Mat 5, 1887. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



323 



motioned me to lie flat while he located the ducks. Tak- 

 ing a cautious peep through the alders in the direction 

 indicated by Mose, he saw a sight that caused liini to drop 

 as if shot. 'lie whispered that not less than fifty or sixty 

 mallard and black ducks were not over 45yds. away. I 

 slowly rose on one knee, and, peering through the alders, 

 to my delight there opened a sight that brought my 

 nerves steady as iron; within easy range were the big fat 

 fellows ready for the slaughter. 



It was agreed between us that I should take the first 

 shot at them on the water and second shot while they 

 were rising, and Jack was to give both barrels on the 

 wing. Cautiously now I rose on one knee again, slowly 

 brought my gun to bear on the thickest gathering, and 

 pulled the left bar el. Seven ducks lay dead, with three 

 flopping on the water. As the flock rose my right barrel 

 tumbled over one more, while Jack brought down five on 

 the wing. We immediately began peppering away at 

 the wounded, until we counted fourteen dead ducks in 

 sight from the bank, while a few more were paddling off 

 through the grass out of the reach of our guns. Our 

 success was due to Mose's intelligent direction, and it re- 

 mained for him to sho v on this occasion that he was 

 equal to any emergency. When the question arose, how 

 were we to get the ducks there being no boat, "I'll get 

 them," said Mose; and suiting the action to the word, 

 immediately stripped and plunged in through miry mud 

 and water and snapping-turtles, which were plenty, until 

 he had retrieved every duck killed. When he came out 

 his limbs were black with leeches, and it took all h-mds 

 nearly half an hour to remove them. Counting the 

 ducks, we found six mallards and eight black of unusual 

 size. 



On arriving at our hotel we arranged our ducks in a 

 showy pile and awaited the return of Mr. Decker. At 5 

 o'clock he came, soon espied our feathery game, and was 

 astonished at the number and size of the beautiful birds. 

 This day's shoot assured us that we were not going home 

 empty-handed. We concluded to forego the pleasure of 

 spending Saturday hunting deer. We were told that 

 they were quite plenty within six miles of the town, but 

 dogs were not allowed in the chase, consequently our 

 chances were so narrowed that we gave it up. 



Friday morning it was decided that the "Old Man" and 

 all his boys, except Jack, should accompany Mr. Decker 

 to a special reserved woodcock ground, while Jack and I 

 should visit the scene of our former triumph and bag a 

 few more ducks. There had been a nipping frost during 

 the night, and the morning seemed peculiarly bracing 

 and healthful. We were soon at the small lake whero we 

 had bagged the fourteen ducks the day before. From 

 the bank we discovered five or six big black fellows on 

 the opposite side of the lake. We went through nearly 

 the same maneuvers as when guided by Mose the day 

 before to reach the alders before spoken of. We got 

 within 75yds. of the ducks, but we could get no closer 

 without exposure. There were three very close together, 

 while several were scattered in the grass near by. I con- 

 cluded to try on the three, while Jack, as usual, was to 

 take the wing shot. He had his doubts whether we could 

 reach them at that distance. I had prepared some shells 

 with ljoz. No. 8, and 3|drs. powder, and with this I gave 

 them the right barrel, and there lay the three, two "stone 

 dead," while the other, in a moment, dropped with life 

 extinct. 



Jack had equally as good luck with his first shot : two 

 fell in the water, near the others, while a splendid long- 

 necked fellow was going in full flight on the left quarter. 

 I fired my left barrel, but the duck continued Ms flight. 

