286 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov, 4i 1886 



NEW ENGLAND GAME. 



BOSTON, Nov. 1.— Reports up to date agree with my 

 o^vn experience— that in most places on Cape Cod 

 the quail ai-e found in less numbers than for many years 

 past. We think the extreme dry weather of September 

 and October has forced the bii'ds 'deeper in the woods tor 

 food, for I am at a loss to account for anything in the 

 mild winter and conditions of the hatching season to 

 prevent the many birds which were left over last fall 

 from rearing broods this year. But the ruffed gi-ouse is 

 in good numbers in MaEsachusetts and New Hampshire, 

 and flight woodcock are just begimiing to drop in and 

 promise fan- sport for November. — M. 



Vermont grouse are rather plenty, but are shy, and 

 hunting with a dog that trees the game and barks causes 

 most of the deaths. Gray squu-rels are all over, and 

 good bags could be made. Coons are shot in numbers, 

 and are, of course, fat and good eating. lu spite of set- 

 tlements, more mink were caught than I had heard of 

 in some years, and mepliitic visitations were frequent, as 

 shown by the odor left. Snow and cold have shut up 

 most of the game except on warm days, for that it was 

 cold up there any one would attest. — Neshobee (Philadel- 

 phia). 



Boston, Oct. 26.— The gunners are a little dissatisfied, 

 so far as this section of the country is concerned. As to 

 ruffed grouse, the man who lias shot one tliis season in 

 this part of Massachusetts, is rather proud of his luck, 

 and the other boys think that he has a reason to be. By 

 the way, there are yet few or none in the market, show- 

 ing plainly that the birds are scarce. From all over 

 northern New England the report is the same. Paiti-idges 

 are very scarce. Still in the remote sections some sport 

 may be had. The early shore bird shooting was very 

 good indeed all along the coast, but the late birds, duck 

 and coot, have not yet begun to fly freely. The theory is 

 that they stay on then- more northern feeding gTOuuds 

 till driven southward by bad weather, and this bad 

 weather we have not yet had. There are a nvunber of 

 Bostons noted gxmners waiting for a bad storm, when 

 they will hie themselves away to Annisquam and the 

 Essex River, for coot shooting. Mr. G. T. Freeman has 

 made one triii to that celebrated cooting ground, and was 

 rewarded with a sti-ing of some thirty bkds, not a bad 

 score for a day and a half. Another Boston merchant — 

 he is not Avilliiig that his name shall be mentioned, not 

 even in his favorite paper, the Foeest akd Stream — 

 went down to "Squam" the other day, and with shooting 

 seventy 'five shells he got ten birds. He says that either 

 he is a poor shot or a coot is a hard bii-d to Isill.— Speclyl. 



THE CALIFORNIA QUAIL. 



TWO corresijondents within the last few months have 

 wi-itten on this subject, but as my experience with 

 the lively Httle bh'd under consideration has been related 

 by neither of them I also speak up. It is the game in 

 this part of the State. We hardly have any other, except 

 a few ducks in the winter and an occasional worthless 

 jack rabbit. This is a fruit-growing section, devoted es- 

 pecially to grapes. In the vineyards along the valleys 

 and hillsides, skirting small streams below and often 

 dense thickets above, the valley quail, as the smaller 

 variety is usually called, finds his favorite resort. Here, 

 too, th'e lover of the g-un finds sport fit for a king. 



Perhaps enough has been said of the appearance and 

 habits of the California quail by my predecessors; I must 

 remark, however, that his activity, speed of wing, and 

 cuteness are a constant source of astonishment to one who 

 has hunted poor, simple Bob-^Vliifce, with his one device 

 of hiding till it took a microscope to find him and staying 

 there till kicked out. This little pert, crested, wide-awake 

 son of the west is equal to Bret Harte's Heathen Chinee, 



'Tor ways that are dark and tricks tliat are vain." 



