Not. 6, 1890,] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



811 



have been slaughtering the deer by fire- lain ting at night, 

 which is against the law. One of these bac3? woodsmen 

 passed the Dayton eainp on the shore of Lake Hilbert, 

 Wisconsin, with twelve saddles of venison last Tuesday 

 i'rom deer that had been slaughtered at night with a big 

 fc-bore gun. Harvey Puterbaugb, of that camp, killed a 

 six-pvonged buck, a 200 pounder, very black skin on the. 

 back. One-half of the carcass was as much as two men 

 could can y through the woods. 



The Gerinantown hunters, at Camp Hawkins, on the 

 Soo Railway, in Chippewa county, Wisconsin, have been 

 having fine. sport. James Oilman killed a monster buck; 

 and Jacob Judge shot a bear cub, and wounded the old 

 she bear and her other cub, and at last report the hunters 

 were on the trail. 



Last Monday Philip Kern, of the Dayton party in Mar- 

 quette county, Michigan, killed two fawns and Joseph 

 Mauter brought down a spike buck by a long shot. Eight 

 miles from that party are located three Xenia camps, who 

 in the aggregate have killed 44 deer in six weeks, O. W. 

 Linkhart having the champion scoie of 7 deer killed and 

 taken into camp. Brown. 



WOODCOCK SHOOTING WITH A SPANIEL 



TT appears strange that while all the sporting journals 

 J- pronounce woodcock to have been so abundant in 

 most parts this season, in this old woodcock locality we 

 should have had no August or September birds/ The 

 woodcock to be found here at the present are merely 

 flight birds, and are to be found in the most inaccessible 

 places. 



Having hunted all the usual coverts for these birds, and 

 only bagging some halt dozen brace, I was about to give 

 up all hopes of getting any woodcuck shooting for this 

 year, when a thought struck me to go out on some 

 meadow, and fall wheat fields, and see if I could not get 

 a few snipe. I found these fields literally bored to pieces 

 with what I took at first sight to be snipe at work. Hav- 

 ing thoroughly hunted the ground with my spaniel Jill, 

 and succeeded in getting up only two snipe (both of 

 which 1 bagged) f thought I would examine the dropping, 

 as possiblv the boring might be done by woodcock at 

 night. Upon doing so I felt convinced that my surmise 

 was correct. I have found that in the droppings from 

 woodcock, an occasional dropping will be found with a 

 pink tinge in the coloring, while in the snipe's droppings 

 the coloring is black. I felt now sure that woodcock, 

 and a good number of them, were in the neighborhood, 

 and possibly not far away, and commenced a regular 

 systematic search for them, and succeeded after a time 

 in finding their retreat about a mile from their feeding 

 ground. And oh, you setter and pointer men, what a 

 place, as dry as a chip, and composed of swamp willows, 

 cedar, small birch and poplar, and so close together that 

 while I carried my gun in a perpendicular position in my 

 right hand 1 had to divide the boughs and switches with 

 my left in order to pass through, and succeeded in mak- 

 ing a splendid bag with the help of my spaniel, which 

 gives tongue whenever she flushes a bird, be it a wood- 

 cock, snipe or partridge; and I know at once by the 

 nature of her bark which it is. Do you hear that, you 

 Oi umber men? 



For woodcock, snipe, duck and partridge I prefer my 

 black cocker and field spaniels before all other breeds. I 

 have always used them, and hope always to do so to the 

 end. For a handsome, companionable, useful and easily 

 trained dog, commend me to the spariiej, especially the 

 black spaniel. 



These October woodcock are unusually large, fat birds, 

 with the most lovely plumage. How any person calling 

 himself a sportsman can shoot a July woodcock after 

 once having killed an October bird, is beyond my com- 

 prehension. H. B. N. 



CooKsrowN, Ontario. 



WHAT CAN BE DONE? 



PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 2.— Dear Forest and Stream: 

 Your manner of treating the great cjuestiou of 

 game preservation, and your habit of giving to the sports- 

 man of limited means and humble desires as good a 

 hearing as you grant to the wealthiest yachtsman or deer 

 hunter, emboldens me to trouble you with this effusion, 

 hoping it may meet your approval in sufiacient degree to 

 warrant its publication in your columns. I think it rep- 

 resents the Adews of many men of square sporting instincts 

 who feel with me in these matters. . 



