' 
Tan. 15, 1885.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
aa 
487 
The calf raised its tail gently over its back and turned off 
at right angles without being touched. Dr. P. jumped to 
this feet, and by the time that the calf had got fairly under 
way ashot from Dr. P.’s .50-caliber rifle broke its neck. 
We cannot account to this day how it came that we all 
ithree missed that calf the first volley. OCCIDENT. 
-SEDAULIA, Jan. 6, 
CAMP TENTS. 
Siditor Forest and Stream: 
Quite an interest is now being shown in camp building, 
A great deal of ingenuity was exhibited by the soldiers of 
the late war, and many of them could furnish the campers- 
‘out of to-day with points and details of different camps 
occupied by them. During the active operations of both the 
Nortnern and Southern armies the soldiers seldom occupied 
a canvas tent. 
IT have built the camp described by ‘‘Nessmuk,” and, 
like him, had a snake for a bed-fellow. One crawled 
‘across my hand, but I had not the nerve to lie still, and 
retreated in bad order. His camp is first-class. One camp 
occupied by my messmate and self was built of chestnut 
bark. In spring the bark peels off like sheets of leather. A 
very convenient, roomy camp was built by us whenever we 
were long enough at rest, by using the two parts of a shelter 
tent for the roof and using burlap for ends and sides, form- 
ing a wall tent. The shelter tent is a piece of heavy drilling 
about seven feet square. When no burlap was to be had we 
wove sides and ends of evergreen boughs, 
The camp was about seyen feet long by ten feet wide. On 
each side was built a cot by driving two crotched sticks at 
the head and two at the foot of each cot, and resting four 
sides of the cot poles in the crotches. Across these we 
placed barrel staves. They curve just enough te make an 
easy bed, and serve well to use asa seat. ‘The room beneath 
can be utilized for dunnage room. The space between the 
cots is enough to stand and move about in, and being in the 
highest part, affords ample room to stand erect. When a bar- 
rel eagle not be obtained we made the berths of small poles. 
The weight of the shelter tent is so small that it is easily 
carried, and in case one does not wish to build a camp, fur- 
nishes, with the rubber blanket, enough to roll up in beside 
the fire. 
When in winter quarters we built log houses the size of a 
wedge tent, about seven feet square, and fastened the tent 
to it for a roof. The winter tents were of duck, and, in fact, 
the regular wedge tent of to-day. A shelter tent was not 
strong enough for a winter roof. Hockomocg. 
CALIFORNIA WILDFOWL. 
Editor Forest and Stream: : 
In your issue of November 13, ‘*Alki.”’ of Seattle, W. 
T., bas an interesting letter concerning the black brant 
(of which I wrote a description which was published in 
Forest AND STREAM of Oct. 16), and in which ‘‘Alki” 
excuses himself for correcting an assertion of mine, viz. : 
“The black brant isfound from Octeber to May solely in 
San Dicgo Bay.” 
My letter was written more with the desire that it would 
‘awaken just such a man as ‘‘Alki,” and that the many read- 
ers of your valuable journal; would be enlightened upon 
a point which I am glad I have at last found some light 
myself. 
it has been a sorely discussed question here for many 
years as to the feeding grounds of our favorite bird, and 
while I, for one, have searched far and near in our Pacific 
Coast journals for some information relating to them, I was 
always disappointed. Never a word concerning the black 
brant could I tind. 
Tt was with delight that I read “Alki’s” letter, and this 
- morning I took Forest anp STREAM of Noy. 18 down town 
and showed it to its many friends, who are always on the 
alert for anything new. And many were the comments 
on the subject, and 1 want to express my thanks to ‘‘Alki” 
for settling a point long disputed among our local sports- 
men. 
While at once congratulating ‘Alki’ upon having the 
amount of game he claims at home, I am in the same box 
with himself. I don’t want him to monopolize all the hunt- 
ing in Washington Territory and Oregon, for 1 am an old 
“webfoot”’ myself, have dug ‘‘razor clams,” lived on “‘olallies” 
and ‘‘camas” root, and can ‘“‘cumtux chinook waw-waw” 
along with the best of them. Im other words, ‘‘I’ve been 
thar,” and while [ agree with ‘‘Alki” that he has one of the 
finest countries under the sun to hunt and fish in, he must 
not throw ‘‘semi-tropical California” in the shade. ‘‘Alki” 
claims that outside of the yicinity of Puget Sound in winter, 
the snow goose, or lesser snow goose or Ross’s goose (which- 
ever he means) is quite rare. Both the snow goose and lesser 
snow goose and Ross’s goose are quite common lere, much 
more so than any other goose we have, and they are so 
plentiful and easy to procure that they command lesser 
prices in the market than any other. 
