Dec, i, 1887.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



365 



enjoyment of his land and improvements lie may make 

 upon it. Allow him to recover damage by trespass to 

 the amount of the actual damage done, but leave the 

 game for the benefit of all humanity. 



In the State of Maine, or in my own State, New Hamp- 

 shire, what a mine of wealth is our game and fish; our 

 people are beginning to realize it too. It should always 

 remain so, and in my opinion this can be done by con- 

 tinuing as we are now, i. e. , making our game and fish 

 free to all who come among us— treating rich and poor 

 alike. With restrictions as to amount of trout taken and 

 non-transportation to points outside the State for game, 

 our game and fish are rapidly increasing, and the revenue 

 to be derived by all parties in any way interested in the 

 transportation and keeping of sportsmen is sure to be 

 rapidly increased in the near future. 



In speaking of "free" shooting let no one think a "free 

 game law" is meant. No one can look with more respect 

 upon a stringent code of game laws than the writer. In 

 his opinion only one thing more is Heeded for our New 

 Hampshire game laws — more money to enforce them. 

 Thanks to our present able commissioners and the exist- 

 ence of our non-transportation law, birds have been 

 plentier in this section at least than for years previous. 

 With a little larger appropriation from the State still 

 better results are sure. 



But let me ask— supposing the larger appropriation is 

 made— who is to benefit from it? The people at large, or 

 a favored few, who, under a lease system, would be 

 euabled to enjoy the benefit from a sum taken from the 

 taxes of the many. Would not this be class legislation? 



W. H. B. 



Nashua, N. H., Nov. 19. 



MICHIGAN DEER. 



EAST SAGINAW, Mich., Nov. 23.— -Editor Forest and 

 Stream: I inclose you two clippings from Grand 

 Rapids papers, showing what our warden system is doing 

 to prevent the shipment of deer out of the State, and, it 

 seemed to me, they speak well for our State game warden's 

 zeal and grit. He certainly has not neglected an oppor- 

 tunity to bring suit against violators of our game law. 

 The first, from the Grand Rapids Telegram-Herald, is as 

 follows: 



The zeal and enthusiasm with which Game Warden William 

 Alden Smith and some of his deputies are enforcing the Michigan 

 game laws may yet lead to a war between the Badgers and the 

 Wolverines. The deer hunting season, now ended, has stirred the 

 wardens of the Upper Peninsula of this happy hunting ground to 

 unusual activity with reference to the shipping of venison out of 

 the State. By consulting the map of Michigan it will be seen that 

 the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, starting in Wisconsin, 

 crosses the line of the Badger State, and runs into Michigan 

 through the whole, length of Menominee county, and then down 

 Green Bay, and so on to Milwaukee and Chicago. This road has 

 been a picnic for hunters who slaughter deer in Michigan, take 

 the carcasses across the line to Florence, Wis., and ship them 

 back through Menominee county and thence down to Ohio and 

 Indiana. Game Warden Smith instructed S. E. Baker and Edward 

 Kramer, deputies for Menominee county, to see that the law was 

 strictly enforced, and the result is that thousands of pounds of 

 venison have been stopped at Powers, Mich., and the shippers 

 arrested. Deputy Baker writes that he does not "propose to let 

 the Buckwheats and Hoosiers get away with any of our meat," 

 and that he has stopped over fifty deer and has "twenty-five more 

 piled np at Iron Mountain with e'ight men in charge of officers. 1 ' 



This deputy warden's zeal has been made the subject of editor- 

 ial correspondence between Governor Rusk, of Wisconsin, and 

 Luce, of Michigan. Henry C. Campbell, editor of the Florence, 

 Wis., Mining A T eivs, had a deer stopped while in transit over the 

 Chicago & Northwestern Railway, and immediately wrote Gov. 

 Rusk, demanding that an investigation be made of the acts of the 

 Michigan game wardens. Ho characterized the matter as "an 

 outrage on a citizen of Wisconsin." Gov. Rusk forwarded the 

 letter to Gov. Luce, who in turn referred the matter to Game 

 Warden Smith. 