An old shooting friend remarked to me in answer to 

 my wail about the scarcity of rail birds, "The Delaware 

 River is played out." I take his terse remark as my 

 text. 



We have one hundred miles of river between us and the 

 sea, it is bounded on both sides for almost that entire dis- 

 tance by great meadows and marshes, splendid feeding- 

 grounds for snipe, plover, ducks, rail and reed birds; and 

 the river banks are not at all thickly settled, in fact we 

 do not have to go many miles down before the country 

 presents a remarkably wild and uncultivated appearance 

 on both sides of bay and river, the very picture of a 

 natural game preserve; and the great number of tributary 

 creeks, very many of them large enough to be called 

 rivers, add immensely to these advantages. These creeks 

 and the river itself are wonderful breeding grounds for 

 fine fioh. and there is room for incalculable quantities of 

 them. Twice in 24 hours a great tidal wave rushes in 

 and recedes from the river and its tributaries; and an 

 immense volume of fresh water from the mountains'and 

 hills of northern Pennsylvania and southern New York 

 continually sweeps down to the sea. Nature has supplied 

 every condition with a lavish hand: and many a time I 

 have exclaimed with the poet: 



"Every prospect pleases. 

 And only man is vile." 



We have the water and the marshes, but the birds and 

 fish are almost extinct. In plain violation of law our oil 

 refineries pour out their refuse into the stream, vast oily 

 masses, floating up and down with the tide, tainting the 

 marshes and polluting the water, livery flat is swept 

 with "nigger nets" twice every twenty -four hours for 

 almost two months. These nets are of lin. mesh, and 

 sweep even the smallest perch and sunfish into the 

 lockers of the market boats and the river channel. The 

 creeks are almost paved with hoop nets doing their work 

 all the year round . 



I pi.y the West Jersey Game Protective Association a 

 ce ain amount of cash every year for a license to shoot, 



and maybe it sounds a little hard when I say I have never 

 known them to protect anything but their charter. Their 

 great work haa been done in that flock of particularly 

 gamy game birds that assembles at Trenton. The associ- 

 ation is ready about as near nothing as it can be as far as 

 protection to game is concerned. I have not heard of 

 their having made a single arrest this year so far, though 

 I could have directed their attention to some glaring vio- 

 lations of the law. 



Now, 1 have stated our case, what are we sportsmen of 

 limited means and leisure to do? We have neither time 

 nor money to turn amateur policemen, and we do not 

 want to see all our ancient hunting grounds fall into the 

 hands of wealthy and exclusive sporting clubs, who will 

 really protect their leased domains. 



I write this in the faint hope that in the columns of 

 Forest and Stream it may attract the attention of some 

 of our own opulent and independent shooting and fishing 

 men, who, spending their time and money in distant 

 fields, have lost sight of this great natural game demesne 

 at their very door, and have resigned it to the tender 

 mercies of the oil refiner, the market-shooter and the 

 market- fisherman . 



It has been said that we, native, born Philadelphians, 

 raised upon Schuylkill River water ("the Schuylkill, oh, 

 lovely sewer!''), wont "kick" at anything; but a little in- 

 dignation has worked through the fumes of the above- 

 mentioned beverage in yours, H. E. 



RIFLE AIMING AT GAME. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I inclose two photographs showing a favorite position 

 among home deer stalkers in this country for taking long 

 shots at large game. I never saw it used when living in 

 America years ago, and think the position must be gen- 

 erally unknown there, having only once read in any 

 American paper of its being tried, and then only for tar- 

 get shooting by one individual. I have killed numbers 

 of deer and autelope at long ranges, sitting down as in 

 Fig. 1. Except in windy weather it is nearly or quite as 

 steady as the prone position often illustrated in books 

 upon prairie shooting, and has the following additional 

 advantages: It is equally adapted for firing down over 

 the edge of a precipice or up the side of a steep hill. It 

 allows of a clear view of the game over rocks, bushes or 

 the top of tall grass. Shots can easily be taken at animals 

 on the fastest gallop by raising the elbows off the knees. 



The position can be assumed quietly and quickly on the 

 most even ground, with little risk of alarming the game. 

