3886 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
ce 
a wee 
no, 11, 1884, 
other method than shooting, even if it was the Chinese 
mode of yanking them under water, which process, how- 
ever, he thought would not work well with the temperature 
below the freezing point, , 
Several parties of Rochester men have returned home 
within a week or two from shooting trips in the West. The 
travels of one party were extended to Kansas, where some 
good quail shooting was had. How suggestive of wanton 
waste of same is the fact that men had to cross the Mississippi 
from New York for a few weeks’ sport at small game? Other 
men went to Ohio and Indiana, and found that quail had 
been so thinned out by an unfavorable winter as to make it 
rather a toil than pleasure to follow the bevies, and they gave 
up shooting, having concluded that it was poor policy to 
leave no ‘‘seed,” 
A Rochester stockholder in one of the clubs owning a good 
marsh for dueks in Lake Erie, went up and had one day’s 
sport out of six at the redheads, but complains that the 
people out there are pursuing the unwise policy of allowing 
the ducks to be harassed night and day, and every day in 
the week. He suggests that the Chesapeake Bay plan of 
shooting only on alternate days should be enforced, unless 
the birds are to be driven away totally. 
I saw yesterday for the first time in this market some 
numbers of sharp-tailed grouse, for sale. They must have 
been killed hundreds of miles away, or perhaps thousands, 
and the fact indicates the relentless war waged for lucre 
against the game birds of America. I am very much 
enamored with the doctrine of free trade, but I think we 
might lave protected our game to a far greater extent than 
has been done. Protection in that line would have wronged 
nobody, E.R 
Rocwestmr, N, Y., Nov. 30. 
ADIRONDACK DEER HOUNDING. 
Hiditor Forest and Stream: 
I have just come from the Adirondacks, where I have a 
summer cottage, and for fifteen years have spent from four 
to six months in the woods and before that had madea 
number of visits to that region, The year before Paul 
Smith’s house was built I camped for four months in that 
vicinity. Visitors to that part know the little strip of land 
between St. Regis and Spitfire Pond called ‘‘The Tongue.” 
In those days we could find seven or eight deer on the 
Tongue any morning. A party of four on Follansby, Jr., 
and Quebee ponds, killed ninety-two deer in six weeks, and 
“Old Arcoill,” by still-hunting, killed one hundred and five 
in two months that same year. We hear the statement often 
made that the deer are growing more plenty in the Adiron- 
dacks, But I think no une would dream of the possibility 
of killing that number of deer in one season now, I think 
from the fact that for three or four years there has been but 
little snow, the deer have not been slaughtered by crust- 
hunters, and in their yards and in some localities they may 
have increased somewhat. 
But, to my mind, the only way to save deer is to forbid the 
use of hounds at any season; and, at the same time, night- 
hunting should be stopped. ff the hounds were used only 
during the months of October and November there would 
not be so much harm done. But they are permitted to run 
hy themselves. all the spring and summer until the ‘‘city 
folks” begin to come into the woods. Then there is a pre- 
tense of keeping them chained. ‘The past summer—the day 
I arrived in the woods—one of the ‘‘natives” called me to 
see his new dog, and boasted, ‘‘He has run more than one 
deer this spring.” I learned later that quite a number had 
been either killed by the dogs or run till in all probability 
they died from exhaustion. One buck lay four hours in my 
door yard, too weak to get into the woods. 
J talked with many of the hunters who keep dogs in re- 
gard to a law forbidding the useof hounds. They all agreed 
that it would bea good thing, and most of them said they 
would sign a petition fer such a law; but as long as others 
kept them they shouid. Fifteen years ago, or even less than 
ten years, it was no unusual thing to see deer feeding about 
the edge of the woods and in the grain fields. But now with 
two hounds to every house, the ‘‘starters’” have to go four 
or five miles into the woeds to find a deer. 
I learned of the killing of a number of deer last June by 
jack-hunting. Ihad not the legal proof, or I should have 
made an effort to have had the law enforced. It is often 
next to impossible to get the proof of the killing of deer out 
of season by jack-hunters. Buta law against the use of 
hounds would be easily enforced. I think thefeis such a 
Jaw in one or two counties, but it should be made for the 
whole State. If it is not done soon, ten years hence the last 
deer will have been run toits death. If such a law is 
passed, in five years a sportsmen with any skill would have 
no difficulty in killing enough to satisfy his taste for venison, 
and of a different quality from that run till nearly black. 
If the sportsmen who are lovers of fair play will agitate this 
subject such alaw could be passed this winter, and we 
should soon see 4 great increase in the number of deer, 
AU SaBLe, 
Hanrtrorp, Dec. 5. 
