326 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 19, 1886, 



tbat I wrote in a heat of temper that was Caused greMy by 

 my ignorauco of the variety ot the bird, and of the little that 

 was known of him. I am no orDithologiet, as the editor of 

 Forest and Stkeam can testify from my frequent inquiries 

 about birds tbat are well enough known to even novices in 

 the science, and I did not know but Hwainson's warblers 

 were as common as orioles were before buds in hats came in 

 fashion. And so it seemed to me there had been an unwar- 

 rantable slaughter of them. As to the necessity of killing 

 nesting birds, opinions may honestly differ; and I have 

 really no right to sit in judgment, for I once shot half a 

 dozen robins (the only ones 1 ever shot) in May for a friend 

 who was in the last stages of consumption, and whose fail- 

 ing and capricious appetite nothing but robins would satisfy. 

 Poor fellow, a fortuiglit later robins were hopping over his 

 grave. I never could be quite sure whether my act would 

 be forgiven when all our acts must finally be accounted for, 

 nor whether I could quite forgive myself for it. I will fin- 

 ish eating my bit of humble pie with the confession that I 

 am now glad Mr. Wayne was not wasted by malaria nor 

 bitten by moccasins — "considerin'."— V. 



CRAy-Fjm.— Editor Forest and Stream: Cold Spring Har- 

 bor, N. Y. — 1 notice that Mr. Clapham has put out some 

 crayfish in his stream, and that he asks if they are likely to 

 thrive. Undoubtedly they will, as all nuisances do. In 

 "Western New York' they were the worst enemies I had to 

 contend with in my trout ponds. They burrowed around 

 th.e flumes and kept the pond leaking, and also caught young 

 trout. The best thing I found to protect dams against their 

 tunnels was spent tan-bark, in which they would not dig. 

 I have often rejoiced that they were not natives of Long 

 Island, and hope that they will not get over to the State 

 hatchery while it is under my charge. We are some twelve 

 or fifteen miles east of Mr."Clapham, but if they increase 

 with him there "are a dozen ways in which they may spread 

 to other waters. I have spent so much labor in repairing 

 their damages that I dread them. Of what possible use they 

 are I do not know. As bait there are other things as good, 

 while their slow growth and mischievous habits overbalance 

 any benefit to be derived from their use as food. There are 

 several species, but all of them burrow. The one tbat 

 troubled my ponds did not build chimneys of mud around 

 its hole, as do the Western kinds, but was often found under 

 stones in the streams and burrowed through dams. lunder- 

 stand that the crawfish has often done great damage to the 

 levees along the Mississippi River, causing thousands of dol- 

 lars worthi of damage —Fred Mather. 



Address aTl commvmi cations to fhe Forest and Stream PxMish- 

 ing Co. 



SOME OLD-TIME RIFLES. 



JSdHor Forest and St7m,m: ~ 



The choice and qunlity of guns, >Tlirch seems to be so 

 fret;]}'' uiicussed" ic jGirr columns, amounts only to a matter 

 of opinion. But the propo.^ed trajectory test, perhaps, may 

 prove some facts heretofore unlearned. In this day and age 

 of improvements there are scores of gunmakers who can and 

 do make guns perfect enough to satisfy any reasonable man 

 who knows how to use a gun. "l remember many old 

 hunters who had their favorite guns, and however old and 

 dilapidated they were, there were always some hidden virtues 

 about th<'m that nobody ebe knew of. ' 



My earliest experience in woods lore was in camping out 

 witli'an old big-footed Dutchman, before I was ten yearsold. 

 He was an inveterate coon hunter, and also hunted and killed 

 several deer every season with an old flintlock musket, and, 

 for lack of moulds, used hammf red balls; never knew him 

 to load with buckshot. Now, that old German verily 

 believed that he had the best gun that could be made, simply 

 because he had never used^any other. That gun had no 

 sights except a small iron block near the muzzle which once 

 held the bayonet. 1 was amused even then when the old 

 man infornaed me that in shooting twenty-five or thirty rods 

 he believed tbat it carried a few inches to the right — or left. 

