June 21, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



433 



the 2M of May one of the boys, Dick "Williams, located a 

 bunch of twenty, mostly old cows, with no calves. Full 

 preparations having been made, this herd was started on 

 the day following, the intention being to follow and tire 

 them out. On the first day the buffalo were followed 

 fully eighty miles. On the second day they showed 

 fatigue, but on winding the pursuers became enraged 

 and restless, pawing and digging a great deal, and going 

 off at great pace. On the third day the hunters got in 

 closer. On the day of the report the herd had been fol- 

 lowed seven days, and was described as being under per- 

 fect control. Mr. Jones said his iutontion was to stay 

 with them, following quietly and keeping them moving, 

 untU they could be turned tip toward the Canadian and 

 driven in among the buffalo now held there, caught by 

 Lee Howard and Mr. Jones. 



It is doubtless true that everything wdl be done on this 

 hunt which can be done to capture the remainder of the 

 buffalo now left on the range. I believe that a number 

 of adults will be taken. Certainly no man better than 

 Mr. Jones could be found to plan and carry through an 

 undertaking of this Mud. He reports that he is "well 

 pleased with his success." etc. I have no doubt that when 

 he comes out he will have added materially to hie herd, 

 as he surely has to his credit as a bold and successful 

 hunter and plainsman. E. Hough. 



Chicago, 111., June 11. 



A TEXAS DEER HUNT. 



IN the fall of 18SG, I was visiting a friend of mine who 

 owns a large ranch in Edwards county, Texas. 

 I had spent three weeks in a very pleasant manner 

 riding after cattle and hunting the half- wild hogs of 

 which my friend, Will Fculke, owned quite a number, 

 when two of the cowboys rode in from a three days" hunt 

 after some horse stock running on the range, and re- 

 ported having seen plenty of deer in the various "runs" 

 they had crossed. 



As we had a deer hunt under consideration • at the 

 time, this news determined us, and we made prepara- 

 tions to start the next day. That night we cleaned our 

 rifles, filled our cartridge belts and canteens, packed 

 bacon, coffee and cornmeal in stout canvas bags so that 

 we could conveniently tie them on our saddles, and with 

 the addition of two heavy blankets and a slicker or oil- 

 skin Goat apiece, were ready for an early morning start. 

 We were up by daybreak and I was somewhat disap- 

 pointed at the fine drizzle that had set in during the 

 night, but WU1 assured me that it was good weather for 

 deer hunting and very much better than a bright sunny 

 morning would have been. 



We ate a hurried breakfast of coffee and bacon and 

 then brought our ponies from the corral, saddled them 

 and donning our slickers were soon traveling across the 

 prairie. We rode for several hours over rough hilly 

 ground and then struck a large run or gully between 

 two ridges, and turned our ponies up this, forcing them 

 through the >tough shin-oak and brush, thinking we 

 might start a deer from such good cover, but in vain, 

 although we discovered plenty of tracks. 



We finally concluded to camp in a small open space 

 where good grass was plentiful. After hobbling our 

 ponies we made a frugal meal of the invariable bread and 

 bacon, and tried to make ourselves as comfortable as the 

 weather would permit. 



It was settling into a regular rain by this time, and we 

 decided to ride on a few miles to a "water hole," where 

 we would camp for the night. We had gone about two 

 miles through the shin-oak brush, when I saw my friend, 

 a few feet ahead, suddenly pull his pony up short, and 

 jerking his rifle from its leather case, take quick aim and 

 fire twice in rapid succession. Then I saw a large buck 

 spring crashing through the brush to our left, and then 

 turning sharply to the right, ran quickly across our path 

 about fifteen yards ahead and received another bullet 

 from Will's rifle. He ran on a few feet, then staggered 

 and fell, plunging his horns into the ground and making 

 several attempts to rise to his feet. Springing from our 

 ponies we soon ended his struggles and found that all 

 three shots had struck him, the last penetrating his 

 heart. 



We camped there for the night, and after hobbling the 

 ponies we set to work on the buck and soon had him 

 skinned and the choice parts cut in strips convenient for 

 packing, and although it seemed a shame to waste so 

 much valuable meat, we left the rest of the carcass, for 

 we could not carry it, as we had neglected to bring an 

 extra pony along with us to serve as a pack horse. 



