392 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jcse 12, 1884. 



iiiticm of the ealvaryman and his carbine. The system and orders are 

 all bused on the infantryman with his rifle, and yet my troop of cav- 

 alry, with their carbines, has to compete for excellence in figure of 

 merit with all the infantry companies in the Derailment, and receive 

 censure if it does not come up to what is considered a fair degree of 

 excellence, the infantryman with his rifle being the standard. 



Now for firing on foot I hardly think there is any rifleman who will 

 contend that the same average excellence can be obtained from a 

 guu with a US-inch barrel, KljU, inches between Sights, and with 55 

 grains of powder and 405 grains of lead, as from a gun with 33}-s inch 

 barrel. 20ty inches between sights, and with 70 grains of powder and 

 500 grains of lead. At short ranges the shorter piece may be held 

 more steadily by some men ; bul 1 have used both, and I know that 

 for all distances the rifle is to he preferred as the more reliable 

 weapon. Good shooting can and has been made with carbine, but 

 better with the rifle, and such will always be the ease, for reasons 

 well known to every rifleman and not necessary to mention here. 



The carbine is not recognized by Laid ley except by a description. 

 It is nol ■recognized in any orders except for mounted practice, and 

 it is excluded from all Department. Division and Army contests, even 

 though perhaps ft is the only weapon the competitor has ever shot 

 with. Practice on the range* even, with the rifle, soon begets a want 

 of confidence in the carbine in the cavalryman's mind that is iatal 

 to his success in the field, where be can use nothing but his carbine; 

 and therefore cavalry commanders keep the rifle from the hands of 

 their men, knowing that, efficiency in the. field depends upon their 

 knowledge of their own arms, and in range practice try to beget con- 

 fidence in and give knowledge of the carbine alone. 



It is useless to .say r that a good shot or an expert can shoot equally 

 w r ell with any weapon, and that therefore the weapon is only a mat- 

 ter of branch of service. A good or an expert shot with a carbine 

 has got to learn the rifle if he wishes to succeed well with it, and a 

 good shot with the ritie would have to use and learn the carbine also 

 to succeed. It is granted that an expert can soon learn any weapon 

 different from his accustomed arm, but he must learn it all the same, 

 and become accustomed to the difference of balance, of recoil, of 

 degree of elevation, etc., before he can hope to succeed. 



Is it not, therefore, unjust to classify and qualify and compare 

 cavalrymen and infantry-men by the same standard'/ Is it not folly 

 to expect that cavalrymen who have never shot with a rifle can be 

 expected to go to one" of the annual contests, take a rifle for the first 

 time in his life, and try lo compete with men who have never shot 

 with anything else? 'Last fall 1 saw disgusted cavalrymen for just 

 such reasons; they had to take a new and si range arm, a kind thev 

 never had shot with before, and in three days' practice be supposed 

 not only to learn the new arm, hut also the individual peculiarities of 

 the particular weapon they had never seen before, and be ready for 

 the three days' competition. 



That eavahynitn have ranked high on Department, Division and 

 Army contests is very true, hut they were exceptional shots: and not 

 only that, they had had long practiced with the rifle before they ever 

 entered the competition, and shot with the same rifle they had used 

 before and knew thoroughly. 



From what has been thus far written in this and previous letters it 

 is perfectly plain that I do not agree with our present system in any 

 of the points thus far mentioned, and I will now discuss the perhaps 

 greatest of all faults, namely the "qualification" and "classification." 



Laidley, par. 520, states what such qualification and classification 

 shall be. He says nothing about its being 80 per cent, for either two 

 or three best scores at 200, 300, ami OOo yanks that makes a man a 

 "marksman:" and my first idea on reading his book was that it was 

 to be 80 per cent, of the ''maximum possible". for all the shots fired at 

 each of the three ranges during the year, and the same; for the 06 per 

 cent, necessary for first class rr en, and 50 per cent, for third class 

 men. But orders have since defined this to be as it now is, and as 

 before stated, no account is taken of the worst shooting. 



