Aug. 22, 1889. f 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



87 



w 



wilt continue as an amateur In what was once his pro- 

 fessional employment. E. Hough. 



The Illinois prairie chickeu season will open Sept. 15, 

 not Sept. 1. The law as pass< d (and so reported in our 

 columns) made the season open Sept. 1, but by an error 

 in engrossing the law as 1 enacted the date was made Sept. 

 15, as appeirs from this dispatch from Pres, ( Fred C. 

 Don >1d. of the Illinois Sta,te Sportsmen's Association; 



"Chicago, Aug. 19,— Editor Purest and Stream; The 

 prairie chicken itw as enacted made open season Sept. 1; 

 as engrossed and printed it appears Sept. 15. Altorney- 

 deneral decides law must stand as published until cor- 

 rected by a court of Competent jurisdiction,— Fred C. 



fJONALB.'' 



"AUTOUR DE MA GHAMBRE." 



[7 HO has not been charmed by LeMaistre's ingenuity? 

 . » He telis of the preservation and cherishing of ani- 

 mal life within the Walls of his dwelling— T 4 on the con- 

 trary, propose to relate- a stoiy of its destruction, in true 

 and sportsmanlike fashion. . 



This torrid August has driven my family to the Cool j 

 sleek strand of Cape May, and I am left alone to find a 

 corner of my house les* hot than the other three— or dozen. 



Yesterday evening, I was sitting in my library, elo-e to 

 the open north window, awaiting the announcement of 

 dinner, and turning the pages of the Century, and look- 

 ing beyond the woes of Siberia into its flowers and fresh- 

 ness. Across the room darted a saucy mouse, and sought 

 refuge in the grate, which at this season is filled with torn 

 paper and rubbish generally. There he sat and leered at 

 me. , _i 



Now, in my closet. Under lock and key, stands a Mo- 

 bert, charged with what is called a " sparrow cartridge," 

 This cartridge is a small copper tube, the diameter of a 

 Crow quill, and has S"me sort of fulminate which makes 

 no noise or smoke, and propels a few grains of dust-shot. 

 Last winter, while confined to my bed by an accident, 1 

 used; on pleasant days, to pop through the window atthe 

 English sparrows which frequented the big wistaria 

 whieh covers the house front) killing a bottt one in three 

 shots, I do not like to destroy birds wantonly, but these 

 little foreign pests are too typical to be spared. They are 

 little pauper immigrant", and, having been admitted to 

 bilr shores through malice or stupidity, are now driving 

 out the home industries of our robins, oriole^ warblers 

 and chippies. The cartridge in t' e Flobert is not left 

 thpre for them, however. It is for a neighbor's dog, 

 which has bitten children, and which, wben be traverses 

 his evening lunch route, responds with a little yelp to the 

 occasional salute given to discourage his visits. 



The sliaht mortality to the sparrows, at a range of 

 twenty feet, and the feebleness of the dog's response to 

 the salute, had given me a contempt for the cartridge's 

 efficiency. 



Leaving my mouse grinning in the grate, I quietly 

 walked to the* closet, took out the Flobert, and returned 

 to my seat and Century. A glimpse, a snap-shot, and a 

 success as amusing as unexpected. F. S. J. C, 



Wild Rice in the Hudson River.— Hudson River Im- 

 provement, Engineer's Office, Albany. Aug. 14.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: "F. B.," of Sauaerties, in last 

 week's issue makes inquiries about the chances of wild 

 rice growing in the sluggish bays of the Hudson at and 

 near this olace- Some of the most extensive fields of 

 rice on the Hudson River are to be found in the immedi- 

 ate vicinity of Saugerties. South of the mouth of 

 Esopus Creek there are several large patches, notably 

 one at a place called the "Vlaie." North of Saugerties. 

 as for in-tance at Cab kill, Athens and Hudson, he will 

 find some of the largest fields on the river, and at all of 

 these pomts it seems to thrive very well indeed. The 

 most northerly patch on the river, of which I have any 

 knowledge, is* located at Bear Island, a point five miles 

 south of Albany. lam unable to learn at what time or 

 where rice first made its appearance on this part of the 

 river, but it seems to have been noticed for trie first time 

 by rail shooters at New Baltimore about fifteen years 

 since. The finest growth of rice one would wish to look 

 at can be seen back of the dykes near Castleton and New 

 Baltimore.— S. 