It rained all that night, and in spite of our slickers we 

 were thoroughly soaked before morning. We were up 

 early, and breakfasting on venison, were soon in the 

 saddle. After riding in a westerly direction for some 

 time and seeing numerous deer tracks we determined to 

 halt, hobble the ponies, and each set off on an individual 

 hunt. We got our bearings as well as we could and set 

 out through the wet grass together until we came to a 

 clump of live oaks, where we separated, Will taking a 

 northerly course and I a westerly one. The rain had 

 ceased by this time and the clouds gave promise of 

 breaking away. 



The course I had chosen led over rocks and through 

 large clumps of brush, which made it anything but easy 

 walking, and after half an hour's hard work without 

 seeing anything, I was beginning to think that I would 

 have nothing but my tramp for my pains, when upon 

 reaching the top of a ridge that overlooked a large "run" 

 stretching away to the northward, I saw that which well 

 repaid me for my labor and sent a thrill through me that 

 threatened to develop into a bad attack of "buck fever." 

 There, not over 30yds. away, stood two good-sized fawns, 

 their gracefully-poised heads raised and looking directly 

 at me. 



I stood as if petrified, scarcely breathing for fear they 

 would take fright and dash away. They gazed intently 

 at me for fully two minutes (it seemed twenty to me), and 

 then, evidently satisfied that they had nothing to fear 

 from me, first one and then the other lowered its head 

 and went on grazing. This was the opportunity I wished 

 for, and slowly letting myself drop on my knees, I rolled 

 over on my side, and, cautiously cocking my rifle, rose 

 again to a kneeling posture, took good aim at the nearest 

 fawn's shoulders, and fired. Without waiting to see the 

 effect of my shot, I hastily cocked my rifle and fired at the 

 breast of the other fawn. 



Both shots took effect, and the pretty little creatures 

 were kicking on the ground and I was preparing to end 



their struggles, when a well-grown doe sprang out of a 

 bunch of scrub oak near by and running to where the 

 fawns were struggling, touched them with her nose, and 

 then threw up her head with a Btartled air just as I recov- 

 ered from my astonishment, but before I could aim at her 

 she turned and sped away, taking great leaps over the 

 rocks and brush in her path. 



I fired a parting shot as she disappeared behind a large 

 mass of brush, but evidently without effect, as I saw her 

 ascending the side of the run half a mile away and still 

 running swiftly. 



Turning my attention to the fawns, I found, them both 

 dead, one shot through the base of the neck and the other 

 through the heart. 



I decided to carry one fawn back to camp and then 

 ride out for the other. I found camp without much 

 trouble, and saddling my pony set out and went directly to 

 where I had left the other fawn and found my quarry 

 gone. 



At first I thought I must surely have made a mistake 

 in locating the spot, but that notion was soon dispelled, 

 for there were the blood stains of the slain fawns, the 

 ground tore up by their dying struggles and the evidences 

 of my amateur butchery". I was completely nonplussed 

 till a shout of laughter from a clump of brush near by 

 announced the fact that Will was enjoying my very 

 evident consternation and the success of his own joke. 



He had seen nothing on his tramp and was returning 

 to camp when he heard my shots, and hurrying in the 

 direction they came from, 'found the evidences of my 

 good luck and hid the remaining fawn in the brush in 

 order to witness my surprise over its disappearance. 



As our water supply was now getting short we decided 

 to strike camp the next morning, and the weather having 

 cleared we had a pleasant journey back to the ranch 

 and our supply of fresh venison was warmly welcomed 

 as a pleasing change to the regular fare of coffee and 

 bacon. W. E. S. 



DUCKS ON BEAN'S LAKE. 



LEAVENWORTH, Kansas.— It was a cold, drizzly 

 March day, one on which most people would prefer 

 to remain by a warm fire. But myself and companion 

 Charley Gratz knew that such weather on the morrow 

 would surely "be a good day for ducks" as all the know- 

 ing one's predicted. Accordingly we set out that after- 

 noon for Bean's Lake, 15 miles up the Missouri River 

 bottom. We were fully equipped to do justice to every 

 unwary fowl that came 'within 75yds. of our guns. But 

 luck that afternoon was against us, we found that the 

 train did not stop at the lake, and we were compelled to 

 ?et off at the small station of Iatan about three miles 

 Jrom our destination. It was now 7 o'clock in the even- 

 ing and raining like fury, but we struck a place to put up 

 for the night. 



