Makch 20, 1884.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



147 



two times a minute (see Greener. "The Gun"), there are 

 yet meu who crave something that will give still greater odds 

 to the slayer and reduce the chance of auy game escaping 

 •with its life to a minimum. 



Personally, perforce; 1 keep up to the times and have two 

 high-priced English breechloaders and a small armory of 

 rifles. Yet with all my heart 1 wish we could go hack a 

 half a century, aud return to the old muzzleloader that gave 

 fur and Feather a fair chance of life, and would not destroy 

 everything that runs and flies in a few brief years, and force 

 us tor the balance of our lives to hang up our guns and sigh 

 for the sport of our youth. 



Another correspondent, signing himself "Dorkui, says he 

 don't like a gun with hammers, and gives the. following 

 astounding reasons: That the hammers slip from cold 

 thumbs; they spoil Canvas covers by the chafing; bark ones 

 knuckles on the hammers, and— oh, shades of Nimrod!— . 

 get the whistle cord and watch chain snarled up with the 

 same. 



Many an old sportsman will grin on reading this, and 

 picture in their mind's eve "Dorkin," gotten up regardless of 

 expense, clad in new corduroy, with embroidered whistle 

 cord, to which is attached a silver whistle, and a big watch 

 chain hanging pendant on the outside of his coat. 



That puts me in mind of a dude sportsman 1 saw down at 

 Cobb's Island about ten years 'ago. All the girls gathered on 

 the porch to see him off.' His valet had to get a cart to carry 

 bis traps down to the landing, where a boat lay, with Warren 

 Cobb as commander, to carry him snipe shooting. 



Arriving at the blind just off Wreck Island, Warren set 

 the. decoys, and if the sportsman was not made comfortable, 

 it was not the valet's fault. A large camp chair was placed 

 within the blind, and then the valet held an umbrella over 

 bis master's head to keep off the torrid rays of the August 

 sun, and actually fanned him as the heat grew more intense. 

 A big block of ice had been brought along, and with it a 

 half "a dozen bottles of champagne, a few of beer aud a 

 quantity of old rye, and then the fun commenced. A few 

 young bints came up to the decoys, in spite of the strange 

 appearance, and Warren Cobb swears that after the sports- 

 man tired he would hand his gun to his Jeems Yellowplush 

 to be reloaded; and, said Warren, "Bust my breeches if we 

 didn't have a drink around over every bird that he kilt. And 

 when the wafer riz and come on the blind, he makes me take 

 him on my back and carry him to the boat, and then pack 

 out for home." 



The party must have had a high old time, for long after 

 nightfall the trio got back, every one of them three sheets in 

 the wind ; aud the spoils were only ten snipe. 



The prospect for partridges in this State is, as far as I can 

 learn, quite a good one, the birds standing the winter very 

 well. The Virginia Legislature has passed several good laws 

 relating to game protection, which, it is to be hoped, will 

 have its effect, Still, no legislative enactments can keep the 

 game from steadily decreasing; and it is a sad, yet a true 

 fact, that every Sportsman can bear witness to as regards the 

 Old Dominion. Chasseur. 



Virginia. 



SPRING SHOOTING AT ST. CLAIR FLATS. 



LAST night, a thunder storm swept over Detroit. To-day 

 a southerly wind prevailed, and there are other signs 

 that the long winter is Anally approaching its end. Within 

 a few days the Jirst flights of ducks from the south will reach 

 Lake Erie, the Detroit River and Lake St.. Clair. Already a 

 few pioueers have been seen passing up the river. And the 

 duck hunters, who have no scruples against spring shootiug, 

 are getting their traps together, loading shells, and making 

 arrangements for a sojourn at their favorite ducking resorts. 

 Several well known shots start on the morrow to take ad- 

 vantage of the first flights, and scores of other sportsmen 

 will soon follow to the various club houses at St. Clair Flats 

 and along Lake Erie. 