He will first astonish you by taking a tree. There he 

 will get on the top of a big limb or in an impenetrable 

 bunch of moss, or as I have caught one or two doing, hide 

 next the trunk and creep around as you walk. If you 

 pound the tree with sticks and stones, he will Avait till 

 you almost strike him and then he will come down oxit of 

 that tree with the velocity of a cannon ball, and on a 

 downward cmwe which will betray the gun of the very 

 elect. Then he goes ruto the thicket, flying always on 

 exactly the opposite side from the shooter. If there is 

 only one btish about he ^dll fly -with an accuracy of cal- 

 culation that would do credit to a cliief of ordnance on 

 exactly the opposite side from the gun. If he flies up by a 

 fence or hedge, his first move is over it or through, never 

 along it, after the style of his Eastern cousin. If taken 

 in open ground he will scuttle along the eai-th, or go 

 rearing over your head, or, more hkely still, go off boi-ing 

 a spiral hole into blank space, through the center of which 

 he persuades you to shoot while he keeps himself care- 

 fully to the circumference. 



For the benefit of the average tenderfoot, supposing 

 him to be as ignorant as I was two years ago, I must say 

 a word about the California vmeyard. The vines are 

 planted in rows, from six to ten feet apart each way. 

 Each year they are pruned to within about eighteen 

 inches' of the ground. This stock left each year soon be- 

 comes thick and strong, supporting the yearly growth of 

 twigs on which is found the fruit. Under the broad 

 leaves of these spreading branches, long enough usuallj^ 

 to extend from one row to another, the quail finds pleas- 

 ant shelter, while the heavy branches of fruit furnish 

 him dainty fare. Here the hmiter is in his glory. The 

 vines average a little less than waist high, giving good 

 use of eyes and g-un and an almost certain shot at every 

 quail that flies. My young friend M. and I hunt together 

 a good deal. Our j^lan — for we have no dog except my 

 setter puppy Bob, who, thanks to his master's ignorance 

 and press of work, is growing up with hxit little train- 

 ing—is to hunt a vineyai'd just as if we were workiag it. 

 We start ia at one side abreast, two rows apart , and ti-amp 

 back and forth till we have gone ovej- it all. 



The quails are not so much in flocks as in the East and 

 usually not more than three or four get up at once, fre- 

 quently only one. They sometimes keep cover quite per- 

 sistently and a favorite trick is to wait till you have passed 

 them a step or two and then come up with a whirr that 

 brings you around for a snap shot about as soon as nerves 

 and muscle can do then work. But even under cu-cum- 

 stances so favorable to the shooter it is surprising ho\y 

 many escape. Several will rise at once, or one will hreak 

 cover at yom- approach and rxm along the ground, rising 

 swiftly some 40 or 50yds, from you, giving you but a 



slender showing, even with a fine, gun to cut him down; 

 or still another wiU fly, darting betsveen the vines close 

 to the ground. I never knew one to fly along the same 

 row in which I was standing. Our siunmers here are 

 very dry, and good shooting may be often had early in 

 the season along the streams where the birds congregate 

 for water. It is quick work taking them as they dart 

 among the wUlows or along the bed of the stream, but 

 good bags are often made. As my work is in the school- 

 room, Saturday is my rest day. On the first Saturday of 

 the open season (Oct. 2) my young friend and I, between 

 us, bagged sixty-one. John'is a good shot and beat me a 

 little, making in one round the rather neat score of foiur- 

 teen out of fifteen. G. B. W. 



Sakta Rosa, Cal^ 



NORTH CAROLINA GROUSE. 



BELVIDERE, N. C, Oct. 26.— Our open season for 

 ' quail began on the loth inst, , but it is now so disa- 

 greeably warm and dry nothing has been done in the 

 way of shooting. Dogs cannot smell, and they suffer in- 

 tensely for want of water. The ditches and i"uns are, 

 with very few exceptions, as dry as last year's birds' nests. 