 If it be advisable to stand up for a better view of the 

 game, the hunter can rise in a moment without the help 

 of his hands, and with the rifle held ready for a quick 

 shot. 



Fig. 2 shows a modification of the sitting position which 

 is in common use among many of the Boors of South 

 Africa for long shots at antelope. With a stick held as 

 illustrated shooting can be made almost as good as from 

 a fixed rest. It doubtless was adopted in the days of 

 muzzleloaders when hunters carried loading rods. 



Though the stick would of course be debarred as an 

 artificial rest in shooting matches, this position is strongly 

 to be recommended for trying the accuracy of a rifle by 

 those who feel awkward when firing from the back. 



J. J. Meyrick. 



DrcvoiMSHiiiii, England. 



[The position first alluded to is similar to the one here 

 shown, the stick being dispensed with. J 



THE ADIRONDACK DEER SUPPLY. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In your issue of Oct. 28 there appears an article over 

 the siguature "D. C. L.," which puts deer hounding 

 where it belongs. In the last paragraph of that article 

 he portrays in scathing words how depraved must be the 

 sportsman who indulges in this water butchery. 



I beg to differ with your correspondent on two points. 

 First, he does not think hounding is destructive. 



Not doubting in the least your correspondent's sincerity, 

 but he has probably not had the opportunities to judge 

 rightly. Many others are of the same opinion. 



They have engaged in hounding perhaps in the first 

 half of September on some large lake wheie there were 

 not hunters enough to command the whole line; and at 

 this season deer do not like to swim, but run into small 

 streams and skirt along the shore of the lake in shallow 

 water, and thus escape the hunters. Had your corres- 

 pondent been with me here the last week of hounding I 

 am sure he would come to a different conclusion. I have 

 in mind two prominent men who were in the woods here 

 during the last week of hounding. They told me when 

 they came back that this was the first opportunity they 

 had of knowing to what extent and manner hounding 

 was carried on in the Adirondacks, and although they 

 were previously in favor of hounding they were now 

 thoroughly disgusted and opposed to it on the ground of 

 its destructivneps. "Why," they said, "it must be no 

 dogs or no deer." 



Along the road here for a distance of ten miles there 

 was a string of men within shooting distance of each 

 other, then they bad boats on all the lakes to pick up 

 what deer lived to get to water. In this manner the 

 highest bag they made in one day was twenty deer. They 

 kept this np until the deer were* either all killed or 

 driven off. 



It is not so mucii the sportsman that is depleting 

 the deer as those living around the borders of the woods. 1 



Hounding makes deer hunting independent of skill or 

 experience. And thus hundreds go in to kill all they 

 can, regardless to numbers or manner of killing. All 

 who are most competent to judge agree that at least 

 three hundred deer have been taken out of the woods in 

 this immediate vicinity. 



Secondly, your correspondent says, "There is really no 

 proba,ble moral difference in the manner of killing deer." 

 I beg to differ with him here. If hounding is a proper 

 occupation, then crusting is the same; so too is trapping. 

 Water is only one form of trap, the most destructive, for 

 the steel trap waits for its single victim until it wanders 

 into its jaws, while in the water trap you take advantage 

 of the victim's instinct provided for its safety by forcing 

 it into the trap when the hound is put upon its track. It is 

 no part of the sportsman to subject his game to avoidable 

 suffering or fear. But what terror exceeds that of the 

 timid deer flying before the hound for the instinctive 

 place of safety; and when there his terror is agonized by 

 the approach of the boat and hunter to complete the 

 work of destruction. I have seen the deer raise its body 

 half out of water and bleat most piteously as the boat 

 approached. Whoever can thus kill a deer struggling in 

 the w T ater must be endowed with a greater amount of 

 natural depravity than I am willing to own or attribute 

 to your much respected correspondent. 



I think "D. C. L." would experience quite a different 

 sensation were he to travel miles and miles through the' 

 thick woods, searching cautiously every jungle and 

 place most likely to harbor the wary deer, only to see his 

 retreating form waving the white flag of defiance, until 

 at last he succeeds in outwitting one, gets in the first shot 

 and brings his noble game to bag from what he would 

 by cracking one's skull at short range or with the club 

 wdiile struggling helplessly in the water. 