Did you ever do any spring shooting? ISTo! Well you 

 have missed some rare sport. We won't argue as to its being 

 the correct thing as respects the preservation of game; but 

 it is legal in this State, and is intensely exciting. 



Splendid duck shooting at this season of the j T ear is to be 

 had in the vicinity of the Lake St. Clair Fishing and Shoot- 

 ing Club's house, at the Flats. It is better at that point in 

 the spring than in the fall. For the house is accessible only 

 by water, and as navigation will not open for several weeks, 

 one must journey over the ice on Lake St. Clair from New 

 Baltimore to the club house, a distance of at least ten miles. 

 Not mauy sportsmen care to do this, so the number shootiDg 

 there in the spring is insignificant when compared with the 

 army of guns in the fall. 



if the Wi ather be soft, the trip over the ice from New Bal- 

 timore is oftimes fraught with danger, and a flat bottom boat 

 shod with runners, so that it can be pushed over the ice, is 

 necessary for safety. But once at the club house, any one 

 will be amply repaid for his arduous journey, and especially 

 if there in time to meet the first flights of the ducks. For, 

 when they usually commence, the ice is strong and the air 

 holes arc small, so, if you select an air hole of the right size, 

 there is no chance for the ducks to decoy or drop down just 

 out of range. They come right over the hole; and often- 

 times you can shoot and kill them over the further edge of 

 the open water from your blind. 



It may be said that there are three flights of ducks. First 

 and very soon, we shall see the redheads, and with them 

 will come the canvas-backs. Next, in a few days after, the 

 brosdbills (or large bluebills) will come flocking in, and 

 after that the little bluebills bring the pilgrimage to a close. 

 Aud as the latter swarm into lake and river, marsh and 

 creek, the hearts of the small boys with the Zulu guns, w r ax 

 glad. The shooting lasts from now until about April 15, 

 commencing with the redheads and cauvas-backs, and wind- 

 ing up with the little biuebflls. So you see, by being on the 

 spot ready to welcome the vanguard, you not only get better 

 .shots but the better birds as well. 



It is pleasant sport. Putting your decoys, gun, ammuni- 

 tion, etc., into a duckboat shod with two low runners, you 

 push or drag it over the solid ice to an air hole or bit of open 

 water, perhaps some seventy yards across. Launching the 

 boat, you put out the decoys in the water, which being ac- 

 complished, you push the boat some distance off upon the 

 ice. Then, if not already appareled, you don your suit of 

 white, aud the duck must be wary indeed who discovers you 

 upon the snow-covered ice. Often the white suit consists of 

 a night cap and night shift drawn over your regular cloth- 

 ing, and they answer the purpose well Thus garbed in 

 white, if you stand motionless upon the gleaming snow, the 

 circling ducks will rarely see or fear you. The weather does 

 not chill as in the. fall, the reason being, perhaps, that a long 

 n'i: Jjas inured you to the cold. You sit in your blind", 



which is formed of ice and snow, or, better yet, of boards 

 painted white, with never a chilly thought. 



As for the shooting. 1 cannot describe it. If you area 

 good shot, virtue shall have its own reward. If but a passable 

 shot, you can bum lots of powder and bag a goodly number of 

 birds," but you will be ashamed to tell the number of shots you 

 tired. Large bags are made in the spring shooting. Last 

 spring a number were reported of over one hundred redheads 

 to a single gun per day. That is too many. I should not 

 care to be able to boast of such a bag. 



One advantage of the season is that it is not necessary 

 every little while to pick up the dead birds lest they float 

 aw.iy. Again, as noontime comes, you can walk to the club 

 house for a hot dinner. And who can appreciate a hot din- 

 ner more than our duck-shooting brother! All other classes 

 Of sportsmen, I verily believe, must yield the palm to him. 



Toward night you "pull in your decoys, all being fastened 

 to one line, pick up the dead birds which have drifted to the 

 edge of the ice, aud, all told, there is a heavy load in the boat 

 that you push back to the house. Then comes the jolly sup- 

 per, the most enjoyable meal of the day to any sportsman. 

