Feb. 3, 1887.] 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



27 



Detroit, Jan. 19, 1888. The following officers were then 

 elected: President, E. S. Holmes. Grand Rapids, Mich.; 

 Secretary, M. Norris, Grand Rapids, Mich. ; Treasurer, N. 

 A. Osgood, Battle Creek. Director, four years, A.L, Lakey, 

 Kalamazoo. 



The following delegates were elected to represent the 

 Association at the next annual meeting of the National 

 Association for the Protection of Game Birds and Fish:E. 

 S. Holmes, M. Norris, E. C, Lancaster, H. Widdicomb 

 and E. C. Nichols, after which the meeting adjourned 

 sine die. M. Norris, Secretary. 



HOME-MADE EXPLOSIVE BULLETS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



An acquaintance of mine says, "You are liable to pick 

 up a useful point from any darn fool," and you are 



fartially indebted to the saying for this communication, 

 noted "Mark West's" inquiry concerning explosive bul- 

 lets. Five years ago he answered in Forest and Stream 

 a letter of mine, and I freely acknowledge that I was 

 benefited. Now, perhaps, I can give him a point in re- 

 turn. I have used explosive bullets for years, but only in 

 one pattern of rifle — the military Snyder-Enfield .577 bore. 

 The bullet in the service ammunition is very soft. In 

 attempting to drill a hole in the point to make a "spatter 

 ball," I discovered that in the interior was a cylindrical 

 cavity about .18in. in diameter, and fin. long. I cut the 

 point of the ball square off so as to expose the hollow and 

 reamed out the front slightly with an old woodserew 

 countersink. I then filled the hole in the front of the 

 bullet with fine powder. Taking an iron, headless shoe 

 nail, such as the old people here call a "sparrowbdl," I 

 pressed the point down through the powder till it stood 

 firmly on the lead at the bottom, and the length of the 

 nail being slightly less than that of the hole in the bullet, 

 this left the head "end flush with the bottom of the counter- 

 sink. Then I took a Berdan shotshell primer (called 

 "sauce-pan primers" by boys here), and fewith a punch 

 seated it carefully but firmly on the nail head. This 

 closed the cavity. The nail acted as an "anvil'" to aid in 

 igniting the primer. The very slightly projecting rim of 

 lead kept the primer from being unseated by an unlucky 

 blow, and in a magazine gun I should think 'it would pre- 

 vent its being exploded by a blow from the butt of the 

 succeeding cartridge. At* the same time it does not 

 injuriously affect the ignition of the primer, for in my 

 opinion a bullet should not explode in an animal before 

 touching a bone. There would be danger in one that did, 

 and I would fool with no dynamite bullet. 



The above described is as deadly a projectile as I would 

 care to use, and I think one on that principle could be 

 made for any rifle. Carefully planted, it would knock the 

 life out of any animal that walks. Fired into a green 

 white maple it exploded within an inch of the surf ace, 

 and in the end of a dry spruce log on a line with the 

 grain of wood within three inches. I have seen the main 

 part of the bullet twisted into the form of a small rod of 

 lead four inches long. If this description is not clear, and 

 your correspondent would care to see a doctored cartridge, 

 I could send one by express. L. L Flower. 



MACBONALD'S OORNEK, N. B. 



THE MEGANTIC CLUB. 



A meeting for the purpose of organizing the Megantic 

 Fish and Game Club, was held in the Parker House, 

 in this city, on the evening of January 27. A number of 

 enthusiastic sportsmen, who had visited the Megantic 

 and Dead River Regions, and had enjoyed the rare sport 

 that is offered there to all lovers of the gun and rod, had 

 some time previously formed a temporary organization 

 for the purpose of protecting the fish and game in that 

 sectiou. and as a result about 130 gentlemen had signified 

 their intention of becoming members of the club when 

 formed. The territory to be operated lies on both sides 

 of the International boundary extending from the Spider 

 Lake and Megantic region across to and including some 

 of the Seven Ponds in Maine. 



The party sat down to a beautiful dinner at 7:30 o'clock. 

