Feb. 23, 1886 ] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



85 



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Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Publish- 

 ing Co. 



THE TRAJECTORY TEST. 



THE full report of the Forest and Stream's trajectory test of hunt- 

 ing rifles has been issued in pamphlet form, with the illustra- 

 tions and the tabular summary, making in all 96 pages. For sale at 

 this office, or sent post-paid. Price 50 cents. 



HUNTING AT ARMY POSTS. 



[Continued from Page 68,] 



v f^ROM other of the posts where portions of the army are 

 JD stationed come additional reports on the prevalence of 

 game, and how the officers and men in blue avail themselves 

 of their surroundings. We quote from letters as follows: 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Fort Bowie is situated in a saddle of the Chiracahua 

 Mountains, fourteen miles south of the Southern Pacific Rail- 

 road and about twenty-six miles west of the New Mexican 

 line. A few Messina quail are found in the hills about the 

 post, while the foothills and arroyos running into the San 

 Simon Plain abound with the blue scale quail and California. 

 There were plenty of deer within a few miles of the post, 

 but during the summer and fall of '85 so many Government 

 Indian scouts have been camped near Bowie that large num- 

 bers have been killed. Within a day's easy ride, however, 

 plenty of deer can be found; the small, whitetail deer being 

 the most numerous, the mule or moose deer being scarcer. 

 The Springfield shotgun does very good work and is much 

 used by the men. E. B. Beaumont, U. S. Army. 



Fort Bowie, Ariz., Jan. 29. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In reply to your note of the 9th, which has been delayed 

 by the snow, I will give you as full an account of the game 

 around Uuion as a year's experience goes. Of large game 

 the antelope alone is plentiful enough to pay to hunt, and 

 the nearest point some twelve miles from the post. They 

 are yearly becoming scarcer, owing to the cowboys continu- 

 ally shooting at them; there is one small bunch within a 

 mile of the post, but very wild. Blacktail deer can be found 

 some thirty miles from the post, north, but, owing to the 

 number of Mexicans living in the mountains, are scarce. 

 Bear can also be found occasionally in the same locality. 

 Of the small game the mountain grouse (blue) are run into 

 while deer hunting, but not plentiful enough to make them 

 a special object; tbe meat is very white and delicious; live 

 in the deepest pine forests, feeding in the openings. A few 

 coveys of Massena quail are within a mile of the post, and 

 while they last afford good sport; and blue quail (scaled 

 quail) are found south of post ten miles. They were, a few 

 years ago, very plentiful, but two hard winters killed them 

 off. Swans are very scarce; I killed one last fall. Geese 

 rather plentiful; killed upward of twenty since I have been 

 stationed here. Ducks are very plentiful, from the canvas- 

 back and redhead to the teal. Of course the water being 

 scarce they are obliged to concentrate, and good shooting is 

 the result. With one man I have killed upward of seventy 

 in the afternoon and morning shooting. This was at the 

 Los Alimos Lakes (artificial), about twelve miles from post. 

 Good ducking also at La Quaree Lake, some ten miles off; 

 also geese. English snipe few; no suitable ground. From 

 the 10th of August until the last of same month we have the 

 best upland plover shooting I think in the country, barring 

 Texas and the Indian Territory. During their flight last 

 August I killed 315, only shooting early in the morning and 

 occasionally in the evening. I shoot them by driving up as 

 near as safe in a buckboard, jump out, and as they get up 

 knock them over. It lasts but a short time, but is nice sport 

 for poor shots while it lasts. This I think covers the game 

 question. About the shotguns, two are issued to each com- 

 pany, and are used considerably, but being single loaders 

 not much execution is done. The caliber is .20— too small 

 for ducks but good for smaller game. They carry well, but 

 I think scatter too much. Although there are no game laws 

 enforced, the officers of the army always regard the close 

 season, and do all in their power to preserve the game. 



R. C. Van Vmet, Adjutant 10th Infantry. 

 Fort Union, N. 31., Jan. 28. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In reply to your favor of the 9th inst I respectfully state 

 that there is a fair supply of all kinds of ducks, and good 

 pickerel and pike fishing, but neither make any particular 

 impression on the "post larder." I give my command every 

 facility and opportunity I can to hunt and fish. The Spring- 

 field shotgun issued is not a success. The men use them 

 when they can't do better. 