 " Shot a little behind," said Jack. " I'll stop Mm," and 

 true to Ms word, brought him down. The dog Dan had 

 accompanied us on this occasion, and unexpectedly after 

 a little coaching retrieved every duck, except a wounded 

 one, observed by Jack to swim to the shore. All our 

 search for it was m vain, There was a large wood on 

 this side of the lake which looked gamy, and we con- 

 cluded to work through in parallel lines, a few rods 

 apart, to try for partridges. Dan had been working to 

 the left of Jack, in quite thick underbrush, about an 

 eighth of a mile from the lake, when, in response to my 

 call, he did not make his appearance. I knew by this 

 that he must be standing on a bird, but before I got ito the 

 underbrush the dog came out, bearing in his mouth the 

 identical big black wounded duck which we had been 

 unable to find. This duck had climbed the sloping- 

 banks and waddled through the woods to this point, 

 when caught by Dan. A wing was broken, otherwise it 

 was unhurt. This was a great triumph for Dan, and 

 Jack actually hugged the dog. This made six ducks of 

 the flock numbering less than a dozen. 



We continued our work through the woads, and Dan 

 soon sent two partridges to the right of Jack, who qmckly 

 stopped one, while my shot on the other brought a few 

 feathers to float softly away, the bird continuing her 

 flight out of sight. I was a little annoyed by this miss- 

 ing shot, and Jack chaffed me considerably about it; but 

 I was even with him befora we returned home. We had 

 come on a large grove of young poplars tlxrough wMch a 

 small creek wound its way. On either side of the creek 

 were quite high banks. Dan showed signs of game, 

 finally pointing Ms birds. Two woodcock put off in dif- 

 ferent directions. I was in readiness and stopped one, 

 while the other escaped by a miss from Jack. It was my 

 turn to chaff now; but the dog gave Jack another chance 

 on the same bird, when he was more successful. 



It was now 4 o'clock P. M., and we were tired out and 

 satisfied with our day's work. On counting the game we 

 found we had six ducks, one partridge and two wooi- 

 cock, enough to make a respectable show. 



On our way to the wagon a beautiful hawk of unusual 

 dimensions cams sailing near by, fighting on a fence. 

 Jack put a few shot through its head, hardly ruffling a 

 feather. The bird was so pretty thst I ordered it set up 

 by Jack's father, an experienced taxidermist; and at this 

 writing I have only to turn my head to view the bird, 

 life-like, here in my library at home. 



Mr. Decker, with "Father" Blanchard and son Edward, 

 had arived home before us. Altogether they had twenty- 

 three woodcock and two partridges. During the day 

 Ed seemed very anxious to bag all the game, and was 

 succeeding in his efforts, until Mr. Decker thought it time 

 to take a hand in or lose his laurels. The dog Fly was 

 working m range of the w hole party, when he suddenly 

 stood on a woodcock, making a beautiful point over his 

 left shoulder. Fly was ordered to put up the bird, and 

 before Ed could brmg Ms gun to bear on it Decker, who 

 was some distance away, sent Ms No. 10 shot after it and 



brought it down. It being a longer range than the guides 

 were used to, the old man exclaimed, "Splendid shot! 

 Splendid shot!" repeating it several times in his peculiar 

 manner. When the hour came to return home Mr. D. 

 had full his share, and left a record with the guides of 

 best shot on the wing they had met in years. 



Saturday morning we started home. Our game had 

 been kept on ice and all were fresh and nice. It required 

 some time to repack them in a large boot box obtained 

 for the purpose. On counting our game for the four and 

 one half days hunting we found 20 black and mallard 

 ducks, 33 woodcock, 10 redleg snipe, 1 red rail, 1 bittern 

 (standing nearly breast high), 10 partridges, 1 hawk, total 

 83. The week's work had wrought a material physical 

 change in both and this was very noticeable by our own 

 friends. At this writing it is a fixed determinatian with 

 me to duplicate the trip to Champlain the coming season. 

 Our game was distributed among our friends and qmckly 

 disposed of. D. C. Overbaugh. 



Kingston, N. Y. 



CANADIAN WOODS OUTFIT. 



