86 
target, and with first shot, loaded with nine buckshot (128 
to fhe pound) loose, put seven pellets nicely distributed into 
the target. J] am not entirely without experience, having 
not only drawn blood but brought meat to camp killed with 
buckshot, but must confess that my chances were consider- 
ably nearer than 40 yards, and the brush too thick to see a 
deer at that distance. Haye fully made up my mind not to 
throw buckshot at a deer outside of what I consider a rea- 
sonably sure distance to kill or quickly disable. Now, what 
is this distance? Please don’t theorize, sentlemen, but give 
us facts. BOBOLINE. 
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. 
SANDHILL VENISON. 
LD FRANK ELIAS went to Missouri in ’40, and has 
killed more deer than Lever saw. He is now nearly 
seventy years old, but I am told still keeps. few hounds, and 
can ride a horse “‘on a dead run through the prairies, sitting 
straight as a boy,” and “‘that reminds me,” 
Deer had become scarce about 1871 in Old Frank’s neigh- 
borhood. One Saturday his son John and myself rode down 
into what was known as the ‘‘Moflitt Bottoms,” but we saw 
“no sign.” Returning in the evening we saw several sandhill 
cranes feeding in a cornfield, and I drew my gun to my face 
and at the report one of the cranes fell. I galloped over, 
picked it up, tied it to my saddle, and as we went on home- 
ward proposed to John that we cut steaks out of the bird’s 
breast. and persuade John’s wife to fry them for our supper. 
John readily acquiesced and the plan was carried ont. We 
had finished our repast when Old Frank came in, His face 
wore a look of unwonted pleasure, and he sniffed the fumes 
of the steak delightedly. 
“Boys, ye got a deer unless my nose deceives me, Where'd 
ye gét him?” 
“In Moffatit’s bottom,” said I. 
*‘T’vye thought there were deer there for some time, and this 
proves it. We'll have to put in a day in that bottom,” said 
he. 
“Sit up and have a slice of the stake; Anna, bring father 
a plate of it,” said John. Old Frank seated himself and 
evidently enjoyed the tender ‘‘venison,” which he praised 
inordinately, 
His supper down the old man said: ‘‘Now, boys, I must 
see your deer,” 
John led the way to the smokehouse, opened the door, 
and nothing was to be Seen save the huge crane hang- 
ing by the head to the beam, while its feet touched the floor. 
“Where's the deer?” said Old Frank. 
“There it is;” said John. 
“That thing?” said Old Frank, ‘‘You don’t tell me that 
after killing more deer than you haye both seen, I’ve eatin’ 
a sandhill for venison, do you?” After a lone pause he 
added, ‘‘Well, the old man’s getting old, and bless me, but 
it was good anyhow. From this time forward I declare war 
on sandhill cranes.” 
T must add that I never saw any on his table. 
AMATEUR, 
Somerset, Pa., Aug. 18. 
MAINE GAME. 
PYXHE prospects for fall shooting in Maine may be con- 
sidered favorable, on the whole—in some directions 
very good, On ducks and grouse, the principal game birds 
in that State worth mentioning, the open season begins Sept. 
1. In the northern lakes and ponds it has been noticed that 
sheldrake nested more plentiful than usual. while blue and 
green-winged teal were observed all through June and July 
at the Androscoggin and Kennebec headwaters, probably in 
the neighborhood of their nests. Concerning black ducks, 
there is probably rare sport for October and Noyember in the 
lakes and ponds, when they come from their breeding places 
in flocks. The beautiful wood duck has been seldom seen 
this season, and it isa lamentable fact that this pearl of 
Maine gume birds is almost exterminated, from his defense- 
less habit of breeding about the woods-surrounded crecks 
and ponds, where he is so easily approached, by reason of 
the ambush his own hiding place affords. But there has 
been less of illegal summer shooting than usual in Maine 
this year, thanks to the better enforcement of the game laws. 