 Then the after supper cigar or pipe, and the alter supper 

 chin music follows, as a matter of course. Then guns are 

 cleaned, and then, perhaps, a game of cards, and then to bed 

 for restful sleep. 



Not manv canvas-backs are shot at the Flats. They will 

 not decoy readily, like readheads or bluebills, who quickly 

 head for "the open water upon which the decoys are sitting. 



Auy one who makes the trip across the ice from New Bal- 

 timore, should not be limited to a few days' time. He can- 

 not count upon getting back to the mainland in the same 

 manner. Indeed.it is more than likely that the ice will 

 break up suddenly, and lie will be obliged to wait for the first 

 trip of the river boats before he can get home. Such unfore- 

 seen (?) occurrences seem to be rather common to certain en- 

 thusiastic sportsmen I kuow r of, who run up there "for just 

 two or three days, you know," and who "couldn't get back 

 for two or three weeks, you know." 



I happen to remember, just at this moment, a pleasant 

 episode in the experience of a popular hunter at the Flats. 

 He is a representative Canadian Frenchman, noted for his 

 knowledge of the haunts of the black bass and the wild 

 duck. Owning a house near the Lake St. Clair Fishing and 

 Shooting Club,' our jolly Frenchman thought it would be a 

 great scheme, some winters since, to move his building across 

 the ice to Johnson's Channel, a distance of good ten miles; 

 and his friends and patrons in the club approved the plan 

 aud subscribed the necessary funds, for Johnson's Channel, 

 be it known, is both a favorite angling place for black bass 

 as well as a line duck shooting locality, and many were glad 

 that soon they could eat and sleep over there, where then 

 there was no house. Our Frenchman was sure of much pat- 

 ronage. He began to discount his future riches, and great 

 was his talk. With the providence of his race, he tarried. 

 The days went by His friends urged him to move while he 

 had nothing else to do, but still he tarried. 



At length he went to work; he cut his house, in two parts, 

 the whole being too heavy to move at once. With a couple 

 of teams of horses drawing one half he finally started, four 

 or five other Frenchmen aiding in the work, "and each one 

 of them bossed the job. In two days they got the first part 

 safely to the selected site, and, leaving it there upon the ice, 

 went back for the rest of the house. All were jubilant at 

 their grand success. Each claimed the honor of engineer- 

 ing the mighty work. Then they started with the second 

 half of the house, and all went well for two or three 

 miles; and then the south winds blew, and the warm rains 

 came, and there were signs of an immediate breaking up. 

 Then there was hurried running to and fro, and the air was 

 blue with strange oaths peculiar to our Frenchmen. Ver- 

 bose, despair and excitement reigned supreme. Strange, un- 

 known sounds similar to the Tower of Babel noise, were 

 heard twenty miles away. Prayers were profusely uttered, 

 but the ice melted still, and the south winds blew, while the 

 vehement Frenchmen and the horses hastily pulled the sec- 

 tion of the house back to the shore. The ice went out. 

 Our Frenchman had a split residence— half on the old site 

 and the other half at Johnson's Channel. Peace to the rem- 

 nants of the Johnson's Channel half! It was shattered by 

 the ice and the storms and the floods. 



Just now the owners of houses and those who have made 

 costly improvements at the Flats are on the anxious seat; 

 the inclosed clipping from the Detroit Free Press explains 

 the reason why. Many thousands of dollars have been ex- 

 pended there m buildings, docks, dredging, etc., within the 

 last few years. It was supposed that a squatter's right would 

 hold good for improvements made upon apparently worthless 

 land, or rather water. Land there is none to speak of, ex- 

 cept what has been dredged up at great expense. The houses 

 are built upon piles as a rule, and it will be a delicate question 

 to decide who has a right to titles and also to properly 

 describe the area named. It can hardly be called land, 

 water, or marsh. However, as the Flats are daily becoming 

 more valuable it is to be hoped that some decision will be 

 promptly reached, settling the question— who do they belong 

 to? Delta. 