Our most common ducks are shovellers or broadbills, all 
the varieties of teal, widgeon or baldpate, gadwall, pintail, 
blackjacks, with a sprinkling of redheads, canvas-backs and 
mallard, About a month ago | killed a fulvous tree duck, 
the first I ever saw, and we had quite a discussion until we 
hunted up Dr; Coues’s book and located our bird. That 
beautiful duck, the summer or wood duck, is occasionally 
killed here. 
Our family of Fuliguline, or sea ducks, is varied. Almost 
every variety is common here, and many are the discussions 
as to the different names of ditferent birds we have. Of the 
family of Rallide# we have the clapper rail, Virginia rail, 
black rail and corn crake. Of the sub-family of Gallinuline 
we have killed one specimen of the Florida gallinule. 
The surf duck or sea coot isso common here as to be a 
nuisance, and any one sailing on the bay is kept continually 
_ wondering what makes the peculiar drumming sound that 
fhe coot makes when taking flight from the surface of the 
water. The little ruddy duck puzzled us all for quite a 
while, but we finally located him, and as we formerly knew 
him by the name of ‘hard head,” ‘‘stinker,” etc,, the change 
of names is quite agreeable. 
Five trumpeter swans have been killed here in the past five 
years, of which I secured one. They area very rare bird, 
and it seems strange that so beautiful a bird, the most beau- 
tiful of all waterfowl, should be so worthless for the table. 
The trumpeters seem to be the only variety of swan here, 
at least, that is the only variety I have ever heard of in this 
vicinity. 
a Can any California reader of FoREsr AnD STREAM name 
iny variety of ducks common to our State that I have over- 
_ I forgot to include in my description of our water- 
- ce . 7 ' bd 
fowl several varieties of geese, among which the American | fore; quail very scarce, and have had to succumb ia ie 
white-fronted goose, and the Canada goose and Hutchins’s 
goose, the last rather scarce. 
We also havea few Wilson’s snipe, or ‘‘English Jack 
snipe,” as many of the boys erroneously call them. 
The family of plover is large, and so numerous I shall not 
attempt to describe them. Next? A. B, PEARSON. 
San Dreeo, Cal,, Noy. 21, 1884. 
FROM THE FAR NORTHWEST. 
[es is with much pleasure that I read the letters written to 
your valuable and eagerly looked for journal. A man 
who sees and recognizes the glorious beauty of the handi- 
work of the Creator, who picks up a leaf or a pebble, who 
stoops over a tiny blossom to admire its wondrous beauty 
and perfection, who loves the woods and all their sweet per- 
fumes, who feels a sense of rest when listening to the melody 
of running waters, who loves to feel the spray dash against 
his face; such a one lam sure is always welcomed by the 
choice spirits who form the circle around the fire of the 
FOREST AND STREAM. From all quarters of the Union 
they come, and eyen from across the water, but almost 
always are they found to bear the stamp of the true gentle- 
man, 
How I would like to grasp some of these dear fellows by 
the hand, look into their faces, and I am afraid I could not 
rest easy until I had examined their whole outfit—guns, 
dogs, shooting rig, all, There is some subtle charm for me 
in the sight of an old brown shooting coat; I wonder if there 
are others who have the same feeling. 
IT write you from the northwest corner of Uncle Sam’s 
domain, on the banks of the mighty Columbia, within sound 
of the roar of the surf as it breaks over the bar at its mouth. 
I have my gun, a boat, a dog, and at present, as my busi- 
ness duties are light, almost every day finds me taking a 
pull on the river, or a run in the woods. If at home, ten to 
one | am skimming the cream from the pages of Forest 
AND STREAM, 
Small game is not very plentiful in this immediate vicinity, 
but by going into the interior a few miles and following up 
the small rivers, wildfowl of all kinds are found. Elk and 
bear have been found within a short distance of this place. 
During the months of June and July the latter come down 
to the water attracted by the enticing odor of salmon heads. 
I set a trap of logs for bear the past season and caught one 
successfully, but as I had to cross a strip of water and then 
climb a steep bluff in order to reach the trap, I neglected to 
visit it regularly. I went up to it one morning after an in- 
terval of about thirty-six hours, and found to my chagrin 
that a black bear had been fairly caught, but had gnawed, 
clawed and torn his way out and escaped. The trap was a 
pen made of logs of about eight inches in diameter, notched 
at the end and laid closely together, the top of course 
being also inclosed and weighted. A sliding door of two 
inch plank held up by a cord running’ up over and back to 
a sliding spindle of about one inch in diameter, said spindle 
running through a hole to the inside, and had fastened to it 
securely a large piece of raw beef. The logs, however, 
were somewhat spongy and soft from the winter rains, the 
trap having been built a season or two previous. The only 
cota that he deigned to leave was a tuft of long black 
air. 
