MA&0H ISj 1884.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



125 



ments hereinbefore mentioned; and the officer or officers collecting 

 said fines and forfeitures shall pay lite same to the Superintendent 

 of the Park, to be accounted for by hini to the Secretary of the In- 

 Sec "9 That all leases, contractB, rules and regulations made or 

 issued by the Secretary of the Interior as herein provided for shall 

 be subject to the approval of the President. 



New York, Dec. 88, 1888. 

 Hew. George (?. Vest, United States Senator, Washington, jD. C,: 



Sib— During an interview, last summer, on the borders of the \ el- 

 Unvstone Lake, you asked me, on my returning East, to give you my 

 views about the Park, and such suggestions as seemed to me neces- 

 sary for its protect ion and preservation. Expecting to be m Wash- 

 ington In JauuaTv, I deferred the matter, hoping to see you then, and 

 present a few suggestions more fully than 1 could by letter. -Notic- 

 ing, however, that you had brought the subject up m the United 

 States Senate, I take the liberty of writing you in regard to one or 

 two points upon which, it seems to me, tome action should be taken 



The most important object to be gaiued in maintaining tbenational 

 reservation is the preservation of the forests which now cover the 

 greater part of the Park plateau and neighboring mountains. The 

 Park is situated along the continental watershed, in a region remark- 

 ably well favored in 'its rain and snowfall, and abounding in such 

 broad sheets of water as the Yellowstone. Shoshone, Lewis, and Heart 

 lakes. These lakes are the sources and natural reservoirs of the Missis 

 sippi and Columbia rivers, and for the supply and storing up of the 

 waters the forest is an absolute necessity. Without arguing the ques- 

 tion at length, I need only call your attention to the discussion now 

 going on in New York State in regard to the importance of preserv- 

 ing the Adirondack forest, by Stale legislation, in order to maintain 

 a steady supply of water for the Hudson River. The difficulties and 

 expenses of buying and controlling this forest region at this late date 

 are found to be - very great. 



No such reasons exist to-day against forever protecting the forests 

 in the neighborhood of the Park; while the reasons for so doing are 

 equally urgent. In a country like the far West, with its vast treeless 

 areas rapidly being taken up by settlers, it is all the more important 

 that certain exceptionally situated timber regions should be carefully 

 protected by law, before seized upon by people. 



For these" reasons I wish to see the Park area considerably ex- 

 tended to the south and east, and at the same time to slightly alter 

 the. boundaries on the north and west. In the original bill setting 

 aside the Park domain the boundaries are somewhat loosely stated, 

 and should at all eveuts be more clearly defined. 



The present northern boundary is at the "junction of the Gardin- 

 er's Eiver with the Yellowstone River," By making the loth 

 parallel the northern boundary it places the hue about two miles 

 south of the present one. and makes it the same as the boundary be- 

 tween the Territories of Wyoming and Montana. In making this 

 change but little would be lost in the way of timber land or natural 

 scenery needing protection. The Mammoth Hot Springs would still 

 be two miles south of the boundary. 



The western boundary is very poorly defined, the law reading "the 

 meridian passing fifteen miles west of the most western point of Mad- 

 ison Lake." At that time Shoshone Lake was frequently designated as 

 Madison Lake, and is so called in the bill setting aside t he Park, as it 

 was supposed to be the headwaters of ihe Madison River. As you 

 well know, however, the Shoshone, is one of the sources of Snake 

 River, the headwaters of the Madison rising in a small insignificant 

 lake. By placing the western line along the one hundred and elev- 

 enth meridian it would be made to coincide with the boundary be- 

 tween Wyoming and Montana, and would at the same time only cut 

 off a strip about two miles wide. It would place the Park wholly 

 within Wyoming. 



According to the present law, the eastern and southern boundaries 

 of the Park run ten miles from the most eastern and most southern 

 points of the Yellowstone Lake. Now the southeastern end of Yel- 

 lo w stone Lake is low marshy ground, and between high and low water 

 there is a considerable difference in the position of the shore line, 

 a difference which might easily at some future time give rise 

 to questions as to the ownership of valuable timber. This is. how- 

 ever, a trivia] question compared with the importance of extending 

 the area of the Park both south and east. In my opinion the forty- 

 fourth parallel of latitude would be the most suitable southern line. 

