324 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May 5, 1887. 



THE ELUSIVE SNIPE. 



NEW YORK, April 15.— I have often read in the col- 

 umns of the Forest and Stkeam that spring snipe 

 shooting should be abolished. I always thought before 

 that this sentiment was correct, but now I know it. 



My father had been urging me to go down into the 

 classic State of New Jersey, where a pup of ours is hiber- 

 nating, and combine with'the pleasure of seeing whether 

 the pup would recognize me the business of snipe shoot- 

 ing, and intimating that if I didn't take every oppor- 

 tunity for shooting that presented itself, I would never 

 be able to slay anyth: ng. The latter argument, which 

 was rather personal, finally started me off last Wednes- 

 day night, hand in hand with a bag weighing several 

 hundred pounds, and a gun. I arrived at last at my des- 

 tination with my hands full of blisters caused by the bag, 

 and slept peacefully till early cock crow— which ivas 

 early. 



We then started to drive to various small ponds and 

 meadows. We soon ran into a snipe, which my guide 

 laid out all mangled on the ground, about sixty yards off. 

 We then pro ceeded on our way, and found nothing but a 

 few mosquitoes — which weren't, however, in good health 

 — for some time. Finally, as we crossed a small piece of 

 meadow I saw a snipe spring into the air. He cork- 

 screwed off, and I was preparing to lay him low, when 

 he sat down of his own free will. I approached him with 

 great care, and when he rose I let fly both barrels at him 

 in quick succession, which always sounds more spoits- 

 manlike than to fire one only. He didn't pitch headlong 

 in his swift flight. We never saw him again. 



I have read in the pages of "Frank Forester" that 

 when a snipe rises he pauses there and utters a peculiar 

 whistle. My snipe (for he was mine in heart it not in 

 reality) did 'not pause and he did not utter a peculiar 

 whistle or any other whistle. "Frank Forrester" adds 

 that when the snipe gets through pausing and whistling 

 his peculiar whistle he begins to zig-zag, and after he 

 has zig-zagged for a short distance he goes straight. My 

 snipe did not zig-zag and then go straight. He flew as if 

 he was intoxicated, in every way at once, but from the 

 instant he started he made as hard as he could go for the 

 dim distance, and he got there before he had straightened 

 himself out. 



Soon after this we started back and I soon realized that 

 though it may sound more sportsmanlike to fire both 

 barrels of your gun, it gives you double the amount of 

 cleaning that you would otherwise have. 



I got home to New York the same night. Next morn- 

 ing I had a stiff neck and a bad cold. To-day is Satur- 

 day and I am in the house with that same stiff* neck and 

 cold and expect to stay here several days longer. But 

 that is not all. I would have gone after the snipe yester- 

 day afternoon instead of Wednesday if it had not been 

 that I wanted specially to see a base tall game to-day. 

 The game is being played at this moment, but I am not 

 looking at it, though I am in town. 



But to cap all, my father gave my brother who does not 

 shoot $5 to make up for my trip. 



I don't want any more spring shooting. B. 



HUNTING RIFLE SIGHTS. 



Editor- Forest and Stream : 



In April 28 issue of your paper " Munsungun " has an 

 article on hunting rifle sights which I must criticise. 

 After admitting that the Lyman rear sight gives a large 

 field of vision, he says the objections to it are : 1st, " It is 

 confusing in catching the range of the sights, i.e., the 

 front through the rear," and goes on to say, " this is owing 

 to the position of the sight on the stock of the gun, leaving 

 too a great distance between the front and rear sight." 



Most of those who use this sight do not find it confus- 

 ing in catching the range of the sights, for when it is 

 used properly the shooter does not try to look through it 

 in the proper sense of the term, in fact he gives no 

 attention to it at all. As his rifle comes up to the shoulder 

 the attention of the shooter should only be fixed on the 

 object to be shot at and the front sight, letting the 

 rear sight take care of itself. The rear sight will take care 

 of itself and guide the eye accurately, for it interferes a 

 little with the field of vision of the right eye, giving the 

 appearance of a large circle like a hoop, and one cannot 

 get the eye away from the inside of this circle without an 

 effort. 



When aiming, if the sight is looked at, the lens of the 

 eye becomes less flat, in order to get the shorter focus, as 

 is the case in looking at all near objects. In trying to 

 get this shorter focus the eye is not right for seeing the 

 front sight, and the focus is very bad for seeing the 

 object. This is clearly ' 'Munsunguns" trouble, for he 

 says that the fault is the rear sight is on the gun stock 

 and that there is too great a distance between the sights. 