IN moose calling, as the sacking is generally heavy, cut 

 down weight as much possible. The weather being 

 mild at that season I never take a tent, but only a light 

 waterpoof square to make a lean-to in a hurry; but usually 

 I make the men peel spruce or birch bark, with which a 

 sufficient shelter is soon made. I would not use a close 

 tent on any account. Nothing can be more jolly than 

 reclining on the fragrant fir boughs before a roaring 

 hardwood fire, of rock maple for choice; and this luxury 

 cannot be enjoyed in a closed tent. I have my blanket 

 made into a bag. which I find a great improvement. A 

 soft head coveting is essential to comfort at Mght and 

 for general purposes in the woods 



The frying pan should have a short handle, with two 

 rings on it large enough to pass a handle of hardwood 

 through: this handle can easily be cut when wanted. 

 The pan is very handy without the long handle generally 

 used. A few dippers, plates, dishes and kettles from the 

 tinsmith, with some folks and spoons complete the cook- 

 ing outfit, and with some thin rope, two or three axes, 

 varymg from 241bs. to 34lbs. heads are nearly everythmg 

 requisite, outside the important element of grub. The 

 great difficulty in the grocery outfit is to take sufficient 

 good plain food without running short or burdening 

 oneself with unnecessary weight in the way of luxuries. 

 The following list has stood the test of experience: Pork, 

 beans, tea, canned coffee and milk, dried apples, canned 

 beef, ditto milk, pepper, hardtack, flour, matches, soap, 

 tobacco, ham, codfish or Digby's smoked herring and 

 sugar. 



As to rifles, each man will have his own ideas. My 

 preference at present is a double express .45, weighing 

 9pbs., charge llOgrs. powder, and a 300gr. express bullet. 

 This works well up to 350yds. with a very flat trajectory 

 and great accuracy. This rifle I purchased ten years ago 

 aud took to Ceylon, where I proved its power against far 

 more dangerous game than any we have here; if I ever 

 have a rifle built especially for our shooting here it will be a 

 .40 express. A sportsman accustomed to any particular riile 

 would probably do better with it than by changing it at 

 the last minute for a superior weapon with which he was 

 not so familiar. One of the most successful shots at deer 

 I have ever known shot with an antiquated Spencer re- 

 peater, rim fire, and we all know what sort of trajectory 

 that would ha,ve. A knife is wanted with good stuff in 

 the blade, wMch need not be more than four or five inches 

 long, with a plain wooden handle solidly riveted to the 

 tang. No fancy articles, yclept hunting knives, are of 

 much practical value. Never be without knife, matches 

 and compass for any consideration when out of camp, 

 otherwise unpleasant consequences will occur sooner or 

 later. If a shotgun is taken let it be a common gun, as 

 they get awfully knocked about in the woods, and any 

 shooting iron will kill partridge; but when moose calling 

 I recommend as little firing as possible, and only take a 

 small .22 revolver with which many birds can be bagged 

 without disturbing the ground. 



In caribou hunting m the winter I take toboggans, a 

 regular lean-to tent made of cotton or light duck, more 

 blankets; aud this year I think of trying a flit bag to 

 sleep in, as a few more pounds weight does not so much 

 matter with the greater facilities toboggans offer of carry- 

 ing camp kit. Our hunting toboggans here are quite 

 different from those represented on Christmas cards, and 

 I believe really used in Quebec. Tbey are on runners 

 and shod with sled steel 24-in. broad, and a good man will 

 haul 100 to 150lbs. if the gomg is good. C. A. B. 



I\redebicton, New Brunswick. 



SPOTS IN GUN BARRELS. 



