30 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 5, 1885. 



himself and family in the hill country of northeastern Penn- 

 sylvania. Game of all kinds was abundant. Needing meat 

 one day, he took his rifle, mounted his horse and rode into 

 the woods. Seeing a flock of wild turkeys on the ground, 

 without, dismounting, he raised his gun to shoot a large gob- 

 bler that stood with its neck outstretched in the path before 

 him. Just as he shot, another one in all respects like it, 

 took position by its side, and his ball cut both their throats 

 close to their heads. He tied their heads together, threw 

 them across the horse in front of the saddle, and rode home. 



K. 

 Vinton, Iowa. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Tour remarkable shots have reminded me of one I 

 made several years ago. I have thought it a case of pellets 

 being deflected by quail feathers. 



A quail flushed* to my right about 30 yards, and as I threw 

 up my gun I saw a negro boy, Jim, who usually accom- 

 panies us to "tote the game," in a direct line about' 50 yards 

 beyond the bird. He called, "Look out, Mr. L." I an- 

 swered , "I see you; all right," and I held fire until the bird 

 had flown rather to the front of me, and at an angle of about 

 45 : from the line between the boy and myself, when I fired. 

 The bird fell dead and Jim called out, "I am shot." I laid 

 down my gun and ramrod (which I had drawn immediately 

 on firing, as was my custom in muzzleloader days) and went 

 to Jim. and found him well peppered with about a dozen No. 

 9s. It seeming strange that he had been hit, I then carefully 

 noted the positions from whence I had fifed, of Jim and the 

 bird. Jmi would say afterward that the doctor said it was 

 not healthy for him to go with me. J. C. L. 



Wilmington, N. C. 



BATTERY-SHOOTING. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



It is with considerable satisfaction that I notice in some of 

 your back numbers, that battery -shooting, as practiced in 

 some portions of our country, has been made a subject for 

 discussion; for I believe that wherever this method of 

 destroying wildfowl shall become generally understood, and 

 it is shown to be the destructive evil it really is, there will 

 then be little difficulty in having laws passed to suppress for- 

 ever these destructive engines in every State within whose 

 borders they can now be used. 



The foregoing paragraph will leave no doubt upon the 

 mind of any reader which side of the argument the writer 

 takes, and with your permission he proposes to give some 

 reasons for the "faith that is in him." Before replying to 

 any of the statements contained in the articles published in 

 Forest and Stream on this subject, I think perhaps it best 

 to show wherein battery-shooting is a destructive evil in so 

 far as wildfowl are concerned. In the first place, the fact 

 that by this method the gunner is, in the vast majority of in- 

 stances, enabled to kill more ducks than in any other way, 

 for a time at least, is so entirely conceded by every one with 

 any knowledge of the subject that it is not necessary to do 

 more than make the statement. This in itself might appear 

 more of a benefit than an evil to the gunner; but at times it 

 is fraught with misfortune even to him, as I will show. As 

 soon as the law permits, generally before winter fairly sets 

 in, the batteries are at work. The birds, having just arrived 

 from their feediug grounds accompanied by their young, are 

 gentle and unsuspecting. Vast numbers are killed and 

 shipped to market, but they do not all get there. The 

 weatllef is warm, decomposition proceeds rapidly, and many 

 are thrown away. A few seasons ago, from Currituck Sound 

 alone, in the month of November, between 5,000 and 10,000 

 birds were thrown awaj r in the canal and in the harbor of 

 Norfolk, having spoiled" on account of the weather. These 

 were all shot from batteries and bush-blinds. Our seasons 

 for shooting wildfowl open much too early throughout the 

 land. Because more birds can be killed t)y this method is 

 the reason that batceries multiply so rapidly where they can 

 be used. 



Now. why is it that more ducks can be killed by this 

 method than by any other? Simply because they are placed 

 in the midst of the feeding grounds, away from the shore in 

 shallow water, and the birds are compelled to resort there to 

 get their food, otherwise they must starve or seek some 

 other locality. That they prefer to do the latter after having 

 been shot at' from these sunken blinds for a brief period is a 

 thoroughly established fact, and may not be wondered at. 

 Beeause booby-blinds are erected on the feeding grounds, 

 as stated by one writer, is no argument or excuse for bat- 

 teries being there. Both should be prohibited by law from 

 being placed in such positions, Harassed continually upon 

 their feeding grounds by being repeatedly shot at, the buds 

 depart to other places where they can feed unmolested. I 

 am Dot speaking of any especial tract, but generally, for my 

 experience of, and with, batteries and like machines extends 

 from Currituck Sound to the Mississippi River. 



