290 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 30, 1890. 



Pennsylvania Grouse Shooting.— Lykens, Pa.— All 

 true sportsmen are bound to accord with the opinions of 

 "Dorp," in a late issueof this paper, concerning the habits 

 and wariness of the ruffed grouse; he is certainly a noble 

 bird, and the man who kills him over a setter and on the 

 wing may be proud of the accomplishment, for no small 

 degree of skill is required experience will teach. The 

 spot in which I write this is surrounded with hills that in 

 some years, and especially this season, abound with this 

 gra,nd bird; and having hunted for the last twelve years 

 every season I dare say I am thoroughly acquainted with 

 the grouse at home. I have seen and studied him from 

 when he was a chick not bigger than a week old, and 

 able (as we say here) to take a leaf in his toes and hide 

 from the dog under it, to when he weighs lib. lOoz. and 

 can fly at the rate of sixty miles an hour. As far as my 

 knowledge from experience goes, your editorial notes in 

 the issue of Oct. 9 are correct in every detail. I have 

 missed many such shots myself. Our season opened on 

 Oct. 1, and since then I have killed in four days the fol- 

 lowing score: First day 2, second day 7, third day 8 and 

 a woodcock, fourth day 4 and a doe that weighed lOOlbs. 

 I killed her with a 9|lbs. hammerless at 25yds., No. 7 

 chilled shot. We have quail here in abundance, and ex- 

 pect when the season opens to have grand sport. Any 

 one desiring information regarding the fall shooting here 

 can find that by addressing me.— Wm. V. Barrett. 



Notes from Utah.— Ogden, Utah, Oct. 9.— The Cali- 

 fornia quail were introduced here eight or nine years ago, 

 and have been protected every year but one. I think that 

 they are not suited to a cold climate, as the cold kills 

 most of them off. They multiply to a surprising degree, 

 but cannot stand the cold. I am not able to state how 

 the supply is this year, as the bush is so thick. After the 

 last snow we had last spring I counted 25 in a barn yard 

 feeding with the chickens. Sharp-tailed grouse are not 

 as thick as usual this season. I have killed 152 this year, 

 but have worked hard for them. Duck shooting is better 

 this year than usual. Big bags have been made. The 

 northern ducks have not put in an appearance yet. 

 While out hunting to-day I saw a large flock of geese 

 going south. The duck hunters here go down to the 

 edge of the lake and make a blind about 6in. high of mud. 

 There is no vegetation growing around the salt water. 

 They make what is called mud ducks, pieces of mud the 

 size of a duck. The;ducks come to these decoys as readily 

 as to wooden ones. A man that understands it kills as 

 high as eight dozen in a day. One shooter told me he 

 did not care to kill more because he did not have time to 

 pick the feathers off them . There is a f ami ty living down 

 by the lake who hunt for the market: all of them take a 

 hand at it.— W. D. C. 



St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 24.— Quail are plentiful every- 

 where in this locality, but owing in a large measure to 

 the extreme rankness of the weeds, no great number of 

 birds have been bagged. One serious drawback, which 

 the sportsmen are running up against, is the objection of 

 farmers to permit shooting on their lands. A gentleman 

 informed me that while on a quail shoot a few days ago, 

 near Sparta, 111., he was run off of no less than ten dif- 

 ferent farms. In this State affairs are not quite so bad: 

 still there are certain sections where the farmers are very 

 strict regarding shooting on their lands. The blue wing 

 duck has been sojourning round about here for several 

 weeks, and the past week he was joined by that favorite 

 of all Western sportsmen, the mallard. In fact, nearly 

 all varieties except the greenwing are here. Reports to 

 hand from all the game preserves controlled by residents 

 of this city are to the effect that the webfeet have made 

 their appearance in fair numbers. During the week at 

 the Dordenne and Quivre grounds, in St. Charles county, 

 were to be found a few snipe. Of course they were not 

 by any means plentiful, but one gentleman succeeded 

 after a day's diligent, work in bagging 27.— Unser Fritz. 



A Growl from Maine— Upton, Me., Oct. 20.— Part- 

 ridges are not plenty in the real forest region near Lake 

 Umbagog, Partial migration, it seems, as they were 

 plenty in August. Perhaps a good score obtained by the 

 guides and boys all shooting for one man is the thing for 

 an off year like this. Deer tracks a little more plenty 

 than last year. The jack fever this summer has been 

 worse than ever, and New Hampshire has hound on the 

 brain. The deer have been wiped out at a great rate. 

