Aug. 31, 1895.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



18L 



Wyo. , thus scornfully jumps upon the neck of science 

 in re fantail deer and other things. He remarks in a letter 

 just at hand : 



"If the Forest and Stream will send those men that 

 have offered $100 for a pair of fantails alive out here, I 

 will take them to where the fantails are and get them in 

 sight of the game, and then I will double their offer for a 

 pair, and I will furnish all the outfit on condition that 

 they are to get the fantails. How long after the old 

 hunter knew that antelope shed their horns was it before 

 science would acknowledge it? Then some dude got the 

 credit of the discovery instead of the hunter. 



"I saw the two bear heads or skulls that were sent to 

 Forest and Stream, and the scientist that pronounced 

 one of them a wolverine will have to convert me with 

 muscle instead of talk. " I can't say it is a 'pine-nut bear,' 

 but I can say it was not a wolverine. I am certain that it 

 is a bear's skull, and an old bear; but as to the species, X. 

 give it up." 



I have myself much confidence in the powers of obser- 

 vation of the old hunters who have spent their lives 

 among the game, although with them I "give it up" about 

 the species, sometimes. A hunter friend covers the situ- 

 ation well enough for me when he says, "I don't know 

 about the fan tail species, but I know they are fantails." 



E. Hough. 



909 Sbcthity Building, Chicago, 111. 



Time to be Thinking. 



Boston, Mass., Aug. 21.— The early departure of the 

 North Atlantic Squadron from Bar Harbor and the close 

 of the series of coaching parades at the mountain resorts 

 will undoubtedly force the hotel and railroad proprietors 

 to the unwelcome conclusion that the present summer 

 season is drawing to a close. 



And this conclusion on their part is pretty apt to be 

 soon followed by "specials" from different parts of the 

 country citing the great discomfort and pecuniary loss 

 which the farmers are subjected to through the ravages 

 of deer and bear in their fields and gardens. 



On the approach of autumn a reader of the daily papers, 

 if he be at all credulous, is moved to wonder how the 

 •farmers in some of the rural districts are able to harvest 

 enough of their crops to supply their needs through the 

 long winter. 



That deer are plenty in the Maine woods this year there 

 is little doubt, and that they are up to their old tricks 

 again seems equally true; as of course no native would 

 so far forget his respect for the laws of the State as to use 

 a gun on deer in August, unless said deer were destroying 

 property, as is their pernicious habit just previous to each 

 hunting season. 



The case which I have in mind terminated sadly, as 

 notice the inclosed special, which I clipped from this 

 morning's Boston Herald. It comes from Bangor and 

 reports under date of Aug. 20: "An accident occurred at 

 South Twin Lake this morning which will result in the 

 death of Fred Willard. Willard saw two deer and 

 borrowed a rifle. He chased the deer some distance and 

 fired one shot without effect. While running he fell, and 

 the .44-caliber rifle was disharged, the ball passing through 

 his body about an inoh from the heart. He was taken to 

 Oldtown, and is at the point of death. He is 26 years of 

 age and lives at LaGrange. 



And this reminds me that, to quote from a letter re- 

 ceived recently from a friend who frequently shares the 

 delights of following a setter through the birches and 

 alders with me, "It is getting along toward the time of 

 year when we begin to think about things," and from now 

 till the woodcock flight is due in October I expect to do a 

 good deal of hard thinking— thinking, principally, as to 

 how under the sun I can afford to take a month's vacation 

 this fall, having already taken the last two weeks in June 

 for a trouting trip down into Maine. 



But that trip didn't really count, as it rained nearly 

 every day we were there, and, oh I of course that didn't 

 hurt the fishing any; but still, a man ought to have good 

 weather when he takes his vacation. He's entitled to it. 

 It wasn't my fault; I took the only two weeks I could get, 

 and the weather man didn't use me right, so I feel en- 

 titled to another trip this fall. And if I can "get things 

 together" and convince my family that I am all run down 

 (I've gained about lolbs. since I came back from the other 

 trip), I shall head for the woods again. We saw deer sign 

 this summer thick enough and large enough to drive a 

 man most crazy, and after I show a few "woodies" and 

 "Old Pats" what my disposition is toward them I'm going 

 over there to see about things. C. H. Morse. 



The Winchester .336 Rifle. 



Tee .236 Winchester single shot rifle taking the new 

 heavy cartridge represents some radical changes in the 

 art of rifle building, necessitated by the new conditions 

 of smokeless powders, small bores' and tremendous veloci- 

 ties. The barrel is constructed very much on the princi- 

 ple of a whip stock or the butt piece of a fishing rod. It 

 is very heavy near the breech, and from there tapers 

 gradually to the muzzle, where it measures probably less 

 than iia. in diameter. The front sight necessitated by 

 this construction resembles a miniature church steeple. 