Next morning we got our luggage together and started 

 across the fields for the lake, little knowing the quality 

 of ground we would have to travel over. Of all things, 

 Missouri bottom soil of a gumbo-sticky nature on a wet 

 day is the worst thing imaginable to stick. Soon both of 

 us 'were carrying about forty pounds of Missouri soil on 

 each foot, and with a mde of this traveling, friend Gratz 

 "caved." He weighs about 2501bs. when in prime condi- 

 tion, and soon his labor ings sounded like the puffs of a 

 wheezy old traction engine. But all these dangers 

 braved, the lake shore was reached, and here we jumped 

 into a boat and rowed over to Bud Kirkpatrick's, who 

 keeps as neat and pleasant a sportsman's stopping place 

 as can anywhere be found. Bud soon fixed us up with a 

 good hot dinner and stories of the immense number of 

 ducks now on the lakes. He said he had seen more, and 

 more had been killed on Bean's Lake this spring than any 

 in the past ten years. 



Of course all this had an exhilarating effect and the 

 next morning we were out at our stands before daybreak 

 in readiness for the morning flight. We were on a slough 

 connecting two parts of the lake. One of us took a stand 

 behind a rail fence on the edge of the water and the 

 other fixed up a blind further out in the slough. 



The ducks did not seem to be present in such large 

 numbers as we expected, but we managed to bring down 

 about a dozen each by hard shooting and at distances 

 from 50 to 75yds. The shooting was greatly marred by 

 some greenhorn sportsman who blazed away at every 

 flock of birds that came within a distance of 500yds., thus 

 spoiling the sport for others. The game consisted mostly 

 of redheads and teal with a sprinkling of mallards, bald- 

 pates and butterballs. I was fortunate enough to bring 

 down a couple of canvasbacks. Many hunters at the 

 lake say that these ducks were more numerous this year 

 than they had ever known them to be. 



The weather turned very cold during the day, and the 

 game mostly left the lake for the river, but by shooting 

 over decoys that afternoon we secured about twenty 

 more. This shooting was elegant. The teal would come 

 in to the decoys either single or in pairs, and nothing is 

 more exciting sport than to watch them sad gracefully 

 in, and then rising from behind your brush blind to let 

 both barrels go at the birds. . , 



Gratz is really a fine shot, and he is considered one of 

 the best all-around shots in this part of the country, but 

 he failed to do himself justice this time, getting about 

 twenty ducks while the writer bagged twenty-five. 



Seeing that the cold weather had hurt the shooting, the 

 boys at the lake were bidden adieu and we departed for 

 the city, not overloaded with game to be sure, but with 

 the knowledge that even with our poor luck we succeeded 

 in having a good time. We left all our luggage at the 

 lake, intending to accept Bud's hospitality again the next 

 week and get another whirl at the ducks. Jk. 



Woodchucks Climbing Trees.— While out in the 

 woods to-day my dogs treed a half -grown woodchuck. 

 When I first saw him he was about 10ft. from the ground 

 on the trunk of a chestnut tree at least a foot in diameter 

 at the butt, in big woods, quite a number of rods from 

 any cleared land. To see him climb I poked him with a 

 brush until he went up about 15ft. further. He would 

 climb a foot or two and then stop. I had to coax him 

 pretty hard to make him go the last 4 or 5ft. He seemed 

 to do all his climbing with his forefeet, his body he kept 

 flattened close to the tree, Ins hindf eet seemed to slip and 

 he used them more for a brace than anything else. See- 

 ing he had worked so hard to get up I left him to get 

 down as best he could— E. T. J. (Bethel, Conn.). 



Camp in the Cceur D'Alene Mountains, Idaho, June 

 8.— Editor Forest and Stream: Last night, by the light 

 of a pitch pine fire, I lay in front of my tent and read 

 Orrin Belknap's graphic description of his buffalo lmnt, 

 in a back number of Forest and Stream which I had 

 just received. It took a deeper hold on me perhaps than 

 it otherwise would, because three days before I had 

 grasped the bronzed and sinewy hand that wrote it, and 

 had listened with eager interest to several reminiscences, 

 from the author's lips, of adventures afield in the days 

 long agone. He is a genial, generous soul, is Uncle Belk- 

 nap, and has a heart in him bigger than that of any buf- 

 falo he ever saw. He rode fifty miles recently to join me 

 in an exploring expedition in the Pan Handle of this Ter- 

 ritory, but an unforeseen calamity befell us that rendered 

 it impossible for him to go; and many and bitter were 

 the regrets we both felt and still feel at the disappoint- 

 ment. By the way, I carried with me on a six-weeks' 

 cruise in that region an Osgood folding canvas boat, and 

 for the information of any such as may think of using 

 such a craft permit me to say that it proved the most use- 

 ful piece of furniture in the outfit, not even excepting the 

 camp kettle. We explored various lakes and rivers with 

 it, making one cruise of twenty miles. Were out with 

 it in some stiff gales, when the water was white on top, 

 but "we got there just the same." The rag canoe is 12ft. 

