126 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Sept. 9, 1886, 



DUCKING ON THE KANKAKEE. 



BOUND for one duck hunt in tlie Kankakee Maash, 

 Stark county, Indiana, the " 'Squire," Will, Cal and 

 myself alighted from the train at Knox one afternoon in 

 the latter part of last Octoher. Mart L. had come in a 

 spring wagon to convey us to his home, four miles north. 

 After supjDer we adjourned to the large dining-room, 

 which had been delivered up to our tender mercies, and 

 told tales, loaded sliells, and discussed the probabilities of 

 game on the morrow. All but two of us were imac- 

 quainted with the marsh, so we agreed to keep witliin 

 hearing distance until we got better acquainted with it. 

 The marsh is dotted with "islands'' of timber, and one 

 looks just like another to a person not used to them, and 

 one is liable to wander away in the wrong direction. 

 About 3 o'clock A. M. Mai-t routed us out, and, after 

 breakfast, hip boots were donned, and we started. The 

 edge of the marsh was soon reached, and each one strack 

 out in a different direction, taking as a landmark a large 

 tree that grew near the edge. It was yet dark, with a 

 faint tinge of light just touching the eastern horizon. 

 Nothing was to be seen but the rushes, grass and water, 

 and there was no sound save an occasional distant splash 

 when some luckless one happened to step in a "rat hole," 

 and had to scramble pretty lively to save liimself from a 

 ducking. I had waded out a distance and had a place 

 trampled down among the reeds, water about knee deep, 

 when away to the west I saw a spirt of flame shoot up 

 ten or fifteen feet, and shortly heard the report of a gun. 

 My teeth had been chattering, for the morning was chilly, 

 and I was wisliing for daylight and ducks; but I quickly 

 came to a ready and strained my eyes to discover what 

 was coming. I heard the whistliag of wings but could 

 see nothing until the birds came between me and the fast- 

 brightening horizon. They were about a half dozen teal, 

 but out of gunshot. While looking at them I heard a 

 solitary quack upon my left, and turned m time to see a 

 big mallard going over me. I qtiickly wheeled and 

 brought him down with my right barrel. While him ting 

 him up I heard two more gun shots, and shortly saw some 

 more birds coming. I gave them both barrels and dropped 

 two of them. From that time the fmi waged fast and 

 furious until 8 o'clock, when it gradually slackened until 

 10 o'clock, and I waded out to the big tree. The rest were 

 soon there and we went to the house. The score for the 

 party was 38 ducks, mostly mallards. 



Shooting commenced again about 4 o'clock in the after- 

 noon. Will, Warren and myself went in one direction 

 and the rest of the party in another. We waded out into 

 the marsh about a mile on to a low, flat island on which 

 were a few haystacks. The day was warm and bright 

 and we lay upon some hay a long time until we heard 

 shooting from the other party, and a few ducks were 

 to be seen, when we hurried to a location. The shootiag 

 was not very good, the ducks flying high. I only secirred 

 four. Before twilight I had marked my course by a hay- 

 stack and a small Island, and when it was nearly dark I 

 stiaick out for home. On the way out I whooped for the 

 other boys. Pretty soon Warren came up and asked me 

 where I was going.' I told him to L.'s, southeast from here. 

 "Whv no, JOM are not," says he, "you are going north." 

 "Which way is L.'s?" I asked him. "This way," and he 

 pointed southwest. I could not convince him to the con- 

 trary, although I showed him the big dipper and the 

 north star; but he followed me and we came out all right. 

 He gave up beaten and said we would smoke a "tener" if 

 I wouldn't say anything about it. We found the rest 

 around the supper table. The total score for the day was 

 57, all mallards bu,t 13. 



The next day we were up bright and early, to try 

 the prahie chickens a whirl. We started out with three 

 dogs, two of them very fine Gordons. After going about 

 a mile and seeing no game the most of the boys stopped 

 and went to shooting clods thrown up into the air; but 

 Wni, Warren and myself kept on, although we had no 

 dog with us. Half a mile fm-ther on we struck a bevy 

 and secured five, but it was tedious work as they lay close 

 and we had to do all the running om-selves. On our way 

 home we came across a number of fox squirrels in a corn- 

 field, and had great sport with them for half an hour. 