Mr. Smith is not apprehensive that an inter-State war will re- 

 sult, and stands strongly by his deputies, particularly Deputy 

 Baker, who has convicted every man so far arrested, among others 

 Mr. Nicolls, the wealthy Battle Creek manufacturer, who was 

 fined §50 for killing deer out of season, 



The Teiajram- Herald would advise that Wisconsin editor to 

 come over to Grand Rapids, and if he is at all like Michigan editors 

 he ca.n find all the "dears' 1 he wants — and if he will go over to 

 Muskegon he can find some that may he shipped out of the State 

 without anybody making a complaint. 



The other I take from the Grand Rapids Eagle: 



Two Indiana sportsmen were taught a deer lesson last night by 

 the powerful teacher of the State game laws. Tlie men, George 

 Marsh and Wallace Hannah, had been up among the northern 

 pines hunting wild game and succeeded so well they concluded to 

 ship a portion of their venison to Hoosierdom. They packed the 

 hides and carcasses in a box trunk and at Luther checked the 

 same to Decatur, Ind. Deputy Warden Spofford, of Cadillac, 

 believing they were evading the law, telegraphed State Game 

 Warden Smith to intercept the party while in transit. The dis- 

 patch was given to Deputy L. A. Towne, w T ho hastened to the 

 Union Depot, and on the arrival of the train bearing the violators 

 he soon gained possession of the venison and the hunters. It' re- 

 quired some clever work, and a determination to enforce the law, 

 but the deputy came off victorious. The men at first stoutly 

 denied having deer meat in their boxes, but on opening them their 

 deception was discovered and the men were taken to the jail for 

 violating Act 151, Session Laws of 1881, which strictly prohibits 

 the. exporting of game from the State. The father of Geo. Marsh 

 was one of the number, but no venison being found in his pos- 

 session, and being a very old man, he was allowed to go his way. 

 To facilitate matters the m«n were taken before Justice Walsh 

 and there they pleaded guilty and were, fined 550 and costs amount- 

 ing to $5.10. They had $40 in ready cash and were placed in 

 custody of the. officers to secure, the balance. 



On leaving they expressed themselves as having learned a lesson 

 never to be forgotten, and went home this morning wearing long 

 faces, sadder, poorer, and wiser men. 



In making the arrest, the deputy discovered other pieces of bag- 

 gage which he believed contained venison, and detained one box 

 directed to Warren, Ind. On opening it later in the evening it 

 was found to contain some 751hs. of venison, and this fact being 

 admitted, Game Warden Smith will begin proceedings against 

 the company, with the understanding that the case will be carried 

 to the Supreme Court, with a view of obtaining a decision as to the 

 validity of the law. The capture, the hearing, and the payment 

 of the fine all took place within four hours' time. Swift justice, 

 indeed; a word to the wise is sufficient. 



A good deal of deer hounding is being done on the 

 quiet, but the majority of parties that have usually 

 flocked into the Michigan woods with their hounds have 

 this year either given it up altogether or gone in as still- 

 hunters. I have held to the opinion that Michigan deer 

 would be made to last longer by rigidly enforcing the law 

 we had previous to the one tha,t prohibited the use of 

 dogs, and on these grounds: In the first place our State 

 is surrounded by lakes, and it is impossible to drive the 

 deer out of tUe State with hounds; they wotdd merely 

 move from one part to another; in the next place, a well, 

 healthy deer is not run down and mercilessly chewed up 

 by any deer dog I ever knew of ; it is only the wounded 

 animals that are caught and pulled down, and these, of 

 course, it is a mercy to put out of their misery. But the 

 strongest argument in favor of deer hounding is the fact 

 that it was the still-hunters themselves and the market- 

 hunters who were always crying out against the hounds; 

 not that they wanted to save the deer, but that they 

 wanted to kill more. They used to say that if the hounds 



were taken out of the woods they could kill four times 

 the number of deer they could with the hounds keeping 

 the deer on the alert. A party of nine or ten 

 hunters with their hounds would go into the 

 woods and stay say two weeks, and if they killed 

 five or six deer they considered they had had 

 excellent sport, which you can see was not an 

 average of more than a deer to a man for two weeks; but 

 let one or two good still-hunters go into a section, where 

 the deer have not been disturbed by the dogs, and there is 

 good tracking snow, and they used to boast that they could 

 average from two to three per day to a man, and they did 

 it for the almighty dollar every time. But now that we 

 have been beaten in this matter, and the State Legislature 

 has seen fit to pass a law preventing the use of dogs, I say, 

 live up to the law no matter whereit pinches, and if it is 

 no sport for me to hunt deer without dogs, why I can give 

 it up. 



