74 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[July 27, 1895. 



THE ADIRONDACK DEER SUPPLY, 



Port Richmond, N. Y., July 19.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: It gave me pleasure to read the published letteT 

 of Mr. J. C. Allen, dated at Blue Mountain Lake, relating 

 to the increase of deer in the Adirondacks. 



For the past five years the daily papers and the sports- 

 men's journals have been publishing reports of the annual 

 diminution of the numbers of deer in the Adirondacks, 

 and predicting their early and untimely extinction unless 

 protection was soon afforded them. The first article was 

 probably written by some person for whose idle hands 

 and brain Satan found nothing worse to do. The others 

 took their cue readily and filled space with like matter for 

 lack of other ways of employing their time. 



Let these stay-at-home, closet writers go to the woods. 

 Let them take pack-baskets upon their shoulders and rifles 

 in hand and tramp over hill and dale, through water- 

 course and ravine, in the Adirondacks from the Boreas 

 River to Chateaugay Lake. 



They will see deer, deer, at every point along their 

 route, springing from their leafy beds in the early morn, 

 startled from their noonday rest in the shady forest lanes, 

 and as one paddles silently on the little ponds and lakes 

 which dot the Adirondacks in confusing numbers the 

 stalwart buck and timid does will raise their heads from 

 the lilypads and gaze at the strange intruder with fright- 

 ened eyes. Yes, there are deer in the Adirondacks, and 

 will be for many, many years. 



It has been my good fortune for the past ten years to 

 spend a month or two in this beautiful mountain country 

 during the last days of summer and the early fall. I have 

 met some of the guides whose names have become almost 

 as famous as their native hills, and I have formed an inti- 

 mate acquaintance with the lakes and streams and ponds, 

 the birds and the beasts and the fishes, so I may also 

 vouch for the increase of deer in the Adirondacks; my 

 voucher not founded alone upon personal observation, but 

 also upon the statements of natives and guides, whose op- 

 portunity for observation is of the best. 



It was not my purpose when I began thiB letter to stir 

 up again the much mooted question of hounding. The 

 position of Forest and Stream upon this question is 

 too well known to admit of discussion, but let me say 

 this: If the attention of sportsmen was drawn from this 

 little iniquity (if such it be) of hounding deer to the 

 greater evil, namely, the crusting of deer and consequent 

 destruction of whole yards by this mode of hunting, such 

 investigation might be productive of good and show to 

 your readers and Adirondack sportsmen that hounding 

 deer is not quite as bad as it is painted, and that other and 

 more necessary work can be done than trying to prohibit 

 this form of sport. Edward Sidney Rawson. 



The South Dakota Game Law. 



Fargo, N. D., July 18.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 The following note, taken from a St. Paul paper, outlines 

 the condition of the South Dakota game laws at present: 



"At the last session of the North Dakota Legislature a law was 

 passed providing for a license fee of $35 for non residents who desire 

 to shoot at game within the borders of the State. A test case was 

 made up, and a couple of days ago the Supreme Court of North 

 Dakota decided that the law could not go into effect prior to the Gov- 

 ernor's proclamation, which cannot be issued until the codes are pub- 

 lished. Railroad officials, sportsmen and others interested in this 

 matter state that the contract for printing the codes has not yet been 

 let, and that, as the printers have at least ninety days in which to turn 

 it out, the law will not he effective before Oct. 15. Good legal author- 

 ity in North Dakota says it will not become effective before Dec. 1. 

 Besides, the constitutionality of the law is questioned, and a test case 

 will probably go through the courts next year to ascertain the merits 

 of the claim that it discriminates against citizens of outside States. 

 Many hunters from Minnesota go there every year. The Northern 

 Pacific and other railroads have received information that the chicken 

 crop this year will be unusually large, and that the season promises to 

 be in every respect satisfactory," 



You will see that the new game law will not be effective 

 this season but the old law will remain in force and be 

 observed. 



