!, IS, 1892.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



BIB 



THREE MAINE DEER. 



..GLOUCESTER, Dec. 6, — Editor Forest and Stream: Dr. 

 _ring H, Pomeroy, of this city, has had an exhibition at 

 ihepard's meat market; a large buck with a magnificient 

 lair of horns. This deer was one of three which the 

 icfcor shot while on a two weeks' hunting trip down in 

 rtne. The locality where the deer were found was on 

 feasant Eiver, near the "Gulf," or Gorge, about ten 

 liles above Mt, Katahdin Iron Works. 

 The first deer or rather fawn, was killed before Thanks- 

 jiring. The Doctor was out with a companion from 

 ivhom he separated, after which he saw the fawn lying 

 Jown. The fawn jumped up and started to run away 

 when the Doctor put a bullet through its head just back 

 jf the ear. * 



The second deer, the buck, the Doctor trailed a long 

 iistance over a ridge, keeping him in sigtit most of the 

 time. There was but little snow and walking through 

 the leaves made so much noise that the hunter pulled off 

 liis boots and '"hoofed" it in his stocking feet. The buck 

 it last scented danger and stopped, snorting wildly. He 

 Lurned side on and the Doctor put a bullet thi-ough his 

 iieart. 



The third deer was killed after a running fire from 

 jveral parties. The Doctor held the deer, for the wound 

 proved that it was his small rifle bullet alone that had 

 ftauoed death. 



Dr. Pomeroy 's rifle is a .38-40 Marlin safety. The 

 crowd at the camp at first made lots of fun over "that 

 >opgun," but after the Doctor had killed three deer with 

 hree shots, and had shot the heads off of a number of 

 [rouse, everybody thought that the gun or the Doctor 

 sras a "dandy." 



A.t the some camp a Sir. Swift, of Dover, N, H., killed 

 , large black cat. The guide said it was the largest one 

 ^e had ever seen. I wish Mr. Swift would kindly send a 

 iescription of that cat to ForeSt and Strea. It would 

 irove interesting reading. Hbbmit. 



COLORADO GAME INTERESTS. 



Denver, Colo., Dec. 7. — The sportsmen who are inter- 

 jsted in having a proper game law enacted are working, 

 and a bill will be presented to the next Legislature which 

 will be a vast improvement on the present law. Judge 

 France and other eminent jurists have the matter in 

 land, and will undoubtedly frame a bill that will ^e 

 explicit, and will protect game. 



The buffalo killers have been at it again, and this time 

 it is certain that at least one has been killed. The follow- 

 ing is a copy of a letter received from Mr. D. N. Cassell 

 in reply to one asking him to verify a short special in the 

 Re^mblican; 



Cassell'S, Colo,, Nov. 38, '93— Dear Sir: Yours inciuiring about 

 -the bufTalo ia at tiand. Statement is correct. I am personally 

 acqnainted with James Gregg, aad Isaw him a day or so after the 

 buffalo was found by him. It was found about five miles from 

 my house. In regard to the advisability of having a game warden 

 stationed in this locality, we are in need of one very much. 

 About a year ago one hunter killed six mountain sheep out of one 

 bunch withm a half a mile of my place. Every now and then one 

 is kUled, and there will be none left to breed unless something is 

 done soon. Yours truly, D. N. Cassell. 



It seems as if the State officials could certainly devise 

 some plan whereby these few remaining animals would 

 be protected. All of our most influential citizens are 

 heartily in favor of amply protecting the few bulfalo and 

 sheep that are left, and an appointment of extra war- 

 dens by the Governor would meet with their hearty ap- 

 proval. Mr. Land does good work, but he cannot be 

 everywhere. He is willing to prosecute, but he has not 

 the time to hunt up proof in each case. The committee 

 who are revising the game laws should consider this 

 question and arrange for deputy wardens, with full au- 

 thority, to be stationed in the game.country. If the right 

 men are selected the illegal killingr would soon cease, as 

 it did in Maine. This is a question that interests the 

 whole nation, and such a pressure should be brought to 

 bear on the coming Colorado Legislature that it will be 

 compelled to fully protect the little remnant that is left. 



