Jan. 27, 1887.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Pub. Co, 



ELK IN THE RIDING MOUNTAIN. 



ELK there are in the Riding Mountain , but of little 

 cheer is this to any but the Indian, whose time be- 

 ing nothing, can camp upon the trail, and thus by more 

 than "dogged" perseverance some time come up with the 

 game. It is the noisy hazel brush that hinders a man 

 in any haste from being able to approach his quarry. In- 

 deed this drawback holds in hunting the jumping deer, 

 the blacktail, and the moose, but interferes' less in coming 

 up with the moose by reason of the altogether different 

 mode of approach. Even with a, suit of the Hudson's Bay 

 duffle, which is exceedingly heavy woolen goods resem- 

 bling blanketing, but being much heavier, with long 

 nap, as little likely to create a rustle as a beaver skin — 

 even with this soft, feathery suit one cannot make noise- 

 less movements. The hazel rods and limbs will switch 

 and scratch and screech, sawing across one another as 

 you push a passage through. 



A band of elk will lie well surrounded by these noisy 

 signals, and will also stand to calculate, in such places 

 after having been disturbed. This advantage, together 

 with standing up tip-toe high on tho best points for out- 

 look, and being able to look so penetratingly, insures this 

 game against the following of any impatient hunter. 



That piercing power of vision possessed by the elk is 

 known to those who have paid, by experience, so dearly 

 for the learning, or by those who have made the eyes of 

 deer a study, it being conceded that the animals with tho 

 little bare tear course chained by the aperture from the 

 outside into tho nostril have the strongest vision, and can 

 look for the greatest length of time steadfastly at a given 

 mark, and are less affected by wind or anything which 

 causes sight to weary or to blur, Well, with such eyes 

 and with such tell-tale hazel brash the elk might be p're- 

 Bumed to be, roughly speaking, safe. 



It was afternoon when the' Poet and myself from one 

 point of the compass arrived, the other two members of 

 the party having come from the opposite direction and 



E itched the tent. In addition to pitching the tent the 

 oys had been out on the reconnoiter, had discovered and 

 surprised the enemy, causing the "redcoats'' to beat a 

 double quick retreat. After a hasty dinner or "snack," 

 we all assembled on the field of bloodlecs interview, now 

 two hours silent since the advancing, surprising, charg- 

 ing, struggling for position, and final stampede, all of 

 which was portrayed with demonstrative exactness and 

 particularity to us of the detachment who had brought 

 up the rear. We of recent arrival took our orders and all 

 proceeded, covering a line of half a mile in breadth, cer- 

 tain that by keeping the trail between the two center men 

 we should come up with the game, which to the two par- 

 ties of the first part appeared bo stupid as in twos they 

 stood up against the sky on some promontory like a team 

 of horses 17ft. high, even the two small ones were avowed 

 "as big as any mules." The Poet inquired if the compari- 

 son was not with horses 17 hands high, but tho excited 

 narrator returned a hasty aud chilling look which un- 

 equivocally reaffirmed the original terms as time. How 

 perplexing to find that after tearing through hazel brush 

 from bluff to bluff, the only chanca for outlook, and 

 Where we expected to find the bucks which stood 17ft. 

 high, with massive, branching antlers, presenting a large 

 mark for a long shot, that we were rouud near camp, and 

 that the shades were begiiming to stretch and would soon 

 reach us. 



Yes, these four or five elk had run from height to 

 height and circled as they ran, passing within a few 

 hundred yards of our camp. The two inside men met 

 on every hilltop to look and to confer, and from them 

 we outposters received details at supper of ho«v those 

 fabulous creatures ran, and stood and pawed, and leaped 

 and — left. Upon commg into camp we put on our over- 

 coats of fur, turned up the lapels which reached quite 

 above the ears, pulled on our fur mittens, mine f ur-J.inecl , 

 and proceeded to prepare our meal. And no, "spruced up," 

 we ate it: ami thus we turned in with feet in two pair of 

 woollen stockings, a pan of felt socks and moccasins- 

 some of us wearing one or two pairs of insoles besides. 

 It is interesting how quietly 6.2 of frost will change one's 

 opinions about his being "hardy." Our bread stayed 

 frozen though we sat so near that howling fire that our 

 cheeks were slightly scorched. With the tent door near 

 to those large hardwood logs inclosing the bushels of 

 sparkling c lis we slept. Beds of evergreen boughs, with 

 a ground b] nket, two pairs of woollen blankets and a 

 buffalo skin 'or two was the rule. In such a tenioeraturc 

 onewondert at the smallness of the measure of warmth 

 in the huma frame. Every two "spoon it,'' you better 

 believe. W slept and waked and arose and built iires— 

 ■ which had >en frequently renewed during that lon°- 

 night — and r ?, and started. 