Alx)ut half past four we started for the evening shooting. 

 Will and AVarren going in one direction and the rest of 

 us in another. The ducks flew fairly and we got twenty 

 odd. About 7 o'clock we had supper, but Will and War- 

 ren had not put in an appearance. We waited awliile and 

 then went outdoors and fired a few times, but there was 

 no answer, though it was verv still and a gun could be 

 heard a long way. Thi-ee of us then started for the marsh 

 with guns to signal with, having made up our minds that 

 they were lost. When nearly to it we met them coming 

 home. We asked them if they heard us and they said 

 yes, but supposed we were shooting for fun. The truth 

 leaked out, however, the next day. They had been lost 

 and had started sti-aight up the marsh, where they could 

 have walked ten miles without finding dry land. They 

 had gone a good way and thought they ought to come to 

 sometliing, so they fired then- guns a number of times and 

 a yoimg fellow living near by had gone to the marsh and 

 pfioted them out in a direction they thought away from 

 home. Warren swore by the great horn spoon that an 

 island he had marked his com-se by had turned around to 

 another point of the compass, but it was there all right 

 the next morning. They were both wet almost to the 



Monday morning we were up with the lark. The tent 

 and other paraphernalia were loaded into the boat, and 

 that on to the wagon, and off we started for Yellow River, 

 reaching there about 10 o'clock. We at once set up the 

 tent, and prepared dinner, after wliich fom- of us started 

 down the river in the boat to a large prairie two miles 



The' river was very high and full of snags, and it took 

 all our time and attention to prevent a sousmg. We had 

 hardly run the boat into the rushes which Ime the bank 

 when a large flock of ducks came directly over us. Four 

 guns were quickly raised, and eight reports blended m 

 one roar. Seven tumbled out of the flock. The boys 

 struck out for good locations, while I remained m the 

 boat. About two miles further down we heard what was 

 almost one continuous roar. This was at the junction of 

 the Yellow River and the Kankakee, on what is called 

 Piatt's Marsh. There was a clubhouse there, and some 

 of the members were using swivel guns. 



didn't reach camp imtil 10 o'clock P. M., as tired a set of 

 mortals as ever you saw, and hungry. At camp, how- 

 ever, we fomid a good supper waiting for us. We had a 

 wedge tent, with plenty of hay to lie on, and a big fire 

 out in front. About 1 o'clock Warren, who had been 

 industriously snoring in the front jDart of the tent, awoke 

 with a snort and a muttered exclamation of " Great Cse- 

 sar! Do you want to cook me for breakfast?" walked 

 around the tent and " sunned " himself in the moonlight 

 for an hour or more. It seems some one in the back part 

 of the tent had gone out and sthred up the fire until the 

 tent grew as hot as an oven, and Warren had the benefit 

 of it all. In tlie morning everybody wanted to go down 

 the river to hunt, since we had" done so well there. 



By moving we missed our morning's shooting, but con- 

 cluded it would pay in the end. We reached a place as 

 far out toward the river as we could get on a long point 

 of land covered with hay stacks, which the boys named 

 ' 'Starvation Point." Our provender which we had brought 

 from the house had about run out, and we must kin some- 

 thing or go himgry to bed, for we had sent home oiu- 

 game killed the day before. It was late when we started 

 out, and the ducks seemed to ha,ve disappeared, for we 

 only ^ot a few shots and Warren one duck. Cal killed a 

 prairie hawk and found himself up to his neck, for his 

 gim kicked liim off a tussock and setting him in the water 

 knee deep. We sti-aggied back to camp rather dis- 

 com-aged, with one duck as meat for six men, and hungry 

 men at that. But we made out a pretty fair meal and 

 did'nt eat the duck, for Warren had hidden it. About 

 12 o'clock I awoke and saw three or fom- of the boys 

 around the fire busily engaged m watching something, 

 but I could not make out what. Warren was snoring 

 beside me. 



