March 11, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



A VIRGINIA HUNTING GROUND. 



GOOC BLAND, Va,— Editor Forest and Stream: This 

 county bids fair to become a sportsman's paradise. 

 Commencing fifteen miles west of the city of Richmond, 

 it lies for forty-three miles on James River, It was a large 

 slave-holding county; and while the white population 

 has steadily increased, the negroes have diminished in 

 numbers in a much greater ratio, so that the total popu- 

 lation of the county i.i less than it was in 1810. As a 

 consequence game has increased. Deer are now getting 

 all over the county. It was always famous for partridges 

 and wild turkeys. Now, owing to the scarcity of labor 

 to work our large plantations, the cultivation of creek 

 bottoms is being abandoned, and wildfowl are more 

 abundant in season than was ever known before to any 

 living inhabitant. There is a stream flowing north and 

 south and tributary to the James, in the western part of 

 the county, called Little Byrd, which is tilled with beaver, 

 whose dams may be seen in several places. John W. 

 George, E q., for many years our county surveyor, who 

 lives on the banks of this stream, informs me that a col- 

 ored man brought to him this morniug a beaver he had 

 caught last night in a coon trap, not knowing what it 

 was, 



An hour or more ago, while sitting in my libraiw, I 

 heard my wife call from the other end of the house. 

 Upon going to ascertain the cause, she informed me 

 that she had just seen a strange gray animal, larger than 

 a cat, with a short bushy tail, run out of a portico and 

 scramble through the bars of an open cellar window into 

 a basement storeroom. Upon examination I found a 

 ground hog — woodchuck — ensconced among the barrels. 

 Of course I did not hurt this harmless harbinger of 

 spring, but set him free in the woods near by. 



"I wish to invite some of our Northern sporting friends 

 to visit me when the hunting season opens again, and any 

 who can be indorsed by Forest and Stream I shall be 

 • glad to correspond with and welcome. 



M. OF NORTHSIDE, VA. 



WHAT YOUR GRANDFATHER LAUGHED 

 AT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Here is a copy of the Farmer's Almanack for 1836— 

 Andrew Jackson, President; Martin Van Buren, Vice- 

 President; Lewis Cass, Secretary of War. And over in 

 the back part of it. with the other "new, useful and en- 

 tertaining matter," is this joke at which your grandfather 

 was no doubt highly amused. The Almanack, as its title 

 page tells us, is "fitted to the ciiy of Boston, but will 

 answer for the adjoining States." That may apply to 

 Jonathan's yarn as well. Here it is : 



"Did you ever hear of thfi scrapa that I and Uncle Zekiel had 

 duckin' ori'i on th« Connecticut?" asked Jonathan Timbertocs, 

 while amusing his old Dutch hostess, who had agreed to entertain 

 him under the roof of her log; cottage, for and in consideration of 

 a bran new tin milk pan. "No, I never did; do tell it," said Aunt 

 Pumkins. "Well— you must know that I and Uncle Zeke took it 

 into our heads on Saturday's afternoon to go a gurming after 

 ducks, in father's skiff: so in we got and sculled down the river; a 

 proper sight of dacks flew backwards and forwards 1 tell ye— and 

 by'm-by a few on 'em lit down by the mash, and went to feeding. 

 I Cfttched up my powder horn to prime, and it slipped right out of 

 my hand a.ud sunk to the bottom of the river. The water was 

 amazingly clear, and I could see it on the bottom. Now i couldn't 

 swim a jot, so sez I to Uncle Zeke. 'You're a pretty clever fellow, 

 just let me take your powder horn to prime.' And don't you 

 think, (he stingy critter wouldn't. 'Well,' says 1, 'you're a, prpr.cv 

 good diver, 'un if you'll dive and get it, I'll give you primiaV I, 

 thought he'd leave his powder horn; but he didn'r. but stuck it in 

 his pocket, and down he went— and there he staid"— here the old 

 lady opened her eyes with wonder and surprise, and a pause of 

 some minutes ensued, when Jonathan added, "I looked down, and 

 what do you think the critter was doin'?" "Lord!" exclaimed the 

 old lady, "I'm sure I don't know." "There he was," said our hero. 

 ' setting right on the bottom of the river, pouring the powder out 

 of my horn into hizen." 



Reignolds. 



Boston. 



A Buffalo Chase in 1892.— McCook, Neb., March 4.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: I witnessed last week one of 

 the most remarkable feats by a horee I ever saw. 

 "Buffalo" Jones was on his horse Jubar, and desiring to 

 yoke up one of his wildest buffalo bulls (a three-year-old) 

 he singled him from the herd of about fifty others and 

 endeavored to drive him a quarter of a mile to the corral. 