It has been commonly reported that Minnesota would 

 require all sportsmen of North Dakota and other States 

 having a hunters' license law to pay a license of $25 for 

 a permit to hunt in that State. The game and fish laws 

 of Minnesota, approved April 5, 1895, as compiled and 

 issued by the State board of game and fish commissioners, 

 do not contain any such provision or restriction, and I 

 have reliable information that such a measure was intro- 

 duced in the last Minnesota Legislature, but did not receive 

 the Governor's approval and failed to become a law. 



C. E. R. 



Illegal Game Seizure. 



[Special Dispatch to Forest and Stream.] 

 Chicago, 111., July 22, 1895.— The notorious Merritt 

 Cold Storage House, at Kewanee, 111., was yesterday 

 raided by game warden Blow. The entrance of the 

 officers was et first resisted, but after they succeeded in 

 getting in, three hundred illegal game birds were seized. 

 The evidence on which the raid was based was secured 

 by means of a decoy letter. This house has long been 

 known as handling illegal game, but there is now every 

 reason to believe that the matter will be brought before 

 the courts. E. Hough. 



They Sprint on Snowshoes. I 



North wood, N. Y.— Editor Forest and Stream: If Mr. 

 Dick, of Hartford, will go and borrow his Uncle Harry's 

 three-year-old heifer next winter and drive it into a six- 

 foot-deep Connecticut snowdrift, he will understand how 

 Adirondack lumbermen are able to overtake deer. Adir- 

 ondack snow in the woods is not a miserly foot or so in 

 depth on the level, like that Dick is acquainted with, but 

 lies 5 and 6ft. deep for two or three months every winter. 



Raymond S. Spears. 



Canvas Boats. 



Lodi, O. — We wish to add our opinion in favor of can- 

 vas boats to that of E. R. E. , having used an Acme No. 2 

 (12ft.x45in.) for the past two seasons. We prefer the 

 canvas to any wooden boat we can ever find, on account of 

 its lightness for the amount of space. Would advise 

 sportsmen to get a size larger, as it will enable them to 

 carry a good sized camping outfit and three persons. The 

 No. *2 is roomy enough for two and a light camping out- 

 fit. We soon discarded the camp stools as too small and 

 easily upset, and we use in their places Kahnewalle's life 

 preservers with sacks filled with leaves or straw, which 

 make very comfortable seats. 



Jn the stern, which is V shaped, we place the life 



preserver upright and place cushion on bottom of boat, the 

 life preserver forming a nice arm chair as it were for the 

 back and arms, discounting any hard boat seat. With 

 comfortable tent, Acme boat, Buzzacott s camp cooking 

 outfit, blankets, and grub box well filled, we are quite 

 independent in our wanderings after health and recrea- 

 tion. Buckeye. 



\w mid §her <0$¥ n 3> 



NEW ENGLAND ANGLERS. 



C. A. Taft and H. F. Wood man cy, of Whitinsville, 

 Mass., will leave in a few days for Flagstaff, Me. Mr. 

 Taft has a fine camp near that place, which he generally 

 visits two or three times each season, taking with him a 

 few friends. They will stay this time about two weeks, 

 and will fish for trout. The camp is only a short distance 

 from Spencer Stream and several good ponds, and on this 

 trip Mr. Taft will try some new brooks, which he is quite 

 confident will provide good sport. Parker Pond, one of 

 the greatest places for deer in that section of Maine, is 

 only a short distance away, and frequent trips are made 

 over there to look them over. Mr. Woodmancy killed a 

 moose while at the camp last fall, and the entire party 

 who were with him at the time had good shooting. 



C. T. C. Whitcomb, of Wakefield, Mass., left on Satur- 

 day last for a visit to Conway Lake, N. H. He will de- 

 vote the trip to bass fishing, and feels confident of suc- 

 cess, as he made a trip last year to the same place with 

 excellent results, getting a number up to 3 and 41bs. in 

 weight. 



