272 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Aran, St, 1886. 



Perrin first, Ackerman, Kiefer and Hinkle second, Leffel and Wick- 

 ersham third. 

 Fifth match, 5 single Ligowsky: 



Aston 11100-3 Allen 11111-5 



Wilson 01101—3 Rice (0) 101 10 -3 



Wendt 10111-4 Stiles 00111-3 



Strong 11110-4 Wick. 11H0— 4 



Mamma 01111-4 Ackerman 11111—5 



Perrin 11111—5 Snvder 11110—4 



McCartney 11111—5 Ross 11011—4 



Perrin first, Strong and Wickershatu second, Wilson third. 

 Sixth match, 3 pair blue rocks: 



Hebbard 01 11 00-3 Leffel 10 10 11—4 



Strong ..10 00 11—3 Wendt..... 11 11 11-6 



Ackerman 10 10 10—3 McCartney 10 10 11—4 



Wilson 10 10 11—4 Quail 10 10 11-4 



Hinkle 11 11 10-5 Monahan.... 11 10 10-4 



Snyder 01 01 11-4 Young 10 10 11—4 



Perrin 11 01 11-5 



Wendt first, Perrin and Hinkle second, Wilson and Leffel third. 

 Seventh match, 10 single Ligowsky birds, $1.50 entrance, citizens' 

 d on ation pri zes : 



Ball .*. 1000100110-4 



Scott 1011011100-6 



Young 0101010010-4 



Aston 0101010011—5 



Strong. 1111110100-7 



Leffel 0100111100—5 



Lessner 1010111010-6 



Ackerman 1100110011-6 



Hinkle 1101110111—8 



Hebbard 1111001110-6 



Slack 1001111001—6 



Monahan 0110101100—5 



Jones 0010001011—4 



Wendt 1110111101-7 



Rice, C ...011 1111111— 9 



Croft 1110111100-7 



McCartney 1110111010—7 Stiles 0100111101-6 



Quail 1100111101-6 Ross 0101010001-4 



Wilson 1011010111-7 May 1000011110—5 



Perrin 0000110111—5 



Rice, first price, Ed. Voight's silver cup, valued at $25, Hinkle 

 second, Wilson third, Scott fourth, Aston fifth, Ball sixth. 



Eighth match, 3 Cleveland blue rocks, $1 entrance: 



McCartney 101—2 Quail 011—2 



Wilson 101—2 Rice 111—3 



Perrin 011—2 Aston 111—3 



Hinkle 110—2 Lessner ., 110—2 



First, Aston and Rice; Hinkle second, Monahan third. 



Hinth match, 5 single Ligowsky, $1 entrance: 



McCartney 11111-5 Perrin 11111—6 



Aston 11111-5 Strong 11110—4 



Rice \ 10110-8 Wilson OilOl— 3 



Hinkle 11111-5 Ross 01011—3 



Aston first, Strong second, Wilson and Rice third. 



THREE TRAPS OR FIVE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



You treated my article on protection of game birds in Kansas with 

 such marked courtesy, that I am encouraged to communicate with 

 you again upon a very different subject, and trust you may find it 

 interesting and instructive. Flying target trap shooting is purely an 

 American institution, requiring the best skill, the clearest perception, 

 the coolest judgment and the quickest handling of a gun of any trap 

 shooting ever yet devised. The day of five pigeon trap shooting is 

 rapidly and surely passing away since the departure and loss of the 

 wild pigeon, for tame pigeon trap shooting is very tame indeed from 

 any style of trap and from any sportsmanlike standpoint. There is 

 a slugging kind of cruelty about tame pigeon shooting which I can 

 never oring myself to like, and therefore never heartily indorse. I 

 intend in this article to deal with trap shooting at artificial birds, but 

 more particularly the arranging of traps to secure perfect 5 angle 

 shooting from 3 traps instead of 5, as required by National rules. My 

 object is also to assist young clubs and beginners, and enable them 

 to mark out and establish the lines of flight, and then show them how 

 to make them permanent, so that once having secured the exact 

 position of score, traps and angles of flight, they may be enabled, 

 without any further trouble, to maintain them so long as they may 

 use the same shooting ground. For the purpose of more clearly il- 

 lustrating my views, and making all the points plain to inexperienced 

 shooters, I send you*-herewith a drawing of 3-trap shooting versus 5- 

 trap shooting at 5 angles, corresponding as nearly as possible to the 

 lines of flight and distances established under the National rules. 