On the way to take up our elk trail and just at peep of 

 day, the Poet saw, or thought he saw, deer hide. We all 

 heard the tramping, and upon the order being given by 

 one of the boys to "fire," that rifle went up and belched 

 forth flame, lifting up an awful voice simultaneously. A 

 bleat and frightened yell combined fell upon our ears 

 from three rods distance, unmistakably coming out of a 

 terror-stricken man. Not one of us could speak or move 

 or breathe— for hours, it seemed. "Hello," cried the tall 

 lean man of our crew, "what were you doing up that 

 tree? You don't want to play wildcat else you'll get shot." 

 As we stepped out there stood one of the provoking idiots 

 who go into the woods in deer skin coats. Upon seeing 

 him some of us wished that he had been shot as an ox- 

 ample, and we had the heart to shoot him then, but for 

 the unpleasantness on all sides that might ensue, although 

 fte fool deserved to be mors than shot. How ineffably 

 illy to dress in deer costume even to approach the deer, 

 -t is motion, not color, that attracts a doer's attention— 

 ^.ore on this again. 



It is enough to say that wo were all converts to the 

 white-suit theory for deer hunting, aud we have not apos- 

 tatize 1 in faith. A white suit has the advantage on a 

 jfllside and in some other instances without the proba- 

 bility of being held dead upon by some hasty, or even 

 lautious marksman. Again, in a party one does not miss 



ots through fear that the brown object is his compan- 

 s old dun coat. 



How came it that tho Poet missed his man three rods 

 away? A twig certainly deflected the bullet for the Poet 

 would put the bullet on such a mark at 200yds. condi- 

 tions being favorable. For a fact, that mortal never 

 knew that he was shot at, and never will. He was so 

 much ashamed at having bleated,' so frightened'iifce, that 

 he asked no questions, and we told him no — impromptu 

 histories. We were in no courting humor and made no 

 long stories, but pushed along to take up the trail and do 

 as famously as av o had done execrably the day before. 

 The severe part of this remark refers to the members of 

 the party who stood arguing about elk and "Hopkins's 

 big bay bosses," until tho elk and bosses became identical 

 and more than hopped into the hazel and were gone. 



After taking up the trail the difficulties connected with 

 making time, and with determining, in a few inches of 

 that light snow, which way the game was goiug, together 

 with the mixing of tracks, old and older, when it is so 

 difficult to determine the ago of a track unless it is very 

 fresh, sorely worried us. Many, many miles we traversed 

 but not in a. line direction. One of the party took a 

 track, followed it, and upon abandoning it at last swung 

 to the left to take up the trail of a greater number of the 



anie when he struck the camp. Infuriated at this ad- 



itional reverse he hastened back two miles and began 

 again. After deciding that the tracks wcro going south 

 the proper thing to do is to say, therefore, the game was 

 going north. This is another way of stating that where 

 the foot enters the snow looks like where the foot came 

 out, judging by Eastern standards of moist snow. 



Well, the forenoon's experiences were imitaLed some- 

 what closely even to the extent of stumbling upon the 

 camp by mistake, having made this loft hand turn again 

 on a larger circle. 



"When I registered at the camp the second timo 

 against my will I was truly humiliatocl. The bo3 r s 

 may never know that one of them did something quite 

 so slack. I don't want to lower their good opinion of tho 

 party. Each man returned, having "cork-screwed" the 

 whole mountain over without having seen or heard cither 

 elk or Hopkins's big bay hosses. 



We were not sorry that engagements hindered us from 

 repeating these most provoking experience?. Our report, 

 hence, was that we "Hadn't more'n got beam's when 

 time gin eout," but the secret is so did we. Huron. 



MAINE GAME LAW. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



What should be done and what will be dono during the 

 present session of our Legislature interests all true pro- 

 tectionists in Maine, It is sine that most herculean 

 efforts are being made to abolish the whole by tho 

 poachers. 



We have had most diabolical and wicked acts com- 

 mitted by the poachers in this part of the State during 

 the past two years, which ought to convince all reason- 

 able men that there is but one way out of this dilemma, 

 and that is, hold what we have; make minor changes 

 with great care; give the Commissioners money and men 

 to enforce the laws to the letter; and I would suggest in 

 addition that there be a contigent fund appropriated to 

 aid in the protection of life and property of wardens, and 

 in bringing to justice thoss committing crimes against 

 them. The last session of the Washington county court 

 ought to convince any one of the need. Our blood has 

 not cooled since the murder of Hill and Niles, and to 

 hear such a yell as went up from the poacher comer of 

 the court room when the foreman of the jury in the 

 McFarland trial announced the verdict of "not guilty," 

 was enough to arouse the indignation of all thinking 

 men, for it shows the true animus of those who are now 

 trying to break down our fish and gamo laAvs. What 

 have they done ? One of the most horrid of tragedies is 

 theirs, it does not change facts because McFarland has 

 been acquitted, nor do I say he ought to have been con- 

 victed on the testimony against him, but the demonstra- 

 tion was most cruel to the wife and children cf poor Hill, 

 and could not have emanated from any save those of 

 most cruel hearts. 



