April 33, 1885.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



2B1 



MAINE LEGISLATION. 



THE action of the Maine Legislature in relation to the 

 fisheries and game of Maine was noted, and is entitled 

 to credit more for what it omitted than for what it com- 

 mitted. 



The Legislative Standing Committee on Fisheries and 

 Game were Senators Kimball of Sagadahoc, McAllister of 

 Hancock, and Heath of Kennebec, and Representatives 

 Hinckley of Georgetown, Spague of Monson, Patten of 

 Brewer, Frlsbec of Kittery, Googius of Millbfidge, Lincoln of 

 Perry, and Duncan of North port. These gentlemen con- 

 sidered petitions and memorials setting forth and alleging 

 multifarious grievances and wrongs in relation to_ the laws 

 for the protection of fish, game and birds, and listened at- 

 tentively to long and protracted hearings bearing upon these 

 questions, and which were generally conducted by able 

 lawyers on either side. 



The great mass of petitions demandinga change iu the close 

 time for killing deer were carefully aud intelligently investi- 

 gated, and the committee were unanimously agreed that such 

 a change would be disastrous to the deer. Nearly every 

 member had read the arguments pro aud con which appeared 

 in the Fobest and Stream prior to the assembling of the 

 Legislature, "What few bills the committee did report were 

 in the interest of a more stringent enforcement of the game- 

 laws. That drawn by Mr. Sprague, of Monsou, himself a 

 practising lawyer, conferring original and concurrent juris- 

 diction upon trial justices in all prosecutions under these 

 laws, became a law, and will prove of great importance and 

 value to the Commissioners in their legal warfare against the 

 poachers. As evidence of the wonderful change which has 

 taken place in this State in regard to this subject, the fact is 

 significant that only one bi 11 reported by this committee was 

 defeated in the Senate or House, and that was one to repeal 

 the protection of seals in Casco Bay, and was not agreed to 

 by all of the members. Even the act establishing a third 

 commissioner for the shore fisheries and appropriating; 

 $2,500 in addition to the regular appropriation of $7,500, 

 passed both branches unchallenged. 



At last the people of Maine have become aroused to the 

 importance of protecting their interests, and are awake to 

 the fact that their forests, rivers and lakes, and their game 

 and fish are so much capital bestowed upon them by the 

 lavish hand of nature, and in their keeping to destroy and 

 devastate, or to preserve for their own benefit, gain aud 

 pleasure and for the benefit of future generations. 



A writer recently well said: "Maine may as well as not 

 become the paradise of the Eastern part of the Union. And 

 it pays in hard dollars to be one of the world's paradises in 

 these modern days. Look at the Italian cities and the health 

 resorts of the Mediterranean. " 



The Idea of protection is so well grounded iu Maine and is 

 so firmly sustained by her newspapers and public men that 

 I predict that we shall never again see a legislature assem- 

 bled at Augusta opposed to such of these laws as are mani- 

 festly reasonable, just and equal. Maine. 



Bangor, Me., April 6, 1885. 



Spring in Dakota. — I again find myself in the hunter's 

 paradise — Dakota. Although the sun was shining brightly 

 when I left my home in Michigan on Tuesday last, there 

 was little appearance of spring, the ground being covered 

 with snow two feet deep on the level in the woods, and the 

 winds from Lake Michigan cold and bleak. 1 took the C. 

 M. & St. P. R. R. at Chicago at 9 P. M., and was surprised 

 to find the long train of cars crowded with passengers, at 

 least three-fourths of them being settlers bound for Dakota. 

 I wondered why these farmers were starting for the so-called 

 "cold regions" so early in the season. This morning I found 

 myself bowling along over the Dakota prairies, and on look- 

 ing out of the car windows was astonished to see the farm- 

 ers bus_y putting in their spring wheat. The mystery of the 

 crowded cars was explained. The railroad officials tell me 

 their trains have all been crowded to their utmost capacity 

 for the past two weeks. I arrived at Redfield at 11 A. M., 

 and immediately started with a team for this point, distant 

 twenty-nine miles. Eleven miles west from Redfield we 

 strike Cottonwood Lake, and the first glance at the lake as 

 we came over a rise of ground revealed a picture good to a 

 sportsman's eye. Perched on the top of a small straw stack 

 within a rod of the door of mine host Sutton's house, were 

 two of his domesticated wild geese, and they were doing 

 their best with their loud honk, honk, to call in a large 

 flock of wild geese, which alighted on the ice in the middle 

 of the lake. How I did want to crawl up behind that straw 

 pile and wait awhile for those geese. But this trip is for 

 business, not pleasure, and I consoled myself with the thought 

 that what I leave now will be here next fall and bring their 

 broods with them. When starting from home last Tuesday 

 evening, I had my duck gun all packed to bring with me, 

 When my good wife quietly suggested that if 1 intended to 

 be back by April 2 (when I had an important business en- 

 gagement) I had better leave my gun athome. And I wisely 

 followed her advice. We saw many white or sharp-tailed 

 grouse skulking in the grass as we drove over the prairie. 

