June 2, 188?.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



416 



brought with tbem a small buck, which Bunk killed; a 

 large gobbler, which dropped before Crickett's gun, and 

 a fox squirrel, which was Tom's trophy. They had 

 started several other deer, and Harap and Sam shot. Hit 

 saw a big buck, but lie was beyond the range of old 

 "Broad Horns," and he saved his shells. Teceel and I 

 were at the house getting supper ready for the other 

 hunters. We had gotten 39 buds, of which he justly 

 claimed 25. He always beats me, and as for that, every- 

 body else with whom he hunts, regardless of the size of 

 the gun which his competitor uses. He shoots a 16-bore, 

 choked at that. 



The next morning the hunt was declared ended, and 

 "each tortk off his several way.'' "We had had a pleasant 

 time, and were not luckless. Wells. 



Rockingham, N. 0. 



DAKOTA GAME. 



4 NEPHEW of mine who, with his brother, is making 

 xV a farm in central Dakota, near Bismark, thus writes 

 of the animals of that region in April last: "We have 

 seen large numbers of swans this spring. Wild geese, 

 especially the snow goose, are very abundant, as are most 

 kinds of ducks. The avocet is quite common here in 

 summer, a bird which I never saw near Chicago. We 

 have a few ravens. The turkey buzzard is seen here oc- 

 casionally, though it puzzles me to say what they find to 

 eat; also we have the prairie or burrowing owl. We have 

 not the prairie hen or pinated grouse, but the sharp-tailed 

 grouse, a species nearly allied, are abundant, very tame 

 and unsuspicious, and are slaughtered by the pot-hunters 

 in a very unsportsmanlike manner. We have no prairie 

 dogs or rattlesnakes. The place of the prairie dog is sup- 

 plied by the gopher (SpermopJiile), which swarms about 

 the grain fields and does great damage to them and to 

 gardens. Their natural enemies are the buzzards and 

 badgers. 



"Large game is scarce. The buffa'o, once so abundant 

 here, are all gone, and nothing is left of them but their 

 bones, which are being gathered up and shipped East by 

 the carload. The antelope is fast following the buffalo to 

 extinction, and their fleetness will not save them. They 

 are beautiful animals and their flesh is considered better 

 than venison . A pair of them came within a quarter of 

 a mile of our 'shack' last summer. People say that last 

 winter was an exceptionally severe one, and I hope it 

 was." S. 0. 0. 



He Wanted Them to Show Him a Bear.— Los An- 

 geles, Cal. It happened thus: Three of us went hunting 

 for large game in the Rio Honda, twenty miles from San 

 Jose. The party included a "tenderfoot," who was loud 

 in praising his own prowess as a hunter. He wasn't 

 afraid of anytliing from a jack rabbit to a grizzly. We 

 looked around for bear signs. Sure enough here were 

 signs of fresh tracks up the mountains. All grabbed 

 rifles and started in pitrsiiit. W e must have gone about 

 three miles when we came to a thick clump of mosquito 

 bushes and by the way the cfogS acted we knew we had 

 our game. We tried our best to get that bear out; threw 

 stones, yelled and "sicked on" the curs, but to no avail. 

 At last it was agreed that Tenderfoot should climb a 

 small tree and try and get a shot, while H. and I were 

 stationed in front to shoot if he made a break. He broke. 

 No sooner had Tenderfoot showed himself than old 

 Grizzly made a rush at us. We let him get in good range 

 and then let fly. A convulsive shudder and he tumbled 

 dead almost at our feet. But where was Tenderfoot? 

 Alas, he had fled at the first charge, and when H. and I 

 went back to camp he was hitching up to go for help to 

 bring back our mangled remains.— C. B. W^ 



Pennsylvania Quail Season. — Columbia, Pa., May 

 29. — The list of bills recently rushed through the Legisla- 

 ture toward the close contained one which amended the 

 game law pertaining to Virginia quail so that it is illegal 

 to kill that game between the 15th of December and the 

 15th of October. That, gives but two months for sports- 

 men who have kept their pointers or setters the other ten 

 months to en joy themselves in the field. I think as the 

 open season stood, from Oct. 15 to Jan. 1, it was in no 

 wise too long, as we seldom have any snow worth speak- 

 ing of that would injure the quail or make them easily 

 captured before Christmas or Jan. 1. It closes, too, our 

 Christmas sport, which so many in different pursuits of 

 life look forward to when they can return from the cities 

 to spend the holidays. — Onojittta. 