Detroit, Mich. , March 12, 1884. 



The article above referred to is as follows ; 



Washington, March 12. — Mr. Maybury's bill to give the 

 title to Harseu's Island and Dickinson's Island to the respec- 

 tive heirs and grantors of Harsen and Dickinson is found to 

 cover claims to about all the hunting and fishing grounds of 

 the St. Clair Flats. Don M. Dickinson, of Detroit, is one of 

 the heirs. An outline of the bill was telegraphed Monday. 

 It is learned to-day that the claimants urged the French cus- 

 tom of granting title to the center of the channel, and set 

 forth that the tracts in question when passed over to British 

 domination after the Wolfe, and Montcalm campaign of 1754 

 were reorganized bj r the treaty stipulations to follow the 

 French custom. The boundaries as given in the two bills 

 comprise the thousands of acres of alluvial land, submerged 

 accretions and vast fields of bulrushes from the ship canal 

 on the south to the mainland on the north and up the usual 

 ship channel of the St. Clair to the head of the island at 

 Algonae. It takes in all the club houses, the Star Islaud 

 Hotel, the summer villas, and hunting and fishing cabins on 

 land or water. On the North, Middle, Eagle, or South Chan- 

 nels, Anchor and Muscamoot Bays and Lake St. Clair out 

 to deep water. All the habitations of the Little Venice at 

 the mouth of the river go with it. 



Members of the St. Clan Hunting and Fishing and North 

 Channel Clubs now here express alarm at the all-compre- 

 hending terms of the two bills. Years ago no claim was 

 made to the lands, as they were supposed to be valueless. 

 The general government never caused them to be surveyed, 

 and the only records on file here are those of the lake survey 



which simply show the shore line and give the depth of 

 water. Now", however, since people from all over the world 

 begin to resort to the St. Clair Flats to hunt and fish, or to 

 seek recreation in the summer, specidators are beginning to 

 look with eagerness on the tract. One of two results are 

 likely tocomeof the agitation of the subject before Congress. 

 The'bills, if passed, will probably be amended so as to re- 

 open the National Boundary Commission of 1822, which will 

 be charged to see in whom the title lays. If not, the control 

 of the whole submerged and bulrush-covered region will be 

 assumed by Congress with a view to making the district a 

 sort of national hunting and fishing ground. If the latter 

 project, which is already formed, should be received with 

 favor, the idea is to allow the right of location where im- 

 proved by buildings, to lease upon nominal terms privileges 

 for building, and allow freedom of hunting and fishing under 

 su.;!i regulations as the laws of Michigan far the preservation 

 of fish and game may direct, or such other regulations in the 

 nature of co -operating with the Canadian game laws as may 

 be thought best. 



There are scores of, members of Congress who have visited 

 the region— who pronounce it the greatest place on the con- 

 tinent for fish and water fowl — who are in favor of taking it 

 under national control for the purposes mentioned. 



Detroit people, who find their best recreation in a summer's 

 day visit to the Flats, should not be slow in asking their sena- 

 tor and representative to take action in this matter, It is as 

 much of a resort for the people as is their island park. 



ANOTHER TAXIDERMIST SPEAKS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Allow me to express my hearty appreciation of the views 