 Let me say right here that all kinds of American trap shooting should 

 make the National rules apply, and do away entirely with State and 

 local rales, so that from Maine to California, yea, even unto Alaska, 

 there would be but one method of trap shooting, but one style of 

 holding a gun, and but one system of distances, handicaps, etc. .If 

 we can have nothing else original, let our trap shooting be purely so 

 — purely American. 



In my plan of 3-trap shooting I do nor propose to make any changes 

 or offer any suggestions touching the 5-trap shooting, for I think it is 

 about perfect; but it is only suited to great matches, can only be 

 carried out by large clubs with plenty of money in the treasury, and 

 is not suited to the hundreds and thousands of smaller and poorer 

 clubs throughout the country. I am writing for the benefit of the' 

 younger clubs whose small number of members enjoy the pleasant 

 recreation of trap-shooting, but who are not able to lay in a stock of 

 5 traps. In fact, many of them can only purchase one trap; and 

 as there are so many different kinds of flying targets, the clubs for 

 various reasons may be constrained to have two or three different 

 kinds of traps, and certainly could not purchase five of each kind. 

 Good angle-sbooting can be had from one trap, but in no wise can it 

 be compared to 3 or 5-trap shooting. With these explanations I will 

 now return to my 3-trap shooting as represented in the drawing. The 

 traps are set in a circle, having for a center the 18 yard score or rise, 

 and each trap is 8yds. apart (National rules, 5 traps, 5yds. apart). 

 The traps are numbered from left to right — 1, 2. 3— the even number 

 being center trap. Trap 1 throws a right half quartering bird and 

 trap 3 throws a left half quartering to correspond. Both of these 

 hnf-s of flight cross the straightaway or straight outgoing lineexactly 

 7yds. from the center trap (this is the limit of the National rules). 

 By setting your end traps so as to secure as nearly as possible this 

 crossing of lines, you have established a permanent basis. Now mark 

 the exact lines on which your traps are set. and set them ever after 

 on exactly the same square and your angles will be perfect. Of 

 course to give new ground for the pins occasionally it will be neces 

 sary to move the traps a little, but be sure you retain the same square. 

 Now, to permanently mark these two half quartering lines, drive a 

 small stake in the ground on the lines of crossing 7yds. from center 

 trap. Then take a line 33yds. long, keeping one end on the score and 

 the other on the straigbtaVay line, 15yds. from thecenter trap; make 

 your circle to the right, and when you reach the point which forms a 

 true line from you to trap 1 over the stake at the 7-yard 

 crossing point, drive in a small stake with a hole in the 

 end, and put a small flag in it for a marker, as shown 

 in the plan." From this flag continue on your circle to the right, 

 to a point just 13yds. on a straight line from your flag just set, 

 and there drive another stake and insert your flagstaff. Return now 

 to the point of beginning on the straightaway line, and establish your 

 stakes and flags at the points on the left, corresponding to those on 

 the right. You will by this time And your four flags about equally 

 distant from each other on the circle described, thus giving an equal 

 division oijangles. Were you to continue your circle about 13yds. further 

 on each end and establish flags you would find a line running through 

 the center trap, and thus forming two right angles with the center 

 trap as their vertex. This is not absolutely coirect, but very nearly 

 so, and makes an equal division of all the ground. The center trap 

 must be set on such a square as will secure the throwing of a straight- 

 away bird, and as thecenter trap throws the right and left quarter- 

 ing birds, set your angles so as to throw the birds over the right and 

 left flags established. The angles of the trap may not allow this ex- 

 actly, but get as near to them as possible and you will have all the 

 variety of shooting any five angles can give you inside of the two 

 right angles herein described. The National rules-do not allow, or 

 rather condemn, screens to protect the trapper, ana this may be safe 

 with experts handling the gun, but it is not safe with ordinary club 

 shonting. With the close-shooting guns of to-day in the hands of 

 careless and inexperienced shooters, no trapper's life is safe at 18yds 

 without an iron screen or a 2in. plank 36in. high and 30in. wide. The 

 correct rule in trap shooting is for each man to stand at the score and 

 shoot at birds from each of the 5 angles before giving place to the 

 next shooter, and so on in turn; hence the five traps under the Na- 

 tional rules are loaded at one time for each shooter, and the trap- 

 per hides himself somewhere by usually burrowing in the ground 

 like a fox, or he comes back on a line with the score until the traps 

 are emptied. It very otten happens, however, that birds break 

 in the traps and have to be replaced w T hile the shooter remains 

 at . the score. The trapper rooting in the ground for fear of 

 being shot, cannot see all of these breakages, as his eyes are 

 on'y" in the front of his head, and much time is wasted before 

 the reloadmg of the trap takes place! The shooter is still at the 

 score wailing, and often gets nervous and angry before he can get 

 his five shots. Should he miss his bird after all his weary waiting, he 

 is very apt to say something real naughty, and I don't blame him one 

 bit. My 3-trap shooting almost cures this evil in the 5-trap system ; 

