84 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 20, 1890. 



WITH THE SQUIRRELS. 



Editor Fared and Stream: 



Jas. B. Thorn, on Jan. 30, says that when the fox squir- 

 rel once gets to his home tree, the hunter might as well 

 abandon the chase, and inquires how that squirrel sosuc- 

 ct,ssf ully eludes the hunter. Perhaps your correspondent 

 has not had much experience in hunting that game, and 

 for his benefit let me say that if the tree has a hollow and 

 is the home of the squirrel, one may as well leave. If 

 you have a keen eye, watch intently the entrance to the 

 cavity, and the chances are you will see a couple of black 

 eyes just inside the entrance, watching you. If your 

 eye is not good, then inspect with an opera* glass. How- 

 ever, I would not advise one to use the glass much, but 

 to discipline the naked eye. 



If the tree is not hollow, then look for the foxy little fel- 

 low generally on some one of the larger limbs near the body 

 of the tree, or fork of large limbs. Inspect the limb inch 

 by inch. Don't try to take in the whole top at once, but 

 dwell on a point, and perhaps you will observe a paw or 

 a few hairs, or more probably one side of the head suffi- 

 cient for his eyes to observe you; or when watching in- 

 tently and shifting your position, you will see a qnick, 

 slight movement, thereby detecting the fellow in trying 

 to put the limb more effectually between him and you. 



If you have the ability to detect differences in shades 

 of color, tlie more successful will you be in discovering 

 the ,_>;ame, because he hugs the limb closely, spreading 

 himself out as thin as possible, his color blending with 

 that of the limb. If you prefer to shoot alone, have a 

 boy with you, and if you use the rifle, the best arm for 

 the purpose, take a stand from the tree as far as you can 

 well see into the top, with your gun ready to bring to 

 the shoulder in an instant: then send your boy to the op- 

 posite side of the tree to make a racket, and you will see 

 your squirrel spring into view. 



I say, take a stand as far from the tree as you can 

 Avell do and see into the top. My experience is the nearer 

 the horizontal the line of aim is the easier the shot. Of 

 course you will shoot off-hand and at the head. Vix. 



Katskakeb, Illinois. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of Jan. 30 I note an inquiry of Mr. Jas. 

 B. Thorn as to the proper kind of a dog to use for both 

 rabbit -and squirrel hunting, and as I have had some 

 twenty yea id' experience in hunting all the different 

 kinds of game that exist in this country, and especially 

 squirrels and rabbits in my first hunting days, probably 

 some points from me might be of interest to him. I have 

 used for squirrel and rabbit hunting all of the differ- 

 ent kinds of dogs that can be had in this country, but the 

 kind that afforded me the most pleasure was 'the black 

 and tan terrier. I am particularly reminded of a bitch 

 of this breed I once had the pleasure to own. For squir- 

 rels I think she had no superior; no fox or gray squirrel 

 was smart enough to fool her. I have seen her climb a 

 leaning tree to a height of 40 ft. to get to a squirrel: and 

 whenever I heard her bark I M as sure to find my game. 

 For rabbits she was equally as good, being small she 

 could go through the thickest brush, and many a time I 

 have heard Mollie Cottontail squeal before she could get 

 to her hole. I used her a great deal for hunting coons 

 and possums, and she proved equal to the pursuit and 

 capture of both. This bitch came as near being worth 

 her weight in gold as any dog I ever saw. L. A. E. 



Sedalia, Missouri. 



LOTS OF BIG GAME. 



YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Feb. 1.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: The effects of protection on 

 the increase in number of all kinds of game animals in 

 the Park has been very noticeable from year to year since 

 1883. At that date there were less than at any time in 

 the history of the reservation. Up to '83 the slaughter of 

 elk and other game had been very great, but from that 

 time on the game has been carefully protected, until now 

 the elk can be seen by hundreds, where once they were 

 very scarce. Most of the game that now winters in the 

 Park used to go- to a less snowy region to pass the winter 

 months. Especially was this true of antelope and white 

 and blacktail deer. Even now most of the deer leave the 

 Park when the snow begins to get deep. The antelope 

 remain on the reservation, but at the lower altitudes. 



Another thing very noticeable is that the animals are 

 showing less fear of man since they have learned that 

 they have nothing to dread from his presence. Traveling 

 about as I do, through the Park during the winter 

 months, I have paid considerable attention to the game, 

 noticing its habits and doing all I could toward counting 

 or making an estimate of number of animals here. 

