434 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 19, 1889. 



Pattern and Penetration Tests.— New York, Dec. 

 16.— Editor Forest and Stream: We are delighted with 

 the excellent showing Mr. H. E. Thompson's little fea- 

 therweight hammerless ejector Francotte gun made at 

 your trial, and are much obliged for your fail' report, of 

 the same. As we wish the little baby gun to get all the 

 credit due it for beating the big ones, we wish to draw 

 your attention to your statement as; to the velocity of 

 the wind, which was certainly more than six miles an 

 hour. The wind was from the south on the afternoon of 

 the trial, and Sergeant Dunn of the AVeather Bureau 

 records the velocity of the wind during the hours of the 

 trials at from 12 to 20 miles per hour in New York city 

 and vicinity. It is fair to assume that at Claremont, 

 where the wind had a clean sweep across the bay, it was 

 nearer 20 miles than 12 miles per hour. At any rate, it 

 was so strong that it was almost impossible to keep the 

 paper on the target, so that your representative suggested 

 to shorten and postpone the trial. Was your statement 

 of 6 miles per hour not simply a mistake ?— Von Len- 

 gerke & Detmold. [Our notes of the test show a record 

 of 12 miles of wind per hour, and it was so marked on 

 the copy, but the types made it otherwise.] 



Snowshoes.— Dec. 14.— The Hackensack, N. J., divi- 

 sion of the Oritani Snowshoe Club turned out in full force, 

 including several lady members, on the evening of Dec. 

 14, and enjoved one of the finest snowshoe tramps we 

 ever took. The unhappy residents of New York city 

 would not have recognized the pure white glistening 

 mantle that covered the earth to the depth of 7in., but it 

 was snow, the first we have had of any account since the 

 famous blizzard. — W. H. 



A NEW JERSEY GUN TAX. 



Editor Fnrest and Stream: „ , 



The 14th of the present month will see the close of the quail 

 shooting season in New Jersey: at least it should close on that 

 day; but the probabilities are that while the evening of that day 

 will see the true sportsman putting away his gun for the winter, 

 ana calling his dog to heel for the last time, the market-shooter 

 and his relation the pot-hunter will continue to kill Bob White 

 as long as one of the birds remains outside of the market stall or 

 within the outlaw's reach. 



And right here is a fact well worth bringing to the Jersey sports- 

 man's mind, viz , that the game laws are the least observed, I 

 might say the only unobserved, laws of his State. And another 

 equally important, following as a sequence of the former, is that 

 the constant violation of These laws is rapidly putting the oppor- 

 tunity for the enjoyment of legitimate sport within the State's 

 bounds at au end. 



He must remember that every year increases the number of 

 shooters, and consequently the slaughter among the birds, and in 

 the same ratio every day increases the need of a thoroughly 

 enforced closed season. 



In old times, when few men owned or could use a shotgun, the 

 violation of the laws, although wrong per se, and much to be re- 

 gretted, did not to any appreciable extent diminish the amount of 

 game that was at the sportsman's disposal with every recurring 

 season; bu t now all this is changed. Where there was one gun 

 (even ten years ago) there are now twenty, and where there was 

 one man who could shoot on the wing ten years ago, there are 

 now forty. And yet the birds have less protection in proportion 

 from the laws now against the increased number of guns than 

 they did ten years ago, against the one man who could then shoot 

 on the wing. 



There is an old saying that he who runs may read; but another 

 way of expressing the same idea in relat ion to shooting would be 

 that he who stops and looks the facts of the case squarely in the 

 face, can easily see the end of quail shooting in New Jersey. 



It is full time then that something should be done to prevent 

 this indiscriminate slaughter, some law passed and euforced, and 

 the market-shooters, pot-hunters and their kind taught that the 

 laws are made to protect the game, and are not merely for the 

 purpose of preventing the law-abiding citizen from shooting and 

 allowing the outlaw to do so with impunity, which is practically 

 the effect of the laws now as administered. 



To attain this most desirable end and give the necessary pro- 

 tection to the game, there is another element necessary besides 

 the mere passing of acts. There are laws enough now upon the 

 books for this purpose, if they were enforced; but unfortunately 

 that is just what they are not. It is undeniably true that any 

 law, which every individual in a community is capable of enforc- 

 ing against a wrongdoer, is the very law which every individual 

 in that community leaves for his neighbor to attend to; and as a 

 consequence, this duty is more honored in the breach than in the 

 observance. This state of the case renders necessary the creation 

 of a corps of men, whose duty should be to hunt out and bring all 

 offenders to trial, conviction and punishment— in other words, 

 game wardens. And to maintain this corps, all guns should be 

 subject to a certain yearly tax. The sum to be raised would pro- 

 vide ample funds for this put pose, and secure us once more, not 

 only our game birds, but also our song and insectivorous birds, 

 now so indiscriminately slaughtered. 