The next mornuig Warren came tearing around the 

 tent and exclaimed: "Who took my duck?" All looked 

 sm'prised. Some one Said the dogs ate it, but he said 

 they couldn't get it, at the same time walking toward the 

 fire. Suddenly he stopped and picking up a forked stick 

 carefully trimmed up, he said: "What is this for?" and 

 looking around espied on a small log the breastbone, legs 

 and wings of a duck carefully picked. "By darn," was 

 all he said. It raised a laugh", but he felt a httle sore. He 

 never found out who cooked it. 



We had heard a good many brant during the night and 

 hoped for better sport the the next day, so we struck out 

 early and fared better, bringing in ninety-one. 



We ate a rousing dinner and slept until 5 o'clock. Then 

 the rest went out again in the evening, but I was sick 

 from drinking too much marsh water, A\-hicli was all we 

 could get. They brought in forty. The next morning 

 we broke camp,'bade our friends good-bye and took the 

 train home. NyjMRODDE. 



NIGHTS WITH A JACK, 



E WAS very anxious to shoot a deer. When a man 

 lias set his" heart on a thing, great is the disappoint- 

 ment if he happens to fail. Now, Smith almost succeeded, 

 AA-hich is the worst kind of failure to beai- up under. 

 Smith is a splendid Aving-shot. He can smash 98 balls out 

 of a possible 100 any day. He is likewise a hard worker. 

 He sleeps with one eye open all the time he is in the 

 woods. Not for one moment is his mind diverted from 

 the main issue. He gives nobody any peace who 

 introduces hrelevant subjects for thought or action. He 

 was anxious to try his luck floating or jack-shooting. 

 The first night we tried it on the lake. At the lower end 

 was a beautiful httle secluded cove with numerous fresh 

 signs all about. Cautiously, noiselessly, we circmnnavi- 

 gated the spot with om- "lantern dimly bm-ning." 

 "Nothing in," said Smith, as we come out of the last bend, 

 "A little early yet," said I, "perhaps if we hang up for 

 an hour or so, something may couie to water." So we 

 hung off shore, stretched our limbs, counted the stars, 

 watched a school of muski-ats that went lazily floating by, 

 then settled down to business again. 



We had gone perhaps a hundred yards, in fact, were 

 getting into a high state of expectation, when ai-ound a 

 point just ahead of us came a boat with two headhghts, 

 either of which was strong enough in its brilUancy to 

 allow a man to read fine print by its glare. It was very 

 aggravating, for on the instant a deer snorted just in the 

 bushes six rods off and presently we heard it bounding 

 along toward the distant hills. "Kerosene is altogether 

 too cheap hereabouts," said Smith. "Let's go back to 

 camp," said I. Back we went. 



An old ti-apper had told me of a bog four miles away 

 from the lake much frequented by deer and little fre- 

 quented by sportsman. We agreed to try om- luck there. 

 The following day, with packs made up of a small tent, 

 blankets and lunch strapped on om- backs, with a rifle 

 and a gun for business, we trudged off. Cautiously work- 

 ing our way down to the opening where the beaver from 

 time immemorial had built then- dams and raised their 

 dwelhngs, we posted ourselves at different angles, where 

 as much space as pdssible could be covered by our weapons. 

 The hours went by. night came on, but no deer. Flies had 

 been plenty, and* Smith made an excuse to smoke some 

 rather l ank cigai-s, and the whole bog was permeated with 

 the stench. "This will never do," said I, when the deer s 

 oKactories saluted that imnatural odor they quietly stole 

 away. "It was too bad," chimed in Smith, "catch me 

 carrying tobacco again on such an important expedition.' 

 He was true to his word. ^rr ^ i 



Some days after we were in the same locality. WeJiaa 

 been quietly on the watch for several hom-s. It was get;- 

 ting a little monotonous. While glancing up the bog 1 

 caught a ghmpse of the back of a deer moving along m 

 that direction. Now, I had posted myself opposite a ran, 

 and was entirelv exposed in person, so that the quariy 

 came sti-aight on, and so soon as his antlers were m sight 

 he had sighted me, and, as I supposed, had scented me. 