 for as the trapper sits on the ground with his feet in a hole for com- 

 fort, close to the center trap, covered by a screen, he sees in a mo- 

 ment if any breakage occurs, and reloads the traps at once. Another 

 point, there being three different flights from the center trap where 



I ft Y ARDS R ISE 



he site, any mishap there is soon remedied and the shooting goes on, 

 very much to the relief of the shooter. This I consider a very im- 

 portant point in favor of the three traps, and that together with the 

 saving of two traps is worth something to any club, poor or rich. 

 One trapper with three traps as I have described can do as much as 

 two trappers with five traps. This is another saving, and gives secur- 

 ity to the trapper. I have thought it best in making the drawing to 

 place the targets upon the lines of flight 5yds. apart, beginning with 

 15yds. from the traps up to 25, 35 and 40 yards, and the figures over 

 the targets determine the distances from the traps. The lines of fire 

 are drawn to each bird in its flight, supposing it to be hit at some oh* 

 of the points of flight designated, and the distances are carefully 

 given and marked on each line of fire. This is to me a very interest, 

 ing study, and I believe will be of great service to those who have not 

 had an extended practice in this kind of shooting. They will see 

 perhaps for the first time the necessity for a study of the angles, and 

 then bring their practice into play. Take for instance a bird 25yds. 

 from the trap on a half quartering line, and they will see that it is 

 but 36yds. from the score, while the straightaway bird at the same 

 distance from the trap is 48yds. from the score. The plan shows that 

 the birds thrown over any of the right and left angles will give the 

 shooter 7yds. longer time than the straightaway bird; and as the 

 right and left quartering birds are harder to hit than the half 

 quartering birds, set vour center trap one notch easier, thus evening 

 up the speed or flight of the birds on the 3 lines from the center trap. 

 A lightning shot will catch the bird at 15yds. from any trap, a first- 

 class shot will smash it at 20yds , a very good shot will get there at 

 25yds. a good shot will be blazing away at 30yds., a poor shot will 

 fool along until the bird reaches 35yds.. and he who expects to break 

 his bird at 40yds. from the trap, being from 50 to 58yds. from the 

 score, will find the judges calling out "lost bird" unless he has a 

 first-class, hard -shooting gun. Poor shooters are not generally blest 

 with the best guns. I would advise every beginner at trap shooting 

 to shoot quickly even if he misses, for in the end he will, with study 

 of flights and steady practice, make the best shot. Learn first to 

 handle your gun with freedom and grace. Throw it up to your 

 shoulder with confidence and firmness, as you cry "pull" throwyour 

 elbow well up as the gun comes to your shoulder, press it well against 

 your shoulder, swing your gun with the bird, shoot as you swing, and 

 the moment you get on to the bird, for the motion of the gun being 

 much faster than the movement of the bird, you will naturally shoot 

 ahead of the bird just about the distance required. Don't be afraid 

 about shooting ahead, for in nine cases out of ten you will find your- 

 self behind the bird instead of being ahead of it. Of course, this does 

 not apply to the straightaway birds, but you are more likely to un- 

 dershoot them than the others. Hold well up on to the straightaway 

 birds within 30yds. of flight, but after this you must be a little under. 

 Now let me repeat so as to impress it upon the beginner. Shoot the 

 instant you get on to the bird ; don't wait for another aim, but shoot 

 at once, even though you may miss many of them. The longer and 

 smoother the flight of the bird the more likely you will be to dally 

 along with it, expecting still a better aim; but remember, every yard 

 of flight takes it away from you and lessens the chances of putting 

 at least 3 pellets into it. 