 To say the buffalo was wiry and nimble does not express 

 it, be was lightning on legs. Mr. Jones succeeded in 

 driving him down an embankment into the valley; the 

 buffalo concluded he could outrun the horse, climb the 

 I bank and escape. He made a dash up the valley with all 

 , the speed that could be imagined, with Jubar flying to 

 I cut him off from the bank. Such a race is only seen in 

 I a lifetime. A point of the hill came down into the val- 

 ! ley and stood directly in the path of Jubar, and must be 

 I scaled or he would loose the game. The roll was about 

 ! 3ft. high and 5ft. wide where it must be crossed. Mr. 

 Jones urged the steed with his spur just as the horse 

 was nearing the critical point and away the flying horse 

 went with a leap and a bound like that of a rubber ball. 

 It really looked as if the horse had abandoned his feet 

 and was flying in the air, as he held up in space so long. 

 It is needless to say the buffalo did not climb that bank 

 that day, but was corralled and yoked up after the most 

 stubborn running and dodging I ever witnessed in my 25 

 years of punching cattle on the plains. We took a tape 

 line and measured the wonderful leap, which was easily 

 done, as the prints of every foot was very conspicuous. 

 Here it is— from front foot of starting to front foot of 

 lighting, ,33ft. 2in.; from hindmost foot of starting to 

 hindmost foot of lighting, 28ft. Then by dividing the 

 difference we have 25ft. 7in. Who can beat it on an up 

 grade as that? Mr. Jones has five yoke of buffalo bulls 

 pretty well broken to the chariot for the World's Fair, 

 and Jubar will figure as the champion leaping and cut- 

 ting horse of the world.— Frank W. Smith. 



North Dakota Game Fields.— Cando. N. D. — The 

 first flock of Canada geese was seen here March 8. One 

 lone goose was seen on a field and a small flock was seen 

 flying northward. They must have been paid well for 

 their temerity in braving the realms of old Boreas,, for 

 the worst blizzard known since the country was settled 

 struck here about sundown and raged all night and until 

 noon next day, when it began to abate its force and blew 

 itself out before the morning of the 10th. It had been 

 preceded by over a week of warm weather and southerly 

 winds, which had probably led the geese to think that 

 their way was open.— E. T. Judd. 



Short-Barreled Guns.— My 10-bore has three sets of 

 barrels, 30 in. full choke, 30in. modified choke, and 24in. 

 cylinder. The last was formerly 26in., and weighed close 

 to Slba. Before the barrels were cut I have shot more than 

 one duck with it, good fair shots all of them, although, of 

 course, in going on a ducking trip exclusively I would 

 take my 80m. full choke gun along, still I mention this 

 fact to show what a short 10-bore can do when loaded 

 properly. The gun balances quite well, and as a brush 

 gun it is unexcelled when loaded with S^drs. of good 

 quick powder, black or nitro, and l^oz, shot. I have 

 stopped many an old cock partridge in thick covers, such 

 as are found along the rocky Maine coast near Boothbay, 

 and no thicker or worse place to shoot in exists. I have 

 also shot crows and gray squirrels about as far off with 

 this little brush gun as' I could have done with my fuli- 

 choke. While I should not pin my faith to the 24in. 

 barrels for trap shooting, or even for ducks, I would take 

 it any day in preference to any chokebored gun I ever 

 saw for a field or brush gun. Some of your readers are 

 on the right track wheu they advocate and use such a 

 gun in preference to a choke. — E. H. F. 



A Birch Bark Fire.— I was ducking on the Susque- 

 hanna below Duncannon in a rain and sleet storm so cold 

 that my hands became too numb to handle gun or paddle. 

 I made for an island, and on landing found great rafts of 

 drift wood, but so thoroughly soaked that to burn it 

 seemed impossible. A country boy, ragged and miserable 

 looking as well could be, with an old half stock muzzle- 

 loader under his arm and both hands in his trousers 

 pockets came along, peering ahead for "mushrats." 

 Taking in the situation at a glance, he said, "This'U start 

 it,*' and proceeded to tear from the lee side of a water 

 birch a few handfuls of the sbred-like bark. Laying it 

 at the root of a tree and throwing on a handful of wet 

 brush wood, he asked, "Cotter match?" I had. Light- 

 ing it he thrust it under the pile and it blazed as though 

 saturated with oil. We burned drift wood and enjoyed 

 life as it is seldom man's lot to enjoy it. — W. H, W^ 



Michigan Local Laws,— The validity of Michigan 

 local laws was established by the Supreme Court in the 

 case of Hart, prosecuting attorney, vs. Allegan Circuit 

 Judge. Civilian Cook was convicted in the Justice Court 

 in Allegan county, of killing a deer in violation of act 

 40, of the public acts of 1891, which prohibited the 

 killing of deer in Allegan and Van Buren counties for 

 the period of three years. The case was appealed to the 

 Circuit, where the judge quashed the complaint and dis- 

 missed the case upon the ground that act 152 of the same 

 session repealed or rendered inoperative act No. 40. Man- 

 damus was asked to compel the respondent to vacate the 

 order, which was granted, the court holding that act 153 

 had no repealing effect upon act No. 40. 



