326 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 15, 1888. 



THE WOODCOCK FLIGHT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Since my lelter of last week there has been a small 

 flight of woodcock through the Connecticut Valley, show- 

 ing that some of the birds attained comparatively north- 

 ern breeding grounds. - . , 



The fringes of the flight just touched Berkshire, and 

 only touched it. . , 



A singular- peculiarity of the flight this year and last 

 is the finding of the birds in the wettest of cover, with 

 comparatively none on the high grounds and in the 

 sprouts. What occasions this change? Why do the birds, 

 this extremely wet season, haunt the flooded summer 

 covers, and desert the high birches and maples? Is it a 

 matter of food, tempera toe or caprice? Who can inter- 

 pret these mysterious, large-eyed, nocturnal fliers? 



I hope yet to hear through Forest and Stream from 

 our Northern and Southern sportsmen who have noticed 

 the movements of the birds. E. H. Latiirop. 



Springfield, Mass., Nov. 7. 



RIFLES FOR SMALL GAME. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have been in precisely the same predicament described 

 by "N. Orleans" in Forest and Stream of this date, and 

 believe that, from my own experience in solving the pro- 

 blem, I am competent to tell him what to do. If your 

 correspondent will invest in a .32-cal. Colt lightning 

 magazine rifl^, chambered for the .32-20 Winchester car- 

 tridge (115 grains of lead) and fitted with the Lyman 

 front and rear sights, he will find himself equipped with 

 just the arm he wants. I have shot ducks on Long 

 Island with such a rifle under the precise conditions des- 

 cribed by "Orleans" and found that arm to "fill the bill" 

 in eveiy particular. The rifles (whether repeaters or 

 single-shot) adapted for the .32-40 cartridge carry too 

 far, besides which the ammunition is comparatively ex- 

 pensive; but the .32-20 Colt comes. within the desired 

 limit of range, and, while not the gun to select for fine 

 target shooting, is sufficiently accurate to kill a duck as 

 dead as a door nail within 150 or 200yds. Of course, 

 that is under the supposition that one knows how to 

 shoot, for it takes a tolerably fair shot to hit a black 

 duck, or even a black swan, at 200yds. with any kind of 

 a rifle not shot from a rest. Louis Bagger. 



Washington, D. C. 



Editor Forrest and Stream: 



You published articles a short time ago on "Rifles for 

 Small Game/' I have since made experiments with a 

 .30-40 for rabbits, squirrels, partridges, etc., and I load 

 with 20grs. powder and a round ball of about 50grs., sold 

 here as (S. G.) buckshot. I found this very accurate up 

 to about 50yds., but have not had a chance of trying it at 

 any longer range. I loaded one shell with 40grs. powder 

 and a round ball, and at 10yds. shot clean through a pop- 

 lar log 14in. in diameter, which was cut last winter: and 

 with the full charge I shot through an ^in. iron plate and 

 l|in. spruce board behind it at 100yds. I think this rifle 

 will fill the bill for all-round work. H. C. Browne. 



M anitoba. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



In reply to ' N. Orleans," I would say get a .32-cal. rifle. 

 There are several good ones made that might answer his 

 purpose — Winchester, Colts, Ballard or Marlin. I think 

 if he wants to shoot ducks at 150 to 200yds., and with the 

 wind blowing, let him choose a Winchester single-shot 

 .32-cal. , using the Marlin and Ballard .32-40 cartridge, and 

 costing §11.25. This is a very accurate rifle, and he need 

 not be afiaid of killing a man a mile away, either. I 

 have been using a rifle of this kind for some time and 

 find that it gives satisfaction every time. Bullet. 



Carlisle, Pa. 



ELK HUNTING ETHICS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In the November number of Harpers Magazine is an 

 article on "Elk Hunting in the Rocky Mountains," by 

 G-. O. Shields, if that is a genuine as distinguished from 

 an assumed name. I commenced the perusal of the 

 article with anticipations of pleasure, which were real- 

 ized as I progressed, until the author recorded the fact, 

 that after shootirg a cow and a calf, which it would be 

 fair to presume would be game enough of that kind at 

 one time for one small hunting party, he had a long 

 chase of miles "through the thickets of underbrush and 

 over the rocks and beds of frozen leaves," and finally 

 came up with and brutally shot a large bull, which ap- 

 parently he did not want, except that his magnificent 

 antlers might grace the shooter's library. No wonder 

 the writer says: "As I walked up and stood over his pros- 

 trate form my soul was filled with remorse and regret at 

 having caused the death of this majestic monarch of the 

 forest." He would have had, as it seems to me, a much 

 finer exhibition of good taste if the "remorse and re- 

 gret'' had continued long enough to prevent the telling in 

 print of so unsportsmanlike a story. 