Gun Spots. — "Eternal vigilance is the price of" bright 

 gun barrels. I thoroughly clean my guns the day they 

 are used before retiring, using white cotton flannel swabs 

 with oil, wiping out till no stain is left, finishing with a 

 slightly-oiled swab. I use bear's oil, preferably; but coon 

 or skunk oil is good. I prefer animal oil, as it is limpid 

 and is rendered by great heat, thus evaporating all water. 

 At the close of the season, in cleaning to put away, after 

 the usual thorough Aviping out, I use a dry swab till no 

 stain or oil is seen, then swab with mercurial ointment, 

 plug the muzzle with a sound cork, place in a canvas 

 cover and put away in a dry closet where woollen clothes 

 are kept, and when the season comes round again I find 

 the inside as bright as when put away. — Warfield. 



Camp Frying-pan. — When I go "roughing it" I use a 

 frying-pan fixed thus: Eemove original handle and plug 

 superfluous rivet holes, drill two holes l-|in. apart, near 

 the top of the rim on opposite sides. Usually one of the 

 rivet holes can be utilized. Take for a bail tough iron 

 fin. wide, -^in. thick, split the ends 3in. and fashion the 

 ends to fit the holes easily; turn outward at right angles 

 fin. and bend on a circle to match the rim of the pan with 

 a ring 1-Jin. in diameter, ri eted on top in the center. 

 Fit the bail so it will require a little pressure to adjust or 

 remove it. When packing the kit the bail fits close to 

 the outside of the pan where the space could not be util- 

 ized for other things. I have tried various methods, but 

 was never suited till I devised this.— Warfield. 



New York City, Mav 18, 1887. 

 Tlie U. 8. OaUruhie Co., Lowell, Mass.: 



Gentlemen— I wish to fchauk you for the very excellent shell 

 yon are putting on the market. I refer to the "Climax." I swear 

 by it. not at it, as I lave had to do with other makes. It has given 

 me unqualified satisfaction ever since I first began to use it, and 

 that is since its introduction. Don't allow it to deteriorate, and 

 sportsmen will call you "blessed." Very truly vours, 



—Adv. (Signed) ' C, W. Cushier. 



RIFLES AND BULLETS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In niy opinion, there are too many vital questions yet un- 

 settled, pertaining to the modern rifle, which arc open for discus- 

 sion and ventilation, and which can be most profitably argued 

 upon, to waste time, talents and good printer's ink in writing up 

 the muzzleloader. 1 am free to admit that some of these articles, 

 diagrams, etc., arc very interesting. .So would he an account of 

 the long how. the cross gun or any of the arms used some centuries 

 ago. Yet as interesting as these accounts are. I do not think any 

 one Would for one instant desire a return to the use of these arms. 

 Yet the modern breechloader, with its fixed and waterproof am- 

 munition, la as much superior to the old-fashioned muzzleloader, 

 with its loose powder, hall, patch, cap and ramrod, as that was 

 superior to the matchlock and other queer firearms which first 

 came into use when gunpowder was invented. Of course I am 

 writing now of the rifle as used for hunting purposes, hut I am not 

 inclined to yield to the superior qualities of the muzzleloader as 

 an all-round target gun. However, I will let some more able 

 exponent take up the lance in behalf of the breechloader as a 

 target ride, though I think the past record of the arm in all 

 matches, especially long range, has been such, that no champion 

 need fear lie has a poor cause to fight for. 



What we need at present is open and fearless opinions on our 

 modern arms and their ammunition. We have some very able 

 writers who are doing much to assist and educate those who are 

 looking for a good ride and the proper proportions of powder and 

 lead and shape of ball, etc. Witness the tests for trajectory and 

 other experiments which have been recorded in the Forest and 

 Stream and other journals, by that very successful hunter and 

 rifle expert, "P." Here is what we want, actual experiments with 

 field guns and results on game, it is hardly necessary to mention 

 the very exhaustive tests made under the auspices of the Forest 

 and STH BAM, which taught many very useful lessons and mere 

 wholesome truths, proving that the ammunition used generally 

 was not the thing for good shooting, and that there, moro than in 

 the arms, was a great need of improvement. 