MACON, Ga., April 27 —Editor Forest and Stream : I 

 have noted with interest your correspondents' letters 

 on spots in gun barrels, and the difficulty wMch they seem 

 to have in getting rid of them. My experience is rather 

 limited, having owned but two guns since boyhood, and 

 shot those not exceeding 300 or 400 times a year. Before I 

 became the happy owner of a breecMoader* an old sports- 

 man would sometimes gratify my boyish love of guns 

 and shooting by allowing me to accompany him on an 

 afternoon tranap for quail or squirrels. He gave me many 

 valuable lessons on the handling and care of a gun, 

 among them how to prepare an oil that has always kept 

 my guns bright and free from rust spots or -pits. I often 

 admired Ins fine Scott gun that he had shot several years, 

 and the closest inspection would not reveal a spot or 

 blemish on nor in it. Take a pint of neatsfoot oil (the 

 oil extracted from cows' feet by boilmg) and put in a shal- 

 low vessel (a fry-pan is best) over a slow fire. Let it sim- 

 mer until there is no longer any scum and it boils clear 

 without bubbles or Mssing sound. It is then pure and 

 free from water or salt. While still hot, after taking off 

 the fire, add one ounce of pulverized camphor, stirring 

 briskly until thoroughly dissolved. After shooting I 

 swab out the barrels perfectly clean with hot water and 

 dry them by repeated wipings with soft linen rags, then 

 make a liberal application of the oil both mside and out, 

 using care to touch no part of the metal with my hands 

 while puttmg it in the case. I had ten days shooting on 

 salt water one season, and by the above treatment kept 

 my gun in perfect order. After such a cleamng and oil- 

 ing, if put in a dry case, I never find it necessary to clean 

 again from one shootmg season to another. E. C. F. 



A PANTHER HUNT IN THE CANEBRAKE. 



S LEMONS, Ark., April 22.— It was at an early 

 hour on the morning of the 15th inst. that Lot P. 

 Smith, of CMcago; J. C. Campbell, of Oconto, Wis.; 

 Howard Eobb, of Arkansas City ; T. H. Baldy, a neigh- 

 bor, and myself, left my house for a day's sport m the 

 Mississippi River swamps. We had our team of bear 

 dogs, led by old Blue. The programme was to go down 

 Big Bayou to the mouth of Bear Bayou, across to 

 Crooked Bayou, up this to the " water hole," thence west 

 and home. We would pass on this route the " Devil's 

 Nest," one of the worst canebrakes in Chicot county, 

 and where, if there is a bear in the neighborhood, he is 

 sure to be found. Old Blue, however, failed to find him, 

 and we continued our ride, the stillness about us being 

 broken only by the occasional hoo-hoot of the swamp 

 owl. 



At 2 o'clock in the afternoon we were near the " water- 

 hole," wMch is a little long hole that holds w ater all 

 summer, even in the dryest time, and is consequently a 

 favorite resort for game of all kinds. Nature has so 

 arranged as to suit them all, for to the north the woods 

 are perfectly open, while on the sotith side the heavy 

 cane reaches to the water. 



On nearing this cane old Blue scents and gives mouth 

 in a manner that tells us that the game is there and 

 worthy our steel. Into the thicket he goes followed by 

 the whole team, and soon we hear a roar that makes my 

 Chicago friend tremble with excitement. The cane 

 crashes. Everyone pushes to get nearer. There are a 

 few rounds by the dogs, and all is quiet. I had worked 

 down the west side of the cane and was near the dogs; 

 m fact, when they quit giving mouth, they were all 

 around me searching for the track. I knew by then- 

 actions that the game had made a short dodge or taken a 

 tree. I look up and right over me, in a large oak, is a 

 monster panther, alternately looMng defiance at me and 

 curiosity at the dogs. I dismount and select a good open 

 place to shoot from. The sharp crack of my Winchester 

 follows. He leaps high in the air and falls with a crash 

 that is heard 200yds. At the same moment another 

 panther, which I had not seen, springs to the ground 

 from the same tree, and makes off tlirough the cane with 

 the whole team in full ciy at his heels. The race does 

 not last long for soon the deep bayiug of the dogs tells 

 me they have treed again. A scramble tM-ough the cane 

 and I am under the tree. The Winchester peals, and 

 before the game reaches the earth he has three balls 

 through him, and is dead. 