Deputy Game Warden Kemble called upon me last 

 week. He says he is wilUng to do anything in his power 

 to stop the illegal killing of game, but he cannot do 

 much on $500 a year and pay all expenses himself. 



The sportsmen claim that one of two bad features of 

 the present law is that clause which allows ranchmen to 

 kill game in the close season for their personal use. The 

 following was published in the Eocky Mountain News of 

 Dec. 6, and gives a ranchman's view of it : 



Austin, Col., Dec. 1.— A few hundred years ago in England, the 

 life of a deer was more than the life of a man; the pleasure of the 

 wealthy few more than outweighed the misery of the many, Iti 

 the eves of the law. There is now a danger tliat these injustices 

 may be engrafted upon the laws of Colorado, if the ninth ereceral 

 assembly enacts a game law in accordance with the recommenda- 

 tions of the annual address of the president of the RocJcy Moun- 

 tain Sportsmen's Association. 



No person at all acquainted with the situation can fail to 

 reoognizs that next to the rich mines and fertile farms, Colora- 

 do's future lies in her unsurpassed scenery, her teeming trout 

 streams, her game preserves and camping grounds. But there 

 are already scattered th'-ough the game regions farms on which 

 brave, honest, industrious pioneers are seeking to wrest from na- 

 ture the subsistence which has been denied them in the more 

 thickly settled centers of population. These men, their wives and 

 children, have to eat only what staples they produce and what 

 game the surrounding hills give to them. Their beef and pork, if 

 they have any, is practically the only thing which they can turn 

 into ready money, and they must have clothes and groceries— 

 which only ready money can get. Their only meat, then, is veni- 

 son, trout and grouse. 



Is it bpfter for Colorado to have a yearly visit of a few weeks 

 from a Boston or Chicago sportsman, who spt^nds perhaps $11X1, 

 kills five bucks when he cannot eat the meal of one; or to have a 

 family of bard working people, living and working the year round 

 for the upbuilding of the State? 



Elk are now almost out of the question as a meat supply for the 

 settlers. It takes from iive to twelve deer to last through the 

 winter. The present law provides that deer may be killed only 

 one at a time for immediate consumpUon. The black-tailed deer 

 of Colorado is essentially migratory in its habits and in any local- 

 ity save clear back or. the Continental Divide, the mid-summer 

 range, or down in the Cedar Hills, the midwinter range, the deer 

 are constantly on the move. Moreover, from Nov. 10 to about 

 Jan. 1, the buck meat is too strong- flavored to be eatable. The 

 ranchmen, therefore, must lay in their winter's meat all at once 

 or eat bacon. The new game law should provide for this. 



The people who kill the deer, kill them ruthlessly, remorselessly, 

 "just to see 'em kick," are the visiting "sportsmen.'' I have A'is- 

 lied many abandoned csmps, oue of them that of a prominent 

 member of the Rocky Mountain Sportsmen's Association, and 

 found whole deer and pieces of meat hanging in the trees, rotting 

 or rotten. At the .iunction of the two main branches of Miller 

 Creek there are now tive does hanging to a rail hung between two 

 trees rotten. And it is not reasonable to suppose that a man will 

 come two or three thousand miles to kill one deer when the 

 woods are full of them; when there is not an active game warden 

 in 50 miles, and when on arrest and conviction there is only §50 

 to pay, 



DBerarenati.ir&lly prolittc, b\u tb«^ Ff^eut game Iftw has cle^ 



etroyed all the balance of the sexes, and barren does are now 

 more common than bucks. Allow the killing of barren does until 

 the balance is restored, stop the butchering iu the name of sport, 

 enforce a reasonable diligence in the pursuit of wounded deer, 

 and, chief of all, stop hide hunting, and the natural increase will 

 keen as many deer in the woods as are killed. 



The life of a man is more than the life of a deer, but it is doubt- 

 ful if the life of a hide hunter is more than that of his hundreds 

 of victims. It might not be politic to hang these eentry, but the 

 statute books should contain a law that would provide a residence 

 in the penitentiary— nothing less— so that the first ofifense should 



be t;h6 last. A aARElELU COUNIY RANOHSlAiN. 



MAINE BIG GAME. 