 The mud sneak and jack were at it before the deer were 

 through dropping their fawns. Now, you see, if we have 

 an old-fashioned winter, the result will be that the deer 

 will get but about thirty days of safety in the whole 

 year. The killing will be the worst through March and 

 more than half of April. By May 20 men will be looking 

 for deer not a thousand miles from the Richardson ponds. 

 At least two of the guides told me that the margin of one 

 or both of the Richardson ponds fairlyjstank of carrion. 

 There are other words to describe it in, but I guess plain 

 Saxon is good enough. I believe that I have never killed 

 a deer or so much as a partridge in close time in Maine 

 or New Hampshire, so I have some right to growl. I 

 have seen more Canada grouse this season than anv other 

 year since 1876.— C. B. S. 



Some New Hampshire Game Resorts. — Lisbon, 

 which is 100 miles from Boston, and reached by the Con- 

 cord and Montreal R. R., is said to furnish excellent 

 ruffed grouse shooting this season. The hotel charges are 

 $2.50 per day, and a team for a ten mile drive can be had 

 for $1.50. Good covers are reported within a radius of 

 three miles in all directions. North Woodstock, 150 miles 

 from Boston and 25 miles from Plymouth, reached by the 

 Concord and Montreal R, R. to Plymouth, and thence by 

 the P. V. R. R. to destination, is said to be a good center 

 for deer and ruffed grouse. Easton Corner, Campton, 

 eight miles from Plymouth, from whence it is reached by 

 team, is a very good locality for ruffed grouse. We 

 assume it to be known that the name of ruffed grouse in 

 all these places is partridge. 



British Columbia.— Edgar, Neb., Oct. 24.— Have just 

 returned from a hunting trip up the Straits of Georgia, 

 British Columbia, and also a short hunt in northern Idaho. 

 Had fair success, but would have done better only for 

 rainy weather, which set in this season some weeks 

 earlier than usual; and we had at one time twelve days 

 of almost continuous rain and snow.— H. 



Black Partridges eor Illinois.— Dr. W. O. Blais- 

 dell, of Macomb, 111., has ordered from a Calcutta firm of 

 animal dealers four pairs of the black partridge of India, 

 which he expects to receive in March of next year, and 

 will put out in Illinois. This letter was received by Dr. 

 Blaisdell from the firm: "Calcutta, Aug. 18, 1890. 

 —The black francolin (Francolinus ■vulgar is) is, we be- 

 lieve, the type of partridge alluded to in your favor of 

 the 13th current. We do not keep a stock of these game 

 birds, but we shall be much pleased to procure them for 

 you. As this particular type inhabits distant parts of 

 India, reckoning the expense of capture, carriage and 

 attendant, the birds would cost, delivered at Calcutta, 

 about 10 rupees per pair. Awaiting orders, we are, sir, 

 yours obediently, Rutledoe & Co." The attention of 

 Dr. Blaisdell was called to these birds by a note in the 

 Forest and Stream from our English correspondent, 

 who recommended the birds for transportation to this 

 country. 



Forest Commissioner George Salisbury, of Sandy 

 Creek, Henry H. Rhubart, J. W, Empey. Milo Cleveland 

 and A. E. Ayres, of Watertown; Dr. Tamblin, Frank 

 Lansing. Frank Stockwell and Geo. Hubbard, of Copen- 

 hagen ; James Waldo, R. Dillenbeck and Mr. Comins, of 

 Northwestern, and John White, of Pulaski, had been in 

 the Big Woods just two weeks at the time they emerged 

 at Lowville yesterday with loads of venison that make 

 the eye of an average visitor to the Adirondacks glisten 

 with delight. They were at Little Rajiids, Beaver River, 

 and put up at A. J. Monsett's hotel. They report a great 

 time. The party were out nearly every day, and killed 

 five deer a day, supplying themselves and the hotel with 

 venison. Some fine heads were secured, and every night 

 there would be held an exciting auction, the highest bid- 

 der among those of the party being allowed the heads 

 and the deerskin. The fawns, of which they caught two, 

 were disposed of in the same way. Each one of the party 

 brought out all the venison the law would allow. — Water- 

 town Times, Oct, 14. 



Ontario Deek.— The Belleville, Ont., Intelligencer of 

 Oct. 22, says: "On Friday last Mr. Geo. Sterling and 

 Col. Strong left for the north, and the former returned 

 home last evening, bringing with him two fine fawns and 

 a number of partridges. Col. Strong is visiting with M. 

