Oct. 13, 1887.] 



FOREST AND STREAM 



225 



from which I could see all around and not 75yds. from 

 the bait. Having fallen into a half doze on my observa- 

 tory 1 felt a cold chill run over me when I heard some 

 cracking of brush restore me to my full senses. At first 

 I thought the boys were corning back, but I knew they 

 would come from the opposite direction; and then I saw 

 the cause of the disturbance as an immense cinnamon 

 bear emerged from the thicket and stopped and scented 

 the air suspiciously. The wind was in my favor and I 

 did not move a muscle. Satisfying himself that all was 

 serene lie cautiously moved toward his feast. Carefully 

 reaching for the rifle I held it in ready position; and 

 thanks to the ivory Lyman front sight I could just see 

 the dirty brown monster looking my direction. Steady- 

 ing mv nerves I pulled the trigger, and the express ball, 

 driven by 120grs. of powder, crashed into his skull. Ut- 

 tering almost a human cry of pain and despair he rose 

 un his hindfeet and fell down like a log. Quickly insert- 

 ing another cartridge in my "OldKeliable" I made doubly 

 sure; but it was not necessary; the first bullet had done 

 its deadly work. It is simply wonderful what a hole the 

 express or hollow bullet will make. 



I waited fully ten minutes before I inspected my vic- 

 tim. He was indeed a monster; and sitting down on his 

 huge body, 1 v- as the proudest mortal of all humanity. 

 Lighting my pipe, laying my trusty rifle across my knee, 

 in this position 1 waited for the' boys, and it was dark 

 When at last I heard Bill's well-known signal hoot. He 

 was alone, as Charles had remained in camp, thinking it 

 useless to watch for a bear or try to trap him in a beaver 

 trap. Billy was loaded down with blankets, traps and 

 cold grub." He had left his horse at the foot of the 

 mountain. Asking me if I had seen or heard anything, I 

 replied, trying to speak carelessly, "I got him." "Got 

 what?" "Our venison thief." We made a blazing fire, 

 which showed the ugly fellow in still larger proportions. 

 While Billy examined t e monster I enjoyed my cold 

 supper which he had brought from camp. Taking a 

 nightcap and lighting the last pipe, we were soon rolled 

 up in ok blankets, and I slept as only a happy hunter 

 can sleep. At daylight we skinned the bear, and took 

 only the pelt, as as we had all we could pack, until com- 

 ing" clown where Bill had left his horse. We got into 

 camp in a few hours. Charles had gone out, but Billy 

 and I quickly had some venison on the fire, the coffee 

 boiling, and", finding some beans which Charles had 

 cooked, we sat down to a fine breakfast. I had had 

 nothing warni for twenty-four hours. Charles came in 

 by noon, looking surprised and well pleased with my 

 success. The afternoon we spent in stretching the hide 

 on a frame made out of four large poles and cleaning rifles 

 and shot un, while Bdl went to look after some traps he 

 had set for beaver and foxes. 



The next morning, Sunday, we decided to move camp 

 fifteen miles further down the valley, near Cape Horn 

 cabin. Here the valley opened to a considerable extent, 

 and Mr. Pfeifer, of Bonanza, had recommended it a 

 favorite resort for bears. Around the springs and boggy 

 flats abundant camas root was growing, a great attraction 

 to them. Monday, before day, Charles and I were on 

 hand, carefully scouting along the meadow valley but 

 came upon no sign. After the sun was high we left this 

 and went into the opposite mountains. Coming out 

 from a rough canon upon an open clearing I noticed two 

 deer picking the tender shoots near a little spring, at least 

 200yds. away. Aiming a little high at the shoulder of the 

 nearest, I fired. At the report of the rifle both stood 

 looking paralyzed, when one, without stirring, fell in his 

 tracks. His companion gave two or three jumps, stopping 

 and looking for his mate, and only ran off when I showed 

 myself. Charles, who heard my shot, came up and we 

 went to the deer. It was a sleek two-year-old doe. We 

 dressed and hung her up. On our way home we met Bill, 

 who had set a number of traps in the Salmon for beaver, 

 and some for foxes and land fur along the trail. 