The season has been quite favorable for ruffed grouse; 
the beautiful little Canada grouse is another tame and de- 
fenseless bird which cannot stand the force of hunting which 
has been directed toward ithe Maine woods during the past ten 
years. He also is becoming extinct. There were accounts of 
his being seen last year, but none this season. The ruffed 
grouse, or partridge, came through tf! ec winter well and in 
greater numbers than usual. The non-transportation law of 
the State saved the lives of thousands of partridges last fall, 
and kept them out of the Boston market. They nested in great 
numbers, but since the cold, rainy season has not been fav- 
orable, ‘Two of these birds had their nest in plain sight of 
the buckboard read through the woods from Andover to the 
arm of Richardson Lake of the Androscoggin chain, The 
careful drivers saw the birds day after day, and they soon’ 
became so tame as not to start from their nests as the heavy 
buckboards went creaking by, although one sat where the 
hollow foot of 4 great beech made a complete shelter for her 
nest. The drivers only pointed out these birds, during the 
period of incubation, to such as they knew would never 
trouble the careful mothers. 
The ladies of our party were treated to a sight never seen 
before, probably never will be again—a mother partridge 
sitting on ber nest. These old birds hatched their young in 
good order—one of them but six, for somebody stole some 
of the eges—the other thirteen. If the little birds stood the 
cold of early summer well, ‘they have since fared sumptu- 
ously, for the woods and leaves have never been go full of 
berries of all kinds. 
_In Massachusetts the snipe and yellowleg shooting is good, 
if one may judge from their appearance in the Boston 
market. A marble market table, its edges ornamented with 
a row of skinned peep, is not an uncommon sight in Faneuil 
-Hall Market, with braces of black-breasted plover and yellow 
legs hung against the wall. Such sights are not very pleas- 
ing to the eyes of the lover of field sports and fresh game of 
his own killing, but I suppose we must all submit. The love 
of trade is a strong sentiment just now, even if the weather 
is hot and the birds begin to taint. Trade is antagonized 
against game protection, and has well nigh conquered. 
Utter extermination is likely to. be the final result. 
By the way, two brave hunters lately returned from the 
Adirondacks and a trophy of their (?) skiJl was exhibited in 
agtore at Boston Highlands. It was a buck with budding 
horns, hey got their names into the local paper. The 
story was that the ferocious buck, slightly wounded by a 
rifle ball fired by one of the skillful hunters, turned upon. 
them. The gun of the other one failed to arrest the fierce 
onslaught of the infuriated animal. 
One of them drew his hunting knife, and with a well directed 
blow, pierced the animals breast. 
true story probably was: 
suides to drive a deer with hounds into the water, and per- 
haps with a dozen shots they succeeded in killing the poor 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
He dashed upon them. 
So the fable reads. The 
Two dudes from Boston hired 
creature, Such hunting makes one disgusted, and the 
mawkish sentiment which tells of it in the newspapers is un- 
worthy of the present age of a struggle to save a vestige of 
our noble game animals. SPECIAL, 
Boston, 
RAIL BIRDS. 
A eS is nothing whatever at present in the shooting 
_ line to occupy the attention of our city sportsmen, un- 
less it may be the grass plover, which are moderately plenti- 
ful on the upland fields of the near counties of our State. 
The woodcock—vnon est. Hid away in his moulting quarters 
and will not show himself again until October or November, 
Rail shooting will be the next on the carpet, and from the 
crop of reeds growing on the borders of our river and creeks 
it is hoped a good season will be had. One by one the old 
rail shooters of Philadelphia are deserting Tinicum and 
Chester for lower grounds down the Delaware and Morris 
rivers, Cohansey Oreck and Port Penn are points nowadays 
that attract, but it requires a big tide to work these places 
and get a “big boat.’” My adyice to all who intend trying 
these grounds is to wait for a full moon, and an afternoon 
tide about the middle of September. There is published by 
the United States Government a record of the tides as they 
will be for the entire year, and it would be well if the book 
were Consulted by persons coming from a distance for rail 
shooting. Reed birds are now flying over our city at 
night, making their way toward the marshes. Their flight 
will continue for two or three weeks. Homo, 
PHILADELPHIA, Aug, 23. 
TABLE OF HIGH TIDES. 
New Lonpon. PHILADELPHIA, 
September. October. September. October, 
A. M.|P. M. | A.M.) P.M. A, M,| P. M, | A, M.| P. M. 
h. m, | h. m,. | hm. | h. m. h. m, | h. m.| bh. m, | h. m. 