At another time I had a shot at one not more than fifty 
yards distant. Most of your readers would think that you 
could hit a bear at fifty yards, wouldn’t you? Well, I am 
inclined to think that 1 did touch him, but not to hold him. 
But talk of bruin being clumsy and slow! He gave one 
turn as though on a pivot, struck his forelegs out like a 
greyhound in full leap, and like a flash disappeared in the 
forest. 
Tt is growing late, my blankets look inviting, so to all 
good night. TAM 0’ SHANTER, 
Dec, 2, 1884. 
SOME REMARKABLE SHOTS. 
Kiditor Forest and. Stream: 
The many accounts of ‘‘Remarkable Shots” as recounted 
by your contributors, remind me of a most unusual shot 
made by me some fifteen years ago, when on an autumn's 
afternoon, in company with another boy, I was out with my 
muzZleloading rifle after squirrels. My dog treed one up a 
good-sized pine tree, and seeing the squirrel on a limb, I 
fired off-hand, when, to our surprise, the animal began a 
series of antics which, to say the least, amused us. It 
seemed to be unhurt and anxious to escape, yet unable to 
get away from the spot, though springing clear of the limb. 
At last we saw that the squirrel was fast to the limb, and 
my friend being a ‘‘climber,” immediately ‘‘ran out” of his 
shoes and stockings, and, cat-like, went up to investigate. 
Upon reaching the spot he found the squirrel perfectly 
lively, but as secure as though he had-been shot through 
the head, for the ballet had split the limb and carried the 
tail through, thus fastening the game after the fashion of 
the Virginia negro in securing opossums, viz., ‘‘putting his 
tailin a stick.” I had not seen the boy who was with me 
at the time for several years until last summer, when I met 
him at the seaside, and his first question was to know if I 
remembered that squirrel which was ‘‘shot at and secured 
without being hit.” A. E.R. 
BELVIDERE, N. Y. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The following not so remarkable as to be incredible: [ 
was in the inner bay at Nantucket, Mass., which runs up in 
the direction of Great Head Light, sailing with a party in a 
smali yacht. Rounding a point I saw, about two hundred 
yards away, a pair of shell ducks. I saw by the course we 
were taking that soon the two heads would come into line, 
and raising my rifle to my shoulder, I waited for that 
moment, while my companions, one with a glass to his eyes, 
watched. I fired and brought down both with a center 
through the heads. Our skipper went wild over it and 
nearly ran his craft aground in his anxiety to prove the shot 
by. securing the birds, - B. G. W, 
OSTON, 
Editor Forest. and Strewm: 
Last winter 1 was out hunting with atriend. We were 
walking one on each side of a hedge, and as we approached 
the terminus, I, looking ahead, saw a rabbit start from the 
hedge. I covered him and shot, but just as I pulled trigger 
two more rabbits started, and the consequence was three, 
instead of one rabbit, came toa sudden death. I have also 
at two different times killed two jack snipe at one shot, they 
flushing and crossing just in fime to meet the charge from 
gun as I fired. ' 
Game is not so plenty in this section as it has been hereto- 
8s, 
cold weather in large numbers, 
Tuscona, Il. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
If Thad time I would teli you how I killed over one hundred 
crows in one clatter. The most remarkable shot I ever made 
was when I missed a snipe and killed another that happened 
to be in line over sixty yards away. The nicest. double shot 
Tever got was a duck with right and a pigeon with left 
barrel in month of September. H. E. W, 
LA Orosse, Wis. I 
A REMAKABLE COINCIDENCE. 
Hiditior Forest and Stream: 
T was sitting at the famous sycamore crossing, West Vir- 
ginia, with two others in November, and had just killed a 
four-pronged buck with a rifle, when a much larger one 
came in over a hundred yards below us. My first shot went 
through behindthe shoulder and struck the smooth water 100 
yards below. The deer sprang into deep water, and I again 
fired at his neck. At the crack of the rifle he turned over 
and floated down the river—dead. Upon examination there 
was found ahole through the body in a vital place and 
also in the nec kK at the identical spot I had aimed at, but the 
ball was cut out and found to be from some still-hunter’s 
rifle, lodged against the skin on the opposite side of eutry, 
where it had been several days,and the wound was beginning 
to heal, This was considered a remarkable eae by 
the old hunters present. 
BALTIMORE, Md. 