Bui the battery itself is not the sole evil. It has a partner 

 even more objectionable if possible than itself, aud without 

 which it would be comparatively harmless. This assisting 

 terror is the tender, composed of a man and a sailboat, 

 whose duty it is to gather the slain birds, and, of equal im- 

 portance, to keep in motion any flocks that may be within 

 reaching distance. If a number of birds have settled upon 

 the water, either to dress their feathers or to snatch a few 

 moments of needed rest, no sooner does the tender spy them 

 than he bears away and compels them to take wing, in hopes 

 that some may be decoyed to the battery. These sailboats 

 are kept in constant motion, quartering the sound or river as 

 setters do a field, and where several batteries are stationed no 

 duck can settle near-by for a moment, and with this species 

 of persecution, together with the roar of guns discharged 

 from apparently beneath the waters, than which nothing 

 more terrifies the fowl, is it any wonder that in a short period 

 the birds desert a locality where the laws permit them to be 

 so unceasingly disturbed? 



Beside the fact that more birds are killed for a time by 

 this method, there is nothing to recommend it. The gunner 

 lying at full length on the bottom of his box is exposed to 

 the rain, the freezing cold and the snow. Icy spray breaks 

 over the sides, the box contains more or less water; some- 

 times he is forced to bail to keep himself afloat, and retri- 

 butive justice takes a hand in his pursuit, and not infre- 

 quently he receives with his bag of birds the seeds of rheu- 

 matism, pneumonia or consumption. I have been told by 

 the battery men in Currituck Sound, where, from its com- 

 paratively mild climate there should be less risk in this mode 

 of gunning, that a man cannot stand it much over three or 

 four years. It is essentially the method to be used for those 

 who shoot for count, unworthy of the true sportsman, ac- 

 ceptable only for the pot-hunter. 



In your issue of Jan. 29, a writer comes to the defense of 

 battery -shooting over the signature of "Sinkboat," and gives 

 his opinion on this method of killing wildfowl. His views are 

 evidently so honestly entertained as to the advisability of bat- 

 teries being used, and so frankly given, that they merit re- 

 spectful treatment, though founded in error, and incapable 

 of being sustained by any proof. He commences by stating 

 that he knows nothing as to how battery-shooting affects 

 wildfowl apart from the waters of the Chesapeake, but even 

 there he confesses that it would be well "to confine the 

 number of boxes licensed to a much smaller number, and 

 allow no others on the ground." "Why would he do this? 

 Is it because he is one of the "kid-glove gentry," and a sup- 

 poiter of monopolies? By now manner of means, for, as I 

 gather from his article, he is no friend to that class, but it is 

 because there are too many batteries in his locality, there is 

 "too much shooting," and presumably the ducks are annu- 

 ally decreasing in numbers. His proposed remedy is a vir- 

 tual confession of the destructiveness of batteries. 



Because, perchance, there may still be a large number of 

 birds frequenting localities where battery-shooting is per- 

 mitted, some persons not fully conversant 'with the matter, 

 may deny that this method drives birds away. I will state 

 some facts to show how incorrect would be such denial. In 

 Sandusky Bay. Ohio, where are now situated the grounds of 

 the Winous Club, batteries were formerly used by every- 

 body. The fowl were in myriads aud the supply seemed in- 

 exhaustible. But gradually a diminution of their numbers 

 was perceptible, year by year the birds and the scores de- 

 creased, until 1,200 birds was the total score of all engaged 

 in shooting for an entire season. Then a State law was 

 passed, prohibiting the use of batteries, and the grounds were 

 preserved. Soon the birds began to return to their accus- 

 tomed haunts, and from 1,200 killed, the score increased 

 until it reached the grand total of 9,000 birds bagged in a 

 single season, and no diminution in the number of the fowl 

 was perceived. They Avere unmolested in the open water 

 and on their feeding grounds. 



"Sinkboat" mentions Currituck Sound. I can speak of 

 that section from an acquaintance with it of twenty years. 

 Before batteries or bush-blinds were known there, the birds 

 gathered in countless myriads during the period the more 

 northern waters were frozen. It was their natural winter 

 home, not a place to be occupied temporarily during their 

 migration, and they remained until spring. "How is it to- 

 day ? Ducks, geese and swan still resort there, but in dimin- 

 ished numbers; but their lives are lives of terror and unrest, 

 and many depart for the south after a short stay. Batteries, 

 bush-blinds and sailboats give them no peace, and their only 

 places of refuge are the grounds of the various clubs, where 

 they are out of reach of these open-water destructive engines. 

 As to the profits obtained by the market gunners, I learn, 

 from repeated inquiries among them, that it is rare for any 

 owner of a battery or a bush-blind to make living wages 

 during the season, although numbers of birds are killed, and 

 most of them are in debt when spring comes. The only sal- 

 vation for the wildfowl in Currituck at present is the law 

 prohibiting non-residents from shooting afloat. It is to be 

 hoped that a law may soon be passed that shall forbid any 

 one from shooting on the water. Thus far the non-resident 

 law has prevented the fowl from being driven entirely out 

 of the State, which would surely be the case if the waters 

 were open to all. 