F. Mears, Major 25th Infantry. 

 Fort Sisseton, D. T., Jan. 24. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Your letter of Jan. 9 to the commanding officer of this 

 post, desiring information about the game, etc., in the vicin- 

 ity of the post, has been reterred to me for reply. As I 

 understand you to want facts and not an elaborate article 

 for publication, I shall devote myself to briefly answering the 

 questions contained in your letter The large game in this 

 vicinity is such as is found in this entire Rocky Mountain 

 region, and comprises elk, bighorn, mule deer (here called 

 blacktail) and antelope. The first two are mostly found in 

 the Uinta Mountains, forty miles distant, the elk come 

 down in the foothills when the snowfall in the mountains is 

 great. Deer are killed in considerable numbers twenty miles 

 from the post, and in the fall they come down much nearer. 

 A large number of deer are killed and brought here for sale 

 by professionals or rather pot-hunters every season. I am 

 happy to say I have never been reduced to the necessity of 

 buying game. The enlisted men go out to the mountains 

 in hunting parties and generally have fair success. Antelope 

 are to be found in small bands on the prairies, but they are 

 very wild and hard to get at. The principal small game is 

 the sage hen, of which there are great numbers and they 

 afford fine sport for about two months. They lie well to 

 a dog when young, and as a table luxury are unsurpassed. 

 We have a flight of ducks in September and October, but 

 the streams are too cold and too rapid for good duck shoot- 

 ing. The principal varieties are mallard and teal. Now 

 and then a wild goose is killed, but they fly this way rarely, 

 the altitude is too much for them, about 2,000 feet. Occa- 

 sionally a snipe is killed (so I have been told); I never saw 

 one. There was a genuine woodcock that ^fed along the 



stream that flows through the post all last fall. I saw him 

 several times— always single— and I presume there was but 

 one. He remained till the stream froze up. Jack rabbits 

 are plentiful and there is a small cotton-tail under almost 

 every sagebrush, and it is upon these latter and the sage hens 

 that the soldiers use the Sprinafield shotguns and often make 

 good bags, but not having dogs (I mean good dogs) they 

 hunt for meat alone and most of their birds are killed in 

 their tracks. I have never shot one of these guns and I 

 never will. I don't consider them safe enough for me, but 

 I have heard those who have used them say that they are 

 good strong shooters. There are two furnished to each 

 company and during the shooting season are pretty gener- 

 ally in use. I succeeded in getting the post Council to sub- 

 scribe for the Forest and Stream, which is now received 

 regularly, and from the manner in which its are worn I judge 

 it is pretty well read. 



L. W. Crampton, Ass't Surg., U. S. A. 

 Fort Bridger, Wyo., Jan. 24. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Your letter of 9th ult. to commanding officer, Fort Custer, 

 inquiring in regard to the hunting in this vicinity, and 

 specially in regard to the Springfield shotgun, has been 

 handed to me with a request that I answer it. The only 

 game we have near the post is chickens, and for a short time 

 in spring-and fall ducks and a few geese. By going thirty- 

 five or forty miles into the mountains we find deer, bear, etc. 

 Game is an uncertain and almost inappreciable element in 

 the post larder. Individual sportsmen get some game for 

 their own use but none to supply post needs. 



1 probably go out after game of tener than any other officer 

 here, but as I have never used the Springfield I can give no 

 opinion as to its merits. One officer with whom I have 

 hunted a good deal uses the Springfield, single-barreled, such 

 as is issued to troops for hunting purposes. He complains a 

 good deal of the gun, thinks its range is too short, and it is 

 not a good shooter. As he is not a skilled wing-shot, but a 

 new beginner, I tell him, and believe, the trouble is in the 

 man and not in the gun. Some of the soldiers have used the 

 Springfield to good advantage. A couple of men a few 

 weeks ago got seventy-three chickens in an afternoon, which 

 does not speak badly for the Springfield. 



If an opinion on the merits of the Springfield is of import- 

 ance to you, it might be got by referring a paper to the com- 

 pany commanders who could inquire of the men who use the 

 Springfield. No officer at the post owns one, and they are 

 used only by officers who have no guns of their own. 



C. E. Price, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. 

 Fort Custer, Mont., Feb. 2. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In reply to yours of the 9th inst., received yesterday, re- 

 questing information concerning the supply of game about 

 the post, I would remark that, so far | as big game— such as 

 antelope and deer — is concerned, that is very scarce. Last 

 fall season some hunting parties were sent out, and, after 

 having gone some 75 to 100 miles, they found but few deer. 

 This being a large Indian reservation accounts for the scarcity 

 of such game. In fact, the whole country out this way is 

 filling up so fast with settlers that all game "is being driven off 

 in the confines of the mountains. 



Prairie chickens, snipe, curlew, wild geese and ducks are 

 found in great numbers in the proper season. Last fall our 

 tables were abundantly supplied with chickens and ducks. 



