£02 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[march 81, 1887, 



Cape Cod Snares.— Editor Forest and Stream: Since 

 sending my communication on "Cape Cod rabbit snares," 

 which was* published in a recent number of your valuable 

 journal, I have received a letter from an old hunter liv- 

 ing in Plymouth county, Mass.. apprising me of new 

 features in game trapping: viz., the catching of partridge 

 and quail, as well as rabbits. He informs me that unless 

 trapping can be stopped, partridge, quail and rabbits 

 will soon be exterminated in his section of country. 

 Boys, and some pretty old ones, are engaged in this trap- 

 ping: while the ground is bare the snares are employed. 

 These are constructed by use of fine copper wire, or lish- 

 line attached to spring poles, and are set in openings in 

 the little hedges, and are usually about a rod apart. 

 Naturally enough, partridge, quail, or rabbits seek the 

 openings in crossing these hedges, but when once they 

 enter at one of these inviting little gateways, they are 

 strung up to await the round of the trapper. After gath- 

 ering game from these traps, it is piled together and shot 

 fired into it that it may have the appearance in market 

 of having been shot, thus eluding the objection which 

 might be raised against such game, as having been 

 trapped. Whether ft be close time or not, these trappers 

 manage to send their game to Boston or New York mar- 

 kets. When the ground is covered with snow, small 

 steel traps, which can be easily carried in the pocket, arc 

 used. Rabbits are tracked to their burrows, and the 

 trap set in the entrance. My informant thinks that in 

 hunting over the country between two (points about six 

 miles distant, covering an area of probably not more 

 than 18 to 20 square miles, he has within the past t wo years 

 found 1,000 snares. It is needless, perhaps, to add that 

 he, as well as hundreds of others, protest vigorously 

 against this cruel and destructive practice. — &. K. O. 

 [Our correspondent and his friends should send details 

 of these matters, with names of offenders, if known, 

 names of witnesses, etc., to Mr. Henry J. Thayer, Secre- 

 tary Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Associa- 

 tion, 246 Washington street, Boston. The association 

 will prosecute all infringements brought to its notice. 



Johnstown, N. Y., March 21. — The Johnstown Gun 

 Club has proven itself a very worthy organization. Aside 

 from the matter of perfecting its members in marksman- 

 ship, it has taken in hand the matter of protecting fish 

 and game from the depredations of those who have 

 neither a respect for law or a care for their extinguish- 

 ment. Then- latest effort is toward stocking the streams 

 with brook trout. Early in the season they made appli- 

 cation to the State hatchery at Caledonia, for such pur- 

 pose, and on Tuesday morning a messenger from that 

 institution arrived in town with 35,000 young trout, some 

 of them nearly an inch in length, which were taken by 

 the members and placed in the several streams near the 

 village. They were in fine condition, and much care was 

 taken in depositing thern in the brooks. With this lot 

 was one. can of German trout, which were also taken care 

 of at the same time. Gloversville also received the same 

 number. With proper care the streams in this vicinity 

 will abound with trout, and the lovers of angling can en- 

 joy a day's sport without a trip to the northern wilderness. 

 The club is also in daily expectation, from Philadelphia, 

 of 120 quail, whicli will be housed until some time dur- 

 ing May, when they will be taken to the woods and let 

 loose. As these birds multiply rapidly, if they are un- 

 disturbed, the woods will soon be filled with them, thus 

 affording fine shooting. Nearly the entire expense of 

 these acquisitions has been met by the members of the 

 club, and it is to be hoped that our people generally will 

 use their best efforts to aid and assist them in the pro- 

 tection of both fish and game. — Republican. 



Auburn, Susquahamia County, Pa.., March 15. — Game 

 wintered well, and if the breeding season be favorable, 

 we shall expect good sport next October. Plenty of 

 grouse escaped last fall, and all passed the winter safely 

 and are now in good form. I can put up from twelve to 

 fifteen any morning in a piece of cover within sixty rods 

 of where I write. Quail in this section are practically ex- 

 terminated. I found but one covey during the past 

 shooting season, and heard of no more being seeu. The 

 "scalp act'" has worked wonders considering t he short time 

 it has been in force. But it is not at all popular with 

 court house rings, and will doubtless be repealed before 

 the present Legislature adjourns. During the year end- 

 ing Dec. 31, |l,600 was paid for the destruction of the 

 enemies of our game and poultry interests. Saw the first 

 bluebird March 8 and robins two days later.— Bon Ami. 



