Forest and Stream. 



A Weekly Journal of the Rod and Gun. 



TjffiBMS, S4 A Year, 10 Ots. a Oopt. t 

 Srx Months, S2. i 



NEW YORK, MARCH 5, 18 91. 



j VOL. XXXVL-No, 7. 



I No. 318 Broad-way, New Vork, 



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CONTENTS. 



Editorial. 

 VS^yotniuK Should Act. 

 A Good Appointment. 

 Snap 'Sho(s. 



S3PORTSMAN TOtTRIST. 



In the Region Round Nicato- 

 wis.— vui. 

 Natubai. History. 



The Woodcock's Noise. 



Experience with Rattlesnakes 



Ways of the Ruffe d Grouse. 

 Game Bag akd Gun. 



The New York Law. 



Rubber Boots for Hunting. 



Mexico Two Years Afterward. 



Pennsylvania Game. 



Convictions. 



The Transportation of Game. 

 Some Currituck Scores. 

 Chicago and the West. 

 Sea and Ria'-er Fishing. 

 New York Fish Commission. 

 Intlie Franconia Wilderness. 

 The Sagadahoc Association. 

 Rainbow and Brook Trout 



Cross. 

 Angling Notes. 

 Pennsylvania Waters. 



Ftshcultuhe. 



List of Fish Commissioners. 



Commissioner McDonald Ex- 

 onerated. X- 

 The Kennel. 



The New York Dog Show. 



The Baltimore Dog Show. 



A. K. C. Meetinc. 



TJnitefl States Field Trial Club 



Dog Chat. 



Keiinel Notes. 



Kennel ManagemerJ,. 

 Rifle and Trap Shooting 



Range and GaUerv, 



A iNew Rifle Model. 



The Trap. 



Illinois Pigeon-Shooting BUI. 

 Yachting. 

 The Racing Outlook. 

 The Cnrintlfiian Sweepstake?. 

 A "Mean Length" Racing 

 Boat. 



Tregurtha Safety Yacht Boiler 



The Fall River Line. 



Sir Richard Sutton. 

 Canoeing. 



Cruise of the Shenandoah C. C 

 Answers to Correspondents. 



WYOMING SHOULD ACT. 



ONE of the few good hunting regions for big game 

 left in this country is in the State of Wyoming. 

 East and south of the Yellowstone Park there is a con- 

 siderable range for big game, a country too rough and 

 high for settlement, into which comes a considerable 

 overflow of elk and deer from the natural increase of 

 the stock protected in the national reservation. 



In past years this country was little known and by 

 no means easy of access, but of late it has been often 

 visited. It is not so very long ago that we used to hear 

 of Jackson's Hole as that far distant point, where the 

 game was always plenty and the fish always bit. And in 

 truth, when we first visited it, there was enough game 

 and fish there to satisfy the most exacting sportsman. Of 

 late years, however, the settlements have crept up Snake 

 River, the Indians from Washaki and Ft. Hall come there 

 and hunt; there is even a hotel on Jackson's Lake. 



The game and the fish are being destroyed there just as 

 they have been in so many other places. During the 

 winter of 1889-90 a great deal of game was killed near 

 this point by men who wintered north of Jackson's Lake. 

 In one place there were seen last summer the skeletons of 

 thirteen elk, which had been shot down, and not very far 

 from this were a number of moose skins lying on the 

 ground. Near all the places where elk had been killed 

 were evidences that trapping btid been carried on. Not 

 satisfied with destroying the game, the greedy settlers are 

 ruining the fishing in Snake River. Parties come in from 

 the west to that stream just north of Jackson's Lake, and 

 in their wagons bring nets, skiifs and dynamite. With 

 these agents they make the destruction complete. Some 

 of these poachers are well known, but we do not know 

 ■ that any evidence has been collected against them. 



