Sept. 21, 1895.] 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



251 



Central New York. 



Ithaca, N. Y., Sept. 15.— The advance of the shooting 

 season has disclosed the fact that ruffed grouse are un- 

 usually plentiful. Recently the writer got up thirty birds 

 in a two hours' walk within three miles of the city. The 

 birds, however, are small yet, scarcely two-thirds grown. 

 To make such scores as George P. Finnigan is credited 

 with in the last issue of Forest and Stream is a compar- 

 atively easy matter when contrasted with the work of 

 making them when the birds get full grown, provided the 

 grouse in Chenango county are no nearer maturity than 

 they are in Tompkins, Cortland, Tioga and Seneca coun- 

 ties. The opening of the grouse season should be here- 

 after deferred several weeks, say to Sept. 15. 



Woodcock are not reported as being more than moder- 

 ately numerous. A more definite report can be made 

 concerning Madam Longbill later on. 



Gray and black squirrels are plenty in some sections. 

 Rabbits are scarce compared to what they would have 

 been had the law-breaker with his toothpick snouted 

 rodent in his inside pocket been effectually suppressed . 

 Unless this particular form of game law violation is 

 clearly beheaded bunny's days are numbered so far as this 

 section is concerned. We shall watch the efforts of the 

 newly-appointed protectors in reference to this matter 

 with vigilant interest. M. Chill. 



Long Island Shore Birds. 



LiNCENHOBST, L. I., Sept. 11.— Yellow-leg snipe and 

 plover shooting is very good now, better than has been in 

 years. C. Robinson. 



fa m\i Jptw <$ist(ing. 



TROUT IN THE BLACK HILLS. 



OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 9.— When the Black Hills of South 

 Dakota are mentioned the only association they have in 

 the minds of most people is in connection with the mining 

 intereslB; and to the great majority of Easterners even 

 that idea is somewhat vague. To many they are but a 

 spot on the map— an offshoot of the Rocky Mountain sys- 

 tem—and to be told that the "Hills," taking a section 100 

 miles square, are probably the richest mineral-producing 

 Bection in the world is apt to cause a smile of incredulity, 

 and yet it is a fact. Deadwood, Ouster, Crook City and 

 other old-time camps — if they were ever heard of at all- 

 are considered as typical frontier mining camps, in which 

 the lawless border ruffian reigns supreme, where the tra* 

 ditional "man for breakfast" is an almost daily occur- 

 rence, and the six-shooter the only law in the land. Such 

 was once the case and in the minds of many people it is 

 Btill so, and yet Deadwood, the metropolis of the Hills, 

 and all the other towns as well, are as orderly and law- 

 abiding as any New England city, if not more bo. The 

 people are full of "get up and git, with a refreshing West- 

 ern flavor. The old reckless element has long since disap- 

 peared to be seen no more, and has given place to the 

 most whole-souled, hospitable lot of men and women to 

 be met with under the sun, full of hustle and business, but 

 never too busy to show an amount of courtesy to visiting 

 strangers seldom met with elsewhere. 



Apart from the mining interests, the Black Hills offer 

 an attraction in the way of scenery that, were it more 

 generally known, would fill the Hills with summer 

 tourists, who now take their outings in other directions. 

 The Wind Gave near Hot Springs is alone well worth a 

 long journey. It has been explored for a distance of 

 ninety-eight miles, and they haven't found the end yet, 

 and every foot of it contains something of beauty and 

 interest. Then all through the northern Hills are canons 

 that rival anything in Colorado. Chief is Speartish 

 Cafiott, through which a railroad has recently been built. 



Thither not long ago a jolly party of friends wended 

 their way on pleasure bent. There was the Professor, 

 who whistled an air from "Trovatore" on the summit of 

 Terry's Peak, and subscribed his name to a string of 

 poetry in the register on White Rocks; the Contralto, 

 who graciously gave a free concert with the Grand 

 Canon as an auditorium > the lieutenant's wife, the Artiste ; 

 the Fat Man, who Couldn't climb the peak, and the Scribe. 



All over the Hills they journeyed together, climbing 

 mountains and exploring canons, riding on ore trains and 

 groping their way through mines. From Deadwood to 

 tSpearnsh they traveled in the way car of a freight and 

 ore irain, every curve of the serpentine route bringing 

 fresh marvels of scenery to delighted eyes. Up and up 

 the train crept until reaching the summit of the pass it 

 plunged down again over the steepest grade in the United 

 States into Spearfish Canon. Through the cailon and be- 

 side the track dashes one of the most beautiful mountain 

 streams in the country, clear and sparkling and cold as 

 ice, with a melodious voice that said trout in every ripple 

 and cascade. Strange to say, however, neither Speartish 

 Creek nor any other Black Hills stream contained trout 

 until recently, when quite a number were planted from 

 the United States fish car. Some day it will be a model 

 trout stream, but just at present the supply is somewhat 

 small both in number and size. 