 He evidently thinks it would be an improvement if the 

 rear sight was further forward, which certainly would be 

 the case if the sight must be looked at. If this were 

 done, however, it would be useless for shooting rapidly, 

 neither would it be as accurate, for then the sighting 

 would be done on the old principle, that of trying to see 

 three objects (the rear sight, the front sight and the 

 object) at different distances all at once, which results in 

 seeing none of them distinctly. One correct principle in 

 all aiming is this, the right eye should be in focus with 

 the object shot at. This principle cannot be easily carried 

 out with any of the ordinary forms of hunting sights, 

 for the shooter cannot give them attention enough to 

 shoot with much degree of accuracy. With the Lyman 

 sight, however, this principle is not violated, for although 

 attention is given to the front sight, it is simply laid 

 against the object, so to speak, and whatever effort there 

 may be in getting- the rear sight into line it is done quite 

 unconsciously and does not delay the shooting any more 

 than if it were not there. Old eyes especially must con- 

 form to this principle, for the lens of the eye in this case 

 is not flexible and cannot change its focus." This explains 

 why they cannot use the rifle in hunting with any degree 

 of accuracy unless they use the Lyman sight. 



"Munsungun's" second objection to this sight is that it 

 is liable to get knocked down and out of position when 

 hunting. This, I am sorry to say, has been the case with 

 many of these sights in the past, and especially so when 

 fitted to basea outside of the factory. This fault, how- 

 ever, no longer exists, for the sights are now so held by 

 the base spring as to remain firmly in place, and when 

 hunting cannot be knocked out of position by an ordi- 

 nary biow. 



I will here state to those having my sights with this 



fault of being too easily moved out of position, that they 

 can have this trouble remedied without charge by mail- 

 ing the sight to the factory at Middlefield, Conn. The 

 greatly increased sale and popularity of the Lyman rear 

 sight for hunting rifles is owing principally to the fact 

 that it is far more easy to aim the rifle and the results 

 aremu^h more accurate than with any form of rear sight 

 used on the barrel. William Lyman. 



"The Sierra Madre Exploring and Mining Com- 

 pany." — You may remember my last communication on 

 the "Sierra Madre as a New Hunting Ground." Since 

 then my time has been occupied with an investigation of 

 this region, and in fact for many years previously. Your 

 paper has been selected as the best medium for introduc- 

 ing the above mentioned enterprise to the public for the 

 reason that it reaches a class of readers preferred for the 

 exhibition. The Sierra Madre (or Mother Mountain) of 

 northern Mexico was the richest mineral country reached 

 by the Spaniards. The reason that development has not 

 been made is that the country has been infested by the 

 hostile Apache Indians until within the last year, when 

 their occupation was terminated by the capture of Geron- 

 imo and his band. Deming, the railroad junction in New 

 Mexico, has been selected as the starting point, on account 

 of railroad, telegraph, express and postal facilities, its 

 proximity to the boundary fine, and most convenient base 

 of supply. The Sierra Madre will be found as rich in 

 minerals, land, water, timber and resources as Calif ornia, 

 with climate and salubrity unsurpassed. The entrance 

 fee has been fixed at $500, as that is the least sum that 

 will defray the outfit and expenses of each person; but 

 men of means may subscribe a larger amount if tbey 

 desire a greater interest. There is not the slightest inten- 

 tion to violate the laws or customs of Mexico, but the 

 strictest observance of law and order will be enforced. — 

 Chas. D. Poston (Deming, New Mexico). 



Why He Watched the Doves. — Americans were 

 scarce enough in Sonora at the time we were chasing 

 Geronimo. About the only Americans we found in the 

 State were some old Confederates who had left the United 

 States right after the war, and had settled in that out-of- 

 the-way place. One I stopped with a whole afternoon at 

 Sahuaripa was Dr. William McClung Pigott, who was 

 Chief Surgeon of McLaw's Division, Longstreet's Corps. 

 The old Doctor went to Turkey first, and after wandering 

 about the world some years settled in Sonora. He has a 

 fine place, and whenever he hears of any Americans in 

 his neighborhood he has them come and stop with him. 

 After dinner we went out in the shade, and the old gen- 

 tleman all at once began to take a great interest in some 

 doves that were flying about. I guess he watched those 

 doves a couple of hours, and I watched him. My curi- 

 osity was aroused. I couldn't, for the life of me, make 

 out what he was trying to do. Finally, he got up, with 

 an expression of satisfaction, went into the house, brought 

 out a gun, and fired into the trees. Three doves fell 

 down. Then he told me that he had been waiting all 

 that time to get the three in a row. Powder and shot 

 come high in that country. — Scout Wm. M. Edwards. 



Penetration Tests.— Let me return my thanks to "J. 

