306 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Nov. 18, 1884. 
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If_ these views are correct, then may not the question be 
divided, and fairly presented in this shape: 
First—What legislation will scatter the most dollars 
oak the population of that region, for every head of game 
ille 
Second—How far can the open season (the only season 
during which the dollars will scatter) be extended, without 
“killmg the goose which lays the golden egg?’ 
Now it is mathematically certain that if one resident kills 
a deer dressing, say one hundred and fifty pounds, and nets 
fifteen cents a pound for it, that head of game has benefited 
the region twenty-two and a half dollars and no more. 
Now let us see what would have been the result had a visit- 
ing sportsman killed the animal. In the first place he 
piiys to cart himself and baggage from the railroad to the 
ground and back (five dollars each way is a very moderate 
allowance, I know by experience) ten dollars. A. week will 
be far below the average time required to get in and out of 
the woods and accomplish any result, but let us allow that 
time. Then wages of one guide at two dollars and a half a 
day—seyenteen dollars and a half, Board for self two dollars, 
and guide one dollar a day—twenty-one'dollars. Boat three 
dollars and a half. Staying over night at hotel,where guide 
meets him—in and out—and incidentals, five dollars addi- 
tional. Thus one deer nets the community fifty-six and a 
half dollars. But during the month of September, the woods 
are so dense, and traveling so difficult and noisy, that still- 
hunting affords no possibility of success. Hounding is pro- 
hibited both by the law and by a strong publicsentiment. So 
but two chances are left, that of an accidental encounter with 
an animal during the brief period when it is crossing some 
stream and jack-hunting. That the hunter and his game, 
each moved by their own volition, should both meet at one 
single point on along water course at one and the same 
time is a contingency so infrequent that jack-hunting is 
practically the only resouree, 
Now we all know that game comes down to the water to 
feed but little during the month of September anyway, 
and not at all if the weather be wet or cold; while if wind 
prevail, howéver direct its course may be above the hills, 
along the streams and ponds it will eddy from every direc- 
tion, thus tainting the air so as to give timely notice of the 
hunter's approach. 
Then, again, where there is one feeding ground in that 
country which may be approached in a boat, there are a 
thousand which cannot be. So taking the chances of the 
weather into consideration, not one man out of three who 
makes the effort will get within hearing distance of game 
during a week in that month, Then out of those who do 
hear an animal, will one in five get a shot? I think not. Let 
those who have tried it in a country where every natural ad- 
vantage is on the side of the game judge. I have no fear 
but that such will bear witness that the number of times the 
game is heard behind a screen of bushes and there remains, 
or that no shot can be obtained from other causes, far ex- 
ceeds the proportion I have given, 
But what shall we take as the ratio between the success- 
ful shots, or eyen fhe hitting shots and the misses? It is the 
ereenhorns who are the most persistent in jack-hunting. He 
who has shot deer will put himself to no great inconvenience 
for this purpose, unless the meat is actually required for 
food. Now take any man who isreally a good shot ata 
bird or mark and confine him hour after hour in a con- 
strained position in a boat, and then place before him a 
brown object, its outline melting in the background so that 
one can scarcely be separated from the other when lis rifle 
is in his lap, and he has both eyes to look with, much less 
When he endeavors to take aim; consider the unaccustomed 
position from which he must shoot, the prevalent error of 
firing too soon, or of firing at a part of the animal, the loca- 
tion of which is guessed at instead of that which is actually 
visible; couple all these with the seemingly interminable 
length of time which intervenes between the moment that 
the presence of the animal is first detected and the time to 
fire, as well as the constantly increasing tension of the hunt- 
ers nerves, and throw over all the dim uncertaia light of a 
jack. Take the probable result of such conditions and com- 
pare it with the experience of all who are familiar with the 
usual course of events in jack-hunting, and is not one hit 
out of ten clean misses below the reality? 
Thus, for every deer killed by a visiting sportsman during 
that month over one thousand cash dollars wil] be scattered 
among the residents of the game region; and I believe those 
figures are far below, rather than above, the real mark. 
What other product of the face of the earth is proportion- 
ally so profitable, costing absolutely nothing in toil or money 
to plant, cultivate, or harvest, yet commanding such an enor- 
mous price in so certain a market? 
Clearly, theu, the greatest good of the greatest number of 
those dependent on the game region for their daily bread 
would be best subserved by forbidding the slaugliter of a 
single head of game by any but visiting sportsmen, if restric- 
tion in any such direction were absolutely necessary. At all 
eyents, are not these people justified in demanding, and 
would their Legislature be justified in refusing, all possible 
legislation to encourage so profitable a trade in a locality 
where ready money would otherwise be so very scarce? Bear 
in mind that this is not one of many sources of income, but 
is virtually, if not altogether, the little all of many of these 
very hard-working and in every way worthy people, 
Whether the families who dot the margin of that wilder- 
ness with their humble homes shall liye in comparative com- 
fort, or whether the most earnest struggle for life shall have 
but the barest necessaries as its fruit, depend on the advent 
or absence of these strangers. 