Plattsbtjrgh, N. Y., March 22. — Inclosed find bill of 

 fare. It will show you how the game laws are respected 

 in Clinton county. Venison and partridges can be bought 

 any time in Plattsburgh. Fish are sold daily that have 

 been caught in seines and gill nets. If our game constable 

 would take the trouble to walk not over half a mile from 

 the center of the village, he could pull out gill nets any 

 day, and the time of year is now near when there will lie 

 a net across every stream and creek at this end of Lake 

 Champlain. These fish hogs are very careftd not to let a 

 single fish go up to spawn, and the tiling that encourages 

 them most is that the markets are always ready to buy 

 them. — Scept. [Why does not our correspondent call 

 attention of game protector to these things, and if he 

 pays no attention make complaint to the Fish Commis- 

 sioners? The bill of fare of the Cumberland House, 

 Plattsburgh, March 21, comprises venison and partridge.] 



The Weight of Quail.— Annapolis, Md. — I notice in- 

 quiries to your paper as to the weight of quail. From 

 Nov. 1 to Jan. 1 this is the principal land game hereabout 

 and the average bird will not weigh more than ooz. Two 

 or three years ago, however, I remember in company 

 with a friend, shooting some five or six, the unusual size 

 of which attracted our attention and I weighed a hen 

 bird — not "the heaviest of the lot either — which just bal- 

 anced an 8oz, weight. These birds were killed in a slip 

 of woods where they bred , and I am quite sure they not 

 only found more nutritious food than ordinarily in the 

 field, but as it was rather a difficult place both to find 

 and shoot them, they had lived longer than the average 

 quail is allowed to live, although they were just as sweet 

 and tender as any other birds. I have often limited the 

 same place since, but never again have I found the large 

 birds. — J. I. 



Minnesota Grouse.— Pillsbury, Minn., March 17.— 

 Despite the unusually long and severe winter, both ruffed 

 and pinnated grouse "have wintered excellently. Of the 

 latter there are many more to be seen hereabouts than 

 ever before in the spring, and rare sport is anticipated 

 during the open season. I scarcely ever ride in any direc- 

 tion without seeing ruffed grouse, and the birds look 

 plump and fat. The recent Legislature has abolished 

 spring duck shooting. Aside from a few for personal 

 table use they have never been molested here in the 

 spring. There is a little snow on the ground yet but 

 rapidly disappearing. I propose to camp out the greater 

 portion of the summer, and wish that a few "No. 1 hard" 

 sportsmen might visit this locality and share with me in 

 the extra fine fishing. — J. F. LOCKE. 



A Rocky Mountain Expedition. — Editor Forest arid 

 Stream: An opportunity will be afforded a limited num- 

 ber of persons to join a party in a month's camping trip 

 in the game and fish regions of the Rocky Mountains in 

 northern central Colorado. The route 'will embrace a 

 rail trip through the principal scenic attractions of the 

 region, viz. : the Grand Cation of the Arkansas, Marshall 

 and other passes, etc. After leaving the railroad, about 

 35 miles wagon and packing to camp. Start will be made 

 from here about July 1, and the party will be equipped 

 for taking photo views of scenery en route and in camp, 

 as well as observations of geology, altitudes, etc. The 

 expense will not be great. I will furnish further par- 

 ticulars to any one desirous of going.— D. C. Beaman 

 (Ottumwa, Iowa). 



Marlboro, N. H., March 23.— A party went rabbit 

 hunting the 11th of this month, returning with twenty- 

 one white hares, Mr. Goodhue Terrey Milling five of them, 

 two others killing four each; there were twelve in the 

 party. At one time there were four hares ahead of one 

 dog. Moshier Underwood of this place, has as fine a coon 

 dog as there is in this State; he brought in forty-two 

 coons last fall, getting ten of them in two nights. A 

 butcher bird was seen to catch an English sparrow in one 

 of our streets a few days ago, which was about all that it 

 wanted to carry. One" flew into my barn this morning 

 and caught a sparrow within four feet of me. I tried to 

 shut the door to capture it but it was too quick for me.— 

 J. S. M. 



Accomac Club.— The Aecomac Club, of Brooklyn, N. 

 Y. , which was incorporated a short time ago, has com- 

 pleted its membership by the election of the well-known 

 whig shots, L. Duryea and C. S. Kendall. The club, 

 which is limited to twenty-five members, has purchased 

 several thousand acres on the shores of Chesapeake Bay, 

 in Accomac county, Va., on which are two clubhouses 

 and another one in course of erection. That section of 

 the country is famous for snipe and duck shooting, and 

 on the uplands quail, partridge and woodcock abound. 



