Jan. 3, 1890.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



471 



with rifles cocked. Just a moment before the deer 

 reached the place where the Judge was to fire, 

 the foot of the deer touched bottom on a sand 

 bar or rock and he rolled over on to his back, 

 with legs |bigh into ;the air, head and horns disappearing 

 under water. We recovered arms and the affair was so 

 ludicrous I could not refrain from a hearty laugh. The 

 deer had been shot by one of our party up the river and 

 lege and horns so tied that he could better float down to 

 the camp and save our canoeman a mile or two of tow- 

 ing. It was in vain that I protested to being my- 

 self perfectly deceived. My generosity in the matter of 

 firing was regarded as a suspicious circumstance. And 

 I fear the Judge believed me guilty of intending a joke. 

 But I still protest my innocence and believe the appear- 

 ance of that floating buck would have deceived the very 

 elect. G. H. W. 



Boise City, Idaho. 



REMINDERS AND OLD MEMORIES. 



I WAS much interested in "Aztec's" chat of Dec. 19, 

 especially with his account of his experience with 

 the "old musket, with the big nipple and mighty ham- 

 mer." 



It took me back at once to the long ago, when similar 

 tribulations of times attended my early, not my earliest, 

 efforts for fur or feather. I say not my earliest, for back 

 of the "big nipple" was the flint lock, which by the way 

 *was the most graceful and pleasing form the gun ever 

 took upon itself since gunpowder was invented. I am 

 free to admit that for safety in using, beauty of work- 

 manship and perfection of all its parts, there is nothing 

 in the past historv of the fowling piece that approaches 

 the breechloader of to-day, but for beauty of style and 

 graceful appearance it bears about the same relation to a 

 Manton flint lock fowling piece that a cropped-ear cm- 

 does to the English greyhound. I never pass a shop 

 window where one is on exhibition as a relic but I feel 

 like stopping and taking off my hat to it. 



As to the present fashionable hammerless. I consider it 

 an abortion or worse, and never see one but it reminds 

 me of a black snake w.th neither ears nor mouth, there- 

 fore I avoid it. 



How many active sportsmen among the many thousand 

 readers of Forest and Stream can relate of their per- 

 sonal experience with the old Queen Anne, or similar 

 arms, before they were relegated to the garret or dark 

 closet by the nipple and the cap? 



Many" a mile has the writer trudged over hills and 

 through vales with the old family musket— some inches 

 taller than himself— calling it sport, yes, and enjoying it, 

 too; for he seldom came home with an empty bag. His 

 first rabbit, partridge, woodchuck and muskrat fell vic- 

 tims to the same old musket. Game was then plenty, 

 and there was no "close season." Wing-shooting was 

 unknown , except as a chance snap shot. 



But notwithstanding the many pleasant memories of 

 those long past days, memories that will remain ^while 

 consciousness continues; I have never regretted the change 

 from the flint to the fulminate, nor from the muzzle to 

 the breechloader of the present day. Safety is the most 

 important characteristic in all guns. With this secured, 

 we can afford to sacrifice the elements of grace and 

 beauty, and accept the gun if it does look snaky, or like 

 an ox Without horns, or a dog without ears. J. H. D. 



POFGHKEBPSIE. v 



AIMING THE SHOTGUN. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The method of aiming recommended by Mr. R. Morris, 

 in Forest and Stream of Nov. 21, is advocated by many 

 of the finest shots, but one condition is necessary for its 

 success, viz., that the gun so fit the shoulder that when 

 raised quickly it will point straight to the object at which 

 the sportsman is looking. If too much bent in the stock, 

 or if top heavy, it will shoot under the game, or if too 

 straight it is liable to shoot over, though the latter fault 

 is far Ie#s common than the former. 



The best method that I am aware of for ascertaining 

 whether a gun fits properly is to fix both eyes on an 

 object, and while holding the head erect, pitch the weapon 

 quickly to the shoulder, then lower the right eye to the 

 brepch. If. after trying this a great number of 'times, it 

 be found that the barrels almost invariably point level to 

 the object, there is no doubt about the fit being good. 

 When a man is not lucky enough to have a gun which 

 fits him, his surest method of shooting well is to look 

 along the barrels. He, of course, must not be as slow 

 and careful as when aiming with a rifle, but the eyes 

 should be lowered nearly to the breast and see that the 

 muzzle is about at the proper level. In this way aim can 

 be taken almost instantaneously, and, when thoroughly 

 accustomed to the gun, accurate snap shots with the head 

 erect can be taken if necessary. 