It will be remembered that the country on the east side 

 of the Park is pretty well proteeted, from south of the 

 Gray Bull River north to the Montana line, through the 

 efforts of the local association which was organized 

 Iftrgeljr thjrougb the efforts of Col. Pickett, Mr. A. Rogers 



and others; but this is a xwivate association, paying its 

 own men and receiving no help from the State. At the 

 last session of the Wyomiug Legislature, Col. Pickett, of 

 that body, procured the passage of a good game law 

 which is still in force, but this law exists only on the 

 statute books. The result of the efforts made by Col. 

 Pickett and his association has been a very considerable 

 increase in the game throughout the Territory covered by 

 his protective society. The butchers have learned that 

 in that country they cannot kill, and the game is not 

 unduly disturbed. In view of what has been accom- 

 plished here, and the fq,ct that Wyoming has a good 

 game law, it certainly seems that it would be worth 

 while for the State to spend a little money to enforce that 

 law and protect its game, which is certainly worth more 

 to it om the hoof than it is dead. A small force of efli- 

 cient game constables, who should patrol the country 

 south and east of the Park, reporting at certain intervals 

 to some chief, could in a short time, we believe, put an 

 end to the game and fish butchery, which is now a dis- 

 grace to the newest of our States. 



We venture to predict that if a movement in this direc- 

 tion were to be made, Col. Pidkett would be glad to give 

 the State the benefit of his great experience, and in this 

 way to help on this much needed work. 



A GOOD APPOINTMENT. 



ALMOST from the time that the project for a National 

 Zoological Park at Washington took shape, it has 

 been felt that the Yellowstone Park might furnish many 

 specimens of our native mammals for exhibition there. 

 Such specimens could be captm-ed for this good purpose 

 without in any way interfering with the game supply in 

 the Park, and the wild animals there are so abundant and 

 so tame, that it is almost possible to make a selection of 

 the finest specimens for transportation to their new home 

 in the East. 



Although game is plenty and tame in the National 

 Park, the animals have not reached such a point of gen- 

 tleness that it is possible to go out and put a rope around 

 the neck of a moose, or a buffalo and lead him into the 

 barn. These animals must still be trapped, and to trap 

 them successfully calls for the services of a man familiar 

 with their habits. While it is no doubt true that there 

 are many men in the West who are competent to under- 

 take this work, we are glad to learn that the choice of 

 the authorities has fallen on the very one who, in our 

 opinion, is best qualified to perform it. This man is our 

 correspondent, Mr, Elwood Hofer. 



Mr. Hofer, who is known to many readers of the For- 

 est AND Stream by his writings, is an old mountain man, 

 a sportsman, an ardent lover of nature, and a close ob- 

 server of all her works. He is a man of great nerve and 

 courage, as was shown by the difficult and dangerous 

 snowshoe trip, which he made in the dead of winter 

 through the National Park as special commissioner for 

 the Forest and Stream, The graphic report of that 

 trip, which was published in our columns in 1887, excited 

 great public interest, and was widely copied. 



Mr. Hofer has resided in or near the Yellowstone Park 

 for a good many years, and takes the deepest interest in 

 the protection of that reservation. His appointment as 

 Smithsonian trapper will be a good thing, not only for 

 the Zoological Park at Washington, but also for the 

 National Park; for in the discharge of his duties he will 

 of necessity be much abroad, and will have an opportun- 

 ity, while traveling about the Park, to look out for forest 

 fires and for poachers, who may slip into the Park to kill 

 game. His appointment is therefore, in a certain degree, 

 like the appointment of another civilian scout for the 

 Park. 



It is satisfactory to know that among those persons 

 who have been most deeply interested in the National 

 Park, there is but one opinion as to Mr. Hofer's fitness for 

 his new position, and that all these persons have cordially 

 united in recommending him for the appointment he has 

 received. 



New York fishermen who have taken Hudson River 

 salmon in their nets have not always complied with the 

 law, which says that the fish must be freed, but have 

 taken them over to Jersey City, where there being no 

 law, a ready sale was found. Now New Jersey has passed 

 a salmon law, drafted by Commissioner Blackford, and 

 uniform with the New York law, A capital instance of 

 co-operatiYe legislation. 



SNAP SHOTS. 