MAINE WOODCOCK. 
N Maine woodcock put in an appearance with the robins in 
March, occasionally during the latter part of February. 
Sometimes first learn of them by being found dead under 
telegraph wires. Two years since a woodcock was caught 
in June by hand and brought to town, with one wing 
reversed, pointed forward. Had been broken, perhaps as 
above, and the wing bone was firmly knitted together in the 
reversed position. Could not fly forward, only roundabout. 
Woodcock appeared as usual in numbers. Were noticed 
all through the summer, and throve well, This is usually 
the vase, unless the season is too dry, and then they 
disappear, as in the moulting season, from their feeding 
grounds, fo the wonder of young hunters, and then annually, 
““where are the woodcock?” Moist lands pick them up in 
dry times, but in the moulting season they must be looked 
for in the woods and under the pines and spruces. 
Our legal shooting season commences in September. The 
past season haying been fair for the birds, there were some 
shot, but not large bags during the month. Many gunners 
appreciate good birds, as well as good sport, and wait for 
October. One gunner, three miles from Cortland, bagged 
eighty-five woodcock, besides fifteen grouse, for the Boston 
market, where they are sent underground. One can noi 
distinguish by taste a poor woodcock from a poor robin or 
yellow-hammer. No other woodcocker about here shot so 
many. Do not think that our gunners averaged over two to 
@ man a day for the month. Our woodcock are in good 
condition in October, and the shooting for birds in good 
condition is only from first of October to first of November, 
when they leave for better feed further south. Remain in 
Southern New England during November. Scattering ones 
are usually found here throughout November. Ten years 
since one was shot December 20. Woodcock are moving in 
their migrations as early as Oct. 10, when snipe begin to 
come. But the principai migration is gencrally during the 
last week of October, Owing to the dry weather during 
the latter part of September, woodecock were scare in early 
October. Not through moulting and scattered. 
Four gunners from Boston, who annually locate in 
Readfield for a few weeks and scour the adjoining towns, 
could not supply their own table and postponed further 
efforts for two weeks, preferring in the mean time to try 
landlocked salmon on Grand Lake streams. 
The last and principal flight of woodcock, the plump, 
small male birds, occurred on October 30 (rather during the 
night of the 29th) and a few bags of fifteen and sixteen were 
made by sportsmen who were willing to brave unpropitious 
weather on the 30th, The last flight of 1888 occurred also 
on the night of October 29. Twenty years since we had but 
a very few who affected woodcocking. Now there are 
forty in Cortland, and as many more throughout Cumber- 
land county. I have a record of 1,100 woodcoek shot in 
Cumberland county in 1869, 500 of them by two market 
gunners, good fellows and good shots. They resided in 
Saccarappa, a village in Westbrook, five miles from Cortland. 
The shooting season then was from July 1, allowing four 
months. Most of the birds were miserably poor, but brought 
a good price in Boston. Their covers were mostly in Gorham 
and Standish, probably the best of any two towns in Maine. 
Cumberland county is perhaps superior to any other in 
Maine for the number of woodcock, and it is severely 
hunted. ‘Two thousand woodcock could have been shot in 
Cumberland county twenty years since by our present 
number of gunners, and with their zeal and persistence, 
But for the past five years 500 will cover the number brought 
to hag. 
Hardly a day but every coyer in the county is gone over 
by one or more hunters. No wonder game isscarce, The 
birds are too closely hunted to afford even a chance for 
existence, much less for increase. Grouse were compara- 
tively plentiful. Woodcockers would bring in one grouse to 
four or five woodeocks. Three years since, from the yet 
unknown cause—parasites, snow or foxes—grouse were 
nearly extinguished in this section, as well as in some other 
pert of the State, especially the Rangeley and Moosehead 
ake sections, For the past two years they are largely on 
the increase, but we have not such shooting as your New 
Hampshire and Vermont correspondents report. 
I do not like to close without expressing the gratification 
of your Maine reader for your commendation of our game 
laws. We intend to protect our game and fish for the 
equal interest of our own people and of those who enjoy it in 
common with us, and we claim and take no privilege that 
we do not grant to others. Our worthy commissioners 
Messrs. Stillwell and Stanley thoroughly understand their 
business and are in earnest in season and out of season to 
protect our interests. 
Col. George, of Concord, four years since, estimated that 
the amount expended for travel by people of the United 
States to New England, principally to New Hampshire and 
Maine, to pleasure resorts and for fish and game amounts to 
$5,000,000 annually. It is estimated that Maine’s share is 
2,000,000. We are not unmindful of this benefit, the 
money value of our wild treasures. During the winter of 
