830 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[July 18, 1889. 



MAINE'S BIG GAME. 



THE reports of big game in the Maine woods and the 

 woods of the other New England States and Canada 

 are something surprising this year. The Maine papers 

 have many items of deer, and even moose, coming out 

 into the fields. Fishermen on the lakes and streams in 

 the interior speak of seeing more deer than ever before. 

 Dr. E. B. Kellog, of Tremont street, Boston, with his 

 wife and friend, has recently returned from a fishing 

 trip to Erol Dam, and thence to the Diamond Ponds anc 

 through the Dixville Notch to the vicinity of the Cana- 

 dian Pacific Railroad in Canada. On the Big Diamond 

 they saw two deer on the shore. They followed the rail- 

 road down on a handcar— the line is still in process of 

 construction — till they came to Moose River, where it is 

 a small stream. Here they did considerable fishing, and 

 splendid luck they had, with a plenty of fair-sized trout. 

 They stopped at a camp on the line of the road. Here 

 there is a lake — one of the Megantic chain, I thin k — and 

 here there is a small greyhound kept. The Doctor says 

 it is but a pup, and that its owners have no notion of 

 training it to run deer. But the deer are very plenty on 

 the little lake. Fifteen have been seen this season. At 

 one time two does with their fawns came out in sight on 

 the shore of the lake, and the puppy was let go at them. 

 In play he caught one of the fawns and tossed it in the 

 air more than 10ft. It came down without injury and 

 the puppy refused to hurt it, but was disposed to play 

 with it. The owners of the dog took the fawn into 

 custody and it is now at the camp, the admiration and 

 wonder of all visitors. The Doctor says it is a spotted 

 beauty about two-thirds grown and is becoming quite 

 tame. The party found fishing good, but the mosquitoes 

 were simply unbearable. 



The story is currently told that Edgar Harlow and 

 Charles Morris caught a live caribou in the waters of 

 Moosehead Lake, a week ago last Sunday, and the story 

 is, further, that the caribou is still kept at the Kineo 

 House "as an attraction to visitors. How this is going to 

 work, so far as the law is concerned, is a question. The 

 Maine Fish and Game Commissioners have ruled that 

 moose, deer or caribou thus caught and held in confine- 

 ment are the property of the State, and the holder is to 

 be held responsible to the State for the safety of the ani- 

 mal. If it die, then the holder is responsible to the 

 State to the extent of the fines for killing out of season. 

 In one or two cases, in years previous, the commissioners 

 or wardens have appeared, and putting their hands on 

 the animal, they have notified the holder that the crea- 

 ture belonged to the State, and that they should hold 

 him responsible for the liberation of the animal in the 

 spring, and that its death would be punished by the 

 usual fine. In this case the animals were caught by 

 crusting in the winter. 