 M. W.," of Augusta, Ga., for his second series of "Pene- 

 tration Tests." ~ He has come out just as I expected, and 

 I have no doubt that he and I agree perfectly in our con- 

 clusions. He has proved that 2-idrs. of powder, with one 

 thick wad and one felt one, gave a better penetration 

 than 3|drs. with either two thick wads and loz. of shot, 

 or with one thin wad, one felt one and l£oz. shot. In 

 fact he has now covered the ground pretty fairly, and 

 shown that there is a proper medium in all things. I 

 should not expect one thin wad and one felt one to work 

 well, for the soft spongy felt needs a proper backing to 

 expand it and make it fill the barrel, but with the com- 

 bination of one thick and one felt wad, which I tried last 

 fall, and which he has now tested, I believe the happy 

 mean is attained. I see that Von Lengerke & Co. are now 

 advertising a special thin "shot wad," which may be a 

 good thing, as all that is wanted on top of the shot is 

 enough to keep it from starting from its place in the 

 chamber when the other barrel is fired. — Von W. 



Eastern Shore of Virginia.— Mappsburg, Va., April 

 27. — Editor Forest and Stream : The season for fair con- 

 clusions as to the probable crop of quail in this section 

 (Accomack county) is at hand. My observations are that 

 quail are mating off very prettily. I have had occasion 

 right recently on business matters to be from home, and 

 on my rides through the country I have never in all my 

 life seen quail better mated. On many and many occa- 

 sions I have seen on the roadside a cock and hen to- 

 gether, as tame as dunghill fowl. This indicates a good 

 crop of buds and should be very cheering to the lovers of 

 the gun. Our Atlantic coast birds are not here yft Let 

 your seekers of shooting come about May 15, then to 

 June 15 birds are on their flight, between Avhich time the 

 best of sport can be had. During this time, too, the 

 weather is pleasant and warm; the very best trout fislnng 

 may be had and the seeker of sport can get the worth of 

 his money, you may be sure. — T. G. Elliott. 



Agawam, Mass., April 18.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 I can report for this section that a fair number of grouse 

 are left over, and I think more than the usual stock of 

 gray squirrels and rabbits; and certainly more than the 

 usual flight of geese and ducks has gone over. But it has 

 been a hard winter on the few quail we have here. Out 

 of a flock of thirteen living up to the middle of January, 

 I have been able to find but four in April; and I fear 

 other flocks have suffered as much, but I have had no 

 time to look them up as yet. — Pine Tree. 



Bending Gun Stocks.— Noticing in your last issue a 

 new method of changing drop of gun stocks, I say to 

 your readers don't do it, as it will always show and does 

 not alter the bend in the grip, where the change should 

 be made to allow the hand to be lower when grasping 

 stock. Don't steam your stock as that is not the correct 

 way to do it, but send your gun to a first-class mechanic 

 who knows a trick worth either of the above, and who 

 will bend yoiu - gun stock to any crook needed without 

 injury to it.— W. H. C. 



Lyman's Ivory Shotgun Sight, unlike the ordinary 

 metallic sight, does not glimmer in the sunlight and it 

 can be seen in a dim light. Another improvement in this 

 sight is its large size. Almost eveiy sportsman knows 

 how little is the value of the ordinary sights for quick 

 work; in fact they are generally made so small and of 

 such material as to be hardly noticed when aiming. With 

 this sight one can do far better shooting at the trap and 

 in the field. The sight is so made as to expose only the 

 ivory above the rib of the gun and at the same time is 

 held in the steel sleeve or holder, so as to give it the 

 greatest possible amount of strength. 



The Crow as a Decoy.— Of the many characteristics 

 for which the common crow is noted, none can be used 

 to a greater advantage by sportsmen than its mimicry, 

 by employing the crow as a decoy for wild ducks, tur- 

 keys, etc. Having made myself sufficiently acquainted 

 with the habits of this bird, I feel assured of its success 

 as such. I have frequently seen domesticated turkeys, 

 ducks, peafowl, guineas and even pigeons misled by the 

 mimicking of a tame crow kept by a friend. — W. G. L. T. 



Grouse and Snow Crust. — I do not think ruffed 

 grouse ever get crusted in. Have tramped the woods of 

 central Massachusetts since I was first able to run. Have 

 seen where they have been struck by hawks, pulled down 

 by foxes, flown against telegraph wires, and in one in- 

 stance the feathers, where one had struck the iron bridge 

 between this town and the city; but I never found one 

 dead or alive crusted in. I think they are too thoroughly 

 Yankee for that.— Pine Tree (Agawam, Mass.). 



Cadiz, O., April 25.— There is plenty small game here, 

 such as rabbits, squirrels, quail, coon and possum. My 

 beagles are looking fine, and I expect to have many a 

 merry chase after Molly in the coming season. The game 

 law is pretty rigidly enforced in this section, and game 

 is on the increase. The squirrel season opens June 1. 

 Woodchucks or ground hogs are so numerous that the 

 farmers pay a bounty on their scalps. — S. C. G. 



