Feb. 25, 1886. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



89 



The following statistics are also given on Mr. Shutts's au- 

 thority : 



"To get at the exact number killed by those who dog is 

 next to impossible, for they are got through a longer time 

 and by many from a distance, who carry them away, and 

 there is nothing known about them. Not so with market 

 still-hunters; the time is generally short in which they hunt, 

 the weather cool, and they keep the deer they kill until they 

 get through, and then take them to market. There has been 

 as close an estimate made by guides as could be of the num- 

 ber killed by doggers in the vicinity of Meacbam Lake, 

 Plumador and Duck ponds 1 , Deer River and that section in 

 1884, and they make out 169; in the same section in 1885 by 

 still-hunting," with a little dogging, 69. In the section 

 around Wolf Pond and State Dam in 1881, by dogs, 40; in 

 the same section in 1885, still-hunting, 17. It is worthy of 

 note that there has not bten so good weather for still-hunters 

 in thirty years as the la-t fall has been. These are facts that 

 can be proved beyond doubt." 



THOSE ' MARKET STILX HUNTERS" LAST PALL. 



Reports of an excessive slaughter of Adirondack deer by 

 market still-hunters last fall have been industriously circu- 

 lated. The Forest and Stream has taken pains to inves- 

 tigate these stories and finds them totally without foundation. 

 They are put forward by the advocates of hounding purely 

 for the purpose of misleading and deceiving the Legislature 

 with respect to the results of" the anti- hounding law. 



Much stress has been laid on the market glut of venison 

 last season. To reason that the Adirondack still-hunters 

 caused that glut is all nonsense, as may be shown by the 

 statements of the hounders themselves in the pamphlet re- 

 cently sent to the legislature. The introduction to that 

 pamphlet says, and very truly : 



"To prevent the sending of venison to market from this 

 region is a hardship to those only who do not live in the 

 Woods; and it wiD be very little injury to them siuce it is esti- 

 mated that in the large cities of this State not less than ninety 

 per cent, of the venison comes from outside the State. 



This leaves one-tenth to come from the Adirondacks. 

 When they allege that the Adirondack venison glutted the 

 market they tax our credulity to the extent of asking us to 

 believe that the markets of this State were glutted by the 

 magnitude of this one-tenth of all the venison in market. 

 They make no account of the other nine-tenths. They 

 ignore the fact that venison from the West is always cheaper 

 than Adirondack venison. They leave out of consideration 

 the 8,000 carcasses of venison shipped in 1885 from the one 

 State of Michigan alone. Another reason why the market 

 could not have been glutted by Adirondack venison last 

 season is that only a small quantity of venison was shipped 

 to market from the North Woods. 



To stop market-hunting, forbid marketing game. But to 

 forbid marketing game, and at the same time to permit 

 hounding, would not be a protective measure. The deer 

 killed by hounds would exceed ten times over the number 

 now killed for market. 



[From the New York Times, Feb. 2 1 .] 

 The bill introduced at Albany for the protection of deer is 

 a good bill in so far as it restricts the transportation of veni- 

 son from the Adirondacks to two carcasses for each sports- 

 man, to be accompanied by the sportsman. It is a bad bill 

 inasmuch as it permits six weeks of hounding deer, and 

 those the six in which more deer are likely to be hounded 

 than in the other ten months and a half. For a consider- 

 able term of years, at least, hounding should be pro- 

 hibited absolutely if the game is to be protected. The 

 protection of the game is the prime consideration, since 

 the Adirondack venison would under any circumstances 

 be but a small portion of the venison that comes to the 

 New York market every winter. 



The TJtica Report on Hounding. — The Utica Associ- 

 ation's report on the deer hounding law is another evidence 

 of public sentiment on the Subject;, A member of the Asso- 

 ciation tells us that the report was made after "a long obser- 

 vation and collection of facts by our Association, which have 

 been carefully and impartially weighed and considered. From 

 all I can hear, it speaks the honest sentiment of people in this 

 section who feel the necessity of restrictive measures, and 

 that personal ends must give way to the public advantage, 

 selfish people to the contrary notwithstanding." The entire 

 report is given elsewhere. 



