forest: and stream 



didn't quite understand, even after it had been explained 

 by all tne party at the camp that evening. "When the 

 wind is blowing hard don't shoot over the side of the 

 boat, but over the end; get the deer to windward, then 

 push the boat instead of pulling it, coming up close lie- 

 hind the deer and shoot over the stern." From this ad- 

 vieo and comments I culled the above as reasonable and 

 apparently practicable. 



My next lesson was on the South Lake. It was a beau- 

 tiful day, though a little chilly with a strong east wind. 

 This is a long and rather narrow lake, running east and 

 west, inclosing three small islands. I was directed to 

 watch from the middle island. After watching about 

 two hours, being obliged to stand in a very exposed posi- 

 tion, and remarking bow much easier, if it became neces- 

 sary, I could row toward the west, I concluded to move 

 to the east island. This consisted of a low long ledge with 

 a cleft facing the south shore. Raising the stern of the 

 boat rather high in the cleft I made myself very comfort- 

 able. (For thus moving I was at night reprimanded by 

 Louis, for in hunting deer the party should be under 

 almost military discipline.) I had watched here about an 

 hour and had just eaten my lunch, and was feeling as 

 fully contented as it is rarely the lot of man to be, when 

 I discovered a dark head with long ears moving slowly 

 through the water directly toward me from the south 

 shore, quite a long distance away. My gun was in the 

 boat with its muzzle on the stern seat. I quickly but 

 carefully took off my coat and hat and placed them with 

 my blanket in the bow without a particle of noise. I then 

 lifted the stern from the rock and let it down into the 

 water and waited, not many minutes, however, for it is 

 wonderful how fast they push themselves through the 

 water. I could soon see it was a doe, and I judged 

 the contest would be close, but determined to keep as cool 

 as circumstances would permit and do my best. With a 

 •sharp push against the rock my boat glided out into the 

 lake and the chase commenced. The doe quite promptly 

 took up her position to windward, and although I was in 

 df^ep water, I concluded to open fire at the first shot. 

 Well, I see loons dive here often, but never one go under 

 water more quickly — not a hair nor drop of blood to show 

 a deer had once been there. I had been told, of course, 

 to drive the deer to shallow water, but I expected to 

 shoot more than once. What should I say at night? No 

 one has seen me, but they had heard me fire; and to say 

 I shot at anything but a deer would be greater disgrace 

 than to have lost one. 



Although this chase was short I was somewhat out of 

 breath when I again got in position on the island and 

 glanced away down to the east end of the lake. Lo! there 

 is another deer, and apparently making for a point of 

 land on the north shore, about five hundred yards distant. 

 Quickly making ready , I pointed for the same place also, 

 and pulled for dear life. After making nearly the 

 distance, on turning my head to one side I discovered the 

 deer, a very large doe, "making her way toward the south 

 shore. The lake was quite narrow here, and it was only 

 by effort that I turned her back from the shore, and in 

 haste fired both barrels over the side of the boat. Each of 

 us being under way and in opposite directions, we were 

 not as near together as one might suppose. Hastily re- 

 loading one barrel only, I succeeded in swinging the boat 

 in front of her again as she reached the north shore. In 

 the excitement I fired again over the side with the same 

 result. As I now reloaded both barrels the doe was 

 making her way toward the east shore, and by the time 

 I got under way she was bounding in the shallow water; I 

 gave her two parting salutes as she bounded over the 

 brush ten feet hi ^h and disappeared in the forest. Of 

 course I can now see how I might have had that deer just 

 as well as not, if I had only managed right. They say I 

 was rattled, May be. 



Greatly depressed in spirit I slowly found my way back 

 to the cleft and chewed the bitter cud of defeat. Soon a 

 peculiar-looking object on the surface of the water near 

 the south shore attracted my attention. It looked some- 

 thing like an old felt hat, and was slowly drifting to the 

 forest. A strong suspician that the object might be of 

 interest on closer inspection finally induced me again to 

 leave my watch and push over to that vicinity, where I 

 found the floating body of the deer I had caused to dis- 

 appear so suddenly beneath the waves two hours before. 

 As I slipped a strong string around one foot of the deer 

 and fastened the other end to the boat I heard W.'s voice 

 calling from the landing. The hunt was finished. It was 

 now two o'clock. 