But there are other cases of the above nature to come 

 to the attention of the authorities, it seems. Recently 

 an old cow moose, with two calves, was seen in the 

 vicinity of Mr. Harlen Duirell's, in the town of Freeman, 

 in Franklin county. The next day the same animals 

 came down again, so the story goes, and one of the calves 

 strayed away from the mother and its mate, till the boys 

 succeeded in driving it to the barnyard of one Leroy 

 Luce. A boy by the name of Hacket and a Luce boy are 

 said to have captured the little moose alive, and at last 

 accounts it was still alive at Hiram Hackett's, in Free- 

 man. I do not know that this story is true, but the 

 papers have had it, and it is current among sportsmen 

 who have been into that section of the country, It also 

 seems that moose are very plentiful in that part of the 

 State. Four have been seen this season in Lang Planta- 

 tion, in the northern party of the county. Deer are also 

 plenty, being seen in the fields and on the ponds very 

 frequently. There is not the slightest doubt about the 

 plentifulness of this large game in Maine, and it is a 

 shame that the law that makes the chances for shooting 

 equal to all cannot be enforced. Sportsmen are already 

 fitting out for jack shooting in August. Indeed, if there 

 is not some of it being done in July, then appearances 

 are deceptive. Almost every party that fits out for the 

 woods this summer takes a jacklight along. One noted 

 lantern maker in Boston has made several improved jack- 

 lights this season, and two of them have already gone into 

 the woods. There is not the slightest doubt but what 

 jacking deer is being done this summer at Tim and Seven 

 Ponds, also at Parmachene Lakes. At the Rangeleys it 

 is not so openly practiced, for there is a better law-abid- 

 ing sentiment rife there. The claim of these jackshooters 

 is that they will not shoot a doe, "especially if she has 

 fawns— oh, no!" But who can tell a doe from a buck in 

 the night time ? Who can be sure that the doe he shoots, 

 by the glimmer of a jack light, is not the mother of 

 fawns that must die of starvation? In one case of the 

 building of lanterns, mentioned above, the person for 

 whom the lantern was made was very desirous of the 

 strongest power possible in a lantern; for it was hoped 

 that the light would be strong enough to distinguish a 

 buck from a doe at a distance of 100ft. in the night. 

 Whether the lantern is strong enough to do this I am not 

 able to say, but I am inclined to think that it will answer 

 the purpose of the buyer, for he will shoot, if he is lucky 

 enough to get within shooting distance of a deer, and the 

 thought of its sex will not enter his buck-fevered brain. 

 Then if his shot is effectual enough to kill, and it happens 

 to be a doe— why, the guide will quickly sever all signs 

 of the sex, and the hunter's friends will hear about the 

 magnificent buck he killed. The antlers won't tell any 

 story in July nor but little in August. 



It would hardly do not to mention the latest invention 

 in this line, though I hate to do it, for fear that it may 

 be a success, though it has not yet reached that dignity. 

 A Boston inventor proposes an electric light for jacking 

 deer. He has already adapted one to sleighs and other 

 carriages, and why not one for the boat? The weight 

 and the difficulty of transporting the storage battery are 

 tiie principal objections thus far discovered. Then there 

 must be added the unreliability of a battery thus trans- 

 ported. The light is a powerful one, and it may yet be 

 introduced into the forest. Maine will have to enforce 

 tier game i laws, or her moose, deer and caribou are going 

 to get shot, and that, too, generally out of season; for 

 the close season is the vacation season, when the city 

 sportsmen can be there, and besides it is the season when 

 S 0tin f c ^ n , be ?? st successfully practiced. Let the 

 SToZT.f the fi8h an , d H ame la ^ s S° afc loo * e ™ds 

 lS R Sl°p f season8 ' a ^ d there wilIbe electric iack- 

 mfernal maclunes enough invented to blow 

 every moose and deer out of the Maine woods. Then 



there are foxhounds (?) enough being bred within 100 

 miles of Boston to run every deer into the lakes and 

 ponds of Maine, where they can be shot by the sports 

 who have the money to pay a guide for his services, but 

 not the skill and endurance to kill a deer by fair hunting 

 in the open season. Special. 



SMALL CALIBER RIFLES. 



Editor Forest and Stream i 



Some time ago I bought a Winchester singleshot, c.f ., 

 .22-16-45) and have had bushels of fun with it. With a 

 Lyman ivory front sight it is good for anything, from a 

 kangaroo mouse at 20yds. to an alligator at 100. (Killed 

 an 8ft. 'gator last week with it at 92 paces, and I am 

 frightfully long-legged. At the first shot he never 

 moved, so thinking I had missed him I put in a second; 

 still he didn't move, and I went to investigato. Found 

 the two bullet holes within half an inch of each other, 

 just above and between the eyes. The first one must 

 have killed him as instantly as a flash of lightning.) I 

 have owned almost as many rifles of different makes and 

 caliber as I have hairs left on my head and wouldn't give 

 my present battery for all I have ever had or seen. They 

 are Sharp's Old Reliable .44-110-370 for bear, elk, moose, 

 etc.; Marlin .32-40-165 for deer, turkey, et al, and the 

 Winchester for miscellaneous vermin. Am not sure but 

 what for elephants and hippopotami I might want some- 

 thing different, but for all game the American continent 

 holds I consider myself well "heeled." If they were the 

 only three guns of the kind in existence I don't think I'd 

 take $1,000 for them. 