And then for a writer to proceed as this writer does to 

 criticise and condemn the "skin hunters" whose shots 

 are rapidly exterminating the few remaining bands of 

 elk. This is too much! He calls it "ruthless slaughter." 

 Was his shooting of that "majestic monarch of the 

 forest'' anything but "ruthless slaughter?" The "skin- 

 hunter" shoots for a living, and Mr. Shields calls him 

 "nefarious." Mr. G. O. Shields apparently did not have 

 even the excuse of the "skin-hunter" when he shot three 

 elk, two one night and one the next morning. If "nefar- 

 ious" is an appropriate adjective to apply to one who 

 shoots that he may live, what manner of epithet would it 

 require adequately to describe a man who after his wants 

 for sport and meat are supplied bv shooting a cow and 

 calf, continues to shoot, apparently from pure "cu*sed- 

 ness, or to get a pair of antler.-? I will let Mr. G. O 

 Shields select it for himself. Perhaps sometime when he 

 is looking at that pair of antlers with a new "pang of 

 sorrow tor the part I played in that great tragedy," he 

 may be able to conjure up an epithet which will fit the 

 case. At least he can try. 



There seems to be an idea prevalent among a certain 

 class of so-called sportsmen that the indiscriminate 

 slaughter of even non-ravenous game is all right, pro- 

 vided it is done for fun or in pursuit of pleasure; but that 

 it is all wrong when clone for pin-poses of livelihood. My 



own training has been in another school of sportsman- 

 ship. I do not approve of, and, had I the power, would 

 gladly stop the "ruthless slaughter" of the skin-hunter; 

 but I would get up earlier, stay up longer and work 

 harder to arrest the worse than "ruthless slaughter" of 

 the man who. going out shooting for pleasure, first shoots 

 all he needs or can possibly use, and then keeps on shoot- 

 ing as long as game can be found. And the worst man of 

 all, in my estimation, is the man who after doing all this, 

 comes home and sheds crocodile tears over the narration 

 of his own base exploits. 



May the God of sportsmen have mercy on such an un- 

 sportsmanlike soul! Indignation. 



Appleton, Wis.. Nov. 5. —In this section game is not 

 very abundant. Partridges (ruffed grouse) have been 

 fairly plentiful this fall, but the writer failed to find 

 many woodcock. Was one of a party in camp south of 

 Florence, Wis., for about ten days; found deer rather 

 scarce, and the brush covered with leaves, making rather 

 poor hunting. The weather in October was very warm 

 for this country. I think the best hunting will be after 

 Nov. 10, when the close season begins in Wisconsin. 

 Ruffed grouse were fairly plentiful, but unusually wild. 

 I succeeded in getting enough to supply the table while 

 in camp. The railroad men "say that less deer were sent 

 out up to Oct. 25 than for a number of years. One of 

 our party killed a pure white deer, a yearling doe, in 

 rather poor flesh. It attracted a great deal of attention. 

 It was killed near Iron River, Mich. One was killed near 1 

 there some five years ago, said to have been much larger. 

 The weather was delightfnl and much enjoyed by our 

 party, alth ugh there was some grumbling at the poor 

 hunting; "but it isn't all of hunting to shoot game." — 

 C. V. Y. 



To wanda, Pa., Nov. 10. — Four sportsmen from this 

 place made a bag of seven ruffed grouse, two red and one 

 gray squirrel in a day's hunt. Your correspondent, being 

 in luck and having the best shots, brought four out of the 

 seven birds to bag. The number of grouse put up were 

 in the neighborhood of twenty-five, but owing to the 

 thick bottom in which most of them were found not as 

 large a bag was made as should have been, although a 

 number got off with the loss of a bunch of feathers. 

 After another day spent in the woods with a friend our 

 bags on returning home consisted of two ruffed grouse, 

 one rabbit, two red and one gray squirrel. We put up at 

 least twenty birds, but, as hunters of grouse are aware, 

 always in places where it taxes the skill of our most ex- 

 pert, shots. One of the birds killed starting directly over 

 my head in the topmost branches of a very tall hemlock 

 on a side hill, and making for the bottom* like a rocket. 

 Ruffed grouse are found in fair numbers, but it takes a 

 good shot and keen sportsman in our hills and gorges to 

 make a good bag. — Sus. Q. Hannah. 



"That reminds me." 

 343. 