 I have been out in the fields near by only once; found the 

 birds plentiful, but late and small, except a few fine 

 coveys of full-grown spring birds. I was hunting over a 

 young half-English and half-native setter, never shot 

 over before (just a year old on the 8th inst.), and seeing 

 him come to a beautiful stand, with nose straight out and 

 tail rigid, I walked up, and after admiring and encourag- 

 ing him for a few seconds, walked into the birds, and as 

 they came up gave them both barrels, secm'uig two fine 

 full-grown bu-ds. Without following the birds I went on 

 and foimd several other coveys, some too small to inter- 

 fere with, others very idee birds. After making the 

 circuit of the fields, myself and my pup Dan reached 

 home Avith eleven bmis for my twelve shots. I do not 

 know whether I killed the twelfth bnd or missed it, for 

 it was in the woods near the fence, and the dog failed to 

 bring when sent to look for it. I was well satisfied with 

 the working of the pup, as he was very staunch and 

 showed a gi-eat deal of nose, but it was too dry to test 

 that point. I think he will make a good one. I am satis- 

 fied that there are plenty of bnds, but many of the 

 coveys will be too yoimg 'to afl;ord good shooting earlier 

 than the 15th of November. It would be wise legislation, 

 no doubt, to extend the close season to Nov. 1, instead of 

 Oct. 15, as ic now stands. 



As fishing for bass and jack is now good, I think I shall 

 let the birds rest for a season and give them a chance to 

 grow larger as well as wilder. 



Our party have only succeeded in killing two deer this 

 fall, both very tuie bucks, however. One weighed 2041bs. 

 and the other 1851bs., down weight, and they had the 

 finest antlers I ever saw on Virginia deer. 



Bears have about "played out;" it seems that they have 

 gone to water, as the swamp is very dry; probablV they 

 have taken to the neighborhood of Lake Drummond. 



A. F. R. 



MY FIRST DUCK. 



ONE cold and windy day in October Charlie and I were 

 fishing around the head of one of the most beautiful 

 of central New York lakes. Our success did not equal 

 oru' expectations, as a lonely perch and a couple of small 

 pickerel were all that gi-aced the bottom of the boat. As 

 we were about to go ashore disgusted, Charlie saw a small 

 flock of ducks fly up the lake, and after circhng two or 

 three times, di'op into the marsh. "Let's give them a try, 

 if we can't fool the fish," The boat was headed for the 

 place where the ducks had lit, while Chaihe shoved the 

 shells into the gun, which we usually carried for such 

 emergencies. He always did the shooting, having had a 

 long experience in the field, while I had never shot at a 

 bu'd on the wing. As we neared the rushes he rose care- 

 fully in the stern, while I backed water as silently and 

 rapidly as possible. The moment the boat touched the 

 dry reeds tliere was a wliir, two exj)losions, a few feath- 

 ers dr-ifted slowly down to leeward, and we saw a duck 

 (h-op. We had no dog, so I endeavored to retrieve, but 

 failed ignoniiniously after fifteen minutes of wading in 

 the cold water. Then we went ashore and got a dog, and 

 found the game very quickly. Returning we rounded a 

 little point, and there, within easy gunshot, were three 

 teal in a little bay in the rushes. I grasped the gun and 

 took deliberate aim, but just as I ptuled the dog saw the 

 game, made a sudden tm-n, and the shot went harmlessly 

 over then- heads, while he, eager to retrieve, jumped, 

 struck on the gunwale, and over we went, men, gun, boat 

 cushions, oars, dead fish, etc., into about tlnee feet of 

 water. The pointer was first to reach what answered for 

 terra fii-ma, a huge stump, where he sat shivering and 

 licking himself, regarding me with the benign expression 

 of his race, while we, after a hearty laugh, gathered to- 

 gether our floating duflie. and waded ashore. A few min- 

 utes put us to rights, and fifteeru more landed us at the 

 cottage, where we dried our clothes, and I told Charhe 

 that I would shoot a duck if it took all winter. 