 long, weighs only 281bs. , shuts up like an accordeon, and 

 rides on the hurricane deck of a government mule as 

 serenely as a school girl on the front gate. I shall travel 

 in the wilds of Idaho until Dec. 1, and if any reader of 

 Forest and Stream, who is a square-built, broad-gauge 

 fellow and a sportsman, would like to chip with me for a 

 month or two he is welcome to half my tent. A letter in 

 care of Dr. C. S. Penfield* Spokane Falls, Wash. Ter., will 

 reach me.— G. O. Shields. 



California— Vacaville, May 26.— The game of Vaca- 

 ville is not very abundant; the only kinds in season now 

 are hare, ground squirrel and English snipe. Wild g^eese 

 and clucks went out of season in March. Trout law was 

 out the first day of AprU, and I for one got "April fooled." 

 Dove law will be out the first of June. Doves are not 

 very plentiful. There are only three or four good places 

 for "them near here, and there are generally too many 

 hunters in those places. Quail are more abundant than 

 usual and promise good shooting this fall. Deer are too 

 scarce to pay much attention to. — E. G. 



Indiana.— Russiavdle. — The prospects for good quail 

 shooting this fall are very favorable. Birds were quite 

 plentiful last season, but few were kfllled during the fall 

 on account of the scarcity of dogs, and as there was no 

 snow during the winter they fared well, and now they 

 can be seen and heard on all sides. As it has been quite 

 dry so far this spring we may look for large broods of 

 young. The law seems to be well respected in this local- 

 ity.— A. C. J. 



The Jolly Club.— Creighton, Pa., June 15.— At the 

 annual election of the Jolly Hunting and Fishing Club, 

 June 14, the following were elected: James R. Watt, 

 President; S. S. Hudepohl, Secretary and Treasurer; L. 

 E. Hanky, Humphrey Mount and W. J. Liebert, Camp 

 Sergeants. The club expects to go into camp about the 

 1st of September on the banks of the Ohio River below 

 Wheeling, W. "Va.— S. S. Hudepohl, Sec. 



Sullivan County, New York.— Parkville, N. Y.— 

 While out for a walk on June 10, to see a snow drift, I 

 saw a large covey of partridges, and a friend of mind saw 

 another covey of 15. The prospects of a good hunting- 

 season are anticipated. — 40-82. 



YELLOWSTONE PARK PETITION. 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



S. S. Conner, Fred Sackott, Albert Healey, R. K. Andrews, G. 

 TV. Moulton, F. W. Hamilton, H. L. Sehaefer, E v H.Adgate, G. T. 



Son it L. Vvvmari, 2. OUgueu, a. n. ^uuverau, jusuyii uan- 



lett F F. McMain, L. P. Farley, C. L. Ladd, K. L. Loomis, Albert 

 Si pie, W. T. Holliday, J. H. Bisbee, D. P. Collins, F. C. Belnap, J. 



SllKwiM Chas. Richter, A. Wi 



Atkins, L. M. Dewey, T. C. Judson, W. EL Loomis, C. A. Griffin, 

 W. T. Loomis, M. D. Gibbons, H. B. Lewis, J. H. Farnsworth. 



NEW YORK. 



Robert Hoe, S. D. Tucker, Chas. W. Carpenter, John H. Lock- 

 wood Fred W. H. Crane, John Norris, Jr., Otto L. Raabe, Wm. 

 F Morgan, D. Cunningham, F. Blauvclt, Fred C. Holden, Thomas 

 I)' Scooie L. B. Thompson, Wm. S. Frank, Edward L. Speir, D. A. 

 Smith, Edward Neubert, H. P. Feldmanu, Jos. C. Monat, J. F. 

 Hoff Peter S. Hoe. C. T. W. Hollister, Addison J. Gallien, J. A. 

