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FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jan. 19, 1893, 



PENNSYLVANIA IS AWAKE. 



HAJiRiSErBG, Pa., Jaji. IL— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 At the meeting of the Legislative Committee of the State 

 Sportsmen's Association, called to consider the best means 

 to protect the game of the State, more genuine interest 

 and enthusiasm was manifested than was anticipated. 

 The committee expected that half a dozen enthusiasts who 

 had the game iuterests at heart would get together and 

 bewaM the destruction of fur and feather that was soon 

 to terminate their favorite sport. Instead, there was a 

 full attendance of the commiti;ee proper, gathered from 

 the extreme ends of the State and fairly representing 

 each section, together with a score or more of the mem- 

 bers of the Legislature now in. session and a couple of 

 dozen sportsmen from near-by points. 



Such a gathering without any j)revious advertising, 

 except the notice pubUshed in Forest and Streajj: and a 

 couple of other sportsmen's j»apers, was not only highly 

 gratifying to the committee, but showed the keen interest 

 taken in the subject up for consideration; and also that 

 game protection is going to have plenty of advocates and 

 friends in om- State. 



A brief statement by the ch'a,innan, setting forth the 

 objects and reasons for the calling together of the com- 

 iQittee, brought on a general discussion which led to the 

 adoption of a resolution requestiug the Legislature to pass 

 an act creattag a State Game Commission, whose duty it 

 shall be to foster and protect om- game birds and animals, 

 to iatroduce new varieties and renew esliausted coverts, 

 and to have similar rights, privileges and assistance as are 

 now extended to the State Fish Commission. 



Judging from the remarks and pledges given by mem 

 bars of the Legislature who were in attendance, this act 

 wdl be passed. 



It was acceded to by all present that there must be some 

 directing head to which sportsmen can look for assistance 

 ui punishing violators of the game laws, and for intelli- 

 gently carrying out the best methods of increasing the 

 game supply. All changes and amendments to the game 

 laws have, when brought before the Legislature hereto- 

 fore, been referred to the Committee on Agiiculture, a 

 A^ery important committee, Ijaving some very important 

 matters referred to it. It is now. proposed to appoint in 

 the House of Rejiresentatives a committee on fish and 

 game. 



This is a step in the right direction, as it is presumed the 

 Speaker will appoint membex-s interested in the subject 

 and capable of uiiderstaiichng what is needed to preserve 

 the game. To Ihi.s committee wiU be referred the pro- 

 posed changes iu the game laws, and Speaker Thompson 

 kindly sent a communication to our meetmg asking if otu- 

 Association's objects would be advanced by the appoint- 

 ment of tills committee. We imanimously agreed that 

 they would, and jiassed a resolution thanking him for his 

 suggestion and praying that the committee be apiDouated. 

 Bo it looks as if the proper legislative machinery was well 

 oiled and set in motion to give ns anything in reason. 



The next important matter taken up was the revision 

 of the game laws. Tliis naturally provoked a great deal 

 of discussion. Numerous letters were read from all sec- 

 tions of the State, showing tlie great interest taken, some 

 of them recommending radical changes and others none 

 at aH. but all breathing tire one sentiment, ''protection." 

 The causes leading to the dimiimtion of the game were 

 carefully discussed. Bad weather, hawks, owls, foxes 

 and other vermin received their share of attention, but 

 the final conclusion was reached that of all these ele- 

 ments there was one above all others to be feared, and 

 that was the breechloadtug gun. Bad breeding weather 

 and hard winters were beyond the committee's control. 

 Destructive animals and bnds might be reduced in mun- 

 ber hy proper bounties being offered for their scalps or 

 hides, but the breecliloader was what the committee had 

 started out to protect the game from and their action was 

 rather radical. It being conceded that the hunter was 

 the one to be watched it was thought he could be 

 watched closer if he had fewer days to pursue game. 

 The first recommendation made was to repeal all the ex- 

 isting game laws (not including fish) and to substitute 

 new clauses entirely. To make a uniform day for open- 

 ing and closing the season on all except a few migratory 

 birds. 



A commitlee of three, Eepresentative Tabot, Caspar 

 Didl, Esq., and the chairman, were empowered to draft 

 these new clauses as directed by the meeting, and frame 

 a bid to be presented at once to the Legislatm-e. 



