Nov. 19, 1891,] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



881 



ticks. He has seen but one or two birds that have been 

 taken in that section this season, and these were covered 

 with ticks. 



The Canard steamer, which ai-rived in Boston on 

 Monday, had, among other items in her cargo, a box 

 with eleven live English partridges. The box was directed 

 to Mr. Henry J. Thayer, of the JIassacliusetts Associa- 

 tion, and the birds will go to Oregon. 



Mr. Cone, a grocer of Waltham, Mass., with his friend. 

 Mr. Bull, have just returned from a most successful deer 

 hunt in Maine. They went to Bangor, and from there to 

 Penobscot headwaters. They evidently struck a section 

 where deer were plenty, for they were gone but about 

 two weeks and brought home five deer and one deerskin. 

 They report that they could have obtained more, but that 

 the law permits only three deer to a sportsman in a 

 season. The deer were on exhibition at Mr. Cone's store 

 in Waltham. 



Two deer were received by a well-known Boston com- 

 mission dealer the other day, the saddles alone of tvhich 

 weighed over 27olbs. They were remarkably fat and 

 heavy, and the hunters, a couple of Boston men who 

 have been kown to Maine, realized almost $50 for the 

 saddles, these saddles selling for 18 cents per pound. The 

 boys do not care to be styled market-hunters, and yet 

 the |oO comes handy to them. 



J, P. Longley, of Lewiston, Me., has just returned from 

 a trip to the Machias River. He says that bears have 

 never before been as plenty in that part of the country. 

 A bear has recently killed a cow and two-year-old bull in 

 a pasture in that vicinity. The farmers have been greatly 

 troubled this summer by bears, and many sheep have 

 been lost. Mr. Longley brought home an elegant bear 

 skin. 



A moose weighing over TOOlbs. has recently been killed 

 at the Ten-Mle Shanty, near Milo. Me. The cook at the 

 shanty went to the spring a few rods away for water 

 just at nightfall, when he saw five moose at" the spring 

 drinking. He ran back to the shanty and alarmed Mr. 

 A. T). BumpuB, who had just come in from the Katahdin 

 Iron Vvoriis. Mr. Daggett yelled that there were moose 

 at the brook, when guns were grabbed they succeeded in 

 killing the big bull of the herd. 



Arthur Bounce , of Milo, has killed the first moose of 

 the season in tliat vicinity this year. It was a monster, 

 and Mr. Bounce sold the "head for $50 and meat enoTigh 

 to come to $60 more. Mr. Bounce is an old man, with 

 one of his legs so barlly crippled as to be almost useless, 

 and yet he manages to get around in the woods some 

 way. The moose and the money it brought come very 

 acceptable to him. Special. 



THREE TURKEYS AT A SHOT. 



J?VANSVILLE, Ind., Nov. 10.— Editor Forest and 

 J Stream: 1 wish to call your attention to an incident 

 which happened in Ciay county, Ark., during our recent 

 hunt, from vvhich we have just returned. It is straight 

 goods and I can make oath to it. 



One of the party, Mr. Lacy, made the most wonderful 

 shot ever made. He was seated at a stand on Big Cache 

 waiting for deer. In front of him was one of those little 

 weed prairies, so frequent in Arkansas. While on the 

 watch he saw the outlines of a wild turkey, which seemed 

 to be picking in the weeds. Holding at the butt of its 

 wing he fired , and had the satisfaction of seeing it flutter 

 a few yards and fall. But on going to pick it up what 

 was his surprise to find two more turkeys shot through 

 the neck. Such a thing as three wild turkeys killed with 

 one rifle ball was probably never heard of before. The 

 writer was not over 100yds. from him, and can swear 

 that only one shot was fired. Mr. Sam Blackshare was 

 at the next stand, the same distance away, and can testify 

 to the same — that is if Mr. Lacy's word "was not amply 

 sufficient. The supposition is that the two turkeys shot 

 through the neck were squatting in the weeds, and seeing 

 Lacy raise his rifle to aim, raised up their heads just in 

 time to receive the fatal ball. This will go on record as 

 one of the most wonderful shots ever made in the whole 

 history of hunting. 



We got four deer, thirty turkeys and small game in 

 countless numbers and variety. Lost nearly all by hot 

 weather, and came out through forest fires on all sides. 



F. M. Gilbert, 



WISCONSIN DUCKING. 



MILWAUKEE, Nov. 9.— The long deferred rain has 

 come at last, but alas too late to insure good snipe 

 shooting. Last Tuesday morning all the shallow ponds 

 and small bodies of water were found to be frozen over, 

 ice having formed in many places half an inch in thick- 

 ness. A few scattering snipe may still be found in low 

 springy ground, but the bulk of the birds have made a 

 parting bill-thrust into Wisconsin mud and silently de- 

 parted for a warmer clime. Wildfowl, however, are "here 

 m great abundance, and every known means is being em- 

 ployed for their destruction. 'Parties are daily leaving the 

 city bound for the various ducking resorts of the State. 