Choice of Hunting Rifle.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 I am done with repeaters, and give my reasons. They won't 

 always repeat. Last winter one cold December day I was 

 close on a large flock of caribou, yet went to camp without 

 meat, as the magazine was frozen solid. Practically I had 

 no gun. _ This season it was one day reduced to a single 

 shooter in consequeuce of an obstruction, a small spruce 

 spill, in the magazine. No repeater balances as well as a 

 single- shooter. Given the same weight of gun, length of 

 barrel and caliber, and a single-shooter will have a larger 

 per cent, of metal in the barrel, where it will tell in accu- 

 racy of holding and power of execution. I have used a rifle 

 over fifty years, having owned a great variety of make, and 

 purchased a late model repeater, mainly to show my brother 

 hunters that I was not 'set in my way" in preferring a 

 single-shooter. It is a first-chiss gun, good as new, of a 

 make that was in the front rank at" the trajectory trial, and 

 can be bought low. I go back to my first love. With a 

 single-shooter I can bag as much large game here in the 

 Maine woods as the law allows or a fair-miuded hunter de- 

 sires.— Open Sight (Camp Cosy, Maine, Feb. 6). 



North Carolina.— Belvidere, N. C, Feb. 15.— Although 

 the weather has been extremely cold and we have had heavy 

 sleet, still I find the birds have wintered well and are coming 

 out into the fields now in force. In fact I find more birds 

 now than at any time during the season ; coveys of from 

 fifteen to twenty-five and even more are now feeding where 

 there were none during December aud January. They have 

 learned to protect themselves by retiring to the depths of the 

 thick woods while hunting is at its height, and come up 

 smiling and fat in the latter part of the season and early 

 spring. During a two hours 5 tramp, a few days since, I 

 found eight large full coveys, numbering in the aggregate 

 not less than 150 birds. One would have thought a month 

 since had he bunted our fields that Bob White had played 

 out, so scarce were the birds. It certainly seems a pity to 

 shoot them so late in the season, but our best shooting after 

 November is in March. The birds are then fat and finely 

 flavored, and strong enough to test the marksmanship of the 

 shooter, as they can then fly at a lightning-like speed. - - As a 

 rule they do not commence pairing off before the last of 

 April or 1st of May.— A. F. % 



Florida Game.— Enterprise, Fla., Feb. 13.— The hunting 

 around here is unusually good this year. Mr. Couzens, of 

 New York city, brought forty-three quail in last Friday, 

 and reports large numbers of snipe and turkeys in the Lake 

 Harney region, a few miles from here. Ducks are scarce on 

 Lake Monroe, but a few can be found on the small ponds 

 near here. Mr. Benson, of Brooklyn, N. Y., who spends his 

 winters here, is a great fisherman and has splendid success 

 with the rod and line. He seldom comes in at night with 

 less than fifty pounds of fish, and often up to 200 pounds. 

 The weather is delightful, and all sportsmen able to be out 

 are reaping a harvest. — G. G. J. 



Colorado — Silverton, Col., Feb. 2.— In our immediate 

 vicinity there is little or no game, and although almost every 

 man you meet is armed, there is no shooting done except 

 when some ambitious individual undertakes to paint the 

 town "red." There is then the liveliest kind of shooting. 

 Within seventy-five miles of us, however, almost in any 

 direction large game can be found in abundance. A number 

 of parties have been out from here, going over the range to 

 the headwaters of the Rio Grande River, and all of them 

 have had very flue sport with elk, blacktails and bears, both 

 silver tips and black. — S. 



An Unsavory Subject. — Brooklyn, L. I. — In Forest 

 and Stream of Feb. 4 is an article signed by "Cocker," who 

 says the "odors from Barren Island were not perceivable by 

 him." The reason was the wind was from the west, and in 

 consequence blowing in opposite direction from the point he 

 was on If he had been to the east of Barren Island, where 

 I was on the same day, he might have had his full benefit 

 for the balance of the winter. — American. 



