394 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May 26, 1887. 



bits, etc., were scattered over the open portion of the 

 valley. I saw three varieties of ducks and three varieties 

 of plover in the valley. 



If it had been in the fall of the year and I had had my 

 gun with me I could have made a large bag; but the shoot- 

 ing season is over, and artificial targets should take the 

 place of living game until there can be a chance for what 

 ■we have now to multiplv and replenish. 



Forest Field. . 



RAIN AND MUD. 



SOME time during the past hunting season, my friend 

 Jethell and I put our gucs and shells in our buggy, 

 and started for a point on the Morrison Hill, about 

 eighteen miles northwest of the town. Still later in the 

 day. Dr. Still Weel and a boy who thinks himself of 

 mature age and enlarged wisdom, went off on the same 

 business. A little while before night we reached the 

 dwelling we were seeking, and met a cordial welcome 

 from the owner, Mr. Sim Chowdermilk. A substantial 

 supper was served, and our horses and dogs cared for. 

 We slept soundly, and at an early hour were summoned 

 from our luxurious couches to breakfast, and then rode 

 down to Buffalo Creek, one mile north. 



Our route lay up the creek, whose broad bottoms, un- 

 acquainted with the shooting of bird hunters, afforded an 

 inviting place. We had been told by parties who had 

 chased foxes in that locality that birds were very numer- 

 ous. A few minutes only passed before my irrepressible, 

 untireable Argo had located a covey. Approaching cau- 

 tiously, and well understanding on which side each was 

 to shoot, we got in four barrels and bagged but two birds. 

 Another was hit, but escaped. A cyclone in February of 

 1385 having passed right up the north bank of the stream, 

 the birds made the fallen timber a convenient and safe 

 retreat. Further pursuit was useless, and we went on. 

 About 800yds. further on we got up another, and all 

 escaped us' taking refuge in a pine thicket. Your corre- 

 spondent succeeded in getting two birds out of it. In an 

 old peafield the dog made another stand. But one was 

 raised. Though badly hit, we did not get him. At this 

 point some boys, one of whom was armed with an old 

 muzzleloading rifle, made their appearance and proposed 

 to be of the party. To this there was objection. They 

 were told that rifles might do for squirrels, but were not 

 fit for the kind of hunting we were doing. Besides, it 

 was rather a dangerous weapon. They did not like it — 

 but deferred to our wishes. 



Proceeding up the creek we found a covey in the woods. 

 My companion got a shot, missed the bnd and we went on. 

 Beautiful stubblo fields were carefully hunted without 

 success, until at last we got about eight in an open piece 

 of ground. One only was killed, the others sought a 

 bomb-proof. Turning back we met our companions who 

 should have found us earlier, and for the rest of the day, 

 with rare exceptions, we were on the border of fallen 

 timber, tumbled in a confused and impenetrable mass by 

 that fearful cyclone of February 9, 1885, which proved so 

 destructive to that part of the 'country, the victim of its 

 ravages. This jungle afforded a safe cover for the birds, 

 and though we found quite a number of nice coveys our 

 only trophies were obtained in the first rises, while the 

 birds were seeking a safe retreat. In consequence of this 

 when we returned to our quarters we had only about 

 thirty birds. 



The next day, though the clouds gave evidence of rain, 

 we concluded to try "our luck in a different place. Ac- 

 cordingly at an early hour we were in our buggies, driv- 

 ing rapidly down hill to a point near Little Riv> r. where 

 it receives the waters of Buffalo Creek. Leaving the 

 vehicle at a convenient spot, we soon got up some birds, 

 and either by skill or accident bagged several before we 

 reached the hunting grounds which we were seeking. 

 When we got to the in we were having an uncomfortable 

 drizzling rain, whicli made the mud stick to our feet and 

 caused our clothes to feel far from comf ortable. Still as our 

 "blood was up," we toiled on "with hope elate," exp ct- 

 ing a good deal of joy to recompense us for the. labors 

 which we were undergoing. Near the mouth of Buffalo 

 and on both sides of the river we found birds abundant. 