 of your correspondent, *F. J. Tingley, in your admirable 

 issue of March 13. page 127. Having been an earnest student 

 of zoology for more than forty years, and humbly instru- 

 mental, 1 hope, in doing away with the old-fashioned "fast 

 day massacres" of all our small birds and mammals in New 

 England, I am constantly laboring to assist all lovers of 

 natural history aud earnest sportsmen. We believe that the 

 comparatively few taxidermists and naturalists of our Eastern 

 Stales should be unrestricted in their pursuits, save by the 

 general conviction that breeding animals should always be 

 spared except in cases of very great emergency. We have 

 attempted in Massachusetts to protect by laws (which require 

 annual tinkering, however) the birds and other animals 

 which serve the faimer by destroying herbivorous insects, 

 and are steadily laboring toward this end, but we license all 

 avowed students of nature, and even those who make taxi- 

 dermy a livelihood, at a mere nominal fee to procure at any 

 time of the year such material as they may require. And we 

 hope that this liberty iu the jini'suit of scientific knowledge 

 will never be done away with in any part of the United 

 States. As you very justly Say in your foot note, we are 

 killing the birds in their migrations northward. That is to 

 say, when they are unpaired, have no young to protect and 

 care for, and arc in their finest plumage for the use of the 

 taxidermist. I suppose few of your innumerable readers 

 have ever considered the very limited number of professional 

 naturalists, taxidermists and other students of zoology or 

 animal life that exist at present in proportion to the vast 

 army of persons of other vocations. A glance at the figures 

 of your various city directories show scarcely one in two 

 thousand — at least — who is likely to assist in the extermina- 

 tion of our beloved native birds and little mammals. 



Worcester, Mass.. March 14. F. Gr. S. 



SUMMER WOODCOCK SHOOTING. 



WOODCOCK are here in fair numbers, and as the season 

 draws near, and the law allows them to be shot, per- 

 haps it will be well to once more agitate the matter concern- 

 ing summer w-oodcock shooting. 



Last July, in company with a friend, we stalled for a fine 

 piece of summer ground, and, as we expected, soon had a 

 staunch point from our dogs, and on flushing the bird we killed 

 it — a nice female. Going on some distance my friend's dog 

 made a staunch point, and upon going up to her we thought 

 it queer no bird could be found. AH this time the bitch was 

 holding her point uicely, but upon examining the ground in 

 front of the dog's nose we found three young woodcock about 

 a week old, which goes to prove what slaughter it really is 

 to shoot woodcock in July. 



A woodcock's flight in summer is slow aud awkward, so 

 much so that a boy who can keep from shutting both eyes 

 finds it no very great thing to bag his bird in quite thick cover. 



Fall birds, "however, fly swifter, and it takes a fair shot to 

 make a decent bag where underbrush is any way thick, and 

 besides, just think of how much more you enjoy shooting a 

 fall bird, with its slick overcoat on, than to drop a poor, weak 

 summer bird, half undressed. 



If New York, New Jersey aud Pennsylvania would pass 

 laws prohibiting the shooting of woodcock until Oct. 1, we 

 would have splendid fall snooting; but as the law stands 

 now, we see the woodcocks' numbers fast growing less. 

 The shooting of woodcock in the summer, too, has some- 

 thing to do with the diminishing ranks of the partridge. I 

 am sure all the sportsmen would be contented in peppering 

 clay-pigeons during the summer months, instead of banging 

 away at weak woodcock. Such, at least, is the opinion of 



Madison, N. J., March H. 16-BoEE. 



A HINT TO FLICKERERS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I voted on the "Flickerings" and, aside from the fact that 

 my vote polled well up toward the winning list, I derived 

 much pleasure from reading the "Flickerings" for their own 

 sake. But also I fear you have killed the goose that laid the 

 golden egg. Judging from the length of the stories pub- 

 lished since the vote, very few will have the fortitude to go 

 through ninety-six of them in case of a vote for next year. 

 And further, I think a sportsman who would attempt yarns 

 of like length beside a New Brunswick camp-fire, would 

 have a lonesome time of it. I appreciate the difficulty you 

 are in. In view of the prospect of there being another vote 

 next year, all sorts of mouldy old stories will be sent to you 

 by all sorts of contributors, who, of course, will all feel sure 

 of first prize, and who will feel aggrieved if you exert the 

 ordinary prerogative of an editor in choosing matter for the 

 waste basket, My opinion only will go for what it is worth, 

 but can't "Flickering" contributors boil down this matter 

 more? And it also seems to me that to restore the natural- 

 ness of the camp-fire column and tafce away the mercenary 

 aspect, you will have to abandon the prospect of a vote for 

 the current year. \~bt,x, 



New Brunswick, Canada, 