Deer are not increasing in the Adirondacks, but steadily 

 diminishing. As the result of hounding deer have been 

 concentrated into localities less disturbed. Large areas 

 contain but few deer, and when hunted from their last 

 refuge by the hound and the water butcher their exter- 

 mination will be practically accomplished. Mtjsset. 

 Beaver Rivbr Region. Oct. 29. 



MINNESOTA GAME FIELDS. 



DETROIT CITY, Oct. 29.— Chicken shooting has not 

 been so good as usual. Stephen and I. had indif- 

 ferent success each time we were out, and others reported 

 very moderately-filled bags. Saw two large flocks of 

 chickens the other day when after ducks. 



The duck shooting has been extraordinarily good. I 

 never saw so many mallards in my life as I saw on one or 

 two occasions this fall. We've all had rare sport. Several 

 parties from abroad have been camped at Height of Land 

 Lake and Tamarac, and have slaughtered the duck by the 

 thousand. 



I just met Tom Richmond on the street and he said, 

 "Let me tell you the trick a duck played on me last 

 Saturday. I shot a big green-head, and he fell into the 

 water seemingly dead. My dog brought him out, and I 

 carried him and another one in my hand half a mile; then 

 I laid my gun and the ducks down to get a string from 

 my pocket to tie them together with. The green-head 

 jumped up, ran between my legs, and started on a duck- 

 run across lots. I ran after him thinking to catch him 

 every step, and leaving my gun further behind all the 

 time. Presently the duck rose, just beyond the reach of 

 my hands, and went off toward the lake seemingly as 

 well as ever, leaving me standing there gazing after him 

 like a fool. The next duck I get I'm going to know he's 

 dead, you bet." 



Snipe shooting has been indulged in somewhat this fall. 

 P. 0. Stephens and I went out one afternoon and brought 

 home a fine lot. The geese have been reported very 



1)lenty around here, but I've not seen them, nor seen any 

 arge number brought in. A. R. Stephens and I were out 

 all of one day in a place where they were reported thick, 

 but we did not see one goose. 



Parties are already passing through here northward to 

 be in camp ready for the deer. The season Opens next 

 Saturday. A. R. Stephens expects to go north of town 

 about eight miles and kill seven big bucks that day. 

 We'll see if he does. P. O. Stephens and I intend to start 

 for the woods Monday, Nov. 3. We expect to achieve so 

 great a success that the Northwest shall ring with the 

 fame thereof. Why shouldn't we, when we each have an 

 elegant new rifle wdth all the latest improvements? Per- 

 haps you'll hear from us later on. Myron Cooley. 



Game in Delaware.— Dover, Del., Nov. L— At the 

 annual election last week of officers and directors of the 

 Delaware Game Protective Association, the old board was 

 re-elected. The president, Mr. I. N. Mills, is an efficient 

 and able officer. Since this association was incorporated 

 eleven years ago, much has been done toward making 

 salutary game laws, and the quantity and quality of our 

 game shows a marked increase. The members of this 

 association have not labored for the sake of any private 

 gain, but for the general good. And to-day ours is a 

 State in which the game laws are enforced, and for our 

 extent of territory we have a creditable supply of game. 

 From the 2,200 partridges loosed in the State last spring, 

 there has been a proportionate increase. The dry sum- 

 mer season was favorable to the young birds, and in the 

 two lower counties there are but few farms that have not 

 one or more coveys of birds. The woods and thickets 

 have also a liberal showing of thejittle "cottontail'' deni- 

 zens. The shooting season opens on Nov. 15, and the 

 farmers are placarding their fences with notices warning 

 the too zealous sportsman against trespassing. In many 

 instances these signs are not to be strictly construed as 

 meaning "no gunning," but they have the effect of pre- 

 venting a general overrunning of the land by gunners 

 and dogs.— Del A. Ware. 



The "Asian." — The last number of our Calcutta con- 

 temporary, the Asian, contains the announcement that 

 "with its next number the Asian, which will then com- 

 mence its thirteenth year of existence and its twenty-fifth 

 volume, will beeome a weekly, instead of being as hith- 

 erto a fortnightly paper. The vast strides which sport 

 has made in India during the last twelve years have ren- 

 dered the more frequent appearance of the journal 

 devoted to its chronicles and interest a matter of neces- 

 sity hence the change." 



