480 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Deo. 26, 1889. 



THE NEW YORK ASSOCIATION FOR 

 THE PROTECTION OF GAME. 



ON Monday, May 20, 1844, a number of gentlemen met 

 at the house of Mr. Win. Senn, corner Forsyth and 

 Broome street, New York city, for the purpose of form- 

 ing a club to protect sporting dogs from the oppressive 

 laws then in force. 



Mr. B. J. Meserole was elected president, T. D. Howe 

 vice-president, and Jas. McGay secretary. After a brief 

 address the president offered the following resolution, 

 which was adopted unanimously: Resolved, that the 

 gentlemen here assembled form themselves into a sport- 

 ing association, to be known by the name of the New 

 York Sporting Association, the object of which will be 

 to attend to the interests of game and sporting generally. 

 The roll was then signed by the following named gentle- 

 men present: B. J. Meserole, Thos. D. Howe, Jas. Mc- 

 Gay, D. H. Carpenter, "W. S. Thompson, D. L. Brown, 

 John Rae, Jr., T. B. Smith, T, A. Fowler, Ed Voeikner, 

 Robt. Sinclair, Wm. Senn. At the next meeting a con- 

 stitution and by-laws were adopted, and the initiation fee 

 fixed at $3 and' dues $1 per year. Thus began the life of 

 an association that was the parent of hundreds of similar 

 associations throughout the country, an association that 

 was the means of starting a movement toward procuring 

 proper legislation for the protection of fish and game, 

 the value of which cannot be estimated. 



The reader should remember that at this time there 

 were no State laws in force, only a few city ordinances, 

 to which no one paid the slightest attention. There were 

 no game protective societies in existence, and a sports- 

 man was looked upon with suspicion. From that date 

 up to the present time this association has, in the fa*ce of 

 the greatest difficulties, in face of the opposition of influ- 

 ential poachers and unscrupulous dealers, carried on a 

 steady warfare against violators of the game laws, and 

 brought the laws to their present state of perfection. 

 • They also, by their good example and widespread influ- 

 ence, created a healthier sentiment in the community, so 

 that the people no longer thought it good form to serve 

 game on iheir table out of season. 



In addition to this their constitution served as a model 

 to hundreds of new clubs, and every year the secretary 

 received numerous letters asking for copies of their con- 

 stitution and game laws, and for advice about bringing 

 suits and forming clubs. 



People as a rule have little idea of the amount of time, 

 labor and money spent by this association, or the obstacles 

 they have had to contend with. Some suits have dragged 

 for years through the courts and been carried up to the 

 highest tribunals before they could be decided in favor of 

 the club. 



To illustrate some of the difficulties of such law suits 

 we cite the following example-: One season while two 

 of the members were at Albany urging important changes 

 in the game laws, their attention was called to a man 

 who was openly i-elling quail out of season. Suit was 

 brought and the dealer acquitted by the jury; his defense 

 being that they were not qu dl, but curlew! He had 

 cut off the bills and feet, with the intention to deceive 

 the public. This in the face of the evidence of two good 

 witnesses to the contrary. 



Another euiD was brought against a restaurant keeper 

 for serving venison out of season. It was down on the 

 bill of f tre as venison, and the witness who ate the veni- 

 son pronounced it venison without doubt, but the of- 

 fender escaped by swearing it was buffalo meat. 



It is impossible in a short article to go into a detailed 

 bis'ory of ibe club covering a p riod of forty-five y^ars, 

 so we c*n only mention a lew interesting fucts. 



Among the early members we find the name of Henry 

 W. Herbert (Frank b'orester). who, whatever may have 

 bpen his failings, did more than any other writer to 

 teach people what true sportsmanship was. His old 

 crony Thos. Ward (Tom Draw), of Warwick, was also at 

 one time a member. Among many other prominent 

 citizens and sportsmen who signed the rolls are Christian 

 Schwartzwaelder, Jas. Harper, Orison Blunt, Genio C. 

 Scott, Pnilo T Buggies. Recorder Hackett. Chas. Banks, 

 Chas. E. Whitehead and Royal Pnelps. 



The first suit brought by the Association was against 

 one Daniel Young, of Fulton Market, on June 8, 1841. 

 From that date to the present time there have always 

 been more or less suits in the hands of the counsel. Mr. 

 McMahon and Recorder Hackett were the first counsels 

 for the club. 



Royal Phelps, who for many years was president of 

 the Association, was elected on May 24, 1858. He was 

 one of the most energetic members the club ever had ; 

 and under his administration the Association was brought 

 to its present efficient stat*. Hi* name became a terror 

 to all violators of the game laws. Mr. Phelps was instru- 

 mental in obtaining sufficient subscriptions among the 

 members to purchase the magnificent collections of heads 

 and antlers that Mr. J. W. Hays left, and which were 

 presented to the American Museum of Natural History. 