If the Winchester folks would only put a little finer 

 sights on their rifles, even if they charged a little more, I 

 think it would be an improvement. The factory sights 

 are too coarse. By a fine sight I don't mean a half -inch 

 circle at 500yds., which, or its equivalent, some of your 

 rifle shots talk about, but say a duck's head at 100yds. or 

 a squirrel's at 125. If I could make either of these shots 

 twice out of five times I should "think no small beer of 

 myself." As to hitting a duck's head at 200yds., as some 

 of your correspondents tell about, that's a notch beyond 

 me — and — well, I'd like to watch them do it. I have met 

 but few. very few, men in my life time who are blessed 

 with a better pair of eyes than I am— Providence be 

 thanked for the same — as proved on shipboard, on the 

 plains and at the laboratory table, but when it comes to 

 seeing a duck's head at 200yds. plainly enough to draw a 

 practical bead on him, count me out. Let's hgure it out 

 mathematically. The smallest globe sight is, I believe, 

 about ifnin. in diameter. Allowing the average distance 

 between the front sight and the eye to be 3ft., then the 

 -/oiu. sight at 200yds. would obscure a circle 4in. in diam- 

 eter. Somewhere within that circle lies the duck's head, 

 but where? Not much chance for accuracy with such a 

 "calculus of error" as that. H . P. TJ, 



Lakk Citables, Tjouisana. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have used in my time quite a good many different 

 rifles and have now a .22 chambered for the 15-45 and it 

 shoots splendidly: but I would like a little heavier charge. 

 I think the .25 would just fit, but I want a center-fire 

 shell, for my experience is that I get much better shoot- 

 ing than with a rim-fire, and I believe that a good .25 

 center-fire with a good charge of powder in proportion 

 to the ball would fill the wants of a large class of sports- 

 men. 



Laconia, N. H. 



Hollow Bullets.— Bergerville, Quebec— 1 have for 

 some time past been using hollow bullets of my own 

 manufacture. T thmk the reasons why the Winchester 

 express bullet does not always expand are these: The 

 cavity is of too small diameter, and the inserted copper 

 tube does away with most of the effect of the hollow by 

 rendering the bullet too stiff. If the hollow were in- 

 creased in diameter and diminished in length and a slight 

 hollow made in the base of the ball, it would, I think, 

 prove satisfactory. The bullets which I have been using 

 are the .44-40-200 Winchester. I cast my own bullets and 

 use 45grs. powder with them. I made a slight hollow in 

 the base of the ball, and after inserting it in the shell 

 drilled a hole in the point as far as where it joins the 

 shell. I then reamed out the hole till the sides of it cor- 

 responded to the shape of the ball. I now had only to 

 close the hole. I did this with a long gun cap from which 

 T extracted the priming. I fired one ball into a hard snow 

 bank, and it made a hole about 2in. in diameter. I could 

 not find it, so do not know how much it expanded. Fired 

 into soft earth or pine, they resemble a mushroom in 

 shape, expanding from |in. to lAin. in diameter. I was 

 satisfied that they would do good work on game, but 

 could find no better mark than a muskrat. There were a 

 few bits of flesh and strips of skin left after the ball struck 

 him. I hope to try them on large game before long. As 

 regards accuracy, I find them perfect. I shot a bluejay 

 at 75yds., and put a ball in the middle of a bush lift. 



uare at over 200yds. — L. D. von I. 



An Expensive Bunny.— Towanda, Pa., July 1.— Hun- 

 dreds of young rabbits are reported seen along the country 

 roads, one of which brought f 7 last week in this market. 

 A drummer, out on a business trip looking over his 

 country customers, just purchased a new target rifle and 

 was anxious to try it on live game. A half -grown cotton- 

 tail was potted. Throwing the kitten under his buggy 

 seat he drove into town and put up at the hotel. Enthus- 

 iastic over his new gun, he related to a friend what he 

 had done and where it was, Within five feet of him 

 stood a game warden. His name was ascertained, he was 

 arrested, fine and costs amounting to $7, willingly paid 

 and he said he had learned a valuable lesson. — D. 



The Michigan Deer Seasons, as prescribed by the 

 new law, are: Open season in Lower Peninsula the 

 month of November: in Upper Peninsula, from Sept. 25 

 to Nov. 1 5. 



A GEORGIA POSSUM FARM. 