In spite of all that is said in favor uf the latter method, 

 it must be admitted that plenty of first-class shots look 

 along the barrels. There is indeed no other way of ac- 

 counting for the fact that some men can shoot well with 

 almost any gun, no matter what shape the stock may 

 have, the first time it is put into their hands. No one 

 will assert that Captain Bogardus is a bad or even a slow 

 shot; yet in his book on " Field, Cover and Trap-Shoot- 

 ing" (published by the Forest and Stream Company) he 

 expressly states that he sights Iris birds along the barrels, 

 and adds that he believes those men do the same, uncon- 

 sciously, who think that they never see their guns. I 

 myself was never more than a second-rate performer 

 with the shotgun, though always very fond of it. I had 

 been in the habit of firing without looking along the bar- 

 rels until I heard of and obtained a copy of Captain Bo- 

 gardus's book, shortly after it was published. I tried his 

 way of aiming and at once found my shooting much 

 improved, especially at snipe. 



I was once talking to an intimate friend, one of the 

 best and quickest shots I ever knew, and remarked that 

 I could not understand the use of a sight on the muzzle 

 of shotguns, as I never saw it when firing. He replied, 

 "I nearly always see it and find it a great guide to the 

 eye." 



A gentleman living in England, well known as one of 

 the beet judgeB of everything connected with guns, and 

 also a first-class shot, stated some months ago in a letter 

 to the London Field, that he keeps his head up, and, at 

 point blank ranges, pulls the trigger the instant he sees 

 3 or 4in. of the muzzle just under the bird. Doubtless 

 his guais are made to fit him so that the barrels are at the 



proper level when held in this way, and. of course, the 

 muzzles must be swinging in the same direction as the 

 bird flies, or they would shoot behind. 



That the method of aiming without paying attention 

 to the barrels is really less accurate than the other way 

 is, I think, shown by the fact that very good snap shots 

 nearly always shoot badly with the rifle at running game. 



When living abroad t was in the habit for years of 

 killing all kinds of animals on the run, from large deer 

 and antelopes down to jackals and wildcats. I feel sure 

 even when an animal in galloping hard through the 

 thickest brush I almost invariably saw the foresight of 

 the rifle and often the hindsight also. J. J. Meyrick. 



North Devon', England. 



A TEXAS GAME COUNTRY. 



BEEVILLE, Bee County, Tex., Dec. 17.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream: There is a river which runs through 

 this portion of the great Southwest, that is destined some 

 day to be a great sportsman's retreat, it is known on the 

 map as the Nuecus River and empties into the Gulf of 

 Mexico. The country along its course is covered with a 

 dense undergrowth, with now and then an open glade, 

 and abounds in game of almost all kinds common to the 

 South, except bear. Four of my friends have just re- 

 turned from there, having brought down twenty tine 

 deer in about five days of hunting. Another party of 

 two brought in six; and still another party composed of 

 inexperieuced hunters killed five in four days. 



The writer, in company with his family and two other 

 gentlemen, struck camp for the night a short time ago in 

 that vicinity, and the weather being threatening and 

 rather disagreeable, the hunters of the party did not 

 leave the camp before sundown; when to our surprise 

 turkeys by the dozen. I may say by the hundreds, began 

 flying up to roost all around the camp-fire. We killed 

 fifteen, which was all we. wanted, within 200yds. of 

 camp, in some instances the ladies witnessing the kill- 

 ing from their tent doors. One^ of the party shot five 

 from one large live oak tree. 



Fire-hunting is a favorite sport among our profession- 

 als, and perhaps more deer are brought down in this 

 manner than by any other method. The river above re- 

 ferred to is about 18 miles from Beeville, but the country 

 adjacent to the town is well stocked with turkey and 

 quail, and it is of frequent occurrence for parties to kill a 

 brace of fine gobblers in an afternoon's hunt a few miles 

 out. 



Quail are so common that our local sportsmen think 

 nothing of bagging a hundred in an afternoon with well 

 trained dogs. The Beeville region is fast becoming 

 famous as a hunter's paradise, and the mildness of the 

 climate renders camping agreeable. T. J. Skaggs. 



MAINE DEER. 



IT seems that other white deer have been killed in 

 Maine this year besides the one mentioned in my 

 letter to the Forest and Stream of the other day. Mr. 

