Jan. 14. 1892. | 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



31 



NORTH WOODS GAME. 



NORTHWOOD, N. Y,, Jan. 4.— Several bears have 

 been killed near here during tbe fall. A bounty of j 

 $10 each was paid for five of tbem; tben bounty paying j 

 was stopped. Not long after a letter was sent to the 

 treasurer with proof that a bear had been killed, but the 

 bounty was not forthcoming. A few days after the bear 

 killers, who had got a check on tbe county, received let- 

 ters asking the return of the money; but the money had 

 been spent or paid out, so they sent answers back to that 

 effect, 



Deer have visibly increased around the clearings, while 

 around Moose River they are not so numerous as form- 

 erly. No trouble was had in starting them, however. 

 A good many fair-sized bucks were killed this year in the 

 southern part of the ''big woods/' 



Six years ago a party of five men killed over a hundred 

 deer for hides in the vicinity of Seeberry, Stillwater arid 

 .Tick's Like outlet. Their principal assistant was an 

 innocent-looking setter. The men would go out to some 

 favorable spot and go up wind in a line, with the setter 

 ranging back and forth before tbem. When one of the 

 men found a fresh track he would call the dog, and the 

 dog would road the deer much as if it were a partridge. 

 When within fifty or a hundred yards the dog would 

 straighten out in a point, the men would then surround 

 the deer, and when it sprang from the cover the men 

 nearest would shoot it. Very few deer escaped the hail 

 of buckshot. The deer in that region are increasing 

 slowly. 



More foxes have been killed here during the fall and 

 winter than for years before. Rabbits are plenty, but 

 few have been killed because there has been not enough 

 snow to hunt them. Very few partridges (ruffed grouse) 

 werejnllsd during the fall, for they were very scarce and 

 wild. 



Guides and sportsmen who are acquainted with the 

 Moose River country say that wolves can be heard on 

 quiet evenings during the spring and summer months. 



Ray Spears. 



QUAIL IN FLORIDA. 



LAKE COMO, Fla., Jan. 4.— While riding from 

 Palatka to my home at Como on the Jacksonville, 

 Tampa & Key West Railway a few days ago, I over- 

 heard a conversation between three gentlemen from NeW 

 York city, who were on their way to South Florida for 

 quail shooting. I was very much amused at their con- 

 versation, for they seemed to entertain the idea that the 

 further south they went and the wildest country they 

 could find was just the spot for No. 1 quail shooting. 

 Now, this is a mistake as far as quail shooting in Florida 

 is concerned, and those who anticipate coming to Florida 

 for this sport should not go too far south, nor select a wild 

 and uninhabited section of our country, but to go to some 

 thickly settled country district where there are plenty of 

 orange groves and cultivated fields, where quail are to be 

 found in abundance and where they feed upon cow peas, 

 partridge peas and crab grass seed. November, Decem- 

 ber and January are the best months for shooting in the 

 pine woods: later than that, they are to be found more 

 in the fiat woods and swamps of our large lakes, return- 

 ing again in March, when they pair off and raise their 

 young. 



To give you an idea how numerous quail are at Como, 

 let me cite two cases of this season. On Dec. 19 I went 

 out with my dog Sport (a Laverack setter), did not walk 

 over %$ miles; was gone two hours from the time I left 

 my house until my return and bagged 10 quail. The 

 other case is of a friend who came into my store with his 

 bag full. I asked, him what luck, and be dumped 49 

 quail on the counter and said he was after one more to 

 make it 50: and I am told he got it. He left his house at 

 8 o'clock in the morning and it was 2 when he reached 

 my store, which was a pretty good day's sport. 



Those who are fond of this sport will find good accom- 

 modations at Como and a good clean woods to shoot in, 

 but they must fetch their dogs with them and know how 

 to point their guns in order to get the birds, Those who 

 :are fond of fishing for black bass will find that our lake 

 is full of these fish: and they have been caught weighing 

 ;as much as 14ilbs. D. E. D. 



A GHtk for Gov. Russell.— At the annual dinner of 

 the Governor of Massachusetts and his military Btaff , the 

 other day, there was a very happy prize in store for hi3 

 i Excellency, Gov. William E. Russell. Once a year the 

 i Governor and his staff draw upon the State for this 

 dinner. This time it was rather informal, till well in the 

 evening, when Commissary-General Charles H. Taylor, 

 manager of the Boston Globe, arose, and in a few most 

 kindly remarks, presented the Governor with as hand- 

 some a Scott gun as one ofteu sees. Then he told of the 

 Governor's wonderful skill with the shotgun, and in 

 behalf of the other members of the military staff, he 

 wished him much joy in the use of his new weapon. 