Moose in Minnesota.— Game is very thick in these 

 big woods, moose predominating. The laws of Minne- 

 sota prohibit the killing of this big game for a period of 

 six years from 1891, but still every fresh cruiser coming 

 into this country tries to kill all he can, and succeeds 

 very well in hot weather, when they go into the water to 

 keep away from flies, and as only a small part of the big 

 animals can be used up before it would spoil, the car- 

 casses are usually left in the water to bloat up and float 

 away with the current. Mr. Campbell, a farmer at Big 

 Falls, on the Big Fork River, claimed to have counted 

 the carcasses of twenty-one floating by his place last 

 summer. — Northwestern Lumberman. 



The Pottstille (Pa ) Game and Fish Protective 

 Association numbers 140 members, with the following 

 officers: Col. J. M. Wetherill, President: F. C. Palmer, 

 Secretary : Cyrus Sheelz, Treasurer; Trustees— Chas. W. 

 Parkins, E. G Faust, E. G. Hoover, James Russell, Robt. 

 Nelson, H. R. Foster and Chas, Schimpf. Secretary 

 Palmer report?: "We have gained every suit brought 

 against violators of these laws, and are now pushing a 

 case against a December trout fisherman. One man paid 

 $31.75 for one rabbit, another $18.50 for trout, another 

 about $42 for one quail. These have all been reported in 

 our local papers, from which we have received many 

 favors." 



St. Louis Notes — March 12. — Duck shooting was 

 fairly .srood last week and part of this week at Queen's 

 Lake, King's Lake, Dameron, Dardenne and Cuivre, and 

 the club members were out in full force. The blizzard 

 on Wednesday drove the ducks back again which had 

 left the warm days previous. The trap-shooters are talk- 

 ing of a big spring tournament in which all the clubs will 

 participate. An elk carcass at the Union Market this 

 week attracted great attention, and the general name 

 applied by the seers was "What is it?"— Aberdeen. 



The Rabbit Season.— Geneva, N. Y., March 14. — 

 Editor Forest and Stream: I am very sorry to see that 

 in the proposed new game law rabbits or hares are not 

 protected in this Ssate, except on Long Island. This is a 

 very great mistake, for it gives boys and slaughterers an 

 excuse for being in the fields with dog and gun any time 

 during the close season for game. If the bill is passed in 

 its present form sportsmen will very soon find out that 

 open season for fur is no protection for feathars. Let the 

 close time for rabbits or hare be the same as on birds and 

 all will be well.— J. G. S. 



A Market Idyl, — It was her first essay at marketing, 

 but she tackled the work with the beautiful hardihood of 

 youth and inexperience. "Have you canvasback ducks?" 

 she inquired of the man in the stall. "Yes, miss, and 

 they are beauties, and mighty scarce at thi3 time of year. 

 An' I ,TT e got mallards and redheads, too." "You may cut 

 me t ff three-quarters of a yard of the canvasback," she 

 said, in her clear, classic tones, "and cut it diagonally so 

 that ic will not ravel," and she looked about for the yard 

 stick to sf e that he did not cheat her in measurement. — 

 Detroit Free Press. 



A Hudson River Eagle.— An eagie was shot on the 

 Hudson near Peekskill last Saturday, which measured 

 about 9ft. from tip to tip of the wings. It will be 

 stuffed. 



Adirondack Deer Killing. —Johnstown, N. Y., March 

 7.— Editor Forest and Stream: Some parties putting in 

 ice at their summer cottages on the shore of East Canada 

 Lake heard guns fired back of the mountain where a 

 weli-known yard of deer were wintering, and one of the 

 party found where three deer had been killed, snowshoe 

 tracks plainly snowing that the venison had been taken 

 out to Stratford. On his return the head of the party at 

 once drove down five miles to the home of Game Pro- 

 tector Bradley, giving him the particulars. This killing 

 so close to the home of the protector was a double insult 

 and we naturally looked to efficient and instant action on 

 his part, but we are sorry to say that he moved very 

 slowly in the matter, never followed to the place where 

 every one living around the lake was sure they were 

 taken, and it looks now as though, as in a similar case 

 last winter, no one will be brought to justice. I have 

 been of the opinion that Mr, Bradley did fairly well as 

 protpctor, covering so much ground, but these violations 

 so close to his home show him to be very inefficient, 

 which arreatly disappoints his friends in this section.— 

 M. S. Northruf, 



Spring Shooting and Wildfowl.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: It may seem rather strange to many of your 

 readers when I assert that five years since where mallards 

 could be found by the thousands they now can only be 

 found by the hundreds. This statement wiil apply to the. 

