March 13, 1885. ] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



127 



to be supplied only with, game killed in a sportsmanlike way 

 the value would be proportioned to the cost, aud but few 

 could afford to eat came Until it became so plenty in forest, 

 Held and stream that rich of poor, sportsman or market- 

 hunter, would be able to obtain fair value for time and cap- 

 ital invested. The genuine sportsman, the man impelled by 

 love of sport, whose motive was pleasure and recreation, 

 would not only obtain the attainment of his object, but value 

 as well, while' the man who worked for do'lars and cents 

 would get full compensation. 



A. man may not be a good shot nor expert in use of rod 

 and line, yet maybe a thorough sportsman. His sportsman- 

 ship cannot be measured by the number of birds be kills or 

 of fish he catches; only by his enthusiastic and persevering 

 pursuit of his favorite amusement. 



One who shoots only at the trap, or fly casts at tourna- 

 ments, is not a sportsman, and knows not the thrill of ex- 

 citement enjoyed by one who has worked all day with poor 

 success, when he finds a covey of quail just before sundown, 

 and sees them scatter beautifully id brown straw or sedge, 

 then proceeds to deliberately pick them up one by one over 

 a faithful and steady dog's points • Bedford. 



Brooklyn. 



BATTERY-SHOOTING. 



Editor Vbrest and Stream: 



In your last issue "Sinkboat" endeavors once more to de- 

 fend his favorite pursuit of battery-shooting, and also tries 

 to reply to my statements of facts already given on this sub- 

 ject. It is not his fault that this method of destroying fowl 

 is indefensible, save for the reason that the birds can in this 

 way be slaughtered in large numbers, and he does the best he 

 can for a poor cause, but after all he brings forward in 

 advocacy of the practice, it still remains as objectionable as 

 ever. In reply to him I propose to consider some of his 

 assertions, and show by his own language that he establishes 

 the very statements which he disputes. "Sinkboat" says that 

 I have "drawn almost entirely on ray imagination for my 

 points," and that my "knowledge is not derived from prac- 

 tical experience, but from hearsay." This is a confident as- 

 sumption on the writer's part which would no doubt be very 

 satisfactory to him if he could prove it, but which appears 

 only amusing to me, when I look back over the years that 

 are gone, and recall the many days I have lain in batteries 

 shooting fowl. "Sinkboat" also says that "it is not the 

 habit to tend the battery with a sailboat, aud from my 

 description it would be supposed batteries w r ere terrible in- 

 struments of destruction, which, in fact, they really are." 

 Now the chief reason that causes "Sinkboat" to think I have 

 "drawn upon my imagination for my points" is bacausethey 

 do not agree with his experience! Very likely, for "Sink- 

 boat" has stated he is only conversant with battery-shooting 

 as practiced in his own locality, while I wrote generally of 

 the custom of battery-shooters from Currituck Sound to the 

 Mississippi River, wherever these or similar engines were 

 used. Does it seem probable then, that with twenty years' 

 experience over so large an extent of our country, it would 

 he necessary for me to "draw upon my imagination" in order 

 to reply to one whose limited knowledge of the subject was 

 obtained from a single, locality only, and where, very possibly, 

 not every one of the evils attending on battery -shooting was 

 practiced. 