That 80 per cent, is a high average for all the shooting at each of 

 the three ranges I very well know, and so have shown; but cannot 

 something more real than three best scores be taken as the neeessarv 

 qualification ? Cannot we have something that on its face tells the 

 exact truth? Audifa proper system from the 100yd. range up is 

 followed, will it be so very hard to classify men on their average even 

 though it be lower than 80 per cent., as may be shown by experience 

 to be necessary? We have placed the man at 100yd. range and have 

 kept him there until be began to show some evidence of proficiency, 

 as a preliminary to his shooting at 200yds. Suppose now, when be 

 goes back to 200 we give him a certain number of shots as prelimin- 

 ary practice at this range, during which he learns the. elevation ne- 

 cessary, bscornes used to the diminished size of the target and bnllseye, 

 etc., and then put him on his record, each shot to count in his annual 

 classification and qualification, will he not try harder with every shot 

 and not throw away a single one for fear if will spoil his average ': 

 And if he should make a "3" will he not try harder for a "5," in order 

 to balance it and keep up his average if still kept at 80 per cent? 



The same way he should begin his preliminary kneeling at 200yds., 

 keep on firing there until he has become familiar with the new posi- 

 tion—but not for record in his 200yd. off-hand score- then be given a 

 certain number of trial shots at 300yds. , to there learn his elevation, 

 etc., before he begins to shoot for record. And this same can be car- 

 ried through all the ranges. 



Then why should a man go back to 100yds. October 1 and begin 

 again'? If he has been properly grounded here, as he should have 

 been before he ever fired a shot anywhere else, he needs no more 

 practice there, and he should progress onward on October 1 from 

 where he found himself September 30. True it is that some, date is 

 needed as ending the year and to make reports, classifications, etc., 

 but because a man has failed to make his qualification good by mid- 

 night September 30, is he to go back and lose it all on October 1? Is 

 he any tne less a marksman because he failed to get in bis last score 

 ou time, but would have gotten it in on October 1 if he had had the 

 chance to do it? True, he cannot be classed as a marksman for ' 

 that year on the reports, for the reports bar him out, being made 

 from what was the fact September 30; but could his credit not be 

 carried over to the next year, and he be given the benefit of it so as 

 not to have to go back and begin over? So that if he does not come 

 in on this year he can on next, and his certificate would show- the 

 fact that he was from Oct. 1, 1882, to Oct. 1, 1884, making his record, 

 or whatever two or three or four years he qualified in. 



It is this continual going back which bars out so much necessary 

 practice. We "travel around in a pint pot" during the entire enlist- 

 ment of the man and never give him a chance to progress. We keep 

 on trying to perfect what should of itself have, shown perfection. 

 instead of going on to better and higher styles of shooting to obtain 

 perfection there as well, 



My idea is that once a proper marksman always a marksman, and 

 then pass that man on to the longer ranges, or to' more difficult feats 

 of marksmanship at movable and vanishing targets, as a skirmisher, 

 etc., believing that there is no fear that his short-range work will 

 ever fall off: for there will be days when the wind, light weather, or 

 what not, will preclude hint from long-range or difficult practice, 

 and he can then devote himself to short-range work to "keep his 

 hand in." 



Neither does our system recognize the fact that the personelle of 

 our army iri constantly changing. Fresh blood is coming in continu- 

 ally. There are constantly new men to instruct and take through pre- 

 liminary training, and time should be given to them, leaving the 

 ol ler and experienced shots to go on with their work which they have 

 learned, and for which they have received instruction. More atten- 

 tion could then be given to teaching the new men, to bring them up 

 to the same efficiency as the old, and more rapid advancement made 

 from not having needless work to go over. 



The recent orders raising the qualifications on which to qualify 

 marksmen, etc., are, to my mind, not in the proper spirit. Increased 

 efficiency means the retaining of the same men who acquired pro- 

 ficiency under the old qualifications. How many men are there left 

 who entered it five years ago, and who last year helped swell the 

 list of marksmen? Many, if not the most, of them are gone, and a 

 higher qualification is set down for the recruits who take their places, 

 and not for those who were discharged and who, perhaps, never will 

 fire a shot again in the army. 



As it affects officers it is all right, for they are in the army for life. 

 and Constant increase in efficiency should be demanded. If I made 

 myself a marksman last year on two best scores, it is to be expected 

 that this year 1 can again become one on three, next year on four, 

 and so on'; but then 1 do not expect my discharge until I resign, and 

 I am not iu the same category as the man who is in for five years 

 only. 



