June 16, 1887.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



4B3 



INTERNATIONAL GAME PROTECTION. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The salmon in the Province of New Brunswick has re- 

 ceived little or no protection on its spawning grounds 

 from either the Dominion or local government; but for- 

 tunately for the preservation of that most valuable fish, 

 certa n' citizens of the United States, who spend part 

 of their summers on the wild and romantic shores of the 

 Restigouehe, have taken this matter into their own hands, 

 and by means of a moderate expenditure of money in the 

 payment of proper guardians, have so much increased the 

 stock of salmon in that river that the right to fish therein 

 has become a source of very considerable revenue to the 

 Government of New Brunswick. The matter of moose 

 and caribou protection in New Brunswick is now just in 

 the same state as the fishermen from the United States 

 found that of the salmon in the Restigouche when they 

 first ascended that river. We have very elaborate laws 

 for the protection of moose and other game, copies of 

 which are being circulated abroad for the purpose of 

 leading the sporting public of Great Britain and the 

 United States to believe that our executive officials are 

 reallv in earnest in this matter of game orotection, which 

 is not the fact. Far better were it that the present law 

 should be expunged from our statute book, than that it- 

 should be allowed to remain there a virtual monument 

 to executive incapacity or dishonesty. 



This is not all. The peculiar system of enacting game 

 laws, which are not enforced, is educating a class of 

 scoundrels, who, allowed to do wrong by the connivance 

 of the authorities in their own country, are encouraged 

 by this immunity to make raids on that of their neigh- 

 bors. What 1 have said regarding New Brunswick will, 

 in all probability, apply equally well to the Province of 

 Quebec. 



Moose are being illegally killed in numbers every win- 

 ter by men on snowskoes* in New Brunswick, and they 

 will soon be extinct there should no means be soon taken 

 for their protection. By the expenditure of $2,000 per 

 annum this can be done well, and in such case they will 

 become again as abundant there as they were many years 

 ago, and so long as such protection is continued the stock 

 will never decrease while autumn hunting only is allowed. 

 There is perhaps no part of the continent which is better 

 adapted to be a home for the moose than the interior of 

 New Brunswick, where hundreds of lakes dot the irregu- 

 lar surface of thousands of square miles, where the ground 

 is so rocky and sterile that no husbandman will ever 

 dispute with the wild beasts the possession of their gloomy 

 and silent forests. 



With respect to Canadian poachers extending their 

 depredations into the territory of the United States, 1 

 may here mention that the extensive forests in the State 

 of Maine on the head of the St. John, between Baker 

 Lake and the Alleguash, were last winter invaded by 

 hunters from the Province of Quebec, one of whom 

 acknowledges to have slaughtered no less than twelve 

 moose. This state of facts demands the attention of such 

 of the public of the United States as are interested in the 

 preservation of this noble animal, and the writer would 

 suggest as a means to that end, and also for that of other 

 game, the formation of an international association for 

 the purpose of strongly urging upon the State and Pro- 

 vincial governments the necessity for prompt, vigorous 

 and united action in the matter of game and fish protec- 

 tion in America. Edward J ack. 



Fredebicton, N. B., June 3. 



A TWINGE OF PLEASANT MEMORY. 



ONE spring, less than a hundred years ago, a party of 

 congenial spirits made up a hunt to Beaver Lake, 

 Indiana. Our party was pretty well organized; we had 

 a treasurer, who was advance agent, made all bargains, 

 paid all bills, etc. We drove from St. Anna twelve miles 

 to the lake. It was a muddy road, and some of us walked 

 a good part of the way; to do our very best those twelve 

 mues grew to at least twenty, or it seemed so to us; it was 

 cold, mud hub deep sometimes, and it took all the fun we 

 could scare up to keep our spirits above zero. About 3 

 o'clock we came in sight of the lake. Our driver enter- 

 tained us with the story of the horse thieves that once 

 had their camp on an island in the lake, and he showed 

 us the holes in the sand where the thieves had stables for 

 the horses. According to his story the band became so 

 strong the State militia had to be ordered out to capture 

 them. As we came out into the meadows and pastures 

 used by stock men, away to the left we could see thousands 

 of ducks, and to the right could hear geese booming. It 

 made our very fingers tingle. Soon we came to a house 

 and asked for lodgings. Carl, as we found his name to 

 be, took a good look at our party, and then smiled all over 

 his face, went into the house "to see the old woman," 

 came out and said all right. 