This is a fast age and everything has the same tendency, there- 

 fore it has been that the repeater has gone rapidly to the fore. 

 The main idea seamed to he not how accurately a bullet would fly, 

 nor what execution it would do if it did strike the object, hut to 

 see how fast bullets could be sent flying through space; even if 

 they flew wild, some might by c hance strike the game, and a good 

 many bullets would possibly kill, if one did not. The repeater no 

 doubt is a very useful arm, and if such a one could be made as one 

 would like, it might he preferred to the single shot, hut so far that 

 repeater is not on the market, and it is doubtful if it ever will he. 

 There have been many improvements since the old Henry and 

 Spencer guns, and to-day some of the repeaters lack very little of 

 reaching the desired pinnacle of success, but even if it iB little, 

 they fail to "get there.' In the matter of single breechloaders, I 

 think all candid and unprejudiced riflemen, who have any exten- 

 sive acquaintance with the system, will admit that there has been 

 no improvement on the old Sharps. Here was a system that was 

 safe, reliable and positive. No springs upon which depended the 

 manipulation of the arm, to get out of order or bi-eak, unless we 

 count the mainspring, which, of course, has to he used in some 

 shape in every gun. No working parts exposed to the weather or 

 to dirt and dust, but a gun that would stand all manner of hard 

 usage, weather and abuse, and yet be what the trade mark said— 

 the "old reliable." It has often been a source of wonderment to me 

 that some of the many gun manufacturers did not continue to 

 place upon the market rifles built on the old Sharps system, with 

 outside hammer. It might not pay to run a factory for this ex- 

 clusively, but in connection with their other models, the extra 

 cost would not be so great for any manufacturer. If the friends 

 of the old Sharps will come to the front and agitate this matter, 

 some enterprising manager maybe induced to try the experiment. 



In the matter of ammunition there is much to be desired, even 

 more than in the rifle line, as there are makeshifts on the market 

 which have some of the needed points, but there is but little, if 

 any, just such fixed ammunition on the market as is needed for a 

 hunting arm, that can be called first-class. Why is it ? Because 

 the sportsmen of our country do not demand it. Let me quote a 

 few lines from a recent letter received from that rifle expert "P." 

 who has kindly given the writer some information in regard to 

 the ammunition he uses. He writes: "I note what you say in 

 regard to patched bullets, and your desire to have me 'prod' the 

 manufacturers for not preparing patched ammunition. I have 

 been doing that for several years, but I notice I never get any help 

 from other riflemen." Brothers m the craft, letushelp "P." "Of 

 course they will make canellured ammunition as long as they can 

 sell it, because it is all loaded by machinery and much more is 

 shot away than if it were patched . The only way to bring about a 

 change is to get up such a public sentiment among rifle men as to 

 force manufacturers to supply a demand for the pat ched bullets. 

 The factories are going to stick to the naked bullets because they 

 can be loaded by machinery, whereas the patched ball cannot. 

 Yet they are charging just as much, or more, than the patched 

 ammunition would or should cost. In regard to the quick-burn- 

 ing powders, the dealers don't know much about it, if it is their 

 opinion that slow-burning cheap FG powder is more effective. Their 

 interest, of course, lies in the cheap FG powders. In Great Britain 

 there is no other powder used for .10 to .50-cal. rifles, but one of 

 their quick powders, the Curtis & Harvev No. 6, is almost exclus- 

 ively used, and it is considered the standard for their sporting 

 rifles. Using a light bullet you require a powder that will upset 

 it. The Curtis & Harvey No. 6 is not only 15 to 20 per cent, stronger 

 than any American powder I have tried, but it is cleaner and 

 better in every way for a rifle." 



These are "P.'s" sentiments, and most all will have to admit 

 that he has had practical experience enough to make his opinion 

 of some value and weight in an argument on this subject. 



I do not think that any rifleman who has used naked and 

 patched ammunition, or who has seen them both used under the 

 same circumstances and conditions, will deny that the patched 

 bullet does the best work. 