 A. W. Robinson, of the Robinson Engraving Co., No. 32 

 H'l wley street, Boston, has in his possession the legs of a 

 white deer which he is having mounted for the supports 

 of an ottoman. These legs Mr. Robinson secured when 

 on a recent hunting trip into the Moosehead region. The 

 deer was killed by an old hunter and guide named Ben 

 Woodan. Mr. Robinson came across the deerskin at 

 Wcodan's camp, some twenty miles north of Moosehead, 

 and he tried to secure the entire pelt, but Woodan would 

 part with nothing but the legs. The pelt is declared to 

 be almost milk white except the ears, which are black. 

 It is the only wnite deer that Woodan has ever seen or 

 heard of in that part of the country. Otherwise than 

 being white, the deer was declared to have been like 

 other deer of that section. The antlers were short, and 

 with one or two prongs, indicating that the buck was a 

 young one. 



The Maine moose and deer season will close on the 

 31st of December, and it is hardly possible that as many 

 deer have been killed this year as last, though they are 

 evidently more plenty. But the hunters have not been 

 as numerous, if reports are true. As for moose it is plain 

 that very few have been killed, and indeed but few have 

 been seen. Still they are by no means extinct. One has 

 come out into the open fields in Kingfield. The men 

 were at work not far from the house, when all at once 

 a cow moose appeared in the opening. She ran directly 

 toward the house and the men, clearing the fences and 

 stone walls with as easy bounds as a cat would clear a 

 pumpkin. She ran almost up to the cattle, which were 

 feeding near at hand, scarcely appearing to notice them, 

 then turned and disappeared into the w r oods, towards the 

 mountain. Hunters followed her tracks the next day, 

 but without success. But A-ery few caribou are reported 

 this year, and the theory is that they have migrated; 

 whither no one knows. Special. 



THE CHINESE PHEASANTS. 



WHEATLAND, Oregon.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 The Chinese pheasants introduced into this State 

 by Judge O. N. Denny in 1882, have multiplied very 

 rapidly. Two years ago in this vicinity, forty or fifty 

 miles from where they were liberated, one was seldom 

 seen, while now they are numerous. 



The males are very gaily colored, having many shades 

 on the body, while the head is principally green with a 

 red patch around each eye and a white ring around the 

 neck. 



The two longest tail feathers are about 18in. in length, 

 and the whole bird from tip of beak to end of tail is near 

 3ft., and the weight of the male is about 2-f or 31bs., while 

 that of the female is about 21bs. The females are of a 

 very sober color compared with that of her mate. 



The males have a cackling noise that they make some- 

 times which resembles that of a pileated woodpecker 

 more than any other sound that I ever heard. 



When they take wing they nearly always cackle at 

 this season of the year, but there is a slight difference 

 between the sound made while on the ground and that 

 made when flying. 



They are a very cunning bird and well able to take 

 care of themselves. They frequent brier patches and 

 low brush, coming out into the fields to feed, and can 

 come as near hiding on bare ground as any bird of their 

 size that I ever saw. 



Their legs are rather long and naked below the knee, 



When alarmed while feeding in a field'they put down 

 their head and strike for cover at a 2.40 gait. When they 

 fly they light running and are not easy to flush again. 



They are accused of destroying quantities of wheat by 

 fiying'along just over the tops of the ripe grain and beating 

 out with their wings more than they can eat. They are 

 said to be easily domesticated, but about this and their 

 destruction of grain and fruit I have no personal know- 

 ledge, having been acquainted with them but three 

 months. They are protected by law for about a year 

 yet, but where they have become plentiful some of them 

 ''get into the soup" regardless of the law. J. F. L. 



Days With the Elk.— Berthoud, Col.— We returned 

 Nov. 80 from a five weeks' hunting trip over the range 

 on Snake River and its tributaries in both Colorado and 

 Wyoming. We had a hard trip for man and beast on ac- 

 count of storms and deep snows, but had lots of fun. 

 Saw hundreds of elk. Our party hilled and brought 

 home twelve elk and one deer, besides one big bull elk 

 killed by myself that had the mange and was as poor as 

 a crow and was left where he fell except his head, which 

 I now have. You would be surprised to go into that 

 country in September and October and see the terrible 

 slaughter of elk that is going on there, especially in Wy- 

 oming, for heads, hides and hindquarters. A great deal 

 of it is done by English parties, who have more money 

 than brains. "Just for sport, you know," I saw four- 

 horse loads of hindquarters pull out for Rawlins, Wyo., 

 to sell on the market. None, of the meat killed by my 

 parts' was wasted, but all was brought out; I have enough 

 to do my family for some time and it is very fat this 

 year. Kept camp notes and will write my trip up for 

 Forest and Seream later.— A. A. K. 