 entire southern coast where the wildfowl seek a winter 

 resort. The season for duck shooting in our State prac- 

 tically closes on Feb. 14, as all species of wild ducks seem 

 to begin love-making about that time, and by the 1st of 

 March are bred and unfit for the table. The mallards 

 have commenced their homeward flight to the land where 

 their happy broods are reared to gladden the sportsman's 

 heart again during autumn's bracing months. Spring 

 shooter, please spare the mother that rears that happy 

 family of little ducklings, and you will be rewarded ten- 

 fold ere another merry Christmas.— Trinity, 



Elk for the Catskills.— The New York Times re- 

 ports that the large park at Furlough Lake, in the Cat- 

 skills, owned by George J. Gould, received some impor- 

 tant guests last week from the West. They are four 

 large Rocky Mountain elk from Wyoming. These elk, 

 which are fine, large specimens, were captured four 

 months ago near a small settlement 125 miles from a rail- 

 road. It took four months to tame them so they could he 

 led to the railroad. 



Early Wild Geese — Lockport, N. Y.. March 9.— Mr. 

 Norman Pornroy reports seeing four wild geese flying 

 over his farm yesterday, going west. This Is six clays 

 earlier than any previous record I have. Mr. Pomroy is 

 the party that has the flock of thirteen Branta canadensis 

 which I have heretofore reported to Forest and Stream. 

 Those seen yesterday were probably attracted over his 

 place by the "honking" of his geese.— J. L. Davison. 



Long Island Wildfowl. — East Quogue, L. I., March 

 11.— At present there are thousands of blackheads and 

 some redheads in the bay; and the outlook is good for 

 having lots of geese here this spring, as there is plenty of 

 feed m the bay. Tbis is something that has not been 

 here for several years past. There will be some great 

 shooting here this season, we all think.— L. E. Howell. 



"That reminds me." 



JENNIE was petite and very amiable, her hair was of 

 the hue of the chestnut, perhaps a shade darker. X 

 never knew the exact color of her eyes for she always had 

 them concealed, but I thought they were windows 

 through which the amiability of her inner life was re- 

 flected on an outer and often unkind world. 

 _ I had foolishly believed that nothing could disturb 

 Jennie's equanimity, and I was strengthened in this by 

 the long suffering patience with which she had borne 

 many trials, and endured labors which seemed far bevond 

 the strength of her fragile form. 



Alas! the ill-omened moment which was to undeceive 

 me was at hand. Mr. Brown, of New Berne, N. C, and 

 I were behind, Jennie was in front; we were passing the 

 splendid grove of pines which grace the entrance to the 

 Like Pocosin, not far from Hancock station on the 

 Atlantic & North Carolina Railway. Casting our eyes 

 upward we saw on the top of a sweet gum tree a great 

 hawk, We could see every spot on his breast. He never 

 moved, for his cruel eye was fixed on a flock of doves 

 perched on the neighboring tree, or on some iarks dis- 

 porting in the sunshine of a December day. 



Mr. Brown had his gun with him and deliberately 

 raised it to his shoulder, and forgetful of Jennie fired. 

 The hawk fell, but Jennie's disposition at that moment 

 changed. Gathering up herself as does the hare w hen it 

 is about to make a desperate leap for life as it hears the 

 panting hound close at its heels, so Jennie made one 

 spring and suddenly starting forward broke the wbiffie- 

 tree of the wagon in which she was hauling us. By main 

 force, for the reins were strong and Jennie was not so 

 vicious as some other mules, she was held, and in fact 

 what once bid fair to be a tragedy became a comedy, as 

 we were greeted by many a hearty laugh from our com- 

 panions, who stood at the door of the plantation house 

 and observed that Jennie was drawing us home by the 

 aid of a single trace. Edward Jack. 



A Nevada hunter spent three months looking for a grizzly 

 bear, and the man's relatives have spent three'moni.hs look- 

 ing for him, They think he must have found the bear.— 

 Texas Sif tings. 



ALewiston, Me., Frenchman, while lauding the rabbit as 

 an article of food, delivered himaelf as follows; "You take 

 one rabbeet and skin him, and I just as lief havea chicken " 

 —Exchange. 



Names and Portraits of Birds, by Gurdon Trumbull. A 

 book particularly interesting to gunners, for by its use they can 

 identay without question all tha American game birds which 

 they may kill. Cloth. 330 pages, price $2,50. For sale by Forest 