In 1874 I was on the plains with a professional hunter after 

 buffalo. He used a .44 cat. Sharps with patched bullet; I used a 

 .50-cal. with naked bullet. Hero were two rifles of the same make, 

 and though of different caliber, otherwise, as regards rifling, etc., 

 the same gun. The .44-cal. shot a few more grains of powder and 

 less lead, and there was no comparison between the two rifles, the 

 M being much superior, both in accuracy and execution. Con- 

 siderable of the shooting was done at long range, and some very 

 rapid firing was also done. The patched ammunition was superior 

 in every way. We also did not find any trouble with the patches 

 becoming worn or out of place in the belt, and things were not 

 handled very carefully, either, and when it came to reloading 

 shells it was very little more trouble to use the patched ball. So 

 the cry that patched ammunition is not good for rough usage, or 

 requires too much care, is of no moment. 



A friend took an extended tour the past summer through the 

 mountains of Idaho, where everything was subjected to the rough- 

 est handling, and he carried patched cartridges in his belt all the 

 time, and I saw some of the cartridges afterward and they were in 

 good condition. 



We now come to the comparison of light and heavy bullets and 

 large and small powder charges. It really is a matter that admits 

 of no argument, for the facts have been so plainly proven during 

 the last few years that there can hardly be any one so obstinate as 

 to deny the superiority of the express cartridge. Even the manu- 

 facturers, the last ones to see these things, have admitted that 

 there is something in it, by putting upon the market so-called ex- 

 press cartridges, but they lack the essential yet. Why will they 

 not "put their ears to the ground" and heed the coming demand. 

 Let ns have a genuine express cartridge, powder, bullet and all. 

 The novice, as well as the veteran, will do better work with ex- 

 press charges. Especially the novice, for with a rifle that sends 

 its ball nearly along the line of sight, there will not be as many 

 unaccountable misses as with one that sends the ball a foot or 

 more high at 100yds., when shooting at an object 200yds. away. I 

 fancy there is more game overshot than undershot, and when 

 most sportsmen have to raise their sights, their shooting is not 

 very accurate. A rifle sighted for 150yds. and shooting an express 

 charge will kill more game in the hands of ninety-nine men out. 

 of one hundred than a rifle shooting small charges of powder, 

 heavy bullet and only sighted for 75 or 100yds. As distance is apt 

 to be over-estimated, the man with the latter gun is apt to raise 

 his sights, and where does his ball go ? At any rate, it is not apt 

 to strike his game. With a rifle sighted to be shot at all reason- 

 able distances with one sight, the shooter does not vary his sight, 

 and if he has either over or under-estimated the distance, his 

 chances are still good for his getting his game if he "holds on." 



Now let our good brethren in the craft ventilate these points, 

 let them cry a truce to "muzzleloader versus breechloader," and 

 spend their time more profitably to themselves and others in try- 

 ing to educate our rifle shooters and creating a demand for better 

 ammunition, so that the manufacturers will supply it. Let also 

 the owners and users of single-shot rifles come to the front and 

 sing their songs of praise as loudly as do the lovers of the repeat- 

 ers. The sportsman of the day wants a good, safe single-shot 

 breechloader, good sights and ah express cartridge, let us have it. 

 There will be more game killed, hut less wounded and crippled 

 to crawl away into some dark nook or glen and die a miserable 

 death, or linger through months of torture to end its life as a poor 



miserable cripple. We must hunt, it is our nature, and it is right 

 to hunt, hut let us try and kill, not maim. Don't let us say, "I hit 

 that deer," or "this antelope, but he got away." Let us use such 

 guns and ammunition that when we hit we kill. This will be a 

 mercy to the poor beast and a joy to the heart of the hunter. 

 Detroit, Mich. F. F. F. 



fox and Miver 



Address all communications to tlw Forest and Stream. Pub. Co. 



Hum! h um I I'm coming, coming. 

 Don't you hear me humming, humming. 

 Like some distant drummer drumming 



His tired troops to sleep? 

 Rat-tat-tat, and hum-hum-hum, 

 Near, more near, I come, I come, 

 With some to dine, to sup with some. 

 With all a feast to keep. 



Hum! hum! How neat you are! 

 Hum! hum! How sweet you are! 

 Hum-m! Hum-m! Too sweet by far! 



I'll dally for a bit. 

 Try you there, and try you here, 

 Taste your chin, your cheek, your ear; 

 And that line of forehead near, 

 Ere settling down to it. 