 It was expected that Col. Gustavus Lucke, United States 

 Consul at Sherbrooke, P. Q., would preside, but in his 

 absence Mr. Ubert K. Pettingill, of Boston, was elected 

 chairman. It was voted that the association be called 

 the Megantic Fish and Game Club, and that the objects 

 of the association be the enforcement of the fish and 

 game laws, the propagation of fish and game, the leasing, 

 hiring and purchasing of lands and waters for hunting, 

 fishing and shooting pxirposes. 



The usual articles relative to the election of officers, 

 qualifications for membership, etc., were gone through 

 with and consented to as far as could be done at this 

 meeting. It was discussed to place the capital stock of 

 the corporation at $50,000 divided into 500 shares at a value 

 of $100 per share, or a capital stock of $12,500 divided into 

 500 shares at a par value of $25, and subsequently place a 

 prem i um upon the shares. In either plan it was decided 

 to issue 200 shares at a value of $25, and after they were 

 disposed of to issue 100 more at $50 per share; after these 

 were all taken no more should be sold for less than their 

 full value ($100), none of the remaining 200 shares can be 

 disposed of till voted upon by the board of directors. This 

 will give the club an available capital of $30,000, not in- 

 cluding income yearly from assessments, audit was voted 

 that an assessment sufficient to cany on the operations of 

 the club, which, however, cannot exceed $10 in any one 

 year, shall be levied on each share. To gain admission to 

 the club a nine-tenths vote of all the members present at 

 a regular meeting of the club is required, and the appli- 

 cant must be the possessor of at least one share, but the 

 possession of a share does not necessarily entitle a person 

 to membership; in other words, any person may become 

 a stockholder but not a member until he is voted in. The 

 annual meeting of the stockholders must be held in Maine, 

 the annual meetings of members and the annual dinner 

 in Boston. The regular meetings of members for social 

 purposes and receiving reports must be held on the second 

 Tuesday of January, March, May, July, September and 

 November; the May meeting in Sherbrooke, P. Q., the 

 July and September meetings at the club house, the 

 November meeting in New York and the remainder in 

 Boston, which is constituted the headquarters of the club. 

 Steps will be taken as soon as possible to incorporate the 

 club under the juristion of the Province of Quebec. These 

 officers were elected: President. Col. Gustavus Lucke. of 

 Sherbrooke, P. Q. ; Vice-Presidents, Ubert K. Pettingill, 

 of Boston; L 0. Woodruff, of New York. Secretary, 



Heber Bishop, M. D., of Boston; Treasurer, Geo. C. Ains- 

 worth, of Boston; Directors — Major W, A. Morehouse, 

 Francis P. Buck, G. Henry Gorden and D. Thomas, of 

 Sherbrooke, P. Q. ; Hon. Henry Aylmer, of Richmond, P. 

 Q.; Rufus H. Pope, of Cookshire, P. Q.. and Alexander 

 H. Ross, of Gould, P. Q.; Capt. C. W, Himnan, Erastus 

 Willard, Dr. Fred A. Cook, Chas. S. Hanks, Col. S. Har- 

 rington, J. P. Bates and J. N. Frye, of Boston; Henry W. 

 Nason, Prof. Alfred M. Mayer and John W. Mason, of 

 New York; Clerk of Corporation, Mr. Harry Butler, of 

 Portland, Me. 



It was decided to leave the appointment of game 

 wardens to the Executive Board, which will meet shortly, 

 but at the urgent request of Dr. Bishop, who put forward 

 the claim of the pressing needs of a paid warden at once, 

 owing to the great depth of snow already in the region 

 and the nearness of the close season, it was voted that the 

 secretary be given the authority to select one warden on 

 the Canadian side of the boundary at a salary not to ex- 

 ceed $2 per day, and his duties to commence immediately 

 after receiving confirmation from Quebec. Dr. Bishop 

 recommended Mr. Peter Matheson, of Winslow, P. Q., a 

 former government game warden, for that situation, and 

 he was unanimously appointed. 