 But we were subjected to the almost universal annoyance 

 which is met by persons who hunt near a stream. A flushed 

 covey goes at once to the other side and it is not always 

 convenient to cross. Boats and logs are not at the right 

 places. Tims we found it. Nevertheless we got quite a 

 number of shots. Some were successful and some were 

 not. At night we had forty-one birds. Getting into dry 

 clothes and having the advantage of a crackling fire of 

 oak logs, we were ready at an early hour after our re- 

 turn to the dwelling to enjoy the coffee and other 

 "creature comforts," which our host and hostess had 

 liberally provided for our entertainment. And soon 

 we were ready for bed and pleasant dreams. 



The following morning the clouds were lowering, and 

 by breakfast time were dropping their condensed vapor 

 upon the lands. The hunt was over, and with a few birds 

 in the bags, we returned home to see our families and 

 look at the "wee things," while they enjoyed the succu- 

 lent morsels which Bob White can afford. 



At some time hereafter I may fee inclined to let you 

 have some other sketches of gala days and ambrosial 

 nights. I shall not attempt to follow the plan of the 

 "Wizard of the North," as Prof. Wilcox is sometimes 

 called. If 1 did I should not succeed. I may give quite 

 as good a description of quite as good a hunt as his open- 

 ing chapter portrays — but then the nodes were of a char- 

 acter with which i have no acquaintance, and the drama- 

 tis persona' woidd not embrace the Ettrick Shepherd, 

 Syme, Ebony and Maginn, and the subjects discussed 

 would not relate to literary matters far beyond the know- 

 ledge of ordinary mortals. My narrative may speak of 

 the philosophy of Mud, the quaint humor of Crickett, the 

 solid talk of Dit, the jokes at Mud's expense by Teceel, 

 the innocent boasting of Gully, the incredible stories of 

 Gaffey, and the stupidity of Wells. Whatever they may 

 be I shall hope to afford some little entertainment to your 

 readers, untainted by the inculcation, directly or in- 

 directly, of any thoughts which tend to human degrada- 

 tion. All my* desires are that what I shall write will 

 afford pleasure without consequent sorrow, and ennoble 

 a pastime which when properly followed strengthens the 

 muscles, aids the digestion and dulcifies the feelings. 



Rooking ham, If. C. WELLS. 



The Travelebs, of Hartford, does not have to rely on "growth" 

 for the security of its policies ; its surplus of is a sure 



foundation. — Adv. 



Michigan.— At a recent meeting of East Saginaw 

 sportsmen, Mr. W. B. Mershon presiding, a county game 

 club was formed to "back up" the game warden in his 

 work. The following committee was appointed to solicit 

 funds for game protection: Messrs. V. Kindler, H. A. 

 Pra't. Frank Goddard, Henry Turner and E. N, Briggs, 

 of East Saginaw, and J. K. Stevens, Frank Eme ick, 

 Harry Jerome, Gid Estabrook and Hugh Smith, of Sagi- 

 naw City. Ferd. A. Ashley, J. K. Stevens and Louis 

 Kreis were appointed as a finance committee to receive 

 and disburse the funds of the soliciting committee until 

 the organization of the club is perfected. The fining of 

 violators of the game laws was next discussed, and Mr. 

 Connors, the Deputy Warden, expressed the feeling of a 

 good many sportsmen that he had met on the subject. 

 The laws, however, provide fines in nearly every case, 

 and nothing was don% but the feeling of the meeting was 

 for fining violators to the full extent. The officers are: 

 Pres., Isaac Bearinger; Vice-Pres., E. N. Briggs; Sec, 

 Louis Smith; Treas., Vincent Kindler; Finance Com- 

 mittee, A. K. Penny, B. F. Cheeseborough, Frank God- 

 dard. A fund of $250 has been raised. 



Sauk Center, Minn.— There seem to be more ducks 

 and geese hereabouts this spring than for quite a while 

 back. Probably they know they are protected from the 

 spring fusilade. I noticed the ' Game Law" posted up in 

 the L. Fi & I), railway depot at this place the other day, 

 so that all may see and govern themselves accordingly. 

 Prairie chickens wintered finely and bid fair to make 

 first-class sport next fall. The late burning of the prairies 

 and meadow land may have a tendency to decrease some 

 of this year's crop, but I think from present indications 

 there will be good shooting this fall. 



Virginia. — Mapp?burg Station, May 9.— Atlantic coast 

 birds, all the sorts, are plentier with us than for years. 