If the qualification had been raised for all those men who have yet 

 one year to serve, and who had previously qualified as marksmen, 

 perhaps there would have been some utility iu the order; butas it is, 

 it only increases and extends the errors of the present system, with 

 but very little benefit to the service. It would have been better, to 

 my mind, to have raised the qualification by including efficiency at 

 skirmishers', movable and vanishing targets, and so have inaugurated 

 the progressive system so badly needed. 



Another point is that no allowance is made for the various climates 

 in which our army is scattered. By a positive order the practice at 

 this post *as arbitrarily stopped fast fall long before bad w 'father 

 set in and when there were yet many weeks of fine outdoor weather 

 to be expected, Ml this line weather, which lasted for nearly six 

 weeks after flic- cessation of practice under the order, was so much 

 time lost, on the ranges. Men who were Just ready to complete their 

 practice by successful shooting at longer ranges were arbitrarily 

 debarred from so doing, and the time has been irretrievably lost. 



Discretion should be' allowed in this very matter in order to enable 

 those who know the climate they are stationed in to be best taken 

 advantage of. Our spring at this post is very late, and no depen- 



dence can be placed on weather being suitable for practice much he- 

 fore June. 1. "By order" target practice hegins April I, and there 

 n as aol a single proper target practice day iu the month, either this 

 year or last, on the days set apart for target practice, and ! have had 

 but two so far this month, Perhaps it would be just as well if I did 

 not have any now until the weather has fully settled, for Laidley 

 says "the firing, however, when fairly begun, will continue on suc- 

 cessive days, and long intervals between the firings will be avoided." 

 and bad weather makes long intervals at times. 



The 80th of September should make no difference in the practice, 

 l'haf dale or any other can be taken as the time on which to render 

 reports, classify, etc. ; but men should be kept on with their indi- 

 vidual practice from where they may be on that date, striving on- 

 ward for something higher and taking advantage of everv fair day 

 until winter actually stops it. Even during the winter there arc 

 many fair days when men need not be bundled up, and they should 

 be required to take advantage of them to have to shoot under any 

 and all circumstances under which battles may be fought. Unfor- 

 tunately we have not yet that control over wind and weather so as to 

 preclude the idea of ever being required to fight in rain, cold wind or 

 snow, and if progression was the rule instead of retrogression, we 

 would soon be aide to acquire efficiency under even these, disadvan- 

 tageous circumstances instead of always being "fair weather shots. 1 



In ihe South, where the weather is open the year around, out-door' 

 practice can be had at all times. They of the South should therefore 

 be much more efficient than we of the North, where snow flies for at 

 least six mouths in the year. The best we can do is to keep up our 

 gallery practice and so keep up efficiency, so as to be ready to take- 

 hold again when spring opens, where we'left off in the fall. But any 

 out-door practice we may be able to catch should count, and any 

 scores made at any time during the target year from Oct. 1 to Sept. 

 30, should be accredited to the marksman. In this Department 

 such is not now the case, and we are debarred all credit for scores 

 made between certain dates. 



Again, the. system and orders, so far as they affect cavalrymen', are 

 very defective in the means and methods for exercising the men in 

 mounted carbine and pistol practice. Laidley does not recognize any 

 mounted practice at all, and G. 0. 57, A. G. O. 1882. is the nucleus 

 about which all the mounted practice ceuters. 



Much has been written much better than I can express it. upon 

 mounted practice, and much has been done, particularly in the De- 

 partment of California, iu this practice; but if competition and re- 

 wards are necessary to produce excellence, as would seem to be the 

 case from the methods adopted for dismounted practice, then this 

 mounted practice is unrecognized, and it is only for the love of the 

 thing and for the sake of proficiency in the field that any success 

 whatever has been obtained, as well as its being in spite of and not 

 because of the modes and methods recognized by orders. 



As before stated, G. O. No. 57, A. G. O. 1882, is the basis, and it starts 

 out by "takiug Laidley's 'Kifle Firing' (second edition) as a guide, so 

 far as applicable to the above named arms," while, as before stated, 

 Laidley does not recognize either of these arms— the carbine and 

 pistol. 