 We doff our hats to them and express the wish that we may 

 see them later. The winter here was favorable, and the in- 

 creased acreage of wheat soon promises an abundant crop — 

 of birds this fall.— P. M. (Howell, Hand county, Dakota, 

 March 26). 



Gdn-Shyness.— Editor Forest and Stream: "Elk" advises 

 the readers of Forest and Stream, in your issue of March 

 19, not to try my plan for gun-shyness, viz., making the 

 trigger-pull very light. The plan has been tried in' sev- 

 eral cases to my knowledge, and every time with success, 

 and no evil results. As to its being "conducive to a great 

 many more accidents," I do not believe this to be a fact. 

 Sensible sportsmen will not carry their guns at full cock; 

 any one who does so, especially if another person is with 

 him, should be shunned by every one who places any value 

 on his life, Prom "Elk's" communication, I judge that he 

 is among the number who should learn to cock their guns 

 when the game starts up; there is plenty of time to do it, 

 thus avoiding all risk. While I am on the subject, I will say 

 that, in my opinion, nine cases out of ten of gun-shyness are 

 caused by an extremely hard trigger-pull or a gun which the 

 shooter knows is not absolutely safe, or both combined. 

 Almost any one who has witnessed pistol-shooting, for in- 

 stance, has noticed the one about to shoot flinch if the 

 hammer does not fall after a hard pull at the trigger, or 

 when the hammer finally falls and the cartridge fails to ex- 

 plode. I would not advise any one to make a hair trigger, 

 but to have the hammers fall by a light pressure — Red 

 Wing (Glencoe, Fla.). 



The Woodcock Coming. — Hudson, N. Y., April 16. 

 — The first member of the woodcock family put in an ap- 

 pearance this spring in this city on the evening of the 14th 

 inst. He seemed to be somewhat of a tramp, carrying all he 

 had on his back, and after the manner of the fraternity be- 

 took himself to a shed for his night's lodging. His arrival 

 and location becoming known to Dr. C. E. Fritts, who has 

 a tender spot, in bis heart for all tramps, and for this species 

 in particular, he was generously prescribed for by him, and 

 after being kindly cared for and introduced to many of their 

 mutual friends, was sent on his way at the dawn of day re- 

 joicing that he had fallen into the hands of so kind a physi- 

 cian. It is understood that before departing he made a special 

 arrangement with the Doctor to return in the autumn with 

 a large delegation from his family, from which he might 

 chodse any reasonable number for his dissecting table. They 

 were seen to smile on each other. The Doctor was over- 

 heard in saying: 



Dear woodcock, go free, 



I charge you no fee. 

 The bird replying: 



Dear Doctor, 1 am a bird 



That ne'er fails in Ids word. 



H. 



To Trap Praikie Dogs.— A mode practiced by the In- 

 dians and frontiersmen to catch prairie dogs is to take a horn 

 of cow or buffalo, bore a hole in the side, fix a snare aud 

 bait the horn. Wheu the snare is sprung, it will catch the 

 dog around the neck, leaving him neither chance to cut the 

 string or burrow through the horn, nor can he bite the trap- 

 per upon being released. Auother mode is to haul water 

 and drown them out of their holes, when they arc stupified 

 and easily caught. Antelopes seek the vicinity of prairie 

 dog towns to sleep, trusting to the watchfulness of the sen- 

 tinels to give the alarm on the approach of danger. He is an 

 interesting little rodent, and investigation will develop many 

 curious qualities — if not water. — C. D. P. (Nogales, Ari- 

 zona, April 12). 



New Haven Notes. — While at the Boston show, I heard 

 a gentleman make the boast that he had killed quail this 

 spring, and he seemed to think that he had done something 

 to be proud of. It seems that they are worse in Massa- 

 chusetts than in Connecticut, as I have not heard of any one 

 mean enough to kill birds around here as yet. There have 

 been considerable snipe killed on our meadows, and this 

 next week I expect there will be several large bags of these 

 birds shot. Trout were quite plenty around this part of the 

 State, two of our club catching twenty last Saturday, most 

 of them being good sized, from one-half to three-quarters of 

 a pound, but trout fishing takes too much patience for yours 

 truly to tackle. — Rosecroft (New Haven, Conn., April 13, 

 1885). 