 By extending the Park as far south it would take in a rough 

 mountainous country mainly made up of volcanic lavas, but densely 

 covered with forests and a" resort for large game. On the other 

 hand, by extending the line still further south, there would be 

 some danger of including what might prove, upon exploration, to be 

 valuable mineral lauds, as well as lands favorable for summer past- 

 urage. This is the line, I believe, suggested two years ago by General 

 Sheridan. 



To the east of the Yellowstone Lake lies a broad elevated region, 

 singularly rough and wild, full of striking and grand scenery, and 

 densely covered forests. These mountains are the resort of large an- 

 imals, and are regarded by hunters as the best game region anywhere 

 in this part of the country. As shooting within the Park limits is 

 prohibited, these mountains are already frequented both for sports- 

 men and those shooting to supply the demand of visitors in the Park 

 for fresh meat. 



I would recommend making the. eastern boundary the meridian of 

 109° SO'. This would extend the area of the Park about thirty miles 

 to the eastward of the present boundary. It would take in all the 

 streams draining westward to the Yellowstone River and the head- 

 waters of most of the streams running eastward, besides adding 

 largely to the domain of timber and protected game area. General 

 Sheridan advised carrying the line further east, to Cedar Hill. This. 

 I understand, would take land already occupied by ranchmen as 

 grazing country, upon which a number of people have already 

 settled. It is also more likely to eju brace valuable mineral land, and 

 is moreover a far less definite point than a standard meridian line. 



As a Park for the preservation of game the present limits are by 

 no means satisfactory, if it is intended, as it should be, to make the 

 place one where large game will naturally roam, particularly when 

 driven in from outside for protectien; the neighborhood of the hot 

 springs and the geyser basins is one which has never been used to 

 any great extent by game as a permanent haunt, and the broad 

 volcanic plateau lying between the geyser basin and the Yellowstone 

 Lake and canyon is not a. favorable grazing country. On the other 

 hand, the mountains lying to the south-east and west abound in 

 game, and present all the natural advantages sought for by deer and 

 elk. Enlarge the Park and you make the whole area a game country. 



It seems to me it should be the policy of the government, in the 

 management of the Park, to protect above everything else the timber 

 and game. If this view is correct then the admission of railways 

 within the Park should be prohibited. Nothing would tend more to 

 destroy the timber by fire than the passage of trains through the for- 

 est. Moreover, the locomotive whistle and the additional traffic 

 caused by railway transportation would convert the place into a pub- 

 lic highway and tend to destroy all aspects of a Park. It would most 

 effectually drive out all large game. The Park should be kept as a 

 place of recreation and rest for those who can afford sufficient lime 

 to enjoy its benefits and reap the advantages of an out-door life. The 

 country already offers a sufficient number of resorts for grips-ifk 

 travelers who like to huddle together in large hotels and move with 

 the crowd. 



It is also very essential that more efficient means be taken to pre- 

 vent the destruction of the deposits and incrustations around the 

 springs and geysers. Probably no other place in the world bears any 

 comparison to 'the Yellowstone Park in the display of the phenomena 

 connected with thermal waters, and every precaution should be taken 

 to preserve the place from destruction by tourists. 



During the past season the demolition of these natural curiosities 

 has been very great. I was surprised at the condition of the Mamnioi b 

 not Springs upon my first visit early in August, but on returning to 

 the springs in October I was amazed to see to what extent the destruc- 

 tion of the deposits had been carried on in the short space of three 

 months. 



Upon the general management of the Park I have some views which 

 I would be glad to express to you, but preferred, in this already too 

 long letter, to restrict myself to some of the more scientific questions. 

 such as the. all-important one of maintaining the forests, the protec- 

 tion of large game, and the preservation of" natural curiosities of a 

 scientific interest. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant. 



Arkold Hague, 

 Geologist, United States Geological Survey. 



Bursted Gun Barrels.— We presume that most men 

 who know anything about guns are aware that it is injudi- 

 cious to discharge, a gun or rifle which has an obstruction in 

 its barrel, for it is very likely that the barrel may be bursted. 

 This familiar principle has lately been made the subject of 

 a number of experiments by Mr. W. McK. Heath, of" Phila- 

 delphia, who has burst several guns and rifles by shooting 

 them with stuck bullets, snow, wet sand or mud in the 

 barrel at the muzzle. Mr. Heath publishes a photograph 

 showing the condition of fourteen such barrels after his ex- 

 periments. He is with J. C, Grubb & Co.. Philadelphia. 



THE PERFORMANCE OF SHOTGUNS. 