Then follows the method to be followed. The degree of proficiency 

 required dismounted with the carbine should have first been attained 

 (50 per cent, at 200, 300 and 500 yards) before any mounted practice is 

 had, and therefore, it will be seen that there will be men in the troop 

 who, perhaps, will never practice mounted, for, as stated above, 

 the faults of the dismounted system debar a man from the chance to 

 practice at the higher ranges until he has first attained skill at the 

 lower. 



I would ask, has dismounted firing anything whatever to do with 

 mounted practice, except the first teaching of familiarity and dex- 

 terity in the handling of the weapon, which can be taught and should 

 be taught at gallery practice and the 100 yards range? Mas my ability 

 to shoot and make even a perfect score at any range anything what- 

 ever to do with my ability to ride a horse and "snap shoot" with a 

 carbine from his back? 1 say no, emphatically no. Range firing dis- 

 mounted, as every one know-s, who is a rifleman, tends to disqualify a 

 man from rapid aiming and firing; it makes or tends to make, a "poke 

 shot," one who dwells on his aim and hangs onto the bnllseye until he 

 has just the right pressure on the trigger to eed the bullet to its 

 mark; just the very qualities a mounted shot does not want for suc- 

 cess in his mounted shooting. 



As I take it the very first practice for mounted firing successfully 

 should be to teach horsemanship; with blank ammunition freely used 

 to accustom the horses to the noise, and the men to their seats on a 

 plunging horse, being careful to repress all careless firing in the air 

 or to the ground, as habits difficult to overcome when once con- 

 firmed. No attempt should be made to fire at the target until a reason- 

 able steadiness of the horses has been attained, and reasonable 

 proficiency of the men in loading, aiming and firing their pieces 

 from their horses' backs. Then practice at the target should com- 

 mence, not for record at first, but to gradually get both men and 

 horses accustomed to the new exercise, and preferably with reduced 

 charges. 



The order and instructions teach a point with which I am con- 

 strained to emphatically differ. This point is as folio ws: "The gait 

 will be the gallop, but at first the fire will be delivered at a halt, the 

 trooper pulling up short lo deliver it. and then immediately resum- 

 ing the gallop." The italics are mine and mark the point. 



Now it may he and doubtless is a fact that horses should be trained 

 to stop quickly for any purpose, but I will leave it to any horseman 

 if this is the way to teach them a new exercise when the object is as 

 expressed by the rest of the paragraph of the order: "This will be 

 continuea until tlemeu are sufficiently advanced to fire while the 

 horse is moving at that gait" (the gallop). 



The horseman will see that the I iors< :'s training is lost sight of. Thisis 

 a new exercise to him as well as the men. He may have become used 

 to the noise by the preliminary practice with blank am munition, hut 

 he has never yet been ridden at a target, for this preliminary blank 

 cartridge firing has had no targets but from men in line, in column of 

 flies, on the skirmish line, etc., while exercising at the regular com- 

 pany, or platoon, or skirmish drill; the horse, therefore, sees a new- 

 object, a big White target, which of itself is hard enough to ride him 

 at until he is familiar w ith it, he has every- inclination to stop, and by 

 the order he is taught to stop, so that he soon falls into the habit of 

 halting from the gallop as he sees the man raise his piece to Are. 



The object being to fire while the horse is in motion, ray method 

 (and 1 claim no originality for it, for it is the method practically of 

 the cowboy or Indian brought down to practice for the men) would 

 be to place several targets on a line, one behind the other, and with 

 sufficient distance between for the mau to be able to rel >ad after 

 firing at the first, before be reaches the firiug point for the second, 

 and so on, and then to move the men out individually or in columns 

 of files and teach men and horses at the same time to keep up their 

 gait and to fire at each successive target as the firing point for each 

 is reached. Both men and horses would soon thereby learn and both 

 would soon acquire steadiness and proficiency, and the horses would 

 learn no habit of hailing as they saw cither the target or the man 

 raising his piece to fire, The horse would only learn to go ahead 

 under control, and after he had learned steadiness in this he could 

 then be taught to halt in order to be perfectly trained for the excep- 

 tional case of a shot to be fired from a halt. 



The trouble is, in all the orders and instructions, that our men and 

 horses are supposed to be trained, and that only the necessary skill 

 of the men is to be sought for in firing under new conditions. Unfor- 

 tunately, however, our men are much more accustomed to the pick 

 and shovel, and familiar with their use. than they are to their seats in 

 the saddle, and to riding and training their horses. The horses, too, 

 are badly trained, or not trained at all, from the infrequency with 

 which they are ridden, and they need as much training as the men. 



