, started for Virginia to shoot English snipe. We now 
have the pleasure of seeing evidence of his field ability, 
' and to thank Mr. Lawrence for his very handsome present 
of fifteen brace of English snipe which are now getting 
quite rare. This cautious and thorough field sportsman 
: must have found out some splendid feeding’grounds, as the 
birds are plump, and arrived in most excellent condition. 
Where is’t? Won’t you tell us, Lawrence? One of the 
( cock birds we shall have stuffed as it is of extra size and 
\ weight, and will make a handsome addition to our collec- 
| tion. 
—The Illinois State Sportsmen’s Association, recently or- 
; ganized for the protection of game in that State, is calcu¬ 
lated to accomplish a vast amount of good. We would 
like to see its example followed in other States where such 
associations do not now exist. There is nothing like co-op- 
J erative effort, and where all the various clubs of any State 
: are or become subsidiary to one central organization, much 
l effective power can be wielded in the enforcement of laws 
and penalties, and the securing of intelligent legislation 
upon all matters relating to the protection and propagation 
• of game and fish. The officers of the Illinois State Asso- 
ciation. recently elected, are, President—JohnV. LeMoyne, 
l of Chicago; Vice President—W. T. Johnson, of Chicago; 
) Second Vice President—John L. Pratt, of Sycamore; Sec¬ 
retary—Luther E. Shinn, of Chicago; Treasurer—C. B. 
Miller, of G-enesee. 
Its first annual meeting will be held in Chicago on the 
is; first Tuesday of next June, at which time a pigeon shoot¬ 
ing tournament will be held. 
H 
—The Germantown Telegraph says:— 
1 ‘Usually very good snipe shooting can be had at this 
season on the meadows near Woodbury, and also on the 
marshes a mile or two this side of Chester. The English 
snipe is sometimes found in moderate numbers along the 
II] ow ground on Pensauccon and Timber creeks. The best 
|{shooting, however, within a few hours ride of this city, 
can be had at Port-Penn, Delaware, and Salem, New 
Jersey. There the meadows are very extensive and the 
birds not so much disturbed.” 
« !i The New Sharpe’s Sight.— Passing through Hartford, 
Ja representative of the Forest and Stream was glad to 
«avail himself of the polileness of Mr. G. W. Yale, Superin- 
nfendent of the Sharpe’s Rifle Manufacturing Co., to try 
c’-their new improved system of sighting applied to their 
-rifles. The mechanism was of the simplest character, 
though of exceeding delicacy, allowing the riflemen to 
Jmove the back sight, to the most minute fractions of an 
i: inch. The peep sight is used. In front of the rifle, there 
s'is also a most carefully adjusted sight, permitting the fore¬ 
sight to be moved to the right or left, so as to allow for in- 
fluences of drift or wind. The mechanical portions seemed 
to be careful in every detail, and are likely to produce the 
[Vbcst results. It has been before asserted by the Forest 
' and Stream that we knew of but little of improvement to 
ltel be made generally in the construction of the gun itself, but 
p . stress was laid on the fact, that shooting at long ranges, 
:Avhat was required was the most careful sighting, and that 
i a mechanism was wanted which would be capable of being 
adjusted to the fractional parts of inches, both in the back 
and front of the arm. The shooting made by our repre¬ 
sentative at Hartford was guided by Mr. Yale, who ex¬ 
plained in detail the working of the Sharpe rifle, and the 
^facility of adjustment was practically demonstrated in 
’ shooting at various ranges. We suppose the necessary ele¬ 
vation or depression of the rifles manufactured by all our 
Goading makers are at present pretty well understood, with 
( the weight of projectile and charge of powder required for 
(pall ranges, but we are inclined to think that questions of 
ii* 1 drift, effects of temperature, of light and shade, and of the 
iC disturbances of wind, quite vital to long range shooting, re- 
v quire as yet no end of patient toil, trouble, and experiment. 
f What is certain is, that the Sharpe Rifle Cc! have spared 
I no labor or expense to give their justly celebrated arm a 
unost effective and excellent sight. 
| Weight op Powder. —Many of our correspondents ask 
,to give them a proper standard for measuring powder. We 
ji are indebted to Mr. P. G. Sandford, the expert in the late 
fl'gun trial, for the following weights which have been ar¬ 
il rived at with a great deal of care:— 
The measured drachm of powder weighs 27 11-32 grains, 
.Troy. 
j The measured ounce of powder weighs 437 :§• grains, Troy,. 
,or 16 drachms. 
The measured pound of powder weighs 7,000 grains, or 
,250 drachms of 27 11-32 grains, Troy, each. 