The horn is blown, the men come. We drag him out 

 of the cane. I tell them another and a larger one has 

 been killed. We return and drag him out, and are con- 

 gratulating each other on our fine luck, when old Blue, 

 not yet satisfied, returns to the cane, and directly the 

 whole team are making such music that Smith picks up 

 his rifle, exclaimmg, "If there's another, he's mine!" We 

 follow on foot. They have tacked and are coming directly 

 toward us. We are in an open slough while the dogs 

 are in the cane. They approach, and we are looMng 

 every moment for them to pop out, when looking up, I 

 whisper to Smith, "There he is. Take pams. Aim low." 

 At the report of the Winchester, the panther tumbles 

 end over end, and we suppose is dead ; but not so, for 

 away go panther and dogs. The chase is for only a few 

 yards, however, and from the angry bay of the dogs we 

 know the panther is badly wounded and means fight. 

 Now a wounded panther is a tough customer to tackle, 

 especially in a thicket like the one tMs chap was in. We 

 knew the time had come when we must act quick and 

 with coolness to save our dogs. We were anxious for 

 Smith to complete the work, and Baldy and myself laid 

 down our guns and proposed to go in with him. The 

 fight was going on only a little distance off, and above 

 the crashing of cane, barkmg and yells from the unlucky 

 dog the panther had down, could be heard the hoarse 

 growls of the game. This was Mr. Smith's first encounter 

 with a panther, and as we started to crowd in we admon- 

 ished him to keep cool, which caution, however, was un- 

 necessary as he showed the nerve and pluck of an old 

 hunter. The muzzle of the gun was shoved between dog 

 and panther, a flash, and all was over. Several of our 

 dogs were badly torn, but we had tMee large panthers, 

 the largest 8ft., the other two 7ft. in length. 



It must not be understood from this that there are 

 tMee panthers m every patch of cane. I have been liv- 

 ing here since 1861, and have never h eard of just such an 

 occurrence. The oMy way I can explain it is that the 

 buffalo gnats were very bad and deer went into tMs cane 

 to escape them (though to meet a worse fate), and the 

 panthers, knowing this, congregated to have a venison 

 feast. J. M . Wade-ell. 



A Seal Visits the Decoys. — Oakdale, L. I., April 18. 

 — While duck shooting on the South Bay this morning I 

 saw a black object swimming some distance outside of 

 my decoys. After watching it some time it came almost 

 up to the outside decoys, and raised itself up out of the 

 water, as a duck does "when he stretches up and flaps his 

 wings. When so much of him was out of the water he 

 looked like a large, dog and appeared to be trying to find 

 out what the decoys were, but was afraid to come too 

 close to them. After raising himself out of the water 

 several times to examine the decoys, he swam to the west 

 of them and came to within a few feet of the shore, but 

 as his curiosity was not satisfied he swain out again and 

 took another look at the wooden imitations, and then 

 swam into the shore to the east of the decoys. I did not 

 see him again after that, as he disappeared altogether. I 

 presume it was a seal, but is it not very far into the spring 

 for seal to be in these waters? It was very cold, the ram 

 and snow freezing on my clothes as fast as it fell. Al- 

 though it is April 18, I did not suffer so much with the 

 cold while gunning in the ice all winter, as I did to-day. 

 —Alfred A. Fraser. 



Cleaning Out the Last One.— South Duxbury, Mass. 

 —In February, four weeks ago, I saw two very small lots 

 of quail that had escaped the eye of the gunner. A city 

 sportsman came here for a day's gunning; the first flock 

 he struck was one of thirteen; after he had got through it 

 was no more; he took them all in. A local market- 

 gunner worked six weeks on a very large bevy that were 

 hatched not a stone's throw from my house; when he got 

 tMough there were six left. I got nary a shot. I don't 

 like to post my place to get a few quail; for I don't like 

 to appear to be a hog, nor do I like having the birds 

 "hogged."— South Shore. 