 A. Riddell on the Bruton farm in North Hastings. 

 Messrs. Geo. N. Leavens and W. H. Campbell have 

 returned home. The party of which they were members 

 had captured but two deer up to the time they left. The 

 weather thus far has been very unfavorable for the sport. 

 Hunters report that in the adjoining county of Adding- 

 ton, large numbers of deer were slaughtered in July and 

 August for their skins and hair. One lawless ruffian is 

 said to have boasted that he killed forty-one. No one 

 can be found with courage enough to testify against 

 these law breakers, but next season the Forest and Stream 

 Club of this city — although the offense was committed 

 outside of their territory — will probably make a strong 

 effort to suppress such rascality." 



Ducks and Lighthouses.— A curious thing happened 

 at the Whaleshead Light, North Carolina, last winter. 

 It became necessary to protect this light from the flying 

 ducks, and a netting was made of telegraph wire. The 

 net was about 3 inch mesh, and the whole light was cov- 

 ered with it. One night the keeper was partly scared out 

 of his wits by a great noise and the falling of several 

 ducks through the light into where he was sitting. Upon 

 investigation it was found that a flock of ducks had 

 flown against the netting, breaking it down, and keeping 

 right on through the heavy glass in front of the light; it 

 was found even that pieces of the reflector were broken 

 off. Five ducks fell into the lighthouse dead and several 

 were found outside of the building.— Cliff. 



Massachusetts. — Milton, Oct. 24. — Ruffed grouse, 

 woodcock and quail shooting are to be had within five 

 minutes' walk of my kennels. Ponkapog Pond and the 

 great fowl meadows (which for miles are often entirely 

 everflowed by the Neponset River) are each about 30min. 

 walk from my kennels. Both of these places afford good 

 duck and some goose shooting in flight season. At the 

 former place is situated the convenient and commodious 

 bough house of the Cedar Lodge Shooting Club. At the 

 latter place, when the water is down, are to be found 

 snipe, yellowlegs and rail birds in the order of their 

 erratic natures and gradually diminishing numbers. — 

 E. S. G. 



The Mule Deer's Jdmp.— In all which has appeared 

 by way of illustration in the Forest and Stream and 

 elsewhere concerning the mule deer, I have never seen 

 his jump properly illustrated or described. The mule 

 deer jumps with all his feet lifted from the ground at the 

 same instant, and does not double his legs up under his 

 body during his bound, but each and every one of his 

 legs hang down just exactly like table legs during his 

 flight through the air. My son just now insists that he 

 once saw a mule deer double its forelegs up under its 

 body while running. It may be, at times, yet the rule 

 is a stiff -legged jump.— Orin Belknap. 



North Carolina Quail.— Monroe, N. C, Oct. 22. — I 

 went out with a friend on the 15th, the first day, and 

 bagged 47 quail; could have easily bagged 75 or more 

 half grown birds, but we are not built exactly that way. 

 The season ought to open Nov. 1. Quail are very numer- 

 ous and any one with good high ranging dogs can make 

 good bags and have glorious sport. On Monday evening 

 I bagged 22, all fine grown birds. I notice an unusual 

 quantity of young rabbits and the rabbit hunter can also 

 have fine sport. These two are practically all the game 

 we have. There are a few turkeys, but hard to get at.— 



Four Hundred Laws and More are quoted from in 

 the Book of the Game Laws. Of their compilation an 

 editorial says: "The first qualities demanded of a com- 

 pendium of laws are accuracy and completeness. In the 

 lack of any collection of fish and game laws having these 

 qualities this one was undertaken. The preparation of 

 the work has involved an examination of more than 800 

 distinct, original and amendatory acts, scattered through 

 fifty-nine States, Territories and Provinces here repre- 

 sented. The labor of compilation has been largely in- 

 creased by the often careless and sometimes seemingly 

 contradictory nature of the legislation. It would be 

 presumption to hope that in the hundreds of laws here 

 given no minor errors will be discovered; but it may at 

 least be said that the Book of the Game Laws, as it appears 

 to-day, is the result of a painstaking and conscientious 

 endeavor to furnish an accurate and reliable compendium. 

 Similar care will be exercised to give all future enact- 

 ments promptly and correctly." 