\T/ E had met to determine when and where we should 

 * t pitch our tent this fall. One member suggested 

 that we start either before or after Circuit Court met, for 

 some of us would surely be summoned on the jury. 

 Then H. C. S., the genial captain of our party, said, "Did 

 you ever hear how I was excused from serving some time 

 ago ? While Judge Buckner presided over this district 

 some time ago, I was summoned, and after Court was 

 called I went to the Judge and asked to be excused, as I 

 had urgent business to attend to at home which required 

 my presence." 



The Judge replied, "There are no doubt twenty-five 

 men here who would want to be excused for similar rea- 

 sons. I cannot excuse you." 



"Your Honor, I have served as juror in this court for 

 three consecutive terms, and you ought to excuse me this 

 time for these reasons." 



"That," answered the Judge, "only proves your value 

 to the county as a juror. I cannot excuse you." 



"Your Honor, I have still others. You ought to excuse 

 me for old acquaintance's sake. When I was quite a 

 small boy you used to camp on my father's farm every 

 spring to keep from serving on the jury in the adjoining 

 county, and I used to supply you with fishing worms." 



"You are excused," cried the Judge, amid the roars of 

 laughter that followed from the officers of the Court. 



Little Sandy. 



North Middle-town, TCy. 



Carolina Quail Galore.— New York, Nov. 10— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: Just after October 15, 1 happened to 

 be hi the town of Fayette ville, North Carolina. The quail 

 season had just opened, and at the invitation of a local 

 sportsman I made one or two hunts. My surprise was so 

 great at the number of birds, the open beautiful fields to 

 shoot in, and the many opportunities for good sport, that 

 I determined to write a line for the benefit of our travel- 

 ing sportsmen that they may visit this section. They 

 can be lodged very comfortably, a new and excellent 

 hotel being in the town, and railroad facilities are equal to 

 any of the Carolina towns. I must speak a word of thanks 

 for the kind, courteous treatment of the local hunters, 

 who are always willing to guide strangers to the finest 

 fields and largest coveys. A new field is always a good 

 field. This must be my apology for trespassing upon your 

 space.— E. D. 



From Canadensis.— Jersey City, Nov. 2.— Dr. Vree- 

 land, John Metz and party have returned from a five 

 days' sojourn at Spruce Cabin, Canadensis, Pa. They 

 brought back a goodly pile of grouse— some score— and 

 a gobbler. I suppose I ought, in sporting parlance, to 

 sa3 T so many brace. They were out two days for deer, 

 started four and had two* shots, but failed to score. The 

 Doctor don't say any ting about buck, but Dr. Levering 

 says they intimated malarial, fever. They also got after 

 a bear, but bruin made for the swamp, and the laurels 

 were too much for the dogs and they refused dogmati- 

 cally the job. Where the dogs could not go neither Milt 

 Price nor the Doctor felt like sacrificing themselves. 

 Their party repoit a good time, and are going again. — 



JaCOBSTAFF. 



Queens County, New Brunswick, Nov. 5. — Game has 

 been fairly plenty this fall, especially ruffed grouse, but 

 shooting has been poor on account of almost incessant 

 rains since Aug. 1. The year 1887 showed us the highest 

 spring freshet since the country was settled. Not to be 

 outdone, 1888 has given us an unprecedented fall freshet. 

 It destroyed nearly all the lowland hay in the valley of 

 the St. John, and the damage is estimated at a quarter of 

 a million. It is going to squeeze people who have good 

 stock which they do not wish to sacrifice. — L. I. F. 



Winnipeg, Man., Nov. 2.— Two Toronto men were 

 fined ,$25 each and costs at the City Police Court to-clay 

 for shooting in the Province of Manitoba, not having a 

 domicile in the Province. The action was taken by Mr. 

 C. A. Boxer, secretary of the Manitoba Game and Fish 

 Protection Society. The game laws of Manitoba state 

 that no game shall be shot, taken nor trapped by any per- 

 son not having a domicile in the Province, nor shall any 

 game be exported from the Province at any time. 



Tr° K , E ,li , - r ^ rDTlEr i Dollars Reward is offered for John Evers, 

 t 9- s Private Letter Book 1 ' of the years 1788 to 1794. The late 

 John kvers, A. N. A., is supposed to have loaned it to a De Peys- 

 ter, or an Onderdonk, a historian. Apply to this office.— jLdv. 



Paulding, O,, Nov. 4, 1888.- United States Cartridge, Co.,LowelL 

 ™£ff^ Dear Sirs: I recently used some of the U. S. cartridges 

 which my latHer has had tor about ten years, and they shot well 

 1 'ore' r' Ad D< * withoUt ke y holes - Youl 's truly (Signed), 



HIS HIGHNESS SALVELINUS NAMAY- 

 CUSH. 