The accounts of successful deer hunting in Maine con- 

 tinue to come in. One of the most happy parties yet 

 mentioned came out of the woods last week. It was 

 composed of J. M. Taylor, night editor of the Boston 

 Globe; L. T. Carlton', county attorney of Kennebec 

 county, Me.; S. B, Glazier, of High Springs, Alachua 

 county, Fla.; and John B. Lord, of Hallowell, Me. The 

 party went to Schoodic Lake, in Piscataquis county, 

 and had most remarkable success. The trio was favored 

 specially by "a good tracking snow," the very ideal for 

 stiU-hunting. Nine deer were the result of the trip. Mr, 

 Taylor, of the Globe, was the happy shooter of two. All 

 agree that deer hunting in that part of Maine is some- 

 thing wonderful this year. The camp they visited has 

 been the resort of several other successful hunters this 

 fall. P. O. Vickery, of Augusta, Me., is credited with 

 three deer. W. H.'Barnes, of Woi-cester, Mass., has also 

 taken his three, according to reports. Station Agent 

 Haa;gerty, of Oldtown, Me., is also credited with two. 



But other sections in Maine have also been just as 

 good, as already mentioned in the Forest and Stream. 

 Andover, Me., must be added to the list, a town where 

 only a few deer have generally been taken in a season, 

 since they were plenty 40 and 50 years aero. Mr. L. 

 Dana Chapman, with Dame, Stoddard & Kendall, of 

 Boston, has a letter from G. P. Thomas, a successful 

 Andover guide, which says: "Friend Chapman— It is 

 the best snow to hunt on I ever saw. I hav^e been out 

 twice and fetched in a large buck both days. I have 



THE HUNTING RIFLE. 



Brbgerville, p. Q., Oct, 22.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: 1 see "Aztec" has again entered the lists, and 

 am very glad of it, for I think this rifle question should 

 be sifted to the bottom. 



It is quite plain that for the following reasons a large 

 caliber rifle should be used when hunting large game: 



First— We have the testimony of many sportsmen that 

 they have very often lost wounded game when using 

 small caliber rifles; and on the other hand nearly all 

 those who use large caliber and proper cartridges seldom 

 lose game from insuftlcient killing. 



Second — The extra weight of the larger calibers is fully 

 compensated for by their increased power. 



Third— Game shot by an expansive or split ball with a 

 good charge of powder behind it (in a rifle of large cali- 

 ber) very seldom has its meat bloodshot. 



Fourth— Small calibers destroy more game than large 

 ones, and send much of it away to die a cruel, lingering 

 death. 



Fifth— The shock which the nervous system of an ani- 

 mal receives from the impact of a ball is a very import- 

 ant element in causing instant death. This is of course 

 much greater with a large caliber than with a small one. 



If we are going to use a large caliber rifle simply to 

 drive a bullet through the game we shoot at, the small 

 caliber is only slightly less effective; but if we use the 

 large bores as they should be used we find a great differ- 

 ence. I have seen and heard of many instances in which 

 even .45cal. solid bullets have traversed deer and caribou 

 fi'om end to end, and yet some of those animals ran from 

 one to ten miles from where they were shot. 



Again, what is the use of the large bore rifle, if we use 

 small bores for large game? We might as well do away 

 with it altogether. Common sense, however, points the 

 other way. I know that Mr. H., a friend of mine, and a 

 vei'y successful sportsman, dropped a large bull moose, 

 dead, with a .58cal. expansive bullet. Again, he shot a 

 fine buck with same gun and cartridge, which fell dead 

 20Et. from where it stood when hit. He told me that on 

 the other hand, he had lost three deer, and one fine 



THK OLD Til\PPl*;R'S HOME. 

 Hugh Monkoh with Moknino PiAfME and Wm. .Jackson. 



shot three bucks the last month. The last one. had tho 

 largest antlers I ever saw on a deer. He weighed 225 

 lbs. before dressing. So, if any one wants to come down 

 and get a deer, now is the time. Truly yours, F. P. 



Thomas." 



Tne latest yarn of Maine or Massachusetts manufacture 

 is told by Mr. N. G. Manson, Jr., of Bellows & Manson, a 

 Boston iron firm: and it relates how a Brookline, Mass., 

 hunter in Maine this year killed a big bull moose, and 

 then captured alive a cow moose and made it haul the 

 bull out of the woods for him. As Mr. Manson tells the 

 tale with a perfectly grave face and great particularity 

 it must be true. 



