8S4 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Deo. Sd, 189^. 



''Game Laws in Brief, United States and Canada, 

 tmstrated, 25 cents. ''Book of the Game Laws" { full- 

 text), 50 cen ts. 



"AN INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE." 



There is a fascination about the sport of wildf owling 

 that at best can be but feebly portrayed with pencil and 

 brush. If the gunner possess, in addition to his love for 

 the pursuit of game, a pair of quick eyes, and will culti- 

 vate his power of observation, he will find an hitherto 

 undiscovered charm to complete his deHght when in- 

 dulging in his favorite sport. 



The wild duck is the embodiment of nervous energy. 

 Built for speed, and inheriting from long generations of 

 ancestors a suspicious nature and active brain, be is at 

 once a most striking example of "the survival of the 

 fittest" among the feathered tribe. When closely ob- 

 served one will find a pvirpose in his every action. The 

 gunner hidden in the blind among the rustling sedge, 

 can tell the moment his eye catches sight of a flock in 

 air their kind. And as they whiz along on buzzing 

 pinions, their subse- 

 quent actions tell him 

 whether they will 

 swing to his decoys and 

 allow of a shot. 



"An Investigating 

 Committee," comjjosed 

 of broadbills (Fuligula 

 marila), have come up 

 to look over the bunch 

 of decoys that float so 

 innocently on the still 

 water near the mea- 

 dow bank. If a novice 

 were in the blind he 

 would most likely be 

 tempted to fire at the 

 fowl, as depicted in the 

 sketch, but our "old 

 hand" says, "Wait! you 

 see by their action that 

 they are not at all 

 alarmed, and you may 

 rely upon it that after 

 going off for a short 

 distance they will 

 swing back again. 

 Then, just as they 

 bunch up over the de- 

 coys preparatory to 

 settling, fire, and unless 

 'badly rattled' you will 

 secure three or four to 

 your shot, as with flut- 

 tering wings they en- 

 deavor to alight." 



It is exciting to lie 

 perfectly still in the 

 blind and have them 

 come right up to you, 

 and until one learns by 

 experience the tempta- 

 tion to fire at such a 

 moment is well nigh 

 irresistible. Many 

 times I have blazed 

 away under such cir- 

 cumstances, sometimes 

 bringing one, some- 

 times two, from the 



flock, and again never a feather has rewarded my undue 

 haste. But when, after letting them go and waiting 

 ("everything comes to him who waits," even ducks) 

 until their return as above, one's forbearance is usually 

 rewarded. 



I trust the action displayed in this little sketch will 

 commend itself to my brother sportsmen and revive 

 memories of bright days among the sedge grass. In such 

 spirit I offer it. Wilmot Townsend. 



DEER AND BEAR IN CAROLINA SWAMPS 



"To GO or not to go," was the question which puzzled 

 me most. Not that there was any doubt in my mind 

 about wanting to go, but whether or not I should take 

 the time from my business. I thought about it until 

 visions of deer and bear floated before me awke or asleep. 

 It seemed there was but one thing for me to do, and I 

 did it. Six hours after having decided, I was on my 

 way south. 



For twelve months I had been planning a hunt in 

 North Carolina, and many letters from dift'erent sections 

 of the country were received. Finally one came from a 

 source which I could rely upon; in fact, from a friend, 

 and that settled it. So on Oct. 30 I left the Quaker City, 

 and after a long and tedious ride— I say tedious, because 

 we had a break down on the railroad and I missed con- 

 nections in Norfolk and had to wait therefor twenty-four 

 hours and then go another route, with an additional 

 wagon drive of thirty-five miles, and part of the road 

 "corduroy." Kind reader, don't gojinto that country ex- 

 pecting to find luxury, if you do, you will be sadly dis- 

 appointed. Go prepared to rough it in every way. I 

 had luxury compared to many because as I said I stopped 

 with friends. Go for game and nothing more unless it 

 IS to study the natives, and if you take with you a "Ko- 

 dak you will be amply repaid. Unfortunately for me 

 my camera was broken dming the thirty-six mile drive 

 thoughts of which will ever linger on my memory. I 

 had expected some good photos for Forest and Stream, 

 but alas! "the beat laid plans," etc. 



This section abounds in game. Deer, bear, quail 

 woodcock (caUed there "snipes"), coon and possums' 

 ducks, geese and swan, can be had for the hunting. 