The committee then took up each head of game sepa- 

 rately, and after a careful consideration recommended as 

 follows: 



Deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, i^rairie chickens, wood- 

 cock and squirrels should be killed only from the loth day 

 of October to the 15th day of December, included: quail 

 from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15: grass plover, Aug. 1 to Sept. 15; 

 rail and reed birds, ducks and geese, the law to remain as 

 it is. No hounding of deer or keeping dogs that run 

 deer, to be allowed; snaring or trapping to be prohibited; 

 insectivorous birds to be protected; no game of any kind 

 allowed to be sold in the State after Jan. 1, whether killed 

 in this or any other State, and prohibiting the shix^ping of 

 game out of the State; the farmers to be protected 

 against damage and insult by trespassers. 



The committee looks for a great deal of luifavorable 

 criticism, especially from the summer woodcock and 

 squirrel shooters, who have their season so sliaiply cur- 

 tailed. But they appeal to all the sportsmen in the State 

 to stand by these dates for what is considered the best of 

 reasons. If we are to have the brdk of our game pre- 

 served some sacrifices must be made. 



It is well knowai that As-oodcock and squirrel shooters, 

 in September especially, are strongly tempted to kill the 

 young ruffed grouse and turkeys, and miprincipled hunters 

 do kill them by the scores. So we ask the true sportsman 

 to sacrifice his summer shooting for the greater good of 

 the fall season, and we can't help but think that all the 

 fair-minded sportsmen wiU uphold us in tliese choice of 

 dates. If it is unlawful for a hunter to be seen in the 

 covert or mountain before Oct. 15 it will be easier to 

 detect and punish those killing game illegally. 



The closmg of the season on Dec. 15 we considered a 

 wise move, as we rarely have any deep snoA\'s before that 

 time, which removes^the temptation for the pot-hunter to 

 get in his work. It is a notoiious fact that more quail are 

 brought to market after heavy falls of snow than any 

 other time in the open sea.son. 



Regarding the clause prohibiting the sale of game no 

 matter in what .State it has been kiJded after Jan, 1, it will 



bring the game dealers down on us. AVe expect this, and 

 are prepared to fight this clause through. It has been !i 

 concession to them that has been shamefully abused, and 

 has always been a weak point in the game laws, and only 

 by the enactment of this clause can game be properly pro- 

 tected from slaughter in close time. 



The committee has finished the work for which they 

 were appointed as soon as their bills are framed and prop- 

 erly jaresented to the Legislature, and we ask the different 

 game associations and gun clubs to comjiilete the work by 

 urging theii- representatives to vote for our measures. 



Start the ball at once and qrdt only after our bills have 

 become la w, and then see that the law is lived up to. 



C. E. H. Brelsford, Chairman. 



SOME TEXAS SHOOTING. 



Velasco, Texas, Jan. o. — Since my last communication 

 we have had several notable hunts. A few days ago a 

 party composed of J. M. Moore, Dr. J. Gr. Boyd, Mr. J. F. 

 Perry, and your correspondent gave the deer a round up. 

 We stopped during the night precechng the hunt with Mr. 

 Peiiy, at his beautiful home on the old Perry plantation 

 near the banks of the Brazos River. The place is replete 

 with historical interest, as it was the favorite rendezvous 

 of Stephen F. Austin, one of the noted Texas pioneers, and 

 his remains rest here beneath the shades of the hve oaks 

 in the family cemetery. 



We made a fair start m the morning, Mr. Perry did the 

 driving, while the rest of us took stands along the old 

 road which leads through the forest. Moore rode a spirited 

 mustang, and everybody knows that the average Texas 

 mustang is an uncertain quantity when badly wanted, and 

 in this case the mustang was rather above the average, as 

 he could ran faster, kick higher, buck stiffer, and look 

 uglier than anything in the shape of horseflesh within ten 

 cotmties. 



When the music of the hounds commenced there was a 

 dispute between Jack and his rider. Moore wanted to 

 canter down tlie road and head off the deer, Jack sud- 

 denly remembered that he had not finished his breakfast 

 and decided to canter back home. A dispute arose in 

 which various threatening parrouttes was followed by 

 Moore suddenly dismomiting after tlie latest fa.shion not 

 yet taught in the riduig schools. 