 The commander-in-chief was completely taken by sur- 

 prise, but managed to express his thanks for this most 

 kindly remembrance in a few well-chosen words. The 

 Governor will now have a better reason than ever for the 

 little outings that he is so fond of taking.— Special. 



New York Association.— New York, Jan. 12.— The 

 forty -eighth annual meeting of the New York Associa- 

 tion for the Protection of Game of this city was held at 

 the Hotel Martin Jan. 11, Hon. Robt. B. Roosevelt in the 

 chair. After dinner an election of officers was held with 

 the following result: President, Hon. Robt. B. Roose- 

 velt; Vice-Prerident, Col. Alfred Wagstaff; Treasurer 

 and Counsel. Thos. N. Cuthbert: Secretary, Wakeman 

 Hoiberton. The affairs of tbe club were reported to be 

 in excellent condition, and two new members were pro- 

 posed. Toe counsel stated that the suits against Morillo 

 and Kaiser were progressing favorably, and that he had 

 received the amount due from the Hotel Brunswick. 

 Resolutions wei'e passed expressing the great regret of 

 the Association that Mr. Eugene Blackford had been re- 

 moved from the Fish Commission, where he had worked 

 so long and faithfully, and had accomplished such ex- 

 cellent work. — W. H. 



Game in the Mackenzie River Country.— Dominion 

 Land Surveyor William Ogilvie, who has been surveying 

 in the Mackenzie River country, reports as to game: 

 "From Athabasca to Edmonton tbe journey was made by 

 horse, team and sleigh. The distance covered from the 

 time of leaving Calgary was about 2,900 miles, of which 

 about 1,900 was made in our canoe. Numerous signs of 

 moose, deer and bear were seen on the Liard and Nelson 

 rivers, but none of 4 the animals were seen. Through this 

 country the wood buffalo roams, but none of the animals 

 came into view. Several bear tracks were crossed, but 

 no bears were seen, A few fur-bearing animals were seen 

 at a distance, but none was killed." 



A Michigan Local Law Declared Unconstitutional. 

 Holland, Mich., Jan. 4. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Deputy Game Warden M. T. Ryan, of Allegan, arrested 

 C. M. Cook, of Saugatuck, Nov. 21, for shooting a deer 

 in Allegan county. Justice Fuller fined him $25 and 

 costs, amounting to $50. Cook appealed to the Circuit 

 court, and Judge Palmer, after hearing the facts, knocked 

 on*; the case on the ground that the special act passed by 

 the last Legislature providing that it shall be unlawful to 

 kill deer in Allegan and Van Buren counties for three 

 years was unconstitutional. What is your opinion as to 

 this?-A. G. B. 



ANTELOPE in New York Streets.— On the night of 

 Jan. 10 the police of tbe SOsh Precinct, this city, picked 

 up in 128 :h street, near Manhattan street, a dead buck 

 antelope. On the following morning an alarm was sent 

 out calling for an owner for the "deer." The animal was 

 apparently in good order and fat, but the condition of the 

 hoofs on the hind feet lead to the conclusion that it had 

 been kept for some time in captivity, since the hoofs were 

 a good deal grown out. Oa the left side was a slight 

 abrasion, and there was some reason to think that the 

 left thigh was broken, high up. As the body was frozen, 

 this could not be determined with certainty. 



w %tfd §ivqr Joshing. 



"I was very much surprised at the great abundance of 

 red drum in the Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., markets 

 on Sept. 20, 1890. Cart loads of this species were to be 

 seen, especially in Portsmouth. The fish ranged in 

 weight from 1 to 31bs., and were packed into the carts as 

 thickly as they could be placed, standing on their heads 

 or tails. No ice was used on them. 



"In November, 1890, Mr. Joseph Ragan, of the Wash- 

 ington Market, called my attention to a red drum, which 

 had, besides the two black spots on the caudal fin, three 

 similar marks on either side of the body, those of the right 

 side being very close together, while the ones of the left 

 side were further apart; the body spots being the same, 

 white-edged, as the one at the root of' the tail, which is 

 seldom, if ever, absent." 



The interesting fact concerning these fish is that they 

 were invariably taken during the night seining and not 

 in a single instance during the day. They were taken 

 close to shore with a forty-yard Baird seine, in sheltered 

 coves only, where the water was not over 3ft. deep at the 

 deepest part. Thus they seem to run in close to shore in 

 the night to feed. 



On the night seinings, also, we took the only skates and 

 rays caught during the trip. There were also secured at 

 night two specimens of that curious fish the naked star 

 gazer (Astrocopus anoplus). To the marine collector, 

 therefore, it would seem that night seining is quite as 

 important as that of the day, and the chance of securing 

 species not encountered during the day very great. 