Woodchcce Climbing Trees.— Rochdale, Mass.— I 

 noticed a discussion m b orest and Stream a few weeks 

 ago as to woodcbucks climbing trees. My dogs treed one 

 the other day. This woodchuck was on a small limbless 

 than Sin. in diameter, and was 2^ to 3ft. from the body 

 of the tree, which was pine and a foot or more in diam- 

 eter, 10ft. from the ground. He looked very comical 

 with his big belly spread out and over the small limb. I 

 was at home, and hearing my two dogs barking sharply, 

 I started out to see what was the matter, and found dogs 

 and 'chuck as described. My opinion is that a wood- 

 chuck might climb a tree when hard pressed by dogs 

 if the tree was conveniently near and the chuck's hole a 

 good ways off — not otherwise. — F. E. B. 



OPEN GAME SEASONS. 

 Arkansas. 



Deer, Aug. 1 to Feb. 1. Wild turkey, Sept. 1 to May 1. 

 Pinnated grouse, prairie chicken, Sept. 1 to Feb. 1. Quail, 

 Virginia partridge, Oct. 1 to March 1. Exportation of fish 

 and game forbidden. 



Connecticut. 



Ruffed grouse, quail, woodcock, gray squirrel, Oct. 1 to 

 Jan. 1. Wildfowl, Sept. 1 to May 1. Sora rail in Litchfield, 

 New Haven and Fairoeld counties, Aug. 20 to Jan. 1; else- 

 where, Sept, 1 to Jan. 1. 



Georgia, 



No uniform State game law; county laws govern. In 

 Richmond county, deer, Oct, 1 to Jan. 1; wild turkey, par- 

 tridge, quail, Oct. 15 to April 1. Summer duck, dove, Aug. 

 15 to April 1. Woodcock, Aug. 15 to Jan. 1. 



Idaho. 



Buffalo, elk, antelope, deer, mountain sheep, Sept. 1 to 

 Jan, 1. Quail, Oct. 1 to Dac. 15. Mongolian pheasants pro- 

 tected at all seasons. 



Illinois. 



Deer, wild turkey, Sept. 15 to Jan. 15. Pinnated grouse, 

 prairie chicken, *Sept. 15 to Nov. 1. Ruffed grouse, quail, 

 pheasant, partridge, Oct. 1 to Dec. 1. Woodcock, July lb to 

 Dec. 15. Gray, red, fox or black sijuirrel, June 1 to Dec 15. 

 Wildfowl, Sept. 15 to April 15. 



• * See note undor "Chicago and the West." 



Kansas. 



Pinnated grouse, prairie chicken. Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Quail 

 (on one's own premises), Nov, 1 to Jan. 1. 



Maine. 



Moose, deer, caribou, Oct. 1 to Jan, 1; one person may kill 

 only one moose, two caribou and tluve deer in a sea?on; 

 dogtriug forbHden. Mink, beavpr. sable, otter, fisher, musk- 

 rat, Oct. 15 to May 1. Woorlduck, dusky, black, teal or gray 

 duck, Sept. 1 to April 1. Ruffed grouse, partridge, wood- 

 cock, Sept. 1 to Dee. I. Quail, Oct. 1 to Dpc. 1. Pinnated 

 grouse, prairie chicken, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Plover, Aug. 1 to 

 May 1, 



Maryland. 



The laws are complex, each county having special pro- 

 visions; a tabular statement was given in our issue of July 

 35, 1889, 



Massachusetts. 



Ruffed grouse, partridge, woodcock, Sept. I to Dec. 1. 

 Quail. Oct, 15 to .Fau. 1. Ducks. Sept, 1 to April 15. Plover, 

 snipe, rail, marsh and be^ch birds, July 15 to May 1. Gray 

 squirrels, hares, rabbits, Sept. 1 to March 1. Deer protected 

 at all seasons. 



Mississippi. 



St^te law subject to modification by county enactments. 

 In Yazoo county; Doves, Aug. 1 to March 1. Deer, Sept. 

 15 to March i. Wild turkey, Oct. 1 to May 1. Quail, Oct. 

 15 to April 15. 



Montana. 



Bison, buffalo and quail protected for ten years from 1889; 

 moose, elk aud beaver protected for six years from 1889 

 White-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, mule deer, mountain 

 sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, antelope, Sept. 15 to Jan. 1. 