But let us examine this a little as it appears in "Sink- 

 boat's" statements. That, as a general thing, a battery is 

 attended by a sailboat is so well known by all those whose 

 knowledge'of the subject is not, confined to one locabty, that 

 it is unnecessary for me to do more than reiterate that it is a 

 fact, Where "Sinkboat" is accustomed to shoot, the bat- 

 teries are probably altogether too numerous for each to have 

 an attendant sailboat lest they interfere with each other, but 

 nevertheless he says the "yacht is occasionally sailed round 

 to break up the large beds of ducks, " etc. ; and again: "I 

 know it [the sailboat] is only practiced in this section when 

 the fowl will not fly." E-x-a-c-t-1-y. The sailboat is only 

 required when the fowl will not fly ; and therefore, even in 

 his own locality, "Sinkboat" confesses that this pernicious 

 habit is indulged in, and thereby corroborates my state- 

 ments. In Currituck Sound it is the universal practice of 

 the gunners to employ sailboats, and other places also suffer 

 from this system. The sailboats, if possible, are more hurt- 

 fid than the batteries, as I have already shown, That more 

 fowl are killed by the means of batteries, and that they are 

 an evil, "Sinkboat" acknowledges in his article, for he says, 

 "it is true that out of a given number of shooters, those 

 using batteries doubtless kill more fowl than a like number 

 who do not," and "the over killing of ducks from boxes is 

 an evil that soon corrects itself." The wherefore of this 

 correction may very properly be doubted, and it cannot cer- 

 tainly be substantiated in many places, but the fact of the 

 evil and the over-killing, as I asserted, is confessed. I do 

 not think "Sinboat" can point to any sentence of mine 

 wherein I advocate the slaughter of ducks, either from the 

 shore or from the box. I condemn both. The gratification 

 that a true sportsman derives tram a day's shooting is by no 

 means solely confined to the quantity of game he may have 

 bagged. Therefore my illustration of Sandusky Bay was 

 not so unfortunate as he thinks. It proved beyond question 

 that in a locality where fowl were naturally abundant they 

 gradually disappeared on the introduction of batteries, and 

 when these were suppressed the fowl returned to then orig- 

 inal haunt in undiminished numbers. The quantity then 

 killed in one year was excessive, the same as was 3,000 or 

 4,000 killed in one day, as has been done in former years 

 from batteries on the Susquehanna Flats at the opening of 

 the season. Neither of these facts are likely to meet the 

 approval of any one who desires the protection of our game. 

 But the fact is no less forcibly presented to us that in San- 

 dusky Bay the batteries were the cause of the diminished 

 number oi' fowl. 



A word as to riparian rights. It by no means follows that 

 because one owns a mile of water front, or is interested in 

 water property, as "Sinkboat" says he is, that he knows all 

 about, or indeed anything at all, of riparian rights. "Sink- 

 boat" asserted in his first article that no one "could commit 

 a trespass in the water," and again, that the "water is free 

 toall." This does not sound as if he were fully conversant 

 with riparian rights. 1 would refer him to two issues of 

 this journal in April and May, 1883, where he will find the 

 Fox River question and a decision in Ohio on this subject 

 that will enlighten him considerably. 



This discussion should be confined to the subject matter, 

 viz., the injury that batteries do to fowl shooting, and cer 

 tain, if persisted in, to drive the birds from their usual 

 haunts, and therefore nothing that I have written should be 

 construed, as "Sinkboat" would seek to show, as aimed 

 against those who shoot for market. Such gunners will kill 



game where aud how they can, careless of the consequences 

 or the means employed, but it is not necessary at all to bring 

 them into the subject matter, for batteries are equally de- 

 structive and objectionable for the reasons given, whether 

 used by professionals or amateurs. 



"Sinkboat" further says that in his locality, except by 

 means of boxes, there is no other way to kill fowl. (He evi- 

 dently forgets sneakboats). And yet fowl were killed there 

 before the introduction of either of these objectionable 

 methods, aud probably could be still if batteries were for- 

 bidden, but not by any means in the same numbers, and 

 just here, I expect , lies "the whole secret of the matter, and 

 is the chief reason why the use of boxes is defended, The 

 Bush, Gunpowder and other rivers as cited "where good 

 shooting can be had over decoys from the shore;" yet point- 

 shooting has been practiced in those localities as long as it 

 has where "Siukboat" shoots, and ducks are still bagged in 

 large numbers, though I will acknowledge that if batteries 

 were permitted in those rivers, the daily bag for a time 

 would be enormously increased. The owners of the shores 

 of those rivers, however, are too sensible to permit the intro- 

 duction of these engines. 