• Our riflemen may find this guage of weights useful in 
• making up their cartridges to a nicety, as will our pigeon 
if shooters or those testing guns. 
J —Last January some gentlemen placed 250 quail in Har- 
[pford County, Maryland, about ten miles from Havre de 
(Grace, A fortnight ago they were all doing well, but had 
jlnot paired yet. 
—Some time ago the JSf. 0. Times, noticed some very 
clever shooting at 600 feet, with eighteen pound rifles, shot 
off hand, where three contestants, Messrs. Wintter, Shipley 
and Pflucklialin all made good shooting. The Mobile Regis¬ 
ter of last week states that the Mobile Rifle Club have quite 
as efficient marksmen as can be found in Louisianna. We 
quote as follows:— 
Last summer Col. J. M. Williams, shooting 200 yards, 
off hand, with a Remington breech-loader, cal. 42, succeed¬ 
ed in hitting the centre three shots out of five. For the 
benefit of the uninitiated, we explain that the centre, or 
“25” spot on a 25 ring target, is one half inch in diameter. 
Another member of tlie Mobile Club, since deceased, with 
a Smith & Wesson rifle, cal. .32, off hand, 200 yards, made 
two 25s and one 22 in five shots; the 22 is If inches from the 
centre. The writer was present on both occasions, and 
took the score as the shots were made. Of course there 
was some luck in this shoot; neither party expected to ever 
make such a score again. Neither gun had a hair trigger, 
though both had globe and peep sights. 
If Col. Williams will only try his Remington at 800, 900 
and 1,000 yards and report his shooting to the Amateur 
Rifle Club of this City, providing he can do anything like 
as well as at 200 yards, he would be just the man wanted to 
make one of our home team who are to enter against the 
Irish team at Creedmoor this coming September. 
—Ira A. Paine of this city, and James Ward of Toronto, 
Canada, shot a match at pigeons at Woodside Park, near 
Stamford, Conn., on March 25th. The conditions of 
the contest on that day were as follows :—Each to 
shoot at 100 birds, fifty single birds twenty-one yards 
rise, from H and T traps, Rhode Island rules, and 
twenty-five double birds, eighteen yards rise, from steel 
plunge traps, Forester Club of Buffalo rules, the one killing 
the most out of a hundred to win, for $500 a side and the 
championship of America, Paine to bring the birds on the 
ground in two baskets, and Ward to name what basket was 
to be shot from first. The following is the score:— 
SINGLE BIRDS. 
James Ward—1 0 1 1 1, 1 1 1 1 1, 1 1 1 1 0, 0 1 1 1 1, 
11111, 11111, 11111, 11111, 1010 1, 1 
1111. Total, 50; killed 45; missed, 5. 
Ira A. Paine—1 001 1, 1401 1, 1 1 1 1 1, 1111 
1, 1 1 1 1 1, 1 1 1 1 1, 1 1 1 1 1, 1 1 1 1 1, 0 1 0 1 0, 
110 10. Total, 50; killed, 43; missed, 7. 
DOUBLE BIRDS. 
Ira A. Paine—1 1, 0 1‘ 1 1, 1 0, 1 1, 1 1, 1 0, 1 0, 0 
1, 1. 1, 0 1, 1 1, 1 0 1 0, 1 1, 1 1, 1 1, 1 0, 1 1, 1 1, 1 
1, 1 1, 1 0, 1 0, 0 1. Total, 25 pairs; killed, 38; missed 
12 . 
James Ward—0 1, 1 1, 1 1, 0 1, 0 1, 1 0, 0 1, 0 1, 0 
1, 0 0, 1 0, 1 1, 0 0, 0 1, 1 1, 1 1, 1 1, 0 0, 1 1, 1 1, 1 
1, 1 1, 1 1, 0 0, 1 1. Total, 25 pairs; killed, 33; missed, 
17. 
Ira A. Paine killed 81, shot 37 straight birds, missed 19. 
James Ward killed 78, shot 26 straight birds, missed 21. 
Referee—Oliver Johnson, Providence, R. I.; Judge for 
Paine—Ernest Staples, New York.; Judge for War 1—Henry 
Miller, Toronto. 
.Wichita, Kansas, March 24, 1874. 
Editor Forest and Stream.— 
Please find score of a sweepstake pigeon match that came off yester¬ 
day, Jthe 23d. There were eight entries, ten birds each, New York Club 
rules to govern, 21 yards rise, 30 yards boundary, 1J- oz. shot, entrance 
fee $10, divided in three prizes. Dr. McAdams was chosen referee. The 
score is a follows: 
Rosenbury—1 11010110 0. Total, 6. 
Ramage—0 l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1. -Total, 9. 