1....| 614] 6389] 630] 654 )|\ 1....) 10 25 | 10 53 | 10 42 | 11 10 
Bo 702 | 725) 16) ¥ 3891) 2. -.| 12-20) 11.46 | 11 aS] , 
3,, 746) 808| 800] 8 #2 )/ 3...) .... | 012] 004] 028 
4. 82 849 | 8 42 9 04 || 4... 085] 057) 0 51 1 13 
Ba 907} 9380) 926| 950)) 5...) 117) 188] 1384) 158 
6,. 9 51 | 10 18 | 10 14 | 1039 |} 6...) 200) 222) 228] 2 48 
tts 10 85 | 10 59 | 11 O04 | 11 Bt hook 2 dd 308 | 3818) 338 
8....) 11 22 | di 47) 1759) 2... || 8...) 880) 853] 4204] 420 
9....| .-. | Od4}] O88] 069]) 9..°) 418) 443] 457) 5 25 
10. 042} 112] 131] 208 //i0....) 509) 534] 551) 6 79 
tsar 142) 215) 238 312. |\11... 600) 628 | 647] 716 
12... 250 | 823) 3 46 4°19 ))12... 6 56 (27 | 745) 819 
13.. 858 | 4383] 449| 519 /113....| 801) 88%] 851) 995 
14,.... 506} 538) 548] 6483 |jid...| 918] 947) 9 54) 10 22 
16.. 607 | 6 384| 637} 7 00 |/15....| 10 18 | 10 50 | 10 51 | 11 18 
16..... 659 | @ 24) 723) 7 48 |/16....| 1119 | 12 46) 7148) .... 
Lies 7 46 808 | 808} 8 23 |/17... Pps. 0 13 0 07 | 0 29 
18..... 8 28| 848) $42] 9 00 |\i8...., 086] 057) 050] 109 
19,...| 908] 928) 919| 9 89 /\i9....) 117] 186] 128] 1 48 
20. § 49 | 10 09 | 959 | 10 719 |{20....| 157] 218) 208] 229 
21....| 10 29 | 10 50 | 10 40 | 14 00 |)21..,.| 2.88) 269 | 249) 8 09 
22....| 11 10 | 11 32 | 11 21 | 41 44 | /22..... 819) 839) 329) 351 
93....| i 54 | .--. | ...- | 008 )/28....| 400) 420) 412] 434 
24. 017} 040) 082) 056 |{e4.. 441) 502] 455 | 517 
25. 104/} 128) 121| 1 47 |/25.. 5231) 545] 538] 600 
26... 56 | 2 238 B14) 241 |/96... 607) 630) G21) 645 
7, _)| 2:52 | 3620) B10) 28°88 |2%.:..| 6 b8-) 418) 709) 3b 
28... 848 | 417) 407) 4.34 |)28....) 745 Bid} 802 8 32 
o9...., 446] 518 | 502) 5 29 |\29.. 845/ 916) 905| 9 32 
30..... 540] 605) 555! 619 ||30. 9 45 | 10 14 | 10 01 | 10 30 
She. 6 44) 708 |/8i. 11 00 | 11 29 
In the A. M. columns 0h, is midnight; in the P. M, columns 0b. is 
noon. For New Haven, Conn.,add 1h, 4im, to New London, and 
for Bridgeport.add ih, 44m, For Edgemoor wharf, Chester, 0h. 
57m., and for Red Bank 0h, 55m, 
BEAR HUNTING IN THE BACKWOODS. 
[Extracts from an unique contribution to the London (Hng.) Land 
and Water, by ‘Pious Jeems,”’| : 
be you will permit a backwoods hunter from the wilds of 
Mississippi to introduce himself to the sportsmen of Great 
Britain through your columns, J will tell them in the first 
place that I am considered a ‘‘queer un” even in this country. 
Nature, it seems, intended me for an ‘‘odd fellow.” I have 
never dvawn an even number in any of the lotteries of life. 
My father was a Seotchman and my mother of English 
parentage, and I an oniy child, born in the Indian Territory, 
where the;e were no white children in the nation, and under 
the reign of Ish-ta-ho-to-pah, the last of the Chickasaw kings; 
for the Chickasaws had a monarchical government, and 
were allies of the British in their wars against the French. 
But I lost my natiouality by the United States Government 
purchasing the Indians’ lands, which is the polite way of 
saying—cheated them out of their homes; and thus I became 
a, citizen of the United States. In the late civil war I fought 
for the South. I have associated with the wild children of 
the forest too long not to love freedom, and too much to be 
very fond of those who crushed the hopes of Dixieand. 