 Bishel J M. H. Jordan, W. Spalckhaver, Chas. C. Davis, Richard 

 Kellv W EL. Gei'inann, Cecil D. Landale, C. Z. Howell, G. Miiller, 

 David Patterson, Al. Wegraann, R. A. Burchell, Jay yetmon, L. 

 Toohey Anthony Petitpan, Louis Jaeck. Geo. Dietrich, K. Hed- 

 bawny Joseph Kratochvil, John B. Liebel, D. H. Meyer, John 

 Whitworth. Albert S. Bowne, J. Meyer, Edward Bartb, John Hed- 

 bawfty James Tooth, Dana B. Palmer, Fred Igersheimer, J r„ Fred 

 StaUeVJames Riley, J. C. Meyer, J. E. Vorgt, A. Riemann, F. 

 BSEH T Baerslee, Wm. P. Stepp, Karl Aloser, Tlieo. btepp, Her- 

 man Weil, Otto Fleikjar, Wm. i urke, Chas. Weil, Chas. Muiseh- 

 ler Chas Boyle, James Phillips, J. J. Dunphy, Chas. Parrish, 

 Petei L Maine, Adolph Pozenecker, J. Rownan, L. A. Schmidt, 

 Q W kelson, R. A. Whittiugham, Wm. M. Johns ton, W. Flickers, 

 j'M. Helme, ft Brackett, James J. Dillow, H. Gill, Wm. Houri- 

 oraii Wm. Wood. Phil Morlock, H. Stange, H. Shatel, H. Wake- 

 hani J Magnette, J. P. Vienot, J. Cough, O. P. Brion, H. Camps, 

 C Eimke Henrv Bruton, W. White, R. E. Madden, Robert 

 Boerart Alphonse Mertz, Henry Firehock, G. Daneschewsky, 

 'Hftnry 'Phillip, Bernard Lynch, Wm. Seeker, Charles SteMe, 

 Frederick Bruning, Charles G. Bueckner, Daniel B. Crane, David 

 Dixon, Thos. J. Addi, J. Sullivan, Wm. Cox, Wm Hueglin, Mat- 

 thew Rilev Alex. Gordon, Elmer Skidmore, Arthur lhompsou, 

 John J. Mahoney, James Waiuman, E. LeRoy, James Birch, Chas. 

 P Diehl Alb Neuheller, Patrick Leonon, Geo. Reidell, C. Neill, 

 Wm J Ward, F. J. Kilrov, Geo. Fielding, James Baufortb, J.J. 

 Waters, Aug. Probe, Hugh Pickering, . F. Marouarcl t, Frank C. 

 Stcrkholm DeWitt, Hmofcrd, E£rj J ham.. Ham I H,yt 

 Edward Nicola, Samuel Irwin, Geo. C. GUI, Arch. Bowie, Joseph 

 Fulton H. D. MeKenzie, Louis Schadt, Joseph H. Brown, lhos. C. 

 Patterson, John B. Cowper, Joseph Glen Joseph Cromer, Henry 

 Willoughby, F. Mureill, F. Effrager, W. Chad wick, H. Moesel, W. 

 Mc/Lier, Wm. T. Ferguson, B. Wainwrignt A. Hogg -john F, 

 Brown. Samuel Campbell, Wm. W. Vvoebert, Henry Finek, E. 

 Windel, Fred Herb, E. Christian, Bryce Mars, George Hoezle, 

 David Arnott, Wm. Leviger, W. Mliller, Louis Hotman, D. M. 

 Lande. John E. Armltage, Frank Hanlon, Geo. E. frill, Alex. 

 Stewart, Eddie Sandstein, Wm. Glaeser, John H. MacdonaM, J. 

 G. Dean, Robt. A. Neidig, W. J. Barwick, J. Burgess, J. J. Bentz, 

 Fred Neu, Chas. Goehring, C. C. Meyer, James Byrnes, Frank 

 Davin Alfred R. Norris, Thos. J. Ingram, Louis Metziere, Alpheua 

 E. Colby, Michael C. Byrnes, Seth Gailiek, Frank J. Gersdorf, 

 John Kress, August Wackeruerg, Wm. Krebs, Joe Slaxt'r pavia 

 Hamilton, Walter Howes, Anthony Abel, Jos. J. HeinclL Charles 

 Fitting, Samuel Smith, Louis Haenlein, John J. Lang, Lewis in- 