In seining along a long strip of beach the writer has 

 Often had his patience rewarded by the taking of rare 

 species — sometimes in goodly number — only after per- 

 sistent hauling with meager results, beginning each haul 

 where the previous one ended and thus driving the more 

 active fish ahead. On one occasion on Vineyard Sound, 

 after taking a long stretch of beach and getting nothing 

 but common stock , about fifty young pompano 1* to 2in. 

 in length and of two species, and three other species very 

 much desired, were taken at one haul. They had possi- 

 bly run out and ahead of the seine for a considerable dis- 

 tance and finally stopped in a patch of plant or had 

 started to run back. One never knows just how far off 

 luck may be and the finding of a rare specimen is ample 

 reward for an exhausting day's work on blistering sands, 

 exposed to old Sol's fervid embrace, with nothing better 

 than hike warm water to drink. 



One of the most remarkable sights at Cape Charles at 

 this time was the enormous schools of mullet lining the 

 shores. The mullet ranged in length from 4 to 12in. 

 The water from the edges where it would hardly cover 

 them to 100yds. or more out, and along the entire shores, 

 was one seething mass of mullet. The schools were com- 

 posed of both species ."gray" and "striped," intermingled. 

 So thick were they for several days that seining had to 

 be suspended. Once only was it attempted. There 

 seemed at no time to be a spot where they were not very 

 thick, and from the way they were jumping it was sur- 

 mised that there were larger fish feeding on them. So a 

 haul was attempted to see what they might be. When 

 the seine was drawn close to shore the weight was so 

 great that it wa« impossible to move it further. They 

 jumped over it in thousands, and still the mass was so 

 great that it could not be hauled. The only resource was 

 to lift it and let them run out. Then it was found that 

 almost every mesh in the coarse part of the seine held a 

 fish, and it was a big job to remove them. Care was 

 taken to extricate them without injury if possible, and 

 this made it a very tedious proceeding. That was the 

 last haul where there were large schools of mullet. 



During the stay at Cape Charles City there were five 

 menhaden steamers in that part of the bay, frequently 

 running in there for shelter and sometimes to unload at 

 the phosphate factory belonging to the great truck 

 farm of the late Hon. Wm. L. Scott, of Erie, Pa. Ad- 

 vantage was taken of these opportunities to look for 

 evidence of destruction of food fishes, but none waB 

 noticed. The writer watched the unloading of entire 

 cargoes, but saw nothing but menhaden. Occasionally a 

 large crab- eater (Elacate. canada L.) would be taken with 

 tbe schools of menhaden, of which they were in pursuit, 

 and would be seen hanging on deck. It was a matter of 

 complaint on board these vessels that they could not get 

 enough fish for the mess tables. 



It seems strange that Cape Charles City has not at- 

 tracted more attention from anglers. It is located about 

 twenty miles inside tbe cape, and is the railroad termi- 

 nus of tbe New York, Philadelphia & Norfolk road. 

 Powerful steamers connect with Old Point Comfort and 

 Norfolk twice a day. There is a good hotel with rates 

 astonishingly low. It is but four miles across to the sea- 

 side by rail, and Cobb's Island lies just outside, with 

 steamer connection through the season to Nov. 1. It 

 seems hardly possible that there are not fine fishing 

 grounds in the vicinity. In the fall sea bass and tautog 

 weighing from a quarter to three-quarters of a pound 

 may be caught along the breakwater, not over 300yds. 

 out, as fast as a hook can be baited. There mxtst be 

 ledges further out where big ones abound, for the waters 

 thereabouts are alive with quite small ones. 



Large sheepshead are caught as far up the bay as Point 

 Lookout (mouth of the Potomac). While seining in 

 King's Creek, at Cape Charles City, several young sheeps- 

 head about 4in. long were taken. A larger one, about 

 lOin. long, caught at the same time, is still living in the 

 aquarium at Washington. Mr. Bean states in his paper 

 that "A few days before our arrival at Cape Charles City 

 a hook and line fisherman had taken six fine sheepshead 

 along the piles forming the breakwater at that place." 



Bluefish ("tailor"),weakfish ("sea trout"), Spanish mack- 

 erel, pigfish, three or four species of scup or porgy, 

 particularly the "fair maid" or "sailor's choice," gray 

 snapper and other fine fish, in addition to those men- 

 tioned above, abound in this region, easily accessible, 

 but as yet not much disturbed by the angler. 



Wm. P. Seal. 



Chicago, 1)1., Dec. 30. 



Deformed Brook Trodt.— Washington, D. C, Jan. 4. 