The interior of the barrel is a maze of spirals, there 

 being one complete revolution in the rifling every 6Jin. 



Though light and delicate in appearance, the gun has 

 plenty of metal, and it is surprising how heavy it really 

 is. Its center of gravity is much further back than one is 

 accustomed to expect in a rifle. 



The Sportsmen's Exposition Association. 



A meeting of the Sportsmen's Exposition Association was 

 held on Tuesday at the Winchester Repeating Arms Co.'s 

 store, 312 Broadway, New York. The object of this 

 meeting was to determine the advisability of another 

 Sportsmen's Exposition for 1896, similar to that which 

 was carried on so successfully May 13 to 18, 1895. There 

 were present: Mr. Sanford, of the Winchester Repeating 

 Arms Company; Mr. Daly, of Schoverling, Daly & Gales; 

 Mr. Hart, of Wm. W. Hart & Co.; Mr. Dressel, of the 

 Union Metallic Cartridge Company; Mr. Chas. Tatham, 

 of Tatham & Brothers; Mr. Studor, of the Natural Science 

 Association; Mr. Von Lengerke, of Von Lengerke & Det- 

 mold; Mr. Chassaud, of the Overman Wheel Company; 

 Mr. Wiebusch, of Wiebusch & Hilger, and Mr. Webster, 

 of the Webster Studio. President Tatham in the chair. 

 Treasurer Dressel made his report of the finances, cover- 

 ing the receipts and expenditures of the first Sportsmen's 



Exposition. This report while favorable upon the whole 

 showed a slight deficiency, which of course falls upon 

 the Madison Square Garden Company. Secretary Web- 

 ster made a brief report touching upon the success of the 

 first exposition and the general satisfaction of the exhib- 

 itors. 



Treasurer Dressel made a motion which, as finally 

 passed, was to the effect that the Association should hold 

 another exhibition, and that a committee should be ap- 

 pointed to confer with exhibitors to decide the date of the 

 exposition and find out the best arrangements to be made 

 for the place for the exposition. The president appointed 

 Messrs. Dressel, Daly and Chassaud, and they were in- 

 structed to report to the trustees Sept. 17. The opinion 

 seemed to be that a successful and largely attended ex- 

 position could be held in 1896. It was acknowledged 

 that the direct returns from sales of the first exposition 

 were not so great as had been hoped, but all conceded 

 the indirect benefits from an advertising standpoint and 

 in the nature of increasing the interest of the public in 

 sport. 



Judging from the results achieved, it seems likely that 

 a second exhibition can be held which would not only 

 clear expenses, but also return a margin of profits to the 

 exhibitors. 



The fact that the Exposition this year received so little 

 support from the daily press was commented upon, and 

 arrangements for overcoming this serious omission 

 were suggested. Reduced railroad rates, etc., were dis- 

 cussed,' and it seemed to be the general opinion that the 

 date of the exposition could advantageously be changed. 



Tennessee Small Game. 



Brownsville, Tenn., Aug. 10.— The fishing season is 

 numbered with things of the past and while not first-rate, 

 nearly all the brethren can look back to a few days of 

 good sport and fair strings. Squirrels were not plentiful, 

 though thanks to the heavy mast we will have them in 

 the fall. Dove shooting is very poor, the past hard win- 

 ter proving fatal to many of them, and owing to this fact 

 we seem to have tacitly agreed to leave what there are for 

 seed. Quail are fairly plentiful, though the wet weather, 

 has killed many of the young, I fear, and I fail to account 

 for seeing so many pairs together — a thing I never noticed 

 at this season of the year before; however, there will be 

 enough for good sport in November, and we hope- Mr. 

 Hough is slated for a portion of that month with us. ' 



B. C. M. 



Connecticut Rail Birds. 



East Haddam, Conn., Aug. 24. — The rail bird shooting 

 promises to be better this season than for many years. 

 Already the birds have begun to show themselves in 

 large quantities and lovers of this grand sport will find no 

 better place than the Connecticut River from Essex to 

 East Haddam. 



The best place to my knowledge is at East Haddam, as 

 there are no less than three coves or inlets that you can 

 get at in one tide. The law is off Sept. 1 and from ap- 

 pearances the birds will be in good condition by that 

 time. 



Boats and man can be procured for $2.50 a tide, which 

 is very low, as a very poor shot can bag from 25 to 50 birds 

 at a tide. B. A. Ray. 