Editor Forest and Stream.: 



I wns pleased wifli the parapluased remarks you made in 

 issue of Feb. 31, to the effect that a comparison, muzzle- 

 loader versus breechloader, was a dead issue. Just BO I con- 

 sider it. No sportsman wants to go hack to the muzzeloader. 

 The advantages of the breeehloading system arc. so well set- 

 tled that it is quite proper to let all discussion on that poiut 

 drop right here, save only that suggested by my first in- 

 quiries, the vital one of shooting qualities. 



It so happens that we have to charge the shells of our 

 breechloader upon principles (as recommended by the hest 

 authorities) entirely different from the charging of our old 

 muzzleloaders. These principles are not understood by 

 numbers who are novices with these improved weapons. 1 

 am free to confess my ignorance. Tbis difficulty is aggra- 

 vated by the various and contradictory instructions pub- 

 lished by the different manufacturers. One utterly eschews 

 paper shells and advises the use of metal shells exclusively. 

 Another, a proportionately larger charge of powder than of 

 shot, < )ne, to use a pink-edge felt, wad' two sizes larger than 

 the gauge of the gun. Still another claims that this is 

 wrong; use wads of same gauge but two or three thicknesses 

 of them between the powder and shot. Then, too, in the 

 country, where breechloaders arc rapidly being introduced, 

 the force of old habit is so strong, aside from tbe further 

 difficulty of obtaining exactly what you want in that line, 

 for you qan not pick it up at a country store, your econom- 

 ical countryman loads his shells with an ordinary charge of 

 common powder, a dossil of old paper for ft wad, a charge 

 of shot, and another dossil of old paper for a wad — the 

 same, as he managed his old muzzleloader — and so I might 

 go ou at much greater length, but this will suffice. Hence 

 arise a diversity of results, independent, probably, of tbe in- 

 trinsic shooting qualities of the arm considered alone. Is it 

 any wonder, then, that so many complain of failure? 



If my former view r s, or inquiries rather, bave led any of 

 your correspondents astray touching these pertinent matters, 

 1 beg to recall them to the points proper for discussion — 

 range, closeness of distribution-, and, penetrakon. How to attain 

 these three desiderata. 



In making comparisons, I think it quite proper to compare 

 guns of equal gauge or caliber, using charges of same quan- 

 tity or quality. 



The result obtained by your correspondent "Oct," p. 

 66, Feb. 21, is certainly far ahead of anything in the way 

 of pattern I have been'able to accomplish! 



If such grand results are only attainable, as some corre- 

 spondents stem to intimate, by an increase of caliber (heavy 

 weight and large gauge), then your modern "Sampson" has 

 the advantage, for, while he "may rejoice in slamming a 

 quarter of a pound of shot after a single bird, very few of us 

 small folks could stand up to that" sort of "racket," nor 

 would we, if we could. 



I would commend the attention of the "big gun" men to 

 the article by N. E. White to the Sacramento (Cal.) Bee 

 (published iu your paper of Feb. 28), as well as to my own in 

 same issue. Backwoods. 



Beverly, W. Va, 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have owned half a dozen and experimented with as 

 many more, both 10 and 12 gauges of standard manufactur- 

 ers. My trials have proved to me at least the fallacy of a 

 great many assertions about the sure killing powers of' guns 

 loaded with from 3 to 4 drams pow T der and from 1 to 1J 

 ounces of shot. 1 have yet to see the gun, either of 10 or 12 

 gauge, 1 don't care how it is loaded (providing it is a field gun), 

 that will kill every shot at 90, 80 or even 70 yards, measured 

 distance. Of course a person will occasionally make an extra 

 long shot, but to depend on it every time brings little but 

 disappointment, A close, hard-shooting gun of "either gauge 

 loaded with the proper proportions will kill with No. 8, 9 or 

 10 shot, quail, snipe, w T oodcock, etc., with reasonable 

 certainty at from 45 to 50 yards, which is the limit of 

 certainty for these sizes. The larger sizes of shot will kill 

 further simply on account of maintaining a greater velocity 

 during flight over same distance. But the larger the shot 

 the larger the pattern, and the greater distance between pel- 

 lets decreases the certainty of killing very rapidly. If, ou 

 trial, the gun loaded with No. 4 to 6 shot will give a pattern 

 at 60 yards, so close and evenly distributed that a duck or 

 same sized bird cannot escape being struck even by one shot, 

 1 should not try to get a better one. 