Editor Forest and Stream: | 
Now that the sporting season is over, may it not be a good 
time to compare notes with former years. My annual hunt 
up in Herkimer county closed on the 24th ult. Notwith- 
standing the lack of snow, our party were successful in the 
capture of about 200 pounds of venison per man; all, in fact, 
that we desired or cared for. The deer were not plenty and 
the few found to hunt were shy and alert, having been jack- 
hunted and run by dogs until some of them would hardly 
make a shadow. 1 had heretofore camped north of the | 
Beayer River, which section used 1o be full of game. But 
for a few years past it has become the resort of a gang of 
hounders from near Croghan, who seem to spend most of the 
summer and fall months in the woods in parties numbering 
ag hich as thirty-five men, with fifteen or twenty dogs. So 
completely have they cleaned out the deer in the northern 
art of Herkimer county, as far east as the Red Horse chain, 
that the still-hunters have given up the locality, The same 
can be said of the eastern part of Lewis county, where but a 
few years since deer were plenty. . é ; 
L notice that the Maine game law is being agitated again; 
some wishing thai the open season be extended, while 
A. R, Fulier, of Meacham Lake, would like the season for 
hounding deer in this State extended until Noy. 15, “‘as it 
would give employment to many men in that locality at a 
time when yery little work is to be had.” 
I admit that the time for a guide to earn a competency to 
support him for the balance of the year is quite short, But 
when you extend the time to one you extend it to all, This 
same set of men that are annibilating the deer in the Beaver 
River country would undoubtedly like to have the time ex- 
ieee till the ist of December, or even later, for hounding 
cer. 
Judgiug from their every-day appearance and the sem- 
blance of dogs that accompany them, I can to some extent 
appreciate their desires. 11 does not appear to me, however, 
that the little game we have left should be exterminated for 
charity's sake, before trying other expedients, I hope we 
may soon haye a more rigid game law. Not by extending 
the open season, but by cutting off a portion of the time now 
allotted. Two months, viz., October and November, would 
give ample time for every sportsman to get a supply of first- 
Class venison, By the 1st of October the major part of the 
does have weaned their fawns, which could, after that date, 
care for themselves, Still some killed even the latter part of 
the month would be found with fresh milk in the udder. 
Parties in this section that went into Forest and McKean 
counties, Pennsylvania, after deer, have had fair luck, re- 
porting the deer, bear, grouse, etc., as being on the increase. 
Cap Lock. 
FRewsBure, N. ¥,, Dec. 8, 1884, 
WIRE CARTRIDGES. 
Hiditor Forest and Stream: 
At the request of several of your correspondents, I send 
you a description of how I make wire cartridges for shot, 
premising by stating that wrilten instructions In such mat- 
ters convey but 1 meagre knowledge of any art, a few hours’ 
practical instruction being worth all of it, 
To make a good wire cartridge is a knack requiring ex- 
perience, like making artificial flies, the first attempts of the 
novice are anything but satisfactory. 
First the materials. Paper for the cases should be of a 
fine thin texture and at the same time strong; about the 
thickness and strength of that upon which our postal notes 
are printed would answer very well. There are some fine 
qualities of wrapping paper used in some of the trades which 
J have found to answer admirably. 
The wire should be about the size or thickness of No. 8 
spool cotton, of brass or copper. I prefer the brass as being 
fougher, One dollar to one dollar and fifty cents will pur- 
chase enough to make a thousand rounds. , 
Bone dust to fill in between the layers or interstices of the 
shot, isscarcely a purchasable commodity. 1 obtained what 
I use by applying to a bone turner, who kindly gaye me 
about a peck of bone turnings or chips, which I took to an 
accommodating miller who ground it for me; it need not be 
as fine as flour, about the fineness of what the millers term 
“shorts” will answer. 
Prepare some thin, stiff cardboard wads, say a couple of 
sizes smaller than your gun, or rather just small enough to 
drop inside of your paper cases over which to crimp or close 
the bottoms and tops neatly, Cut also with the same cutter 
some of paper to paste over the tops. and bottoms after crimp- 
ing or closing, asa finish, (if preferred the top can be fin- 
ished with a thin cardboard wad pasted on, the size of your 
gun.) Use good boiled flour paste. 
Also, have turned about three cylindrical pieces of well-sea- 
soned hard wood, about fourinches in length, the larger one of 
a gauge or diameter just sufficient to admit making the paper 
cases thereon, so they will goin your shells nicely without 
forcing; this piece should also have a small groove or chan- 
nel along the side, or a small hole through the center, either 
will answer, to admit air; so that in making the paper cases 
they can be withdrawn readily, 
The second piece should be about two sizes, or rather 
somewhat smaller in diameter, over which to weave your 
wire cage. 
The third piece still smaller to use as a rammer or loader. 