After a dinner of roasted goose we started for a crack 

 at the ducks. Carl said "You are just a little too late; 

 you ought to have been here a week earlier." Did you 

 ever hear that before? Just as we started a team of ducks 

 circled and went down into a little marsh bordering the 

 lake, and Pete said tome, "Mark, let's you and I go for 

 them." I let him take the lead, and as I climbed a fence 

 behind him I slipped out the shells loaded with No. 6 f or 

 ducks and put in shells loaded with No. 1 for geese. We 

 went into the marsh side by side. When we came to 

 open water the ducks were in plain sight, and almost im- 

 mediately they sprang up fully sixty yards away. Both 

 guns cracked" at once and neither of us fir»d the second 

 barrel. One old duck when high up turned over and 

 came down with a whack. Pete, who had long boots, 

 waded out and brought in the duck. As he came he kept 

 turning back the feathers, and his first remark was, 

 "Well, it has been a hard hitting gun that killed this 

 duck." "Why?" "Because just one shot has hit her in 

 the back and gone clear through and come out at the 

 breast. What number shot did you have in?" "No. 6. 

 What did you have?" "No. 1." He just put that duck 

 into his pocket and coolly remarked, "Nothing smaller 

 than a No. 1 could have gone clear through as this has," 

 but he told Bob that night that it was "Mark" who had 

 killed the first duck. Pete was a good fellow, but I should 

 have rather enjoyed carrying that duck myself, and it 

 has always seemed to me that he might just as well have 

 owned up to me that I was one ahead; but he didn't. You 

 see that was about the first duck hunt I was ever out on, 

 and that is why I felt it so keenly. I didn't kill another 

 that evening, though Pete did. 



Four of us slept in one room that night, Bob and I in 

 one bed, Pete and Gibbs in another; yes, and a trundle 

 bed full of children between the two beds. Along in the 

 night, some time, to help matters Gibbs began to snore; 

 then the children got uneasy; the old house cat concluded 

 there wasn't quite enough in the room and began to bring 

 in her kittens one by one. So they all kept it up, kittens 

 mewing, Gibbs snoring, the children fussing and Carl out 

 in the other room scolding. Bob reached out, got hold of 

 a kitten and hurled it straight at Gibbs. His aim was 

 good: Gibbs gave a most terrific snort, which scared the 

 children into a howl, and brought Carl in to see what the 

 row was. Bob, of course, was sound asleep. I. told Carl 

 "it was the cat," and he finally got her out, when we had 

 it tolerably calm until morning. 



The next morning I went out without a guide, followed 

 a fence that was partly under water for, I should think, 

 nearly a mile. It had been quite cold during the night, 

 and there was a thin skim of ice over the edge and all 

 along that fence. T had to break it at every step. It was 

 a rather ticklish business for an amateur duck hunter, but 

 I finally got to the point I had set out for, and I just fixed 

 a seat on that old fence almost hidden by the flags and 

 wild rice; and then the way I knocked the ducks would 

 tickle an older sportsman. There I sat through that day, 

 and in the evening 1 would have given $5 to the man that 

 would carry me and my load back to the house. Sitting 

 so long on the fence in the cold gave me a rheumatic pain 

 in my hip and I couldn't walk upright to save me. If I 

 recollect right I bagged more ducks that day than any 

 two of the others. 



The following morning at 4 o'clock we were on the road 

 to the station, and long before we could see we could hear 

 the whistle of wings ovorhead as the ducks flew out to 

 feed. Just before we left the lake shore we began to see 

 shadows floating over us, and as a flock came over I fired 

 into them, when out tumbled a sprigtail, the last duck 

 killed by any of the party. This delay caused us to get 

 into the station too late for our train, and we had to wait; 

 but the train that we missed was wrecked, so you see we 

 saved our bacon by being late. 



On this trip we "had no decoys, no dogs nor boats; but 

 we had a big time, and all of us vowed that we would go 

 back the next spring with everything necessary "to just 

 slay them." Some of the party have since died, the 

 others are scattered far apart, and if one of them should 

 happen to read these lines he will know that one at least 

 never forgets a hunt, no matter when nor how taken. 

 Moreover, I can still feel now and then a twinge of that 

 pain contracted on Beaver Lake, and whenever such a 

 twinge comes over me I live over again the pleasant time 

 we had there. Mark. 



Mohning Sun, Iowa. 



AMONG MINNESOTA WILDFOWL. 



ST. PAUL, Minn., June 1.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 I append copy of a letter just received from one of 

 your numerous and attentive readers which will explain 

 itself: "C. A. Zimmerman, Esq.— Dear Sir: In conning 

 over the Forest and Stream of the 19th I discovered 

 such gross plagiarism in the article entitled 'Among Min- 

 nesota Wildfowl' that I want to ask if you have noticed 

 that portions are stolen from your contribution to Scrib- 

 ner's Magazine of October, 1879. I regard your 'Field 

 Sports in Minnesota' as an ideal sporting article, and have 

 read it so many times that it has been partly com- 

 mitted to memory, and I was therefore enabled to dis- 

 cover the straight steal of 'C. F. C Eespectfully 



yours, ." 