 T^HERE was a large attendance at the Assembly hear- 

 ing at Albany last Thursday to consider the codiflca^ 

 tion bill. Fish Commissioner Burden objected to any re- 

 duction of the number of Fish Commissioners, and asked 

 that the present members should retire by lot, one eac^ 

 year, beginning with Oct, 1 of this year. He showed 

 that the work could be better accomplished if the oflioe 

 were in New York. He recommended that 12in. should 

 be the lawful length for trout, and 9in. for black bass. 

 Mr, Horace White, of Syracuse, advocated the prohibition 

 of spring duck shooting, and Mr. F. E. Hamilton, of 

 Oswego, sustained him; and Mr, Reeves, of Smithport, 

 contended that Long Island gunners wanted spring shoot- 

 ing. Dr. S. B, Ward asked that professional men going 

 to the Adirondacks might have the privilege of hounding 

 deer after Sept. 5. Mr. Stevens, of the committee, said 

 that hounding in hot weather was cruel. 



There is decided opposition to certain provisions of the 

 New York codification bill relating to the Fish Commis- 

 sion. This opposition is so strong as seriously to endanger 

 the entire measure. As Gen. Sherman points out in a 

 communication published to-day the laws relating to the 

 Commission need revision; and a consistent, definite law 

 is urgently desired. But is it not a mistake to hamper 

 the fish and game protection bill by this Fish Commis- 

 sion rider? We cannot at all afford to lose the entire 

 measure by reason of antagonism to the Fish Commis- 

 sion sections. It would be wiser to separate the two sub- 

 jects than to sacrifice the entire bill. 



Historic Castle Garden, the emigrant reception depot, 

 having been abandoned by the Emigration Commis- 

 sioners, has come into the control of the Park Commis- 

 sioners, and remains to be converted to some public use. 

 Fish Commissioner Blackford proposes to convert the 

 building into a great aquarium to be maintained by the 

 city. Its position on the Battery is ideal for the reception 

 and maintenance of salt-water specimens; and the buil- 

 ding can readily be adapted to the purposes of an aquar- 

 ium. The scheme is worthy of careful consideration, 

 a public aquarium such as might here be established, 

 would furnish an immense amount of amusement and 

 instruction. 



The old story of the apprentices who stipulated that 

 they should not be compelled to eat salmon everv day in 

 the week has its counterpart in an American tradition 

 that in the old times the slaves on a Maryland plantation 

 revolted because they were fed so exclusively on diamond- 

 back terrapin. With these delicacies now selling at $60 

 per dozen, that story sounds very much like a yarn. 



A brief summary of the report of the committee of in- 

 vestigation as to the conduct of the National Fish Com- 

 mission was given last week, we publish a more com- 

 plete record to-day. It is a complete exoneration of Col. 

 McDonald. 



The Massachusetts game importation enterprise is win- 

 ning fame for the Association in foreign parts, its work 

 having been favorably noticed by our contemjiorary, Le 

 Chenil, and other journals.^ 



The bill to repeal the charter of the West Jersey Game 

 Protective Society will probably come up in the Trenton 

 Legislature next Monday evening. 



Revolver Championship.— The growing i)opularity of 

 revolver shooting has led to the making of scores far 

 beyond what the weapon was thought capable of making. 

 Minor improvements in loading, etc. , have brought the 

 arm up to a point of precision which should satisfy the 

 most critical user. Thus far the scores made have been 

 without any very precise conditions, and comparisons 

 have been diflacult to make. In order to bring about a 

 definite fixed championship record to determine the 

 amateur having the highest degree of credit as a shot, 

 Forest and Stream has undertaken the conduct of a 

 formal championship match. This is at the special 

 request of Mr. Walter Winans, whose laosition at the 

 head of the line of English revolver shooters is weU 

 known. He will contribute as an emblem of the cham- 

 pionship one of his own artistic pieces of sculpture done 

 in bronze, and the conditions, of which more will be said 

 in our next issue, will be made as open as possible and 

 an opportunity made for all to shoot in what promises to 

 be a> match of naore tha|j oysiisaxy importance, 