IT was in the early afternoon when we arrived, and to the un- 

 initiated the farm appeared to be an immense fruit orchard, 

 hearing an oblong whitish sort of fruit hanging from the dead 

 hmbs ot the trees by a long black stem. But appearances were 

 deceptive.. It was not fruit, but between 700 and 800 possums 

 taking their artei-noon siesta. Our party was somewhat unac- 

 quainted with the habits of the Georgia possum, and, conse- 

 quently, plied question after question to our highly amused 



hosts. I now consider myself an expert on the possum, and here 

 is what I learned and saw: 



The possum, when desiring to take a nap, simply climbs the 

 most convenient tree, walks out on a limb, wraps his tail one and 

 a half times around and swings bis body out into space. His 

 legs and feet are drawn close into his body and his head Drawn 

 up between his shoulders until it forms an almost perfect ball 

 and appears to be a great pear covered with white fur. 



The sun was slowly setting below the distant pine mountains, 

 and we. were still gazing at, the queer objects in amused wonder, 

 when a half-dozen little possums emerged from the pocket of 

 their mother, ran up her tail and commenced playing on the limb 

 above. In a few minutes this marsupial stretched her head and 

 then her fore feet out. She swung herself once or twice, grabbed 

 her tail AVith her forepaws, and climbed up it to the limb, which 

 she caught with her claws, untwisted her tail and pulled up. 

 Hardly had she balanced herself when the half-dozen voting ones 

 climbed into her pocket and were hid from view. .She then climbed 

 down the tree. While this was going on more than 700 others had 

 awakened and were coming down from the trees. Reaching the 

 ground each one made for the creek, drank, and then ran up the 

 lull to a pen in which they were to be fed. 



They were of all sizes. Some would barely weigh a half a pound, 

 while others would tip the scales at 301bs. The possum, when hun- 

 gry, utters a sound which is a cross between a mew and a moan. 

 Over <00 possums were together so thick that the ground could 

 not he seen between them, and the small ones had been forced 

 upon the backs of the larger. All were uttering this peculiar 

 sound, reminding one of an army of soldiers moaning over the 

 death of their general, when through the gate a negro pushed a 

 wheelbarrow, heaped full of all kinds of trash and slops -consist- 

 ing of fruit pealings, vegetables, meats, bones and bread. Ashe 

 hove in sight the scene among the possums reminded one of feed- 

 ing time in a menagerie. The little ugly animals screamed ami 

 scratched and bit at one auoi her until the negro bad scattered 

 the contents of the wheelbarrow over the ground. Then, although 

 it was well scattered, all wanted to eat in one place just, like hogs, 

 anil there was considerable more scratching and biting. But fhia 

 did not last long, Cor the rations were soon consumed by the great 

 drove of possums, and they commenced to disperse, 'seemingly 

 contented, and this time climbed the persimmon trees. 



During the persimmon season the possums are not fed at all, 

 for it is on this fruit they become rolling fat and ready for mar- 

 ket. Mr. Throckmorton will probably ship 500 to Eastern points 

 and the cities throughout, Georgia this winter. They will average 

 him $1 each, and he makes quite a good thing out of it, as they 

 are practically no expense to him. In shipping to Atlanta and 

 Georgia points they are generally dressed, hut the majority go to 

 Washington and are shipped alive. The large shipments to 

 Washington are perhaps due to the average Southern Congress- 

 man's fondness for "baked possum and Waters." Congressman 

 Stewart, who comes from Griffin, and Congressman Barnes, of 

 Augusta, are perhaps the most inveterate possum caters in Con- 

 gress, and it has already leaked out that these two dist inguished 

 Georgians have ordered two dozen of Mr. Throckmorton's finest 

 and a couple of bushel of sweet potatoes to be sent, to them at the 

 .Metropolitan Hotel next Christmas.— Atlanta ConstitoOkm, 



MICHIGAN FISH LAWS. 



Synopsis of the important provisions of the new general fish 

 law relating to the inland waters of the State: 



The catching of tront, salmon and grayling is lawful only from 

 May 1 to Sept. 1, and then only if the catching is by hook and line 

 (If of a size less than Bin. in length, they must be ret urned to the 

 water.) 



Bass may be caught at any time, hut only by hook and line 

 The use of any explosive substance in catching any kind of fish 

 is unlawful. 