It is for these and kindred reasons that so many States, on 

 the petitions of sportsmen and others desirous of preserving 

 our wildfowl, have prohibited the use of batteries within 

 their borders. I think any one conversant with battery- 

 shooting will perceive, in spite of "Sinkboat's" vehement 

 denial, that this method is more "detrimental to shooting 

 than the same amount of shooting from the shore." Facts 

 prove it, the diminution in the number of birds shows it. 

 The box cannot be separated from its accompanying boat, 

 and such birds as the occupant of the former fails to kill, 

 the latter drives completely away. So well is this under- 

 stood that on the Gunpowder River, where for years I have 

 been accustomed to shoot, we always look for an extra flight 

 of birds on the days the batteries are at work on the Susque- 

 hanna Flats The birds leave their feeding grounds when 

 the fusillade begins, and soon after sunrise appear on the 

 Bush and Gunpowder. It has been remarked of late years 

 that the birds were more plenty on these rivers, and this can 

 hardly be said of the Flats, and the increased numbers on 

 the rivers has been attributed to the absence of batteries. It 

 is hardly necessary to follow "Sinkboat's" argument that 

 those who shoot from the shore object to boxes on purely 

 selfish grounds. If he is a sportsman he has at heart that 

 desire, which above all else influences a sportsman's actions 

 — the desire to protect our game in all localities it frequents; 

 and if he has been shooting thirty-five years he knows well 

 enough that wherever batteries are systematically used, a 

 diminution, if not the entire disappearance, of wildfowl is 

 sure to take place. 



An exception may properly be taken to his statement that 

 the box is a more humane mode of shooting, for the reason 

 that for "every duck bagged off a point it is safe to say that 

 two or more are crippled," while "nearly every duck struck 

 out of a box is killed." I believe, and I think my experi- 

 ence tends to prove it, that just the contrary is the fact, for 

 as a rule, speaking of no especial locality, it is the flocks or 

 bunches that go to the batteries, while single birds or 

 bunches of three or four go to the points. The great bags 

 made by the batterymen are not derived from single or 

 selected birds, but from shooting at the flocks when 

 they "double" over the decoys. "Sinkboat's" suggestion of 

 increasing wildfowl by only 'permitting them to be shot from 

 boxes is, of course, intended as a joke, for it is not at all in 

 harmony with his first idea of limiting the number of 

 batteries to be used. He is also very much in error when he 

 says: "None can commit a trespass in the water." Has he 

 never heard of riparian rights? The gist of his article seems 

 to be summed up in the remarks, that "box-shooters will die 

 hard, but if box-shooting must stop, then let all ducking 

 points be open to all sportsmen." Evil things always do die 

 hard, but for all that let us endeavor to hasten the time of 

 their dissolution. The doctrine that private property^ should 

 cease to be such and be thrown open to those who indulge 

 in objectionable practices, iu order that such practices may 

 ba abated, smacks so strongly of communism, that it can 

 only be acceptable to those who have nothing to lose. 



Sagamore. 



Deer in Vermont.— The deer killing in Richford, Vt. 

 during the fore part of January, was done contrary to law. 

 After it was killed it was brought to Richford and peddled 

 about the streets in open defiance of the law, and the 

 authorities have done nothing about it, and it is said they do 

 not intend to.— Snip Snap. 



DEER IN THE ADIRONDACKS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



There was published in the Forest and Stream of Oct. 

 2, an article, bearing the signature of "L.,"on the protection 

 of the game in the Adirondacks. Some of the statements 

 made have been severely condemned, especially that in 

 relation to the hunting of deer out of season by some of 

 the guides of that region during the early summer months. 

 Among then- number was Commissioner Sherman, who ac- 

 cuses "L." of being a wilful falsifier or having been made 

 the dupe of others. Although I do not agree with all con- 

 tained in "L.'s" article, the statement he makes in relation to 

 the guides hunting deer during the close season is to my 

 certain knowledge perfectly true of a large number of them 

 who follow tbeir vocation in that region. 



Not only have I resided nearly all my life near the borders 

 of the Adirondack region and have frequented some portion 

 of it nearly every season for twenty -five or thirty years past, 

 but I have for the last six years spent the greater portion of 

 each summer in camp in the heart of what is known as the 

 St. Regis district, a locality much resorted to by sportsmen 

 and hunters for the purpose of hunting deer. During the 

 greater part of this time my camp has been located on the 

 upper part of the sixteen-mile level, a portion of the middle 

 branch or main branch of the St. Regis River, which is still 

 water and navigable for small boats or skiffs for that distance. 

 This river and the level is the principal thoroughfare by 

 which the numerous streams and ponds "in the southern and 

 western part of the district is reached. 