 Large bags are being reported from Fox Lake, Puck- 

 away Lake come^ in for a front seat in the list of choice 

 places. Mr. H. Bosworth, who spent a few days of last 

 week at the Caw Caw club house, has lately returned 

 with a fine lot of ducks — bluebills, redheads, and canvas- 

 backs. Of the latter I believe he had four or five. 



Messrs. Fitch, Mariner, Pierce, and Moses left late last 

 week for Wmneconne Lake, where they will remain a 

 few days on board their finely equipped yacht, The 

 Idle Hour. The shooting :was reported very good at 

 that place, and it is expected that the Northwestern road 

 Avill be called upon to furnish an extra large box car in 

 which to convey their ducks back to the Cream City. 



Greenhead. 



Freak op the Gray Squirrel.— Wm, Eaines, of 

 Huntington, W. Va., relates a novel experience. He 

 claims to have been a good shot with the rifle and seldom 

 failed to drop his squu-rel. At one time, however, he de- 

 liberately fired twelve shots at one without success, and 

 then ceased firing through utter discouragement. The 

 strangest part of the circumstance is that the squirrel 

 barked constantly under fire. Mr. Raines says his grand- 

 father had a similar experience, with some variation, In 

 the latter case the squirrel not only kept barking under 

 fire, but at length ran down the tree and scampered off, 

 barking as it ran. — *. 



SLEEPING BAGS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I would like to say a few words about sleeping bags. 

 Last fall I spent about three weeks in the Provinces 

 moose hunting. My companion on this trip had a sleep- 

 ing bag which he "had purchased from Mr. Squii-es in 

 your city, while I had a rubber blanket and three quite 

 heavy woolen ones. On this trip we had eight days and 

 nights of almost continuous rain, and I confess that I 

 rather envied my friend in his sleeping bag. I would 

 lie at night under our lean-to completely saturated, 

 while he in his bag would be as dry and comfortable as 

 he could wish. On my return I ordered a bag at once 

 and used it last winter sleeping on frozen ground in an 

 open camp with the mercury at times below zero. 



This season I spent some three weeks hunting moose 

 and I advised my companion to take a sleeping bag, 

 which he did, and is loud in his praises of it, saying he 

 does not know how he could have got along without it. 



The bags are made with difi:erent thicknesses of lining, 

 and I would advise getting a bag with fairly heavy lining, 

 and also to have an extra lining to be put in or taken out 

 as desired. I have arranged my bag so that I can remove 

 one thickness of blankets, and when replacing tie the two 

 lower corners with tape. With a bag so an-anged you 

 can use the extra lining when sleeping in a close, warm 

 camp, the original bag making a good mattress, and 

 when you wish to spend the night out of camp the extra 

 lining will be needed. 



The bags are put up in a very portable form, and are 

 much easier to carry than blankets. The outside covering 

 is very durable, and perfectly waterproof. I spent a good 

 many nights this season, when moose calling, lying out 

 on boggy ground, without a fire of any kind, and was far 

 more comfortable than with twice the amount of ordinary 

 blankets. 



I think any sportsman who roughs it to any extent will 

 find such a bag very serviceable. C. M. Stark. 



Dttnbaeton, N. H,, Oct. 29. 



MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION. 



BOSTON, Nov. 16.— One hundred and seventy-five 

 members of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Pro- 

 tective Association attended the regular monthly dinner 

 and meeting at the United States Hotel Thursday even- 

 ing, Nov. 12. Messrs. Wm. A. Browne, Geo. A. Clay, 

 G. Arthur Swan, Geo. H. Richards, Jr., A. M. Lsavitt, 

 Chas. H. Smith, Arthur A. Glines, Chas. E. Willard, 

 Arthur B. Curtis, Moses Bamber, Herbert C. Brooks, 

 Noble H. Hill, John HLllis and Jos. H. Woodford were 

 elected members. 

 Fourteen applications for membership were presented. 

 Messrs. H. H, Kimball, Chas. F. Munroe, Chas. Stewart, 

 Ivers W. Adams, Waldron Bates, Geo. B. Appleton and 

 Heber Bishop were appointed a nominating committee to 

 present at the December meeting a list of candidates for 

 officers for 1892. 



Messrs. Ivers W. Adams, Benj. C. Clark, M. A. Morris, 

 W. M. Brackett and Geo. W. Wiggin were appointed as 

 a committee on arranging for the annual dinner. 