Leaving the deer at the landing, five minutes of brisk 

 walking brought us to the Big West, where we found the 

 Old Soldier and one guide just come in with a dog, whom 

 we enlisted; and in a few minutes we were trailing the 

 big doe where she jumped over the brush. We dis- 

 covered blood and concluded she would not go far before 

 lying down. W. and I were directed to go east to the 

 creek, he to follow it up to the outlet of Mud Lake, I 

 down about half a mile to an island where I had had 

 great sport killing a large deer a year ago. Time was 

 pressing and the trail was rough. As I knew this would 

 be the case I had left my coat on the shore of the Big 

 Lake. When I reached the island, about 3 o'clock, I was 

 perspiring freely. I hastily kindled a fire in between 

 some large stones where the blaze would be hidden as 

 much as possible, but the guides say the deer are seldom 

 frightened by a fire; a strong breeze was blowing down 

 the creek, and I soon found the fire acceptable even with 

 some smoke. After shivering here until half -past five, 

 the time agreed upon, and hearing nothing, I started to 

 return to the South Lake. The trail is even more diffi- 

 cult to follow up stream than down, as the ice and flood 

 wood in high water causes all the brush to point down 

 stream. Lost the trail two or three times, and finally 

 reaching the lake found no one there. I shot off my gun, 

 kindled a fire and waited. In about half an hour I saw a 

 boat coming toward me. The dog had been unable to 

 start the escaped doe. The guide had carried the other 

 •deer to the ice house. We found W. at the east end of 

 the Big Lake, and were soon in sight of the camp-fire 

 :and could almost smell the products of the culinary art 

 •awaiting us, fit for a monarch — fried venison, boiled 

 potatoes and turnips, all grown on our hunting grounds; 

 griddle cakes and maple syrup and tea (Louis's sugar 

 ■orchard is also here in sight of the shanty). Then followed 

 or rather continued a discussion of the sports of the day, 

 soot terrupted by the Doctor making a lunge for his 

 h\v nd striking his head against a rafter that came 

 ithin about 2ft. of his pillows at the back part of 

 U. aty. He was requested to be more careful here- 



after, as the roof was only made of spruce baxk. A little 

 bathing with extract of homamelis and a good deal of 

 groaning seemed to relieve his mind and head. Soon 

 silence and night reigned supreme. Deep in the night 

 we were aroused by a terrible storm of wind and rain. 

 The roaring of the wind through the trees was something 

 grand. Next day we all stayed in camp and a slight rain 

 would not have kept us there. 



Not many days later, another hunt being in order, I 

 was again stationed at the South Lake, this time on the 

 west of the three islands, as it was expected if a deer 

 came in he would come in near the west end of the lake; 

 but the guides, though wise in woodcraft, cannot always 

 tell just where a deer will run. After enjoying the beau- 

 ful scenery surrounding the mirrored surface of the lake 

 until past noon, and hearing two rifle shots on the Big 

 Lake, which was guarded by the Old Soldier, and conse- 

 quently knowing we had meat for the morrow, I was 

 about to relax the vigilance of my watch, when glancing 

 away to the east end of the lake I saw something that 

 reminded me of a deer bounding along the marsh; and 

 passing to the north behind the middle island, half in 

 doubt, I made ready for the boat. When looking again I 

 saw a large bird flying in the opposite direction near the 

 same place, and about concluded that that was what I 

 had first seen; but still watching carefully, I soon saw a 

 dog come down on to the marsh and heard him bark. 

 Then I knew a deer had been there and was probably 

 now in the lake. Another glance before pushing off, and 

 I discovered a little head out from the middle island and 

 coming straight toward me. Standing perfectly still 

 until he came about half way between the middle island 

 and the one I was on, L gave chase. Firing two shots 

 convinced me the cartridges were loaded no stronger 

 than the ones I had used before. He being now headed 

 toward the middle island, I decided to let him land and 

 take him broadside as he came up out of the water. I 

 did so; but he bounded on into the brush. Throwing out 

 the empty shells and pushing in two more of those con- 

 temptible cartridges (have to lay it to something, and it 

 couldn't be poor marksmanship), I glided down on the 

 south side ready to renew the attack. No deer in sight, 

 and quickly rounding to the north side, still the same. 

 In this way I circled the island two or three times, and 

 concluded that the deer, being frightened, had skulked 

 in the brush. Landing on a point from whence I could 

 quickly get into action by water on either side of the 

 island if it again became necessary, I cautiously proceeded 

 toward the center of the island, where to my surprise I 

 found the deer dead. 