Whatever I am, I am a child of the sun, and his bright rays 
have warmed my heart toward my fellow men. I love the 
world and enjoy its beauties and its pleasures. If I am 
orthodox in any creed, it is the Joye of pleasure. I am 
particularly fortunate in inheriting one of the few spots on 
the globe fit for a gentleman to live on. The woods around 
me are filled with game, and the State of Mississippi has the 
most delightful climate in the world. The air is soft and 
balmy, healthy and invigorating, The winters are never 
Jong or very cold; and when the breath of summer comes it 
bears no fevered pestilence on its tropic-laden wings. I wish 
I could live always. Why should I, who enjoy lite so 
much, wish to leave a land so full of delight? 1 see others 
grieving over sorrows and misfortunes; | neyer grieve over 
anything, but laugh at every care—I don’t haye many. 
During the war the Yankees scourged my estate with fire 
and sword, but I laughed for joy when I found the four 
years of strife among men had filled it with game, s0 th 
changed my uniform for a shooting coat, and my war steed 
for a hunter, and in the pleasures of the chase forgot to 
erieve over my lost property. Tam far away from the strife 
and turmoil of the great cities, gratifying my taste in the 
enjoyment of field sports, I love mankind, horses, dogs, 
birds, and flowers, yet the more I know of men the better 1 
love dogs. , F 
Now, if John Buli can tolerate the sporting experience of 
an American cousin, ’ll waft him an echo from a hunter’s 
horn, accompanied by a chorus of hound music—the sweetest 
[Aue 28, 1884, 
orchestra in the grand theater of wild Western life, telling a 
tale of adventure in our Western forest. 
The swamp reaching from forty to fifty miles on each side 
of the Mississippi River contains numerous small lakes and 
streams, along whose banks the cane grows in tangled masses, 
its grim solitudes furnishing a lair for the wolf, panther, and 
bear, while along the open woods, covered with verdure, the 
antlered monarch of the woods pastures with his does, and 
the wild turkey cock struts in the pride of his beauty, 
Here, when the first frost of winter has hushed the hum of 
the mosquito and driven the venomous reptile to his den, 1 
am annually accustomed to meet in camp two backwoods 
hunters, renowned for their skill and prowess in encounters 
with bear, panther, and other denizens of the forest. One 
was a grizzled old man of sixty, with a complexion never 
fair, but so bronzed by exposure to miasma of the swamps 
as to give it the appearance of a tanned alligator’s skin; yet 
he had a well-knit frame, and muscles in his arms like 
corded steel, His name was Asa Edwards, but he was better 
known by the sobriquet of ‘‘Old Asa, the bear hunter.” The 
other was younger by fifteen years; tall, broad-shouldered, 
with light hair and gray eyes, and a face that would have 
been fair had it not been tanned by hardships and exposure; 
Mountain cagle’s, and teeth as white ag a hound’s. Wash 
Dye was the beau deal of a backwoodsman, an untutored son 
of the forest, who would stake his life on any hazard for the 
pure love of adventure. We had hunted through the winter 
with our usual success, killing a number of bear, panther, 
deer, etc. In the month of February I again found myself 
in Wash Dye’s cabin, and was told soon after my arrival that 
he had a little fun in store for me. He had found the den 
of ashe hear. Aboutthe last of January they den in the 
hollows of the large cypress trees, and there bring forth their 
young. Their dens are easily found by the marks of elaws 
on the bark of the tree. Wash had found a bear tree, and 
only waited for my arrival to attack Madam Bruin in her 
den, He said he knew ‘‘there would be fun enough for 
forty men, and he did not want it all to himself.” We sent 
for old Asa, and he came next day with his dogs. 