Mr. W. L. Gilbert, of Plymouth, Mass,, addressed the 

 meeting, asking that domestic raised trout be allowed to 

 be sold during the months of January, February and 

 March, as well as in the open season. After general dis- 

 cussion, in which the members objected to any such law, 

 the matter, was referred to the board of management, 

 Richard O. Harding, Secretary. 



FLORIDA BIRDS OF PLUME. 



Editor Fairest and Stream: 



Now that the Legislature of Florida has passed an act 

 to protect the birds of plumage and song from destruc- 

 tion, the tomrist and pleasure seeker can do much to aid 

 in the enforcement of the law by suggestions in all 

 localities they may visit, as to the organization of local 

 societies, to see to the proper enforcement of the law. A 

 united effort on the part of the citizens of Florida and 

 tourists will put a stop at once to the wholesale destruc- 

 tion now going on by those who hunt the birds to supply 

 the dealers in plumes. 



A healthy public sentiment once established, the en- 

 forcement of the law will not be difficult, and the birds 

 which now add so much to the beauty of the Florida 

 landscape will be preserved. 



Chummie, so long the writer's constant companion in 

 rambles and travels, died a weeJi ago in southern Mary- 

 land from distemper. He was a dog of great intelligence 

 and many vu-tues, with a personality almost human. He 

 will be long and sadly missed. " D. W. W, 



A Novel Fox Hunt.— Plain HQl, Conn.— While our 

 farmer S. was returning from a neighboring town early 

 in the afternoon one day last month, he saw something 

 that made him rub his eyes at first. A bunch of a dozen 

 sheep, wooly with fright, were galloping up and down 

 and across a pasture near the road, closely followed by a 

 full grown fox. The fox apparently was only chasing 

 the sheep in play, and he circled them aroimd the lots, 

 headed them off and turned them back about as his fancy 

 pleased. Now S. is considerable of a s^jortsman, and 

 generally carries a shotgun with him under the wagon 

 seat against just such chances, and in about three winks 

 of the eye he had inserted a couple of cartridges in the 

 gun, jumped from the wagon, climbed the fence, and 

 waited for the sheep and fox to pass. This latter gentle- 

 man, generally so cunning, had dropped oft' his eyeglass, 

 and his only thought was the pleasure of the chase. On 

 came the fast panting sheep, followed closely by the fox, 

 and alas! by the whang of the gun. Reynard was gath- 

 ered in. Moral: Free wool may prove itself not always a 

 blessing,— Flin. 



Woodcock at Bay Ridge.— From Bay Ridge, on New 

 York Bay, comes a photograph with this note: "Bay 

 Ridge, Nov. 11.— I inclose you, with mv compliments, a 

 scene from life, or rather from my vine-clad piazza. It 

 aU happened in prosaic Bay Ridge. You will remember 

 what a perfect day we had for election, and I was wish- 

 ing in the morning that I were far away over the hills 

 after woodcock, when the thought came into my head 

 that just for the sake of "Auld Lang Syne" I would stroll 

 over the old spots where the gaUant "woodcock used to 

 atop on their aiitumn migration. Well, here you see the 

 result of one short half hour's fun— as fine a brace of 



brown-backed fellows as I ever downed. Found within 

 OOOyds. of the house, in a cosey little sunlit brier tangle, 

 where I have flushed many in past years, and within a 

 stone's throw of the screeching steam dummy tracks. 

 You know what 'Frank Forrester' said about autumn 

 woodcock shooting. He's right; I found it all true; just 

 where I least expected it, as new streets, gas and water 

 pipes, realjestate agents and town lots, are hardly proper 

 accessories when afield after these lively birds. " Pardon 

 my enthusiasm, but 1 have not quite recovered from my 

 surprise party yet, I may add that the only dog that 

 accompanied me was an English bulldog (Piper). I shot 

 the woodcock and my brother's Hawkeye did the rest. — 



W. TOWNSENB." 



St. Louis Notes.— Nov. 14. — There was a general rain 

 over the State this week, the first for nearly three months. 

 The season has been too dry for hunting birds, a condition 

 removed by the late rains. A 110-pound catfish was the 

 attraction at LTnion Market on Monday. The weather 

 has turned cold and blustery, and the ducks are coming 

 down. A decree for incorporation has been issued to the 

 St. Francis Literary, Hunting and Fishing Club. Con- 

 gressman Seth Coisb is president of the club.— Aber- 

 deen. 



Pennsylvania Ducks.— Erie, Nov. 13.— Clarence C, 

 Converse writes: "This is an uncommonly good ducking 

 season here, the ducks rivaling the grain crops in abund- 

 ance. Though aU fair shots are daily bagging nice lots 

 of ducks along our peninsula and bay shore, yet they 

 have to play second fiddle to the nets of Erie fish com- 

 panies placed off the lake shore from Erie to Dunkirk, 

 some nets yielding of a morning several hundred ducks 

 each." 