It 18 a veritable sportsman's paradise. But when you 

 go, take everything with you, as you can't buy much 



had"^' ^ '^^^^ ^^^^ ^ ^® 



I have read several times about the people of North 

 Carolina being hostile to the Northern sportsman; but 



I never met a more hospitable people in my life. I was 

 given permission to hunt and shoot on every farm a,nd 

 in every swamp I visited; and more, was asked to visit 

 and break bread with all I met^ 



Wednesday, Nov. 2, was my fiiret hunt there. We 

 (Tommy, Pappy and myself) were late starting out, hav- 

 ing lingered too long over good mother S's. hot corn 

 bread, chicken and coffee, but as the "huntin"' grounds 

 were only a half mile away it did not make much differ- 

 ence. After a fifteen minutes walk the dogs were put 

 in a swamp, and in less than ten minutes more they had 

 jumped a deer, and the woods were full of music— music 

 such as thrilled body, soul and brain of one who spends 

 eleven months out of twelve attending to business. I 

 stood there in that great Dismal (so-called) swamp, drink- 

 ing in everything in nature that God in his goodness has 

 made for man's enjoyment and happiness. It seemed to 

 me that there was music in everything— every bird, every 

 leaf; every tree seemed to speak to me in a separate and 

 distinct voice. I stood as if in a trance. I forgot what I 

 came there for. The sound of the dogs had died away in 

 the distance, gradually I seemed to awaken, the baying 

 of the hounds became nearer and clearer, and almost be- 

 fore I knew it a big buck sprang into the air and across 

 the road at one bound, and was gone. I watched him 

 cross within SOyds. of me; I did not attempt to shoot him, 

 there was more pleasure in that than in shooting at him. 



would like to go there on a hunt and will send me For- 

 est AND Stream credentials, I will be pleased to give all 

 the information possible. Why I say this is because my 

 friend will entertain only sportsmen and gentlemen. He 

 has a lovely wife and two charming daughters that make 

 everything bright and cheerful. In fact, it is homelike. 

 May they all live long and prosper. J. R. P. 



Phii.adet.phia. 



AMONG THE WILDFOWL.- XX. • 



AN INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE OF BROADBILLS. 



No, it wasn't buck fever either. We started four deer 

 that day and that was the only one that I had an oppor- 

 tunity to shoot. 



Thursday my host and self went to the same stand and 

 in a half hour both shot a doe. We saw three deer that 

 day before 2 o'clock. In the afternoon we rowed (at least 

 Tommy rowed us) eight miles down the river to hunt 

 bear. They hunt them by moonlight. That night we 

 went up the creek in a dugout, paddled by mine host. 

 And the way he put that skiff up the creek without 

 swamping us will ever be a mystery to me. It seemed as 

 if there was nothing in the water but snags and stumps 

 and logs. I could almost feel my "hat raise" before we 

 had gone a hundred yards. The bears come down to the 

 water's edge to feed on the gum berries, and when a 

 suitable tree is found, he climbs it and pulls the limbs in 

 and eats the berries. In the bright moonlight he looks 

 like a huge black man. The least noise will cause him 

 to vacate at once. Our first night was a failure. Not a 

 sign; but the second night ditto until after I had gone to 

 my bunk in the shanty. Then it was I had the bear fight 

 of my life. Talk about "hair raising," and "The Pan- 

 ther's Scream." Go bear hunting, wound your bear and 

 then fight it out. Such a night! I nearly killed my 

 friend before he could awaken me. Saturday we went 

 for deer again, and saw two fine bucks, but did not get 

 a shot. Sunday was a day of absolute rest. Monday we 

 saw three deer and got one. 



Tuesday at 3 A. M. started on a 9-mile drive to the 

 boat for home— having had one of the most, if not the 

 most, enjoyable trips of my life. Too much cannot be 

 said of my host and friend, both as a hunter and an en- 

 tertainer. He is brim full of adventure, and his hunt- 

 ing stories are of the best because true. His son Tommy, 

 a bright young man and a good hunter, attempts at 

 times to teach the old gentleman how to hunt. But 

 Tommy occasionally gets rattled too. One day when 

 his father and I both shot at and missed a doe, he guyed 

 us considerably about "letting deer run over us, and 

 getting a rope and catching one for us," etc. The next 

 day a magnificent buck swam within 20ft. of him and 

 he aimed carefully and fired, but never touched him, 

 and the deer swam out and gave him a broadside shot, 

 with the same result, Tommy hadn't much to say about 

 it except that "he didn't believe his right barrel had any 

 buck shot in it," having found where the shot from the 

 left struck. 



As said before, the country abounds in all kinds of 

 game, and if nothing happens to prevent I shall try the 

 geese and swan in Februai-y. If any brother sportsman 



HUNTING THE WHITE HARE. 