As to the most effective gauge, opinions differ widely. I 

 prefer a 12-gauge for general shooting, on account of using 

 less ammunition per load, and having less weight of ammu- 

 nition to carry for given number of shots; and 1 think it has 

 equal killing power. For general shooting, if loaded prop- 

 erly, a 12-gauge 2f-inch paper shell, loaded with 4 drams 

 powder, 2 pink-edge wads and 1^- ounces shot, sizes from 6 

 down, or t ounce shot, sizes 7, 8, 9 or 10, will give as good 

 result with most guns as any one could wish for. Of course 

 the load is for the extreme distances; less powder and shot 

 answers very well for shooting in cover. * * * * 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



There are three things iu which I think many of us err. 

 We use the small shot and too heavy charges, and are not 

 careful enough in suiting the size of the grain of the powder 

 to the length of the barrel of our guns. My field gun is a la- 

 gauge Webley, barrels only 26 inches. For larger game, 

 ducks, etc., I use a Id-gauge, 30-inch barrels. In this gun I 

 use 4 drains No. 8 Curtis ct Harvey's powder and 1£ ounces 

 of shot. In the 12-gauge, 3 drams a size finer, with 1 

 ounce shot.. Some may ask, why this change in the quality 

 of the powder? All will admit that in order to get the Hull 

 power of the powder it must be burnt in the barrel. If I 

 load my 26-inch gun with the coarser grade, I find some of 

 it blown out without being burnt, adding nothing to the 

 force of the charge. Iu my 30-inch barrels a much smaller 

 portion escapes, as it has longer time in the barrel to ignite 

 and exert, its force behind the shot. In regard to the relative 

 charges of pov/der and shot, my experience teaches me that 

 the proportions stated are not far out of the way. We want 

 always all the speed put into our lead that we can get, even 

 then it sometimes seems to me a frightened quail will keep 

 ahead of the swiftest shot; so we must not plug up our guns 

 with too much lead. Am I right? I claim that no small 

 proportion of the birds we hit are lost because they are not 

 knocked right down, but fly out of sight before they drop. 

 I admit that at the best, we cannot always make dead shots, 

 but I do believe that the wounded birds we leave for the 

 foxes would be less if we used heavier lead. For woodcock 

 I use number eight. They are a tender bird, and if hit with 

 but three or four pellets, are pretty sure to stop, where the 



plucky "Bob Whites" sail away beyond your sight. For 

 them and ruffed grouse I find number six is not too huge 



As to muzzle or breechloaders, I am sure your verdict is in 

 accordance with the facts; the muzzleloaders are a ' iking 

 of the past." Years ago T owned one, a far-shooting gun; 

 with its left barrel I have killed a good many foxes over ten 

 rods away, but my breechloader will do the same thing, and 

 it is always ready for the next fellow. I hope that others 

 will be induced to enter into this discussion. Take it Cor 

 granted we all bave good guns, now- let us tell each other 

 how to load them to till our bags and let the foxes go hungry. 



Sl'lCKWOOD. 



Centealia, Pa. 



Editor Fbrest and Stremrt: 



We are very apt to place our poor holding on our gun. I 

 remember that, for a year or two. 1 experimented largely 

 endeavoring to secure a gun which would kill, and did rot 

 learn to shoot well until I studied holding. 



In a certain city in Massachusetts there lives a retired man 

 of business, who, for a hobby occupies his time dealing in 

 guns and rifles in a small way, going hunting occasionally, 

 and experimenting extensively. Indeed, though it may have 

 happened, J never knew Mr, Sam Brown to go into the field 

 loaded twice alike. 



One beautiful autumn morning (I remember if well from 

 its perfection) together we started full of joy and hope for a 

 days sport. Sam had a habit of straying off by himself, the 

 better 1 suppose to notice the result of some deeply matured 

 experiment. Happening, as usual, to miss him, I soon dis- 

 covered him all doubled up, with every appearance of ex- 

 treme caution in his manner, trying to creep up on a grouse 

 which was viewing him with calm contemplation from its 

 perch on a wall. Approaching within about forty yards. 

 Sam slowly raised his gun and was about to fire, when to his 

 astonishment the grouse asked, "Are you Sam Brown?" 

 "Yes,'' said Sam, after partly recovering from his astonish- 

 ment, "lam." "Well, then, Sam," said the grouse, "blaze 

 away, blaze away." Right and Left. 



Hillsboro Bridge, N/. H. 



Editor Fan si and Stream: 

 I was very slow to acknowledge the superior qualities of 



tied me that a good breechloader would do good execution. 