Our hunting parties were not made up for the amount 

 of meat we could get, but with five or six jovial compan- 

 ions, a two weeks' outing beside one of the many inland 

 lakes or running streams in northern Michigan, with the 

 music of the hounds for a short time each day, to 

 break the monotony, was not to be despised. I do not 

 want to be understood as being in favor at any time of 

 running deer into the water, and shooting them while 

 swi turning, and our law especially prohibited this. But a 

 man that could stand on some old woods road and with a 

 rifle nip off a deer going at full speed before the dogs, had 

 reason to be proud of his marksmanship and satisfied, if 

 successful even onGe, for an entire year. 



W. B. Mershon. 



THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION. 



THE meeting at the Tremont House, Boston, of the 

 Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Associa- 

 tion, on Tuesday evening of last week, began what it is 

 hoped will prove an important combination for the pro- 

 tection of the interests of Massachusetts sportsmen and 

 the game interests of the State. 



Fifty gentlemen from many parts of the State, met for 

 mutual acquaintance and also for interchange of thought 

 and idea. 



The following are some of those present from out of 

 town: Prest. L. G.White and Mr. Knowles, of the Wor- 

 cester Sportsman's Club; Prest. Hunting and Sec'y R. L. 

 Eaton, of the Natick Club; Prest. Baker and Sec'y Geo. 

 A. Phillips, of the Dedham Club; Sec'y S, A. Derby, of the 

 Lowell Rod and Gun Club; Dr. J. H. Wright, of the Med- 

 field Sportsman's Club, and many others. 



The meeting of the different associations was in re- 

 sponse to invitations sent to 24 sporting clubs throughout 

 the State, with the following explanatory circular in- 

 closed: 



"The time has come when sportsmen and anglers throughout 

 the State should co-operate to obtain proper legislation for pro- 

 tecting our game and fish, and for enforcing the laws at present 

 upon our statute hooks, now practically null and void from non- 

 enforcement. All persons at all conversant with the subject are 

 aware what practical laws, and practical enforcement of the same, 

 have done for the fish and game interests of the State of Maine; 

 and there is nothing visionary in the thought that, with the 

 same methods like results may come in Massachusetts also. Our 

 Association, for the last fifteen years, has spent its money, its time 

 and influence, for the purpose of furthering the interests of every 

 SDortsman and fisherman throughout the commonwealth. We 

 have accomplished something; we have done all we could, and 

 now, when the time seems propitious for doing practical, success- 

 ful work for accomplishing our aims, we ask your aid and your 

 co-operation— not for ourselves, but lor every lover of rod and 

 gun or bird and fish. For the Massachusetts Fish and Game Pro- 

 tective Association, Henrv .T. Thayeu, Secretary." 



Resolutions were presented and and adopted in mem- 

 ory of the late Spencer F. Baird, recognizing the mani- 

 fold labors and remarkable powers of observation, the 

 great learning and admirable methods he brought to pro- 

 mote the objects of the Commission and the industrial 

 prosperity of the country. 



In presenting for discussion the principal object of the 

 meeting President Samuels reviewed briefly the history 

 of attempts of the Association to further the game in- 

 terests, referring specially to the iniquitous law upon our 

 statute book permitting the snaring of ruffed grouse, 

 practically without let or hindrance; and then he called 

 upon Maj. L. G. White, of Worcester, who spoke of the 

 game, particularly ruffed grouse, which in his opinion 

 could easily hold their own against the gun, but not the 

 snare. Mr. L. A. Derby, of Lowell, gave his experience 

 in confirmation of the statements of Maj. White, but also 

 thought that open seasons should be the same for part- 

 ridge and for woodcock, say from Sept. 1 to Dec. 1, or 

 Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Mr. Knowles, of Worcester, thought 

 that Aug. 1 for woodcock and Oct. 1 for partridge meant 

 chicken partridge in market in August, that, and nothing 

 more nor less. Some persons say, "Open the season Sept. 

 1," some "Oct. 1," but as for him either, if they both 

 open at the same time. 