One more point to notice in "Sinkboat's" article and I 

 have done, lie says that I am sensitive about his remark of 

 throwing the points open if box-shooting is stopped. This is 

 merely the fancied result of "Sinkboat's' delicate analysis of 

 my feelings, but as in most of his assertions, he is mistaken. 

 I simply gave his proposition the consideration it deserved. 

 If it could by proved, however, that point-shooting was as 

 destructive to fowl, and caused them to leave their haunts, 

 as is the fact with battery-shooting, then all would agree that 

 there should be lay-days for both alike; but since the points 

 keep the sportsman where he cannot reach the fowl, and as 

 the marsh cannot be moved, batteries must be resorted to, 

 for these can be carried to any spot, and the fowl being con- 

 stantly pursued everywhere on the waters, are unable to es- 

 cape this persecution. Thus no comparison can be made be- 

 tween points and batteries in their respective destructive 

 properties, and because one should be condemned for the evil 

 it does, that is no reason that the other, much less culpable, 

 should be called upon to incur a like penalty. In conclusion, 

 I think that "Sinkboat" does probably desire that fowl should 

 be protected, and that every legitimate means should be em- 

 ployed to increase their numbers, and I cannot but believe, 

 in spite of my "vivid imagination", that when, by an experi- 

 ence equal to that which has convinced me, he shall have 

 acquired a full knowledge of the evils wrought by battery- 

 shooting, he will then become one of the foremost advocates 

 for the suppression of these destructive engines. 



Sagamore. 



MAINE GAME LAWS. 



THE Maine Legislature, which adjourned Friday, made 

 but few changes in the fish and game laws of that 

 State, so far as the primary points of those laws are 

 concerned. The attempt was made by a part of the hotel, 

 summer boarding house, transportation and guide interests 

 to add September to the open months for hunting moose, 

 caribou and deer, but the petitioners, after a full hearing, 

 were given leave to withdraw. Hence the close time 

 remains as formerly — beginning Jan. 1 and endiug the last 

 day of September. The attempt to repeal the transportation 

 laws so as to allow any person, corporation or company to 

 have in their possession more than three deer, two caribou 

 or one moose during the open season also failed. 



Sec. 21, Chapter 30, of the Revised Statutes is amended so 

 as to include plover with woodcock and grouse as game 

 birds which cannot be transported, and reads as follows: 

 "Whoever kills or has in his possession, except alive, any 

 wood duck, dusty duck, commonly called black duck, or 

 other sea duck, between the first days of May and September; 

 or kills, sells or has in possession, except alive, any ruffed 

 grouse, commonly called partridge, or woodcock, between 

 the first days of December and September following, or 

 kills, sells or has in possession, except alive, any quail or 

 pinnated grouse, commonly called prairie chicken, between 

 the first days of January and September, or plover between 

 the first days of May and August, forfeits cot less than $5 

 nor more than $10 for each bird so killed, had in possession 

 or exposed for sale. And no person shall kill, expose for 

 sale or have in possession, except alive, any woodcock or 

 ruffed grouse or partridge during August, September, 

 October or November, except for consumption as food, 

 within the State under the same penalty." 



The law providing against the transportation of more 

 than fifty pounds of trout or landlocked salmon has also 

 been amended so as to include togue, and otherwise 

 strengthened, so as to read as follows: "No person shall 

 take,"catch, kill or have in possession at any one time, for 

 the purpose of transportion, more than fifty pounds of land 

 locked salmon, trout or togue, in all, nor shall any such be 

 transported except in the possession of the owner thereof, 

 under a penalty of $50 for the offense and $5 for every 

 pound of landlocked salmon, trout or togue, in all so taken, 

 caught, killed, in possession or transportation, in excess of 

 fifty pounds, and all such fish transported in violation of 

 this section maybe seized on complaint and shall be forfeited 

 to the prosecutor. Whoever has in possession more than 

 fifty pounds in all of such fish shall be deemed to have 

 taken them in violation of this section." 