Where Game Abounds.— The following letter was 

 written to Mr, Henry C. Squires, who hands it to u-i for 

 the benefit of whom it may concern. It is dated at Pine 

 Bluff, Ark., Oct. 18: The Catalogue is decidedly the 

 neatest and most attractive work of its kind I have ever 

 seen. After perusing it carefully I could not rest until I 

 could go out and take a good shoot; was gone an entire 

 week. Do you know of a party from your city wanting 

 to take a real good Western hunt this winter? I have 

 been at it all my life. I found last week the best hunting 

 grounds that can be found, unquestionably, in the United 

 States. I have tried it all and know whereof I speak, 

 Ducks and quail abundant, more deer and turkeys also 

 than I know of anywhere else. I often hear of parties 

 from New York out West hunting, but they do not find 

 the right place. If you know of a party wanting to find 

 a place, have them write me and I will give all the details 

 and also join them.— R. G. Atkinson. 



"Hal Dacotah."— A report from St. Paul, Minn., says 

 that Gen. Henry Hastings Sibley, the first Governor of 

 Minnesota and the only Democrat who ever held that 

 office, has suffered a stroke of paralysis and is in a critical 

 condition. He has been suffering from dropsy for some 

 time, and the absent members of the family have all as- 

 sembled at his home in St. Paul, a sister from England 

 being among the number. Gen. Sibley is nearly eighty 

 years old, and his once powerful frame has succumbed 

 slowly to the attacks of disease. 



Sky-Rockets for Game Preserves,— "Colonel" writes 

 of a device for protection against poachers: "Upon my 

 estate I employ alarm guns, which are simple and cheap 

 contrivances and can be set anywhere. An invisible wire 

 is attached to them which, on being touched, fires the 

 gun. Some discharge a rocket and illuminate the spot 

 invaded by the poachers so that their presence is at once 

 detected and their operations thwarted. Since using 

 them I have not been troubled with poachers." 



New York Game Law.— Albany, N. Y., Oct. 27.— The 

 commission appointed by the last Legislature to revise 

 and codify the game laws of the State will hold a final 

 public hearing at 2:30 P. M., Nov. 18, in the Assembly 

 parlor of the Capitol. All persons who desire to make 

 suggestions or propose amendments to the present game 

 laws will be heard at that time. 



The Book of the Game Laws is for sale by news- 

 dealers and at the gun stores. Price 50 cents. 



In another column Mr. E. G-. Vail, of Orient, L. I., advertises 

 some live ducks as decoys. They are broken co corn and wheat, 

 and call well.— Adv. 



"That reminds me." 



" ELL >" sighed the aged sportsman, "fact is I'm get- 

 T T ting old. I know it and feel it. My old legs won't 

 carry me as they used to. No. I shall go no more afield. 

 No more shall I follow my good dog from morn till dewy 

 eve over breezy uplands or through forest depths. There's 

 nothing left for me now but to sit in a blind and shoot 

 ducks over decoys. And yet," he added mus-ingly, as a 

 smile lit up his aged features, "not such an unhappy 

 thought that, to go out in the gray dawn to your blind 

 with seventy-five cartridges and return to breakfast with 

 sixty — " 



"Cartridges?" interrupted the joker. 



"No! Birds, you fool!" thundered the old man, and 

 the fervor of his righteous wrath convinced us that he 

 might follow his good dog afield for a year or two yet. 



Marstrand. 



Sweden. 



A Map of the United States.— A large, handsome map of the 

 United States, showing North and South Dakota, mounted and 

 suitable for office or home use and issued by the Burlington Route, 

 will be furnished responsible parties free on application to the 

 undersigned. Playing cards for 15 cents in postage by applying to 

 the undersigned, P. S. Eustxs, General Passenger and Ticket 

 Agent, C, B. & Q. R. R., Chicago, III -Adv. 



If Noah had used the chosen pair 



O' worms that went in the ark 

 To fish through the windows in the flood 



From his somewhat crowded bark, 

 And thus had used up the squirming stock 



In his own original way, 

 How many a lie it had spared and saved 



To the fishermen of to-day. 



Long Island Ducks.— Mr. L. E. Howell, whose father 

 keeps the "Sportsmen's Home" at Atlanticville, Long- 

 Island, writes from there Oct. 27: "A. Jackson and my- 

 self killed 226 broadbill ducks from a double battery; we 

 shot 302 shells. It is the largest score made by two men 

 m many years in these waters in one day. Shooting is 

 splendid here now. More ducks than have been for 



A Book About Indians— The Forest and Stream will mail 

 free on application a descriptive circular of Mr. G-rinnelTs book, 

 "Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales," giving a table of contents 

 and specimen illustrations from the volume.— Adv. 



Names and Portraits of Birds, by Ghardon Tram bun. A 

 bo 5 k particularly interesting to gunners, for by its use they can 

 identify without question all the American game birds which 

 they may kill. Cloth, 330 pages, price $3.50. For sale by Forest 

 akd Stream. 