The spearing of any kind of fish (except mullet, grass pike red 

 Bides aud suckers; is unlawful from March 1 to July I. 



The use of any species of net (except dip nets, in 'catching mul- 

 let, etc., as above) is unlawful at all times. 



It is unlawful to catch or ship brook trout or grayling for the 

 purpose of sale, at any time, and it is unlawful to buy or sell the 

 same during the close season. 



A violation of any provision of this law is punishable by a fine 

 of not less than §5 nor more than $100 and costs, or imprisonment 

 thirty days if the fine is not paid. 



An act of the Legislature of 1889. regulating fishing with 

 nets m the Great Lakes, and the bays and harbors connected 

 therewith, regulates the size of meshes as follows: 



The meshes of the funnel or lead of pound nets shall not be less 

 than Mu. in extension. 



The meshes of the pocket of pound nets, not leBS than <H4in in 

 extension. (Pound nets with -J^in. mesh pocket may be used for 

 taking perch, herring and pickerel.) 



The ni-shes of gill nets shall not be less than \Mb.xd extension. 

 (Gill nets not less than 2jj£in. m extension may be used for takio» 

 perch, herring, black tins and long jaws.) 



The meshes of seines shall not be less than b^in. in extension 

 The drifting or towing of all drag nets with boats is unlawful' 

 Seines must be fastened to shore or dock. 



A fine of not less than S10 or more than $100 and costs, or im- 

 prisonment thirty days, is the penalty prescribed for a violation 

 of this law. Wsr. Alden Ssoth. 



State Game and Fish Warden. 



CAMPS OF THE KINGFISHERS.-I. 



ECHO LAKE, ONTARIO, CANADA. 



WE had spent our vacation of 1885 in the old eamp at 

 the mouth of Sweeny's Creek on Central Lake, 

 Mich., a spot around which cluster many pleasant memo- 

 ries of happy days of floating and fishing and dreaming 

 and idling along the rush-lined shores of the Interme- 

 diate Chain; and when "old Knots" and the "old pelican 

 of the Sangamon" (Uncle Dan Sloan ) suggested that we 

 hunt up a new lake on whose shore to kindle our camp- 

 fire for the summer fish of 1886, it seemed like turning 

 our backs on an old friend who had stood by us through 

 dismal days of blustery storm and pelting rain, and pleas- 

 ant weeks of genial sun, when woods and waters wore 

 their fairest mood. 



The smiling waters of Central, Sisson's, St. Clair, Six- 

 Mile, and the others, each with some special claim to be 

 remembered by us, seemed to invite to one more season 

 of gentle wooing with rod and line, and an abiding love 

 for the old camps of this Traverse region that has grown 

 with^the years, made strong remonstrance against a 

 change of base. But as old Ben— our oracle— says, "A 

 change o' camp, an' a triflin' with strange waters is only 

 a shiftin' o' the affections which don't count agin ye in 

 the general roundup," it was finally decided tiiat other 

 waters than the Intermediate should receive the homage 

 of the Kingfishers for the next annual camp, and we at 

 once set about the task of selecting a locality where bass 

 might be found in fair numbers, with mayhap a maski- 

 nonge* now and then just to fill the measure of our hap- 

 piness, and a stream or two within easy reach where 

 trout encugh might be had to keep the old smell from 

 dying entirely out of the well worn frying pans. 



Through some hunter friends old Dan had learned of a 

 chain of small lakes on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan 

 near Waucedah, a station on a branch of the Chicago & 

 Northwestern E. R., about forty miles west of Escanaba, 

 that promised to fill all the requirements, but a letter of 

 inquiry to Mr. E. P. Dillon, of Waucedah, about supplies, 

 boats, etc., brought a backset to the scheme in the shape 

 of ''All kinds of supplies that you want, but no boats ex- 

 cept a couple, such as they are, and plenty of Indian 



* I believe that Mas'-kin-on'-je, is the proper name of this no- 

 blest of all the game fish of the North. This name is- certainly 

 far more musical than muskylunge, mascallonge, muscallunge or 

 any other of the half dozen different ways of spelling it, and is. 

 to be preferred if for no other reason. 



