226 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



roar, li, 1888. 



A DAY'S SHOOTING IN MY MARYLAND. 



I, — MORNING. 



TTOW these lovely autumn days recall the bright 

 XX "long ago," when with the impatience of youth 

 we looked anxiously for the time when the first frost 

 with its icy finger would touch the green foliage of the 

 trees and clothe the woods with a coat of many colors; 

 when the woods and hedges would present the beauti- 

 ful, in rich abundance, and tbe pure air, breathed in long 

 draughts, would send the rich blood coursing impetu- 

 ously through our veins. Iu the fall of 186-, having" 

 purchased from John Krider, Philadelphia, a new 

 Moore & Harris 12-gauge gun, I was of course very 

 anxious to try it, and made overtures to my good friend 

 Thos. B. (than whom a better sportsman, a kinder friend 

 or a more perfect gentleman never lived) to join me 

 in a day's shooting, to which he assented pleasantly. 

 I then hunted a white and tan English setter bitch 

 named Flora, imported and presented to me by Mr. 

 Mr. John F. Orne of Philadelphia; and a large mottled 

 brown and white pointer dog Sport, and a better team 

 never entered a field. They worked like machinery .on 

 birds, but the temptation to Flora to run a rabbit was, 

 like toddy to the toper, perfectly irresistible. She would 

 break shot and run away as if the devil were after her; 

 and to see the look of shame and repentance on her face 

 when she came back, was too much for me, so that I 

 often failed to correct her through pity; for who has not 

 fallen from grace? My friend had a native-bred dog 

 Dash, but I think he was misnamed, for although lie 

 could trail a covey and pick up scattered birds with the 

 best of them, he poked and would never back; but when 

 he found birds would stand firmly. I then drove a large 

 roan horse Joe, sixteen hands high, and very spirited, 

 one which could knock off ten miles an hour, over our 

 hilly roads, without exertion. Oh! could I again have 

 such a trio of animals! Joe lived to be thirty years old, 

 when he fell in the stable and was choked to death, 

 through the carelessness of his groom. Flora, whom 

 I lent to a friend to breed from, was stolen, and poor, 

 dear old Sport died of old age. Both he and the 

 horse were buried, and over their graves, I do not blush 

 to own, I shed many a tear, and why should I not? For 

 they were connected with the best, brightest and hap- 

 piest days of my life. 



Everything was made ready tbe night before and 

 stowed carefully in the Jager wagon. The dogs fed 

 heavily in order to give blood and strength for to-mor- 

 row's work. Dogs should not be fed much the days they 

 are hunted, for it affects then scent. After a substantial 

 breakfast we started about 4 o'clock in the morning for 

 our eight-mile drive. How those dogs loved the ride! no 

 trouble with them, but at a snap of the finger they would 

 jump into the wagon and stow themselves away and give 

 no more care but sleep like majors until we stopped. 

 How pleasant was that drive! Years loaded with care 

 and grief have since passed over our heads, leaving deep 

 traces of their march in furrowed cheeks, bent forms and 

 general wear and tear, but the remembrance of that chive 

 lives in its pristine joy, never to be forgotten. Joe ex- 

 celled himself, and the pleasant chat of my dear friend 

 made the ride seem very short. 



Arrived at the house of our country friend, who was 

 just out feeding his stock, which, of course, we had to 

 admire (and some of it well merited all the praise we gave 

 it), we went into the house, saw the good wife, gave the 

 candy to the children, talked a few minutes, ate a buck- 

 wheat cake, took a cup of coffee for sociability and then 

 started for the fields. 