I desire in closing this rather long letter to acknowledge my appre- 

 ciation of the many artificial birds now in use, from the glass ball to 

 the Macomber metal target, which I like. All are good, but as a rule 

 too hard shooting for common shooters. It is a mistake, and I am 

 glad to see the American clay bird company of Cincinnati, under the 

 guidance of that crack shot and true sportsman, J. E. Miller, present 

 to the world a target somewhat larger, with a slower flight, just suited 

 to the wants of seventy-five per cent, of all the clubs. All these 

 saucer-like targets still leave an opening for a finer inventive; genius 

 to supply a want in trap shooting; something to take the place of 

 live pigeon shooting is what I mean. There is now in process of per- 

 fection by W. C. Hinman, of our Leavenworth Gun Club, a target 

 that will, in originality of conception, lay in the shade all known in- 

 ventions, and I am now at liberty to let you know all about it. Are 

 you listening? It is a metallic pigeon, with head, tail, back, wings, 

 nectc and body, so nicely adjusted that three pellets of 7s or Ss at 

 45yds., hitting any part thereof, will disjoint the wing, and bring it 

 tumbling to the ground. It will be known as "The Hinman Metallic 

 Pigeon, Leavenworth. Kansas." The pigeon is made of spring brass 

 so far as wings, back and tail are concerned, and is as pretty as a 

 picture. Some of our boys went out the other day and banged away 

 at it with 6s, 7s and 8s, knocking it every time, but after a hundred 

 shots the pigeon was ready for another flight, and will stand any 

 number of shots. The pigeon is assured, and also a powerful trap 

 invented to throw it smooth and even a distance of about 25yds. and 

 from 8 to 12ft. high. The rise will be 25yds., National rules for live 

 pigeon shooting. O. it's a daisy. Mr. Hinman showed me last eve- 

 ning a letter from England making him a very handsome offer for 

 the invention. Some American firm ought to make a good thing out 

 of it. In live pigeon shooting the trapper has to come back at least 

 in a line with the score to get his birds; with the Hinman pigeon the 

 trapper will be screened as in my three-trap shooting, and go out for 

 his pigeons the same distance he would have to come back for five 



pigeons; and the trapping of the pigeon is so easy as to waste no 

 time. The trap will throw the five angles National rules. You. will 

 hear more of this bird very soon. Thos. Moonlight. 



Leavenworth, Kansas. 



WELLINGTON, April 34.— The regular weekly shoot of the Wel- 

 lingtot) Gun Club was held to-day, with the following result: First, 

 6 clay-pigeons: Pond first, Swiftsecond, Stanton and Williams third. 

 Second, 5 blackbirds: Adams first. Pond and Swift second, Sanborn 

 third. Third, 6 clay-pigeons: Sanborn and Swift first, Stanton sec- 

 ond, Pond third, Schaefer and Falser fourth. Fourth, 5 blackbirds: 

 Stanton and Pond first. Swift and Williams second. Adams and Little- 

 field third, Palser fourth. Fifth, 5 blackbirds: Stanton first. Shum- 

 way and Williams second, Swift third. Warren fourth. Sixth, 6 clay- 

 pigeons: Adams first, Pond. Swift and Sanborn second, Snow third, 

 Stanton and Shutnway fourth. Seventh, 5 bluebirds: Parker and 

 Wilson first, Swift, Schaefer and Warren second. Snow third, San- 

 born and Stanton fourth. Eighth, 6 clay-pigeons: Stanton first. 

 Pond second, Swift and Warren third, Shutnway and Wilson fourth. 

 Ninth, 6 clay-pigeons: Adams, Swift and Warren first. San born sec 

 ond, Pond third, Suchfleld fourth. Tenth, 5 blackbirds: Pond first, 

 Schaefer, Warren and Sanborn second, Williams third. Swift and 

 Stanton fourth. Eleventh, 5 clay- pigeons, straightaway: Adams 

 and Schaefer first, Shumway and McCoy second, Swift and Williams 

 third. Snow and Parker fourth. Twelfth, 6 clay-pigeons: Swift and 

 Wilson first, Adams, Williams and Shumway second, Schaefer and 

 Pond third, Sanborn fourth. Thirteenth, 5 blackbirds: Pond first, 

 Schaefer and Wilson second, Swift and Snow third, Shumway fourth. 

 Fourteenth, 6 clay-pigeons: Schaefer first. Shumway, Williams and 

 Adams second, Wilson third, Pond fourth. Fifteenth. 5 blackbirds: 

 Schaefer first, Snow second, Swift and Parker third. Sixteenth, 3 

 bats: Shumway, Stanton and Sanborn first, Pond and Warren se2- 

 ond, Bradstreet and Litchfield fourth. Seventeenth, 5 clay-pigeons, 

 straightaway: Shumway first, Stanton, Warren and Adams second, 

 Snow third. 