 Trout are in abundance. Lovers of shooting and fishing 

 may for the ensuing thirty davs have excellent sport. — 

 T. G. Elliott. 



THE NEW YORK CAME LAW. 



ALBANY, May 23.— Duriug the past week the Governor has 

 signed several same hills aud they are now added to the list 

 of those that have gone before. It is certain that they will not be 

 lonesome, because there are altogether too many such laws now; 

 and, in the second place, more bills of the same sort are yet to 

 come. 



The bills signed by the Governor are these: Moore, amending 

 the song bird act. of IHstj in the interest of science; Hogeboon, for- 

 bidding shad fishing in tlie Hudson on Sundays: Brundage, relat- 

 ing to flic sport of fishing in Steuben county, and Bulkley, for- 

 bidding the taking of fish in the town of Cape Vincent within a 

 mile of the shore, except by book and line. The latter bill was 

 permitted to become a law by the Governor under protest, and lie 

 transmitted the following message to the Secretary of State along 

 with the new law: 



"State op New York, Executive Chamber, Albany, Mav 18, 

 1887.— Memorandum filed with Assembly BinWo. 915, entitled:* An 

 act to prevent talcing fish from the waters or Lake Ontario adja- 

 cent to the shore of Cape Vincent by other means than angling, 

 which, not having been returned to the house in which it origin- 

 ated within ten days, became a law pursuant to Article IV., Sec- 

 tion 9, of the Constitution. 



"So far as I understand the object of this bill, it does not meet 

 my entire approval. It seems to unduly sacrifice the interests of 

 business fishermen for the sake of preserving game fish for sports- 

 men. But for over a year past I -nave made it a rule to refrain 

 from interfering wilh the many local game, and fish bills passed 

 by the Legislature, because of the utter impossibility, owing to my 

 other official engagements, of fully comprehending the circum- 

 stances of the locality to which they apply. 



"While 1 cannot express my approval of this bill by signing it, 

 I am reluctantly compelled, for the reasons aforesaid and by my 

 necessarily imperfect knowledge of the local situation, to adhere 

 to my former policy, and I therefore allow this bill to become a 

 law without my signature. 



"In such mat ters as local game and fish laws the Executive must 

 rely upon the representatives in the Legislature from the locality 

 directly interested to correctly express the wishes of their con- 

 stituents, and upon the Member and Senator from the district 

 affected must mainly rest the responsibility for legislation of this 

 character.— DAvro B. Hrxn." 



Tin' Senate has passed Whine's Catskill deer park bill. 



The Assembly has passed Reeves's bill extending the exemption 

 clause to Gardiner and Poconic bays, so as to allow the shooting 

 Of wildfowl from boats. 



The Governor has now in Iris possession, awaiting his signature, 

 Emery's hill forbidding the setting of pound nets, trap nets and 

 other kinds of nets in the waters of Lake Erie ad joining the shores 

 of Erie county; also Sime's bill providing that the bills of State 

 fish protectors shall be audited by boards of supervisors, as other 

 bills are audited. 



The Assembly has passed Sweet's bill relating to fishing in 

 Cayuga Lake. 



The Senate committee on game laws has report ed Fitch's appro- 

 priation of $5,000 for the fish hatchery at Cold Spring Harbor, and 

 it is expected that the bill will be passed before adjournment. 



Assemblyman Moore thinks that his bill amending the penal 

 code relative to the dredging by steam to the injury of ovster beds 

 will not come out of the judiciary committee before adjournment. 



On Fridav evening Senator Comstook's bill providing for a fish- 

 way in the Hudson at the State dam, Troy, was discussed before 

 the Governor. There was a large number of interested persons 

 present. In favor of the measure were: Dr. Schuyler, E. M. 

 Green, W. Hagar, L. C. Griffin, Mr. Burdette.Mr. Knickerbocker. 

 Against: J. A. Mauning, A. A. Hall, M. Orr and Mr. Boswell. 

 The bill has been recalled for amendment. 



The. Assembly amended Senator Murphy's bill relating to the 

 sale of (ish and game taken outside of the State so that such fish 

 and game should only be .sold in New Y ork city. Murphy tried to 

 confirm the Assembly action in the Senate, but he failed. 