For a number of years the club had rooms at "754 

 Broadway. During Mr. Phelps's term of office the Asso- 

 ciation met at the houses of the different members where 

 they were always handsomely entertained. At this time 

 Mr. W. J. Hays, the artist, was secretary and Mr. Chas. 

 E. Whitehead counsel. 



In 1868 the Hon. Robt. B. Roosevelt made the first at- 

 tempt to have a State Fish Commission appointed; and 

 on Feb. 10 reported such an act, which was afterward 

 passed, and which has been of the greatest benefit to the 

 people of this State. 



In 1870 tbe suit against Middleton & Bros, was com- 

 menced; their defense being that the game laws were un- 

 constitutional, but the courts decided this vexed question 

 in the clubs favor. . 



In 1871 Mr. Phelps was able to congratulate the Asso- 

 ciation on the fact that, through their influence, good 

 game laws had at last been passed, and had been signed 

 by Gov. Hoffman after he had subjected them to the club 

 tor approval, 



In 1873 a suit was brought against one Laird for selling 

 trout out of season. The penalty was $1,000. 



On March 10, of this year, the club voted to change the 

 name "New York Sportsmen's Club" to the "New York 

 Association for the Protection of Game." The club was 

 incorporated under this name in 1883. 



Jan. 18, 1875, the secretary, Mr. Thos. N. Cuthbert(who 

 also acted as assistant counsel), reported that he had ob- 

 tained a judgment against Middleton & Carman for 

 §2,500 for having 100 speckled trout in possession con- 

 trary to law. At the February meeting Mr. Whitehead re- 

 ported that tb e Court of Appeals had affirmed the j udgment 

 against Jos. H. Racy, of Centre Market, for the amount of 

 $3,000. Mr. Racy had been sued for having 100 quail in 

 possession in July. His defense was that the quail were 

 purchased in the open season and kept in cold storage 

 rooms; but the Court overruled this defense. 



In 1880 and 1881 a number of dealers in game made a 

 strong effort to have the game laws so changed as to 

 practically allow them to sell at any season, but through 

 the efforts of the Association this movement was defeated. 



In 1877 Mr. Royal Phelps was obliged to resign his office 

 on account of ill health: and Mr. Clinton Gilbert, Presi- 

 dent of the Greenwich Savings Bank, was elected to fill 

 the position. Shortly after he also resigned for the same 

 reason; and Hon. Robt. B. Roosevelt was elected Presi- 

 dent of the Association in hi6 place. Mr. Roosevelt has 

 filled this office ever since. 



The Association has raised the initiation fee to $50 and the 

 annual dues to $10. It meets, as it always has since 1844, 

 on the second Monday of the month during the winter 

 and spring. The meetings are generally held at Pinard's. 

 Dinner is served at 6:30, and by 8:30 the club adjourns to 

 the big parlor, where they devote the rest of the even- 

 ing to business. The membership is limited to 100, and 

 is nearly up to that limit. 



The appointment of State wardens under the super- 

 vision of the Fish Commissioners has relieved the Asso- 

 ciation to a great extent of the work of bringing suits, 

 but they still keep a sharp eye on poachers, and on the 

 various game laws that are annually presented at Albany. 



The thanks of the writer are due to Mr. Thos. N. Cuth- 

 bert, the Secretary of the Association, for his valuable 

 assistance in preparing this article. 



AIMING THE SHOTGUN. 



I HAVE read with great pleasure the article in your 

 valuable paper of Nov. 14, by "W.," entitled "Aim- 

 ing Ahead," which coincides so exactly with the views 

 expressed by me on the subject in Forest and Stream 

 some months ago. I noted the criticism of "Ancient" on 

 my article, also the recent remarks of Dr. Morris, Louis 

 Bagger, M. P. Peirce and others, I must confess I do 

 not understand exactly what these gentlemen mean. 

 They surely do not mean to deny that the shot can ac- 

 quire a lateral motion by the swing of the gun while it is 

 driven forward by the powder, to do so would be to deny 

 a law of mechanics so well established that it is useless 

 to argue on the subject. Neither "W." nor I claim to 

 make these calculations at the time of shootirg; when 

 we shoot our aim is taken, I imagine, as "iutuiiively" as 

 that of either of our critics, but that the shot from all 

 our guns must take on just that lateral motion in cross 

 shots is certain, unless we adopt the other style of mak- 

 ing these shots, which is to hold ahead of the crossing 

 game with the gun held still. You will recollect it was 

 in trying to reconcile the facts that game is killed by 

 both'methods that my article was written. 