The appointment of a head fish and game overseer and 

 resident manager was left over till the meeting of the 

 Executive Board, together with other appointments of 

 assistant wardens in Quebec and Maine. At this meeting 

 also the constitution, by-laws, rules, etc., will be finally 

 passed upon, leases and purchases ratified, the plans and 

 specifications for the club house passed and a building 

 committee and other committees formed. 



It was voted that in consideration of the kindness and 

 assistance rendered the club by Messrs. Chas. P. Hazel- 

 tine, L. A. Knowlton and Win. H. Hall, of Belfast, Me., 

 who have leased the exclusive hunting and fishing rights 

 pertaining to their township, lying alongside the inter- 

 national boundary to the club, they be made honorary 

 members with full privileges. 



At the close of the meeting 155 of the 200 shares issued 

 were taken by members and their friends, including a 

 reserve for the directors in the Province of Quebec, and 

 subsequenty 15 more, and it is expected that the remain- 

 ing 30 of the $25 shares will shortly be taken up. The 

 company broke up a little after midnight feeling well 

 pleased with the flattering success of their first meeting. 



Boston, Mass., Jan. 31. 



WHOOPING CRANES. 



ONE evening in the latter part of November, 1884, (I 

 was then living near the Missouri River) I took my 

 single shotgun and my .32-cal. 18in, pocket rifle and went 

 up to a small lake, expecting to get some ducks. Not 

 finding any ducks on the lake and hearing some sandhill 

 cranes making a good deal of uoise out on the river, I 

 went out to see if I could get one of them. When I came 

 in sight of them they were in the edge of the water on the 

 opposite shore from ine and among them were four white 

 cranes. As I had never killed a white crane I was partic- 

 ularly anxious to get one of these and wished for my .40- 

 90 rifle, but had no great expectations of getting one with 

 the .32 short. Walking up to within a few yards of the 

 water I elevated the sights of the little gun, and drawing 

 down to the barrel on the front sight, I fired at the near- 

 est of the white birds, which I guessed to be about 100yds. 

 away. At the report of the gun, the white cranes and a 

 few of the sandhills rose and flew toward my side of the 

 river, and when they came nearer I saw one of the white 

 ones had a broken leg. They went down the river about 

 250yds. from me and the wounded bird settled in some 

 shallow water, but the others went back to the main 

 flock. I went down to get my crane, and as it was still 

 able to stand I kept my shotgun at a ready; and when I 

 came within perhaps 40yds. of it it got up *and started for 

 Mexico, but I sent a load of shot after it which caused it 

 to come down before it had gone more than 250yds. It 

 was not quite dead when I got to it, but was not able to 

 fight. The rifle bullet had broken the left thigh and en- 

 tered the cavity. It was a beautiful bird, and after tak- 

 ing it home I found that it measured 7ft. 2in. from tip to 

 tip of wings and 5ft. 8in. from tip of bill to tip of toes 

 and weighed 131bs. It was larger than any sandhill 

 crane I ever killed and was as good eating as the sand- 

 hills are. J. F. L, 

 Salem, Nebraska. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In the Forest and Stream: of Jan. 13, Wells, of Vic- 

 toria, Texas, asks how many of your readers have ever 

 killed a whooping crane. I was up on the Platte in the 

 spring of '84, trying to have some sport with the geese. 

 One morning, soon after daylight. I discovered a pair of 

 white cranes in some cornstalks a quarter of a mile 

 away. My friend had a gentle old cow that I had suc- 

 cessfully punched up within shooting distance of small 

 flocks of geese, and I decided to try that scheme on the 

 cranes. Just as I got the cow started and was stooped 

 down to keep out of sight, in about as uncomfortable a 

 position as can be imagined, my friend stepped out and 

 said by way of encouragement, '"You need not try that; 

 men who have lived here fifteen years have never suc- 

 ceeded in getting a shot at one of those fellows." But 

 with vigorous pokes of the gun barrel I went on with the 

 cow until within about 100yds. of the cranes, when she 

 suddenly changed her mind and ran away, leaving me in 

 full view of the birds, which started at once. I shot the 

 first barrel at one as they were leaving the ground, and 

 although he was hard hit he got away; but the second 

 one fell stone dead to the second shot with a No. 7 buck- 

 shot through the heart; distance (measured). 94yds.; 

 weight a little over 191bs. The toughest and most unpal- 

 atable bird any human being ever attempted to eat. 