 From the window where I am writing these notes, I can 

 see a large seven-point bull elk. He is lying down in the 

 snow on a point of a hill, not over three hundred yards 

 from the hotel. Another bull is down on the sidehill 

 feeding where the snow is three feet deep. To get to the 

 grass he is pawing the snow out of the way, and occasion- 

 ally pushing it away by swinging his head from side to 

 side. Men and teams are moving about, choppers are 

 cutting trees for firewood only two hundred yards from 

 these elk. There are seven bulls who have been camping 

 on this hill for the past three weeks. When the sun 

 comes out bright and clear they get in the shade to lie 

 down. Dogs barking will only cause them to raise their 

 heads for a look; they show no fear of anything they see 

 or hear from the ranch. 



From the hotel— Yancy's— we can see with field glasses 

 hundreds of elk. Across the Yellowstone River there is 

 a band of government animals, mules and horses. Two 

 of the horses have bells on. Within a circuit of a mile 

 about the horses are 300 elk; sometimes the elk are within 

 10yds. of the horses. They pay no attention to each 

 other unless to seek companionship. I am inclined to 

 think the bells attract the elk, at least the sound does not 

 drive them away or alarm them. They appear to stay 

 with the horses that have the bells on them. 



The mail carriers, freighters and travelers over the 

 Mammoth Hot Springs and Cooke City road, see elk 

 everywhere. From the time they leave the springs until 

 they reach Soda Butte station, they are in sight of elk 

 all the time. The elk are in bands from 25 to 50 and 

 occasionally bands of 200, 300 and even 400 can be seen. 



The greatest number are seen on the north side of the 

 Yellowstone'and Lamon rivers, or East Fork, their favorite 

 winter feeding ground. Specimen Ridge is covered with 

 elk at times, As the wind blows the snow off the grass 



here, they congregate during the night and remain feed- 

 ing until the sun comes out clear, when they go to the 

 green timber to bed. Several hundred elk are wintering 

 on and about Mt. Evarts, one band of these, some 45, 

 came off the mountain down to the flats at the junction 

 of the Gardiner and. Yellowstone rivers ; they were within 

 easy rifle shot of the town of Gardiner for hours, some 

 lying down, others feeding about on the sweet sage. 

 Antelope are on this flat every day. Men from the town 

 often ride out among them on their way over the "Turkey 

 Pen" road. In one of these bands I counted 130 antelope, 

 in others 80 and 63. Besides the antelope here, there is a 

 band at Junction Butte and one in the Black Tail Creek 

 country. 



In Gardiner Canon there are several bunches of moun- 

 tain sheep. These are very tame. I have passed within 

 50ft. of them, in plain sight, without their paying the 

 slightest attention to me. They hardly notice passing 

 teams or horsemen. In the canon are two whitetail deer, 

 the only deer of that kind I know of in the Park. There 

 are quite a number of blacktail deer about. Bands of six 

 and ten have been seen. These are not so tame as the 

 sheep or elk. 



Not long ago the mail carrier and a passenger saw soon 

 after leaving the Hot Springs post office, first, a band of 

 some sixty elk— these had been close to the Government 

 pasture fence and along the road for a mile or two. 

 Next a beaver was seen on the ice in Gardiner River. He 

 was eating willows. While they were passing he swam 

 across some open water toward the team, and cut some 

 tag alder brush. He was feeding on the bark of this as 

 we passed from sight. In the canon of the East Fork of 

 Gardiner— Lava Creek — were two bands of sheep, eleven 

 in all; one band of blacktail deer (seven), and a bunch of 

 elk (twenty-two) in the rof d ahead. These turned off to 

 the left. Across the canon were more elk in the dead 

 timber. All these animals were seen within three miles 

 of Mammoth Hot Springs and Camp Sheridan. 



As no particular effort has as yet been made to find 

 them, very few buffalo have been seen. One small band 

 was discovered from the hotel at Grand Canon and one 

 band seen in Hayden Valley. They range away from 

 any traveled route in winter, and to see them one must 

 make a snowshoe trip with that object in view. Later m 

 the winter they move out to Specimen Ridge, and some- 

 times across East Fork to Slough Creek. Others keep in 

 and about the Lower Geyser Basin. Elk are as numer- 

 ous in the Swan Lake, Madison and Gallatin basins as 

 they are anywhere in the northern part of the Park. 

 They are plenty in Hayden and Pelican Creek valleys, 

 on Mt. Washburn, Holmes and the range extending to 

 Electric Peak. They are everywhere. Their trails cross 

 and follow the wagon roads; they have passed over thou- 

 sands of acres of snow; they are about the soldiers' quar- 

 ters on Soda Butte Creek. One old bull feeds on the 

 waste hay thrown from the stable at the game keeper's 

 cabin. 



Any one who wishes to see large quantities of game, 

 should pay the National Park a visit in winter. H. 



