Jan. 21, 1892.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



'It's funny we don't get one then," I replied. 

 'Come with me," he said, "and see what 1 so through 

 "with to get one." I went with hitn up Alder Brook, and 

 there we waited at what we knew was a favorite place 

 for moose to drink. After an hour Lad passed and never 

 a moose had showed his ugly mug, I was beginning to 

 get impatient, for that was my waiting limit. Twenty 

 minutes more passed. I began to realize that it was a 

 very cold day. I stood it for half an hour longer and had 

 to give in. 



' Let's go hack to camp," I said, " I'm frozen." 

 ' All right," replied the Lawyer., ct but this is nothing. 

 I've frequently waited here for three or four hours." 



We paddled softly, but swiftly, going down Alder, and 

 were about half-way down when what should we sight 

 when coming around a sharp bend but a bull moose, 

 standing in the middle of the brook, and probably as 

 much surprised at meeting us as we were him, for he 

 stared at us in savage wonder. We fired simultaneously, 

 the huge awkward beast staggered forward a few feet 

 and then fell. We jumped from our canoes trembling 

 with excitement, bled the animal well, and dragged him 

 ashore. So sudden had the whole thing happened that 

 we did not fully realize what we had done until then. 

 We had killed a magnificent specimen of the moose 

 tribe. It was well for us, too, that our bullets had proved 

 fatal, for had they merely wounded him he would in 

 another minute probably have been trampling us far in 

 the mud of Alder. To drag this immense beast to camp 

 whole was an impossibility. We skinned him where he 

 lay, and were carving, or rather hacking at him until it 

 grew dark, and had to make three separate trips to camp 

 •with parts of his carcass. When we at last had all the 

 good meat at camp and his hide hung up we were tired, 

 happy, and covered with blood. 



The meat was delicious, many parts tasting similar to 

 good veal. For the next few days we did nothing but 

 ,rest on our laurels and eat moose; and, best of all, we had 

 the proof of the killing in a fine hide and magnificent 

 head and antlers; but when we showed these to friends at 

 home, they swore we had patronized a Bangor game 

 [store. Among our doubters was an old weather-beaten 

 Biunter, who with great sagacity asked for our hunting 

 corduroys. When we brought forth these blood-stained 

 '< trophies they were convinced and pleased; but more 

 pleased were they with our ruddy looks, for our five 

 weeks' stay in Maine ozone had turned our pale cheeks to 

 a healthy brown. When asked by the old hunter for five 

 reasons that made our trip such a complete success, we 

 replied: To our going direct to a log cabin in a good 

 hunting district and staying there; to good food; to the 

 l.river route; our going in the fall of the year; and to one 

 of the most important things on such a trip, jolly fellow- 

 ship. D. A. Fairohild. 

 Eiudgeport, Conn. 



ONE OF THE COONS OF MEMORY. 



THE beautiful weather of last month caused the recol- 

 lections of boy hod days ; each day and each slight 

 change in the weather were associated with some happy 

 "event that is indelibly written on my mind. Tuese are 

 times that are passed and gone forever. I am by no 

 means an old man, it is only twelve years since I left the 

 old country home where I have spent so many hours of 

 pleasure with my dog and gun after quail, rabbits and 

 squirrel ; and with several good hand?, a negro or two 

 the woods were made to ring at night, when an old boar 

 coon was being driven at the rate of twenty miles an 

 hour. 



Coon hunting got hold of me when I was about 

 'twelve years old, and I followed it and enjoyed it keenly 

 for fifteen years, and some of my happiest moments now 

 are when in reverie. I am following my favorite dogs 

 with my colored companions ; and when 1 am awakened 

 from my reverie, how sharply can I realize how " bless- 

 ings brighten as they take their flight." 



I recall one Saturday night many years ago, when I 

 was anxious for a hunt. So was Jim, my colored partner, 

 but some boys from another neighborhood, some distance 

 off, had slipped down and carried off two of our dogs, 

 leaving us with only one, old George, the best treer but 

 the poorest fighter. After supper we met at tbe barn, 

 and Jim looking up at the moon said, n Boss, Ctis is too 

 pretty er night ter stay at home, less have dem dogs and 

 go er hunting." "Yes, but they are five miles from 

 •here. No doubt the boys have gone out with them by 

 [this time." " I tell you how we can git em. Less git on 

 some horses and go up there ; and when we hear de dogs 

 running git in ahead of em and .ketch ours as they come 

 up; they will come with old George." 