Of course it is not possible nor will it be necessary to 

 make exhaustive quotations, as an extract or two and a 

 comparison will convince your readers that they, as well 

 as yourself, have been very unfairly treated: 



>l C. F. C." in Forest and Stream. Scribncr% October, 1879. 



"We employed the usual tac- "We employ the usual tactics 

 tics of approaching the pond by surrounding it, each one ap- 

 frotn different directions, and proaehing it from a different 

 after getting ourselves in good direction. ***** When 

 cover Bart, at a signal, fired a every one is posted in as good 

 random shot over the water, cover as possible, Bill, accord- 

 With a great quacking and ing to previous arrangement, 

 rustling of wing the ducks fires a random shot from his 

 sprang into the air and made a 'pin-fire' over the water. In an 

 break in the direction of one of instant, with a quacking and a 

 the large lakes. This brought terrible fluttering the well-con- 

 them over to me, and a couple cealed ducks sprang into the air 

 toppled over to my double re- and made a break for one of the 

 port. This reception startled large lakes. ***** an( i 

 the flock, and in considerable two birds topple over almost be- 

 disorder thev turned only to fore the double report of his 

 meet with a similar reception piece has drifted across the pud- 

 from George. Again they were die. This reception lias startled 

 r< jptilsed and sought anewdirec- the flock, and in considerable 

 tion, but such a height had they disorder they turn, only to be 

 attained that I thought we met by a similar reception from 

 should get no more. But Bart W. Again are they repulsed 

 was the < .hampion,for ho stopped and seek a new direction, which 

 three ducks with one barrel." brings them over my stand, but 

 ****** such a height have they attained 

 that only one drops dead to my 

 gun. But Bill is tho champion, 

 for he stops three ducks with 

 one barrel of his gun, having 

 had time to exchange his finer 

 shot for No. V 



****** 

 "To me there is not much real "To me there is not much real 

 sport in this style of shooting, sport in this style of shooting, 

 although the game is large and though the game is large and 

 fine ; it lacks the excitement of fine ; it lacks the excitement of 

 pass shooting, while many birds the "pass" shooting, and many 

 are lost in the matted reeds." birds are lost by falling into the 

 ****** matted reeds and grass." * * * 

 ****** 



"The main flight having passed "The main fl ight having passed 



over we are favored with more over, and out of which we have 



singles than flocks, and the taken fair toll, we are favored 



shooting in consequence be- with more singles than flocks; 



comes more interesting because the shooting is consequently 



more difficult. The ducks begin more interesting, because more 



to climb as they cross, and I re- difficult. Clean misses at these 



place my No. 6 shells for those swift-flying birds are frequent, 



loaded With No. 5. Clean misses It seems at times next to an im- 



are frequent at the swift -fly ing 'possibility to swing the gun 



birds. It seems at times next to rapidly enough to cover and 



an impossibility to swing the avoid shooting behind." 

 gun rapidly enough to cover and 

 avoid shooting behind." 



Comments are not necessary; no doubt all your readers 

 will see the point. C. A. Zimmerman. 



Buckshot.— Will some of your readers give me the 

 results of their experience as to different modes of load- 

 I ing buckshot, both in cylinder bore and chokebore guns. 

 I I should like their experience with bonedust and other 

 I powders to pack the shot in. — Buck, 



WHAT KILLED THE DEER? 



I SAW in the Forest and Stream, issue of May 12, the 

 above question, and I wish to relate two similar in- 

 stances that occurred on the Peshtigo Kiver helow Roar- 

 ing Rapids in November, 1885. A party of Janesville, 

 Wis. , gentlemen was hunting them and one of them shot 

 at a swimming deer. The ball struck the water in front 

 of the deer's throat and three or four inches ahead of the 

 deer, when the deer stopped swimming and floated down 

 until pulled out. It was the only shot fired, and as the 

 shot was a broadside one, of course the deer was not hit; 

 this a very careful examination proved afterward , but it 

 was killed as suddenly as if shot through the brain. A 

 few days after at Caldron Falls, just below, another deer 

 was pulled out without a shot mark or bruise anywhere 

 on the body. I skinned it myself and took particular 

 jains to examine it and I thought the cause of death must 

 tave been from the long race it had had, followed by the 

 shock produced by the long swim or float after reaching 

 the river, which must of necessity drive all the blood 

 internally, thereby producing intense congestion, which 

 was very markedly shown in the last deer. The lungs 

 were full of bloody froth and the tissue was distended 

 almost to bursting. Squirrels are frequently killed by 

 shock from hitting the tree with a ball near enough to 

 deprive them of all the vitality, and I think Mr. Ward- 

 well's deer was killed by the shock of the shot and con- 

 gestion, following the plunge in the water, as was the 

 first deer in the Peshtigo. .45-60. 