Our host told us where every covey of partridge on the 

 farm could be found; we mapped out our route, entered 

 the meadow, crossed the run and struck for a wheat stub- 

 ble field. When we had hunted about one-half of the 

 stubble, Flora, who had rather the keenest nose, began to 

 draw, while Sport, with head up and all attention, fol- 

 lowed her closely; no jealousy on his honest face, but 

 rather a look of congratulation that Flora should have 

 first honors. Each was the perfection of its race, and 

 each showed its peculiarities completely. Flora couched 

 as she trod gingerly over the heavily scented grass; Sport 

 with his head and tail erect, and now that he had struck 

 the trail, was all animation. How beautiful they look, 

 as they stand fast fixed, every nerve quivering with ex- 

 citement, their inclination to spring upon the game sup- 

 pressed by perfect training. There they stand for a 

 moment or two, with Dash close up to Flora, and Sport a 

 little back. When we step forward, the old cock part- 

 ridge, the patriarch of the bevy, rises with a chirp and 

 a whirl, but is beautifully stopped by B., killed in mid- 

 air, riddled — no half miss about that shot. Now whirl, 

 whirl, up they all get. B. drop3 another, while I, though 

 in the end as fortunate, did not kill my birds as clean, for 

 he was the better shot of the two. We mark them down 

 in the bushes along the run, some fifteen or eighteen of 

 them, loaded our guns, spoke to the dogs (who had 

 dropped at shot and remained at charge) to seek dead. 

 How lightly they tread! They point the birds, which we 

 pick up, and are on again. We go to where the birds lit, 

 but although we hunt never so carefully, we raise but 

 few. Whether it is from the birds' fear or power to hold 

 their scent, it is certain that dogs, even the best ones, fail 

 to find the partridge or quail that is too closely followed. 

 So we let them rest for the time, and go up the hill, along 

 the edge of a thicket, into a buckwheat stubble. 



The morning is now glorious, and we drink insatiate 

 great draughts of pure, fresh air. How good we feel, 

 and as we look around over the beautiful landscape, think 

 how good God is to us poor mortals and how poorly we 

 repay Him for all his kindness; but we are out gunning, 

 and there is no time to moralize, especially as the dogs are 

 trailing a running bevy. Dash is in the lead now, trail- 

 ing being his strong point) while old Sport, a little jealous 

 this time of the family prestige, like all good Southrons, 



Eresses closely upon him, but none too fast. Flora, who 

 as struck another trail, is called in to follow and back 

 the other dogs, which she does with tolerable good grace, 

 though with a strong protest: but the birds are wild and 

 rise out of range, but I get the one Flora was trailing on 

 a long and risky cross shot. A risky shot? Bosh. To 

 the fellow who will never take a risky shot, but must 

 have it open and almost sure. Give the birds chances 

 and take chances yourself, say I. 



We marked the covey down in the meadow and now 

 returned to our first find, and hardly touched the ground 

 before all three of the dogs stood staunchly, and this on 

 the same ground we had hunted so carefully before. The 



birds had been running and now the scent was strong. 

 How splendid the dogs looked ! Let us enjoy the scene 

 for a moment before we flush the birds. Look at Flora, 

 how beautiful is her poise, with her left foot raised, her 

 head rigid, her silky ears cocked forward, her back bent 

 downward, her tail* straight, quivering at the end. Sport, 

 with head erect, eyes seeming double their usual size, the 

 nose twitching nervously, as he drinks in the sweet 

 aroma of the birds, tail at an angle of twenty degrees 

 upward, feet firmly planted. Dash, croiiching low with 

 head, back and tail all in line. Who would not en- 

 joy it? I step to Flora, the bird rises near me, but flies to 

 B., who stops him in midnight, but misses the second 

 bird, which rose from Dash's point and flew behind the 

 bushes. I killed Sport's bird, which gladdened his soul 

 and he looked his delight. We loaded, moved on, and 

 have eight or ten birds down before we retrieved, but 

 they were all in the open and killed dead, so we lost none. 