Although only just returned from King and Bartlett, 

 where he had three weeks of good fishing, F. H. Talcott, of 

 Boston, is still thirsting for more glory, and in company 

 with Mrs. Talcott and a friend from Worcester made a 

 trip to Braintree Great Pond a few days ago after bass. 

 One lusty fellow of 4jlbs. and several lighter weights re- 

 paid their efforts, and the trip was enjoyed well enough 

 to bear repetition in the near future. 



A Michigan man stopping in Boston over the Christian 

 Endeavor convention tells me a story of fishing near his 

 home on the shores of Lake Michigan across from Mil- 

 waukee, which is quite interesting. Black Bake, a body 

 of water which makes in from the big lake, is the place 

 described, and he says the white bass (a fish new to me) 

 come in there from the deep water of the big lake in 

 schools, immense numbers covering the surface of the 

 small lake at times, jumping and feeding on the surface, 

 so as to make a wonderful sight. They run from 1^ to 

 21bs. in weight, and resemble a black bass in every respect 

 but the color. When they are schooling in that way the 

 fishing is fine, and large numbers are taken by the 

 natives, who go out after them in force. The small 

 channel connecting the two larger bodies of water is also 

 a favorite place to fish for them, and he assures me that 

 no better sport can be had than to stand at this point and 

 cast with a short, light rod after them as they are passing 

 through. 



President Franklin Carter, of Williams College, Wil- 

 liamstown. Mass. , and his son have gone on a salmon fish- 

 ing trip to the St. Marguerite River in Canada. They 

 will fish the stream during August, and although it 

 seems quite late in the season, they had such a satisfac- 

 tory trip last year at the same time that they naturally 

 expect to do well now. Mr. Carter is a great friend of 

 Prof. Sewall, of Braintree, Mass., who hshes the same 

 river, and who will probably be there during a part of 

 August. Prof. Sewall has been very successful on the 

 river in past seasons, and is, I believe, a member of the 

 Marguerite Club. 



The Megantic Club limit of membership (300) has been 

 reached and hereafter applicants will have to register 

 their names on the waiting list just started and take their 

 turn. The club is having a prosperous season, and re- 

 ports of good fishing are brought to Boston by returning 

 members. W. A. McLeod, a director and one of the 

 club's attorneys, left on Friday to spend some weeks on 

 the preserve, and Dr. George Ainsworth, of Boston, has 

 sent his family on ahead to the club house, intending to 

 follow them early in August. 



H. H. Pray, of Boston, is following his custom of the 

 past few seasons by camping out on the shores of Lake 

 Cochituate, within twenty miles of the city. He is very 

 pleasantly situated at the lake and has already had some 

 excellent bass fishing, landing one a few days ago that 

 weighed 441bs. Very large perch are often taken at Co- 

 chituate, and Mr. Pray speaks highly of their gamy qual- 

 ities. 



Prof. Eben H. Davis, of Chelsea, Mass., principal of all 

 the public schools of that city, and Mr. Ambrose, of New 

 York, will soon leave to spend the month of August at 

 their camp near the head of the Narrows, Richardson 

 Lakes, Maine. The camp was built last season, and is 

 jointly owned by the two gentlemen. Mr. Chas. Stevens, 

 of Boston, who owns camps at the same place, will leave 

 the city July 25 to stay until Oatober. Mr. Stevens was 

 down there last fall in company with his nephew, and 

 together they killed several deer on the trip. He likes the 

 Rangeley region very much; so well, in fact, that he often 

 goes down in the spring before the ice goes out. 



A. B. F. Kinney, Worcester, Mass.: W. H. Smith, Spring- 

 field, Mass., and V. A Cooper, D.D., of Boston, have left 

 for Camp Cooper, situated on Upper Wilson Pond, six 

 miles from Moosehead Lake. This makes the twentieth 

 year that Messrs. Cooper and Kinney have visited that 

 vicinity together. There are two ponds connected, one 

 called the Lower and the other the Upper Wilson, and 

 both usually furnish good trout fishing. These gentlemen 

 have taken them up to 3£lbs. in weight, and always feel 

 sure of good fishing. They will be away four weeks, and 

 may go to Roach's River before returning. 