Kalamazoo, Mich. — At the annual meeting of the Kala- 

 mazoo County Game and Fi9h Protective Association, the 

 following officers were elected: President, Hon. T. S. Cobb; 

 Vice-President, J. F. Cowgill; Secretary and Treasurer, Dr. 

 J. A. Partridge; Executive Committee, George Winans, H. 

 F. Badger, Dr. W. T. Stilwell. 



Pennsylvania.— In answer to "R. J. D.," I would advise 

 him to write to some hotel in Hawley, Pike county, Pa., 

 where he will find all he asks for. It is one of the best 

 places for large game so near New Jersey. It is recom- 

 mended by some of our very best sportmen.— E. F. K. 



Great South Bay Open.— The ice has disappeared from 

 the Great South Bay and the ducks are beginning to arrive 

 in considerable numbers. Quite good shooting has been had 

 at a number of points, and a large bag was made a few days 

 since near Sayville. 



New Jersev.— Smithburg, Feb. 13.— Game in this section 

 was more plentiful the past season than for several years 

 back, and a great many quail and pheasants were left "over. 

 We do not think that the game has suffered much. — 

 W. L. B. 



MR. HAGUE ON THE PARK. 



THE following letter, recently written to Senator Mander- 

 son, of the Committee on Territories, deserves the 

 careful attention of all who are interested in the Yellowstone 

 National Park. No such clear and convincing statement of 

 the injury which will be done to a vast tract of our country 

 by the destruction of the Rocky Mountain forests has ever 

 been printed : 



United States Geological Survey, 



Yellowstone National Park Survey. 

 Washington, D C„ Feb. 4, 1886. 

 Hon. Charles F. Manderson, U, ii. Senate: 



Sir: — A bill for the prorection and better regulation of the Yellow- 

 stone National Park has recently been introduced by Senator Vest 

 into the U. S. Senate. Knowing: your keen appreciation of the value 

 of the Park. I desire to call your attention to one or two points which 

 seem tat me of the utmost consequence in carrjing out the purposes 

 for which the Park was originally set apart and has since been main- 

 tained. 



In order to accomplish these purposes the most essential features 

 in the new bill are those which relate to the enlargement of the Park 

 aud tne sharper definition of its boundaries. In the original bill 

 creating the Park the boundaries are loosely slated. A better ac- 

 quaintance with the country enables us to say more intelligently 

 where the boundaries should be drawn, while experience shows that, 

 to avoid encroachments on the reservations, they should be more 

 sharply derlned by law, and the lines accurately run. 



In this respect the present bill meets all the requirements of the 

 Park. For the purposes for which the Park was set aside the present 

 area is far too small. 



In my opinion the object of first importance in maintaining the 

 Yellowstone Park is the preservation of the forests. The question of 

 timber preservation is one which is gradually attracting more and 

 attention in all the more settled parts of the country. The necessity 

 for some pi oper restrictions, rigidly enforced, is now very generally 

 admitted. In the far west, where su^h immense tracts of country are 

 treeless areas, it is all the more necessary that some carefully con- 

 sidered restrictions should be placed upon the indiscriminate cutting 

 of timber from the public domain. It seems equally necessary that 

 certain areas, favorably situated for the growth of trees, should be 

 tet aside forever as forest reservations. In the settled parts of the 

 country, owing to the many conflicting interests, properproteetion b v 

 legislation is a matter of great difficulty. It is sufficient to call your 

 attention to the struggle going on In New York State in the attempt 

 to preserve, by legislative enactment, the forests of the Adirondacks. 

 Tha'j there should be some additional restrictions in the cutting of 

 timber has been very generally admitted, but to control the matter 

 with due regard to the rights of all is by no means easy to accomplish. 

 Commissioners appointed by the Stat^ of New York to investigate the 

 present condition of these forests, and the ne^ds of the country 

 urgently recommend immediate action, placing the limber region 

 under State control in order to maintain an equable supply of water 

 for the Hudson Eiver 



To-day no such difficulties exist against forever setting aside the 

 country in the immediate vicinity of the Park, while the reasons for 

 so doing are manifest to all who have given the subject any attention. 



