410 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 10, 1891. 



TAKE A COMPASS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In regard to what Dr. Morris and others have writtea 

 abaut finding one's way in the woods and out of the 

 woods, I would say with Mr, Seymoui- Van Santvoord, 

 don't truat too much to your knife blade and finger nail, 

 but always carry at least one compass. A year ago last 

 October I was obliged to spend a long, cold] fireless, sup- 

 perless night about ten miles from the nearest habitation, 

 all because I had been so foolish as to leave my compass 

 at home- 

 Suppose that a man finds himself about 4 P. M. in a 

 strange valley, with the mountains rising on both sides 

 two or three thousand feet, and the saturated clouds 

 almost touching his head. Try your knife and thumb 

 nail now. The shadow comes all right, the light coming 

 from the opposite side. Cross the valley to make sure. 

 The light still comes fi'om the opposite side, because it is 

 the most open away from the mountain. Try it in the 

 bottom of the valley. It is the lightest up stream. Will 

 I have to climb to the top of that ridge where the light 

 mu3t come from the west and south? But it will be dark 

 almost before I get there, and that would be a choice 

 place to camp. Better stay down here in the valley 

 "where at least the force of tlie wind is broken, and make 

 the best of ib till morning. This was my experience. 

 That night it rained, and I had no shelter, matches, nor 

 supper, but I nearly had a chill before morning. 



On the other hand, the knife and nail method is often 

 useful, and has taken many a poor fellow out of the 

 woods before dark. I know a man who bet the guides in 

 ascertaining locality in the Adirondacks, that he could go 

 two hours into a tamarack swamp and come out within 

 three more. They took him up. The day was dark and 

 the sky uniformly overcast, so that one co,uld scarcely 

 tell just where the sun was out in the open. He came 

 out on time and it was thought he must have a big 

 "bump of locality," but he himself said it was simply by 

 the U3e of his knife blade on his thumb nail. Nik. 

 Essex, New Yori, 



SHAWANGUNK NOTES. 



ON the 12th inst, a box containing 28 ruffed grouse 

 was sent to the ofB ce of the National Express Co, , 

 at Rockland, Sullivan county, N, Y,, for shipment to 

 Washington Market. The agent suspected that the con- 

 tents had not been killed according to law and held the 

 box until Game Inspector Snyder examined it. All the 

 birds had been snared, and prosecution of those concerned 

 in their capture and shipment will follow. 



In spite of the severe statutory penalty, violations of 

 the game laws in this respect have for years been flagrant 

 in Sullivan, Pike and Sussex counties. In Pike county 

 thousands of ruffed grouse, not to speak of other birds 

 and rabbits, are snared and shipped to New York or sold 

 to local speculators in game every season. Those who 

 buy game thus caught on speculation or for their own use, 

 knowing the facts, deserve as severe punishment as the 

 trappers themselves. 



The counties concerned should have an organization 

 composed of their own citizens to watch for violations of 

 the game laws. The Rockland case is a good beginning, 

 but much more is needed. Every package of game sent 

 to our railway stations should be examined, and all birds, 

 rabbits, etc, found to have been illegally killed should be 

 detained and the shipper brought to account. Such pro- 

 ceedings would soon bring to light the trappers and the 

 extent of their lawless work. 



If it can be proved that the sender liad twenty-eight 

 snared birds in her possession she can be made to XJay at 

 the rate of $50, for each of them, in which event the total 

 amount of the penalty will be the very tidy sum of 

 $1,400, 



The name of the shipper is probably fictitious, and the 

 sentimental railers at our game laws might begin with 

 that fact in acquiring sounder views. We hear much of 

 the farmer's table being impoverished by game laws 

 made in the interest of city anglers and gunners. The 

 snared grouse in question were destined for epicures who 

 patronize high priced restaurants in New York — people 

 who know littie or nothing of Sullivan county and, if 

 possible, care less. 