The Commissioners and friends of fish protection have 

 for a long time regarded certain streams emptying into the 

 Androscoggin and Moosehead lakes as the nurseries of trout 

 and they have asked the Legislature for further protection 

 of these streams, with the following results: "No person 

 shall take, catch, kill, fish for or destroy any trout or land- 

 locked salmon in the Rangeley stream, between the mouth 

 of the Kennebago stream and the head of the island at the 

 eddy, so called, in said Rangeley stream, from the first day 

 of July to the first day of May ; nor in that portion of said 

 stream' from the head of said island to the Rangeley dam at 

 any time; nor in the South Bog stream, which empties into 

 Rangeley Lake, above the dead water at the mouth of said 

 stream, from the first day of July to the first day of May; 

 nor in the Bemis stream, which empties into Mooseluc- 

 maguntic Lake, above the blue water, so called, at the 

 mouth of said stream, from the first day of July to the first 

 day of May ; nor in the Cupsuptic stream, which empties 

 into the Cupsuptic Lake, between the foot of the first falls 

 toward its mouth and its source, from the first day of July 

 to the first day of May; nor in the Kennebago stream, 

 between the foot of the first falls toward its mouth aud the 

 upper falls at the outlet of Kennebago Lake, from the first 

 day of September to the first day of May. No person shall 

 take, catch, kill, fish for or destroy any trout, landlocked 

 salmon or other fish in the Misery 'and Saccatien or 



Socntian rivers, which empty into Moosehead Lake, from 

 the tenth day of September to the first day of May." 



A large number of private bills have been passed, prohib- 

 iting the public from fishing in ponds and streams which 

 are private property, and the Legislature has made special 

 provisions for posting notices on the borders of such waters 

 as follows: It shall be the duty of all persons that may be 

 benefited by legislation, other. Mian the general statutes for 

 the protection of fish in any waters of this State, to publish 

 such protection by posting and maintaining notices as here- 

 inafter provided. Said notices shall be placed on 1he banks 

 or shores of such protected waters, not more than ten feet 

 and not less than six feet above the ground, in a conspicu- 

 ous position; and if on running water, such notices shall be 

 not more than one-half mile apart on the banks of such 

 water; and if on a pond or lake, not more than one mile 

 apart on the shores of such pond or lake. 



Sec. 2. Said notices shall be painted on wood in black 

 Roman letters not less than two inches in length and not less 

 than one-half inch in breadth, so that such letters shall be 

 plainly legible; and such notices shall state the number of 

 the act and the date of same, giving the said protection to 

 such waters. 



Sec. 3. Any one mutilating or destroying such notices, 

 shall be subject to the same penalties as set forth in Section 

 20, Chapter 127 of the Revised Statutes. 



Sec. 4. In case no notices as herein provided are posted 

 and maintained on waters that are protected by special laws, 

 then no one violating such laws shall be liable thereunder to 

 any penalties set forth in such laws. 



The old law regarding prosecutions for violations of the 

 fish and game laws has also been amended so that municipal 

 and police judges and trial justices within their counties 

 now have jurisdiction, by complaint original and concur- 

 rent, with supreme judicial courts; so that now offenders 

 against the game law of Maine can be brought to trial at 

 ouce without waiting for indictments before grand juries, — 

 Boston Herald. 



COL. MENDACITY'S REMARKABLE SHOT. 



Editor Fared and Stream: 



Against Major Verity's remarkable shot (see Forest asd 

 Stream of 2t5th tilt.), you will, I am sure, be glad to offset 

 Col. Jack Mendacity's far more wonderful performance at 

 Blue Springs, near Palatka, on the St. John's River. 



Having received the statement from his own lips direct, 

 it must be taken without a single strain of allowance. 