These ponds and streams are frequented every season, dur- 

 ing the early summer months, by numerous parties of sports- 

 men and hunters, who come in by way of the hotel at Blue 

 Mountain, near the foot of the level, and by way of Paul 

 Smith's, on St. Regis Lake, from which this branch of the 

 St. Regis River flows. At these hotels these parties are 

 fitted out with guides, boats, tents, etc., for camping, and 

 they go to the banks of some of the ponds or streams, where 

 they go into camp and will often remain there two weeks at 

 a time; and every night that is favorable will, with the help 

 of their guides, hunt and slaughter deer by jack-light. This 

 has been going on every season during the months of June 

 and July, and the last has been no exception to the rest. 

 I am personally acquainted with the majority of the guides 

 who frequent this district, as well as with many others who 

 follow their vocation elsewhere. Among all of them there 

 is but a very small number who will not and have not 

 hunted deer, more or less, out of season during the last two 

 years. And more than that, some of the guides who reside 

 in or on the borders of the district have, when not engaged 

 as guides for others, hunted and killed deer for themselves 

 in the months of June and July, and sometimes even in 3fay; 

 and have jerked or smoke-dried the venison and sold it at 

 the stores in the settlements in St. Lawrence county, on the 

 western borders of the district. The guides who frequent 

 this district are not mushroom oarsmen, but are all experi- 

 enced hunters, and many of them have been guides for 

 years and some are well advanced in years. 



I do not consider it a sure proof of a guide's honesty that 

 he can be safely trusted with the care of valuable property; 

 for the reason that there is not a guide but what is well 

 aware that should he abuse this trust in the least his voca- 

 tion as a guide would end. I can point to two guides who 

 have been confined inside of prison walls, who are skillful 

 hunters and excellent guides, whose services are iu great 

 demand every season, and not a season passes that they are 

 not trusted with the care of valuable property; and I know 

 others that could not get trusted for a plug of tobacco at any 

 store where they are known, but who are frequently trusted 

 with property of large amount. That there are many guides 

 throughout the Adirondack region who are honorable and 

 law-abiding I have no doubt. I know of a few that are such 

 myself, and I also know of others that are not. But I know 

 of a far greater number than both combined who are per- 

 fectly honorable and also law-abiding in all respects, except 

 in observing the game laws. To these they pay no respect 

 except that they fear their enforcement. 



It is the same in regard to the game laws as it is with the 

 custom laws. There is hardly any one who thinks there is 

 any harm or wrong in smuggling goods out of Canada, pro- 

 viding that they don't get caught at it. And the guides as 

 well as many others in Franklin county think the same in 

 regard to the game laws. H they are not caught in the act 

 of" violating them they think it is all right. Mr. A. R. 

 Fuller, of Meacham Lake, in commenting on the statement 

 made by "L.," makes the statement that guides cannot be 

 procured at his guide house for the purpose of hunting for 

 others out of season. 1 would like to ask Mr. Fuller if he 

 does not think it is himself that deserves the credit for this 

 rather than the guides in his employ; and if he does not 

 believe that should they for any reason leave his employ 

 they could not then be induced to hunt for parties when it 

 is unlawful to do so, especially should the parties promise, 

 as many do, to pay all fines should they be prosecuted for 

 violating the game laws? 



Some of the guides who frequent the St. Regis district 

 defy the law in words as well as in deeds. One of the lead- 

 ing guides while at my camp one day in August last, stated 

 in my hearing that he' had always hounded in June and July 

 and always should; and he would put a ball from his rifle 

 through the one that informed against him. Several others 

 heard the remark. This man is a favorite guide with a large 

 number of sportsmen, from whom he has received many 

 valuable presents. Although no one cares for the threats 

 that such persons make, or at least fear that they will be put 

 into execution, it shows their disposition, and 1 have no 

 doubt such persons would not hesitate in seeking revenge to 

 destroy property about one's camp should they nave the op- 

 portunity when the owner was absent. Such cowardly acts 

 have been committed a number of times since I have fre- 

 quented this district. 



I do not, by any means, wish to be understood as blaming 

 the present game protectors, for I happen to know that some 

 of them, among whom is the protector to which Franklin 

 county is assigned, are doing all they can to enforce the 

 game laws in their respective districts. As yet, Mr. Leonard, 

 the protector of this district, which includes the three coun- 

 ties of Franklin, St. Lawrence and Jefferson, has been 

 unable to accomplish much within Franklin county, for the 

 reason that lie has during the past had all that he could attend 

 to in the other two counties. But he informs me that he has 

 now arranged matters in those couuties so that by early 

 spring he will be able to give the most of his attention to 

 this county. In St. Lawrence and Jefferson he fortunately 

 has the sympathy of a large portion of the inhabitants, and 

 has iu many localities secured the services of persons that 

 he can trust to watch in their respective localities for viola 