 I The idea struck me favorably. It only needed a sug- 

 gestion; the moon, the atmosphere, the night, everything 

 was suggestive. It was one of those ideal nights in 

 which everything invites the hunter to the woods, and 

 in five minutes we were a half mile from home going 

 northward, with a solitary hound following us. In 

 another half hour we were three miles- fro tn home and 

 could hear our dogs trailing, but every effort failed to 

 get them and we started home. 



In going through some open woods old George started 

 a hot trail and in five minutes treed in a small coffee- 

 bean tree about one hundred yards from us. On riding 

 up we found the tree to be only a shell, and having a 

 good ax we soon brought it down. The dog located the 

 coon in the hollo sv, when out he popped right on top of 

 the dog. They clinched, but before I could render any 

 assistance to the dog the coon persuaded himself that he 

 had business up a big red oak about twenty feet away. 

 The dog jumped up six feet after him but he was an old 

 coon and too sharp for George. We had no gun and I 

 knew that one dog could never kill that big coon. I had 

 no faith in Jim as a coon fighter, neither could he chmb. 

 But I was determined to try it again and told Jim to get 

 U big stick, and I started up the tree. When near the 

 top 1 saw the coon out on a limb toward the soutb, and 

 told Jim to go to a stump which 1 pointed out to him and 

 as soon as the coon struck the ground to kill him. 



Satisfying myself that Jim was at the right place, I 

 handed Mr. Coon my hat on a long stick. As the hat 

 passed over him he went, and the JJrnb 6prang back to 

 is place. I hallowed to Jim, "He's coming," and saw 

 :he negro running down the hill from the tree as fast as 

 ne could go. I yelled to him, " Go back to that stump," 

 which he did, but not until he heard the ooon strike the 

 ground and saw him going the other way. Old George 

 again tackled him, and coon and clog were standing on 



their hind feet like two dogs fighting. I was coining- 

 down the tree as fast as I could. Jim ran up with his 

 two-handed club (he was a man, not a boy) and struck 

 with all his might — I guess, with both eyes shut. Every- 

 tbing was quiet when 1 reached the ground a few sec- 

 onds afterward. I ran up to where they were and found 

 Jim standing speechless, with his club in his hand, and 

 old George lying on the ground as dead as Hector. I 

 was almost beside myself with rage. The coon was gone, 

 of course, but that was nothing ; he bad killed our best 

 dog. Jim knew what was coming from me, and as soon 

 as he got the use of his tongue said, " Dar now ! I done 

 killed old George ; I made sho I was hittiu de coon." I 

 said nothing, but sat down and took the dog's head in 

 my lap. In a few seconds he gasped, and Jim said, "I 

 bleve my soul, he's coming to." In a few more seconds 

 he raised his head and began to lick himself ; then stag- 

 gered to his feet and began smelling around for the coon. 

 He struck the track and went about a half mile across a 

 corn field. Our other dogs came to him and we followed 

 close up, but they did not tree ; and the first thing we 

 knew George had gone off with the other dogs and we 

 went home. After I realized how ridiculous the whole 

 thing was I laughed for ten minutes. L. S. Eddins. 

 Missouri. 



MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION. 



THE annual meeting of the Association was held at 

 the American House, Boston, Jan. 13, President 

 Edw. A. Samuels in the chair. Messrs. 1). Currie Dole- 

 man, George Ellis, Col. Chas. E, Fuller, Sumner Paine, 

 Nathaniel C. Nash, Victor J. 1 coring, Eugene E, Partridge, 

 Alfred A. Pocock, Walter C. Baylies, Chas. S. Bird, Win- 

 throp M. Pitman, Geo. W. Foster and Lee Hammond 

 were proposed for membership and their applications re- 

 ferred to the committee. The Membership Committee 

 reported favorably on the applications of Messrs. L. W. 

 Newell, Albert S. Watson, Dr. H. A, Baker, M. J. Mc- 

 Intire, Henry W. Wilson, Win. H. Varney, Harry W. 