Mr. Hunting, of Natick, thought that if snaring were 

 abolished, as it should be done, sportsmen could have 

 shooting in Massachusetts instead of going to Connecticut 

 or New Hampshire and Maine for sport, and then be able 

 to bring home their game instead of leaving it behind as 

 now one must if shooting in either of these States. He 

 knew of one person who ran a line of 300 snares, from 

 which in three days only 41 partridges were taken. 

 Snares meant murder and extermination, nothing else. 



Dr. Wright, of Medfield, thought woodcock in August 

 meant partridge murdered under the name of "short- 

 billed cock;" that the opening day should be alike, either 

 Sept. 1, Sept. 15 or Oct. 1. 



Many others spoke upon the same subjects, but all con- 

 curred in the belief that snares should go, and that ener- 

 getic, work ought to be done to bring forth something 

 practical for a game law instead of the present inefficient 

 makeshift, and the following was 



Resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting that the present 

 law upon the statute book of Massachusetts permitting snaring 

 should be abrogated, and that the open time for rutted grouse and 

 for woodcock should commence the same, either on Sept. 1 or 15. 



Hub. 



Wild Geese.— Brooklyn, Nov. 27.— The largest flock 

 of wild geese that ever came under my observation 

 crossed my house on Sunday a few minutes to 12. I keep 

 a flock of homing pigeons on my roof, and while watch- 

 ing them I saw the geese cross. I went down for my 

 field-glass and counted 103, nine of them in a triangle in 

 front, the rest in single file. Three of my friends made 

 the same count, so it must be correct. The flock was 

 | nearly three blocks in length. — F. A. S. 



EXPRESS COMPANIES AND THE GAME. 



CHICAGO, Nov. 26.— Editor Forest and Stream: Will 

 you please publish the inclosed circular recently 

 issued by the United States and American Express to 

 their agents, notifying them that they must refuse to re- 

 ceive for shipment any game out of the States of Indiana, 

 Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Dakota Ter- 

 ritory? This is a move in the right direction. Now, if 

 the lovers of game will assist in putting a stop to the 

 work of market-hunters and game dealers in these dif- 

 ferent States and Territories, there will be an immense 

 amount saved every year and we shall soon have plenty 

 of sport for the amateur sportsman. M. R. Bortree. 



Ohicaoo, 111., Nov. 7, 1887.— To Agents United States and Ameri 

 can Express (kmipank-a: Your attention is again (sailed to the 

 game laws of the different States in the Northwest, a synopsis of 

 which is given below. It is our desire and intention to comply 

 with the laws, and you are again cautioned against receiving for 

 shipment any game contrary to the laws of your State. Parties 

 offering you packages, boxes or barrels for shipment, which you 

 have good reason to believe contain game, which it is unlawful to 

 ship, must be required to show you the contents thereof before 

 receipting for same, and if found to contain such game, you will 

 refuse the shipment. These game laws are. enacted to benefit the 

 people at large, and should he respected by all law-abiding citi- 

 zens. We will not knowingly be a party to any violation of these 

 laws. You will govern yourselves accordingly. 



Dakota.— It is unlawful to ship the carcass of any buffalo, elk, 

 deer, antelope or mountain sheep to points outside the Territory, 

 at any time or for any purpose. The killing of game birds for 

 traffic is also unlawful, except that any of such bird's, not to ex- 

 ceed one dozen in one day ; may be sold to any person for his own 

 use, to he consumed within the Territory during the authorized 

 killing season. 



Iowa— It is unlawful to kill for traffic at any time pinnated 

 grouse, prairie chicken, snipe, woodcock, quail, ruffed grouse or 

 pheasant. The exportation or game birds is prohibited, but it is 

 lawful for any person to ship to any other person within the State 

 game birds not exceeding one dozen in number in one day during 

 the season that killing is authorized. 



Michigan.— On the Upper Peninsula the prohibitory season for 

 deer is from Aug. 15 until Nov. 15. 



Wisconsin.— Deer maybe killed during tho authorized season for 

 food for consumption within the State only. The transportation 

 from the State is prohibited of any game bird or animal mentioned 

 above (wild pigeons and beaver, mink, muskrat, or other fur- 

 bearing animal excepted) caught or killed in the State. 



Indiana.— It is a criminal offense, punishable by fine, to receive 

 for transportation any quail, grouse, deer, pheasant, wild duck or 

 prairie chickens. 