The Yellowstone National Park is most admirably adapted for a 

 forest reservation. It is a broad, undulating plateau, varying in alti- 

 tude from 7,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level; surrounded ou nearly all 

 sides by mountains rising from 3,000 to 4.0. feet above the general 

 level of the country. Across this plateau tb-^ continental water shed 

 runs with a very winding cour-e from the southeast to the northwest. 

 Two great rivers, the Yellowstone and the Snake, which ultimately 

 drain into the Missouri and Columbia, have their sources here on the 

 plateau, the former in Yellowstone Lake, and the latter in Shoshone 

 Lake. 



Yellowstone Lake covers nearly 125 miles of surface, while Sho- 

 shone, with very irregular outlines, measures more than s.ix miles in 

 length. Hundreds of smaller lakes lie scattered over the plateau and 

 mountains, and innumerable springs feed these lakes and rivers. 

 Over 3,000 thermal springs are known within the Park. No reeion in 

 the Rocny Mountains is better favored in its supply of water, the 

 rain and snowfall being unsurpassed in any area of equal extent. 

 Nearly all precipitation between the midule of September and the 

 first of May falls in the form of snow which lies upon the ground well 

 into the summer. This broad, elevated mountain mass is so situated 

 as to gather the storms which center in the northern Rocky Moun- 

 tains, and the topographical structure of the region enables it to re- 

 tain the waters. For the storing up of this water and regulating its 

 flow, the forests are of immense value. • 



It is unnecessary here to enter at length into a discussion of the 

 influence of the forests upon tne supply of water. In a few words 

 thig great body of snow is largely protected from the direct rays of 

 the sun and sheltered from the dry winds blowing from the west- 

 ward. In consequence the snow melts gradually and the water per- 

 colates through the soil and vegetation, slowly riding tts way to' the 

 springs and large reservoirs: Remove the forests and the snows would 

 rapidly disappear, Damaging freshets would carry off' the water in 

 the early spring, leaving the country arid and parched. Dry westerly 



winds would take up the enow, precipitating the moisture further to 

 the eastward over country already supplied. Without the trees the 

 soil would soon be washed away, leaving the country unfit for vege- 

 tation. The report of the recent Forestry Commission of tlm State 

 of New York says "that the summer flow of the Adirondack rivers 

 has decreased within the memory of men now living from thirty to 

 fifty per cent. Many of the small streams, which a quarter of a 

 century ago were abundantly supplied with water during the entire 

 summer, are now dry during many months." In my ooinion, owing 

 to the dryness of the atmosphere, the disaffoiesting of the country 

 around the sources of the Missouri and Columbia would cause, rela- 

 tively, a far greater diminution in the flow of water than that observed 

 near the sources of the Hudson. Every precaution, then, should be 

 taken to preserve the natural reservoirs of these great rivers sending 

 their waters to the Atlantic and Pacific. If in the future the lower 

 Yellowstone Valley is ever settled with any considerable population, 

 they will require all the water stored up in this favore i region. It is 

 not only necessary, then, that the forests within the. limits of the 

 Park should be preserved, but that the area of the Park should be 

 enlarged so as to include the immediate country along the sources of 

 all streams draining into Yellowstone Lake, the East Fork of Yellow- 

 stone River, and the headwaters of the numerous southern brancaes 

 of Clark's Fork and the Stinking Water. 



The country to the eastward of the present boundary of the Park, 

 which, by the bill now before Congress, it is intended to add to the 

 reservation, is one of the most alpine and rugged regions cf tne West. 