SPRING SHOOTING. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Tbe foUowintx conespondence between William Elder, our 

 Secretary, and the President of the United States will be read 

 with interest. We are very glad to know that your widely circu- 

 lated and most valuable paper has always been favorable to the 

 legislation proposed. Energetic action at ibis time ought speedily 

 to result in the necessary legislation in the respective States. 

 Would it not be quite in line with the good worli already accom- 

 plished in various directions by Fohest and Stream, ilial \o\i 

 should initiate this movement? Geo. Shepard Page, 



CHATHAiM, N. .T., Nov. 12. 



CHATHASr ElSH AXD GAME PkOTECTIVE ASSOCIATION. ] 



Chatham, 2^. J., Oct. 23, 1891. T 



jMr. President: 



Deah Sir— With the knowledge of your great interest in field 

 sports, I take the liberty of addressing you on a stibject which is 

 of vital importance to the propagation and protection of game 

 birds. We are using our strength towards the abolishment of 

 spring wildfowl and snipe shooting and also of shooting woodcock 

 in stimmer. As a sportsman, you can readily perceive the short- 

 sighted policy of killing and disturbing birds on their way to 

 breeding haunts, the result of which has been to steadily dimimsh 

 the class of game mentioned, and you will at once recognize the 

 great benefit which wotild surely follow united action on The part 

 of the different States. 



To bring this question of a close season during the spring and 

 early summer to a successful settlement, it should be placed 

 prominently before the sportsmen of the country and bv them 

 taken to their respective legislatures. We know the problem is 

 a dilHcult one and it may take years to accomplish the result.s we 

 are seeking, but I feel that we are acting rightly in asking your 

 approval and cooperation. Your recommendation of the change 

 would have great influence and be most eft'ective in crystallizing 

 the efforts of the game societies of the country. 



1 trust this matter will receive your favorable consideration. 

 Any suggestions you may make will be heartily appreciated. 

 We have a membership numbering 1S5 and control the lands in 

 the valley of the Passaic, which ''Frank Forrester" so often men- 

 tions in his writings. Your obedient servant, 



Wm. Elder, Secretary. 



To His Excellency, Benjamin Harrison, President. 



ExEcuTrvE Mansion-, I 

 Washtxgton, Oct. 28. 1891. f 

 yruiiam Elder, Esq., Secretary. Chatham, iV. r.; 



iNlY Dear Sih— 1 have your letter of the 23d, in which you dis- 

 cuss the necessity of a closed season for migratory game birds. I 

 do not doubt thab tbe adoption of legislation by the States, pro- 

 hibiting spring shooting of these classes of game birds, would 

 greatly tend to increase their numbers, and I have sometiires 

 thought that it was essential to the preservation of some of these 

 species. Very truly yours, 



(Autograph signature.) Benjamin Harrison. 



A Book About Indians.— The Forest and Stream will mail 

 free on application a descriptive circular of Mr. Grinnell'a book, 

 "Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-tales," giving a table of contents 

 and specimen lllnatratlona from the volume.— ^dlu. 



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

 Rods and Fl.y-TacMe. By H. P. Wells. Price S^.SO. Fly- 

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

 Price $1.50. 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 BooJi of 

 the Game Laius. 



A MICHIGAN BASS WATER. 



IONIA, Mich., Nov. 12.— On Nov. 1, 1891, myself with a 

 friend left home at 8 A. M. and di'ove eighteen miles 

 to the Maple River, in Clinton county, one mile east of 

 Matherton, and there met Mr. E. Shattuck, a fisherman 

 and hunter by profession, and he took us in his boat and 

 rowed about one mile, and we jointed our rods and com- 

 menced to fish, for what we did not know. Had been 

 told that there were plenty of pickerel in the Maple 

 River. Shattuck only had about forty-five minnows, and 

 those very small ones. We fished 3+ hours and caught 

 forty-nine black bass, small-mouth, and one pickerel. 

 The whole of them weighed lOoilbs.; fourteen of them 

 weighed 491bs. This catch was made on Nov. 1. On 

 Nov. 7 I made the same drive with two men besides my- 

 self, and caught seventeen bass and twelve pickerel, and 

 on the following Sunday another party of four gentlemen 

 caught out of the same place thirty -four bass and seven 

 pickerel. 



Maple River is a small, slow, sluggish stream with deep 

 bays in it, the water in places being 30 to 40ft, tieep, and 

 riir • that way for about half a mile. At this particular 

 place where we caught these fish the water was very 

 deep. We used about 75 to 100ft. of line. They were not 

 very voracious biters, but pretty gamy when hooked. 

 This seems like a big fish story, but is nevertheless true. 

 I do dislike so much to give it up, but I have to quit on 

 account of cold weather. H. L. Bailey. 