New Brunswick. 



Moose, deer, red deer, orotected to 1891. Mink, otter, 

 sable, fisher, beaver, Sept. 1 to May 1. Partridge, Sept. 20 

 to Dec. 1. Woodcock. Sept. 1 to Dec. 1. Snipe, "Sept 15 to 

 March 1. Black duck, woodduck, teal, Sept. 1 to May 1. 

 License fee $20 for non-residents. Issued by J. DeWolfe 

 SpUrr, Chief Game Commissioner, St. Johns, or Provincial 

 Secretary, Fredcricton. 



Newfoundland. 



Caribou, Oct. 1 to Feb. 15. Ptarmigan, willow grouse, 

 partridge, Sept. 15 to Jan. 12. Black game, capercailzie, pro- 

 tected to 1891 Moose aud elk protected to 1896. Hare, rab- 

 bit. Sept. 1 to March I. Otter, beaver, Oct. 1 to April 1. For 

 full text of deer (carihou) law relating to non-residents, see 

 our issue of June 20, 1889. The non-resident license fee is 

 |50, 



New Hampshire. 



Plover, yellowlegs, sandpiper, duck, rail, Aug. 1 to Feb. 1. 

 Woodcock*, ruffed grouse, partridge, quail, Sept. I to Jan. 

 1. Deer* moose, caribou, Sept. 1 to Dec. 1. Mink, beaver, 

 sable, otter, Oct. 15 to April 1. Raccoou, coon, gray squir- 

 rel, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, Hares, rabbits, muskrats, Sept. 1 to 

 April 1. 



New Jersey. 



Quail, partridge, ruffed grouse, pheasant, rabbit, Nov. 1 

 to Dec. 15. inclusive. Woodcock, the month of July, also 

 Oct. 1 to Dec. 15, inclusive. Upland or grass plover, Aug 1 

 to Dec. 15, inclusive. Wilson, English or gray snipe, the 

 months of March aud April and Oct. 1 to Dec. 15, inclusive. 

 Reed bird, rail bird, marsh hen, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15, inclusive. 

 Black and fox squirrels, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Gray squirrels in 

 northern section (Bergen. Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mid- 

 dlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and War- 

 ren counties), Nov. 1 to Dec. 15.; elsewhere Nov. 15 to Dec.25. 



New Mexico. 



Elk, buffalo, deer, antelope, mountain sheep, wild turkey, 

 grouse, quail, Sept. 1 to May 1. 



New York. 



Deer, Aug. 15 to Nov. 1; hounding season, Sept. 1 to Oct. 

 20, on Long Island Oct. 1 to 10; no hounding in St. Lawrence 

 and Delaware counties; one person may kill only three 

 deer in a season; one carcass only can be transported if 

 accompanied by owner. Rabbits, hares, Nov. 1 to Feb. 1. 

 Black and gray squirrels, Aug. 1 to Feb. 1. Wildfowl, Sept. 

 I to May 1." Long Island waters, Oct.] to May 1. Quail, 

 Nov. 1 to Jan. 1. Woodcock, Aug. 1 to Jan. 1. Ruffed 

 grouse, partridge, Sept. 1 to Jan 1. Plover, bay snipe, sand- 

 piper, shore birds, in Queens and Suffolk counties, July 10 

 to Jan. 1. Rail birds, meadow hens, in Queens and Suffolk 

 counties, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Robins and blackbirds on Long 

 Island and Staten Island, Nov. 1 to Jan. t. Exceptions— 

 Chautauqua county, wildfowl, Sept. 1 to Feb. 1. Delaware 

 county, woodcock. Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Oneida county, ruffed 

 grouse, partridge, woodcock. Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Queens and 

 Suffolk counties, ruffed grouse, partridge, Nov. 1 to Jan. 1. 

 Duchess county, ruffed gronse, partridge, woodcock, squir- 

 rel, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Rockland county, woodcock, gray 

 squirrel, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Columbia couuty, woodcock, 

 ruffed grouse, partridge, Sept. 1 to Dec. 1: quail, Nov. 1 to 

 Dec. 1; jail, Sept. 1 to Dec. 1. 



Ohio. 



Quail, Nov. 10 to Dec. 15. Squirrel, June 1 to Dec. 15. 