The next day was Sunday. Early Monday morning I 

 donned rubber boots, got tlie gim and shells, and Just as 

 the east was red with the rising sun, the narrow skill shot 

 out from the western shore on to the quiet lake. Ten 

 minutes rowing brought me where something might rise, 

 and the gun having been placed where most handy, the 

 boat was backed slowly and carefully along the edge of 

 the marsh. A mud-hen scmn-ied out three or four rods 

 away, but before the gun could be brought to bear, dove 

 and made for deep water. A little further along another 

 tried the same tactics but was not quite quick enough, 

 and received a charge of shot, while at the report three 

 woodduck rose, one of which fell to the left barrel. I 

 tliink that I was much more surprised than the bnds at 

 the success of those two shots, and felt a great deal 

 happier about it. Some minutes more of patient work and 

 a mallard rose way out of range, circled and ht. I tried 

 to back up to Mm, but the treacherous dry reeds mstled 

 a warning, and though the gun spoke twice, he flew away 

 unharmed. On again, around the head to the opposite 

 side, and out to the little bay where the tealleft us. That 

 seemed to be more accessible from the shore, so I landed 

 and walked out on the sandy point. Up from the rushes 

 rose a teal, but fell back stone dead, making my last bird 

 for that morning, as there was httle good ground left,' and 

 , I saw nothing more. Returning to the cottage to brcak- 

 i fast Ii-eceived the heai-ty congiatulations of Charlie on 

 my success, and so ended a never-to-'be-forgotten episode 

 I in my outdoor pleasures, Perch, 



A MISSISSIPPI CAT. 



THIS paragraph, which is clipped from the New Orleans 

 Times-Democrat, of Oct. 29, may read curiously to 

 Northern sportsmen: "Panthers are very troublesome to 

 the farmers around Letherton, Miss. Mr, T. J. Matthews 

 recently had fifty hogs killed by them. Himters have 

 been after them, and succeeded in killing a number." 



The region mentioned has always been a famous one 

 for the largest American cat. 



Nine years ago three others and I were himting in that 

 region. We had had great success, killing thirteen deer 

 in three days. One morning, a lieavy cloudy one for the 

 month, November, we went out for a deer drive, but 

 the hounds struck the trail of two panthers and put one 

 up a tree. I got to the dogs first, and seeing only the 

 head of the beast in a fork half hidden in a heavy growth 

 of moss, I thought it was a coon and hesitated about 

 wastmg my charge of buckshot on such small game. I 

 had that day a ICl-bore, lllbs. double gun, made many 

 years ago for deer hunting, by N. N. Wihnot, of St. Louis, 

 a famous gumnaker from 1850 to 1861. 



Muzzleloader though it be, it will make a better pattern 

 with "blue whistlers"— as the heavy buckshot are called 

 in the far south — than any breechloader I ever saw, though 

 I have had two made especially for deer in the past eight 

 years; one by Lang, the other by Tolley, both good 

 weapons. Walking about the tree to get a better view of 

 whatever might be in it, for I did not believe old Muse, 

 otu: best hound, would rim a coon to tree when she knew 

 we were after deer. I got a look at the eare and knew 

 what it was. Calling the dogs behind me so that thev 

 might not be killed if I only crippled the beast, I fired. 

 "Old Wihnot" was true to its traditions and made no mis- 

 takes, with 5i drams of coarse Curtis & Hall powder 

 behind 9 blue whistlers in each barrel. Witli the explosion 

 the head dropped back, the great hands relaxed their 

 hold, the body hung by one claw, seventy feet in the air, 

 and then the mighty cat fell— dead. Foiu- of the shot 

 entered the head and could have been covered by a Sin. 

 circle. Five of them went clear through the skull and 

 all. The beast was 9ft. S-Jin. from tip to tip, a large male. 



MissKSiPPi Lowlands. 



WOODCOCK AND GROUSE. 



WARREN, Pa., Oct. 24.— I see a woodcock query 

 asked by your Connecticut coiTespondent, "FHn." 