The Corn well game bill relating to Seneca Lake has been so 

 amended as to allow spearing any fish but bass and pike in 

 Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua Lakes, and also drawing of 

 seines for the catching of bait. In this shape it has gone to the 

 Governor. 



By far the greatest excitement during the past week was in 

 regard to the Assembly game law bill (which was Reeves's bill 

 worked over) relative to the protection and cultivation of oysters. 

 In my last letter it was stated chat the finance committee of the 

 Senate had so completely reversed the bill that it was unsatisfac- 

 tory to Reeves and his friends, aud that it would he killed rather 

 than passed in that shape. Soon afterward, however, after a 

 long consultation, the bill was amended so that it. resumed almost 

 itg original shape, and in that form has gone to the Governor. 



the breechloader), I have wished for one of my old-time rifles that 

 would place the ball where I aimed. 1 hunt bear, deer, moose and 

 caribou, and once in a while kill with one shot: but it also often 

 happens I have to shoot from three to seven bullets into one. 



The last muzzleloader I owned was a 231b. telescopic-sight tar- 

 get rifle, and what a delight i t was to me. Its accuracy was per- 

 fect when all conditions were perfect, and I had everything in its 

 use "down fine." And I often carried it aU day in picking off 

 crows, hawks and woodchucks and did not care for its weight. 



I am now using a single-shot Winchester, .45-60-300, but it has 

 too much curve. I am trying to find a. hollow-pointed and lighter 

 bullet, so as to get higher velocity and something that will "mush- 

 room" when it strikes. I used a repeater a while, but discarded it 

 for several reasons; one, the fact that in very cold weather the 

 frost in the action made it useless. 



A Massachusetts Volunteer in Mexico. 



ha m& Mit er 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Pui>. (to. 



RIFLES AND BULLETS. 



A MAINE reader of the Forest a.vd Stream writes to Major 

 Merrill as follows: 

 Maj. H. Wi JIpirhujL — Dear Sir and Comrade: Permit me to call 

 vou comrade although we have never drunk from the same can- 

 teen. I recall your article on Capt. Martin Scott, in Forest and 

 Stream, of May 21, 1886, and as I nav e no recollection of an article 

 by others, I trust you will redeem your promise to write one. I 

 inherited a love of rifle shooting, and since quite a small boy have 

 used one constantly, and while yet in my teens commenced the 

 career of a hunter and trapper, and was for many years located in 

 the vicinity of Bennington, Vt., where Scott was raised; and I 

 often heard through mutual friends of his wonderful exploits, 

 such as shooting swallows on the wing, and tossing two potatoes 

 up and splitting both, and so I came to look up to him as a demi- 

 god. When his earthly career so untimely, though gloriously, 

 ended in Mexico, I sincerely mourned him, and ever since he is 

 often hi mind. 



Anent the rifle controversy, I am on the side of the muzzleloader 

 vs. breechloader; but for many years past my life has been passed 

 in the far-back forests among the big game, and for convenience's 

 sake I have used a breechloader; but often, when I have to give 

 the game several shots to stop them (because of the inaccuracy of 



A SIERRA FOOTHILL STREAM. 



ON THE 12th of April I was called to visit a patient 

 in a sparsely settled portion of our foothills, where 

 I had never visited before, and which lay fifteen miles 

 away. For ten miles the way was thoroughly familiar, 

 but the remaining five ran through a tract of the foothills 

 of which I had no knowledge. Here I made a discovery. 