Both rabbits and grouse are abundant this season, 

 while their scarcity throughout the region was remarked 

 last fall. Hunters informed us that foxes were becoming 

 so numerous as to threaten the extermination of the gray 

 rabbits. Now tbe rabbits are proving a pest to tbe 

 farmers, Tne foxes were also charged with destroying 

 grouse during their nesting season. Speaking of the 

 matter in Forest and Stbeam last winter, the writer 

 suggested that two unusually mdd winters in succession 

 might have something to do with it, by permitting an 

 undue increase in the number of carnivorous rodents and 

 snakes. Although not extremely cold, last winter was 

 long and tolerably severe, with plenty of snow on the 

 ground from December until March, 



Whatever the exact cause or causes, it must be ad- 

 mitted that natural conditions in some way have more to 

 do with determining the scarcity or abundance of both 

 grouse and rabbits tban protective game laws, 



A number of Kingston sportsmen have purchased a 

 tract of land at Lewbeach, on the Beaverkill, with the 

 view of forming a game preserve there. They propose 

 to create a pond some twenty -five acres in extent, by a 

 dam 20ft, high and fifty rods in length. This will give a 

 deep body of pure water, A fish hatchery will also be 

 built and several thousand trout fry will be liberated 

 every year. The Beaverkill is a splendid trout stream, 

 and the big fellows are expected to take up their quarters 

 in the deep waters of the pond. 



The extensive trout pound built by the Hartford Park 

 Association two years ago, is now well stocked. Some 

 weeks since several members with their families sjjent a 

 few days at the club house. While most of the gentle- 

 men were out looking up a deer to replenish the larder, 

 a member hied himself to the pond with rod and flies, 

 and in a short time landed several fair-sized trout. Next 

 season the pond will doubtless afford some excellent sport. 



Signs of boars and black bears are plentiful in Forest- 

 burgh, and after the first good snow falls there will be a 

 general meet of the Hartford Park people. Bruin and 

 the wild porkers will have to hustle. 



Four young Jersey cattle — a bull coming two years old, 

 two heifers of the same age and a last spring's calf— be- 

 longing to a farmer at Bushkill, Pike county. Pa., es- 

 caped from their pasture and took to the woods, becoming 



as wild as deer, and, indeed, looking very much like 

 deer. They fly on the approach of man, and have run- 

 ways, as deer have. 



A short time ago the bull was so frightened as to get 

 pretty far from his runway, but he soon got back, not 

 minding a fence that was in his way, instantly making 

 kindling wood of the rails. Of course the bull is dan- 

 gerous. Most of the Jersey bulls are cross when in what 

 we call a tame state, but this fellow, being wild, is as 

 furious as the bulls of Barbara, and his capture alive 

 would be difliculb, if not impossible. 



A few scores of wild cattle in the wilderness of Porter, 

 Lehman, etc., would make very good substitutes for 

 deer, and the hunting of them for deer hunting. View- 

 ing these cattle in this light, one feels like suggesting 

 that the animals be allowed to struggle for subsistence in 

 order to see what comes of it. 



When we reflect that until recently wild cattle existed 

 on the cold moors of northern England, the suggestion 

 maj'- not seem extravagant. In form, size and color the 

 cattle of the Channel Islands — Alderney, Jersey and 

 Guernsey, resemble the wild breed, and in a state of 

 nature would be likely to take on more deer-like traits. 



B. F. Henley. 



Port JERrsT^s, N. Y". 



THE GAME FIELDS. 



LEXINGTON, Va,, Nov. 33.— I have intended for some 

 time past to let you hear something of the game in 

 this section, but have postponed writing from time to time 

 hoping to be able to give a better account of game than 

 the early season seemed to promise. 



On Dec. 16, 1890, we had a snow fall of 38in,, which 

 lay on the ground for weeks; and in that part of the 

 county in which I do the greater part of my shooting, I 

 heard of two coveys of birds, that had taken shelter in 

 corn shocks, Jbeing found starved to death, I had hoped 

 that the mortality in other parts of the county would not 

 be so great; but my hopes proved vain. 



During the period of thirty years that I have been 

 shooting I never saw game so scarce, A tramp of ten or 

 twelve miles has more than once proved fruitless, I 

 should be glad if the Legislature would pass an act protect- 

 ing the birds for at least two years. 



On the other side of the Blue Ridge, in the counties of 

 Amherst, Nelson and Bedford, I hear that game was 

 never more abundant, and that large bags are frequently 

 made. 



Deer are reported to be in mimbers in the mountains 

 north of us. One party in a hunt of six days killed six 

 deer and one bear, T. M, S, 



A large moose was shot the last of September this year 

 in theUmbagog Lake by the two Thurston brothers. They 

 claim to have shot him on or near Pine Point, which was 

 on the New Hampshire side of the State line, which cuts 

 the north bay of Umbagog in two diagonally. 



The moose was a large bull, bearing good-sized antlers, 

 and weighing six or eight hundred pounds dressed. He 

 was wading in the lake at a place where, years ago, 

 before the dams were built to hoist water, moose used to 

 wade across the lake. 