Philadelphia Notes. — The snipe have come ail in a 

 bunch, the pleasant weather of the past few days having 

 drawn them. On the Salem Meadows, big bags were made 

 yesterday and day before, and the professional gunners have 

 sent many to Philadelphia market. The marshes on the 

 Delaware' State shores of our river are thronged with sprig 

 tails, which are becoming very wild on account of the inces- 

 sant banging they have had. AJ1 the fowl from these sec- 

 tions which are offered for sale in this city are in the best 

 of order.— Homo. 



How to Boild A Batterv. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 I have been much interested in the articles on battery -shoot- 

 ing, and I should be glad if "Sinkboat" or some other gen- 

 tleman would send me a sketch or description, or a plan of 

 how to construct a single battery or box. In this locality 

 there are no points to shoot from, and in May the brant are 

 in thousands on the flate, but there is noway to get at them, 

 and I am desirous of trying the battery if I can get a plan 

 or sketch to build one from.. The geese are only beginning 

 to come and no brant have arrived yet. — Globe Sight (New 

 Glasgow, N. S., April 8). 



The New Game Law.— The boys are much amused over 

 the mishap of the author of the "game law. He was on 

 Grand Prairie shooting snipe when a prairie chicken got up, 

 and before thinking he killed it, for which he was promptly 

 fined $8 and costs. He submitted very gracefully, and so 

 far as I know this is the first case under the law, it being 

 strictly enforced here, and I have not seen a piece of pro- 

 hibited game in market since it took effect, while before 

 that the market was always full. Fishing is not good here 

 yet on account of the late season. J. M. R. (Little Rock, 

 Ark., April 6). 



Spring Quail. — While in Boston attending the late show 

 of the New England Kennel Club, your correspondent 

 noticed in the window of a restaurant on one of the promi- 

 nent streets of the city, a large number of quail exposed. 

 The birds appeared to be Western ones that had been packed 

 iu ice and frozen. It seemed strange to me that while so 

 many sportsmen were present in the city, such an ex- 

 pose should be made if there had been a law to prevent it. — 

 Homo. 



Ypsilanti Rod and Gun Club. — At the regular meet- 

 ing of the Ypsilanti Rod and Gun Club for the election of 

 officers, the following persons were elected: President, C. 

 M. Boss; Vice-President, J. German; Secretary, D. P. Shu- 

 ler; Treasurer, P. C. Sherwood; Executive Committee, J. 

 H. Shepard, Wm. Mallion, S. Hutchinson. 



Caught a Wild Cat.— Last Friday James Stevenson 

 brought a wildcat into town which he had captured with his 

 dogs in the timber, four or five miles northwest of this place. 

 It was a fine specimen of its kind, and it was not dead -when 

 they found it, as the looks of the clogs clearly showed when 

 they came home.— R. H. (Paolo, Kan., April 1). 



New Hampshire. — A few quail have wintered over. 

 Woodcock, geese and snipe have arrived, and the sweet note 

 of the meadow lark can now be heard in the field. — Wood- 

 cock (Dover, N. H., April 14). 



\m m\& Oliver 



Canada. — Ice is quite fast in the St. Lawrence here, and 

 ducks this spring are plenty,— F. M. T. (Brockville. Ont., 

 April 18). _ 



A New Shell Crimper. — We have recently examined a now 

 crimper which has not yet been put on the market. It will close 100 

 shells in eight minutes. Samples free if ordered before May 1. Will 

 be furnished from the makers on receipt of fifty cents to pay charges. 

 Address Bos B., Gainesville, Texas.— Adv. 



MR. WOOD'S TARPON. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



To correct wrong impressions in reference to the dates, 

 measurements and weights of tarpon recently caught bynu% 

 I have prepared the following table, noticing the fish in the 

 order they were caught. Fish No. 1 was caught in Tarpon 

 Bay on March 19,1885, and was weighed the same day. 

 Fish No. 2 was caught in Tarpon Bay on the 25th, but was 

 not weighed. Fish Nos. 3 and 4 were caught near the mouth 

 of the Caloosahatchie River on the 31st, and were not 

 weighed; and fish No. 5 was the last one caught at the same 

 place and on the same day, and weighed 111 pounds in New 

 York seven and a half days after being caught. It had been 

 drying out all that time. All the fish bled freely on account 

 of their being gaffed through their gills. 



No. 5 is therefore estimated to have weighed when caught 

 117 pounds. This will give six pounds to each inch of length 

 between No. 1 and No. 5, and on that basis for difference of 

 length the table would be as follows: 



No. Length. Weight. Time catching. 



1 5ft. 9iu. 93 pounds. 26J4 minutes. 



3. ._ 5ft. 7in. 81 pounds. 21}^ minutes. 



8 0ft. .. Ill pounds. 33 minutes. 



4 5ft. llin. 105 pounds. 5 minutes. 



5 6ft. liu. 117 pounds. 45 minutes. 



This would make an average weight of over one hundred 

 and one pounds. 