Tucker—0 101010011. Total, 5. 
McCulloch—0 010101010. Total, 4. 
Brocket—1 1 I 0 0 0 1 o 1 0. Total, 5. 
Doyle—1 01011110 0. Total, 6. 
Mathews-1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1. Total, 6. 
Henderson-1 11111110 0. Total, 8. 
Rosenburg, Doyle and Mathews tied on third prize; shot off; the first 
miss out, resulting in Doyle winning, killing four birds and out-shooting 
his opponents. Ramage, first prize; Henderson, second; Doyle, third. 
Yours truly, Me. 
Hamilton, Canada, March 24, 1874. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I send yon an account of a meeting of riflemen held on the 17th nit., 
at the Temperance Hall: 
The meeting was called for the purpose of founding a rifle association 
on such liberal principles as would allow the membership of Tireurs of 
all classes of rifles, namely, those with open sights, and such other finer 
arms as are permitted at the Wimbledon competitions. Lieut. Col. 
Scoble was in the chair, Mr. W. Cruio acted as secretary. A draft of the 
constitution of the new club was presented for consideration. The first 
debate was in regard to the name of the association, and after consider¬ 
able discussion it was decided that the club should be known as the 
Ontario Any Rifle Association. The remaining clauses of the constitu¬ 
tion resemble those of any other similar association very closely. The 
annual subscription is $2; donors of $20, and persons presenting a prize 
worth $40 are to be honorary life members. The election of officers re¬ 
sulted as follows: Captain Mason, of Hamilton, president; Mr. W. M. 
Cooper, of Toronto, 1st vice president; Major Cotton, of Kingston, 2d 
vice-president; Captain A. A. McDonald, of Guelph, 3d vice-president; 
Mr. T. W. Marsh, secretary and treasurer. The council are Mr. George 
Dislier, of St. Catharines; Captain McNoughton, of Coburg; Mr. A. 
Bell, of Toronto: Ens. ,Adam, of Hamilton; Ens. Wastie, of London; 
Captain Barber, of Ottawa; W. Clute, Captain Gibson and W. Stanley, 
of Toronto. 
It. was proposed by Major Cotton and seconded by Ens. Adam, that a 
challenge should be sent to the Irish team, on their arrival in New York 
carried. “Shooter.” 
Cincinnati, March 15,1874. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— . 
Some five weeks ago a sporting club—the “Cuvier”—was organized 
in this city, and now has 160 active members. “The object of this club,” 
says its constitution, “shall be to preserve, protect and increase the 
game and fish of Ohio: to enforce the laws of the .State concerning them, 
and to promote and advance field sports.” A committee from the club - 
was sent to Columbus to defeat, if possible, the Kemp bill, an extract 
from which I see has been sent to you by your correspondent at Akron. 
The bill was made a special order for last Monday, but was not called 
up, the author probably fearing.that-it would.be defeated. Mr. Potter, a 
member of the Senate, introduced a bill which was far more objection¬ 
able than the Kemp hill. When it was called up in the Senate it was de¬ 
feated. Mr. Potter himself voted against it. There is a strong feeling 
throughout our community m favor of calling State and National con¬ 
ventions to frame and influence legislation in the interests of science 
and of sport. Retlaw. 
mot man mtd 
March 26, 1874. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The Octoraro Sportsmens’ Club, composed of gents of Lancaster and 
Chester Counties, Penn., was fully organized on the 23d inst. with the 
following officers: President, Mr. Wm. ^IcEhyain; Vice President, 
Hon. Jos. D. Pownall; Recording Secretary, Mr. Lemuel W. Dobbins; 
Assistant Recording Secretary, Mr. Wm. W. Martin; Corresponding 
Secretary, Dr. J. Willis Houston, Collamer, Chester County, Penn.; 
Treasurer, Mr. Levi Pownall; Executive Committee—Chairman, Mr. 
George Pownall, Post Office Christianson, Lancaster County, Penn., 
Mr. Jesse Brosins, Mr. John F. Reed, Mr. Henry Nozzle, Mr. Harry Da¬ 
vis, Mr. Josiah Beyer. The objects of the club are similar to those of 
like organiations, among which are prominent the protection of game 
fish, &c., as well as the study of the natural history of animals. The 
territory over which the membership extends will include from 75 to 100 
square miles, and the clubis composed of gents of high social standing, 
who will most rigidly enforce all our existing game and fish law's, and 
their influence will be a power in shaping our future legislation upon 
this subject. Yours, &c., Grouse- 
mid ^iver ^ishigg. 
FISH IN SEASON IN APRIL. 
Salmon, Salmo Salar. Salmon trout, Salmo con finis. 