The next few days were passed eating and smoking, 

 gathering spruce gum, fishing, photographing, shooting 

 small game and eating and smoking. After which Louis 

 proposed that we have one more grand round up, and if 

 possible get a big deer, a few choice cuts from which to 

 dry and take home with us. He and John were to take 

 the dogs up on to the mountain to the north, from whence 

 if a deer were started they said he would run into this or 

 Mud Lake. W. determined to take me with him for luck 

 and to prevent the deer from mutilation. Reaching Mud 

 Lake only one boat could be found, the other having 

 probably drifted away during the storm. The best place 

 to watch from was a small island at the south end, com- 

 manding almost a full view of the lake proper and also a 

 narrow stretch of water and marsh on either^ side, lead- 

 ing east and west, and also the outlet of the lake. W. 

 had had great sport at this place on several occasions be- 

 fore, and not having full confidence in my cartridges I 

 willingly consented to land him on the island. Retaining 

 the boat I proceeded to a point on the east shore near the 

 north end. About eleven o'clock we heard a dog making 

 music on the mountain side, coming toward us, but finally 

 turning back. Soon we heard the Old Soldier making 

 terms with the enemy on the big lake. Again we heard 

 the dogs, and at intervals for an hour or two. About one 

 o'clock I saw the deer come into the water not far from 

 me on the north shore, a big buck, a noble fellow, with a 

 veritable rocking chair on his head. He was so near I 

 remained perfectly quiet till he reached a point in the 

 lake that I judged would be his furthest from land, then 

 I made ready in a hurry and pulled for all I was worth, 

 or certainly very nearly all I was worth, for when I had 

 time again it was with difficulty I could even pull my 

 breath. Six empty shells were in the bottom of the boat 

 and W. had unloaded his Winchester repeater, at very 

 long range of course. 



We parted with the buck at the edge of the balsam 

 grove on the southwest shore. He was not feeling well; 

 I suspect he was thoroughly tired out jumping in that 

 mud. I drove him all over the lake trying to get him 

 within range of the Winchester. I shouted to W, to 

 come to my assistance. It then occurred to me, and I 

 think to him also, that he had no boat. A consultation 

 was held and W. was dispatched to the shanty for a dog. 

 I was directed to retreat to the north, where my hat was 

 peacefully floating on the surface of the lake, and collect 

 my scattered forces. As I recovered my hat I perceived 

 the guides and one of our four-footed colleagues coming 

 down the marsh on the west shore. My report was not 

 very cordially received. "For all that," as Louis says, 

 "we will go down and see where the deer went out." 

 We found blood and soon the dog commenced to sing 

 out. Louis shouted to me to get back on to the lake and 

 they would have the deer there in five minutes. John 

 had a shotgun, the report of which I soon heard. Out 

 came my deer on to the marsh and seeing me turned 

 again into the brush, the dog following. Soon the deer 

 was brought to bay in the shallow stretch of water west 

 of the island. In a few minutes John fired, and back 

 the deer came and stopped in the water just south of 

 the island. With the dog on the bank at his head he was 

 as pretty a sight as I wish to see. I would have ordered 

 a charge immediately had I not just received a signal 

 from Louis, who had taken John's gun and was creep- 

 ing up from the southwest, to retreat further into the 

 lake; but the intelligent buck was not to be persuaded 

 into the mud again. Just then he saw Louis and made 

 a dash up the water leading to the east. As he passed me 

 I fired twice; but on he went out of sight, closely fol- 

 lowed. While he was standing by the island I dared not 

 fire, fearing to hit the dog. Soon we heard Louis's well 

 known cry of victory and taking the boat around the 

 point of land found him just bleeding the deer. As we 

 returned to the lake with our well-laden boat W. and 

 the Old Soldier were standing at the balsam grove. W. 

 appeared to have something on his mind and coming 

 through the grove as the guides fell behind with their 



load it came out like this, "You'll not catch me watch- 

 ing on an island again without a boat, nor leaving my 

 watch until the hunt is finished." 



Well, here they come now across the lake and it is 

 well, for the guides have supper nearly ready and it is 

 most too dark to write. What is it W, holds up as they 

 come up the hill? A young bear? No, I see it is a hedge- 

 hog, but nearly as big as a cub. Geo. W. Andrews. 



NOTES FROM THE HUB. 



OOSTON, Aug. 3. Dr. J. A. French of Boston has been 

 i> hunting and fishing in Stratton, Maine, and he re- 

 ports a remarkably fine time. He succeeded in taking all 

 the trout he desired, ranging in weight from one to three 

 pounds. He says that he never saw as many deer in his 

 life. They were seen morning and evening, as they 

 came out into the openings to feed. A large bear also 

 fell to his good luck in hunting. The proprietor of the 

 Globe Nickel Plate Works, of Boston, has just returned 

 from a three weeks' vacation in camp on a pond in New 

 Hampshire. The fishing is so good up there that the gentle- 

 man does not desire to give its name and location for 

 pubication. But it is easy to conceive how the good 

 fishing peculiar to the season is possibly attributed to 

 the pond in this. Mr. Phil brick, of Wentworth & 

 Philbrick, has recently returned from his vacation at 

 " the old haunts " in New Hampshire. He reports 

 catching 960 trout of good size — larger than he expected 

 — in the streams he fished. Little Frank Moody, son of 

 Prof. J. F. Moody, of Auburn, Me., now has a record 

 of over 600 trout taken this season. He is the boy 

 recently mentioned in the Forest and Stream, as 

 making the good catch in one day, and is under 10 years 

 of age. Fish Commissioner H. O. Stanley, with Hon. G. 