Minnesota.— The law provides that none of the following-named 

 animals or birds shall be transported beyond the limits of the 

 State of Minnesota at any time; but this law docs not apply to 

 shipments of game from, other States into or through the State of 

 Minnesota: Woodcock, quail, pinnated grouse, prairie chicken, 

 ruffed grouse, partridge, pheasant, wild goose, duck, brant or 

 other waterfowl, and teal. 



United States Express Co. 

 (By C. H. Crosbv, Vice-Pres. and Gen. Manager.) 

 American Express Co. 

 (By A. Antisdel, Ass't Gen. Manager.) 



NOTES FROM ONTARIO. 



BRANTFORD, Ont., Nov. 18.— Game of all kinds has 

 been unusually scarce this season here and in ad- 

 joining towns. The cause of this is the oft repeated old, 

 old story, insufficient protection during the breeding and 

 close season. 



There is no lack of good covers in this vicinity, which 

 if properly protected would give good ruffed grouse, 

 woodcock and quail shooting during the autumn months. 

 A small number of gentlemen, Mr. Geo. Henwood and a 

 few others, are trying to work up an interest among the 

 gun bearers of this county in fish and game protection, 

 but so far they have received little or no encouragement, 

 and every possible obstacle has been placed in their way 

 to prevent them from having the game laws enforced. 



No man is deserving the title of sportsman whose life is 

 such as will carry his name down to posterity as one 

 whose desire was to destroy instead of protect and propa- 

 gate. Good, healthy, legitimate sport with the gun and 

 rod makes a man's life brighter, happier and prolonged, 

 while the cruel, selfish greed of the pot-hunter gives him 

 no happiness beyond gratifying the lust of destroying, 

 not pleasure but a devilish, insane sort of frenzy which is 

 unsatisfying in its effect, a direct contrast to the true 

 sportsman's pleasure, which leaves nothing but pleasant 

 recollections behind. 



It is to be hoped that the readers of the Forest and 

 Stream in this vicinity will without delay form a fish 

 and game protection society; if so, good results will be 

 sure to follow such a movement. Stanstead. 



Pacific Wild Fowl.— The Breeder and Sportsman 

 comments thus on the recent letter from a San Francisco 

 sportsman in our columns respecting the edible qualities 

 of ducks in that vicinity: "It seems singular that any one 

 can be so silly as the querist quoted. If he is about San 

 Francisco, a statement which we cannot but doubt, he 

 must know that the merest moiety of the birds marketed 

 is brought from the salt marshes near Alvarado, Alameda, 

 or anywhere else where marshes are salt. The San Fran- 

 cisco markets arc supplied from the great fresh-water 

 swamps along the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, 

 and from Tulare Lake. Thousands of birds are killed on 

 the plains about Merced, where grasses and grams are the 

 only food. It has been our privilege to offer birds killed 

 within seventy miles of San Francisco to many a visiting 

 sportsman. Mallards, canvasbacks,sprig,teal,gadwall,and 

 all the rest have been placed before guests who were per- 

 fectly competent to sit in judgment, and as a rule the 

 opinion has been that they were as good as birds of like 

 varieties killed either along the great inland flights of the 

 mid-continent or among the sand dunes and sedge of the 

 Eastern seaboard. Rich food in the greatest plenty is 

 found where pretty much all ducks sent to San Francisco 

 are killed. Celery and several other bulbous water weeds 

 abound, the ducks are in sweet water, and there is no 

 reason why they should be rank. Such birds as feed on 

 the salt marsh do acquire a peculiar flavor from the grass 

 seed which they consume, but it is only after some days 

 of such feeding. A flight bud, just in at Alviso or Alva- 

 rado, is as sweet and well flavored as need be. The 

 Forest and Stream's querist is to be pitied if his sports- 

 man's instinct is not Btrong enough to guide him to good 

 shooting grounds about this city." 



Cimarron, Kan., Nov. 20, — Ducks are scarce in south- 

 west Kansas this season, cause, not much feed and they 

 pass at once. They are reported as plenty on the Canadian 

 River, Texas, 150 mdes south of here. Four prominent 

 citizens of Warfield were arrested in Indiana Territory 

 last week for hunting without a permit, arrested by 

 Amos Chapman. It is out of the question to get in there 

 and get out unmolested without a permit.— W. J. D. 