Packing a Deer. — In my article on deer packing in the 

 Forest and Stream of March 17 I wrote that the bones 

 of the hind legs were taken out the same as those of the 

 fore legs, and then opposite fore and hind leg skins tied 

 together, etc. Your compositor has made me say, "bones 

 of the liind legs tied together," Readers will naturally 

 wish to know how that could be done.— O. O. S. 



Quail and Hawks.— Smithburg, N. J., March 25.— I 

 End that quite a number of quail 'have wintered over, 

 although a good many have been killed by hawks. I am 

 satisfied that one covey of six birds were destroyed by 

 them. A few woodcock have made their appearance. — 

 Blue Rock. 



THE NEW YORK GAME LAW. 



Editor Forr.it nun Stream: 



You have, before this, received a copy of the hill introduced into 

 the Assembly at Albany, lor the "preservation," it says, of wild 

 deer, etc—bill No. (599. It was introduced, "by request,"' by Mr. 

 Had ley, the chairman of the committee on game and fish protec- 

 tion. This is notice enough that he ignores responsibility for, or 

 approval of , the bill. This is encouraging in the outset, The bill 

 must go to the committee and be subjected there to examination 

 and scrutiny, and this will squelch it. 



It is a bill of abominations. Inconsistency, ambiguity, absurdity, 

 characterize its structure. To instance what appears from its 

 first four sections: it recognizes, and ignores alternately, any dis- 

 tinction between wild and tame deer- it prohibits the possession 

 of "dead deer'' or venison "killed in this .State," and the transpor- 

 tation of any "wild deer" or venison killed in this State, in a time 

 mentioned. It, in terms, proposes to prohibit having in possession, 

 or exposing for sale "deer" or venison, all through the open season, 

 and then provides that one may have in "possession" in the open 

 season "deer" killed in this State. It, in terms, would prohibit 

 the transportation of "wild" deer or venison killed in this State, 

 except in the time from Aug. 16 to Nov. 3, after providing that it 

 shall be unlawful to kill any deer in a part of that period. It 

 would prohibit the possession or exposure to sale, in our open 

 season, of "deer or venison" lawfully killed out of the State. 



A further cursory examination develops a capital iniquity, no 

 doubt its darling object; and the bill is abominable more for what 

 it omits than for what it contains. Remembering that it is a pro- 

 posed substitute for the whole body, substantially, of our present 

 game law. Its omissions are most significant. This bill proposes to 

 repeal the law as it now is with reference to the burden of proof, 

 in prosecutions of offenders, and so paralyze the most efficient 

 methods of its administration. 



To illustrate: When one is found in possession of venison dur- 

 ing the time its killing is prohibited, but within the time, 

 afterward, when its possession, if lawfully killed, is permitted, 

 and there be the best ground for believing that the killing was 

 done in the close season, and that an attempt is being mado to get 

 it to market under cove v of tin- right, to have venison in posses- 

 sion when prosecuted, the possessor may show, in his vindication, 

 that he had no venison but what was lawfully killed. If he he 

 innocent, he is the only one that eau prove it, and so the law puts 

 the duty of doing so upon him. He maybe a witness himself. 

 He knows the person from whom he received the venison, and 

 that person knows his vendor, or donor, and so, through witnesses 

 having personal knowledge, he may reach the innocent killer, 

 who .will, of course, be glad to step forward in vindication of 

 truth and injured inuoeence. 



Is there hardship in this.? Not at all. Remember the end to be 

 accomplished, the end all pretend to favor, and the impossibility 

 of accomplishing it in anj other way. 



Suppose the accused he guilty, that is to say, suppose he care- 

 lessly omits all the precautions thai would keep him within the 

 law, 'conceals fans that come to his knowledge, is interested to do 

 so as carrier or marketraan. Is it not impossible to convict an 

 offender if he mav with imnunity expose the contraband venison 

 without the necessity of showing such possession lawful/ lins is 

 just what the bill proposes to allow. It proposes to make the 

 right to have in possession a cover for the guilty, when it is in- 

 tended as a protection to the innoceut, and this it does effectually 

 when it excuses the. accused and those having knowledge of his 

 guilt from opening their mouths. The witnesses and the facts 

 are unknown to, are concealed from the prosecutor, are hostile to 

 him. Concealment is their studied purpose, from the poacher 

 who slays the deer alive in the woods, through all the middle- 

 men who are concerned with evading scrutiny, and employ for 

 purpose every disguise and artifice that ingenuity and fraud can 

 suggest. So the law requires explanation from the persons capa- 

 ble of making it, and who can produce, the witnesses. It is a tax 



upon the innocent, but in the interest of innocence and right, and 

 this is a duty that innocence everywhere assumes with alacrity. 