 Read, Franklin B. Daniels, Daniel C. Holder, Jr., John F. 

 Hooper, Chas. A. Cutter, Frank W. Chapman, W. A. 

 Rawson, David Conway, and they were elected members. 

 Chas. F. Munroe, chairman of committee on auditing the 

 treasurer's accounts, reported they were correct, all bills 

 had prpper vouchers, leaving balance on hand of $9-14 85, 

 as per treasurer's report. Treasurer F. P. Shattuck pre- 

 sented a detailed statement, as follows: 



Cash Rece ived. Paid. 



For membership $760 00 For propaeating game. ...$350 00 



Dues 1,201 00 Five monthly suppers 871. .'.'"> 



Sundries, including an- -Printing 280 S| 



nual dinner 1.15175 Added to permanent fund ;in7 oil 



Sundry accounts 39U 70 



$3,202 75 Ca3h on hand 944 85 



$3,202 75 



On deposit in savings bank $926.28 and one year's accrued 

 interest. 

 Boston, Jan. 13, 1892. 



Mr. Henry J. Thayer, Secretary of Committee on Game 

 Importation, reported as follows: 



Til's, the third season 1 .! work of this committee, has proved the 

 most laborious as well as the most fruitful in result.' 



The third season we must date from some point, and as July :'s 

 the breeding season and in which no work can really be done, we 

 have made that time. The work of tbe committee has embraced 

 the importing this year of prairie chickens, Southern quail, 

 Oregon mountain quail or plumed partridge, also Northern white 

 hares. 



A ll hough the year has been exceptionally poor for breeding, 

 and allowance must be made for liberating birds in the middle 

 or the pairing season after having been shipped and confined, 

 when consequently they are ill prepared to withstand their new 

 trials, we have been much more than gratified with results so far. 



We have conclusively proved that the quail are a success, and 

 the results are lasting, more or less according to care and amount 

 of shooting, everyone, almost, confirming this statement. 



We have good grounds for hoping that the prairie chickens will 

 be a valuable acquisition in this State; those that have been heard 

 from so far have been reported as being on the increase. 



Tne Oregon mountain quail are beautiful birds and apparently 

 possess good game qualities. Northern white hares have been 

 least successful as a whole than anything else, and although every 

 one who has had them begs for more, the loss and trouble 'in hand- 

 ling do not encourage the committee to pursue the subject with 

 much ardor. The time, trouble, and money can be put to better 

 advantage elsewhere. To the sharp-tail grouse the committee 

 pins its faith, first, foremost and most confidently. The commit- 

 tee has worked the hardest and with the least success to obtain 

 them, and at last we feel confident that our trouble is to be 

 rewarded. The seventeen sharptails received and planted have 

 been reported as doing well. Summary of importations: 



fidy 1, 1890 to July 1, 1391. July 1, 1801 to Jan. 13, 1891. 



Prairie c nick ens 255 Sharptail grouse.. 17 



Oregon mountain quail 8 Arizona mountain quail 269 



Southern quail 443 Oregon mountain quail 18 



Northern hares 87 



— Total 340 



Total ;.- 793 



The total number liberated since organization: Prairie chickens, 

 255; sharptail grouse, 17; Arizona mountain quail, 320; Oregon 

 mountain quail, 26; southern quail, 1,020; northern hares, 87- 

 total, 1,725. 



Mr. Thayer stated that a larger number had been im- 

 ported, but about t welve and a half per cent, were lost 

 or died in transit, reducing the actual number liberated 

 to the above figure. 



Mr. John Fottler, Jr., chairman of the committee, 

 stated that he had recently met the party who had 

 shipped the sharptail grouse, and learned that a consign- 

 ment of Mongolian pheasants was on the way. 



Mr. Edw. E. Hardy, chairman of the Committee on 

 Enforcement of the Game Laws, made the following 

 report : 



The Committee on the Enforcement of the Game Laws has 

 little Of interest or encouragement to report as the result of its 

 year's work. This is duo mainly, we believe, to two causes; first 

 because of the unpractical working of our game laws, and 1 

 secondly, to the want of a uropsrly paid prosecuting officer. 