The Colonel was out for a day's sport, when suddenly a 

 spooky and very cadaverous looking quadruped came to a 

 dead standstill directly in front of him. The stranger proved 

 to be a wild Florida pig, which like thousands of its kind, 

 had undertaken to run from Jacksonville to Tallahasse with- 

 out stopping for food or water. The trip, however, proved 

 too much for the little Floridian, reducing him, by simple 

 emaciation, to the shadow of a shingle. While eyeing the 

 Colonel sharply, with a view perhaps to some new departure, 

 the latter leveled his Remington and "let fly." Apparently 

 he might as well have aimed at a sheet of isinglass set up 

 edgewise, but the charge struck the unfortunate quadruped's 

 razor-like spine with such precision as to exactly split the 

 bullet, one-half passing off to the right, perforating the body 

 of a noble buck, and lodging afterward in the breast of a 

 wild turkey weighing sixteen pounds; while the other half 

 sped through the well-armored carcase of an alligator four- 

 teen feet in length, aud finally spent itself by killing a pair 

 of fox squirrels that were frolicking up a gum tree in the 

 neighborhood. 



Not only was all the game bagged, but both segments of 

 the bullet were recovered, and naturally enough, have been 

 carefully treasured as mementos of this truly "remarkable 

 shot." "The pig, so far as powder and ball were concerned, 

 escaped without a scratch, but the poor little fellow's ner- 

 vous system was so shocked by the fright and spinal concus- 

 sion, that he died of paralysis within a week thereafter. 

 Besides throwing considerable light upon the natural history 

 of the Florida pig, the incident above shows that, notwith 

 standing the onward march of Northern civilization, the 

 Everglades are still literally ^swanning with game of every 

 description. "I could tell much stranger things than these." 

 So could "Mendacity." The Major must try again. 



Elihtt Phinnev. 

 coopbrstown, n. y. 



REYNARD'S WAYS. 



1WAS guuniug for grouse in Southern New Hampshire 

 early in, September, and as I was going through a thick 

 growth of low bushes, I saw some fifteen to twenty yards 

 ahead, on a small mound among the pines, a fox curled up 

 and apparently asleep. The. growth surrounding me being 

 nearly as high as my head, I had a fine chance for observa- 

 tion, and cautiously advanced. The fox lay with his head 

 partly turned from me, so that I could just see one side of 

 his face, and that he appeared to partially open his eyes at 

 intervals in a very sleepy way. 



I advanced very cautiously to within twelve paces and was 

 intently watching him, when he suddenly changed position 

 by lying on his other side, which brought us face to face, 

 but he did not open bis eyes enough to see me, and I stood 

 quietly awaiting further developments, with not very much 

 cover "bet ween us. In two or three minutes he opened his 

 eyes wide and took in the situation. In a twinkling he had 

 put a pine tree between himself and me, aud if I had wdshed 

 to take a parting shot it would have been useless. I paced 

 the distance to where he had lain and it was twelve paces. 

 I have never been sorry that I did not shoot him, for his 

 sleep and his awakening were well worth the sight, and 

 though he might be "vermin" to the farmer, he was not 

 game for me so early in the season. Several weeks later T 

 heard the music of foxhounds, and the report of a foxhunt - 

 eris gun in that same wood, and I fancied reynard came to 

 grief as surely as though I had taken him off on the occa- 

 sion of our meeting. 



Your Pennsylvania correspondent writes of still-bunting 

 foxes with a rifle. I have an uncle living in Essex count} 

 who followed still-hunting successfully for several years in 

 his younger days. On oue occasion he discovered reynard 

 asleep and attempted to approach him, but the ground was 

 frozen and the hunter's boots were too noisy, and when he 

 had got in sight of the fox's bed it was unoccupied. Straight 

 way the man became a statue, and soon saw a fox come in 

 sight around a knoll to take observations. The fox, after 

 looking for a while at the statue, trotted off behind tlie knoll 

 again, to appear for another observation. Later on the fox 

 went on to a hill overlooking the statue, and lay down for a 

 long time, keeping an eye on the statue, trying to settle in 

 his mind whether a bar-post had strayed out into the open 