From Deadwood friends we had learned of this planting 

 and thither we traveled loaded down with rods, tackle 

 and a large determination to catch them all. We reached 

 Speartish village in time for a late supper, having the 

 pleasure of witnessing the sunset effects on the rugged 

 walls of the canon. In the hotel office we found several 

 trout swimming in the fountain and our hearts rejoiced, 

 for well we argued that if a country landlord could catch 

 a few, we of course, being experts, would surely catch a 

 great many— we forgot the story about the bare-legged 

 country boy and the willow pole. Comforted with this 

 pleasing delusion we early sought our couches. 



At 4:30 A. M. came the stentorian voice of mine host, 

 who informed us that if we expected to keep our engage- 

 ment with our speckled friends, it was time we were 

 moving. Old Morpheus seemed to have a firm hold on 

 several of the party and only the Contralto, the Fat Man 

 and the Scribe answered at roll call. Our superior officer, 

 the lieutenant's wife, flatly refused to get up; and the 

 Professor in classic language requested us to go chase 

 ourselves. Sadly reduced in numbers, but not in enthusi- 

 asm, we sallied forth. We tackled that stream at 

 the nearest point and whipped it, thrashed it and 

 pounded it with our flies for 3 or 4 miles, and that's all 

 the good it did us. The Contralto broke the tip of 



her rod, the Fat Man left his leader and flies on a tree (he 

 is a fish commissioner, too), and the Scribe fell into the 

 creek and got the crease all taken out of his trousers. 

 But what cared we? We came out for sport and we were 

 having lots of it, fresh and invigorating ozone in large 

 chunks, scenery of the most beautiful kind ad lib., a 

 glorious sunrise that kindled the rocky walls of the 

 canon with resplendancy of color, and last, and I sadly add 

 least, fish. Along about 9 o'clock we all walked into 

 town, the Contralto staggering under the weight of our 

 combined catch, one poor pitiful 6in. trout, a victim of 

 man's, or rather woman's, wiles. 



Many residents of the town have spring-fed ponds in 

 their door yards that are full of trout, and I very much 

 fear that some of Uncle Sam's hand-raised beauties got 

 into the wrong pew by mistake. There were not many 

 in the creek, or we would have caught them of course. 

 This being a truthful fish story I give the facts. 



Back through the hills again we wandered, everywhere 

 meeting with courtesies that came as unexpectedly as 

 they were pleasant. Stopping at many points of interest 

 we finally reached Hot Springs again, where our party 

 disbanded, to go by different routes to our widely sepa- 

 rated homes, all to meet again, I trust, some day, and 

 renew acquaintances so pleasantly formed. 



W. R. Hall. 



BLACK BASS IN MAINE. 



I have recently visited Waterford, Me., forty -five miles 

 from Portland, reached by the Grand Trunk Railway to 

 Norway, then stage ten miles to Waterford, or by Port- 

 land & Ogdensburg R. R. to Bridgton and stage nine 

 miles, or to Sebago Lake and steamer to Harrison and 

 stage five miles to Waterford. It is one of the neatest 

 and pleasantest of Maine's attractive villages, the home 

 of the late Artemus Ward. Its attractions to the summer 

 vacationist are well proven by many from Brooklyn, New 

 York, Philadelphia, Boston, Portland, etc., who have 

 been there for many years in succession, drawn by its 

 beautiful location and the many opportunities for sport. 



Keoka Lake, near the village, containing 484 acres, 

 affords fine black bass, pickerel and perch fishing, and 

 bids fair to add fine landlocked salmon, having had 10,000 

 fry planted four years ago. One was caught this season 

 of 2flbs. ; and 10,000 or more will be added this fall. There 

 are also white perch. The catch ot black bass the past 

 summer has been all that one could wish, many of 3 and 

 a few of 4lbs. Rev. Dr. Gibbins, of Philadelphia, and 

 Dr. Gordon, of Brooklyn, are high liners. 



Bear Pond, one mile south, near South Waterford vil- 

 lage, and of about 280 acres, affords the same fish, but 

 the landlocked salmon are natives, and larger and more 

 plentiful, the pond being connected with Long Lake, 

 Bridgton and so on to Sebago Lake. 



There are Long Pond (325 acres), Moose Pond (200 

 acres), and Pappoose Pond (200 acres), with good fishing 

 for pickerel, perch and catfish, and many brooks that 

 afford fair brook trout early in the spring. 



For those who want recreation, good fishing and all 

 that makes a pleasant hour in the country, there is no 

 more attractive place. A first-class hotel is under charge 

 of Mr. Dudley and wife (accommodating forty or more, 

 was obliged to turn away many this season), and a dozen 

 boarding houses, were all full. 