Now. in regard to the first bird which l'ose to me, but 

 which B. killed, simply because it flew toward him, I 

 may remark for the benefit of the novice, that if I had 

 shot I woidd have committed a great breach of sporting 

 etiquette, by shooting across my companion, which 

 should never be done, as it is considered unsportsman- 

 like and ungentlemanly. In shooting at a rising covey, 

 the left man should take a bird on his side and the right 

 man on the right side; never shoot into the middle of the 

 covey, for you often hurt birds badly and never get them, 

 and it is seldom you kill more than one at a shot. By 

 observing the above rules you will never both shoot at 

 the same bird, and consequently never both claim the 

 same dead bird. This rule is inviolable among good 

 sportsmen. Thus we went on from one covey to another 

 until the dinner horn called us to the house. We counted 

 heads, and B. had six more birds than I, while I had one 

 bunny, which I shot near the house, ahead of Flora, who 

 was having some fun to herself and a jolly good time in 

 the race. How pleased she looked when it turned end 

 for end. 



After changing our coats and taking a good wash we 

 felt much refreshed; the summons to dinner soon came, 

 and such a dinner! Oh, ye dainty gourmands, who must 

 coax the appetite to enjoyment, could you have been 

 with us at that meal! After a quiet, though deep, thanks- 

 giving for the things before us we surveyed the table. At 

 the head sat our host, and in his front a large roast of 

 beef, whose delightful brown and juicy appearance, told 

 that it was done to a turn. Before our hostess were two 

 Brahma chickens, roasted and garnished with parsley, 

 weighing at least 61bs. each, fat and plump and cooked 

 to perfection. Potatoes, mashed and worked almost as 

 light as eggs; parsnips, lima beams, stewed tomatoes and 

 celery for dessert; peach pies, apple dumplings, both 

 boiled and baked. Now, imagine our enjoyment of these 

 good things, when we were so hungry after our violent 

 exercise; and oh, ye poor fellows who "dine sumptuously 

 every day," and upon whose appetites good things pall 

 for want of zest, enjoy it in imagination. I give this bill 

 of fare, for nine times out of ten you will get such a 

 country dinner in Maryland, when gunning among our 

 best farmers. After enjoying to repletion we smoke our 

 cigars, have a good talk, tell our host the news of the 

 outside world , and hear his gossip. Josephus. 



The Pines, Cecil County, Md. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



OCTOBER 1.— The weather is growing slightly colder, 

 with frosty nights, raw winds and occasional cold 

 rains. A storm is predicted from the north. On Sunday 

 last there was a heavy snowfall in the Michigan penin- 

 sula; a gentlemen just in from that country says the 

 snowballing was good. We expect at any time a cold 

 wave that will drive the ducks down from the north in a 

 skurry. The flight in the districts adjacent to this point 

 is scattering and irregular, though there have been a few 

 good days, and it is probable that during this week some- 

 time there will be a good flight in. One gentleman of 

 the Kankakee Cattle Company club last Wednesday 

 bagged forty ducks out of one corner of their grounds. 

 Numerous small bags are also reported, and members of 

 different clubs here are now from day to day slipping off 

 to the shooting grounds, presumably in response to infor- 

 mation received as to the flight. 



In order to obtain what data I could as to the present 

 location of the duck supply, I yesterday made a system- 

 atic visit to South Water street, the great produce and 

 game market of this city, and made diligent inquiry 

 among the dealers as to where then largest shipments 

 were coming from, and what varieties of ducks were now 

 most plentiful. I asked a frowzy German boy in one 

 market what kind3 of ducks they were getting in, and he 

 told me "Teelse an' mullets." 



"Mullets?" said I, "what's a mullet? Do you think I 

 mean a sucker, or do you think I'm a sucker, or how?" 



"Yaas," said the boy, smiling blandly, and for the fife 

 of me I could not tell what he meat by a "mullet." I 

 sat down and thought about it for a while, but it was too 

 much for me, and I had to ask the boy to show me one. 



"Dese is inullets," he said, picking up one of a pile of 

 goodly mallards. I then made my escape, and forgot to 

 ask where the "mullets" came from. 