Tbe above-quoted gentlemen say we do the young 

 sportsmen harm by our analysis of how cross shots are 

 made. I think they do more harm by recommending 

 what I may call the slap-dash style, without considering 

 distance, the direction in which the game is moving, or 

 anything else, but to fire the gun. I think what I will 

 style cool, calculating quickness will make the best shot. 

 You will remember that "W." and I did not claim that 

 one was obliged to think out all the calculations we spoke 

 of while in the act of firing, but only claimed that what 

 we stated actually took place. About the necessity of 

 aiming all shots, I think there is no question even in tbe 

 thickest brush work; in this kind of shooiing it is done 

 instantaneously, and I believe it is done by those gentle- 

 men who write about the baseball and hammer and 

 nail idea, without their knowing it, which illustrations, 

 while very pretty on paper, have nothing in common 

 with the successful handling of guns. I should think the 

 gentlemen who think the ball and bat idea applies to 

 shouting would not be particular to have their guns 

 stocked to suit them, as if they do not sight the bird 

 along the barrel they might just as well shoot from the 

 hip or hold their guns out pistol fashion. 



On this subject I will quote A. H. Bogardus's remarks 

 about sighting, versus the style recommended by Dr. 

 Morris and his friends. I presume they will acknowledge 

 that he in his prime was a fair shot; it is even possible 

 that he might have been able to make as good a day"s 

 bag as any of the gentlemen above named. Bogardus 

 says in "Field, Cover and Trap Shooting," page 14: 

 "Some people pretend that there is no need to look along 

 the rib at the bird in order to shoot well: they shoot well, 

 and they say they do not do so. I believe they are mis- 

 taken. Taking aim does not mean dwelling on the aim 

 and pottering about in an uncertain way with the gun at 

 the shoulder. Even in snap shooting there is a distinct 

 aim taken, though when a good-fitting gun is brought to 

 the shoulder the aim is instantaneous and the discharge 

 follows at the next instant. At pigeons some men seem 

 to shoot without sighting the bird. * * * This sort of 

 thing is impracticable in the field, and there, if not any- 

 where else, the man who sights his bird along the rib of 

 his gun makes the best bag. There are, of course, some 

 situations in which you must practice snap shooting; at 

 woodcock in cover, or grouse or quail in corn, you can 

 get but a glimpse of the bird, and you must aim just 

 where intuition, as it may be called, tells you where the 

 bird will be. In places where the bird can be plainly 

 seen it should be distinctly aimed at. It is not a question 

 of quickness. In the time matches where I must neces- 

 sarily shoot very quick, and in the matches where I stand 

 between two traps, which are pulled at the same time, I 

 sight my bird before pulling the trigger. If I did not I 

 could never accomplish the feats which have become 

 easy to me." So much for what one of the best shots 

 thinks about aiming. 



That cross shots can be made in two different ways is 

 well illustrated by the story of the seven mallards by 



Mr. Peirce; where his young friend killed his duck (the 

 last) pointing at the head duck, and Mr. P. his two. By 

 swinging his gun he did not have to shoot much ahead. 



In conclusion I say to the beginner, do not try the 

 baseball idea nor the hammer- an d-nail idea, but sight 

 your bird either with one or both eyes open. It can be 

 done in the closest cover shooting. In making many 

 shots in cover you will learn to kill even though you only 

 catch a glimpse of the bird when he rises and do not see 

 him at all when you shoot. I do not know how these 

 shots are made by the sportsmen who do not think when 

 they Bhoot. I find I have to think and calculate in these 

 shots more than in any others, but it must be done 

 quickly. In all cross shots swing the gun on to the bird 

 from behind, and do not stop it until after you fire, and 

 you will not have to shoot so far ahead of the most 

 rapidly-flying game as by the' method of holding your 

 gun ahead in these shots and keeping it still while you 



pull. SlNKBOAT. 

 Easton, Md. 



PATTERN AND PENETRATION. 



REMINGTON 10-GAUGE. 



THE 10-gauge gun which came down from the Ilion 

 factory, where Hartley & Graham turn out the late 

 models of the old-time favorite Remington arm, was put 

 to trial on the Forest and Stream shooting stand at 

 Claremont on Dec. 2. It was one of those pleasant win- 

 ter days with which those who delight in open winters 

 have been so far blessed. There was plenty of wind, and 

 the gauges ran up to 10 miles of velocity at times, but 

 otherwise it was a good trial day with moist atmosphere 

 and no heat to cake the barrels with powder debris. The 

 cartridges used were the black powder ones sent down 

 from the. factory with the gun and a set of wood powder 

 and Schultze powder cartridges, loaded especially for 

 comparative results. The directions to the loading firm 

 here was to put in an ounce and a quarter of the same 

 shot with which it was said the black powder shells were 

 charged . The discrepancy in weight and count of pellets 

 is large, but not more so than generally obtain in 

 like circumstances. The trial was in the same order as 

 with the other Remington gun, black powder first, then 

 wood powder for 10 shots, and then Schultze, with the 

 same order repeated at 60yds. A pair of shots were first 

 fired as warmers, and to put the barrels in a dirty state, 

 and after that there was no cleaning nor material wait 

 for cooling. The arm handled well, and only once was 

 it necessary to throw out a target, being at' 40yds. with 

 the Schultze charge, when a "pull off" on the part of 

 Marksman Moss sent the charge too far up into the 

 corner. In such a case, of course, the record is not taken. 