In the morning we took a stroll down the valley to 

 Cape Horn cabin, the tumbled-down ruins of a former 

 cabin, which a daring speculative fellow had erected 

 dining the Wood River boom. He was killed by the 

 Bannock Indians, when they took the warpath in 1878. 

 Returning to camp by noon, after lunch we saddled two 

 horses, took grub and blankets, and went back the trail 

 to some flats, where we had seen fresh signs on our way 

 down, Reconnoitering until too dark to see, we turned 

 in, hoping for better luck in the morning. Substituting 

 an old tomato can for a coffee pot, we had an early break- 

 fast and were again on the look out. But no sign of 

 bruin rewarded us. The bears did not come down to the 

 fiats. Either the ground was too hard and dry, or they 

 preferred the plentiful berries nearer their mountain 

 home. 



Saddling our ponies, we rode across the valley, to bring 

 in the doe I had killed. Taking the horses as near as 

 possible, to the gulch, we cut her in half, bringing down 

 only the hind quarters. In the morning Billy took up 

 his traps, bringing in three beavers and two foxes, one 

 handsome crossfox got away, pulling out the stake; it 

 must have been a beauty, to judge from the long silken 

 fur we found, but in spite of all searcliing he could not 

 be found. We left the Cape Horn country, and camped 

 several miles below the cabin. Friday we had a steep 

 climb, and went down to Bear Valley, where, at the 

 upper end, we established camp. It is a beautiful valley , 

 very wide, and about 15 miles long, cut in two by a fork 

 of the Salmon River, and inclosed by sloping moun- 

 tains. 



Saturday we started on our tour of exploration, Billy 

 to examine the rivers and creeks for fur-bearing animals, 

 while Charles and myself were in search of large game. 

 We followed the fresh tracks of a band of seven elk. 

 Coming to the south branch of the river, where they had 

 crossed, we had to construct a bridge by throwing trees 

 and logs across, when it began to hail, and a heavy storm 

 was approaching. We thought it wise not to follow the 

 elk, but to get back to camp, as our tent was not set and 

 our things were lying around loose. We returned and 

 had our tent up, and had just finished a windbreak, when 

 the storm came upon us. The next morning the air was 

 pure and fresh, and we all started for a roundabout trip. 

 Bdly helped us to construct a bridge across the river, he 

 remaining on the camp side to look after his traps; while 

 after balancing ourselves across the slippery logs, we 

 separated, Charles taking a high ridge, and I keeping 

 lower down the sidehiU. Coming abo^e a small grove of 

 quaking asps, I noticed fresh deer signs, and the next 

 minute a noble buck jumped up and put eff down the 

 hill. He stopped within easy rifle range, looking back at 



me. Forgetting all my good resolutions of respecting 

 the Sabbath, and being'out of meat and out of lard, I put 

 my rifle up in an instant, Remembering the express 

 bullet, I sighted at his neck, which was partly bent back. 

 The ball struck his shoulder, and glancing along, cut a 

 deep furrow; but the scattering pieceB, which will always 

 break from a hollow bullet, cut a fearful hole, acting like 

 dynamite. He made two or three frantic leaps, when he 

 collapsed, painting everything crimson with his life 

 blood. It was a very large and fat animal, with magnifi- 

 cent antlers. I dressed and hung it partly on a tree. 

 Going to a creek to wash the blood off my hands, I saw 

 another one standing not 50yds. away. I drew a fine 

 bead between his eyes, but did not shoot; and he sud- 

 denly scampered off into the brush, not knowing what a 

 close escape he had for his life. I sat down to eat my 

 lunch and wait for Charles to come; but being on the 

 other side, he had not heard my shot. He felt sorry 

 when he came in camp, as he also had killed a very large 

 buck. F. B. 