Viewing the question from this standpoint, the greatest 
good of the greatest number of those most deserving of con- 
sideration inthe premises, can it be questioned that the 
open season should be extended, unless greater injury than 
benefit will inure to these people from such a course? 
In other words, would adding one month to the beginning 
of the season so deplete the horned game of the Maine wil- 
deruess that ultimately sportsmen would no longer visit the 
country at all, or only in diminished numbers? It cannot 
be questioned that the change under discussion would largely 
increase the number of visiting sportsmen, and thus, for the 
time being at least, greatly benefit those people. 
Now what would be its effect in the future? For years 
deer and caribou have steadily increased throughout that 
wilderness until now they swarm. And why should they 
not? They have absolutely no natural enemies except the 
lynx and man. ‘The first grow scarcer every year before the 
skilled trappers who roam its woods, and as for the latter, 
every feature of the country isin fayor of the game and 
against the hunter. All those actually familiar with this 
tract agree to this, As to whether moose haye increased or 
not is more debatable ground, Till within the past few sea- 
sons I thought I could notice a diminution of their numbers; 
but I am now thoroughly convinced 1 was mistaken, and 
they as well have grown more plenty. 
Stop hounding, stop crust-hunting, but above all things 
stop market-hunting (all of which are now forbidden and are 
practically at an end), and the woods of Maine will furnish 
abundant game for generations; nor will the addition of the 
month of September. or even August for that matter, to the 
open season appreciably affect their number. 
You have spoken highly of the game laws of Maine, and 
justly, for they are worthy of all praise; but the source from 
which they sprung, and the reason of their practical effi- 
ciency, should not be lost to sight. The shrewd inhabitants 
of that State recognize fully the ambition of the city sports- 
man for the trophies of the woods, the plethora of his pocket- 
book, and the liberality of his disbursements if thus even a 
possibility of gratifying his ambition may be had, and finally 
how harmless his efforts generally are. That the cash of 
these visitors is the life-blood of the border settlements they 
well know, and that to hold their trade, the game and fish 
(the objects which bring them there) must be preseryed. 
Game protection is therefore more thoroughly understood, 
and more universally popular there than anywhere else in 
the country, as it seems to me, So important does this inter- 
esi appear that, in obedience to public opinion and at its 
request, and without legislation to that effect, no railroad in 
the State of Maine will transport dead large game at any sea- 
son of the year, open or close, and this purposely to kill 
market-hunting, and save the game for those who will dis- 
burse so freely for it, 
Among the guides of the Maine wilderness I have an 
extensive acquaintance, and nota few of them I am proud 
to call my friends. Notin the office of the Formsr AND 
STREAM Can sounder ideas on game protection, nor more 
consistent practice in the face of all forms of temptation, be 
found; and this not from sentiment alone, though that is 
not wanting, but from a thorough appreciation of the fact 
that upon an undiminished supply of fish and game their 
future welfare depends. 
They and the entire population of the border settlements 
are a unit in desiring at least a temporary extension of the 
close season. They know that the present rate of destruction 
faJls far short of the present rate of increase, and that this 
has been the case for years, until the woods are now 
thoroughly stocked, They know that adding the month of 
September to the open season will leaye the balance still 
largely in favor of the game. By the 1st of October they 
see with regret the visiting sportsmen abandon the woods, 
They see all the game that is killed fall before local hunters, 
without benefit to any one, except as furnishing so much 
additional and palatable food to his family. They think that 
since in this production of their soil all have a common 
interest, it should be disposed of in such a manner as to 
realize the greatest benefit to the community—that is to be 
sold in the highest market, and in the way that the price will 
be most widely and equitably distributed. They know that 
the proposed change will not practically affect the game 
supply, while it will greatly benefit them; and they naturally 
think their wishes, since they are the chief parties in interest, 
should govern. 
It would be unjust to suppose that I am not in sympathy 
with the spirit of your editorial. This case is but another 
example of the old adage ‘‘circumstances alter cases;’ and 
the local circumstances of so remote and inaccesible a region, 
can of course be known only to those who habitually visit it. 
The same reasoning applies to your suggestion to close the 
trouting season on Sept. 1 stead of Oct. 1. This change 
wouid work an injury to the human residents of that region, 
out of all proportion to the slight reduction in the number of 
trout which the proposed change would save—a saving by 
ho means necessary as yet, at least, since the supply is still 
superabundant. : Hunry P, WELLS. 