 Woodcock, July 15 to Nov. 1. Ruffed grouse, pheasant, 

 prairie chicken, Sept. 1 to D°c. 15. Wild turkey, Oct. 1 to 

 Dec. 15. Ducks, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15; in Lake Erie and its 

 estuaries and bays, ducks may be killed only on Wednesday, 

 Thursday, Friday and Saturday of each week in open sea- 

 son. Deer, Oct. 15 to Nov. 20. Dates inclusive. 



Quebec. 



Caribou, Sept. 1 to Feb. 1. Deer, Oct. 1 to Jan. 1. Moose 

 protected to Sept. 1, 1890. Hares, Nov. 1 to Feb. 1. Wood- 

 cock, snipe, partridge, Sept, 1 to Feb. 1. Ducks and teal, 

 Sept. 1 to April 1. Non-residents must procure hunting 

 license from the Commissioner of Crown Lands. Fee $20. 



Rhode Island. 



Woodcock, ruffed grouse, partridge, Sept, 1 to Jau. I. 

 Quail, Oct. 1 to Jan. 1. Bartram's tattler, upland plover, 

 Rhode Island or grass plover, Aug. 1 to April 1. Dusky 

 duck, black duck, woodduck, summer duck, blue or green- 

 wmged teal, Sept.'l to March 1. Rabbit, hare, gray squir- 

 rel, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. 



South Carolina. 



Deer, Sept. Ito Feb. 1; in counties of Clarendon, George- 

 town, Colleton, Williamsburg, Marlboro, Kershaw, Horry 

 Darlington, Marion and Berkely, Aug. 1 to Feb. 1. Wild 

 turkey, partridge, quail, woodcock, pheasant, Nov. 1 to 

 April 1. Dove, Aug. 1 to March 1. 



Tennessee. 



Deer. Aug. 1 to Jan. 1. Quail, partridge, Nov. 1 to March 

 1. For excepted counties see our issue of Aug. 8, 1889. 

 Texas. 



Male deer at any time (females, Aug I to March U. Prai^ 

 rie chickens. July 1 to Marco 1. Quail, partridge, Sept. I to 

 March 1. Many counties are exempt from the law. 



Utah. 



Elk, deer, mountain sheep, antelope, Sept. 1 to Dec. 1. 

 Wildfowl, Sept. 15 to April 15. Quail, partridge, grouse, 

 Aug. 15 to March 15. 



Vermont. 



Deer protected to Nov. 1, 1890. Mink, beaver, otter, Nov. 

 1 to April 1. Quail, "woodcock or ruffed grouse," partridge, 

 Sept. 1 to Feb 1. Woodcock, Aug. 15 to Feb. 1.' Wildfowl, 

 other than woodduck, Sept. 1 to May 1. 



Virginia. 



Deer, Aug. 1 to Jan. 1. Partridge, quail, Oct. 15 to Jan. 1. 

 Pheasant, ruffed grouse, wild turkey, Sept. 15 to Feb. 15 in 

 counties west of the Blue Ridge (except Rockbridge); in 

 Rockbridge and counties east of the Blue Ridge (except 

 Prince Edward), Oct. 15 to Jan. 15; in Prince Edward, Oct. 

 15 to March 1. Woodcock, Nov. 1 to April 1. Waterfowl, 

 Sept. 1 to Mav 1. Marsh hen, Jan. 1 to June 20. Willet, 

 Jan. 1 to July 20. Gull, striker, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. Certain 

 counties are exempt from the law. 



Wisconsin. 



Woodcock, Aug. 1 to Dec. 1. Quail, partridge, pheasant, 

 ruffed grouse, prairie hen, prairie chicken, sharp-tailed 

 grouse, srouse of any variety, plover, squirrel, Aug. 1 to 

 Dec. 15. Snipe, wild duck, wild goose, brant, Aug, 1 to 

 Dec. 15. Deer. Oct. 15 to Dec. 1. Otter, martin, mink or 

 fisher, Nov. 1 to May 1. 



Wyoming. 



Deer, elk, moose, mountain sheep, mountain goat, ante- 

 lope, buffalo, Sept. 1 to Jan. 1 (may not be killed by non- 

 residents). Colon or quail protected to September, 1893. 

 Ptarmigan, pinnated, sharp-tailed, sage, red or other grouse, 

 sage hen, July 15 to Nov. 15. 