Randolph, la. W. L. B. 



Camp Grounds for Chicago Inquirer.— Fort Wayne, 

 Ind., Jan. 24.— Editor Forest and Stream: In reply to in- 

 quiry of "Constant Reader," Chicago, 111., for camping 

 grounds, would advise him to go to the lakes of Steuben 

 county, Ind. From Chicago take L. S. & M. S. R. R. to 

 Waterloo, Ind., and from there to Pleasant Lake or 

 Angola, distant but a few miles on a branch of L. S, & M. 

 S. James Lake, near Angola, is all that can be desired, 

 as is the chain of lakes reaching out northwest from 

 Pleasant Lake. Hog Back Lake is a grand place to go to 

 for limiting and fishing. Would be pleased to answer 

 further if desired. — John P. Hanoe, 



FEEDING THE QUAIL. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Now that winter is upon us with its snow and frost, 

 poor little Bob White should receive a share of our atten- 

 tion, as sometimes he has hard work to get his daily 

 rations. It is a charity to the little fellows to spare them 

 a few quarts of grain, during the winter, and in the sum- 

 mer they will return m thanks by piping a merry note on 

 the old rail fence or stump of tree near our homes. A 

 little chaff, mixed with some rye, wheat or buckwheat, 

 or if chaff cannot be obtained, the sweepings of the hay- 

 seed from the barn floor, will help keep the little fellows 

 from suffering and starvation. A pint of grain each day 

 while snow and ice covers the ground will sustain fifty 

 quail. 



Care should be taken to feed them under heavy cover 

 where hawks in passing over cannot see them; for where 

 the hawk gets one to-day he will surely come again to- 

 morrow. My way of feeding is to first find a heavy 

 thicket of bners in the swamp or under hedges, and cut 

 a small opening at the bottom, just large enough to get 

 an old broom in. I sweep out the snow and lay the feed 

 there. By scattering the chaff or hayseed around they 

 will track it up and soon find the grain. It is a good plan 

 to feed in the same place every day, provided it is where 

 the hawks will not trouble them. Some parties make it 

 a practice to put out cornstacks, and feed around the 

 stacks, and make openings in the stacks for the quail to 

 roost in. This, as I have learned by experience, is a great 

 mistake, as the cornstacks always harbor mice, and in 

 the night the cat, which is the quail's greatest enemy, 

 prowls around the stack for mice and kills a great many 

 quail, and finally drives them away from their feed alto- 

 gether. It is also too exposed, as birds feeding on the 

 snow show a great distance, and are an easy prey to 

 hawks, I feed my birds every day all winter, not be- 

 cause it is necessary, but because I like to see them. 



Alfred A. Fraser. 



The Cedars, Long Island. 



THE NEW YORK GAME PROTECTOR. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Noticing recently your comments upon the non-en- 

 forcement of the game law, as respects raffed grouse or 

 partridge, I beg leave to send you herewith a communica- 

 tion received from the fish and game protector, Mr. God- 

 win, in answer to one of mine calling attention to com- 

 plaints that had been made to me on the same subject. 



It is a matter of considerable doubt whether any con- 

 viction could be secured under the present law, and I 

 wotdd say further that I have always found Mr. Godwin 

 to be very prompt and active in noticing all infractions of 

 the game law, and if you should have access to the Dis- 

 trict Attorney's office, I have no doubt you will find there 

 several pigeon-holes full of complaints that have beon 

 made by Mr. Godwin, but which the District Attorney 

 has not as yet found time to prosecute. 



E. G. Blackford. 



New York Fishery Commission, New York, Jan. 26. 