THOSE BIG TEXAS PASTURES. 



BEEVILLE, Texas, Jan. 30. — Editor Forest and 

 Stream: The time was once when the boundless 

 prairies and dense forests of Texas were heavily stocked 

 with big game down to a squirrel; and were open to the 

 world of sport; any one willing to venture his scalp 

 among the Indians could hunt when and Tviere he 

 pleased. But of late years the country is filling up with 

 people from all points of the compass; most of the lands 

 have been fenced up either in large pastures or in farms; 

 and in many places the usual sign is noticed tacked near 

 the gate "No hunting allowed on these premises." But 

 now the State law interferes and says that hunting can- 

 not be prohibited in inclosures containing more than 

 2,000 acres except as is provided for in the general game 

 law of the State in operation during certain seasons. 

 This new law is accepted with general favor; and ap- 

 parently has operated largely in reconciling the pasture 

 owners to allow sportsmen to enter their inclosures. 



The prevailing game laws are generally accepted and 

 observed in this section of the State and the question of 

 game protection is freely discussed among regular sports- 

 men. There are, however, but few gun clubs in opera- 

 tion, but there is a talk of a general organization among 

 the different counties and townships in the Beeville region , 

 which we hope soon to see perfected. The deer killing 

 season expired Jan. 20; the turkey killing season expires 

 March 15, the quail season at some time, I believe, which 

 will naturally cause our sportsmen to lay aside the gun 

 for the rod. Several expeditions have been formulated 

 to visit the more famous fishing grounds in the district, 

 but it appears that the majority of the expeditions will 

 be headed for salt water, forty miles below on the small 

 bays that fringe the Gulf of Mexico. Here almost all 

 varieties of salt-water fish are found, including the 

 tarpon or silver king. T. J. S. 



THE WILY GROUSE. 



SCHENECTADY, N. Y— One day, in one of the "gulfs" 

 or "gorges" (as the farmers call them) of the Glen- 

 ville hills, I heard a grouse take wing but did not see him, 

 and so could only locate him by the sound, as it is a place 

 dense with evergreens. Moving on I came to the side of 

 the gorge, and looking up to the brow of the hill saw a 

 large dead log lying some 6ft. from the top and parallel 

 with it, dotted with stubs or the remains of broken off 

 branches. These stubs were from 3 to Sin. in length. 

 About the center of the log I saw something that resem- 

 bled the rest of the top of the log. and yet was not a part 

 of it, It was the grouse attempting to make himself 

 appear a part of the log in the following manner: His 

 beak was upon a stub, his neck being high arched, his 

 tail contracted and was stuck up perfectly perpendicular, 

 while his legs and feet were stretched backward. It 

 took me some time to make him out after I saw the object 

 on the log, so perfect was the deception. I stood looking 

 in amazement, and he finally perceived that I had pene- 

 trated his disguise, gave up and flew away. I have read 

 of a tribe of natives in Australia who practice something 

 of the same nature to deceive their enemies when caught 

 on the open plains. They assume by their postures the 

 forms of stumps and branches of trees as they would ap- 

 pear lying on the ground. I have from boyhoood studied 

 the habits and nature of the ruffed grouse* and could tell 

 you many anecdotes of them, which I may in time if you 

 and your readers would like to read them. Dorp, 



DEER IN THE OATS. 



THE poachers are not being neglected by the Maine 

 game wardens this winter. Game warden Tom 

 Allen and detective Geo. W. Harrimau of Bangor, have j 

 just returned from a trip into the North Woods, in quest i 

 of certain poachers. Deer shooting in close time has 

 been reported, and it is understood that the wardens have 

 secured evidence sufficient to convict several parties in i 

 different locations, the cases of whom will receive atten- 

 tion in due season. The poachers are back in the woods, 

 and their arrests will be a question of weather and the 

 state of the roads, but it is sure to come. 



The old story of deer in the oats appears again in a 

 Maine paper, in this form: "I want to inquire through 

 your paper if there is any remedy for a man who sows 

 grain and then has it destroyed by deer, the law not 

 allowing him to shoot or dog deer during close time, and ' 

 the deer being very plenty around here. I had two acres 

 of nice oats and they destroyed over half of them. They 

 commenced to eat them before they were 6in. high, and 

 continued to feast on them until they were cut. I want 

 to sow eight acres next spring in the same field, and it 

 won't pay unless I can keep the deer out." 