The impression seems to be that some additional means 

 of killing the fish was resorted to. butsuch was not the case. 

 Only the rod and reel, with its line, hook and bait were used 

 to catch and tire out the fish, and when the fish were so 

 thoroughly exhausted as to partly turn on their sides, then 

 the gaff was used by hooking it into the gills and in no other 

 way; neither was any other means of killing used from first 

 to last than that which is mentioned above. 



I would mention that four of the fish were hooked in the 

 throat or gullet, and one was hooked in the gills next the 

 throat. 



I suppose I saw some seventy -five tarpon during my eight 

 days' fishing. W. H. W. 



New York, April 20. 



Editor Forest ami Stream: 



I must say that your report of the experience of Mr. W. 

 H. Wood, of New York, in capturing a tarpon with rod and 

 reel in Florida this spring, gave me no little satisfaction. I 

 have believed for several years that the tarpon could be cap- 

 tured with the rod, forming my opinion from my experience 

 there on the west or Gulf coast some years ago, and in conse- 

 quence of my convictions have several times advocated the 

 trial by anglers who should visit Florida, suggesting heavy 

 striped bass tackle and a reel to carry 800 or 900 feet of line. 

 1 knew from experience that the tarpon was game enough to 

 give a man all the excitement he could desire, and for this 

 reason ought to become one of the fish sought after. 



The statements made by Dr. Kenworthy and others that 

 the tarpon could not be caught with rod and reel I dare say 

 has induced many not to go prepared for them on visiting 

 Florida. Business has prevented me visiting that State since 

 1879, thereby preventing any demonstration of the fact of 

 their capture by myself. There are several rivers on the 

 Gulf coast of Florida in which the tarpon can be found all 

 through the winter, generally in some large spring hole at 

 the head of the rivers, where they can be seen rising from 

 the water at intervals, after the manner of porpoises, appa- 

 rently at play. I have seen them in schools about my boat, 

 sometimes coming as near as six feet of it. 



Gentlemen with whom I am acquainted who have eaten of 

 the tarpon consider it a fine table fish, and, to extend our 

 knowledge, I trust those who partake of the one sent to Mr. 

 Blackford will report on its edible qualities after its trip to 

 New York. 



Probably another winter will bring to light several tarpon 

 anglers, and if they take proper tackle and keep a cool head, 

 as Mr. Wood says, I believe there will be several successful 

 ones. A. B. Dodge. 



Manchester, N. H., April 18. 



[The first tarpon canght by Mr. Wood has been mounted 

 and is now on exhibition at Conroy's, in Fulton street, where 

 the rod, reel, line and snell used in its capture can also be 

 seen.] 



A NEW FISHING CLUB. 



A NUMBER of enthusiastic lovers of the gentle art in this 

 city have organized a fishing club this winter and have 

 secured one of the finest locations to be found in this Prov- 

 ince, and only about eighty miles from this place. These 

 fishing grounds are situated among the Lancaster hills, about 

 thirty miles north of the St. Lawrence River, and are very 

 easy of access. They comprise a tract of country of over 

 sixty square miles in extent, lying between the east and west 

 branches of the Mastigouche River, and contain innumerable 

 lakes, some of which are several miles in extent, and all 

 teeming with the genuine fontinalis. The club is called the 

 Mastigouche Fishing Club, the membership is limited to 

 fifty, and there are already some thirty odd names on its 

 roll. The initiation fee is $100, and the annual subscription $5. 



The following is a list of the office bearers: George Sum- 

 ner, President; F. H. Stearnes, Vice-President; Henry W. 

 Atwater, Secretary; John S. McLachlan, Treasurer. 



Mr. E. M. Copeland, the gentleman with whom the club 

 have made their arrangements, and who has the lease from 

 the Quebec government of this large tract of country, has 

 just built a comfortable hotel or club house on one of the 

 largest lakes, capable of accommodating from sixty to sev- 

 enty-five guests. The members of the club expect to cele- 

 brate the completion of the building by a formal opening 

 about the 24th of May, when with a number of invited 

 guests they will have a grand house warming, after which 

 the place (with the exception of a certain number of the 

 lakes reserved for the exclusive use of the club) will be 

 thrown open to the public, under the management of Mr. 

 Copeland, who will run it as a sportsman's resort. 



The writer had the pleasure of visiting these lakes in com- 

 pany with several New York gentlemen, early in September, 

 1883, and had a most enjoyable time, although having to 

 rough it considerably. The largest trout caught on that 

 occasion was caught by Sandford E. Gee, of New York, 

 and weighed 3J pounds. 



Should any of your numerous readers desire further infor- 

 mation regarding these lakes, a line addressed to the secre- 

 tary of the club will receive prompt attention. H. W. A. 



Montreal: April 14, 1885. 