Trout, Salmo fontinalis. Shad, Alosa. 
Land-locked Salmon, Salmo gloveri. 
-To-day, tlie beginning of April, we run up our anglers’ 
bulletin for tlie season. Naturally, the shooting days are 
over until the July woodcock come, and the gunner might 
as well content himself to lay aside his game bag and breech 
loader for three months, and devote himself awhile to the 
gentle art of fly-fishing. The season is already well ad¬ 
vanced, and much; earlier than usual. Navigation has been 
resumed on the great lakes, and tlie snow has disappeared 
from the interior, though a little still lingers among the 
Adirondacks and the knobs of Pennsylvania. We may 
look for clear streams by the middle of the month. It is 
unsatisfactory to test the streams while they are tainted 
with snow water. 
The angler has now a full fortnight to overhaul his tackle 
and prepare his outfit. See that your rod, line, flies, and 
reel are in perfect order. Test your line foot by foot for 
frays and weak sports. See that the ferules, rings and eyes 
of your rods are tight, and no fractures in the joints. 
Above all, look well to your flies; reject all specimens that 
have been injured by use, and all frayed gut lengths. It is 
better to throw away a handful now, than to lose flies and 
heavy fish together the first time you fasten to a rise. H 
your outfit is not complete, nor your assortment of flies 
full, replenish at the tackle shops. A “dozen of the very 
best makers advertise in our columns. Get a click reel two 
inches in diameter that will hold twenty-five yards of line. 
We prefer linen waterproof laid lines, though some choose 
silk, or a tapered braid of silk and hair. The objection to 
the latter is that the minute ends of hair fray by wear, and 
prevent the line rendering freely through the rings of tlie 
rod. Silk does not render as freely as a linen line that has 
been used two or three times. Now, as to rods, taboo those 
ingenious contrivances for convenience—the “trunk rods” 
—rods made of four or five lengths so that one can carry 
them in a trunk—rods stiffened with a multiplicity of 
ferules, and suited to all kinds of fishing, from a minnow 
to a mascalonge. They are fit only for those who wish to 
still-fisli with a worm and a pin. As to weight and elas¬ 
ticity of rod, we would prefer to put a fine delicate imple¬ 
ment even into the hands of a novice, rather than a pon¬ 
derous stiff affair—that is, if the novice can afford to break 
a half dozen per season until he lias learned his art. One 
thing is certain, no one can become an expert fly fisher by 
practice with a bean pole or wattle, no more than he can 
play at battledore with a two pound weight. As to what a 
perfect rod should be, we prefer to quote from HaUock’s 
Fishing Tourist,” and as we are the author of these lines 
we cannot be accused of appropriating another one’s own. 
“The creation of a perfect arch is the true philosophy of rod 
manufacture, just as the management of this arch in motion 
is the essence of scientific angling. The elastic properties 
of a rod should he evenly distributed and maintained 
throughout its length from tip to but, so that when the rod 
is bent, no variation from a perfect arch can be detected. 
Metal ferules, being stiff and unyielding, interfere with the 
proper formation and play of the arch; hence manufac¬ 
turers have sought to obviate the difficulty bv making their 
rods of three or even two joints instead of four, as formerly. 
Some have connected the middle joint and tip by a splice,' 
while others dispense. with the ferule altogether. * * 
Uniform elasticity being secured, the second requisite is 
stiffness—that peculiar power or force which, combined 
with the elastic properties of the wood, produces a certain 
yielding resistance which prevents the fish from exerting his 
full strength on the hook, the leader, or the line; for from 
the moment a fish is hooked until he is landed the arch of 
the rod, either longer or shorter, should be persistently 
maintained; the fish should be killed on the rod, not on the 
line. A horse cannot exert his strength to advantage with 
elastic traces; neither can a salmon overcome that myster¬ 
ious force which, ever yielding, never breaks. The third 
requisite of a perfect rod is lightness.” 
In this latter respect, as indicated above, the split bam¬ 
boo rod especially excels, and for an implement that com¬ 
bines all the qualities mentioned, the six-splice, bamboo has 
no equal. Next in desirability, (we speak for ourselves 
only, and we don’t charge anything for the opinion,) is a 
rod of ash but and lance wood tip and middle joint, thouo-h 
some prefer the middle joint of ash, as it is lighter. The 
length of a trout rod should not be over 12 ft.; of a salmon- 
rod not over 18 ft,. . We shall make this matter of rods a 
subject of frequent reference.’.. Indeed,'-we intend to give 
in successive numbers complete instructions in the selection 
of tackle, and in angling for fisli of various kinds. . 
As to selections of flies adapted to different months and 
different waters, we have no end of inquiries; and at the 