 I have owned five as good muzzleloaders as any one, and 

 eight breechloaders of the best American and English make. 

 aud with the exception of the first breechloader they were 

 all far superior to the muzzleloaders, both in pattern and 

 penetration, 



1 was greatly pleased with Mr. H. E. White's article from 

 the Sacramento Bee in your issue of Feb. 28. as it expressed 

 my own views of a gun for game-bird shooting. 



There are hundreds of sportsmen to-day who think that 

 nothing short of a 4 or 8 bore of 16 or 25*potmds will kill 

 wildfowl. 1 have used 6 and 8 bores, and found them ex- 

 ceedingly unhandy in a light duck boat, beside requiring a 

 vast amount of ammunition. 



Last fall I purchased a 10-bore, 10i pounds, and found I 

 could kill more ducks with the same amount of powder and 

 shot than I could with the heavy guns ; that is, a pound of 

 powder and five pounds of shot used in the 10-bore would 

 bag more ducks than if used in the 8-bore. 



i am well aware that more havoc can he done to a flock 

 of wildfowl at one discharge from a gun loaded with 7 

 drams powder and 24 ounces shot than from one loaded with 

 1-J- ounces, but where ducks are flying in singles or pairs the 

 10-bore is the weapon 1 prefer, and if properly loaded will 

 kill a single duck nearly, if not quite, as far as an 8-bore. 



I know there are large gun advocates who will differ with 

 me, but after having used 6 and 8 bores I am satisfied to use 

 a 10-bore for all wildfowl in the future. 



I have killed large numbers of ducks with my field gun, a 

 12- bore, ?£• pounds, and wheu on the marsh rail shooting. 

 have killed teal with 21 drams powder aud f ounce 10-shot 

 at 30 and 35 yards. 



I have three breechloaders now, and have tested them with 

 the best muzzleloaders in this vicinity, and have not found 

 one yet to beat me, although some of the guns were much 

 heavier than my owm. Geo. F. Alden. 



FlSHKILL-ON-THE-HuDSON. 



Editor Forest dial Stream: 



A good breechloader will beat a good muzzleloader in one 

 way only, viz., distribution. As distribution means c. 

 thing in a shotgun, it must be conceded a superior weapon. 

 Powder will give the penetration far beyond the "hitting" 

 range of either. I speak of good guns. A good muzzle- 

 loader will beat a poor breechloader and sice wrsa. A very 

 heavy muzzle gun may be a better gun for long range than a 

 lighter breechloader, 'but a really good 10-bore 10-potmd 

 breechloader will beat any muzzleloader same weight and 

 bore, at all ranges. This "opinion is backed by jus* such a 

 gun and something to make it more interesting- if desired. 



Some one asks about the relative shooting of 10s and 12s. 

 I think the superiority of the 10 gun is mainly due to the 

 extra weight aud larger bore, chambering more shot and 

 burning more powder; 4drams powder and 1} ounces shot is 

 just as effective in a 12 as a 10-bore. Bogardus used a 12- 

 gauge in all matches shot in England, and made them all 

 drop their dollars. In a pigeon match shot at our town some. 

 years ago, a 12-gauge muzzleloader "grassed" more birds 

 than any one gun in the match. But for general shooting a 

 10-bore is preferred, as it will take in more "territory.'' 

 There is one very important factor in gunning that is quite 

 often overlooked — "The man behind the gun. Good hold- 

 ing will make a poor gun appear to very good advantage. 



Good loading is very important; cheap powder is as good 

 as any. but cheap wads are an abomination. My advice is 

 to buy a 10-bore 10-pound gun from a reliable maker. 38. 



BlAHION, Ind. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have been using shotguns ever since I could hold one at 

 arm's length. I have had several of different makes, berth 

 muzzleloaders and breechloaders, and after careful aud 

 thorough tests 1 must confess that the breechloader, properly 

 loaded, will surpass the muzzleloader, both for pattern anil 

 penetration. The best test is game shooting. I have killed 

 a good quantity of game in my' bunting, and I never yet had 

 a muzzleloader kill a deer, wild goose, duck or turkey over 

 50 yards, while, on the other hand. I have killed with my 

 breechloader deer, turkey and wild geese from SO yards to 

 100 yards in several instances; and I killed one deer this 

 winter at 120 yards, measured, hitting it with two shot in the 

 neck. I am now Using a 12-gauge. 36-inch Damascus barrel. 