With the pistol, dismounted practice is only first needed to acquire 

 dexterity in its use and handling. Drills in pistol manual should be 

 as much a part of pistol practice as "aiming and pointing drill" are 

 parts of dismounted carbine or rifle tiring, and thereby quickness in 

 loading, in cocking, in aiming and in firiug properly can be taught. But 

 the pistol is eminently' a weapon for mounted work, and everything 

 should be made to tend to its legitimate use, and after skill iu hand- 

 iiug has replaced awkwardness then mounted practice should be ex- 

 clusively followed, for he who can successfully snap-shoot from 

 horseback can be reasonably expected to shoot, well when on foot, as 

 he may be called upon to do in exceptional cases. 



But from what 1 have said is it not sufficiently clear that our system 

 and orders need overhauling? Is it not plain that, even so far as 

 affects infantry, who have only one weapon, a better system can be 

 devised, and when cavalry is considered with their four styles of 

 practice — carbine and pistol, both mounted and dismounted— some- 

 thing more rational is required? I have to have four target practices 

 a week to t lie infantryman's two a week— two dismounted for carbine 

 and two ditto for pistol. When the men become well enough trained 

 at dismounted practice I will have to have two more to give the 

 mounted practice required, and yet keep up the dismounted practice 

 to make marksmen first and second class men and a high "figure of 

 merit" in competition annual reports, as well as to teach the skill 

 now supposed °y order to be required before a man can practice 

 mounted. That will be six target practices a week to keep my end 

 up and stand well iu annual reports and yet acquire the necessary 

 proficiency for my legitimate work as a mounted man, Understand 

 I am not complaining as to the amount of work, for that is what I am 

 paid for and what I take delight in, for I would rather drill than not 

 if I only COUJd get the men to drill; but is it any wonder that some of 

 it is slighted and overlooked when it is understood that it is like "pull- 

 ing eye teeth" to get the men for the work? Is it any wonder that 

 that which is recognized by a cast-iron order is what receives the 

 most attention? is it any wonder that that iu which there is no com- 

 petition or reward is neglected for that in which there is? 



I believe m emulation when properly regulated, as much as any one; 

 but I do not believe in "buncombe," I believe 1 should be required 

 to teach my men skill and proficiency both mounted and dismounted: 

 but I also believe I should Be given a reasonable method with which 

 „' h^T"" cl '; ea!5 °™We compel ion for which to strive. Wiiv can- 

 not the annual competitions and reports be so arranged as to recog- 

 nize me as a cavalryman, and my horse as a well-trained cavalry 

 . W by should I compete dismounted with an infantryman with 

 iisvveapou and he not compete with me with mine': Why should I 

 not be placed on a basis of my own. and compete with cavalrymen as 

 cavalrymen— both with carbine and revolver- Ha- nor tiie time 

 come tor cavalry lobe encouraged and brought up to the state of 

 efficiency required by modern modes of warfare? Am I to practice 

 f^fn^,^? d man simply,_and acquire skill to compete with 

 infantry on fool when my legitimate place is iu the saddle, using the 



?m /be fl Ti I A ^ \ &m P' 01 -;" 1 '", 1 v,i,h a!1 theexcellenceattainable? 



■' '!-:- r; "I - or ba„Te has cavalry lost its usefulness or .-. re there net 

 possiWJttaes for itaheiog put to a new use. um l with carbine and re- 



" ' ■ ■ ' o . ",':- lead upon an enemy to perhn ps save a ha! tie? 

 1 am a marksman by our .system, but ( am also a cavalryman and 

 much more proud of that. Let us cavalrymen therefore have a sys- 

 tem that teaches us efficiency in OUT legitimate field. We will not be 

 any the worse for it when we. should find ourselv es ' -thrilling on Eoot." 

 and we would be what we should be when mounted, instead of the 

 mounted "mob' we now are. r D 



Fort McKinkey, Wyo. ' 



RANGE AND GALLERY. 