Cut the paper for the cases in strips about fives inches in 
length by twe inches in width, marking a line either in pencil 
or by folding, in the center of each strip. Apply paste to one- 
half of the strip as thus divided, then wind the unpasted end 
of the paper slip a turn around your cylindrical piece of 
wood, first described above, allowing the edge of the paper 
to project over the end of the same, say about $ of an inch 
and bringing the pasted portion on around evenly, neatly and 
smoothly; drop one of your smaller pasteboard wads in the 
projecting end of the hollow paper cylinder thus formed, 
apply a little paste and close the end by crimping the pro- 
jecting edge of the paper over the wad neatly, and lastly with 
a little paste apply one of the paper cuts or wads to the out- 
side of the end or whal I term the bottom, withdraw the 
wooden cylinder and the case is complete. You can make 
two or three dozen of these cases in ten or fifteen minutes. 
Set them aside to dry, 
Prepare the wire by cutting in lengths of about four inches, 
(an ordinary pair of scissors answers weil for cutting the fine 
wire used), double each length in the center, In shape re- 
sembling the top of a lady’s hairpin, half circle, bringing the 
two ends parallel and even and of such a space apart as you 
wish to make your mesh (the wire cages when complete 
resemble somewhat the meshes of a fishnet). If for buck- 
shot, for instance, allow a space just suflicient to permit the 
passage of a buckshot, for smaller shot make them smaller 
in same ratio, I have found that for a 10-gauge gun about 
seven wires, or what is the same thing, seven meshes com- 
plete the circle of the cage for No. 1 buckshot. 
The size I have here given is suitable for a 10-gauge gun; 
other bores will require a modification, to suit which a few 
practical trials will easily determine. 
Now suppose you wish to make a wire cage for buckshot. 
Take seven of the wires doubled in hair-pin shape, as de- 
scribed above, and properly spaced. All this spacing and 
size of mesh is determined to a nicety and with regularity 
simply by the eye, after a little practice, Take the second 
cylinder of wood, as described above, bore quite a small awl 
hole in one end anywhere, diagonally in from the circum- 
ference of the same, in which you can insert temporarily a 
common pin—this is for convenience in holding your first 
wire in position by bringing one end of the same over the 
pin; lay another wire alongside and parallel with the first, 
the top ends, or ends that are doubled, extending up in the 
wooden cylinder a space, then with a pair of small pliers 
(such as ave used by fly makers answer well) cross the ad- 
joining ends of each of said wires at the lower edge of the 
cylindrical piece of wood, that will be, as described above, 
just a space or mesh from top of wires, give them two sharp 
und close twists to the right. Take the third wire, lay it 
parallel ‘with and adjoining the second, with the top end 
projecting up even with the two first, as. described above, 
cross the adjoining ends with the pliers, give two sharp close 
twists to the right as before. Proceed with the fourth wire, 
fifth, sixth and seventh as described, and you will find, pro- 
viding your wires haye been properly spaced, that the sev- 
enth will then adjoin and lay parallel and even or nearly so 
with the first, the adjoining ends of which must be crossed 
and twisted, as before described; the first circle of m ‘hes od 
then complete. Withdraw the pin; you have no Fane 
use for it now. Shove the whole thing up oa the wooden 
cylinder the space of a mesh, cross the wires so as fo form 
a second row or circle of meshes, give each two twists to the 
right, as before described, and the second row or ¢irele of 
meshes is complete; shove it up another space and proceed 
as before until completion; the short ends of the wires re- 
maining after the completion of the Jast circle of meshes can 
be closed, doubled over or crimped squarely over the end of 
the wooden cylinder, which you then withdraw. Drop the 
completed wire cage into one of your prepared paper cases, 
and you are ready for loading. 
Say you can chamber four buckshot within your wire 
and paper cases. First drop in a thin leyer of bone dust, 
then a layer of shot, tapping down lightly with the rammer, 
a layer of bone dust, sufficient to fill interstices between the 
shot, another layer of shot. tapping down each layer lightly 
and smoothly, and lastly drop in one of the thin card-board 
wads, over which paste close and crimp down the top of the 
paper case, finishing as described above with respect to the 
bottom of the cases. The cartridge is then complete. If 
you prefer in finishing you can paste a card-board wad of 
the gauge of your gun on top; if the shell is crimped over 
then they can be used without the card-board wad on top— 
one good wad is sufficient between the charge of powder in 
the shell. 
If you have nimble fingers, two or three dozen cartridges 
can easily be made of an evening by the fireside and laid 
away to use upon an emergency where they will do the most 
good, BACKWOODS. 