The facilities afforded for administering our criminal 

 law do not seem equal to the emergency at this time when 

 crime is rampant and so large a class of lawless men on 

 the move. 



I also believe there is a combination of poachers which 

 extends from the Penobscot to the St. Croix, and to meet 

 this crowd is what protectionists must do this winter. 

 May all bo wise and on hand to do their duty. 



I can do no bettor than give the facts in one case that 

 came up at the last session of court in Machias to show the 

 cold-hearted wickedness of this crowd. In the cases of 

 the two men convicted of burning Warden. Munson's 

 buildings the law court overruled the exceptions in the 

 Devereaux Fenlason case and reported a few weeks before 

 court, whereupon a conspiracy was planned to stay pro- 

 ceedings. A motion for a new trial was expected to be 

 made on the ground of new evidence and the alleged dis- 

 covery of the real criminal. Allen Fenlason, one of the 

 main witnesses for the State, was arrested and incarcer- 

 ated and many Shackers summoned to appear against 

 him, but the plan was apparent, for a portion of the num- 

 ber testified at the trial and conviction of,. Day, when the 

 attempt was made to clear Day, on the ground that Mrs. 

 Munson, her brother and uncle burned the buildings for 

 insurance. Some of this number said: "We knew Allen 

 Fenlason burned these buildings when we swore against 

 Mrs. Munson." It is needless to say the Grand Jury found 

 no bill against Alien Fenlason. Can such a conspiracy be 

 equalled by any, save poachers? Arc innocent men to be 

 convicted by perjury to save two notorious convicts from 

 prison? Motion for now trial abandoned and Devereaux 

 Fenlason was sentenced to twelve years of hard labor in 

 State prison. Law Court has not yet reported in the case 

 of Wilbor Day, convicted of same crime. 



Counsel in the McFarland trial endeavored to prove 

 Graves's dog a bird dog or an ordinary cur and that the 

 attempt of the wardens to kill this dog Avas enough to re- 

 duce the murder of the wardens by Graves from murder 

 iu the first degree to manslaughter. Have we not a right 

 from this to infer that the life of a mean cur is Avorth 

 more than that of a warden in the estimation of poachers? 

 Will Graves be arrested? Where is he? He is in the 

 hands of his friends, the poachers, and should he be 

 arrested, unless the State of Maine takes the thing in 

 hand and gives extra aid, he also will be acquitted. 



Protectionist,, 



JAXD4.BY IP, ISSTo 



FROM THE DUMPING GROUND. 



NO better illustration of the true position of Boston 

 marketmen on the question of selling game at any 

 and all seasons need be asked for than has come to notice 

 Avithin a few days. The fact came up in the Legislature, 

 now in session here, that some amendments to the fish 

 and game laws would be asked for. This was sufficient 

 to sound the alarm, and immediatelv a special meeting of 

 the Chamber of Commerce was called to take action cn 

 the subject. Tho meeting assembled on Wednesday. 