THE LEAPING QUESTION AND ANOTHER 



Camp oe the Kingfishers, Manistique Lakes, Mich.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: Surrounded once again by 

 the jolly Kingfishers, whose tents make a miniature "white 

 city" on the bank of the green Manistique, I have read 

 the Forest and Stream of Aug. 3, and of course the de- 

 fensemade by your Canadian correspondent, "Simpson," 

 to the criticisms of sundry bass fishermen on Dr. Ellzey's 

 notes of the J 'leaping bass." 



It has been topic of discussion by the camp-fire, around 

 which sat old "Kingfisher" and the white-hatted philoso- 

 pher Of the Cuvier Club and half a dozen others of the 

 "boys" who love to pull their boats over the crested waves 

 and in the shadowy nooks in search of that gallant war- 

 rior to whom Henshall has devoted an entire book. Not 

 one agrees with Dr. Ellzey, and still less with "Simpson," 

 whose spear seems to wound friend and foe alike. 



In truth, after all that has been said or written, the 

 question is wholly one of observation— as to how high or 

 hOw far a bass can leap, what the direction of ascent or 

 descent, whether he shakes his head or opens his jaws in 

 air, and why the bass undertakes these unusual evolutions. 

 The last query is one of motive — resting in the intelligence 

 or instinct of whatever brain power the bass has, and to 

 be interpreted solely by its actions at the time. 



The allusion made to the deGeptiveness of the eye is a 

 simple begging of the question. It does not explain. It 

 does not demonstrate anything. It is merely a cover, a 

 blind to cover either weakness or an unwillingness to 

 recognize and accept what others see and know. 



If "Simpson" will permit us, we will say that in deal- 

 ing with the "leaping bass" we are not dealing with 

 magicians nor Indian jugglers, nor giving the bass the 

 benefit of sleight-of-hand performances learned only 

 after long schooling and intended to fool the eye of 

 man. When we have probable reason to believe that the 

 bass has undergone an education devoted to sleight of 

 hand, we shall be ready to enter that field in search of 

 solutions to the problem of why or whether a bass does 

 certain things when he leaps above the water. 



So far, we shall take eye testimony just as "Simpson" 

 takes it when he undertakes a piece of surgery. He does 

 not say, "the eye is easily deceived," and begin to doubt 

 what is muscle and tendon and flesh and bone, and dismiss 

 his patient because he cannot be sure which is which, and 

 damage may result. He relies on the eye and proceeds- 

 even in a case of life and death. 



So we rely on the eye to see what the bass does. That 

 much is observation. Experience strengthens observa- 

 tion. The strength of the testimony, the number of the 

 reliable witnesses, establishes the truth or falsity of the 

 facts alleged. One solitary witness in part corroborates 

 Dr. Ellzey's observations. All the rest differ — both in 

 observations and conclusions. 



"Simpson" would strengthen Ellzey by suggesting the 

 contradiction of anatomy — that a bass cannot shake his 

 jaws — "the anatomy of a bass's head and neck will not 



allow that," but "they apparently shake themselves," 

 What he means by "apparently" I don't know; I think I 

 have seen bass sometimes actually shake themselves. 



The jaw of the bass is not a detached part of the fish, 

 nor connected by a clearly defined neck, and yet when 

 the fore-front of the bass was violently shaken, the jaw 

 being in the extremity most agitated, it does seem to me 

 it stood a good chance to be shaken. Our friend "Simp- 

 son" is hypercritical. 



He further insists the bass is crazed with fright and all 

 efforts to escape are without motive or purpose. And 

 adds, "why does he not go to the bottom, take a turn of 

 the line around stone or snag, and free himself at leisure, 

 laughing the while at the simple fisherman?" Why, bless 

 your soul, "Simpson," that is exactly what the wily rascal 

 has done with me, over and over again. The only bass of 

 any size struck by any of the Kingfishers at Green Lake, 

 Mich., in a three days' search, got fastened to my hook 

 and line and straightway made for a stake, wrapped the 

 line around it and broke away, all in plain sight of 

 "Kelpie," whose testimony will corroborate. Several 

 days ago, in the larger Manistique, I hooked a bass that 

 broke water, and then repeatedly attempted to get to a 

 stake near by. 



It took my best maneuvering and strongest strain on rod 

 and line to keep him away. Bring a hooked bass near your 

 boat and he will try to get under it, bring him near the 

 anchor line and five chances to one he fouls you. I have 

 lost many bass by their going around stakes and into 

 brush or around and under rocks and breaking away. 

 My comrades in camp vouch for similar experiences. 