The Springfield shotgun, for a sporting arm, is very much 

 liked and does good work with the proper ammunition. As 

 it is, the ammunition furnished by the Ordnance Department 

 does not give satisfaction only at very short range. The 

 charge of powder is too light, the shot too small, and in no 

 way suitable for good work. The gun itself, being only of 

 one barrel, is somewhat of a drawback in being of much 

 service for a sportsman. 



Buffalo have left this entire country. None can be found 

 short of the regions north of Montana over in the British 

 line. Major Jas. S. Casey, U. S. A. 



Fort Yates, Dak., Jan. 23. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Referring to your letter of Jan. 9, asking as to the supply 

 of game about this post, etc., I have the honor to state that 

 quail are very abundant. Prairie chickens have made their 

 appearance in considerable numbers during the winter, but 

 may not have come to stay. Tuikeys are very scarce. Deer 

 are plentiful, but very shy. Only very skillful hunters get 

 them, as a rule. Some hunt for bears, but not often with 

 success. Hunting is a pastime, and is often very successful 

 in securing game ; but is not resorted to to any great extent 

 as a means of f uruishing the post larder. 



The Springfield shotgun is not very much used and is not 

 much in favor. Private shotguns are used mostly. 



C. H. Smith, Colonel 19th Infantry. 



Fort Clark, Tex., Feb. 5. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Yours of the 9th came this evening, probably delayed by 

 snow blockade. The Springfield shotgun furnished companies 

 is in constant use by the soldier. Tnere is much small game 

 in this neighborhood. Officers use good double-barreled 

 shotguns. Grouse are plenty. The spruce or Canada, pin- 

 nated sage hen, ruffed grouse. The ptarmigan (willow 

 grouse) furnishes best of this sport, as they lie to a dog when 

 young in August and September, come out of the willow 

 covers into stubble and grass, and are equally good shooting 

 with the prairie chichen. Of ducks we have the teal (green- 

 wing), spoonbill, wood duck, bluebill, buffiehead. butter 

 ball, spirit duck; possibly canvasback (a redhead mixed sil- 

 very and black), quite enough in the way of birds. 



The Big Horn Mountains contain large game in abund- 

 ance, though the frontier hunters consider it scarce and have 

 given up hunting for a living. The Indians hunting in large 

 parties have, they consider, killed it off. There is yet fine 

 sport. The time to hunt is in October, last of September. 

 The grizzly can readily be found, elk, deer and mountain 

 sheep. Buffalo were killed three years ago ; it is reported 

 small bauds are yet running in the mountains. Our people, 

 however, have not seen any, though we arrived here (he last 

 of August, and were so occupied until November with mili- 

 tary matters no one of the garrison had time to visit the 

 mountains for hunting until November, when I organized a 

 hunting party, taking four or five men from each troop. 

 These men were not all hunters; some teamsters, packers, 

 cooks, etc. The only really excellent hunter with me was 

 Frank Gerrod, scout; at that time the snow had begun to 

 fall heavily. I had one officer in the party, Lieut. Finley, 

 9th Cavalry, an excellent shot and ardent hunter. The heads 



of the many tributaries of Powder River were first visited, 

 when it was apparent the game had been driven out of the 

 high ranges to lower ones. As the object was to supply the 

 garrison with game it was necessary to follow it; continuing 

 to follow it through what was known as the Pine Mountains, 

 crossing the Platte River, we came upon excellent hunting 

 grounds in the Caspar Mountains, stopping a few days to 

 liunt antelope in the Bad Lands. By this time we were one 

 hundred and fifty miles south of our post, meeting every- 

 where large bands of Crows, Arapahoes, Cheyennes, Sioux, 

 Shoshone Indians ia hunting parties. The game was, there- 

 fore, very wild. The entire month was taken up in hunting, 

 half of it too stormy to leave camp. The result, however, 

 shows conclusively that it is a wonderful game country. 

 More game could have been killed; the wagons of the train 

 had all that they could move. Loading six six-mule wagons, 

 72 elk, 102 deer, blacktail; 45 antelope, foots up the total- 



Hunters who are willing to work hard, will find all the 

 game they wish to kill. Gerrod, the scout, is the best hunter 

 I have ever had. Not that he kills the most game, but his 

 excellent judgment in directing parties and instructing men 

 how to hunt is invaluable. 



Should any of your friends be desirous of hunting grizzly — 

 most amateurs are desirous of doing so — I recommend secur- 

 ing Gerrod. He is cool, quick and a dead shot, all necessary 

 qualities for that kind of work. We are always happy to see 

 parties who are fond of sport. The coming year the railroad 

 will reach Fetterman, quite near an excellent hunting region. 