MAINE DEER HUNTERS HUNTED. 



I^HE deer doggers are occasionally brought to justice, 

 but it has to be done in Maine, and somehow it takes 

 the energy of Commissioner Stilwell to put the thing 

 through. Three men, termed Boston sportsmen, though 

 there is at present no evidence that they belong in Bos- 

 ton, have lately come to grief for the illegal hunting of 

 deer in Maine, both in close time and with dogs — they 

 have come to grief in a way that they wiU not like to re- 

 peat. The thing happened in the vicinity of the famous 

 Nicatouse Lake, about the only section of that State 

 where the dogging of deer is rather aided and abetted by 

 the inhabitants. The newspaper accounts are very glow- 

 ing concerning the affair; one paper claiming that the 

 game laws have given the State more trouble than all the 

 rest of her statute book„ but never once remarking that 

 the simple way for the poacher is to let the deer alone in 

 close time, and in the open season not to hunt them with 

 dogs. 



In a true statement of the case it appears that Commis- 

 sioner Stilwell became convinced the last week of the 

 close time that pai'ties were killing deer, and with dogs, 

 in the near vicinity of Nicatouse Lake, and accordingly 

 he dispatched wardens French, of Calais, and Pond, of 

 Princeton, to look up the matter. The wardens adopted 

 the Indian plan of camping on the track of the sports- 

 men. They followed a party of three, with their guide, 

 into the woods, and they reached the hunting grounds at 

 about the same time, though the sportsmen had not the 

 slightest idea that they were being watched. On Wed- 

 nesday morning, on the borders of Cassabeus Pond, the 

 wardens first discovered their men. They came up 

 within 200ft. of then camp and hiding in the woods, they 

 heard the conversation of the hunters. They were pre- 

 paring for the hunt. They had wdth them two valuable 

 dogs. They were heard to remark that there was no 

 danger from wardens, and said that they would carry 

 out the following week three deer each. They started 

 out early and the wardens followed them all day, cover- 

 ing themselves by the trees and bushes. The dogs got 

 on the track of several deer, but lost them in the water, 

 and the men shot none. They returned to camp, followed 

 by the wardens. The latter slept with no covering but 

 boughs, only a mile from the men they were watching. 

 The next morning at daylight they again made their way 

 to the sportsmen's camp and repeated the programme of 

 the previous day, but the Boston gentlemen were more 

 fortunate. About noon one of then- dogs i ot on a deer 

 scent and soon ran him down. French and Pond were in 

 at the death, but were unseen. One of the sportsmen 

 dispatched the animal by a fine shot, amid great excite- 

 ment. 



That night the wardens camped again only a short dis- 

 tance from their men. The night was intensely cold, but 

 wardens Pond and French are not men to flinch when 

 there are deer doggers to be caught. They had no 

 blankets, but there was promise of more sport the next 

 day, and that kept them warm. In the afternoon the 

 hunters got on the trail of more deer. A noble buck, 

 scared by dogs, turned and came back in the direction of 

 the wardens. The latter, standing on the bank of a small 

 stream, heard him coming, and dropped into the bushes 

 to let h:m with his pursuers pass, but the deer was 

 brought to bay in the stream and the sportsmen cama up 

 at once. Warden Pond found himself in direct range, 

 and scrambled for a pile of fallen logs. Then came a 

 regular shower of bullets, and the two volleys fired by 

 the men went plump into the logs in front of the war- 

 den's body. 



In this place of ambush the wardens soon saw another 

 deer killed, but the bullets came altogether too near for 

 comfort. They now had two cases of deer dogging and 

 killing in close time, and they thought best to communi- 

 cate with the commissioners. They started on foot f our- 

 teen miles, and by canoe twelve miles to the town of 

 Weymouth. Here they stopped for food, being nearly 

 starved. But that night they again started on foot for 

 Winn, twenty-three miles away, and reached there at 4 

 o'clock in the morning, tired and footsore. They then 

 went to Bangor by rail, but as the offense had been com- 

 mitted in Hancock county, they had to go to Bucksport 

 for warrants. These they obtained, and started back for 

 Cassabeus Pond to find their men. 