Charles Davis got in the best hunt of the season in EUi- 

 ottville, Piscataquis county, last month, that we have 

 heard of. He was trafling and stalking deer on Blue 

 Ridge and had the good fortune to shoot two, and while 

 dressing them saw two bears approaching, probably 

 attracted by the smell of venison. Charlie's trusty Win- 

 chester lay handy by, and he blazed away at the largest — 

 a bear of about 400rbs.— rolling him over; but the smaller 

 kept straight on for him or the venison, Charlie kept 

 peppering away until he secured them both. They^ sent 

 the head to Colebr>^ok, N. H., to be mounted , although 

 thev wf re offered $5u for it. 



Many deer have been shot about TTmbagog this fall, and 

 some bears. 



Partridges are fairly plentiful, and the usual amount of 

 water birds have been killed. 



Now, and for the last six weeks, the most of the guides 

 have been trapping fur-bearing animals, such as bear, 

 otter, beaver, mink, fisher, lynx, martin (sable), fox, etc, 

 etc, with very fair success. 



Deer are abundant everywhere throughout the lake 

 country, and moose seem to be on the gain. J. G. R. 



Bethei,, Maine. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



On reading the letter from Mr. Andrews on the sub- 

 ject of game" protection in Rhode Island, I was indeed 

 glad to hear of the good results with which he had met: 

 and hoping to be of some use to his association, I pro- 

 pose to disclose one of the worst nests of game law break- 

 ers in Rhode Island, 



The town of Narragansett Pier contains no less than 

 twelve large hotels and two large restaurants, besides 

 many cottages. The great rush to this place isL only for 

 two 'months of each year. These months are July and 

 August, just the time of year when game should be un- 

 molested. During this season the hotel keepers offer 

 fancy prices for half grown quail, partridge and wood- 

 cock. 



There are plenty of men in the surrounding towns of 

 Wakefield, Peace Dale and Kingston who jump at this 

 chance and kill off all the game before the law-abiding 

 sportsman gets a chance. This is so year in and year 

 out, and it will be just the same next season; so, if a 

 steady watch is kept secretly, they may make an exam- 

 ple of one or two of the scamps. My summer home is in 

 NaiTagansett Pier, and I would like to see the birds let 

 alone until tbe opening day, which is October 1 for quail; 

 heaven knows, soon enough. T. de C. 



New York Oitt. 



Foxes are abundant, several having been killed this fall. 

 Parties leave here nearly every day, and seldom retm-n 

 without a brush or two. Quite a lot of partridges were 

 killed this fall. Reports from the Adirondacks say part- 

 ridges were never more abundant than during the last 

 fall. Ray Spears, 



Philadelphia, N. Y. 



There is a bear skin on exhibitions in Hudson's gun store 

 that takes the cake. It is 9*f t. in length and Sitt. across 

 in the widest place. The bear that wore this skin was a 

 grizzly, and he lived in far-off Alaska. J udging from 

 the size of the skin, he must have been as large as two 



ordinary cows, and could not have weighed less than . 

 S,5001bs. It is by far the largest bear skin that has ever 

 been seen in Portland, and even old hs&v hunters who are 

 told of its dimensions shake their heads in an incredulous 

 manner until they see it with their own eyes. — Portland 

 Oregonian, 



WAYS OF THE RUFFED GROUSE. 



THE ruffed grouse rises at times from the ground with 

 his head directly toward the person approaching in 

 the field. Not with the intention, however", of flying in 

 that direction, but on the contrary, just the opposite. 

 When the grouse does this he is usually along the skirts 

 of the woods, sunning himself in the leaves. 



When disturbed at this time he springs up with light- 

 ning-like rapidity and whirls away on his side with a 

 backward curve that exposes to view for a moment the 

 under surface of his body and wings. After he has gone 

 about 20ft, he rights himself, and flying low, goes away 

 in a straight line. 



This remarkable flight of the grouse is somewhat sim- 

 ilar to the feat performed by the acrobat when he turns 

 a somersault sidewise by placing one hand upon the 

 ground. 



Commonly the grouse flies across the shooter or 

 directly away, the bird turning around at the last 

 moment and leaving the gi-ound either with a spring, or 

 after a short run. When the grouse flies he does so with a 

 sort of rocking motion, caused by his working his wings 

 alternately. He does this for some distance, after which 

 he usually sails along with his wings set, and in this 

 manner will go a long way before he alights on the 

 ground. 