Any one fond of hunting, willing to ride, walk and rough 

 it, as the cavalry officer will upon our hunts, can have all 

 the sport he desires. Should any of your people come out, 

 shall be glad to see them. 



Edward Hatch, Colonel 9th Cavalry. 

 Fort MoKinney, Wyo., Jan. 26. 



THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION, 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The Michigan Sportsman's Association met in eleventh 

 annual session at the Recorder's court rooms, Kalamazoo, 

 Feb. 9. After the appointment of a Committee on Creden- 

 tials and the election of a number of individual members, 

 the meeting adjourned until the following morning. 



The next morning the report of the Committee on Creden- 

 tials showed delegates present from the Battle Creek, Grand 

 Rapids, White Pigeon, Jackson, Kalamazoo and other clubs, 

 and the presence of a considerable number of individual 

 members, among them Dr. J. C. Parker, of the Fish Com- 

 mission. 



The president's annual address was a plea for the better 

 enforcement of the game laws, and as a means to that end 

 he advocated the appointment of a game warden, and urged 

 upon the Association the necessity of directing all its efforts 

 in that direction. Our laws are good enough until the means 

 of enforcing them are provided. 



Mr. Nichols, of Battle Creek, in discussing the address 

 differed from the somewhat pessimistic views of the chair 

 in regard to the progress of public opinion in the matter of 

 the game laws, and cited the many good laws passed of late 

 and the successful efforts of the Association in obtaining 

 modifications of old and the passage of new laws embodying 

 the latest and best knowledge upon their respective subjects. 



The Committee on Law presented its report, giving a sum- 

 mary of the new laws passed at the session of 1885, and ex- 

 plaining their relation to the old laws. It also urged that 

 the united efforts of all members of the Association be 

 directed toward spreading the idea that a game warden was 

 a necessity, and that that idea be specially impressed on all 

 candidates for the Legislature who were to be voted for this 

 fall. 



The Committee on Enforcement made a report, giving, 

 among other things, the following estimates of deer killed in 

 Michigan during the past season, based on facts obtained by 

 the chairman from personal visits to the regions mentioned ; 



Deer killed in Lower Peninsula 4,000 



Deer killed in Upper Peninsula 4,000 



8,000 



And estimating each at an average of 100 pounds, 800,000 

 pounds represented the venison killed in the Slate last year, 

 which at 4 cents per pound would amount to $32,000, 

 4 cents being the price in the woods. The committee be- 

 lieved its estimates to be much under the real truth. The 

 committee also reported that it found practically no deer law 

 observed by residents of the regions where deer are found, 

 and that the animals are slaughtered at all seasons. 



The following subjects were discussed and referred to the 

 Committee on Law: 



1. The Game Warden acts. 



2. Laws prohibiting — 



a. Netting fish in the harbors of the Great Lakes. 



b. Netting wild pigeons. 



c. Extending the close season for woodcock to Sept. 1. 



d. Spring shooting. 



The Committee on Publication made a report showing pub- 

 lication and circulation of the seventh annual book, 2,500 

 copies. It was ordered that the next book of the Associa- 

 tion be published in the year 1887, after the session of the 

 Legislature, so as to show the amendments to the laws 

 expected to be then had. 



Dr. Morris Gibbs then read an essay on August woodcock 

 shooting, advocating close season till Sept. 1. Mr. Chas. F. 

 Holt, a practical fishculturist, presented a very interesting 

 paper on the Spawning of Black Bass, showing the benefit 

 to be derived from the recent law prohibiting spearing of 

 fish from March 1 to Oct. 1 — the old law was March, April 

 and May. This paper received high commendation from 

 one of the Fish Commissioners present for the close obser- 

 vation evinced and the author was tendered the thanks of 

 the Association for it. 



The next annual meeting was ordered held at Lansing, 

 on the third Tuesday of January, 1S87. It was ordered that 

 the president and secretary make application to the National 

 Association for tbe Protection of Game Birds and Fish, for 

 membership on behalf of this Association. 



The following officers were elected : 



President, Dr. E. S. Holmes, Grand Rapids, Mich. 



Secretary, Mark Morris, Grand Rapids, Mich. 



Treasurer, N. A. Osgood, Battle Creek, Mich. 



Director for four years, W. C. Colborn, Detroit, Mich. 



After thanking the city for the use of the hall for the 

 meeting the Association adjourned to the banquet at the 

 Burdick House. About fifty sat down at the tables and the 

 convention adjourned sine die about 3 A. M., Thursday 

 morning, after a very profitable and pleasant meeting, the 

 success of which was very largely due to the Kalamazoo 

 Gun Club, who had the matter in charge. 