The editor of the Wild Woods Echo, in which paper' 

 the inquiry appears, advises the aggrieved Eustis farmer 

 to present his bill for damages to the State. The State 

 might readily pay any possible bill of actual damages 

 of this sort, for the chances are that the field of oats was 

 about as large as a beechnut, and that a couple of deer 

 could obliterate the crop in one night. The chances are 

 that the hunter-farmer's worst grievance is that he can- 

 not shoot deer indiscriminately all through the season. 



Special. 



THE WEATHER AND THE GAME. 



^pHE mild winter must be favorable for the game. It 

 *- would be interesting to have some reports of obser- 

 vations in different parts of the country. Readers of this 

 column are invited to send to Forest and Stream any 

 notes they may have made on this winter's weather and 

 the game supply. 



I have to thank you for the good advice you gave last 

 year as to how to cure my dog of canker in the ear, and> 

 how to trap otters. The dog is entirely well, and last' 

 night I caught two otters in one fish oond and now have I 

 their hides stretched on a board. "" Bob White" was 

 scarce with us during the fall, but this winter has been 

 so very mild that there will be an abundance of breeders \ 

 for another year. p, | 



FnEPKRiCKSH a r.T. ( Virginia. 



Saratoga, N. Y., Feb. 11.— A meeting was held last 

 night for organizing a game protective club. Mr. Lev- 

 engston was chosen chairman and Mr. Mingay secretary, 

 W. H. Bockes, W. A. Coster and Walter Hanson were 

 appointed a committee to draft a constitution. All pres- 

 ent conceded the need of such an organization to carry 

 out its objects. State Game Protector Armstrong noted 

 the fact that a town meeting would be held here in 

 March and suggested that good men be placed on both 

 tickets for game constable. The Saratogian suggests 

 that the new club should take action to maintain the 

 present deer law, and says: "It is not the four or six: 

 weeks of dogging deer that decimates them each year, i 

 With this they would increase rapidly, but it is tho'st ill- 

 hunter, who creeps up to them and shoots them without i 

 the aid of a dog, that threatens their entire destruction. 

 During the year 1886 a party of these still-hunters, as. 

 they are called, stopped on the bank of Moorehouse Lake, I 

 in Hamilton county, and by the use of 'salt licks' killed 

 the extraordinary number of eighteen deer in one day 

 and sixty-five in a week. The fish and game clubs should' 

 strenuously oppose any change of the present law in re- 

 gard to deer hunting. Under its provisions, and with the 

 aid of the game protectors and game clubs, the number- 

 of deer in the Adirondacks has multiplied fivefold within 

 the past few years. Relaxation of the law means the 

 extermination of game." 



Massachxjsetis Association. —Boston, Feb. 16.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: A largely attended and im- 

 portant meeting of the Association was held at the Hotel 

 Thorndike, Feb. 13, President Samuels presiding. Hon. 

 James F. Dwinell was elected a vice-president. Twenty- 

 one gentlemen were elected members and twenty-six 

 proposed for membership, to be acted on at the next 

 meeting. The committee on the importation of game 

 reported that a large number of quail had been distribu- 

 ted on the Cape, and that large numbers were to be 

 planted between now and sprmg. The Association has 

 appropriated and raised by subscription the sum of .fl,(.)00, 

 to be exjjended in restocking the streams with trout and 

 the woods with pinnated grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, 

 Western quail, and, if possible, wild turkey: and to that 

 end is impoi'ting large numbers of these varieties to be 

 distributed. We are furnishing seeds and grain to be 

 planted upon which these birds can feed. We can already 

 see the interest which sportsmen are taking in our new 

 work by our largely increasing membership list. — Rich- 

 ard O. Harding. Sec'y. 



That New Jersey Non-Resident Law.— The Newark 

 Sunday Call thinks that "One of the first things which 1 

 the Legislature should do in amending the game laws is 

 to repeal the obnoxious 'non-resident' law enacted in 

 1878 for the benefit of a few rich and selfish Philadel-' 

 phians who ran the West Jersey Society. Of ail illiberal 1 

 game laws it is the worst. It provides' for jailing a non- 

 resident for six months or fining him $50 if he can not 

 show a certificate of membership in a New Jersey game; 

 protective club and is caught either fishing or shooting! 

 in this State. The law has never been enforced except] 

 in Camden county, and if the man had resisted stoutly] 

 then he need not have paid his fine as it is safd that the) 

 law is clearly unconstitutional." 



The Indian Territory. — Jamestown, N. Y, Feb. iSJ 

 — Charles Fenton, of the Adirondacks, and I have jusfr 

 returned from a trip to Texas and the Indian Territory^ 

 We took our guns and dog along. Were three weeks im 

 the Indian Territory. Quail and turkeys were plentifulj 

 the weather delightful, and we had a good time generJ 

 ally.— Cap Lock, 