The grouse, also, in his flight swerves considerably, at 

 times to the right and left. He often does this for the 

 purpose of placing an obstruction between himself and 

 the danger behind him. 



On one occasion I saw an ardent sportsman fire at a 

 grouse tin the woods about SSyds, off. But the most of 

 his charge of shot went into a large pine tree which hap- 

 pened to be directly in the line of flight and behind which 

 the bird had just dai-ted and disappeared. But for 

 that tree the gentleman would have probably shot his 

 grouse, Dorp. 

 Schenectady, N. Y. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



C1HICAG0, 111,, Dec, 1,— Across the street from where 

 I daily grapple with things rises the vast and beauti- 

 ful structure known as the Woman's Temple, built by the 

 W, C. T, U.,'and one of the finest buildings in this city. 

 This organization , at its meeting in Boston last month, 

 passed a resolution against vivisection, and also one 

 against the practice of wearing the skins of birds aa mil- 

 linery ornaments. The resolution, as printed at the time, 

 read as follows: 



"Resolved, That we hereby express our disapproval of 

 the custom of wearing the bodies, wings', or feathers of 

 birds (except those of the ostrich) as part of our clothing 

 or headgear, and we call upon all right-minded women to 

 unite with us in efforts to abolish this destructive and 

 cruel fashion." 



It must be a great trial for certain of the ladies to sub- 

 scribe to the foregoing. Indeed, the resolution should 

 have had an amendment, embodying one exception 

 among the feathered race. The wearing of the wings, 

 taU, body, head, or the total or fragmentary frame of the . 

 English sparrow should have been not only allowed, but 

 encouraged. This would have helped us all out of our 

 troubles, and would have relieved the State of Illinois 

 from the delicate position in which it now finds itself 

 placed. To-day, in short, is Sparrow Day, the beginning 

 of the two months' season during which the State will 

 pay 2 cents a head as bounty on English sparrows. There 

 ia a swarm of English sparrows sitting over on the 

 Woman's Temple now discussing the question, and prob- 

 ably indorsing the resolution as it stands above. The 

 small boy will revel in destruction now for a while, in- 

 deed, has been doing so for a long time; for many a peck 

 of heads nipped untimely will be sworn through as the 

 full fruit of December. The law will cost the county a 

 barrel of money, and will kill thousands of decent spar- 

 rows of other species, in spite of the fines imposed for 

 killing or for paying out bounty on any but the English 

 sparrow. But if the ladies would only consent to wear 

 sparrow wings on their hats now, with what a sigh of 

 relief could the tax payer go down into his pocket for his 

 share of the sparrow tax. This is a very ill-built, misfit 

 world. 



Not much shooting here just ^t present except at the 

 trap. The quail season for Illinois closes to-day, Indiana 

 season closes Dec. 20, The market is full of Wisconsin 

 and Michigan venison, shi^iped illegally of course. 



Some mallards still linger along our timbered streams. 

 Numbers were seen last week on the Kankakee at Mak- 

 saw-ba grounds. Their pursuit seemed too hard to cer- 

 tain ease-loving members of the club, to wit, Geo, Hol- 

 den, J, P. Card and L, R, Brown, who went rabbit hunt- 

 ing instead. The three killed fifty rabbits in one day. 

 They purposed having a great joke on one of their 

 friends in the city, and intended to put all these in one 

 big sack and ship them to him "collect." On the next 

 morning, however, when they wished to put the rabbits 

 in the bag, they found them all frozen stai-k.and stiff and 

 their legs pointing in about 400 different directions. 

 They had to postpone the shipment and wait for a thaw. 



Any one liking rabbit shooting— I confess I always 

 rather did— can find all of it he cares for in the timber 

 mottes along the edge of the Kankakee in Indiana, 

 Thayer, Shelby, DeMotte, Lowell, any of a dozen towns 

 would be good enough. Vandalia, 111., is another good 

 point. E, Hough, 



Ducks in Fishing Nets.— Erie, Pa.— I've been told that 

 one fish boat brought in here 1,300 ducks last evening and 

 another 1,000 from their nets. The fishermen say that 

 the ducks dive for the wheat and other grain lost from 

 passing vessels and when rising are caught. In former 

 years but few ducks have been caught thus here, and 

 this present experience is, as yet, as unexplainable as it 

 is unusual. The damage done to the gill-nets by the 

 ducks in their efforts to escape is so great as to render a 

 duck haul, though never so large, a bit of poor luck for 

 the fishermen, even though the netted ducks are salable, 

 if they have not been in the water too long. , 