The wardens again came upon them early Tuesday 

 morning, just as they were breaking camp. They arrested 

 them, after some fussing and fuming by the hunters, but 

 by the time they reached Bucksport, where they were 

 taken for trial, they had concluded to surrender. On 

 the way the wardens had also drawn into the service 

 Warden McLane of Mattawamkeag, so that there were 

 three rather formidable men against the Boston sports- 

 men, should they offer any resistance. At Bucksport 

 they were arraigned before Trial Justice Ames. There 

 were penalties recoverable upon all the charges for which 

 the offending parties were liable, to the amount ofi$l,(!00, 

 but as they made no defense, they were only mulcted upon 

 two charges each, in the sum of $200. making the entire 

 penalties and costs up to $900. Hon. T. W. Vose ap- 

 peared for the State. Under the new law, evolved from 

 the intelligence (?) of the last Maine Legislature, the 

 penalties now all go to the county where the offense is 

 committed, and hence the worthy wardens in this case do 

 not get half, as formerly. The wardens have the credit 

 of a masterly piece of detective work, done in the woods 

 and under extreme difficulties. The sportsmen did not 

 know of their presence till they were arrested. Neither 



did Jack Darling, the famous Nicatouse landlord, know 

 that the wardens were in the woods. It is a facetious re- 

 mark of one well posted, that if all the cussedness going 

 on in Hancock county — breaches of the game laws in 

 particular — "could be cashed in the form of penalties, 

 the County Treasurer at Ellsworth would have about 

 money enough to pay the national debt." The names of 

 the offenders above mentioned have not been given to 

 the public; they called themselves Richard Roe, John 

 Doe and Mr. Poe. Special. 



SHOOTING NOTES. 



SOME six years ago a great spring tide rolled in upon 

 the marshes in the eastern Virginia broadwater, and 

 strange to say destroyed hundreds of clapper rail, (mud 

 hens). These were washed from the great Matulican 

 marsh, and were frund dead along the mainland shores of 

 Accomac and North Hampton counties. A similar tide 

 visited the coast of Georgia on Sunday, Sept. 18. It was 

 caused by a terrific northeaster. Fourteen miles south of 

 Savannah the marshlands were inundated and on it hun- 

 dreds of rail were shot. The birds were pushed for and 

 some of the gunners boated as high as seventy rail. 



Prairie chickens are very scarce this season in southern 

 Kansas. I have a friend who resides near Osage Mission, 

 who writes me that there is not one bird there to where 

 there were one hundred three years ago. Tbis diminu- 

 tion was caused by the great snows and severe cold of the 

 winter of 1884-5, which compelled the birds to migrate 

 to the Indian Territory and Texas. The same winter de- 

 stroyed the quail in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and 

 Indiana. It will take many successive mild winters to 

 restock these sections. In northern Indiana the quail are 

 very scarce. The shooters there, however, enjoyed won- 

 derfully fine snipe shooting there last spring, and the 

 birds have just returned to the same ground to give the 

 sportsmen their second innings. 



About this time of year the boundary line be- 

 tween New York and New Jersey becomes obliterated 

 in the minds of many New Jersey shooters. For this 

 reason hundreds of ruffed grouse (partridges) are illegally 

 shot in New Jersey. The season for these birds dees not 

 open in New Jersey until Nov. 1, while in Now York 

 they can be killed on Sept. 1. Thus a mere unmarked 

 boundary line divides the season by two whole months. 



I have just come from northern New Jersey and found 

 the swamp lands in good order for woodcock and some 

 few birds scattered over the best ground. This especially 

 applies to the bog meadow lands in the mountains of Sus- 

 sex county. On Greenwood Lake there are a few wild 

 ducks, each of which has been shot at over fifty times. 