But wholesome and necessary as' is all this iu the administration 

 of the law, this bill proposes to subvert it all, and so paralyze 

 every effort of the people by their officers to bring criminality to 

 punishment. This is effrontery enough with over measure. It is 

 well right here to call attention to this essential rule of evidence. 

 It is in Sec. 36 of the Act of 1879 as amended bvthe Act of 1880, and 

 is the whole basis of and strength of efforts to suppress what is 

 well-known to be the most flagrant violations of the law for the 

 protection of deer— the slaughter of them after the open season, 

 under the coyer of the right, for a prolonged period, to have veni- 

 son m possession. 



Again, I notice the bill proposes no remedy against the spring 

 slaughter of wild ducks and geese, but would shorten the season 

 at the wrong end, in the fall, instead. It proposes to cut off Sep- 

 tember, when in fact our native wild ducks, those that hatch 

 here, arc full-grown and prime by the middle of August, and 

 nearly all leave us and migrate by Oct. 1. The Canadas permitted 

 their shooting Aug. 15 ttntil a couple of years ago, when their open 

 season was made to commence like ours, Sept. 1, and the harmon- 

 ious working of the. two neighboring statutes affords sufficient 

 protection to these birds in the fall. 



And now let me ask and question through Fob est and Stream, 

 when is there to lie a cessation of annual tinkering of the game 

 laws, and so divesting them of the effective force or authority 

 that ough t to belong to their clearness and their settled interpre- 

 tion, and make them both popular and efficient? Is it the pur- 

 pose of the enemies of fish and game protection to bring it into 

 disrepute by unsettling and mystifying the law and so demoraliz- 

 ing the efforts of the officers charged with its enforcement? Why 

 will not the better sense of the people of the State and of their 

 representatives in the Legislature put the ban upon such a pur- 

 pose and such efforts? It will. The sentiment favoring the effi- 

 cient protection of fish and game was never stronger among the 

 masses of the people, and they will resent this constant flittering 

 away the efficiency of laws intended for that purpose. The 

 sportsmen of the State are the natural leaders of a sound public 

 opinion on this subject, and the great body of them have only to 

 speak. 



Perhaps a uersonal explanation is in order just here. I noticed 

 in Foeest and Stream, over the initials .T. H. B., something in 

 the accusatory vein, whether intended or not (?) His genuine 

 sportsmanlike instincts revolted at the reported dogging of deer 

 into Mud Lake. I would have been gratified at the reception of 

 information from him that would have led to the conviction of 

 guilty parties. I am sure such results would have gratified J. H, 

 K. I am at a loss to know- why his excellent opportunity was 

 foregone, or perhaps, his compassion excited by the flimsy and 

 ridiculous excuse offered by those whom, if he did not know to 

 be guilty, he had good reasons for believing to be. This is not a 

 bit like Bushton. P. B. Leonard. 



Editor Forest and strram: 



The Assembly Committee on G-ame had a meeting to-day, March 

 23. The meeting was delayed by the vote on high license. Just 

 before the committee met there was a meeting of the Fish Com- 

 missioners, it was surmised, to indorse the Roosevelt bill. 



The hearing was opened by a member of the Eastern Associa- 

 tion, who stated that he had requested the introduction of Hadley 

 bill No. 699 not to be passed, but to be substituted by the Roose- 

 velt bill. Mr. Cookinham made brief remarks opposing Hie 

 Roosevelt and Hadley bills, attacking it for its scattering and 

 mixing different subjects through many sections which now are 

 condensed into one. and because of its multiplying exceptions it 

 could not be enforced, and other objections. He was followed by 

 Mr. Boosevelt for an hour or more in favor of his bill. He opened 

 by disclaiming that it was a codification, but was a new bill; 

 claimed existing laws were confused, but did not specify any 

 defect in particular, or how his bill was superior, except to claim 

 that the present law was not sufficiently liberal to market men. 

 (A bystander suggested privately that he had surrendered himself 

 to the market interest, a class that had done most toward deple- 

 tion and less to replenish or protect fish and game than all 

 others. ) 



He justified July woodcock killing, deprecated the three deer 

 I imitation, favored sale of venison and game from out of the 

 State, and went through each separate section and claimed it 

 could be enforced, and was better than the present law. The 

 Eastern Association man said he favored the bill excepting two 

 sections upon which he would be heard in future. He was fol- 

 lowed by Air. Collins of TJtica, favoring the present law with one 

 or two amendments now before the Senate in bills No. 163, 164, 

 which restore the former six-inch trout law, re-enact with some 

 practical amendments the sections as to game birds, and cut off 

 April for ducks, etc. He favored May 1 for the catching of trout, 

 but if any portion of the Sta te was to have April 1, he wished it 

 the same for all. He described the manner of catching and keep- 

 ing alive small trout to stock private ponds and reservoirs in 

 saloons in season and out, and under the proposed laws such 

 would be protected to the depletion of other waters. He was pro- 

 ceeding to specify by items the objections to the two bills proposed 

 when the commit ree adjourned for a further hearing at some future 

 time, of which not ice would be given. Reporter. 