 Under the existing laws an officer or deputy has no "power to 

 search or arrest without a warrant. The right to search under 

 certain circumstances is absolutely essential to the effective pre- 

 caution of game, and with this power should be given the right to 

 arrest if found in possession of unlawful game. The experience 

 of your game committee, while on an investigating tramp, puts 

 the matter in a vary practical light. A man was seen f- hooting 

 marsh birds m Marsh field, in May last, ami after some little con- 

 versation your comniitteena.au was accused of being an officer 

 The gunner didn't care a sou whether tie was or not, and pro- 

 ceeded to demonstrate to your member his interpretation of his 

 security under the law by opeuing his game bag and exposing to 

 view several kinds of marsn and snore birds, shot that morning- 

 some of them in sigh t of your member— and adding, " Now follow 

 me : find out who I am, if you are. smart enough : and swear out a 

 warrant for my arrest, and 1 will w«it for you." Gentlemen, 

 there is no use mincing matters ; your law to-day for the protec- 

 tion of game ia, to a Ln-ge extent, a dead letter. What do you 

 propose to do about It r 



Under existing circumstances the appointing of this committee 

 is of no avail, except so tar as it distributes printed laws on paper 

 and linen, which sin-ely doa« not require the services of three 

 men. Therefore, in closing this report your committee respect- 

 fully and most urgently recommend that the members of this 



Association, as members collectively, and as individuals, use all 

 possible influence during the coming winter with their respective 

 members to the Gnueral Cmrt to th-i end that fish and game 

 deputies !>a vested with the .same power as constables. 



We wish to add that all complaints received during the year 

 have been immediately turned over to the Fish and Game Com- 

 missioners, as well as any information obtained either by the 

 practical experience of your committee, or received from others 

 through the medium of pen and paper. We also recommend that 

 the Association provide itself with a competent and well paid 

 officer, whose duty it, shall be not only to prosecute cases brought 

 to his notice, but to find out who the law breakers are and pro- 

 ceed against them legal! •/. Itospsctfully submitted, 



EtiffAKii B. Hardy, Edwaud Brooks, Edward J. Brown 

 Committee on Enforcement of Game Laws. 



On motion the report was accepted and adopted. 



The following officers were unanimously elected for 

 the ensuing year: President, Hon, George. AV. Wiggin: 

 Vice-Presidents, Edward A. Samuels, Augustus Hemen- 

 way, Edward E. Hardy, Ivers W. Adams, Hon. James F. 

 Dwinell, John T, Stetson, Horace T. Rockwell; Treasurer, 

 Andrew J. Lloyd; Secretary, Richard O, Harding; Li- 

 brarian, John Fottler, Jr. Executive Committee: "Fred- 

 erick R. Shattuck, Charles G-. Gibson, John N, Roberts, 

 M. A. Morris, C. J. H. Woodbury, VV. G. Kendall, Heber 

 Bishop, W. F. Keith, William C. Thairlwall, Rollin 

 Jones, Wm. B. Smart, Henry H. Kimball. Membership 

 Committee; Edward T. Baker, W alter C. Prescott, 

 Arthur W. Robinson. Fund Committee: Benjamin 6. 

 Clark, W. A. Power, Edward Brooks. 



Messrs, Henry J. Thayer and Benj. C. Clark escorted 

 the newly-elected president to the chair. On taking the 

 chair Hon. Geo. W. Wiggin sincerely thanked the mem- 

 bers for the honor given him, and said he knew full well 

 that the duties of the office were no light task. "It will 

 be no light task," said he, "to fill the place of my prede- 

 cessor, 6uc with the combined efforts of the Association 

 I will do my best to further your interests, and I know 

 that with your assistance success in protecting the fish 

 and game of this commonwealth must ultimately come," 



On motion by Mr. John Fottler, Jr., the sum of $400 

 per year for two years was appropriated from funds in 

 the treasury for the use of the committee on game impor- 

 tation. Mr. Edw. E. Hardy, treasurer of the committee, 

 solicited contributions from members and all sportsmen 

 individually to aid in carrying forward the good work of 

 restocking the State. Sums of from one dollar upward 

 will be thankfully received in the name of the Associ- 

 ation and duly acknowledged. Donations may be ad- 

 dressed Edward E. Hardy, Boston, Mass. 