 A few teal are knocking about Newark Bay and the Eliza- 

 bethtown meadows. 



On Saturday, the duck shooting begins on Barnegat 

 Bay; at least 1 am told so by a Point Pleasant bayman. 

 The rail shooting on the Raritan and Hackensack proved 

 a fizzle. Bay shooting, however, on the snipe marshes of 

 the first named river has been as good as the average. 

 Already three have been made "ciipples" this month. 

 The last case was on Monday, when Peter Jones, of New- 

 ark, had part of his thigh removed by a New Brunswick 

 friend named George Nolan. 



From Connecticut I hear very discouraging accounts of 

 the quail crop. Even those who preserve lands are com- 

 plaining. This will make the sportsnu n fall back on the 

 partridge (ruffed grouse) and woodcock. A friend of 

 mine has just been telling me something about the new 

 Marlborough Gun Club, whose object is the leasing of 

 lands and waters for shooting, fishing and hunting pur- 

 poses; also the restocking of the same. It has secured 

 5,700 acres of land in the southeastern corner of Hartford 

 county, adjoining Middlesex and Tolland counties, Con- 

 necticut. The land is leased direct from the farmers. 

 The tract is in Marlborough township, which is about ten 

 miles square, with only an inhabitance of 500. The char- 

 acter of the county is rough at d hilly, with some farm- 

 ing land devoted to the raising of grain and buck- 

 wheat. The members stop with a farmer by the name of 

 Samuel J. Coleman, who looks after their interests. The 

 officers of the club just elected are: President, Wilson 

 De Peyster; vice-president, James M. Bloomfield; treas- 

 urer, Gustavo Walters: secretary, ; trustees, officers 



ex- officio: W. B. Putney, B. B. Hopkins and Edgar De 

 Peyster. Among the members are: John D. Cheever, 

 A. W. Belding, M. M. Belding, Edgarton Bynner, J. G. 

 Dettmer, Wm. G. De Witt; Dr. Z. T. Emery, Jas. W. 

 Fellows, E. M. Le Moyne, J. C. Monroe, Duncan K. Major, 

 Wm. B. McKean, Jas. R. Michael, Dr. Henry G. Piffard, 

 Wm. J. Swan, R. S. Sinciair, John B. Wallace and J. P. 

 Walters. There are plenty of partridges on the tract, 

 some woodcock and a few quail. The club ordered several 

 hundred birds in the winter for re-stocking purposes but 

 the shipment failed to reach the club as promised last 

 spring. The club is not an expensive one to belong to. 



An easterly wind brings news from what is going on at 

 Shinnecock Bay, Long Island. The warm weather of 

 the latter part of last week checked the flight of fowl. 

 But later on there should be plenty after every rough 

 storm, as there is an abundance of feed in the bay. This 

 is in deep water. A succession of high tides and the 

 closing up of the inlet are much against shooting, how- 

 ever. Windy weather will drive the birds on the flats 

 and make some shooting, but the water on the shoals 

 will be too deep for the batteries. The best place in the 

 bay to go will be William A. Lane's. Mr. Lane is well 

 posted and the men from his house get the best of what 

 is going on. The snipe shooting on his island has been 

 the best this season in ten years. There are birds to come 

 yet, but the water is getting too high to do much with 

 them. The Wise Acre. 



New York, Oct. 11. 



Adirondack Deer.— Number Four, N. Y., Oct. 6.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: The open season for hound- 

 ing deer, which closed yesterday, has not been a very 

 successful one, not many deer having been killed in 

 this section. The Beaver River Club, who are bitterly 

 opposed to hounding deer, have by their influence and 

 example nearly abolished that cruel and destructive mode 

 of hunting throughout the entire Beaver River country, 

 and the good results are apparent. Deer were never 

 known to be so plentiful as now. If there is any one 

 who does not believe that a strict non-hounding law is 

 the best measure for the protection of deer, let him visit 

 the Beaver River country this fall and he will go back a 

 wiser and better man.— Musset, 