 I have forgotten which. My sincere respect to his memory. 



As soon as I was old enough (by almost superhuman 

 efforts) to shoulder and carry a gun i succeeded in purchas- 

 insr a Lancaster rifle, a flint lock of course, fhe po.sses.'^ion of 

 which made me feel immensely rich beyond computation. 

 Subsequently 1 had it altered 1o pill-percusi-ion, and I felt 

 positively certain that I had one of the best rifles out, from 

 the fact that there were no better made at that early day. 

 The caliber of the Lancaster rifle ranged from forty to 

 seventy round balls to the pound, and the barrels thirty-six 

 to forty four inches in length, most of them with curl maple 

 stocks and usually silver niounted. I speak more particularly 

 of the Lancaster l)ecause it once had a greater and wider 

 spread notoriety than any other make. 



In process of time I began to use rifles of other make, 

 notably Buchannon & Co., of Pittsburgh, Pa., who manu- 

 factured rifles through one decade. Their mm were made 

 somewhat after the Lancaster pattern, but varied more in 

 the size of bore, say from sixty to two hundred, and the 

 average length of barrels was even greater than the Lan- 

 caster, which I think was decidedly unnecessary. But their 

 rifles were handsomely stocked, fine sighted, had good locks 

 and were close shooters— stocks heavily silver mounted as 

 usual. At the same time (fifty years ago) Haberstro, of 

 Bufllalo, N. Y , was making rifles. " Bore about sixty round 

 balls, barrels twenty-six to thirty inches, which were then 

 considered very short guns. They were rather plain stocked 

 but proved to be very effective hunting rifles. 



It was about this time that the pfll-percussion priming 

 came into use. which was thought to be a great invention, 

 and it certainly was a long stride in the line of improvements. 

 There were two grades, one of which was precisely the size 

 and color of red mustard seed, and the other, coarser kernel, 

 nearly the size and color of black onion seed. The invention 

 of caps was but a little improvement on the pellets, and in 

 some respects not any. The pellets were sure fire, and a 

 little cold tallow applied made the priming as sure water- 

 proof as the best caps. There was no cone to get clogged 

 with dirt, burned powder and broken pieces of caps, etc. 

 There were also at that time several one-horse gun shops (so- 

 called) whicli were scattered through the western part of 

 New York, where the best target rifles were made, and for a 

 few years long-range target practice was made a specialty by 

 a numerous class of sportsmen. Those target rifles were 28 

 to 33-inch barrels, weight 11 to 14 pounds, bore 60 to 80 



round, though conical bullets were commonly used. From 

 300 to 450 yards was then considered long ranee. 



1 once had a target rifle made to order, 28-inch barrel, 

 weight 10 pound, caliber something over lOO, or what would 

 be in modern breechloaders .38 or .40, and I used conical 

 bullets. That gun averaged better scores up to 300 yards 

 than any other in that whole region. The barrel was no 

 better than hundreds of others. But the grand secret was, 

 first in the hair trigger that threw off by a light pressure of 

 the finger without creep or crawl; second, in the nicely and 

 correctly adjusted globe and peep sights, a requisite which 

 I consider essentially as important as anything pertaining to 

 a gun, whether open sights or otherwise! 



I never presumed to claim any superior skill in target 

 practice. My best hold was using the hunting rifle and off- 

 hand shooting. 



1 am not so well posted on breechloaders as I have been 

 on muzzleloaders, but I have used several breechloaders of 

 different make and could pick up a sood hunting rifle among 

 the Marlins, Maynards, or the Bullards or Remingtons. I 

 am rather in favor of the magazine repeating rifle for hunt- 

 ing large game. Antler. 



Grand View, Tenn. 



SHOOTING RESORTS NEAR NEW YORK. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have just returned from my first trial of partridge shoot- 

 ing, aud being delighted with its result I write you for the 

 benefit of the many who desire to ^ive it a trial, 'but know- 

 ing the difiiculty attached to obtaining a good bag, desist 

 because they do not know where to go, or whom to get for 

 a guide. 