California Notes. — This year, duck .shooting, owing 

 to the heavy rains and floods,* which scatter the game, is 

 poorer than usual. The Sonoma and Suisun marshes 

 are tolerable, and daybreak shooting at Point Reyes is 

 excellent. Canvasbacks and bluebills are numerous 

 there. Snipe shooting is good in the Laguna of Santa 

 Rosa, about forty miles from San Francisco. Many mal- 

 lards are being' shot at night in the Watson ville* grain 

 fields. In Colusa county, geese are more plenty than 

 last year, and hunters are loading wagons with the game, 

 and shipping to market. A hunter recently arrived in 

 San Francisco with two large elk skins, and heads with 

 fine antlers. They were shot on the head-waters of the 

 Coquille River, near the California line, in one of the 

 wildest mountain regions on the Pacific Coast. There 

 are a few elk left there and in Del Norte county, but 

 hardly anywhere else. In 1836 elk fed on the plains of 

 the Santa Clara Valley, and as late as 1856 there were 

 a great many in the San Joaquin.— Charles H, Shtnn. 



Wyoming Non-Restdent Law. — In response to an in- 

 quiry we give this section of the Wyoming game law. 

 which became a law March 9, 1888: "Section 1. Sec- 

 tion 1251 of the Revised Statutes of Wyoming is hereby 

 amended and re-enacted, so as to read as follows: 'Sec. 

 1251. It shall be uulawful to pursue, hunt or kill any deer, 

 elk, moose, mountain sheep, mountain goat, antelope or 

 buffalo, save from Sept. 1 to Jan. 1 in each year, and it 

 shall be unlawful to capture by means of any pit, pitfall 

 or trap, any of the above-named animals, at any time of 

 the year. No non-resident of this Territory shall pursue, 

 huut or kill any of the above-named animals by any 

 means whatever; provided, however, any actual and bona 

 fide resident may at any time pursue, hunt or kill any of 

 the said animals' for the purpose only of- supplying him- 

 self and his family with food: but it shall be unlawful to 

 sell or offer the carcass of any such animal, or any part 

 thereof , except as is provided in this chapter.' " 



The London Game Market.— London, Eng., Dec. 19.— 

 This is now the height of the game season in Great 

 Britain. Markets are full of grouse, pheasants, ducks, 

 partridges, snipe, hares, rabbits, deer, etc. I am greatly 

 surprised to notice the low prices prevailing here. For 

 instance, pheasants, $1.00 and $1.25 per pair; partridges, 

 25 cents each; plover, 12 cents; widgeon, 25 cents: wild 

 ducks, 35 cents: hares, 60 cents; capercailzie, the great 

 Norwegian grouse, 85 cents each; ox-eye snipe, 15 cents 

 each; golden plover, IT cents each; larks. 30 cents a 

 dozen. Referring to this latter "game bird" I was 

 astonished to know that this sweetest of English soug 

 birds is sold for food. They are captured in vast numbers 

 in the following manner. Two men carrying a long net 

 a hundred feet in length, and about six feet in height, 

 drag it over the ground. The larks flying up. are en- 

 tangled in the meshes. It is darkly whispered, how- 

 ever, that many of the so-called larks are English spar- 

 rows.— Geo. Shepard Page. 



The Todd Case.— Saint Stephens, Canada, Dec. 16.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: A statement has appeared in 

 Forest and Stream that Mr. F. Todd, the well known 

 sportsman of New Brunswick, had been engaged in 

 hounding deer in Maine. I have seen Mr. Todd and 

 ascertained beyond a doubt, not only from him, but also 

 from the evidence of others, that the charge made against 

 him is false. Should Forest and Stream require any 

 further confirmation of the falsity of the charge, E. M. 

 Stilwell, Esq. , of Bangor, cau be communicated with. 

 From the standpoint of one well acquainted with the 

 country I must say that it would have been extremely 

 absurd for Mr. Todd to hare gone fifty miles from home 

 into a foreign country, where game laws are being vigor- 

 ously enforced to secure game illegally, when he could 

 easily have done the same thing within a few miles of 

 his own residence in the Province of New Brunswick, 

 where, I am sorry to say, the execution of such laws is 

 almost totally neglectad.— Edward Jack. 



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