 Within half a mile of my patient 's house I crossed a beau- 

 tiful little stream of clear, crystal water that babbled 

 "trout" in every intonation of its voice, as it foamed 

 away in mimic froth and fury to join a "slick n.s" pol- 

 luted stream two or three miles further on. Arriving at 

 my destination, I fear that I plied more questions regard- 

 ing the stream than I did as to the ailments of my patient, 

 and I learned that the waters did contain trout, but that 

 no one could catch them, as they would not bite. I was 

 also informed that it was better fishing, or at least 

 that there Avere more fish, further up the stream, 

 as in the lower part of its course it went dry 

 for a part of the season, excepting in a few 

 deep pools, and in those pools the dynamite fiends had 

 been in the habit of killing everything, big and little, for 

 several years past. In the upper reaches, the stream was 

 ever living, and the trout, being more widely distributed, 

 had a better chance to escape extermination. It made 

 my blood boil to hear of such diabolical fiendishness. If 

 there is anything on the face of God's earth that I hate, 

 it is the skulking, cowardly, lazy libel on humanity that 

 slinks along a stream, avoiding the eye of his fellows, 

 and watching his opportunity to slip a dynamite cartridge 

 into some well-stocked pool and destroy every living- 

 creature it contains. This is a curse that I think Cali- 

 fornia suffers from more than any other part of the 

 Union, as our long dry season always reduces the smaller 

 streams to a string of pools in which all the fish congre- 

 gate, and which offers the dynamite fiend just the oppor- 

 tunity his apology for a soul craves. But this is a digres- 

 sion into which the holy hatred in my heart has led my 

 pen, and now to my subject again. I received the infor- 

 mation regarding the non-biting qualities of the trout 

 cum grano satis, and after hearing of the great size to 

 which the trout in this particular stream attained, I was 

 then and there seized with a severe attack of febris pisca- 

 torialis — fishing fever — for which there was no cure but 

 a day's angling. 



On my return I i rparted my discovery to a friend, and 

 he also contracted a severe attack of the fever which was 

 burning in my veins. We laid our plans to go and stay 

 one night, so as to have the evening and morning fisliing, 

 and set the day on which to start. This Ave did for half 

 a dozen different times, but something always occurred 

 to one of us to prevent our going. At last, when every- 

 thing seemed propitious, my friend was taken AAith a 

 sharp attack of rheumatism, wluch, in the language of 

 the turf, "put him out of the running;" and after he had 

 passed the crisis of the disease I determined to arise early 

 the next morning and start alone for a day's angling. 



The time had run along until it was May-day morning, 

 when I arose at 4 o'clock and started. 



It was not yet day, and the morning ah- was chilly; but 

 the anticipations of sport, Avhich a short time ago had 

 been unhoped for until my annual summer holidays came 

 around, gave a glow of light and warmth which supplied 

 their lack in the atmosphere. In a short time Old Sol 

 came driving his fiery steeds over the summit of the Sier- 

 ras, lighting up such* a landscape as can be seen nowhere 

 but in our lovely golden State. I will stop for a moment 

 on my journey and try to describe the outlines of the pic- 

 ture which lay spread before me. 



My route led directly north, and on my right towered 

 the grand and beautiful Sierra Nevada peaks with their 

 summits clothed in unsullied white, and their sides en- 

 veloped with empurplmg shadows. Then, stretching 

 down to my very feet, come the yawning canons, the long 

 sloping ridges and mountainous spurs of the range, 

 clothed in the grand majesty of the primeval pine forests, 

 Avhich the vandalism of man is fast sweeping from their 

 rock-ribbed sides. On the left roll down the fruit and 

 vine-clad foothills, until some miles away and two 

 thousand feet lower, they melt into the great central 

 valley of the State, through the middle of which can be 

 plainly seen the silvery streak of the Sacramento River. 

 North and south, further than the eye can reach stretches 

 this fertile, plain, clothed with emerald fields of Avheat 

 and dotted here and there with the "cities of the plain." 

 Yonder a dusky line obscures the burnishted silver of the 

 river, Tis where a river steamer is pou'ing out a cloud 

 of smoke as she slowly plows her way against the current 

 with a huge lumber laden barge in tow. And beyond all, 

 with their snow-capped peaks blending with ttie clouds 

 on the Avestern horizon, rises the coast range, shutting 

 from view the rolling expanse of the Pacific Ocean. The 

 fields around are a poem in blue and gold with the bloom 

 of lupins and escholtzias, and the air is redolent with the 

 scent of the mountain birch and red-bud, in the blossoms 

 of which the bees are commencing their day's labor. It 

 is Avell worth Avliile, even for this view alone, to arise at 

 4 A. M. before the midday haze has obscured the vision. 



But this is not fishing, and to your correspondent who 

 only wanted the arithmetic of an angling excursion, I 

 fear Avill be dry reading. But then, I hope your readers 

 are not all "built that way." I am not. The roads for 

 the last five miles of the journey were bad, and there 

 were numerous rickety and contrary gates to be opened 

 and shut, and it was after 7 o'clock when my destination 

 was reached. After caring for my horse and eating 