I spent five days with "Uncle John" Waldorf, at Wood- 

 bourne Hotel, Woodhurne, Sullivan county, N. Y., which 

 is about four miles from Fallsburg station on the N. Y., O. 

 & W. R. R. "Uncle John" met me at the depot with a con- 

 veyance, as I had notified him previously. During the 

 three days' shooting I bagged twenty-one partridges, and 

 could have had as manj^ partridges "as I wished; they are 

 plentiful, but I do not think they should be shot until the 

 ground is frozen. 



Ely Garrett was my guide, and with him and his dogs any 

 ordinary shot can at any time be sure of a good bag. On 

 the fourth day I told Ely that 1 wanted a fish; he objected, 

 as the weather was cold and luck would be poor. I insisted, 

 however, and after a drive of flve miles we obtained a boat 

 on Brown's Pond. The Avind blew, our teeth chattered, but 

 within flfteen minutes my float was gone and in five minutes 

 more I had landed a splendid pickerel weighing 2i pounds. 

 We remained fishing for two hours, and caught ten pickerel 

 weighing ] 4^ pounds and nine perch weighing 6J pounds. 

 We were stiff from the cold by that time, and were about to 

 start for home when four ducks sailed up the pond, and we 

 went after them; we shot three of them, and they were the 

 finest teal 1 ever tasted. The partridges were fat "and juicy. 



Any amateur would have good sport with Ely Garrett, as 

 he is "careful to advise what and how to do. and can regulate 

 the day's work so as to please either the rapid or the slow- 

 moving hunter, and wall, in proper seasons, guarantee good 

 shooting of fishing. I have alwaj's obtained good sport 

 when he told me it could be hud by visiting him. At this 

 season good fox hunting can be had every day; and then 

 there are winter fishing for pickerel and trout fishing in the 

 spring. Short Trips. 



DAYS WITH THE WILDFOWL. 



LEAVING Phiadelphia at 12:05 P. M. on Wednesday last 

 with a friend we arrived at Perryville at 2 P. M., where 

 we were met by two others, making the proper number for 

 shooting from a double s-inkbox. as it is necessary for com- 

 fort to change off every hour and a half or two hours. We 

 landed on the Havre de Grace side, where we were met by 

 Captain Burroughs and crew of the J. L. Williams, who 

 soon took us with our traps aboard. In a short time we 

 started under double reef, down toward the battery, intend- 

 iiig to take position inside the line on the west shore, as on 

 Monday, the first day of the open season, the best boats had 

 been made there, but we saw so few ducks on the way down 

 that we concluded to go on to Spesutia Island. We saw 

 many ducking crafts lying along shore, ready to cross the 

 line early the next morniug. There seemed to be a double 

 purpose in the run for positions on the west shore, first to 

 secure the best chances for ducks, and seconil to find cover 

 from the wind, which was holding very steadily and strong 

 and looked '"like it was goiu' to stay," as our colored stew- 

 ard said. We hove to under shelter of Spesutia Island, just 

 below Locust Point, where we lay quite comfortably during 

 ttie night. We turned in in a comlortable cabin about 10 

 P. M. with many forebodings of the weather for the morrow 

 as at that lime there was no let up to the blow. 



During the night one or another of the party could be 

 heard quietly slipping out to take au observation of the 

 weather. Whether this had anything to do with it or not, 

 by 5 o'clock A. M. — the time for crossing the line- the blow 

 was over, and we had just what we wanted— cloudy weather 

 and wind enough to keep the decoys in motion. We ran 

 well over to the eastern shore and put out some two miles 

 above Turkey Point light. The men worked with a will, 

 the box was put overboard, decoys set, shooters put in and our 

 scow run to her anchorage, about a mile away ; but before 

 the anchor dropped several ducks had fallen to our amateurs, 

 who, as it proved, worked like old stagers all day, doing 

 some very good execution. The wind held steady, at no 

 time getting too rough for the shooting. The flight to our 

 box was not heavy, but very steady all day, and very fairly 

 taken care of, resulting in a boat of eighty-three ducks, 

 mostly redheads. No canvasbacks darted to our box during 

 the day, and we had concluded that none were on yet, but 

 during the afternoon many thousands came up off of the 

 bay, very few ahghting on the flats. A little cold weather 

 will surely bring first-class canvasback shooting. 