Mr. Geo. H. Richards, Jr., spoke of the illegal dogging 

 of deer on Cape Cod, and hoped that we could get abso- 

 lute protection and enforcement of the laws protecting 

 Massachusetts game. Mr. Richards subscribed $25 to a 

 fund toward ite protection. 



Mr, Arthur W. Robinson said, "During the last few 

 years we have added a large number of members to this 

 Association. To them our retiring president has been a 

 fixture; we have never had a more efficient officer than 

 Ed ward A. Samuels. He is an ardent sportsman and this 

 Association has been his hobby. The results are highly 

 gratifying; our membership has increased three-fold un- 

 der his administration. For several years we have re- 

 elected the presiding officer, but Mr. Samuels positively 

 declined to serve again and we could not refuse to grant 

 him the rest he has earned so well. We have, however, 

 found a worthy successor in the person of Hon. George 

 W. Wiggin." Mr. Robinson then presented the follow- 

 ing resolution: 



micrcas, This Association during the past six years has enjoyed 

 a season of unwonted prosperity, its membership having in- 

 creased from 1:.'5 to over 500, its treasury having been replenished 

 and the work of the Assouiation having been broadened beyond 

 what the most sanguine among us would have dared to hope for, 

 and 



Whereas, This prosperity and success have been largely duo to 

 the earnest, faithful and intelligent efforts of our president, Mr. 

 Edward A. Samuels, now, therefore, be it 



lie.bvlvcd. That this Association extends to Mr. Samuels, in his 

 retirement from the office which ne has so ably filled, its most 

 hearty appreciation and indorsement of his management oi i; i 

 affairs. 



Mr. Edw. E. Hardy, in seconding the resolution, which 

 was unanimously carried, said he knew he exoressed the 

 sentiments of every member of the Association, old and 

 new. 



On motion by Mr. Benj. C. Clark a vote of thanks was 

 tendered to the retiring president, Mr. Edw. A. Samuels. 



Mr, Samuels in reply thanked the members for their 

 expression of good feeling and the manner in which they 

 had supported his administration, and for the able 

 manner m which he had been assisted by the former 

 secretaries, Messrs. Thayer and Robinson, and was glad 

 to have the expression of good will from past Secretary 

 Arthur W. Robinson. A vote of thanks was extended to 

 the retiring treasurer, Fred. R. Shattuck, for the faith- 

 ful manner in which he had fulfilled the duties of his 

 office. 



The following telegram was received just after the 

 meeting: 



Kalamazoo, Mich., Jan. 13, 1892.— We, the members of the 

 Southern Michigan Fish and Game Protection Association, in an- 

 nual convention assembled at the American House send greet- 

 ings to our Bay State brothers. — H. Gat. pi Adams, Sec'y. ° 



Richard O. Harding, Sec'y. 



Seal in Jamaica Bay. — Brooklyn, Jan, 15.— Mr. 

 Adam B^izer, the proprietor of the boat house on Ham- 

 mers Dock, Jamaica Bay, Rockaway Beach, shot a seal 

 in the bay yesterday which measured over 3ft. 6in. in 

 length and weighed between 50 and 751bs,— J. F. M. 



"The Sporting Goods Dealer."— Commencing with 

 the present year, the Sporting Goods Dealer will appear 

 each month, handsomely illustrated, and with an in- 

 creased number of pages. It will continue to be devoted 

 exclusively to the trade. 



Massachusetts Pickerel,— The first pickerel of the 

 season were taken through the ice at Chebacco Pond, 

 Essex, Mass., on Jan. 10, by J. B. Kimball. The ice was 

 4in. thick, 



The Man Target. 



Two or three men went out one evening purposely to hunt; 

 when they were in the spots of savannahs, xhey separated to fiatl 

 their game, and at last it so happened that one of them tired at a 

 deer and killed it, and while he was skinning it he was shot stark 

 dead oy one of his consorts, who fired at, him mistaking him for a 

 deer. The poor man was so sorry for so sad a mischance, and for 

 fear of the dead man's friends, durst never go bacK again to 

 Ja.n.iica.- -Damuin-'s Account of Tobacco Mai » • 