Go slow, Brother "Simpson," I don't claim the bass has 

 the intelligence of a man, but its natural instinct gives it 

 the art or capacity for self-preservation which it often in- 

 dulges to a remarkable degree — just as the fox on the 

 ground or the crow in the air. 



How does Brother "Simpson" know that when the bass 

 leaves the water it leaves it "by mistake," and conse- 

 quently its "savigerous shakings" are simply efforts to get 

 back? When, with C. C. Furr, of the Kingfishers, I saw 

 a bass at Hubbard Lake, Mich., stand on its lower body (I 

 would say tail, but "Simpson" is captious) and shake its 



upper body (I would say nead, but ) with open mouth, 



in which the hook was fastened, would Brother Simpson 

 say the bass was doing that "by mistake?" Note also the 

 case I have heretofore reported of a small bass leaping 

 from the water of Elkhorn Creek, Ky., and striking and 

 killing a butterfly as it winged its way over and near the 

 surface. No mistake that time. 



Once more. "Simpson" asks, ' 'Does not every fisherman 

 lower his tip the moment he sees a fish leaving the water?" 

 No. Some do and some do not. It is largely a matter of 

 judgment. If I have an elastic rod I aim always to keep 

 my line taut. I know many others who do the same. 

 The lowering of the tip loosens the line and takes the ten- 

 sion off the hook and it is more easily thrown out of the 

 fish's mouth. The elasticity of the rod will bend to the 

 fish's weight in the leap and no harm occur. Try it. 



If my rod is stiff I usually relax the strain on the leap — 

 that is, if I know when the fish is going out of water. 

 Those who always know when a fish is going out of 

 water, or can always adapt the rod to his motions during 

 his short stay above water, are better skilled than I. As 

 the result of long experience in bass fishing my advice 

 would be always keep a tight line on your fish and always 

 give him the benefit of the spring of the rod. In this 

 way you will save many fish where they are lightly or 

 loosely hooked, and guard against broken hooks or lines 

 in unexpected movements. It is much easier to know 

 when a fish is going out of water on a short line than a 

 long one. When a bass is hooked 100 or 125ft. from the 

 boat it is next to impossible to tell whether he will go out 

 of water on the strike. 



Now, if Dr. Ellzey or Brother "Simpson" will tell me 

 when bass will bite — that is, when it is a good time to go 

 bass fishing, predicated on the fact that they are on their 

 feed— I shall consider myself more than compensated for 

 the little discussion to wnich I have in small part contrib- 

 uted on the question of "leaping bass." Old Sam. 



NEW JERSEY COAST FISHING. 



Asbury Park, N. J., Aug. 23.— The proverbial patience 

 of fishermen ha3 been put to a severe test the past three 

 weeks so far as surf fishing is concerned. Bass have ap- 

 parently entirely deserted the waters. Other than an oc- 

 casional kingfish and plaice, nothing presents itself to en- 

 liven the interest at our piers. Hundreds of ardent 

 anglers may now be seen making the best of the unpleas- 

 ant situation by perch and black bass fishing in the lakes, 

 or journeying to Barnegat or the Raritan. Bluefish are 

 fairly abundant in the last-named waters, and may be 

 taken by chumming with menhaden. Boats and bait can 

 be procured either at Perth Amboy or at Atlantic High- 

 lands. The sea yielded some of her best treasures this 

 season in the shape of rare specimens; first a leather- 

 back turtle of 650lbs., followed a few days later by one of 

 8751bs., drew immense crowds to the pier where they 

 were placed on exhibition by Senator Bradley. Although 

 tanks were built and every effort was made to keep them 

 alive, the effort was useless and they both died after a few 

 days of captivity. The largest one was donated to the 

 Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia, where it 

 has been mounted and will be kept on permanent exhibi- 

 tion., But the most interesting event took place on 

 Monday afternoon of this week in the capture of a 

 fine seal within a few feet of the Ocean Grove fish- 

 ing pier. Evidently the northern stranger had by some 

 error wandered from its native haunts, and becoming ex- 

 hausted crawled up on the beach for rest. It was cap- 

 tured by laying a fish net around and over it. Messrs. 

 Stokes and Pridham promptly bought it and have bad 

 it on exhibition since. It appears to be in perfect health, 

 and is a rare curiosity in these parts. Mr. Pridham said 

 last evening that he would not feel quite content until he 

 secures a veritable sea serpent to round out the season 

 with. Leonard Htjlit. 



Wisconsin Muskallonge. 



Three Lakes, Wis., Aug. 23.— Chas. French caught 

 248 black bass at Butternut Lake last week, and F. R» 

 French caught five muskallonge, largest 321bs. Butternut 

 is a new place, just opened, prospects good. 



Chas. French. 