On Monday, the first day's shooting, the high boat was 

 reported at 316, many others running 150 to 200. It was 

 estimated that four to five thousand ducks had been boated; 

 the second day from three to four thousand, and on Friday 

 boats of from 50 to 125 were made. This is the finest shoot- 

 ing made there for some years, and I think is mainly attrib- 

 utable to the spring shooting having been an entire failure, 

 because of the ice remaining up to th« close season (April 1). 

 This was followed by the heaviest growth of wild celery 

 known for some time. I have heard it said that a first-class 

 day among the ducks was like drawing a prize in a lottery; 

 if this is so, there were certainly three prizes drawn this week. 

 Three of my friends are going to Virginia on Monday next 

 for quail shooting; if anything of interest occurs will drop 

 you a line. ^- ^• 



Philadelphia, Nov. 7. 



ONTARIO GAME, 

 TRUCKS have been very plentiful this year, but thp shoot- 

 tT; V I f^u """^'"S to the constant harassing of 



the buds, v^hich have been shot at every day. Sundays in 

 eluded, and at night on their feeding grounds The princi- 

 pal marshes are in the county of Prince Edward, and as the 

 County Judge of that county, R, P. Gellett, Esq.. is an old 

 and ardent sportsman and an occasional contributor to vour 

 columns, I trust that he will endeavor to put the law in mo- 

 tion against the numerous and persistent violations of its 

 provisions. If this is not done, duck shooting In this part of 

 the country will soon be numbered with the sports that were 

 Some two years ago an effort was made to preserve lha 

 Fri nee Edward marshes, which can be done at a small ex- 

 pense under the laws of the Province of Ontario by all thu 

 owners of the land bordering on the marsh consenting to the 

 tormation of a preserve and petitioning the government to 

 that effect, when a charter is issued, the sportsmen of tiiis 

 city proposea to pay tne expense of procuring the charter, 

 some $50 and to appoint a watcher or gamekeeper, on con- 

 dition of being allowed membership in the incorporation, 

 leaving the control, however, in the hands of the farmers- 

 but the latter, after signing the petition, listened to evil 

 counsel and abandoned the project. Thev now wish to 

 form the preserve on the terms which were rejected, but it is 

 too late. 



Partridge (ruffed grouse) have been more plentiful in this 

 district than for many years past, and several large bags 

 have been made. Woodcock were also numerous during the 

 season, but they have migrated. Snipe were very scarce in 

 their usual haunts owing to the heavy rainfall during Aueust 

 and September. so 



Deer hunters in the northern townships have had excellent 

 sport, but it is getting to be dangerous to go into the woods 

 in pursuit of this noble game, some four or five persons 

 having been shot by over-anxious hunters in mistake for 

 deer in the forests of central Ontario since the opening of 

 the season. 



A strong effort will be made at the next session of the 

 Legislature of Ontario to secure the passage of a law pro- 

 hibiting the spring shooting of ducks. That the effort may 

 prove successful is the earnest wish of R. S. B. * 



Belleville, OdI.. Nov. 10. 



FORTY YEARS AT BARNEGAT. 



IN your issue of Oct. 29, "John" thinks that "Uncle 

 John" is a wonderful old man, to be able at the age of 

 seventy to shoot so weU, and so he is; but I can tell him of 

 two old gunners who can shoot as well now as ever, and 

 their ages, taken together, are over one hundred and fifty 

 years. Forty years ago "Uncle Josie" Field, James Cooper, 

 and John Be'rg'an, talking over the gunning of that spring 

 and the number of ducks killed on the Shrewsbury River, 

 spoke of the number of ducks aud geese said to be on Bai'ne- 

 gat Bay, and how they would like a trip in the fall. It wa.s 

 ever a t )pic which they loved to discuss. The long looked- 

 for morning at length 'arrived, clear aod cold for the season, 

 aud about 3 A. M. the start was made from Red Ennk. 