 Mr. E. 67. Blackford, New Yorli State Fish Commissioner: 



Dear Sir— Your letter came duly to hand with one in- 

 closed from the party livingin Brooklyn, calling your atten- 

 tion to the fact that grouse were exposed for sale m the New 

 York markets after Jan. 1, and wanting to know why the 

 protector of game allowed it. Permit me to say in reply 

 that at the commencement of the close season I had already 

 found that they were so exposed, and upon investigating the 

 cause found that a large number of dealers in game had 

 letters and verbal opinions from a gentleman of this city 

 (he being a lawyer and a prominent member of a game pro- 

 tective society, upon whose judgment and advice I think 

 great weight should be given) that it was not probably in- 

 tended under the law of 1886 to prohibit their sale during Jan- 

 uary, and he did not think it would be enforced. Such being 

 the state of affairs I felt it necessary that I should, before 

 taking any action in attempting to prosecute any one, seek 

 proper advice in the matter, which I did, and found that 

 under the letter of the law I had to prosecute. Such being 

 the case I was not to be the judge, whether the law as it is 

 was a good or a bad one; and not desiring to take advantage 

 from any mercenary motive of the position the dealers had 

 taken in good faith, and as I did not think it my duty to 

 use my authority as protector to persecute them, I placed 

 notices of my proposed action in the matter in several ol" t , 

 city papers, as you probablysaw, giving them notice that the 

 law required I should enforce the close season as it is on 

 grouse. Since that time I have placed in the hands of the 

 District Attorney of New York city suits for grouse in pos- 

 session, the penalties of which amount to nearly $6,000. How 

 soon any action will be taken and what disposition will be 

 made of them, judging from the long delays in the number 

 of cases I have already put in his hands for prosecution, I 

 cannot tell. Respectfully yours, J. H. Godwin, Jr., 

 State Game and Fish 'Protector for the Second District. 

 New York, Jan. 22. 



An Editor Applauds for a Potter.— The Hawkins- 

 Ville (Ga.) News editor says: "Mr. W. A. Smith, of this 

 county, gathered his gun on the day of the big snow and' 

 went out in the search of game. He struck the trail of a 

 covey of partridges, and, getting the birds in a close 

 bunch he pulled the trigger, killing ten. Pretty good for 

 one shot." 



Grand Rapids, Mich.— The officers of the Kent County 

 Sportsmen's Club for 1887 are: E. S. Holmes, President; 

 L. D. Follett, Vice-President; A. B. Richmond, Secretary; 

 N. Fred Avery, Treasurer; Directors, A. C. Horton, T. 

 Stewart White, 0. D. Spaulding, W. C. Dennison, H. 

 Widdicomb. Practice snoots, Saturdays, P. M., during 

 summer. 



Grand Rapids, Mich.— The officers of the Pottawatta- 

 mie Club for 1887 are: President, E. S. Holmes; Vice- 

 President, W. C. Dennison; Secretary, George H. David- 

 son: Treasurer, John Brennan. The directors are the 

 above officers and Mark Norris and Henry B. Grady. 



Hammond, 111., Jan. 20, 1887. 



U. S. Cartridge Co., Lowtt, Mass.: 



Dear Sirs— To-day I made a test of shells and settled in my 

 mind a long disputed fact in regard to the amount of times the 

 U. S. shells could be reloaded. I took five shells from a box of 100, 

 and shot them as fast as I could get them reloaded. The following 

 is the result: First shell, 9 times; second, 11 times: third, 10 times; 

 fourth, 13 times; fifth, 9 times. I could have loaded and fired some 

 of them again, hut the above result settled the question of their 

 reloading qualities in my mind. I am sure all hunters and shoot- 

 ers ought to know of the good qualities of this shell, and I give 

 you liberty to publish this, and will further say I am not in any 

 way interested in any sheli company, and give this letter for the 

 benefit of all sportsmen. I am sure we are all seeking for the best, 

 and if I can assist any one to find the best I will gladly do so, and 

 this is my reason for sending your company this letter. Wishing 

 you every success, I am, yours truly, 



*** (Signed;, L. S. Cartes, 