 Who were there? The same old couple of dozen of 

 game dealers. The only wonder is that this important 

 trade organization will allow its name to bo brought down 

 so low as to foster a meeting involving the interests of so 

 few of its 800 members. But the attention of the major- 

 ity has never been called to the nature of what the game 

 dealers desire. The result of the meeting was to talk 

 over the dangers that the business of Belling game 

 out of season in the States where killed, and hence 

 illegal, was in from the fact that the "society of 

 gentlemen" — the Massachusetts Fish and Game Pro- 

 tective Association — proposed to ask the Legislature 

 for some sort of changes in the game Iuavs. In senti- 

 ment the voice of the meeting Avaa that "we must 

 be prepared to fight them.'' A big committee of ten was 

 chosen to take the matter in hand, and it was curious to 

 note that the committee included about every noted gamo 

 dealer in Boston, except tAvo or three, who are members 

 of the "society of gentlemen." That committee held a 

 meeting on Monday to organize, and as it Avas a secret 

 meeting, or included only the members of the committee, 

 the affairs have not yet become common property. But 

 it is understood that all legislation looking toward the 

 stopping of the holding and soiling of game whenever it 

 can be had to sell is to be fought to the bitter end. So it 

 is. The interests of not moro than a couple dozen men 

 puts the whole fish and game protective interest of the 

 State in danger. Of the State, did I say? Indeed, of 

 every State, almost, in the Union where there is any fifch 

 and game to protect. All the Western game Stales con- 

 tribute to Boston as the "dumping ground." Game can 

 be sent hero and sold here when it cannot be exposed for 

 sale in the State where killed. The close time draws 

 near. The unsold game is shipped to Boston, and Boston 

 gets a flood of it. A single Minnesota concern has Eent 

 over 100 deer to this market within a Aveck or two. Bos- 

 ton marketmen buy this venison very cheap. Last week 

 not above 10c. per lb. for whole deer, and a good many 

 lots were bought for 5 and C'c. But the maiketmcn are 

 very reticent about what they pay. There is a profit in 

 the business. For a piece of venison to roast they ask 25 

 or 30c. per lb. , whi e venison steak is worth 80c. It is 

 true, hoAvever, that these prices have just been broken 

 by tho surplus of deer Avhich have been received. 



New, brother eportfmen, is net this an evesxre? Tcn't 

 here a plague-spot? But how shall we get rid of it? 

 Those few marketmen have every winter, for years, suc- 

 ceeded in making the Solons who assemble on Beacon 

 Hill believe lhat they have on inalienable right to 

 deal in lhat which is illegal in other States; to encourage 

 the poacher and the market hunter to push even the last 

 deer to externiination; to hold 200,000 quail, bought of 

 these market hunters, in refrigerators from January to 

 August; to be absolutely driving the last A-cstiges of game 

 out of the country. All this they are able to do simply 

 because a man has a right to trade. Well, has he a right ; 

 to trade? Has he a right to exterminate by his trado -J 

 that Avhich belongs no more to him than to you, good^ 

 reader? 



The prospects for wholesome fish and gamo legislatic 

 in Maine are improving. The committee has got to wor 

 and a good many "loaves to withdraw'' will be grant aro 

 now that the hearings will begin to come off. In uo i c0 

 the number of absurd and ridiculous petitions that (7e may 

 mitteo Avill receive is numerous. But unlike Mae? 

 setts, fish and gamo protection in that State has be 

 part of her creed, as it were, and petitions looking 

 to the interests of the trader, the market hunted seater 

 SAvorn enemy of all protection, will respectfully smen a s a 

 the go-by, and the petitioners will walk out of idv. 

 mittee room feeling that then mission to Augus ... ±urgnt 

 as well have been to Africa. 



There is veiy likely to be somo gocd legislation cn the 

 lobster question. It appears that the testimony of an 

 expert, or one thoroughly versed on the subject, is being 

 employed. This expert gives out the following facts and 

 figures: In 1886 eleven factories canned 11, 820,000 ; 27 

 smacks sold $2,700,000; New York smacks bought 2,000,- 

 000; total catch, 28,020,000. He thinks 23,000,000 Avould 

 be a safe estimate. In his judgment, the lobsters have 

 diminished in size, as well as in numbers. Smacks that 

 used to carry 1,500 to 2,500 now cany from 4,000 to 7,000. 

 There are about 16 factories on the coast of Maine; 27 

 smacks of from 16 to 60 tons burden, and a large number 

 of men are engaged in shipping in barrels. Several 

 large New York smacks come each spring, and with the 

 exception cf a few Avho ran to Nova Scotia, the whole 

 drain comes on the coast of Maine. He believes that 

 some wise bxw should bo passed by tho present Legisla- 

 ture and rigidly enforced. This, he says, Avill prevent 

 tho lobsters from being exterminated or the fishery ren- 

 dered ivnprofitable in a very short time. Special. 



The Maine Deer Warden Case.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: A word in reference to the recent Maine tragedy. 

 As I understand the case, the game warden finds two 

 men, accompanied by a hound. The warden demands 

 that the dog be delivered to him, and being refused, 

 resorts to force and is shot. Is the presence of a hound 

 in a hunter's camp or in company with hunters prima 

 facie evidence that the hound is to be used or has been 

 used for tracking deer? Does presumptive evidence by 

 the Maine statutes warrant a conviction in a case of sup- 

 posed deer hounding?— C. P. W. 



A Tame Ruffed Grouse.— Morris, 111., Jan. 18.— The 

 ruffed grouse I wrote about in issue May 6, I860, as visit- 

 ing one of our barnyards occasionally, taking fcod from 

 the hand, and jumping upon the lap of the person feed-' 

 ing it, returned Avith a brood to her old quarters at the 

 setting in of cold weather. She proved to be a female as 

 I predicted. Quail are very neaily Aviped out in this part 

 of the State; I have made numerous inquiries and hear 

 of but two small coveys of a half-dozen each. Prairie 

 hens are in considerable numbers and are Avintering well, 

 SnoAV a foot deep, Avcather cold.— M. H, Cryder. 