THOM ASTON. Conn., June 4,- Yesterday several members of the 

 Empire Rifle Club went to Collinsville to shoot, the first of a series of 

 matches with the Canton Rod and Gun Club. The terms of the match 

 were for teams of ten men each, ten shots per arm distance 200yds 

 Massachusetts ring target. Following are the scores: 

 Canton Team. 



(; T B Huh 11 11 10 11 10 13 11 H 12 9-108 



JLaubenstein jg u i-j g m n 7 u is 10-16.6 



BOHigley 9 10 12 11 6 12 11 9 1112-103 



.1 H Indwell 9 9 10 12 10 1 1 8 11 9 10- Bfl 



SJLyon 9 10 10 9 8 10 9 1110 10—96 



JD Andrews 10 10 8 8 10 9 8 9 1112—94 



G J Case 7 IS 8 8 7 1110 if if- ill 



OBarbour 7 10 12 B10 5 10 8 19.11—90 



J B Flint 11 U 8 8 9 9 9 8 11 1- ss 



GF Lewis ii 8 8 7 10 11 8 11 7 -I- 86-96:! 



Empire Team. 



GCanfield ,8 9 11 10 10 11 11 IS 10 8-101 



E Thomas 8 11 8 8 8 11 12 10 11-90 



AS Hubbard r. 7 10 10 11 10 8 11 It 11— 95 



FCarr 8 13 9 3 6 10 f2 9 10 il— 95. 



WHDunbar is 11 c 9 9 9 10 9 10 8—93 



CF Williams 11 7 8 10 11 8 1112 5 9—92 



G Gilbert S Oil 7 10 ID is 8 50 10— 92 



EBcnnett 8 7 9 9 IS 7 12 8 11 8—91 



GLemmon 8 10 7 IS 7 9 13 9 11—91 



G P North 6 9 9 6 10 9 9 4 9 9—80—936 



This was the first match the Empire Club ever shot, and no mem- 

 ber ever took part in a match before. 



At the weekly shoot, for some unaccountable reason the scores 

 were very low. W. H. Dunbar won the badge with 05, C, F. Williams 

 scored 92, F. Carr 91, G. P. North 88, G. A. Lemmon 85. 



BOSTON, June 7.— Had it not been for the intense heat to-day the 

 few shooters at Walnut Hill would probably have rolled up great 

 scores. The attendance was small, as is usual alter u. semi-annual 

 meeting, but the shooters had good weather conditions. Mr. Gush- 

 ing put up two scores of 16 in the Greedmoor match, and in the rest 

 match Mr. Berry had a fine chance to test his new 32-eal. Muyuard. 

 lie scored a fine 97. Next Saturday there will be a match between 

 teams of the Massachusetts Rifle Association and the Manchester 

 Club, by telegraph. Following arc the best scores to-day: 



Creed moor Match. 

 C E Berrv 5455555544—47 YV H Oler 4545554115— 15 



Ee-eutry 455544,5455-47 S B Spooner 5S444555T1- 15 



H Gushing 5544455455—46 B A happen 4544515451—44 



Re-entry. 5554554540-46 A J Look ! '51555 153— 4l 



R Davis 4555455445-46 J K Darmo.lv, mil. ..4443544551-13 



C B Edwards 5551455445-46 F W Fowle. mil 4343413535-37 



Rest Match. 



C E Berry 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 9-97 



J HaJsey 10 10 10 10 8 10 9 10-05 



E Reed 9 10 7 10 IU 9 10 10 10 -94 



Salem Wilder 10 10 8 10 9 9 10 9 0-03 



JFrancis !> 9 8 10 9 10 10 10 10 8-93 



W ( lharles 9 8 9 10 7 10 10 10 10 10—93 



BALappen 9 8 8 9 10 9 10 10 9—91 



SBSpboner 10 10 9 9 10 7 8 » 9 10—91 



I J Sylvester 10 8 9 8 10 8 10 8 10 9—90 



A J Look 8 9 8 9 9 9 9 9 10 9 80 



GARDNER. Mass., June 5.— At the regular meet of the Gardner 

 Rifle Club at Hackmatack Range yesterday only a half dozen of the 

 members found the target. The American decimal was used, distance 

 800yds., shooting off-hand, with a possible mo. The following is the 

 score: 