As to game, in season there are many partridges, wood- 

 cock, squirrels, rabbits, etc., and some deer. Three were 

 seen feeding in a cornfield on Sept. 4. Last November a 

 big moose was seen within a mile of the village; it swam 

 across the lake and took to the woods. 



The drives, walks and boating facilities are not sur- 

 passed. 



Mr. Dudley has entered into the fish question with a 

 vim, and is a protectionist from the word go. He realizes 

 that fish do draw. While fishing through the ice for 

 pickerel last winter he caught a trout (fontinalis), esti- 

 mated weight 4 or 51bs. , and returned him to the lake 

 saying: "I will practice what I advocate." How many 

 would have done it? He says and realizes that the more 

 fish they can get in the lakes the more boarders he and 

 others will get. Fifteen years ago, when there was noth- 

 ing but pickerel and perch to catch, a boat was a hard thing 

 to find; to-day there are twenty fine Rangeley and St. 

 Lawrence boats there. The introduction of black bass has 

 been the main cause of it. 



There are many fine bass lakes from near by, reached 

 from Norway, Bridgton and Sweden, all adjoining towns, 

 and within pleasant driving distances. For the reason- 

 able, quiet and true angler there isn't a pleasanter place in 

 the world to go to, easily reached. P. 



SOME MORE SHAKING. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Why does a dog shake his head when he finds he has a 

 bee in his mouth instead of a fly? This is not a very hard 

 thing to answer, for every one will say he tries to shake 

 the bee out of his mouth. 



For the same reason we say that a bass shakes his head 

 when he finds he is brought up with a hook. He shakes to 

 get the thing loose. As evidence of this I would state that 

 several weeks ago I was fishing on the long pier at Grand 

 Haven, Mich. ; this pier by the way is the same one where 

 Brother Starbuck fell into the lake and then continued 

 his fishing in nature's garb and an umbrella for his outfit 

 while his . clothes were drying. As I was saying, I was 

 fishing in the clear waters of the big lake when I hooked 

 a small sized large-mouth bass. At the depth of 4 or 5 ft. 

 every movement could be distinctly seen. The fish would 

 run one way until he felt the pressure of the line, when 

 he would shake himself exactly as a dog shakes his head 

 to get the bee out of his mouth. The bass would then 

 turn, run in the other direction until he felt pressure of 

 the line, when he would repeat the performance in his 

 efforts to escape. By pulling him with the rod he made 

 a run for the surface, came above the water and shook 

 himself the same as he did while in the water. And his 

 mouth was open too, just like the dog's. It was a clear 

 case of intelligence, and every action the fish made was 

 for the purpose of getting the hook out of his mouth. The 

 fish showed just as much intelligence as Dr. Ellzey would 

 in trying to scratch his back when he had a tremendous 

 flea bite; if he could not reach it with his hand he would 

 back up against a post. 



By the way, I have my doubts about the existence of 

 such a person as Dr. Ellzey. His communications are too 

 much like those manufactured in newspaper offices for 



the purpose of starting controversies. I have done some- 

 thing in that line myself. 



In a recent issue of Forest and Stream I noticed some 

 references to the shape of a white bass, one corre- 

 spondent saying it resembled that of a black bass, while 

 another contradicted the statement. Both are correct. 

 The white bass of Lake Michigan are as near the shape 

 and size of the small-mouth black bass as can be, and if 

 they were of the same color no one could tell the differ- 

 ence. The so-called white bass of the rivers or the striped 

 bass are fish of another kind, differing in form and color- 

 ing to the bass cf the big lakes. In arguing it is always 

 well to be sure of one's premises. 



Some time ago I had the pleasure of writing to Forest 

 and Stream about a proposed spear which a St. Louis 

 genius was inventing, which would cover a space of about 

 30in. in diameter. The invention is not yet completed. 

 There always seems to be some little point which prevents 

 success. Just as soon as the thing is done I intend to send 

 one to Von W. and one to El Comancho. These two cor- 

 respondents seem to appreciate the new invention. 



One thing more and I will close. In common, no doubt, 

 with many other readers, I would like to know whether 

 Mr. Hough bought that aluminum frying pan or whether 

 it was presented to him by some enterprising manufac- 

 turer. Aberdeen. 



St. Louis, Mo. 



SOME WISCONSIN RESORTS. 