Therefore, by all means, let us tax the guns. 



Elbbron, N. J., Dec. 12. Happie-oo-Luokie. 



0. Prohibit exportation from the State of any game at any time. 



10. Make possession of game during the close season a mis- 

 demeanor. 



11. Grant the power of arrest to any citizen witnessing a viola- 

 tion of the game laws. 



13. Appointor electa game warden in each township: swear 

 him to perform his duty, pay him a salary and punish him for 

 wilful neglect. 



13. Prohibit the organization or participation in any hunting or 

 flsning match for game. 



14. Require all sportsman's clubs owning preserves or lands to 

 annually stock their premises with game, and require the officers 

 thereof to file articles of incorporation in the County Clerk's 

 office and pay a special license with a bond for his faithful ob- 

 servance of the game laws, also require each member thereof to 

 enter in a docket kept by the club the daily extent of his capture, 

 which he shall attest or sign, submit this docket or report of the 

 officers at the annual meeting of the board of town auditors. 

 Grant at all times public inspection by the game wardens of the 

 property and premises. 



15. Set apart a fund for annually restocking the lauds and 

 waters of each township, the service to be in charge of the game 

 warden. 



19. Offer by law a premium to the person who shall rear and 

 turn loose when half grown to run wild any litter of four-footed 

 game or flock of game birds or fowl named in our game laws from 

 stock imported from another State. 



17. Pay annually, to any land owner a sum per acre, not exceed- 

 ing twenty acres of woodland or brush, who shall maintain such 

 cover for game, and throw same open to public shooting during 

 the open season. This applying only to agricultural townships, 

 where the arable land exceeds at least by 75 per cent, timber and 

 brush land. 



18. Make ample provisions for stocking public waters with 

 game fish. 



19. Provide a premium annually per acre to owners of marsh 

 tracts, adjoining public waters, who shall sow and grow thereon 

 wild rice, wild celery or other natural food of wildfowl and 

 throw same open to public shooting. 



20. Require any person or association, not owning, but leasing 

 the exclusive privilege of hunting any lands or fishing any 

 waters, to take out a special license, at a fair fee per ac re. 



21. Require, every person who shall market any game, to file on 

 the first of the month with the town clerk, a, sworn statement of 

 the amount and kind of game sold the preceding month, in what 

 town captured and to whom sold or consigned. Also require 

 every consignee or dealer, at the close of the open season to file a 

 sworn statement of all game received and sold aud where pro- 

 cured. 



22. Let every annual reissue of any license be given upon pay- 

 ment of the fee, and the applicant making oath that he has not 

 violated his expired license. Cayuga. 



A GAME PROTECTION SCHEME. 



Editor Forest and Strmm: 



Midway between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes, New Yark, lies the 

 hamlet of Mecklenburg, in Schuyler county. Situated at the 

 opening of a long valley, hemmed in by wooded hills, where the 

 lordly grouse, the dainty quail and the frisky squirrel thrive in 

 fail- numbers, the inhabitants live bountifully upon the products 

 of the soil of the Hector foothills and possess an average amount 

 of intelligence and education. Like all rural centers, the popu- 

 lation owns hundreds of inuzzleloading arms and scores of fairly 

 made breechloaders, supported, however, by a large contingent 

 of heedless game exterminators. Hitherto the region has been 

 kept under a fairly respectful observance of the game laws, but 

 this fall the ruling spirit of destruction broke loose in the persons 

 of some thirty-two self-styled sportsmeu, who organized a hunt- 

 ing match with sixteen guns on each side lo go forth and slay by 

 fair or foul means every living thing found wild in the field and 

 forest, and at the round-up the party that has committed the 

 least slaughter provides the champion lot of butchers with a 

 supper. And this is sport, sanctioned under the present system 

 of game legislation. 



Much has been written of late on taxing the gun, while other 

 propositions have been considered for the preservation of game. 