A ebanv, March 24. 



HUNTING RIFLES AND BULLETS. 



experiments with "p.'s" bear bullets. 



THE objects of some experiments made at my request, on Oct. 

 21, 1886, at Peekskill, N. Y., by Major H. W. Merrill and Mr. 

 G. J. Romer, were: First, to test the accuracy obtainable with an 

 extra large charge of powder, with bullets my own experience had 

 proven true flyers, by rifle experts of the experience and skill at 

 the target of these gentlemen. The Bland double express rifle in 

 their possession offered peculiar facilities for this experiment, as 

 the short bottle-neck shell of 2i-oin. length, for which the rifle was 

 chambered, had capacity for 120 to l.TOgrs. of powder with careful 

 packing, the rifle itself being one of the best London make. 



Secondly— It was evident to me that in the Forest and Stream 

 trial, 1885, this rifle was not qualified with the best ammunition 

 to develop either its power for making the flattest trajectory or 

 for accurate shooting. The 310gr. solid bullet was doubtless true 

 fl\ ing, as it appears to be fairly shaped and properly alloyed, but 

 it is evident to me that solid bullet and a, powerful express rifle 

 are an ill-mated pair. It is true its comparatively flat curve will 

 give a greater percentage of hits, but such a bullet flying with a 

 high velocity, piercing through any animal hit with a small hole, 

 expending a great deal of its power iu probably going a half mile 

 beyond, will be very little more efficacious iu destroying life than 

 another solid bullet starting wit h half the velocity and lodging 

 within the animal's vitals. What is required for such a powerful 

 rifle is a hollow-pointed bullet i that will, of its own velocity, 

 literally, explode on entering the animal's vitals, thus securing 

 every animal hit, and, as a mat ter of humanity, preventing its 

 escape into the thicket to die a lingering death. 



In the trial of this rifle for the 100yds. range, it will be recol- 

 lected a Uo-377-grain cartridge was procured by the Forest astd 

 Stream at a New York gun store and used. It did not give as fla t 

 a curve at that ra uge as it should for its powder charge. A speci- 

 men bullet kiudlv sent me by Mr. Romer from one of these car- 

 tridges partly explained the reason. It was almost pure lead if 

 not quite so, instead of having a good per cent, of alloy. The 

 writer has several times animadverted upon the responsibility of 

 gelling good results from leaden bullets with heavy charges of 

 powder, the theory being that the bullet is so much upset, that the 

 forward end assumes such a shape as to cause an increase of ail' 

 resistance, resulting necessarily in a higher curve and consequent 

 less of accuracy of flight. All riflemen of experience have noticed 

 the latter result with bullets of pure lead. The following experi- 

 ment (among others made by the writer) is introduced to show 

 how the trajectory is affected by the use of such bullets. 



Ten (10) shells were carefully loaded with J14grs. C.&H. No. 6 

 powder; into 5 of these were inserted a XHUgr. express bullet (pure 

 lead) from a lot furnished bv the Union Metallic Cartridge Corn- 

 pan v, and into the other 5 a HOOgr. alloy express bullet (east in the 

 same moulds as niv 270gr. express bullet, using a smaller core peg). 

 Thev were, to insure perfect accuracy, fired alternately from my 

 .45cal. Sharps, the odd numbers representing the alloyed bullet 

 and the even number the leaden bullet: 



May 9, 1886.-B»r. 23.35, dry bulb i®4°, wet bulb -W; weight ot a 

 cubic foot of air 427.6grs., 200yds. 



Height of Height of 



Shot, Curve. Shot. Curve. 



J: & 2::::::-::::\:::::::d$ 



a 6.47 3 0.94 



c:::. 6.42 4 7.a 



5.,.., , 6.68 5 7.71 



Average Average 7.42 



The highest point of the curve for the alloyed bullet is on an 

 average ti.68in., and for the leaden bullet 7.421n., a difference ot 

 .Min. in favor of the alloyed bullet, whereas the290gr. bullet should 

 have made the flattest curve. It is a fact that for a given heavy 