 D. Bisbee, of Buckfield, Me. , has been on a fishing trip 

 up the Swift River into Byron. They combined trout 

 6shing and camping with prospecting for gold in the 

 stream. There is gold in the stream, but whether in 

 paying quantities is the question. It is pretty plain 

 that there is more gold in the sheen of a trout's glistening 

 sides for either of these gentlemen, and it is easy to 

 understand how the prospecting for gold gave place 

 to casting for trout every time a good pool was reached 

 in the river. Tremendous fishing is reported from 

 Camp Haverhill, if we may believe the papers. Mr. 

 F. Sargent says that his wife has taken a nine-pound 

 trout with a fly, and several ranging from three to four 

 pounds. This nine-pound trout is one of the largest 

 of the season from the Rangeley waters. The trout 

 taken by Mr. Guild in May, weighed over lOlbs., and 

 other than these two there is no record of Salmo fontinalis 

 above eight pounds in the year 1890. The number that 

 have weighed above seven pounds also appears to have 

 been less than usual. But the number of smaller trout 

 taken has been very great. A number of sportsmen 

 have visited Kenebago, and the lakes and ponds further 

 into the woods in that part of the country, while many 

 visitors are now there, but they report few except 

 small trout. 



Reports of moose in Maine begin to be mentioned. 

 One has been seen at Upper Flagstaff, and is reported at 

 Salem. So it would seem that the excessive hunting in 

 the open season has not destroyed them all yet. Mr. 

 David Blanchard, of Boston, who once wrote a letter to 

 the Forest and Stream on the subject, is still greatly in 

 earnest in the idea that the State of Maine should put 

 some sort of a perpetual close time on moose, at least till 

 such time as it will again be safe to make a short 

 open season. Nor is Mr. Blanchard alone in this idea. 

 He is a sportsman of long experience in the Maine 

 woods, and he greatly regrets the fate of the lordly 

 moose, unless the State soon takes action of that sort. 

 He is ably backed by Commissioner Stilvvell, whose 

 bill making it a crime to kill a cow moose at any time, 

 was defeated at the last moments of the last session 

 of the Legislature of that State. 



The Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Associ- 

 ation has very encouraging reports from the quail they 

 put out this year. In fact, m almost every location where 

 the birds were liberated last spring they have been heard 

 from, and in some cases the increase is reported to be 

 great. But it is a source of regret to the members of the 

 committee, that the recent action of the Legislature in 

 this State has made the open season on quail to begin 

 on Sept. 15, in their efforts to make the open season on 

 all game birds in the State the same. It is a source of 

 regret that the gunners are to be let loose at a date so 

 early, this year above all others, when the efforts of the 

 Association are just .beginning to bear fruit. The quail 

 will hardly be hatched, especially the second broods, and 

 the young and half grown birds will be at the mercy of 

 the gunners. What the very tenderest streak of this 

 mercy is, one need not ask, when he has seen grown up 

 gunners returning from a day's shoot with their belts 

 ornamented with the smallest thrushes, which these 

 gunners have taken in the absence of other birds to shoot. 

 The desire to shoot is so strong that the young quail 

 will stand a hard chance for existence after the 15th of 

 the next month. ' The Association has put out proposals 

 for 5,000 sharptail grouse and for 5,000 pinnated grouse, 

 and the chances are good that the birds will be forth- 

 coming in season to be put out this year. It is under- 

 stood that there are still a few prairie chickens left 

 on Martha's Vineyard, and the committee of the Associa- 

 tion hopes to restore this valuable game bird to the woods 

 of the State. Special. 



The Upper Magallow ay.— Wilson's Mills, Me., July 

 23, — The prospect of having the best deer and moose 

 hunting on the Upper Magalloway River and surround- 

 ing lakes and ponds the coming fall is very flattering. 

 The signs of both have not been as plenty for years as 

 they are the present summer. Deer have been seen in 

 the fields within twenty rods of some of the farmhouses 

 several times. Fishing is a little dull just at the present 

 time, but it is thought it will be good the latter part of 

 August and during September. The weather the past 

 month has been charming, cool nights and mornings, 

 and scarcely warmer than 70° to 80° through the day.— 

 Sewes. 



AMonEL Railway.— The Burlington Route, C. B. & Q.R.R., 

 operates 7,000 miles of road, with termini in Chicago, St. Louis, 

 St. Paul, Omaha, Kansas City and Denver. For speed, safety, 

 comfort, equipment, track and effloient service it has no equal. 

 The Burlington gains new p&tronB, but loses none.— A<lv. 