Trout Lake, Oneida County, Wis., Aug. 31. — Editor 

 Forest and Stream: If you will take the Forestry Bulle- 

 tin, published by the United States Government, in which 

 is sb own the timbered section of the different States of 

 the Union, you will find in the one showing the forests 

 of Wisconsin that the northern portion of the State — that 

 is to say, about two-sevenths of the northern portion of 

 the State — is covered with a dense growth of pine. A 

 large section of this portion of the State is still in its vir- 

 gin condition. The hand of man has not yet invaded this 

 section of natural forest. Here, nestled among the hills, 

 is this beautiful lake on which I find myself on this sum- 

 mer's day. In the city the temperature is away up in the 

 90s, whereas here we revel in wraps and overcoats along 

 in the evening, and during the middle of the day a suit of 

 heavy underwear and flannel shirt is just about comfort- 

 able clothing. This lake is nestled among the hills of 

 northern Wisconsin. From it may be reached a large 

 number of lakes, all of which contain nature's store of 

 food and game fishes. This lake is fourteen miles from 

 the railroad and "all the way through the woods." The 

 genial landlord of this frontier home is Mr. John B. Mann, 

 a great big, jolly fellow, and was well calculated to do 

 what he did— along in April, 1888, at which time he cut a 

 road through the timber from Monocqua to this pine 

 home, and showed his wisdom in selecting a place on 

 which to build the present structure, which he has named 

 Manitowish House. It is located on a bluff some 35ft. 

 above the level of the lake, on a peninsula which juts out 

 into this body of water. 



From this place, as an outfitting point, anglers and 

 sportsmen are enabled to reach a number of lakes where 

 they may pursue their sport to their hearts' content. This 

 is a veritable home for the "lordly mascalonge" (the un- 

 spotted variety), that abound so in the waters of northern 

 Wisconsin. In their season baBS, pike, perch, salmon- 

 trout and the "speckled beauties" may also be secured in 

 places that are reached by trail and boat from this point. 

 On the shores of many of these lakes are established 

 camps which have been erected by Mr. Mann for the ac- 

 commodation of his guests.* John is only too willing and 

 too ready to at any and all times fit out parties of camp- 

 ers, provide a boat and make it comfortable for either a 

 long or a short trip. After the fish, fur and feathered 

 game are in their season, guides may be obtained here, 

 and every one of them are experienced woodsmen and 

 thoroughly well acquainted with the country. Some of 

 them have lived in this immediate vicinity from seven to 

 seventeen years, and are all trustworthy, accommodating, 

 pleasant, and only too willing, many of them, to do ex- 

 traordinary favors for those with whom they go out. 

 And talk about cooking. Well, some of them can just 

 "beat the Dutch." 



The fame of this locality has spread apparently more in 

 the Southern portion of the country, as the register of the 

 hotel gives evidence. People from St. Louis, Chicago, 

 New Albany and Minneapolis are more frequently there 

 than from other sections of the State. I find on looking 

 over the record of the "catch," which, by the way, 

 John endeavors to keep a record of like all other land- 

 lords, he gets the big ones and lets the little fellows go. I 

 find the records read something like this: "In 1889, May 

 10 a party consisting of J. Frank Lawrence, E. M. Ehr- 

 lic'h, O. W. Nixon, H. H. Kohlstaat, W. A. Taylor, J. H. 

 Ballard and N. J. Irvin, all of the Chicago Inter-Ocean, 

 came up here and their first catch consisted of 53 salmon- 

 trout and 37 bass." The record fails to give the weight of 

 these fish, but John says they were big fellows, all of 

 them. It is a fair inference that they were, because at 

 that season of the year most of the fish taken are large. 

 But in 1892, May 9 to 13, a party of gentlemen from Min- 

 neapolis, Minnesota, were there and they did make a rec- 

 ord. They took 167 of these salmon-trout, averaging 31bs. 

 The largest was lolbs. and was taken by Mr. George B. 

 Eustis, and the largest wall-eyed pike 13+lbs., taken by 

 Mr. W. L. Bigelow. On the 25th ot May, 1894, a party of 

 three gentlemen from Chicago in a day and a half's 

 fishing caught 53 mascalonge in the Manitowish River, 

 which is the outlet of Trout Lake. These fish ran from 6 

 to 24lbs. each. Mr. Mann has a specimen of mascalonge 

 in his office over his desk which is a beauty. Its weight 

 is 26lbs. I know of no place so accessible to the wearied 

 citizen of Chicago and other large cities in the West where 

 they can go and find such excellent accommodation and 

 such excellent fishing and hunting as in these northern 

 fastnesses of Wisconsin. The waters are cold, clear and 

 deep, and they are filled with game fish above alluded 

 to. 



One great drawback to going into the wooded wilder- 

 ness is the lack of boats or canoes, but that matter is care- 

 fully looked after and accommodations in that respect are 

 always obtainable from this place. The proper time to 

 get the best and largest fish is about in October, at which 

 time the disciples of Nimrod Walton can obtain all the 

 sport in the way of shooting and fishing that the mos 

 ardent and enthusiastic hunter and angler could dfsir<\ 



W. P. Andrus. 