As to the great abundance of deer in Maine there may 

 be added an excellent report from Kingfield, where Mr. 

 Isaac N. Stanley, a cousin of Fish and Game Commis- 

 sioner Henry 0. Stanley, has a fern some three miles 

 from the village. There, and without gunning for them 

 at all, he has shot his three deer, with an old United 

 States muzzleloading rifle. One he shot from the win- 

 dow of his barn. The deer came down; the rifle did not 

 happen to be loaded , but the animal very accommodat- 

 ingly fed about in the field till Mr. Stanley had gone into 

 the house and loaded the gun. He went into the barn 

 and from an easy distance he put a ball through the head 

 of a beautiful piece of venison. Mr, Stanley writes his 

 brother in Newton, Mass., that a Farmington gentleman 

 has even beaten his record. He started from Farmington 

 in the morning, drove twenty miles to Kingfield, Here 

 he found Layl Tarr, a noted hunter and guide, and to- 

 gether they drove up to Mr. Stanley's farm, and from 

 thence up to the Taylor place, near Mount Abram. They 

 hitched their team beside the road, and before night they 

 had two handsome deer and saw tracks of many more. 

 By nightfall the Farmington gentleman was on his way 

 home. The wonderful tameness and boldness of the deer 

 is what surprises Mr, Stanley, and in fact almost every 

 sportsman who has been into the Maine woods this sea- 

 son. They are not run with dogs, and almost every deer 

 will stand near enough for a fair shot. Mr. Stanley says 

 that they are "about as tame as sheep " 



Mr. S. C. D'zar, of the Boston shoe manufacturing firm 

 of Prouty & Dizar, has been down to Rangeley on a deer 

 hunt. Whether he secured his venison I have not yet 

 learned, but feel certain that he must have done so, un- 

 less some cauirie was against biro. Speotai,, 



moose, when anag a .44 Winchester, though all were 

 badly hit (the moose by three or four bullets). 



An animal must die more qvuckly when it bleeds from 

 a large wound, whether vital or not, than from a small 

 one in a similar spot. I have had occasion to shoot 

 several large dogs, and in every case but one I used .45-90 

 Winchester with expansive balls. All the dogs I shot 

 with this rifie died at once; the other shot with a 32cal. 

 did not die till I had fii-ed five shots into his heart. I 

 also shot a wildcat the other day, and killed it with one 

 shot. The bullet (split) made a terrible hole where it 

 came out. I think it is a mistake to split the bullets too 

 far down as they are apt to break off from the base, and 

 I prefer a bullet which "mushrooms" well, rather than 

 one which flies to pieces. L. D. von Iffland. 



IN THE GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS. 



Eddy, New Mexico, Dec. 1, 1892.— Messrs. W. J. Bon- 

 bright and W, J. Fisher, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, 

 M. Gillen of Philadelphia, and Judge Hawkins, of this 

 place, returned yesterday from a week's hunting trip in 

 the Guadalupe Mountains, 100 miles northwest of here, 

 with three deer and four wild turkeys. A herd of about 

 30 antelope were seen, within eight miles of Eddy, one 

 day last week, and smaller bunches have been seen in the 

 vicinity frequently during the past summer. It is ex- 

 pected that when the first cold weather comes, which, 

 will probably not be until January, the antelope will 

 come in from the Staked Plains, and be plentiful along 

 the Pecos River during the remainder of the winter. 



A mountain man came in last week with three deer 

 and three wild turkeys on his wagon, and John Donoway, 

 who lives in the Guadalupes, sixty miles west cf Eddy, 

 brought in a brown bear that weighed 400 pounds. His 

 loin was served to the guests of the Hotel Hagerman on 

 Thanksgiving day. His skin is now being mounted for a 

 collection that is to be shown at the World's Fair. 



Coyotes are becoming more and more numerous here 

 every month. The cattlemen are reducing their herds 

 and are not paying as much attention to poisoning 

 vermin as formerly, which is probably the cause of this 

 increase in the coyote crop. Several have been killed 

 near town lately and four were caught in traps, in one 

 night, at the IT. 8, rapc-b, 9. fe-w niHe^ ^^e^t of heye. X 