Brverty, Randolph County, W.Va., Dec. 1, 1884, 
DAKOTA GAME. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Fort Buford is situated at the confluence of the Missouri 
and the Yellowstone rivers, and almost directly on the line 
between Montana and Dakota, a little north of the forty-° 
eighth degree of latitude, and I believe one of the coldest 
spots in the United States. The mercury went down to 
forty-five degrees below zero several times last winter, On 
either side of these magnificent rivers is a splendid wood of 
elm, cottonwood, black ash, etc., with a dense growth of 
underbrush, consisting of willows, elder, dock brier, and 
other hardy shrubs. These jungles are the retreat of thou- 
sands of red deer (Cervus lencwrus), commonly called the 
white-tailed deer. 1 am fully convinced that there is not a 
square yard for thirty miles from here on either side of these 
rivers that you will not find the tracks and signs of these 
animals. I went out for a hunt last week about six miles 
from here, and saw at least sixty deer within a radius of 
three acres. There is one great drawback in hunting through 
this thick underbrush; the deer will generally sce or hear you 
before you see or hear him, so that you can very rarely get 
a shot nearer than 100 yards and then you will haye to shoot 
the deer on the jump, Three men went out from here a 
few days ago to a place called the Twelve-mile Creek, and 
although gone but four days, returned with 24 deer, weigh- 
ing from 50 to 200 pounds each, and I have seen white-tailed 
deer that would turn the scales at 300 pounds, 
There are also black-tailed deer (Cervus macrotis) on the 
upland hills, but they are not so numerous as the white- 
tailed. Further up still on the hills and on rocky ledges are 
found small flocks of the big horn (Qots montana), commonly 
called the Rocky Mountain sheep. It requires the most 
skillful strategy to come within rifle range of this latter 
named animal, the slightest noise is sufficient to put them on 
the alert. The grizzly beat (Ursus horribilis) is found in the 
immediate vicinity, but nol to so great an extent as from 
forty to a hundred miles from here. Montana cattlemen are 
complaining of sad hayoe among their cattle, caused by 
“orizzlers’ as also by the large, gray timber wolf, commonly 
called the buffalo wolf (Canis Ihipus occidentalis). Tt is re- 
ported here that six yearlings were found dead in a cafion 
thirty miles up the Missouri, and the tracks of bears and 
wolves were seen around the carcasses, Hlk are found 
within a short distance from here also. Although I never 
ran across any, I have seen several of their antlers which, 
judging from their state of preservation, must have been 
shed within the period of one year, 
The buffalo will soon be a thing of the past, and another 
decade will know this noble animal, the king of American 
game, only by a written description found in the natural 
histories. When the writer first came out West, nine years 
ago, he saw the plains of Montana and Dakota covered with 
herds of buffalo, as numerous as the domestic cattle that 
cover a “thousand hills” to-day. But now you may travel 
hundreds of miles without seeing a herd of twenty. I have 
seen only four buffalo herds this season; these were at 
Glendive, Montana, about eighty miles from here, and were 
the property of a taxidermist, who was mounting them for 
a Chicago firm, Only a few more years and a buffalo robe 
will be worth from $100 to $200, and a buffalo coat will be 
almost as dear as a sealskin. 
You can scarcely walk a hundred yards on either wood- 
land or prairie here, but covey after covey of “prairie 
chickens” (sharp-tailed grouse) will rise before you. On 
frosty mornings they can be seen as numerous on the trees 
as blackbirds on an Hastern farm. Sportsmen in this section 
of the country will not waste ammunition on small game 
-such as “‘prairie chickens,” jack rabbits, cotton tails, etc. 
They will not even kill a fawn. ‘here are several small 
Jakes at short intervals from each other, these are the haunts 
of myriads of wild geese, white brant, ducks, plover, pelicans, 
ete. : 
A young man, call him Brown, bagged last night the 
largest white-tailed deer I haye seen this season. Brown 
fired four shots at him and came within a hair’s breadth of 
shooting himself into the bargain. He, a young man abont 
twenty-one, brought up on a farm in the backwoods of 
Indiana, tells the story himself, as follows: ‘With the first 
shot I bruk the critters fgreleg, still he kept gitting and git- 
ting. Lup an’ fired again and missed ‘em, After the third 
shotI saw him fall, 1 ruuned wp and found him on his 
back with his horns sticking in the ground, as I approached 
the critter he was piping me off from the corner of his left 
eye, an’ I thought he was dead and then again I thought he 
wasn’t, so I went up to poke him on the belly with the butt 
of my gun, which was loaded, when, great gum! gentlemen, 
he bounded up like lightning an’ was off as if shot from a 
cannon, I got so scared at this unexpected turn that my 
har stood on an end and I do not know whether J was stand- 
in’ on my head or feet and when 1 got so started Ipulled my 
gun off and the ball went a whistling by my ear. He was 
gone about 300 yards before I could think o’ what tulcplace, 
but I bruk his other leg this time.” A young man from the 