 The barrels were both of them choked, and seemed to be 

 a very even pair, though the slip from a crowded to a 

 very sparse pattern came with too great frequency, and 

 were noted both in the black and white powder charges. 

 In order to secure a comparison with another arm in our 

 series of tests, and to use up a few surplus cartridges, a 

 series of a dozen shots were fired with the black and 

 Schultze powder cartridges remaining over from the 

 Hollis gun test of Oct. 80, and reported in Forest and 

 Stream of Nov. 7. The cartridges were used only at 

 40yds. in the Remington gun, and three of each sort were 

 put in each barrel. The charge, the record of the Hollis 

 and the record of the Remington gun stand as follows: 



BLACK POWDER CHARGE. 



U. 31. C. Club Shell-#i'lis. Dead Shot, powder, V£oz. No. S Le 

 Roy Chilled shot. Average ISSgrs. of powder, 617 pellets of shot 

 weighing 609grs. 



HOLMS GUN— 40VDS. 



Right Barrel. Left Barrel. 



Aimed 



Selected 



Fenetra- 



Aimed 



Selected Penetra- 



Circle. 



Circle. 



tion. 



Circle. 



Circle. 



tion. 



Pellets. 



Pellets. 



Sheets. 



Pellets. 



Pellets. 



Sheets. 



Average 



224 



Average 



Average 



284 



Average 



five 



228 



five 



five 



299 



five 



shots. 



218 



shots. 



shots. 



348 



shots. 



197 



222 



15 



259 



310 



14 





REMINGTON GUN— 40VDS . 







315 



375 





300 



323 





244 



341 



9 



360 



378 



10 



339 



361 



8 



376 



358 



13 



299 



359 



9 





353 



10 



SCHULTZE POWDER CHARGE. 



U. S. Climax Cartridge— 4 r lrs. Schultze powder, l^oz. Le Roy 

 No. 8 Chilled shot. Average 52grs. powder, 503 pellets of shot 

 weighing 586grs. 



HOLLIS GUN— 40TDS. 



Right Barrel. Left Barrel. 



Aimed 



-« 1. , 



ted Penetra- 



Aimed 



Selected Penetra- 



Circle. 



Circle. tiou. 



Circle. 



Circle. 



tion. 



Pellets. 



Pellets. Sheets. 



Pellets. 



Pellets. 



Sheats. 



Average 



148 



Average 



Average 



211 



Average 



five 



199 



five 



five 



298 



five 



shots. 



197 



shots. 



shots. 



240 



shots. 



ii 



181 



17 



163 



250 



17 







R EMIN QTOS « U R —4QXUS. 







3 0 



333 



15 



303 



212 



17 



330 



315 



16 



308 



326 



14 



237 



86 



17 



312 



343 



20 



295 



311 



16 



308 



330 



17 



It will be seen as a pattern maker the American arm 

 was far in advance of the English weapon, whether tested 

 with black American or white English powder. 



Looking at the regular test of the day with the three 

 powders after the percentage fashion of our correspondent 

 ; -Nick," we find that the wood powder is well ahead with 

 an average of 7 1 per cent. , with black a close follower 

 with 67 per cent., while the Schultze powder lags behind 

 with 58 percent., all this at 40yds. At 60 yds, the two 

 first named powders were running even with 30 per cent, 

 of the charge accounted for on the selected circles, while 

 the Schultze fell below 20 per cent. In penetration, 

 however, the Schultze powder was a slight leader at each 

 distance. 



The formal record of the test stands: 



Claremont, N. J., Dec. 2, 1889. 



test made at forest and stream gun-testing screen. 



Gun— Remington Hammer, latest model. Cost, $45. No. of 

 gun, 31,924. Weight, 9%lbs. Length of barrels,' 32in. 

 Gauge, 10. Right barrel, full choke. Left barrel, full 

 choke. 



Weather— Clear. Direction of wind, 6 o'clock. Force of 

 wind, 14 miles per honr. Thermometer, dry, 35° . Do., 

 wet, 33° . Humidity, 71° . Barometer, 30.1iu. 



Charge, as given by holder of gun: 