 St. PAun, Minn. 



UNTIMELY CALIFORNIA SHOOTING. 



A California correspondent writes to protest against 

 the article recently published in this journal en- 

 titled " Experience with California Game." The open 

 seasons for game and fish up to January last were, for 

 deer, July 1 to Nov. 1, (forbidden to kill doe or fawn) ; 

 quail and grouse, Oct. 1 to March 1 ; trout, April 1 to 

 Nov. 1. He writes : 



In the second paragraph of that letter, its author states 

 that he shot seven quail, "shooting five of them from the 

 wagon." At the end of the third paragraph, he states 

 that the road followed the bed of a stream which was 

 now dry, (for the rainy season had closed more than a 

 month before). This seemingly innocent statement con- 

 tains the "milk in the cocoanut." When does the rainy 

 season end in California? Is it not about April 15, or 

 May 1 at the latest? If so, when was it that he was kill- 

 ing quail? In June evidently, and if in June, is that the 

 open season for quail ? 



In the next paragraph he confesses that if he did not 

 kill a doe it was not his fault, as on reaching the summit 

 the deer was not to be found. A couple of paragraphs 

 further on and we see him standing by the river side spear 

 in hand trying to kill a salmon. Since when, pray, has it 

 been lawful to spear a salmon ? 



In the very next paragraph he is trying to kill a deer 

 again. Supposing he had been more skillful, and had 

 secured a buck, would he or would he not, have trans- 

 gressed the law again ? Was it yet July ? As to his trout 

 fishing in Stony Creek, we have no word of animadver- 

 sion. We have fished that stream ourselves, and can 

 sympathize with any honest angler, who loses his tackle 

 to the large trout its clear waters contain. 



In the March number of the Century Mr. John R. S. 

 Hassard has an article headed "Camping Out in Califor- 

 nia." In the second column of the first page of the article 

 he states that he started for the mountains "on a bright 

 morning in early June." If this means anything it must 

 mean that he started some time during the' first ten days 

 of the month — nearly three weeks before the legal date 

 for killing deer, and over tluee months after the legal date 

 for killing quail. He then goes on to state that in the 

 evening he made his first halt, and remained in camp two 

 weeks. Here he proceeded to enjoy the lawful sport of 

 trout fisliing and the unlawful killing of quail (vide page 

 738). In this latter occupation he and his whole party — 

 even to the Chinese cook— apparently took a hand, and 

 he records it with unblushing effrontery. 



That he did not further transgress the law by killing 

 deer was evidently not his fault in intent, for on the same 

 page he asserts that "although the guide and two or three 

 of the most earnest of the party made long marches and 

 spent watchful nights on the mountains, they saw only 

 one deer, and him they did not kill." 



From this to his final camp on the top of Pine Mountain 

 his journey occupied another week, making three weeks 

 in all, after which we will give him the Toenefit of the 

 doubt as to the killing of deer. It must have been a close 

 shave though, as he states that after the first establish- 

 ment of his camp on the mountain he had venison in the 

 larder continually (page 74b). 



On page 745 he chronicles the killing of a doe, which 

 our law forbids, and on the next page is an account of a 

 similar exploit. For a wonder he shot no quail after 

 reaching his permanent camp, as, although he saw them, 

 they were followed by young broods, "and we would not 

 molest them." How wonderful considerate all at once. 

 Yet, was it any worse to kill them while followed by their 

 broods, than it was, two weeks before, while incubating? 



On the same page, 747, is an attempt at humor in describ- 

 ing the killing of a grouse and his. subsequent appearance 

 at the table. It would not have been nearly so humorous 

 if he had been obliged to pay the penalty of the "deep 

 damnation of his taking off." 



Does it not lessen our respect for our fellow men to see 

 individuals of culture and intelligence leave their morals 

 all at home when they start for an outing? Would either 

 of those two men have been so unobservant of the law 

 when at home and among then friends and neighbors? 

 We think not. Then why did they proceed to transgress 

 the instant they got out into the woods, when masquerad- 

 ing under the guise of sportsmen? 



And, as if the actual commitment of these offenses was 

 not enough, they must needs report themselves as of- 

 fenders in the columns of two widely read periodicals 

 This, again, is another evil, as it might lead innocent 

 parties in other States and countries to suppose that all 

 this sport was legal and so might induce them to come 

 and do likewise. 



Brother sportsmen who respect the law, speak out in the 

 columns of the dear old Forest and Stream and put all 

 law breakers in the pillory of public opinion, and see if 

 we cannot at least make such men ashamed to boast of 

 their deeds before the readers of this journal. Arefar, 

 I Auburn, California. 