CINCINNATI, April 20.— The shoot of the Price Hill Gun Club was 

 largely attended. The weather was delightful, bringing out a num- 

 ber of spectators, who witnessed some of the finest shooting ever 

 seen on the hill top. Ten traps were in operation, giving the mem- 

 bers all the shooting they wanted. The old American clay bird No. 

 2 was used, and the way J. E. Miller, B. Teipel and Al. Bandle 

 smashed them was wonderful. Miller making a record of three 

 straight scores of 20, while Teipel followed, making two straight. 

 Such shooting is seldom seen, and these three marksmen may well 

 be called the "big 3." for all are big— six feet and over— and know 

 how to shoot. The following are the scores: 



First shoot, 20 single American birds: J.E.Miller 20. J. E. May- 

 nard 15, D. Bemis 11, Bing 7, Mark 15, Shott 15, O. Topf 13, Keller 12. 



Second shoot, 20 single American birds: J. E. Miller 20. J. E. May- 

 nard 12, D. Bemis 11, Bing 10. Mark 13. Shott 12, O. Topf 16, Keller 8, 

 Clement 11, Al. Bandle 19, B. Teipel 19. 



Third shoot, 20 single American birds: J. E. Miller 20, Maynard 11. 

 Bemis 16, Bing 10, Mark 13, Shott 11, O. Topf 13, Clement 12, Al. Ban- 

 dle 18, B. Teipel 17, Carpenter 16. Blarney 14. 



Fourth shoot, 20 single American birds: Miller 17, Maynard 11, 

 Bemis 13, Bing 12, Mark 13. Shott 12, Al. Bandle 19, B. Teipel 20, Clem- 

 ent 9, Petit 7, Carpenter 14. O. Topf 15. 



Fifth shoot, 20 single American birds: Al. Bandle 19. Shott 16, 

 Mark 12. Bing 9, Bemis 13, Maynard 10, B. Teipel 20, Clement 9, Blar- 

 nev 13, Carpenter 14. 



Sixth shoot. 20 singles: Maynard 12, Bemis 17, Bing 12, Man 13, 

 Shott 14, Topf 15. Blarney 18, Al. Bandle 18, B. Teipel 18.— W. A. 

 Lock man, Secretary. 



SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SPORTSMEN'S ASSOCIATION.— Sixth 

 annual tournament. Du Quoin, III., May 11, 12 and 13. Tuesday, May 

 11.— Shoot No. 1—7 single glass balls. Shoot No. 2— 10 clay-pigeons. 

 Shoot No. 3, Association Special— 10 single clay-pigeons and 10 Peoria 

 blaekbirds. Shoot No. 4—5 live birds, 26yds. ri*e, use of both barrels. 

 Wednesday, May 12.-Shoot No. 5—10 single Peoria blackbirds. 

 Shoot No. 6—5 double clay-pigeons. Shoot No. 7. Association Special, 

 Gold Medal Contest— 10 Peoria blackbirds and 10 clay pigeons. Thurs- 

 day, May 18.— Shoot No. 9—7 Peoria blackbirds. Shoot No. 10, Team 

 Shoot, any 2 to compose team— 5 double blackbirds to each man. 

 Shoot No. 11, Association Special, Citizens' purse of $75 in gold— 10 

 clay-pigeons and 10 Peoria blackbirds. ShootNo. 12— 10 clay-pigeons. 

 Special Prizes— For best general average in shoots Nos. 3, 7 and 11, an 

 elegant silver basket. For second best average in same shoots. 6% 

 pounds Orange ducking powder. For third nest, 6J4 pounds dead, 

 shot powder. All matches will be governed by the newly printed 

 rules of this association. Ties will be shot off at 21yds. rise, unlrss all 

 contestants agree to lengthen the distance. All matches will be class 

 shooting. If plenty of live birds can be obtained, more live bird 

 matches will be arranged. A cordial invitation is extended to all 

 reputable sportsmen in Southern Illinois to join the association. Offi- 

 cers of the Association : C. A. Hobbs, President: Joseph Victor and 

 A. C. Reuss, Vice-Presidents; Don Onstott, Treasurer; C. P.Richards. 

 Secretary. 