 The woods rang with the report of my rifle. I had made 

 a hasty shot. My eye had not sunk deep enough mto the 

 back sight— a most miserable sight by the way— and the 

 o-ame had fled. Smith came in on the run to help skm 

 the buck, but he carries his hide intact to this day tor 

 ought I know. I had thrown away my shot, and my 



probitiiterl. The penalty tov selling or 

 r any part of them, in pc issoRsion, is 

 jail not loiitrei- i liaii 1 liiilA' clays, 

 nor more than §50. While I shall not 

 '-I iirg-e the Gama Protector to enforce 

 dniii£;- so, and altliongli I supjjOHo the 

 in of (Jame, of whii'h 1 am President, 

 itii uni iMini.\-. as no iiction has 

 1\ iirr?ion niav proceed, 



ni-M-S;ilf of tlie 



The ducks flew 



better than ever, and we seciu-ed sixty-nine. About 7 



good record besides, for I had previously made some very 

 good ones. "We will try once more,' said Smith, "tamt 

 heart never won fair lady." I suppose in the use ot the 

 feminine he was thinking of meeting a doe, and a doe it 

 proA'ed to be. too. t , j. 



On another dead water or bog we placed a light canvas 



o'clock we started back to camp, "it was quite dart., and boat '-If J^^m^d to'^^^^h a t^oT^VwJ^Vnf orfhose 

 we had to row up sti'eam two miles, ^\^th numberless the carry it seemed to weigH a ton was 

 Tags to wateh fS?, and it was anything but fun. We I have-yom--hah-parted-m-the-middle boats. Sitting m the 



stern with Smith before me, gun in hand, we quietly 

 forced our craft along the ever-winding cliannel of the 

 far-reaching bog. Our bullseye tied to a standard was 

 ttu-ned to one side to cover one shore oulv. We had gone 

 the whole distance of tlie still water, and had made 'half 

 of the first lap. Smith was getting thed in his cramped 

 position, and had placed his piece carelessly across the 

 thwarts of the boat, and had brought his chin down to a 

 loving proximity to his kneepans. ' 'Smith," said I sharply, 

 though in a whisper, "don't go to sleep, there may be 

 something in ahead; be ready.'" "O pshaw! we shan't see 

 anything to-night; they are off on a picnic." "'Now 

 mind," said I, "let's be ready in case something should 

 happen along om- way." "All" right," came back to me. 

 ^ The gim came dowTi from its unnattual position, and 

 Smith struck an atitude betolvening readiness for emer- 

 gencies. WeU, to cut the story short, the deck had hardly 

 been cleared for action, when tlie bullseye covered a very 

 la,rge doe which was stand big just in the edge of the 

 water, tlu-ee rods away. -'Shootf shoot!" said 1. Smith 

 seemed in no hm-ry, however, but when I liad repeated 

 the command tlie piece spoke, and the right and left bar- 

 rels were let go. 'Now it is a living fact that that doe 

 was still standing on the shore after all this racket. 

 "There it is! Give her another!" "I can't get my shells 

 out, got the paper wet coming up the carry." "Take your 

 knife to them." By digging away for some time he got 

 one out and one in, and fired it. Next morning examin- 

 ing the shore we fotmd blood marks, but tliat doe was 

 never foimd. The next night's floating a brother sports- 

 man he sent 12 buckshot into the shoulder of another 

 doe near the same spot. 0. H. G. 



SoMERS, Conn. 



REED BIRDS AND BOBOLINKS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I find the following sm-prising communication in the 

 New York Hercdd of the 3d inst: 



TuE Sale of Reed Birds.— Kew York, Sept. 2, 1886.— To tfw 

 EdiUio- of the Herakl: I desire to inform marketmen and others 

 that by "a law passed by the last Lesjislatnre the sale of reed birds, 

 T'obins and meadow larks n- 

 ha/HiKanyot these hii'ds 

 imprisonment in th;: r oum 

 or a fine of not li " 

 consider it my oiV > 

 the law, [ eainiol I'l v : 

 Association for tiie I 'roiecl i 

 will ignore it, I eannot speak 'st 

 been taken. T-Jutauy nialiciou:-; . . 



under the statute ■,vhi( h gives to the plaintiff 

 penalty, so tliat u(j one is safe in disn-garttiug- it. 

 now, as this is the season for reed birds, and i" • ouo 



has tiougiis interference with their sale advisable a y, — 



ItOHEUT tiARNWlSliL itOOSlOVELT, I'rcSldont iNeW WVK 1' i^Jioi'y 

 Co3nmiHsiou. , , 



Here is a declaration from a gentleman, made from the 

 standpoint of his official position, that one of the laws of 

 the great State of New York ought not to be enforced. 