 Kvery mind is probably capable of formulating some sort of 

 theory and believing in its efficacy, be it tenable or not; and per- 

 haps among the pile of chaff accruing may be found a few good 

 kernels that can be added to the accumulating store, from which 

 the lawmakers will grind out the grist of laws. Pending a re- 

 vision of the game laws and anticipating the annual tinkering of 

 the batch existing on our statute books the following proposition, 

 are submitted tor consideration and criticism: 



1. Enact a general State lawmaking the open season available 

 for shooting and fishing only when game has reached maturity, 

 protecting not only the breeding season, but also caring Ut 

 s «uggi mg infancy. 



o* pk^sb spring shooting of wildfowl, 

 firearm and toVh W 1 gan \ e by a ? y fi T a £ s other th an °v ««> 

 anWn™'ltthB^& ai,tll5e ° f hsh b >'™^ other than 



5. Forbid the use of large caliber rifles in settled communing 

 as a precautionary measure, and U^tsUM toSSS 

 h3°nlth? eXCeefl,ng U-e*»ee with a shell SK«edln?3^E f in 



6. Limit each person to 201bs. of undressed game or 15 hirds on 

 any day excepting t he present deer regulation. 



this Stole eaVily " n0B - rfisident for tlie Privilege of hunting in 

 ttJhMPf?! 6 an S ual }y any male resident desirous of hunting and 

 mo ; l ,V !lle t*? (Permitting boys under 10 years to angle 

 R£t&M2m hi £ nse) \ Compel the registry of such license in 

 the L.'wn clerk's office where the licensee resides, requiring him 

 to uke ,,nd subscribe an oath to observe the game laws. Furnish 

 v a copy of the game laws at cost and enter his oath in the 



viX^Lttan4 hereto 011 mewitu ^mStagi 



THE DEATH OF DR. JOBS. 



HAVING seen many contradictory statements in the papers as 

 regards the sad accident that befell Dr. Nicholas O. Jobs, of 

 Springfleld. and among others that the accident was caused by 

 his drawing a loaded gun toward himself by taking hold of the 

 muzzle and thus discharging it, I think it only right to give the 

 full particulars to bis many friends, and to show them that 

 although he might have been careless in some respects, that such 

 a foolhardy piece of business was not the cause. On Friday 

 afternoon, Nov. 15, Dr. Jobs, having an hour or so to spare, de- 

 cided to go for a little hunt on the side of the Springfield Moun- 

 tain. On his way he picked up his friend, Mr. George Pudney, 

 and on arriving at the place where they intended to leave the 

 horse, George jumped out and started to tie the horse, the Doctor 

 remaining in the buggy to get out the blanket to cover her. While. 

 George was tying the horse, he heard I he report of a gun directly 

 behind him, and naturally looked all around t o see what the 

 Doctor had shot at. While thus engaged he heard, "George, I'm 

 shot. Catch me." Running around to the right hand side of the 

 phaeton, he was just in time to catch the Doctor, as he fell out, 

 while trying to get out by himself. He told George to tie his 

 handkerchief above where the wound was. This was promptly 

 clone, and seemed to stop at once the flow of blood. On going to 

 untie the horse so as to back her out, he found that both guns 

 had slipped out of the buggy and were fast in the left front 

 wheel. Dr. Jobs was tenderly conveyed to his home, and on the 

 arrival of Drs. Chandler and Pierson from Orange, it was de- 

 cided to amputate the arm at the shoulder, but before this was 

 finished Dr. Jobs had passed away, surrounded by friends who 

 saw that everything that was possible to bo done was done. His 

 wife and son were away aud did not reach home until late the 

 next morning. 



As regards the cause of the accident, it is evident that the guns 

 slipped out of the phaeton, and in so doing one of them struck 

 the side of the lower part of the frame of the phaeton, breaking 

 off the thumb piece of the hammer; and breaking the rebound, 

 allowed the plunger to strike the primer, thus exploding the shell. 

 On the frame, of the body is a dent fully half an inch deep, show- 

 ing with what force the hammer must have struck, and the 

 broken part of the same was found in the buggy next morning. 

 Too much credit cannot be given to Mr. Pudney for what he did 

 under the trying circumstances. 



Dr. Jobs was a man esteemed and loved by all with whom he 

 came in contact, and the loss to this community is appalling and 

 far reaching. Not a dry eye was to be seen when the news spread 

 that he was dead, and every one felt that they had lost a near and 

 dear friend, as well as the best physician in the State. Whenever 

 any one was sick, his presence seemed to inspire, confidence and 

 hope, no matter how grave the case might be, and the sick one 

 would brighten up the moment his step was heard in the house. 