 It consists mainly of a single mountain range with peaks risiug from 

 11,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level. It is one of the principal ranees 

 of the Rocky Mountain system. Snow lies on the higher summits all 

 the year. It is a country of great natural beauty, but useless for 

 agricultural purposes. Although the easte rn foothills were among 

 the frequented resorts of the earliest trappers and fur hunters, the 

 mountains, owing to their inaccessible nature, remain to-day one of 

 the least visited regions of the Northwest. So far as known the 

 mountains carry no minerals of economic importance, and. judging 

 from the volcanic character of the country, the indications are 

 against any discovery of valrable ore bodies. These mountains are 

 useless for settlement and should be withdrawn from the public 

 lands. 



On the other hind, the slopes are densely covered with timber and 

 forest vegetation on the west si 'e, and large volumes of water pour 

 into the Yellow stone through Soda Butte, Cache, Calfee and Miller 

 Creek* and the East Forte On the east side. Craudall, Sunlight and 

 Dead Indian creeks contribute to Clark's Fork, whil-> the Stinking 

 Water drains a large area of country for the Big Horn, the water 

 ultimately reaching t ho Lower Yellowstone Eiver. Encroachments 

 upon these forests will soon be made if not immediately protected by 

 Congressional legislation. 



According to the report of the special agent of the last census upon 

 the forests of the country, nearly 60.000,000 railway tie? are annunhy 

 consumed by the old and new lines of railway. In the far w est they 

 are usually dependent upon young trees from ten to twelve inches in 

 diameter. It is estimated that each tree furnishes, on an average, 

 only two ties. In Montana and Wyoming the demand for railway ties 

 is largely supplied by the tamarack or black pine I Finns m urrayaua), 

 the variety most abundant in the country immediately ad joining: the 

 Yellowstone Park. In a year of active railway building in the West 

 the destruction of vigorous young trees must be counted by millions. 

 By the same authority it is estimated that the injury to woodlands 

 destroyed by fire during the census year in Montana am nun ted to 

 $1,128,000, and in Wyoming to 83,255,000 In this wholesale destruc- 

 tion it is not easy to calculate the permanent injury to the country. 



Another source of injury to the forest near mining centers in'the 

 West is the enormous consumption of charcoal in smelting furnaces. 

 A country devastated by the charcoal burner is a dreary waste. The 

 number of large smelting furnaces, however, are so scattered over 

 the country that permanent injury, except in a few cases, may not 

 be considered as serious. Cooke City, a small undeveloped mining 

 camp just outside the northeast corner of the Park, is already sup- 

 plied with a furnace. If the place should ever develop into a pros- 

 perous mining district, the demand for charcoal may become an im- 

 portant industry. The need of forest conservation is so urgent in the 

 Yellowstone Park that every precaution should be taken at once to 

 restrict the cutting of timber within the area proposed to be added to 

 the Park. As there are large tracts of timber to the north and easlof 

 Cooke City, this could be done without the slightest detriment to min- 

 ing developments. 



Another important object to be gained by the enlargement of the 

 Yellowstone Park is the preservation of wild game. Any one fam- 

 iliar with the disappearance or the game of the Rocky Mountains dur- 

 ing the last twenty years must be fully impressed with the necessity 

 of rigidly enforcing the game laws in the Park if we wish to preserve, 

 in a state of nature, those animals which are rapidly becoming ex- 

 tinct. What we want is not an artificial zoological garden, but a 

 natural zoological reservation, sufficiently large to allow all wild 

 animals to run free without molestation. For this purpose the pres- 

 ent area is too small. The country around the Hot ,-prmgs, the gey- 

 ser basins, and the plateau between the geyser basins and the Yellow- 

 atone Lake affords insufficient grazing ground for any large number 

 of game. This country never was an attractive haunt for game. Oa 

 the other hand, sucb grand mountains as Mount Sheridan and Mount 

 "Washburne, rising out of the plateau, and the high coun rv surround- 

 ing the Park, afford one of the finest game regions in the West. The 

 Absaroka or Shoshone range, just to the east of the present Park 

 boundary, is a favorite resort for deer, elk, bear and mountain sheep. 

 The latter are rarely seen on the Park plateau, but are abundant upon 

 tbe high peaks and crags to the eastward, A great deal t>f shooting 

 has been done litre within the last twoor three years. Its protection 

 is certainly very desirable. 