'"pi-IE lake trout is the Salvelinus namaycush of (Wal- 

 L baum) Goode. It is the identical fish, according to 

 Jordan, that was called Salmo eonfinis by DeKay, Salmo 

 amethystmus by Mitchell, Salmo adirondacus by Norris, 

 Salmo toma by Hamlin, and Cristivomer namaycush in 

 Jordan's "Manual of the Vertebrates." The lake trout 

 has been or is known by such common names as Macki- 

 naw trout, great lake trout, lesser lake trout, forked-tail 

 trout, longe or lunge, togue, tuladi, red trout, gray trout, 

 lake salmon and salmon trout. Prof. Goode in his recent 

 work, "American Fishes," says: "The Mackinaw trout 

 or namaycush is a non-migratory species, inhabiting the 

 chain of Great Lakes from Superior to Ontario * * * 

 and many other smaller lakes of the United States and 

 of British America. * * * Every lake of northern 

 New York and New England has its own variety; which 

 the local angler stoutly maintains to be a different species 

 from that found in the next township. Some are as 

 black as a tautog, some brown with crimson spots, some 

 gray with delicate reticulations like those of a pickerel. 

 The usual type is brown or gray, dappled with lighter 

 shades of the same general tints. Naturalists have been 

 sadly mistaken by their protean modifications. The 

 'namaycuslv of the North, the 'togue' or 'tuladi' of Maine 

 and New Brunswick * * * the 'trout' of Winnipise- 

 ogee and that of the Adirondack lakes, have each been 

 honored with a distinct binominal. The angling authori- 

 ties still refuse to admit that the lake trout of the East is 

 identical with the Mackinaw trout or namaycush, sup- 

 porting then - views by accounts of their very different 

 habits. A careful study of the dead fish is sufficient, 

 however, to convince a trained observer that there are no 

 structural characters by which these different forms may 

 be separated into species." 



I think that the above quotation from Jordan and 

 Goode, trained scientists as they are, with all possible 

 means at their command to insure accuracy, will serve to 

 identify the fish now uuder discussion. 



The lake trout has not taken high rank as a fish to be 

 angled for with rod and reel, and this, I think, is owing 

 largely to the teachings of what Prof. Goode terms the 

 angling authorities. Some have evidently written of the 

 lake trout without ever having taken one, others after 

 taking them with coarse tackle only, and still others after 

 taking them at the wrong season for sport. There has 

 been such confusion of opinions among the authorities 

 regarding the game and food qualities of the fish, that its 

 reputation has suffered in consequence. Some writers 

 have denounced it for lack of activity on the hook, some 

 because it would not take a fly, others because it did not 

 leap like the salmon and black bass, and because it lacked 

 in food qualities; but it has also had some defenders, 

 although the weight of evidence seems to have been 

 against it. Thaddeus Norris, the author of one of the 

 best of oiu- angler's text books, was sufficiently interested 

 in the lake trout to give it a specific name, all his own; 

 chiefly because of the color of the flesh of some specimens 

 he caught in Long Lake. Hamilton county, N. Y. Still 

 I think he was unjust to the fish. He wrote of the same 

 fish under two different names, and said: "The lake 

 trout are generally caught in gill nets sunk at the bottom, 

 on set lines, and by fishing with hand-lines in deep water, 

 as well as by trolling at certain seasons of the yeaiv As 

 far as sport goes, they bear about the same relation to the 

 salmon and brook trout that a wagon horse does to a full- 

 blooded racer," 



Mi - . Norris fished for lake trout on one occasion by 

 trolling with two 2 0-0 Kirby hooks fastened together, 

 "but the hooks in every instance but one were straight- 

 ened or broken, and the fish lost." Yet he thought when 

 he wrote his book that such a fish "could scarcely be 

 enumerated among what are strictly called sporting fish." 

 Of their food qualities he thought "the flavor is nothing 

 to boast of." Genio C. Scott, contemporary with Norris, 

 differed with him regarding the lake trout in this wise: 

 "This beauty is very gamy, displaying much muscular 

 force and propulsive power in its runs and leaps. It is 

 fine sport to use salmon tackle and take him on the fly 

 until fatigued, when the exercise may be changed to 

 trolling." Nevertheless, Scott says the lake trout are 

 generally taken "with large hook, heavy sinker and cod- 

 fish line." He also says the meat of this fish is highly 

 prized by epicures, Scott, like Norris, wrote of the same 

 fish under two different names, and while the former 