CAMPS OF THE KINGF1SHERS.-VI. 



ECHO LAKE, ONTARIO, CANADA. 



THE morning came on windy, and by the time Everett 

 was below the island on bis way home the lake was 

 so rough that the others did not care to go out; but as 

 the skipper and old Dan bad not had a fish together for a 

 whole year, we got ready and headed up lake to fish 

 around to the further side and down as far at least as to 

 the island. 



When we turned at the head of the lake to fish along 

 down shore, we had the wind dead ahead and the waves 

 running nearly two feet high: and the hard work — on 

 the part of the skipper — of making headway against 

 wind and sea more than balanced the pleasure of the 

 fishing, for although we had both our lines out we didn't 

 get a fish on the way clear down to the rocky point above 

 the island. 



Here we turned sharply to the left and followed around 

 the little bay to the foot of the hill in comparatively 

 quiet water, and down shore till opposite the island, 

 when we crossed over and got out to rest, for the skip- 

 per's muscles were a trifle overstrained in the long tussle 

 with wind and waves since leaving camp. 



In the little bay we bad taken four big Canada pike 

 after four stubborn and well-contested fights; and this in 

 a measure paid us for the hard work of the last two or 

 three hours. 



After picking a few huckleberries and strolling around 

 till the kinks were out of backs and legs, we got back in 

 the boat to make the circuit of the island for a bass or 

 two; but here the wind had a fair sweep from the foot of 

 the lake, and we found it hard work to manage the boat 

 and both fish at the same time. 



At the lower end, just outside the belt of bulrushes, 

 Dan struck a fish; and while the skipper held the boat 

 and listened to the whistling of the wind through the 

 branches of the old dead pine standing sentinel at the 

 point of the little inlet, an exciting trial of strength and 

 skill took place between the old pelican and a pugnacious 

 black bass of 31bs. (afterward weighed at camp), that 

 made ample amends for the poor luck of the morning. 

 Twice he left the water to show us how high he could 

 jump, and then tried to catch Dan off his guard by mak- 

 ing a sudden das-h for the bulrushes, but the grizzled 

 veteran was up to all the tricks and stratagems of the 

 M&Gropierus family , and soon had him alongside the boat 

 exhausted and gasping, when the skipper lifted him in 

 out of the wet and shortly returned him to the water 

 with a stringer knotted in his lower jaw to "rumynate," 

 as old Ben would have said, "on the onsatisfyin' result o' 

 tamperin' with a speckled frog that went around loaded 

 fur bass." 



While the stringing was going on the wind blew the 

 boat in among the rushes; and before we were fairly out 

 again Dan was in another difficulty with another bass of 

 about the same size as the other, and after a very similar 

 performance he took his place on the stringer with his 

 mate, to be followed in quick succession by three others, 

 varying little in size, all taken by old Dan, while the 

 skipper fished a little and attended to the stringing and 

 the boat without as much as a solitary nibble during the 

 whole time. But it was pleasure enough to note the ex- 

 pression of pure delight that beamed all over Uncle Dan's 

 face while this exciting episode was going on ; and when 

 they suddenly quit biting, and he had made a dozen casts 

 without a strike, the skipper headed the boat for a pull 

 around the island, more than ever impressed with the 

 truth that "it is not all of fishing, to [catch] fish." 



When we had fished carefully around to where we had 

 started from without striking another fish, we concluded 

 to go on down to the farm after milk and back around to 

 the bay across the lake from the island, where old Sam 

 had taken the young maskinorje, that we might be 

 sheltered from the increasing wind, where both could 

 have a chance to fish with some degree of comfort; nor 

 did we put out a line going down or back, till we rounded 

 the rocky point and got into smoother water, where the 

 boat did not pitch and roll so badly. 



In the bight of the bay, and for a quarter of a mile out, 

 the water was quiet anu unruffled, and here we had some 

 great sport with the pickerel; no less than eleven fell to 

 Dan's rod that weighed from 5 to lSlbs.; while the skip- 

 per held up his end with a less pretentious but no less 

 satisfactory score. 



The big 12-pounder was the hardest and longest fighter 

 of his tribe we had ever struck, and for the first fifteen 

 minutes of the contest we would have wagered our best 

 rod against a split shot that he Avas one of the Esox 

 family, but when he finally made a dash under the boat 

 and we got a sight of him, Dan's hopes of beating old 