Robert E. Strahom and C. A. Strahom, of Boston, and 

 W. B. Waters, Fred. James and Chas. H. James, of Chi- 

 cago, will leave the latter city on Aug. 1 for an extended 

 trip into the Big Horn and Yellowstone Park country. 

 They expect to be there about six weeks, and the trip will 

 be entirely a camping affair. Sheridan, Wyo., at the 

 base of the Big Horn Mountains, is the place at which they 

 will outfit for the trip. Fishing and shooting will be the 

 features, and they expect to get plenty of both. Mr. R. 

 E. Strahom has been making an annual trip through the 

 Western wilds for nineteen years, and has had volumes 

 of pleasant experiences during that time. Last winter he 

 entertained the members of the Appalachian Club in Bos- 



ton with the story of one of his trips into the interior of 

 British Columbia. Mr. Waters has accompanied him sev- 

 eral times. After the present trip is completed Mr. Stra- 

 hom will go on to the Pacific coast, where he will fish for 

 trout in the Spokane River and Lake Chelen, and for sil- 

 ver salmon (as they are called there) at Bellingham Bay, 

 on Puget's Sound. 



The cottagers along the north shore are beginning to 

 find the tautog rather plentiful. A number of good 

 strings have been taken, but the heaviest fishing is not 

 due until the middle of August. C. H. Dillaway, Jr., of 

 Boston, is summering at Rockport, and has captured 

 seventeen during the last two weeks. The largest 

 weighed 71bs., the next 51bs., and balance from 3 to 4lbs. 

 Last season he caught one of lOjlbs. , and in one day took 

 twenty-four off Eastern Point, Gloucester, the achieve- 

 ment making him high line for the season. 



Hackle. 



SUSQUEHANNA BASS. 



River in good condition. Fishing fair. A number of 

 bass being caught. 



The Tucquan Club of Lancaster is having its annual 

 outing at York Furnace, on the Port Deposit Railroad. 

 Among those enjoying the week at this delightful camp 

 are: Maj. Muhlenberg and Gen. Stanton, of Washington ; 

 Messrs. Fridy and Seitz, of Mountville; Rhodes, of Potts- 

 ville; Raub, Hartman, Reinoehl, Apple, Cochran, Demuth, 

 Stahm, Heinitz, Shirk, Hassler, Rev. Hooper, Kendig, 

 Riddle, Herr and Wiley, from Lancaster. 



The camp consists of three large tents and a pavilion. 

 Caterer Payne, of Lancaster, noted for the excellence of 

 his cooking, keeps the table well supplied with solids, 

 fluids, luxuries— not gases— the latter being supplied by 

 the more veracious anglers in camp. 



A number of fish are being caught, mostly bass. The 

 lady visitors to York Furnace praise highly the attention 

 paid them. The Tucquaners go home on Saturday, the 

 20th. 



Crist Hoover, Bernard Myers, Sam Herst, of Philadel- 

 phia; Cliff Hippie, Squire McNeil, Squire Bare and others 

 are making fair catches. B. A. Bean. 



Bainbridgb, Pa., July 18. 



Wellsyille, N. Y., July 16 —Editor Forest and Stream: 

 I send you an article taken from the Buffalo Times of 

 July 15, which I thought might interest fishermen enough 

 to put in your paper, as it gives points of Susquehanna 

 River fishing. G, E. F. 



The Times correspondent is Dr. M. M. Brown, of Buf- 

 falo, who writes: "For more than twenty-five years I 

 have tested the bass fishing in the Susquehanna River an- 

 nually. This tortuous stream of some 400 miles in length 

 was stocked some thirty years ago with game fish, and as 

 soon as the fish reached a legal size the fishing in many 

 parts of this stream has been unexcelled. From Athens, 

 Pa., to Tunkhannock the rarest sport can be had. 