 Sunrise saw the sportsmen well on their way, through Long 

 Branch, then only a hamlet, through what is now Asbury 

 Park, Ocean Beach and Sea Girt, then only a wdd country 

 of catbrieis, pines and cedars, the roads the worst po,s.sible, 

 being of a white, loose sand six inches deep. There were no 

 bridges to speak of in those days, and so they had to ford 

 some rivers and drive around others too deep to ford. 

 Finally they arrived at Point Pleasant, about noon. Here 

 Charley Stout, with his six feet of good nature and two hun- 

 dred pounds of duck shooting qualities, met them to show 

 the way to '-Mason's," seven mihs down the beach, where 

 Jim Lo"veland, one of the best duck shots of his day, and 

 who always helped "Uncle Josie" to kill his game, and 

 Charlie Lawrence, who knew every marsh, every spear of 

 sedge and every muskrat hole in the upper bay, and who 

 was the champion of Bergen, would meet them. Then 

 there was Charlie Stout, whom every duck shooter who goes 

 to Barnegat knows, and to his credit, too, for he is a famous 

 hunter. He always took Cooper to the best point and loved 

 to see the old man" shoot. Here at Maxon's they would sit 

 and talk duck till the canvasbacks, mallards and broadbills 

 would stop to listen as the "quack! quack!" would float 

 up thiough the chimney, then quack back their defiance as 

 they winged their way to the tempting feeding grounds— the 

 finest duck ground in America. 



Early in the morning would find each party ready for the 

 game, "and almost always they brought in good bags. Thus 

 for thirty years they went spring aud fall, until the railroads 

 made the trip shorter and the increase of shooting drove the 

 ducks down the bay to the inlet, or even south ot it. Then 

 they began to go separately, and finally LTncle Josie gave it 

 up on the plea of want of time, aud though now ninety -four, 

 he is as well and hale as at sixty. 



This year Cooper, who is now eighty-one years old, went 

 to Barnegat on the N. J. 8. R R , where Captain Mathews, 

 who owns one of the best points and the best sailboat on the 

 bay, met him to take him down to the shooting grounds. 

 Co'oper uses a 10 bore, shoots 4 drams powder and li ounces 

 shot, aud says that he can kill better than by using more of 

 a charge. He can kill as well now as at forty, and feels as 

 much hke it as ever; in fact, his trip this year makes him 

 feel more like thirty than over eighty. On Oct. 28 he had 

 nineteen single wing-shoots, and killed fifteen of them, using 

 second barrel only four times. He is yet, as he always has 

 been, considered one of the best every-day shots who comes 

 to the bay. 



Dr. Warner, of patent medicine fame, also employs Captain 

 Mathews; and when Mathews told the Doctor of the old gun- 

 ner who had shot over every inch of the bay and related that 

 he was this year eighty-one, "Captain," said the Doctor, 

 "give the old sentkman my stateroom and let him use my 

 new box. I hope he will kill the first duck from it." And 

 he did. Mathews and Cooper raised their guns together, but 

 the old man was too quick and brought down the game be- 

 fore his younger gunner could pull trigger. 



Bergan also w^ent to Barnegat the same day. He had only 

 fair shooting-, as the weather was too warm and the wind 

 did not blow enough to move the stools; the ducks that did 

 come he cut down as well as ever, and secured fifteen or 

 eighteen. . , , . , 



Li'or tw^o such old men to go off alone shooting (which 

 means that one riiust be out at daylight), and kill ducks as 

 thev did, is rather more of a feat for old men than John's 

 "Uncle John" killing a squirrel at thirty puces or hitting an 

 acorn at twenty, resting the rifle on a fence. 



If the readers of Forest and Steeam could hear these 

 two old men talk duck they would go crazy, or else move at 