Hum! hum! You cannot say 

 I sup and dine, and do not pay. 

 Behind me, when I go away, 



Just here, aud here, and here, 

 I'll leave a tiny, round, bright spot— 

 A brand-new coin, laid down red-hot, 

 In full return for all I got, 



I pay most dear, most dear. 



Hum! hum! I've supped, and rarely; 

 And you still are sleeping fairly. 

 Hum-hum-hum! We twain part squarely, 



All my dues I pay for. 

 One more taste, and one more sip, 

 From your eyelid, from your lip, 

 Then away I'll skip-skip-skip — 



There's nothing more to stay for. 

 —St. Nicholas. 



A FISHING DOG. 



QUARTERMASTER, pass the word forward for T.' 

 "Aye! aye, sir," and word came forward, and in a 

 few minutes T. was aft in the cabin receiving his orders 

 for the next day's fishing trip. We were lying in a nice 

 basin of water about one mile and a half in circumfer- 

 ence, into which we had lloundered on the coast of New- 

 foundland, somewhere near Placentia Bay. Most all day 

 we had been steaming up a beautiful river (we were on 

 an exploring expedition on the coast and rivers) whose 

 banks in some places we could touch on each side with a 

 broom-handle, when toward evening we dropped the jack 

 in this basin. 



The next morning I had as you may supppose my wicke ] 

 lunch basket packed and rods in cases all ready, real old 

 15 -footers, two of them with which many a fine salmon 

 had been brought to shore. Three of us landed with the 

 dog Sailor, a Newfoundland pup about eight months old, 

 which the captain had been presented with a few weeks 

 before. We started on a tramp up stream, to cast down 

 which was the captain's usual method. The captain 

 made the first cast, and as the leader touched the water 

 there was a strike, and then the fun commenced. The cap- 

 tain knew how to handle his rod, and the fish was a 

 beauty ; one second he would be off down stream, and the 

 next would skulk and lie heavy on the line. It was ex- 

 citing to stand w T ith gaff in hand ready to pull the brave 

 fellow on shore; and after twenty-five minutes the salmon 

 was gaffed and lay in all its dying beauty on the green 

 bank of that stream. This was the style of fun nearly all 

 the way down stream, till we had seven of the beauties 

 ranging from 51bs. to the one of 131bs. 4oz. first caught, 

 which was the largest that day. 



But now comes the story. While the captain and his 

 clerk were fishing, the dog was taking a lively interest in 

 every fish as it was landed, and would run along the 

 banks, watching as a cat watches a mouse. Finally the 

 captain was taking a rest at the stump of a tree, when 

 his companion struck a small fish, which was pretty 

 lively; but the angler was playing it pretty cleverly, and 

 I was moving up with the gaff as the fish was almost to 

 the bank, when the dog made one plunge and caught the 

 fish by the back of the neck and brought him ashore and 

 laid it at the captain's feet, and looked up as much as to 

 say, "I caught that fish." At times after that we had to 

 hold him when a fish was hooked, as he was always ready 

 to retrieve. After that the dog was named "Sailor, the 

 Fisherman." I have heard that dogs are trained to catch 

 salmon on some of the rivers of Newfoundland, but that 

 is the only time I ever saw it done. X. 



A Cement for Ferrules. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 As the time draws on apace when the noble bass may be 

 lawfully taken from his native element and consigned to 

 the frying-pan, it behooves all good and true anglers to 

 look well to their tackle, and especially to their rods 

 which did such efficient work last season. I find nearly 

 all of the ferrules of my rods become loose and require to 

 be re-cemented at the commencement of each season. 

 Up to about one year ago I used shellac for this purpose, 

 but I have learned better. During the last year I used 

 Dodge's ferrule cement on my own and on several of my 

 friends' rods with the most complete success. It holds 

 good on both wood and metal, and as it melts at a com- 

 paratively low temperature the amateur will experience 

 no difficulty in properly applying it, either at home or on 

 the stream. I consider it an article of more than ordinary 

 merit. — E. A. Leopold (Norristown, Pa.). 



Fishing Tackle, Material and Manufacture, by J. Harrington 

 Keene, $1. A. Grothwell, 1431 Third avenue, New York.— Adv. 