"One with a taste for beautiful scenery and possessed 

 with Izaak Walton proclivities will stand in his own light 

 if he does not at least once a year take in the rare sport 

 and the most delightful mountain scenery along the Sus- 

 quehanna valleys. 



"The most enjoyable way to indulge there in angling is 

 to float down from Athens or Tioga Point in boats as far 

 as Wyalusing or Laceyville. Black bass of a weight as 

 great as 7lbs. have been caught there. One angler, Jabez 

 Chamberlain, of Wyalusing, caught three that weighed 

 lGJlbs. A fisherman trolling near Hornet's Ferry caught 

 six black bass with minnows for bait, that weighed 

 as follows: 4£, 5, 5*, 6, 6 J and 71bs. I saw seven bass 

 caught at Wyalusing that weighed about 231bs. 



"1 was of a party that floated down the river from El- 

 mira, and we captured fifteen yellow pike, besides a large 

 number of black bass and other fish. Th.e writer and a 

 friend caught forty-two black bass in a few hours, not one 

 of them less in weight than l£lbs. Dr. C. W. Brown and 

 T. F. Brown, of Elmira, took a bushel basketful of large 

 ones in a single day's fishing near Laceyville. 



"The bait used commonly is helgramites and stone bull- 

 heads, known by the Pennsylvanians as clippers and 

 tonies. I floated on one occasion with a party from 

 Towanda to Wyalusing, and we caught some seventy-five 

 large ones. The floating is most delightful, as the river 

 is made up of numerous riffs or rapids, one or two in 

 every mile. Between these swift-flowing waters are 

 eddies, some of them very deep, in which yellow and 

 black bass grow very large. One requires very strong 

 tackle to hold them. A 4-pounder will tow a skiff for 

 twenty or thirty minutes before it can be tired out. Fre- 

 quently the writer has been obliged to go ashoro and drag 

 tbe bass out on the beach. 



"The bass in the Susquehanna are the most beautiful of 

 any waters. They are greenish black with beautiful 

 light brown stripes. Their shape is also different from 

 bass caught in still waters. They are much longer and 

 shapely. There are no large mouth or Oswego bass in 

 the river, so far as I know. All along the stream are 

 lofty mountains alternated by narrow valleys. These 

 mountains are beautified with white and pink laurels, in- 

 terspersed with mountain shrubs in bloom, such as the 

 dogwood, the mountain ash with its pretty red berries, 

 and other flowering bushes not known to the writer. 



"How can one fail to enjoy such a trip, with the' keen 

 appetite one has and the means of satisfying it on every 

 hand? Sweet milk, buttermilk, fresh eggs, berries and 

 home-made bread, salt-rising, seldom tasted in the city. 

 Also an abundance of fried, boiled and baked fi3h, hot 

 and cold. The best time is from now on to Aug. 1 for 

 early fishing, and from Sept. 1 to the middle of October 

 for the late season." 



Ouananiche Scores at Lake St. John. 



July T.—J. G. Hecksher (one day's fishing) 84, weight 

 127ibs., largest 41bs. 



July 9. — J. Gamble (one day's fishing) 62, weight 1031bs., 

 largest 41bs. J. S. Codman (two days' fishing) 10, weight 

 221bs. , largest 31bs. W. J. Schefflin (two days' fishing) 29, 

 weight 56lbs., largest 3^1bs. 



July 12. — J. E. Hecksher (one day's fishing) 45, weight 

 lOllbs., largest 31bs. 



July 14. — G. W. Cottrell (two days' fishing) 18, weight 

 271bs., largest 31bs. M. H. Hulbert (two days' fishing) 16, 

 weight 3 libs., largest 2£lb3.; 6 pike, 201bs. s largest 4lbs. 



July 15. — W. B. Neal (two days' fishing) 44, weight 

 871bs, , largest 21bs. W. Sargent (two days' fishing) 36, 

 weight 691bs., largest 2+lbs, 