When we reached the spot we found the den in a giant 
cypress, whose hollow extended to the ground from a hole 
forty feet up, which showed where the bear had entered, 
We made a scaffold several feet high to stand upon while 
chopping, as the cypress is almost twice as large near the 
ground as it is a few feet higher, When Wash began 
cutting the bear growled, but would not leave her young, 
After an hour's work, the hunters, relieyine each other with 
the axe, the tree began to totter, and suddenly gave a loud 
crack, and old Asa halloaed, ‘‘Look out, it’s falling,” and 
the tree fell, tearing open one side of the stump to the 
ground, Wash leaped from the scaifold. We sprang to our 
euns, but the eager dogs had covered the bear as she rushed 
from her den, and we could not shoot for fear of killing 
them, The bear arose on her hind feet, and with her fore 
paws scattered her foes, and with a leap disappeared into 
the cane brake. There the battle raged furiously, we follow- 
ing as fast as we could cut our way through thecane. Iheard 
bear kept on. When I reached Wash he told me he had 
only slightly wounded her. ‘‘Push on!” shouted old Asa, 
coming up excitedly, “‘she will kill every dog in the pack, 
dead dogs already.” We were soon scatlered in the cane 
brake. I -worked my way out to a piece of open woods, and 
heard the pack fighting half a mile off, and as I pushed on I 
heard them returning toward me, so I stood still and 
awaited their coming. 
Then J saw the bear burst ont of the cane, crowded by the 
dogs fighting like furies, 
twenty dogs crowded around herin the open woods, pressing 
her so closely on every side. 
ventured tog near. Jvran up to get asure shot, when she 
tongue lolling out like a fiery serpent, writhing in the white 
foum that dropped from lier lips. 
towird me, I braced myself for a shot, and fired at her 
snort and roar charged me. I fired again, and turned to run, 
when my foot caught in a bamboo vine and J fell. 
struggled to rise I turned, and she was on me! [ felt her 
hot breath m my face, and saw her fierce eyes flash 
vengeance, as her red mouth, glittering with horrid fangs, 
opened to seize me. I have stood upon the battlefield, amid 
bursting bombs, the grape and canister shot scrapimg the 
earth, while the Minie balls hissed the whisper of death in 
my ears; but I never felt the horrible fear before which 
came upon me then. The inspiration of despair made me 
thrust the stock of my rifle in her mouth, I could hear the 
teeth grinding, as she crushed the wood in her iron jaws, 
with a sickening sensation, as I felt their next crunch would 
be my flesh and bones. I shouted in an agony of despera- 
tion. Old Lawyer, a grand bear dog 1 had often petted in 
camp, rushed to my rescue and seized the bear by the oar 
just as she wrenched the rifle from my hand, and her grim 
lips touched my beard as she made a lunge for my throat. 
The noble dog, with the strength and courage of a lion, 
realizing my danger, regardless of his own life, held on, 
pulling at her ear with all his might, She arose, with her 
weight upon my body to shake off the brave dog, but he 
clung to her as though he knew my life depended on _ his 
tenacity. ‘Take hold, dogs,” I shouted, and the gallant 
pack covered her and pulled her off me. I grasped my 
hunting knife and snatched it from its sheath, And oh, what 
a joy thrilled my heart, what hope of life came back as I 
felt my right hand free, clutching a weapon of defense. I 
might haye crawled out of her way now, but the demon of 
fight possessed me, and I turned and struck my knife into 
lier side. She shook herself loose from the dogs and tarned 
on me again, I drew my feet up and kicked desperately, 
when she caught one of my feet, which were encased m 
heavy boots, in her mouth, when Lawyer seized her nose 
and snatched her head around, so she loosed my foot. I had 
lost all sense of fear, and was revelling in the fight, which I 
knew to bealife and death struggle. I never thought of 
escape, but turned again and struck the bear to the heart, 
twisting my knife in her vitals with savage exultation, when 
she fell and rolled over on me, the weight of her body 
knocking me senseless. 
When consciousness returned, old Asa and Wash Dye had 
pulled the dead bear off me, and I lay in old Asa’s arms; 
while Wash Dye fanned me with his hat, ‘‘Where am I, 
Wash?” I asked, opening my eyes, “‘’m so glad to hear 
you speak, Pious,” said the backwoodsman, with the tears 
running down his bronzed cheeks; ‘‘we thought you were 
a step as light as the panther’s tread, an eye as bright as the ° 
It was a splendid picture, as ; 
She was driven to place her | 
back against a large tree, when, with her rear protected, she | 
knocked over her antagonists like nine-pins whenever they ! 
started toward me with fierce sleaming eyes and her red - 
On she came directly | 
forchead. She stumbled—tell—but arose, and with a terrific 
As I 
. 
t 
the report of Wash’s rifle a short distance from me, but the - 
An old she with cubs is the devil to fight. I haye found two ° 