 He was a friend well worth having, and was always the same, 

 clinging to you through everything. Taken away just in the 

 prime of life and usefulness, it seems strange that such things 

 can be. The once happy home, where all was sunshine and light, 

 a devoted wife and loving son, now all is sadness and gloom. 

 They have our heartfelt sympathy, but the dear one is gone for- 



ever, never to return. 

 Springfield, N. J., Dec. 16. 



J. 



\w nt[A 



\ ember; men were fishing in the early part of November 

 when we left the field. Anglers come in wagons or on 

 foot from places 100 miles away to fish for pike; they 

 camp out in the timber and keep their lines working day 

 and night, sometimes varying the routine by a lively coon 

 hunt. Pike are said to grow 4ft. long iri'the forks; we 

 did not see any of this size, but the statement is never 

 challenged by any one. This fish is sometimes caught 

 on hooks baited with large minnows. One man will 

 watch three or four lines. The lines are supplied with 

 cork floats. The rods are long hickory poles, weighted 

 at the butt. When a large pike is hooked he needs to be 

 played carefully up and down the stream until a com- 

 panion can strike him with a gig or spear fastened on a 

 long pole. V-shaped fish traps are used here, and I am 

 sorry to say dynamite, although interdicted by law, is 

 freely employed. Seines are in use, and one measuring 

 about 100ft. took 500 fish at a haul. Besides pike, the 

 chief fish are black bass, redeye, suckers, catfish and 

 perch. In the forks bass vary from lib. to 51bs. in 

 weight. 



One party of nine able-bodied men was kept well sup- 

 plied with choice fish every day by Capt. Billy Martin , of 

 Hazard. The Captain is a great fisherman, and thor- 

 oughly enjoys the pastime with his entire SOOlbs. of 

 anatomy. Nature was in a generous and sportive mood 

 when she called forth Billy Martin, and he is a credit to 

 her handiwork. He scorns traps and repudiates dyna- 

 mite, but when he go a-fishing he enteres into the spirit 

 of the thing soul and body, for he alwaps dives after the 

 fish and either catches them with his hand under rocks 

 and logs, or spears them with a three-pronged gig. It 

 seems to us occasionally that the Captain remained be- 

 neath the water two or three minutes at a time. 



This region is full of game too. Eaccoons, possums, 

 quail, pheasants and squirrels are all very common. Bear 

 tracks are seen frequently. Fifteen years ago deer were 

 in excess, but now none are to be found. Snakes ! Reader, 

 are you afraid of snakes ? If so you will shun Perry 

 county, Kentucky, in spite of its wild beauty and its pop- 

 ulous streams and forests, for there are snakes and snakes 

 in that county, and they are not of the kind tha t circulate 

 under a hat band. While traveling along a stream from 

 9 to 12 one morning, I counted fifty-seven so-called water 

 moccasins. Rattlesnakes are found, chiefly in wheatfiekls 

 and cornfields; copperheads are more abundant than 

 rattlesnakes, and frequent the same localities. A rattle- 

 snake which almost struck a guide was shot by one of 

 the party, and found to contain a whole gray squirrel. 

 The county is full of black snakes. The people have very 

 little dread of these reptiles, and we were not much 

 annoyed by them. 



The nights are very cool and comfortable. Mosquitoes 

 and other insect pests are unknown, 



Guides charge from .$1 to $1.~>0 per day for their ser- 

 vices. Provisions can be obtained from London and 

 Hazard, and the necessaries are for the most part very 

 cheap. Chickens are ten cents each, eggs eight to ten 

 cents a dozen, butter ten cents perpound, and all of them 

 are excellent. Therefore, if you are not afraid of snakes 

 and love the wild woods and the clear cool stream, with 

 its redoubtable knights in armor of scales, go to Perry 

 county. Kentucky, and teach new and better ways of 

 fishing. C. G. Van Hook. 



U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, D. C. 



KENTUCKY FISH AND GAME. 