GF Ellsworth 10 10 6 10 10 8 9 9—90 



I M Dodge 9 9 9 9 7 8 9 10 7 7-85 



AMathews 10 9 8 10 7 7 9 9 6 9-84 



WCLoveland 9 5 9 10 8 3 10 10 7 10 81 



GCGoodale 9 9 6 3 10 9 10 2 lo S— 74 



HGHicks... 678956 9 74 6-66 



JAMESTOWN, N. Y., June 6.— The following scores were made to- 

 day at the regular medal Shoot of our rifle club, Greedmoor target, 

 ■JiiiivMS., no wind and bright light. 



it v Parry 51554544.45-45 A. F Ward 5533111444-40 



G eo Shafiuek 4344544444—40 A F Warner 4453 1 1 1 IT- 40 



IT A Ahlstroni 1-14414 1441 -40 R H Burns 5544114440-38 



NEWARK, N. J. -The shooting festival of the Newark Shooting 

 Society r opened Monday last at the Shooting Pari;, and continued 

 four days. The target of honor was open to members of all societies 

 that had contributed prizes, each shooter obtained but one ticket 

 and one prize. The principal prize which was offered on this target is 

 5100 contributed by the society. On the ring target $450 will be" dis- 

 tributed in 20 prizes ; also premiums as follows for the best three 

 tickets: $2, best three tickets: §3, best three ticket-. Oh ihe main 

 target the total amount of prizes was .f 27 5. The best target of the 

 day was the bnllseye. on which $150 was divided— for the best three 

 bidlseyes, for the second best three bullseyes, and for the third best, 

 and so on. 



FITCHBUR't, Mass., June 4.— The following gentlemen Were the 

 successful competitors for the six prizes offered by C. W. Parsons, 

 to be shot for in his rifle gallery, for the month of May. Target, 

 300yds,, reduced to 20yds., 40 shots, possible 400: I'rof. r. J, Decker 

 397'. O. C. Cutler 396, H. 0. Kendall 301, W. P. Churchill 378, C. L. 

 Jael 371, E. J. Whitney 369. 



BLOOMING GROVE PARK.— Match shot on Decoration Day for 

 prize medal : 



ftason 3 13113-18 Smith 2 00085- 6 



Hughes - 32330— Dillingham S 000 



VanGelder 2 s3u33— 11 Vyse 3 3*125—16 



Fielder 00002-3 ltodgtnan 3 24244—16 



M 00332- MeOord 4 03201-7 



Dennis 8 43343-17 Post 21232-13 



BELLEVIJE. ft.— Gallery shooting; range. 07ft.; %iu. bnllseye, J^in. 

 rings, paper targets; 10 shots m succession, possible IQ0. Average 

 percentage for April and -May: Bodette. B9.5, B6.7; Wollenslagel, 

 hV.i. 86.8; Bhertsnauser, 87.4, 87.3; Aigler; B4, BB; shirk. 76.6,34; 

 Yearick 78 S3; Webs . . -2.5; Gera, 81.0, y;: Lewis, SI. (J, 84; 



Mayne, 78.5, 60; Headings. 87, 79.8; Higgiiis, 8i. Thornloe, 72.3-H. E, 



THE TRAP. 



Correspondents who favor Us irit.li club seorea are particularly re- 

 quested to write on one side of thepaper only. 



A CLAY-PIGEON PUZZLE. 



FREQUENTLY when the clearing of tfle smoke shows to the dis- 

 appointed hunter the frightened bird unhurt, only hastened in 

 her flight, he is conscious of a degree of surprise mixed with his dis- 

 appointment. He has felt sure that he was C I tn td where he 



wanted to, and theresuit should have been an addition to his hag 

 and the satisfaction arising from a thoughtful, successful shot. 



Anxious to find the fault or occasion of the miss, I think generally 

 it is forced upon him that bis judgment was m error. . If really he 

 thought he was right and if really he was cool enough to do as he 

 thought was right, it is clear that in the judgment was tie. 

 There is great chance here for many a failure, and I thud.; that a 

 certain natural gift, an intuitive knowledge of, or conception 

 ceS3ful conditions is what places many an one easily Urst among his 

 circle of sportsmen acquaintance* 



An error in placing the distance of your game, the direction and 

 swiftnessof flight, is sufficient to counl .efore your fire. 



Experience develops increased capacity, and so young hunters, who 

 have everything to learn, gradually become accomplished Nimroibi 