In another market I found a number of blue- winged 

 teal and a few mallards, and inquiry elicited the rather 

 unsatisfactory fact that they came "mostly from Mil- 

 waukee and St. Paid." They were bought of local rirrns 

 in those cities, I presume. 



At Mr. Sloan's house I found a very good assortment of 

 game, and arranged with that respect to comeliness which 

 it seems to me wild game ought to command, far above 

 all vulgar turkeys or commonplace barnyard fowls. Mr. 

 Sloane informed me that his supply, mostly teal and mal- 

 lards, was coming chiefly from Dakota; that a few came 

 from Indiana and other local country, but that so far 

 the flight was greatly scattered and highly unsatisfac- 

 tory. He was of the opinion, however, that there would 

 be a good flight and good shooting on our marshes this 

 fall, and that the reason of the dflatoriness of the ducks 

 was the lack of any settled cold weather behind them. 



A dealer who displayed a tempting bunch of jacksnipe 

 said that they came principally from Indiana. A few 

 plover had also accidentally strayed into the fold. 



Another dealer had some sandhill cranes from Minne- 

 sota. The breast of this bird is not bad eating, but 

 I never knew they got into the market as a saleable 

 supply. 



Smith & Co, had a fat Michigan bear trussed up. A 



splinter thrust direct into the fat on his back held up a 

 placard, which made the announcement. The bear was 

 skinned, and not everybody would know what it was. 



Another dealer had a bunch of lathv and gaunt marsh 

 rabbits, with feet as big as dinner plates. They didn't 

 look very good to eat. 



Yet another man had up a grand bunch of woodcock, 

 and I never saw a prettier or more nicely handled lot of 

 these beautiful birds. They came from Indiana. 



No wild geese were displayed on the market, no grouse 

 and no quail, the latter speaking well for local observance 

 of the law at least. 



One Hebrew dealer announced to me oracularly that 

 there would not be any shooting this year, either in the 

 Fox Lake system or on the Kankakee. "De ducks is all 

 killed off," he said, "it's ben dwo years alretty sense we 

 hed any shooding of gonsekwendze." Other dealers 

 were more hopeful. 



Dakota is reported to be full of market-shooters this 

 fall. The ducks don't get much rest. 



I heard that Mr. Roll Organ, of the Maksawba Club — 

 and of divers other clubs also— has started to Minnesota 

 for an extended shooting trip, and that he knew where he 

 was going. 



Mr. E. C. Cook and Mr. A. Montgomery Ward have 

 effected some kind of an armistice, and. departed on Mon- 

 day for their Kankakee grounds. Mr. Cook told me con- 

 fidentially before he left that he "would get even with 

 Ward, if it cost him a thousand dollars." Mr. Ward, just 

 before leaving, remarked to me, in a swift aside, that he 

 "would do Cook up now, if it took his last dollar." 

 Something may drop down at the club house. Mr. Ward 

 said to me, soberly, "Now, in regard to that fish story, 

 we have had our joke about it, and that's all right; but, 

 honestly, it's true, every word of it!" A few moments 

 later Mr. Cook casually remarked to me, with a face 

 notable for its stern gravity, "Now, in regard to that fish 

 story, we have had our joke about it, and that's all right; 

 but, honestly, it's true, every word of it!" It is from 

 reasons such as these that I conclude an armistice has 

 been arranged, to last at least during this particular 

 shooting trip; but I fancy there is a scheme up somewhere. 

 Both gentlemen have added to their life insurance. I 

 cannot see why both these gentlemen should express a 

 deliberate intention to waylay and murder that jolly 

 salesman of sporting goodB, Mr. G. M. Holt (alias "Sam"). 