Maine Lumbermen and Game.— Under date of April 

 18, a Maine correspondent writes: Many crews are re- 

 tm-ning to the woods for driving, but for a long time they 

 will do nothing but lay around camp and kill big game. 

 The snow is between 5 and 6ft. deep, and the best crust 

 for getting moose as it will bear up anywhere, even in 

 black growth, without snow shoes. 



Barnegat Bay.— Perth Amboy, April 9.— A postal 

 card received to-day from Harvey Cedars, Barnegat Bay, 

 says: "Bay birds have just arrived. Reported rather 

 plenty for this time of season. Some sheldrakes left. 

 Flounders still biting." A flock of yelpers was seen to- 

 day at Cheesequake Creek. English snipe are scarce.— 

 J. L. K. 



Game in the Sweet Grass Hills.— A correspondent 

 writes, under date of April 18, from the mining camp in 

 the Sweet Grass Hiils,Montana : "There are lots of antelope 

 here and some deer and sheep. I saw a great many dead 

 antelope — mostly yearlings — on the prairie when I came 

 down here. They froze to death last winter.— J. W. S. 



Prairie Chickens for Arizona. — A correspondent 

 desires to obtain from Kansas or Texas ten to twenty 

 pairs of pinnated grouse (prairie chickens) for stocking 

 the neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona. We shall be glad 

 to hear from any one in either of those States who can 

 supply his wants. 



NEW YORK GAME LAWS. 



THE Assembly has passed Bulkley's bill (No. 433) forbidding the 

 use of netB iu certain parts of Jefferson county, also Thomp- 

 son's bill amending the Jefferson county act of 1886. 



The Senate has passed Senator Wemple's bill providing for a 

 fish hatchery in the Adirondacks. 



The Senate has ordered to a third reading Cog'gesh all's two bills 

 —the one prohibiting the catching of brook trout less than Bin. 

 long; the other making the season for woodcock, partridges and 

 squirrels, Sept. 1 to Dec. 1, and relating to snared birds, etc. 



Albany, May 2.— The Albany correspondent of the Forest and 

 Stream endeavors to follow the legislation at Albany with great 

 care. But sometimes he finds that he has omitted or misstated 

 something that is quite important. For instance, last week he 

 opened his letter by saying that Mr. Fitch had not been able to 

 advance his bill relating to a fish hatchery at Cold Spring Harbor, 

 although he had made great efforts to do so. The fact was that, 

 during the absence of the correspondent from the Assembly 

 chamber, Mr. Fitch had already succeeded in doing what he 

 wished. The correspondent at once sent a correction to the Forest 

 and Stream, but it probably did not reach the office before the 

 time of going to press. The exact facts are that the bill was on 

 the order of third reading in the Assembly, and that it has passed 

 the Assembly. There is much less work to be done in the Senate 

 than in the Assembly and so it is likely to reach the Governor 

 soon. 



The only bill that has been introduced during the past week in 

 either House is one by Senator Murphy anthoi-izing the posses- 

 sion and sale of salmon trout and other fish taken from waters 

 outside of this State. The bill, which has already passed the Sen- 

 ate, is as follows: 



Section 1. It shall be lawful to have in possession and to sell 

 within this State, at any time, salmon trout, sometimes known as 

 lake trout; Virginia chub, sometimes known as black bass, and 

 pike-perch, sometimes known as wall-eyed pike, lawfully taken 

 from waters outside or this State. Sec. 2, None of the provisions 

 of laws heretofore enacted for the preservation of fish or other 

 game within this State shall be construed to prohibit or interfere 

 with the possession or sale of the above specified fish taken from 

 waters outside of this State, provided that it be proven in any 

 action or prosecution for such possession or sale that such fish was 

 lawfully taken from waters outside of this State. Sec. 3. This 

 act shall take effect immediately. 



The Senate has passed Senator Pierce's bill making the quail 

 and rabbit season on Long Island, Nov. 15 to Dec. 31; also Assem- 

 blyman Moore's bill amending the song-bird act of 1886, in the 

 interest of science. 



The Senate has ordered to a third reading Assemblyman Bulk- 

 ley's bill relating to fishing in Lake Ontario, within the limits of 

 Jefferson county. 



Senator Coggeshall made an unsuccessful attempt to order to a 

 third reading his brook trout bill and his woodcock and squirrel 

 bill. 



The Senate Committee on game laws has reported Senator Dun- 

 ham's bill relating to lessees of special privileges. 



Senator Low does not feel at all discouraged in regard to his 

 bill consolidating the duties of the dairy commissioner, forest 

 commissioners, and the fish and game protectors in one official, 

 under the name of the State Agricultural Bureau. The hill is 

 now on the order of third reading in the Senate, and every one 

 else beside Senator Low looks upon it as dead. But the Senator 

 will not concede that he has been beaten. 