New York, Noy, 3, 1884, 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The quantity of game being received by Boston market 
men is not more than one-fifth part as great as last fall, 
Partridges are in very limited supply. In fact only now and 
then a box comes to light. The dealers ‘‘do not understand 
it.” They have understood that the birds were fairly plenty 
in the woods but they do not come to hand. When they 
speak all their thoughts, however, they declare that the non- 
transportation game Jaw in Maine is the trouble. Now and 
then a box of partridges gets on to Massachusetts soil, marked 
starch,” from Aroostook county, or under some other blind, 
but the Maine wardens are vigilant and the game shipper 
runs too many risks to suit him. 
Quail not half grown—in point of weight at least—have 
been quite numerous in the market here. Prominent game 
observers are inclined to think that second broods—or at 
least very late broods—were brought out from some source 
orother, It is really a shame to shoot such young birds, 
eyen in open season, and even the market men don’t like the 
idea. One of them remarked the other day, as he held up a 
half-grown quail: ‘‘Look at that! Hardly got his feathers 
out, But then a quail is a quail to us fellows.” He smiled 
sicnificantly as le turned away. 
It is not pleasant to be obliged to say that even under the 
very strong non-transportation law of Maine, deer carcasses 
and even moose antlers do get out of that State and are seen 
here. A fine pair of moose horns came through the other 
day by some express or other, and were forwarded by a local 
express to the home of the owner at Boston Highlands. The 
horns weighed over thirty pounds and were really very large. 
The gentleman killed the moose Oct, 2 on the Upper Kenne- 
bee waters, He says the animal was called—a big bull—by 
imitating the bellow of a cow moose with a bireh-bark horn. 
When asked by a joking friend if he could bellow like a cow 
moose, the gentleman replied, ‘‘No; but I had a guide who 
could.” This is the second or third moose the same genile- 
man has killed in Maine during the past three years. His 
guide shot one still Jarger on their trip this fall. 
But the above paragraph was started to show that game 
does wrongfully get intothe Boston market from Maine, 
while really the forwarding of a pair of moose antlers is not 
so bad, and would hardly be objected to by the best friends 
of game protection, where the moose was killed fairly m 
open season, though the non-transportation law saysno, you 
must not forward the horns eyen, A fine pair of deer ant- 
lers came through the other day, and worse yet, fiye carcasses 
of venison came through last week, The name of the express 
company is known which forwarded them, and the Maine 
Commissioners haye been notified. These are about the only 
deer which have reached here from Maine this season, They 
were probably killed on the light fall of snow in that State 
aweek ago, Legitimate hunting is being well rewarded 
there this fall. -Governor Seldon Connor and party shot 
three deer in the Machias region, The Governor is a re- 
nowned deer hunter, as well as a true-hearted gentleman, 
though he carries some of the severest scars received in fight- 
ing for freedom of any living man, and ig about as near a 
cripple as a man can be and move at all, even with the help 
of crutches, But he still goes ‘nto the brush” every fall 
and brings out his deer, 
A. few pieces of venison have reached this market from 
the Provinces this fall. At least they came by water from 
that direction, but the suggestion will come up that they 
may have been killed upon Maine borders, A better public 
sentiment is what is needed in fayor of the protection of 
game and the overthrow of market-hunting. The borders of 
Maine are hundreds of miles in length and her forests cover 
tens of thousands of acres, and those disposed to break her 
game laws can do so and escape detection many, many times. 
But when guides and backwoodsmen learn that there are 
hundreds of ‘ York’ and Boston spottsmen who would gladly 
pay them $10—even twice that sum—tor the chance of a 
shot at the deer for which they can get perhaps not more 
than $3 if sent to Boston or New York markets, they are go- 
ing io drop market-bunting, with all its hardships and 
dangers of the game being confiscated—they are going to 
drop it as a bad job and turn the strongest friends of game 
preservation in the universe, Leaye the intelligence of Maine 
backwoodsmen alone for that. How would it do for sports- 
men and game protectors to form societies among the guides, 
pledged to protect the game around them according to law? 
Reading matter might be forwarded to them—the Forrsa 
AND STREAM would do a great work. It is only a question 
of time bringing them to see on which side their own interest 
lies, SPECIAL, 
HAWK, PRAIRIE DOG, PICCARY, WOLF. 