 He had tramped all day for this gamiest bird that flies "in 

 aU those moist, black-earthed spots so dear to them; yes, 

 and so frequented by them but a year ago," and found 

 only one cripple. And he wants the other fellows to tell 

 him something. Out here we have the same experience 

 of old haunts forsaken, probably because the birds have 

 been all killed. But we don't give it up, we "hie on"' till 

 we find them. The woodcock is a queer bird, and a study 

 for the naturahst and the shooter as well. His habits and 

 hatmts vary like the leaves of autumn. You may find 

 him in the moist, swampy places, and you may flush him 

 on the hillside where the ground is dry as dust. How he 

 bores there for worms I don't know. That's his business. 



I know the old theory of the books is that as the dry- 

 weather comes they come down from their hillside breed- 

 ing places to the alder swamp and the willow copse to 

 stay till the frosts drive them south. But all theories arc 

 sometimes upset. Only yesterday a friend and mj-self 

 went out for woodcock and grouse. It was a glorious 

 October day and we had rare sport. We hunted the usual 

 places through without a feather. Then we ran the dog 

 through thick willows lately grown on a bar in the Alle- 

 gheny River, on which alluvial soil is accumulating year 

 by year. And behold out came numerous "russet deni- 

 zens of the bosky dell," but strangely enough they were a 

 good way from the "dell." Still the soft earth and the 

 food for these long bills were there; so the theory was all 

 right. 



These mottled beauties safely in bag we went to a dry, 

 stony sidehill for grouse; and forthwith up went several 

 woodcock with that welcome whistle. We bagged the 

 bunch, aU the time wondering at their strange choice of 

 location, on a dry, siony hillside, where not a pmt of 

 water has run for two months. Yet the birds were strong 

 and fat and glossy, as all October birds are. The broad 

 river, with its swale and willow copse and lowland is only 

 half a mile away and in sight. Yet these birds wtre 

 evidently bred there and would have remained there till 

 the frosts come. Had we stuck to their usual haunts 

 perhaps we too should be asking, "where aie the wood- 

 cock?" Possibly your nutmeg coiTesjiondcnt may find 

 them as we found them if he will go among the scrub 

 oaks and young pines. We have found them there this 

 and other'years just a=: plenty as in the "moist, black- 

 earthed spots," whei'e they are supposed to make Iheu' 

 only home. And they stay there not simply in nesting 

 and hatching time, but the season through, in many cases, 

 if not distxu-bed by the dog and gun. 



The foUy of trying to domesticate ruffed grouse was 

 demonstrated again here last spring. Mr. Cousins has an 

 artificial hen hatchery on a large scale. Some one ui his 

 family foimd the nest of a grouse and took all the eggs, a 

 dozen or more, and placed them in his hatchery. In due 

 time the young gi'ouse appeared, but lived only two or 

 three days. If left to the mother grouse we might have 

 lost some powder in taming them in the only practicable 



jnie woods in tliis section are still full of squurel hunt- 

 ers, who pot a grorse when they can. Few seasons have 

 been better for game, and guns and gumiers are busy. 

 Since September 1 our gunsmith, Mr. Cone, has sold 

 over l,200lbs. of shot and powder and shells in proportion, 

 wi' h divers gims, mainly of the cheaper grade. The single 

 send-hammerless of the American Arms Co. has a large 

 sale. 



Deer hvmttng has hardly commenced in this neck of 

 timber. Hoimding i:sed to be frequent, notwithstanding 

 the law was against it, and many deer were killed in the 

 river. But the practice is growing less common year 

 by year. Still-hunting is very little practiced tiU tlie 

 snow comes. Then we have venison in the market and 

 rdany saddles are shipped out of the State. Penn. 



Oino. — Jvdes Vautrot, Jr., Game Warden for Trumbull 

 county, has, under the law passed last winter, appointed 

 game policemen as follows: E. L. Egglestonand James M. 

 ; Hull, Warren; J. L. Kennedy, Howland, and A. C, Fauss, 

 [ Mesopotamia. It is the duty of these officials to see to the 

 strict enforcement of the law. Game Warden Yautrot 

 I insists upon this, 