North Tarr-jtown, N. Y.~On Wednesday, Nov. S3, 

 Dr. M. and the writer started for a three days' hunt of 

 white hares {Lepus americanus). We were accompanied 

 by Lead, a foxhound, and as good an all-round dog as 

 lives, and will run anything from a cottontail to a bear; 

 Sport, what is commonly called a "rabbit bound," and 

 Bub, a beagle, being a son of champion Frank Forest. 



Big Indian, a small hamlet situated on the Ulster & 

 Delaware R. R., in Ulster county. New York, was our 

 destination. We arrived there in good season Wednes- 

 day eve, and were warmly welcomed by Mrs. Willard 

 Marsh, at whose house we stopped. Everything looked 

 favorable for a good day on the morrow, and after spend- 

 ing a very enjoyable evening with plenty of music and 

 singing, we retired. On awakening in the morning we 

 found the weather anything but favorable for a good 



day's sport; wind blow- 

 ing a gale and snowing 

 quite hard. However, 

 not to be daunted, and 

 wishing to make the 

 most of our time, after 

 partaking of a most 

 excellent bieakfast we 

 started out. We found 

 the hares very plenti- 

 ful, but owing to the 

 high wind and falling 

 snow the dogs had hard 

 work in holding a trail. 

 However, we succeeded 

 in making a fair bag. 



Friday was another 

 such day, with high 

 winds and plenty of 

 snow falling. On this 

 day we took a different 

 route, which we after- 

 ward regretted, as we 

 found the game very 

 scarce on the mountain 

 we hunted this day. 

 We had several good 

 runs, bagged a few 

 hares and several ruffed 

 grouse, flushed while 

 following the dogs. 



Satm'day was an ideal 

 hunting day, with just 

 snow enough on the 

 ground for good run- 

 ning, no wind, and the 

 sun out quite warm. 

 We huntea this day on 

 the same mountain 

 that we hunted Thurs- 

 day. We found plenty 

 of hares, and the way 

 the dogs hustled them 

 was a caution, and such 

 running it has never 

 before been my lot to 

 see. As soon as one 

 hare was started and 

 killed another was 

 jumped; and so it con- 

 tinued all day, and when evening came hunters and dogs 

 were pretty well tired out. But after returning to the 

 house and partaking of the good things Mrs. Marsh set 

 before us all fatigue passed away, and the evening was 

 sppnt with music and song. 



Big Indian is situated in the heart of the Catskill 

 Mountains, The hares are always found at the top of 

 the mountains, never at the bottom, making a tedious 

 climb to get to them. So the walking is up hill or down 

 bill about all the time, level stretches are few and far 

 between. The mountains are full of wood roads, made 

 for the purpose of hauling out timber. The hunter can 

 keep to the roads and get all the sport he wishes without 

 going into the brush. The sides of the mountains are 

 covered with fallen timber, which were cut and peeled 

 of their bark for tanning purposes, and the logs left lying 

 as they fell. Great huge trees lying in every direction 

 making the going for dogs about as hard as one could 

 find anywhere. If any one has a pack of beagles that 

 they care to test for gaminess and staying qualities, I 

 know of no place the equal of this for the purpose. A 

 dog must be a stayer "from away back" or he is of no 

 use in hunting this game. We had several runs that 

 lasted all of three hours each before the game was killed ; 

 and quite often the dogs would be out of hearing for over 

 half an hour, but would always bring the game back to 

 the starting point. The first hare that we started took a 

 circuit of at least five miles, the dogs were out of hearing 

 for a long time, and D., who had never hunted this game 

 before, insisted that the dogs had lost the trail. I had 

 hard work in persuading him to hold his stand and wait. 

 Finally, after a long wait, the dogs were heard ^oming 

 toward me, and the hare passed within SOyds. of D., who 

 shot at and killed it. 



Any one wishing a few days sport with the white haxes 

 will do well to write to Willard Marsh, Big Indian, N. Y,, 

 who will care for them and post them as to the haunts 

 and habits of the game. Mr. Marsh is a whole-souled, 

 good-natured gentleman, a good shot and a thorough 

 sportsman. Mrs. Marsh cannot be excelled for her cook- 

 ing, and the good things that she places before a tired 

 and hungry hunter on his return from a hard day's 

 tramp, will brace him up and take all thoughts of weari- 

 ness from him. Her husband being a sportsman, she 

 fully imderstands the wants of man and dog, and is 

 always ready and willing to do all she can for them. 

 Their rates are but $1.50 per day, which means plenty to 

 eat and the best, nice warm rooms and soft beds, and 

 good care for the dogs. 

 Big Indian is easily reached from New York city by 