Mr. Roosevelt is " President of the New York Fishery 

 Commission" under and by virtue of law of the State. If 

 I am not mistaken, it is his official duty to euf (uce any 

 and all laws pertaining to the protection of fish and game. 



In this letter his expression for the law-making depart- 

 ment of the government, so far as the law alluded to 

 therein, is fairly contemptuous. 



I make no attack upon Mr. Ro{.-)sevelt personally. I 

 know Mm by reputation only, but I know of him as a 

 most excellent gentleman, hence this atta,ck from him 

 upon a wholesome and judicious law is the more to be 

 dei^lored. 



All good citizens ought to deprecate attack upon law 

 and upon attempts to enforce existing statutes, especially 

 so when such attacks come from olficial sources. 



The reed bud is our bobohnk. We in New England 

 have been striving to save him from utter destruction. 

 Our worst foe is the reed bud shooter, and the people who 

 make a market possible for this Northern s<:>ngster. 



Does Mr. Roosevelt prefer depopulated Northern 

 meadows, and robbery of our fields of their best and mer- 

 riest songster to the enforcement of a law that has com- 

 mended itself to a Legislattrre, and tallies with the tastes 

 and judgments of a ma jority of the peopleV 



Our robin is protected here. He takes in the season a 

 few berries and cherries, but in the same season he de- 

 stroys thousands of bugs, worms and larva?. Why make 

 Mm'in New York merchandise in the market? 



It seems that nianv are yet Lo learn that the destruction 

 of birds is the ultimate destruction of agriculture. 



With Audubon Societies fcunnng tbroughout the 

 States to save songsters from death for decorative pm-- 

 poses it is discouraging, indeed, to find a man ot Mr. 

 Roosevelt's abilities, coupled with official weight and in- 

 fluence, arraved on the side of destruction. 



' " E. H. L.-^THROP, 



Of Massachusetts Commission of Fish and Game. 

 Spkingfield, Mass., September, 1880. 



GAME NEAR A LARGE CITY. 



( •( REENPOINT, L. I.— Shootmg around New York 

 X city generallv commences with me about the mid- 

 dle of March. I verv often succeed in killing one or two 

 EngUsh snipe about the 17th or 18th (last year I killed one 

 on the 18th). I find them on a small farm on a hiU which 

 has two ponds Avith some grass and Aveeds around it, and 

 verv '^'ood feeding. Avlnch tlie many earthworms show 

 when ■"'the old cornstalks are pulled. I liave fotmd very 

 few snipe in the open meadows, tlie most ot itiemltovmd 

 in spri ' ' ' ^ ' ^ ' 

 mer ti 



Long loicJUiei. MLll' -L '-v.- o o — - , 



then on the places tiiev generally frequent. Woodcock 

 were not as plentiful last year as the year before, but 

 there were two broods m the Umits of Long Island City 

 iust across the East River from New York, of which one 

 brood, both young and old, foimd their way to the bu-d 

 stulfers- shops, where thousands of our smging bn-d.s find 

 a too ready market. Woodcock I found last year m the 

 densest and thorniest places. The most favorable ground 

 was a patch of five-vear-old saplings, intergi-own with 

 blackberrv, green briar and young locust sprouts. 1 suc- 

 ceeded in kiUing about thirty and left quite a ntimber for 

 this vear as I believe the enjoyment m hunting w the 

 pursu'it and not in the killing of the game alone, and my 

 heart woiit break if I can't kiU every woodcock or quail 

 I come across. I believe that woodcock wall return m 

 spring to the same cover where they were bred the year 

 before, and if the weather svere mild enough some of them 

 would stay all winter. I know of a very smaU woodcock, 

 and the gamiest and most ealculatmg one I ever tried to 