Editar Forest and Stream: 
The account of the dining of the Ichthyophagoi in a late 
FOREST AND STREAM, reminded me that I haye eaten several 
things which are not usually accounted good to eat, but 
which I found to be very good indeed. For instance, while 
ducking about a year ago, a few miles from Colorado, 
Mitchell county, Tex,, I had my attention diverted from the 
ducks by two large hawks, which seemed to be uncommonly 
saucy. They seemed to care not a row of pins for me or my 
gun. They repeatedly flew right over me, deliberately and 
slowly, as if curious to know what sort of a ihing that was 
that 1 carried in my hands, and which occasionally belched 
forth such a fuss and smoke and fire. J thought I would 
accommodate them with a knowledge as to how that thing 
could make a hawk feel when ‘‘turned loose” at him, I 
therefore ‘‘turned loose” two barrels, and two hawks tumbled 
to the ground, one stone dead and the other with a broken 
wing. 
I had my eight-year-old boy with me, and he insisted on 
taking the hawks to my car, to be cooked and eaten. When 
picked and dressed I noticed that they were exceedingly fat 
and that their flesh looked like chicken meat. They were 
nicely broiled, mopped a little with pepper and vinegar, and 
when placed on my table I obseryed that the smell of them 
was excetdingly comforting and appetizing. When we came 
to dispatch them, my boy thought they were far better than 
the baked ducks, and I thought so too. They were rather 
rich, being very oily, but they were tender, of a gamy, very 
good flavor, peculiar so itself, and entirely distinct from that 
of any other bird I ever ate. I was so pleased with my 
hawks that I invited Drs. Tolan and Pearson of Colorado to 
come and partake of the unfinished feast. Both pronounced 
the hawks a most excellent victual, and they are gentlemen 
of highly cultivated gastronomic taste. Previous to that 
time I had never let a hawk escape me if I could kill him, 
on the ground that he is a general villain deserving of death, 
but I had usually left their bodies where they fell. I now 
kill them for the pleasure and profit of eating their meat, 
However, since then I haye undertaken to eat some hawks 
which were not good, These were thin in order, as if they 
had heen doing penance by a long fast. Neither is a thin 
ox nor a thin hog good to eat. The chief food of the hawks 
T ate at Colorado had evidently been prairie cogs, which 
swarm all over that country, and which, during the fall 
months, are so fat they can hardly toddle. 
It naturally occurred to me that if the prairie dogs were 
such fine food for hawks, they would probably prove good 
food for man. I therefore shot two of these creatures and had 
them dressed and cooked under my own eyes. They were fat 
as butter-balls. They were roasted on spits over a mass of live 
coals in a small trench, and often mopped with a combina- 
tion of salt, pepper, vinegar and drawn butter, to which 
was added the melted fat of the animals themselyes, They 
were brought to my table beautifully barbecued, and you 
may judge that I liked the food when I tell you that 1 ate 
the bulk of these two dogs at one sitting. My boy held off 
for some time, being prejudiced against the name of dog, 
bul he finally fell to it and consumed all that was left, He 
then sopped all the gravy in the dish. From that day I 
marked the prairie dog with the hawk as admirable food for 
man, which will be appreciated when men grow wiser, and 
Lhope that I may have the pleasure some day of attending a 
feast of the Ichthyophagoi with a large store of these goodly 
viands on hand. It seems to me that the scope of the Ich- 
thyophagoi is entirely too limited. Besides the things that 
live in water and mud, it seems to me that they shouid also 
take in all manner of beasts of the field and fowls of the air. 
But I have undertaken to eat some things that were 
detestable. Shortly after experimenting with the hawks and 
prairie dogs, I encountered a herd of peccaries in the Sand 
Hills on the Staked Plains. I shot two and took their hams 
to my car, also the ribs of one. I had these cooked in various _ 
styles, but they were not good in any style. They had a 
strong flayor of musk and urine, which was very disagree- 
able in the mouth, and at the same time affected the nose 
unfavorably. After several trials we threw the whole cargo 
of peceary out of the window. It is right, however, that L 
should add that both of these animals were boars, and it 
would hardly be just to condemn the peccaries as food by 
amy experiment with them. It is well known among farmers 
that a boar hog makes a vile diet, and a bull is unfit to eat 
except when converted into bologna sausages. Had my pee- 
caries been sows, 1 might be able to make an entirely ditfer- 
ent report. I have been told by several who have eaten them 
often that they are almost as good as the pig. ‘The peccary 
lives on acorns and roots, and is a much more cleanly animal 
than the hog. But the male carries on his backa bulb or 
swelling which discharges a villainous smell when he is pro- 
voked, 
I have also undertaken to eat a wolf, but found thé meat- 
so extremely bad that I did not yenture beyond the first 
mouthful, It tasted. precisely a8 a dirty wet dog smells, and 
was gummy and otherwise offensive. But I did not under- 
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