A PARTY of the United States Geological Survey 

 penetrated last summer into the wilds of south- 

 eastern Kentucky and carried on explorations in a region 

 which is full of interest for the lover of unconv%ntional 

 nature. In order to reach the scene of our duties we trav- 

 eled from Washington by Louisville and Nashville Rail- 

 road to London, and thence by wagon across country 

 about seventy miles to Hazard, in Perry county, where we 

 established our camp. Travel ifc -very rough , principally 

 on paths; roads are scarce, and we were often obliged to 

 cut our way through the undergrowth. The whole region 

 is a mass of hills ranging to 1,000ft. in height, and densely 

 timbered to the top with trees which do not decrease in 

 size with altitude. Poplar and walnut are the principal 

 species. The former grows to a diameter of 4ft. and 

 sometimes exceeds 100ft. in height; it is as straight as an 

 arrow. Five logs, worth from $5 to $7 each, can be cut 

 from a single tree. The biggest walnut does not much 

 surpass 2ft. through. Logs are drawn down to the forks 

 of Kentucky River by oxen and then floated onward at 

 high stages of water. A magnolia with flowers as big 

 as a man's head is one of the characteristic trees of the 

 country. Laurel everywhere makes a dense and well 

 nigh impenetrable undergrowth. There is no good graz- 

 ing land, and flowering plants are not common. Cannel 

 coal occurs here abundantly in veins 7 to 10ft. thick: 

 pieces can be broken off and lit with a match. 



The Kentucky has three forks in this region, known as 

 North, Middle and South Fork, and there is an abund- 

 ance of small streams besides. The water is warm enough 

 for comfortable wading. The streams are from 6in. to 

 10 or loft. deep, and it is said there are pools 40ft. in 

 depth. 



Fishing is good at almost any time from April to No- 



BOAT FISHING FOR STRIPED BASS. 



r pHERE is pleasure in being comfortably seated in a 

 JL spacious fishing - boat, anchored in a tideway, and 

 in angling for the striped bass that forage there for suc- 

 culent crustaceans and other tempting bits of food. At 

 such a time there comes to the appreciative angler a joy 

 and satisfaction at once ineffable and supreme. He is 

 conscious of the full enjoyment of every pleasing thing 

 that contributes to his environment. The motionless 

 heron on a distant rock, intent on securing one more 

 morsel before winging his lazy flight to his secluded 

 haunt, admonished by the coming day; the sprightly 

 kingfisher, chattering his sweet notes from his vantage 

 ground hard by, as he awaits with keen eye the approach 

 of a luckless minnow; the flight of garrulous crow?, 

 alighting in yonder meadow for their morning meal; the 

 kindly influence of the morning sun; each in turn serves 

 to render the situation one of contentment and fascina- 

 tion. It is in the midst of such surroundings, with the 

 air laden with sweet perfumes from the neighboring 

 fields and saline odors from the ocean, that the lot of the 

 salt-water angler frequently falls and that he finds him- 

 self contending for the mastery over his sulking adver- 

 sary. Amid these peaceful scenes he brings to boat his 

 beauteous and noble spoil. The summit of his happiness 

 is reached, when in a lucky moment he is signalled from 

 the far end of his well-placed line that the lure has been 

 taken and the hook fastened to the object of his quest. 

 Then, with rod buckling in a graceful curve to the strain 

 imposed on the flax by a 201b. bass 200ft. away, alert to 

 every movement of the wily fish, giving line in play only 

 on compulsion, never voluntarily, retrieving as oppor- 

 tunity offers, then it is that he brings every energy 

 into action to the end that his hopes may be realized 

 and his arts successful. In the fight for supremacy 

 the well hooked fish, now tugging with persistent 

 and savage jerks at the unyielding line, and anon, with 

 a vigorous show of strength, and despite the pressure of 

 the thumb on the half vacant spool, adding a dozen yards 

 to the distance between himself and his antagonist," tests 

 to the full the skill of the angler. The veteran is never 

 given to the rashness of snubbing the fish in one of these 

 furious breaks. With prudence born of experience he 

 patiently humors its eccentricities and confidently awaits 

 the first intimation that his is the master hand. Nor 

 long is the delay, for the violent efforts of the fish to 

 escape and the killing influence of the rod's spring so tell 

 against his powers that his giving over is foreshown by 

 the relaxation of the line and the approach of the rod to 

 its accustomed rectitude. With rod well in hand and 

 eyes fixed on the pool beyond, the angler, well at ease, 

 inch by inch at first and soon with greater speed, lessens 

 the distance between himself and his prize. The victim 

 nears the surface, and, breaking water 50ft. away, makes 

 a last desperate effort for his life. Down comes the 

 ready thumb on the revolving spool: lightly at first but 

 quickly, then with added power, the rod buckles and 

 trembles a moment from tip to reel, then the revolutions 

 of the spool cease, the line slackens and the combat is at 

 an end. In another minute the lost line is recovered and 