 — Editor Forest and Stream: In my note on albino 

 trout in your columns of Dec. 24 I shouLd have said that 

 the albino, and not the deformed trout, lives to tbe age 

 of ten or eleven months. The deformed trout grow to 

 sexual maturity, and Mr. Creveling has sent a fine series 

 for description in Forest and Stream. Eggs have been 

 taken at Allentowu from some of these trout and suc- 

 cessfully fertilized; their development will be watched 

 with much intererest, — T, H. B. 



TWO MEN AND A BEAR, 



I WAS a boy of 1 0 years. My father and family resided 

 in New Brunswick, where the Digdig quash River met 

 the ocean. But few settlers were there, and the forest 

 primeval stood around the dwellings of those few. Bears 

 were plenty, and, like all bears, fond of mutton, some- 

 times chasing the sheep even to the doors of the in- 

 habitants. Many had been victims of tbe hunter's gun, 

 yet their number apparently had not diminished. 



One day my father and a neighbor of the name of Mc - 

 L?an were crossing the river in a log canoe, when they 

 discovered a bear swimming in the same direction. 

 Dexterously plying their paddles, they came between him 

 and the place where he intended landing, This cut off 

 enraged the animal, which immediately made for the 

 canoe, putting one paw on its low gunwale. A smart 

 blow with the edge of a hardwood paddle made the fellow 

 relinquish his grasp. After a good deal of hustling Mc- 

 Lean managed to get hold of the bear's hind legs, holding 

 one on each side of the stern of canoe, father, at the same 

 time, with his paddle keeping the craft upright until the 

 creature was drowned, and thus tbe game was secured. 

 Jde was a large brute and an old offender. J, H. 



Sheet Hakbor , K. S. 



•St. Louis Notes.— Jan. 2.— Pistol shooting is at a very 

 low ebb at present. The St. Louis Pistol Club is practi- 

 cally dead, most of the members having taken to long 

 range rifle shooting. Quail shooting ended on Thursday 

 and some heavy bags were made during the closing days. 

 Mr. J. B. Mattocks and Wm. Horner bagged 114birds"iu 

 three days shooting in Crawford county. The birds were 

 all found in the timber. Hunters report an abundance 

 of quail still left, which insures a beautiful supply for 

 next year. A drummer who travels through Southwest 

 Missouri confirms the report of the treachery of so-called 

 guides. He says be has often heard the local hunters 

 brag about doing up city visitors by putting tbem where 

 game was scarce and making way with their camp sup- 

 plies. He says emphatically that the local guides are 

 not to be depended on. There was to have be m some 

 trap-shooting yesterday but the blizzard snowstorm pre- 

 sented.— Aberdeen, 



Angling Talks. By George Dawson. Price 50 cents, Fly- 

 Rods and Fly-Tackle. By H. P. Wells. Price $2,50. Fly- 

 Fishing and Fly-Making for Trout. By J. H. Keene. 

 Price Si. 50. American Angler's Book, By Thad. Norris, 

 Price $5.50. - 



The full texts of the game fish laws of all the States, 

 Territories and British Provinces are given in the Book of 

 the Game Laws. 



CHESAPEAKE BAY FISHES. 



ABOUT the middle of September, 1890, the writer, 

 accompanied by L. G. Harron and D. W. Kenley 

 of the U. S. Fish Cammission, located at Cape Charles 

 city for the purpose of making collections for the marine 

 aquaria, at Washington, D. C. They were well equipped 

 with tents and all things necessary for camp life. For 

 several days Mr. Barton A. Bean, Assistant Curator of 

 the Department of Fishes of the U. S. National Museum, 

 made one of the party, making collections of fishes, 

 birds, etc., for the museum. The purpose of this article, 

 however, is not to burden the readers of Forest akd 

 Stream with the incidents of the trip, which lasted 

 about three weeks, but simply to record a few observa- 

 tions concerning fishes in that locality, and especially on 

 the "red drum" or "channel bass" (Scuenops ocellatus), 

 as an addition to what has recently been noted concern- 

 ing them in Forest and Stream by several observers. 



Sir. Bean has published in the Proceedings of the 

 National Museum (Vol. XIV,, pp. 83-94) a brief account 

 of the trip with notes on the sixty-four species collected, 

 taken from his own observations supplemented by the 

 writer's field notes. I quote as follows from his paper: 



"6->. Scicenops ocellatus. L. Red Drum. U. S. N. M., 

 43,130. One specimen. 16 in. long: weight, about SJlbg. 

 This species was seined in a quiet cove of the bay, near 

 Cape Cbarles City, at night. Quite a number about 16in. 

 long wfre obtained and brought to Washington , where 

 they do well in the marine aquaria. Mr. Seal observed 

 them as large as 30in. or more taken from the pound- 

 nets. 