 All that Mr. Holt has ever done, so far as I know, is to 

 expose a few of their nefarious plots against the peace and 

 dignity of sportsman's morals, and I feel sure that this 

 was done not through any wrong motive, but simply for 

 the public good, 



I am much interested in watching the progress of ama- 

 teur photography in connection with field sports. There is 

 yearly increase of perfection in the instruments offered 

 to sportsmen, and I had recent ocular proof of the excel- 

 lence of the amateur field work which can be done. Mr. 

 Burt Crane, of this city, carries a small box (a "Kodak" 

 camera) in the pocket of his shooting coat. He shows 

 some singularly interesting little negatives of setters at 

 work in the field. He repeatedly made photographs of 

 his dogs while on a point, and then killed the birds after- 

 ward. These negatives are. delightfully fresh and breezy. 



Mr. Fred D. Foss took a complete amateur outfit with 

 him when he started, last week, for his trip to Honduras. 



Mr. C. O. Baring, of J. % Farwcll & Co., carries a 

 camera slung to his coat by a clip, and when fishing or 

 shooting never forgets this machine. 



Mr. Chester Gurney took his camera to the North Woods 

 of Michigan this past summer, and now shows about one 

 hundred fine camp scenes, landscapes, etc. A number of 

 camp scenes were made by the magnesium light, after 

 dark, and while the boys were sitting by the fire. They 

 are unique and interesting:. 



General A. C. Ducat, of the Home Insurance Company, 

 shows his novel negatives of himself in his blind, shoot- 

 ing ducks. His camera was adjusted upon the bank, and 

 the shooter in his boat shot the slide by means of a string. 

 The results are clear and lifelike. This is indeed bottling 

 Nature for household use. 



Oct. 2. — Heavy rains last night and to-day. Some 

 ducks are reported on the "Sag," about fifteen miles 

 from the city. Heavy storms on the lakes are reported 

 by craft coming into this port. 



The meeting held yesterday by the members of the 

 Cherokee Strip Live Stock Association in conjunction 

 with Chief Mays and other leaders of the Cherokee Nation, 

 was one of considerable importance to sportsmen as well 

 as cattlemen. The lease of the association of the lands 

 of the "Strip" has expired, and the present discussion is 

 over its renewal. By the old lease, which was made for 

 a period of five years, the association held possession of 

 10,000,000 acres of the finest grazing lands, at an annual 

 rental of ,$100,000. The Cherokees now want $a00,000 

 per year. They should easily command it, and doubtless 

 the cattlemen will be glad to give it. Should they not do 

 so, the question would confront them of finding range 

 for over 200,000 head of cattle; and this they cannot now 

 do. If, however, the cattlemen and Indians should 

 ultimately fail to agree, it is probable that the ousting of 

 the former from the Territory would be followed by an 

 increase of game, since at present nearly all the shooters 

 who go into the Nations do so under the cover of being 

 cattlemen's friends. The preservation of the game sup- 

 ply of the Indian Territory to the very last instant is a 

 matter of importance to every sportsman, even though 

 he should not be favored with a military pass. The game 

 has been literally butchered off in that region in the past 

 few years, and this altogether contrary to and in spite of 

 the stringent military regulation. 



Oct. S—m. S. W. Roth, of the John Wilkinson Co., 

 last week bagged twenty-three jacksnipe and three teal 

 in a day's shooting in Indiana. 



Reports come from Michigan of Chicago parties who in 

 September had good mascallonge fishing and deer shoot- 

 ing in the same locality. It might have been better had 

 they waited until later for the latter. 



Oct. 5. — Heavy rain has prevailed here all day, and 

 colder weather is predicted for points northwest of us. 

 We may reasonably expect ducks down in good flights 

 soon. E. H. 



The Wild Pigeons. — Grand Rapids, Mich.— Last June 

 while trout fishing on the Pentwater, Oceana county, this 

 State, I saw quite a number of those now rare and beauti- 

 ful birds. They were usually in pairs and seemed to be 

 nesting. This was in the vicinity of the great nesting of 

 a few years ago.— S. P. A. 