The country immediately to the south of the present southern 

 boundary abounds in sheep and elk. This past season a thousand or 

 fifteen hundred co v sand young elk were feeding there throughout 

 the summer. Buffalo are rapidly disappearing from the northwest 

 country. All trustworthy accounts agree that there still remain a few 

 small straggling herds. There are at present, and have been for 

 several years, two or three herds of buffalo of not mors tcan sixty 

 each, roaming in the Park. They are probably remnants rf much 

 larger herds, driven from the plains and valleys below, seeking pro- 

 tection in less frequented resorts. They frequently cross ihe border, 

 traveling short distances for grazing purposes, always returning to 

 the Park for protection. To protect them the country wlurethey 

 roam should be included withm the Park area. A few small bauds of 

 moose, although rarely seen, inhabit the marshes on the headwaters 

 of Fall River in the southwest corner of the Park, They can easily 

 be protected if the Park is extended to the fortv-fouitn parallel of 

 latitude, as contemplated by the new bill. By rigidly enforcing the 

 game laws the Park will, in a few years, become so densely stocked 

 that the surplus, seeking new haunts, will run outside the limits 

 for its own protection. In this way ample sport will be afforded the 

 hunter shooting under territorial game laws. 



One of the objects in creating the Yellowstone Park is stated in the 

 original law in these words: "Dedicated and set apart as a public 

 park and pleasure ground for tbe benefit and enjoyment cf the 

 people." To accomplish these purposes in their fullest extent it is 

 necessary that the Park should r>e enlarged to include the high moun- 

 tain country to tbe east and south. The present Park area, while 

 including some very grand sceuery. and containing all the phenome- 

 nal objects of interest to be found in this region, lacks that Alpine 

 character which is so desirable in a mountain country visited by 

 tourists and lovers of nature seeking rest and recreation. " 



For these reasons it seems to me important chat the bill now before 

 the Senate, amending the origiual act setting npii-t the National 

 Park, should receive the favorable action of Congress at an early 

 date. Very respsetfull r, your obedient servant, 



Arnold Hague, Geologist. 



Chicago, II)., Feb. 19, 16S6. 



Jlfr. Freund: 



Dear sir— The hunting sights came all right. I tried them the 

 other day and find they work ail right, and I tnink I have the best 

 hunting sights that are made. 1 tiud the adjustable slide on rear 

 sight a very good feature, as you can change it f' om a light to a dark 

 rear sight witnout taking the rifle from the shoulder, and tne open 

 space below gives you a splendid opportunity to see game. Your 

 front hunting sight is superior to others for the reason you have a 

 good round bead, with a fins, yet strong support. As vou have 

 nearly an inch of metal in length, your inlaid piect- of metal is put in 

 much stronger. I think, than other sights It >\ork-. to perfecion on 

 light objects, and also dark ones, which all hunters will fin I to be 

 good, especially on a dark day ill the wood*. The advantages of your 

 sights are too numerous to mention on paper, and one must, have 

 tuem on their rifle to see their many uses. Tne target bead is vt-ry 

 good, and have made some good scores with it on our range. Irs 

 contrasting color shows beautifully on a black bullseye, especially 

 toward evening, when a fine black pin head is hardly distinguishable; 

 the sight being a funnel shape, give a fine black center with a circle 

 of wnite, which shows eood on black bullseye. One can bold bis 

 head on the center of bullseye and see it ihere, where a black bead 

 would be on tne bullseye, but you would not know whether it was m 

 center or on the side. I would not be without, your sights for three 

 femes the money you ask for them. I showed 6' em bo many riflejnen 

 and they say they are a first-class sighr both in principle and ^oik- 

 manehip, and J do not think any one who wantfe a goo.) burning sight 

 will regret the moeey pi}d for a- get of youra, I will try them more 

 at the range and wjll write you how they apt. I am voUrs truly 

 P. O. Bradley, Seo'y sad Treas. Lake VIptp Hifte Club--- -i<h\ 