It did not take much time to jump a deer. Boyd stood 

 in a narrow ravine rvmning into the river: it was his fii-st 

 deer htmt although he had often studied the animal 

 through the bare of the Central Paxk iu Ne-w York, 

 Presently he saw three brownish looking animals hopping 

 along through the undergrowth toward him. He con- 

 cluded they were dogs from a neighboring plantation, and 

 not wishing to have them frighten the game away from 

 him, he gathered up a club, and with a Adgorous ''Git 

 there, you ciirs," let drive at them as they came within a 

 few steps. 



They got, so did the Doctor; he got up on a stump and 

 orated, for instead of three cur dogs they were three big 

 bucks that straightened up and did some of the tallest run- 

 ning you ever saw when the Doctor hru-led his club. They 

 passed close to Mr. Perry, Avho trmibled one of the biggest 

 with a right and letter, the dogs passed out of hearing and 

 finally dropped the trail, which ended the hunt. 



We are getting up a party to go for the wildcats along 

 the east bank of the river a few miles north of town; they 

 are numerous, and of late have been pretfrs' bold in visiting 

 the chicken roosts of the Perry plantation. They make a 

 splendid run, almost as strong as a fox, and there is some 

 httle excitement at the captm-e. 



Dr. Boyd is perhaps the best posted man on the ways of 

 the feathered tribe in this section of the country, but he 

 reports something which passed before Ms observation a 

 few days ago while hunting ducks north of town. He 

 says he was attracted toward a coHection of sandhill 

 cranes at some little distance, and after some caution suc- 

 ceeded in getting within easy shooting range. They were 

 having a regular old-fashioned corn dance, 



Whde the flock stood graA^ely looking on, two of the 

 cranes would step out, and facing each other dance in the 

 mo.st serious and ludicrous manner imaginable. They 

 would cut all kind of capers Avith their long ungainly 

 legs, as the Doctor put it, just like the human dudes who 

 disi)lay their agility in the ball room. AVhen one couple 

 became exhausted, another stepped forward to take their 

 place, and the dance continued for hours at a time, until 

 the Doctor was forced by the api^roach of night to return 

 home; the Doctor says some of the steps practiced were 

 original and extremely funny; he is trying to introduce 

 thom to the local dancing master. 



Mr, B. W. Men'ill, a noted disciple of Izaak Walton, has 

 been here the past week. The black bass, trout ond red- 

 fish are at their prune, and the weather is just cool 

 enough to make fishing pleasant. The bass take the fly 

 almost as daintily as the mountain trout of loving 

 memorA^ 



Dr. j'. C. Mayfield, Rev. W. H. Browne. Mr. Will Ham- 

 ilton, of Houston, Texas, and your correspondent made a 

 trip to the Cedar Lakes, about eighteen miles south, a 

 couj)le of weeks ago. The country in the A'icinity of the 

 lakes is little hunted, and I am ashamed to tell the story 

 of our luck, as it would look hke pot-lmuting: but there 

 was not a pot-hiuiter in the party, only we could not re- 

 sist the temptation to shoot when the geese and ducks 

 persisted in flying around us. 



Boyd, Gueringer. More and Mrrrissey tried their luck at 

 the ducks yesterday morning. Thej ai'e pretty plenty, 

 but we have had little cold weather here yet, and they 

 are not as thick as I have seen them. 



You can realize something of our climate when I tell 

 you that there has not been a day this yt-ar Avhen you 

 coi.ild not find the farmers near town selling all kind of 

 green vegetables on the streets. 



If you want to have fun just ask Gueringer how shoot- 

 ing oA'er decoys is in this country. My flesh proud friend 

 bought a dozen handsome mallards from an Eastern 

 dealer and a few mornings ago concluded to try them. 

 He had first-rate sport at first, kilhng twenty-seven mal- 

 lards in less than an hour; but not content with that he 

 left his decoys and sought for the frisky quail in the 

 neighboring iields. Returning, he forgot all about the 

 decoys, and after crawHng 100yds, through the weeds, 

 covered himself with glory by slaughtering nine of the 

 innocent canvas sides. 



Next letter 1 w ill tell 'you about a bear hunt on the 

 Bernard, in which A-arious of our deep-Avater port nim- 

 rods participated with various degrees of glory. 



O'Brtan. 



STYLES OF CHOKES. 



Bergerville, Oayi. —Kdifor Fnve^^l and stir<iii): I ha.ve 

 for seA^eral years been trying to get some satisfactory in- 

 formation as to the relative merits of the A'arious .system.s 

 of chokeboring employed l>y the mamifacturers of the 

 best guns. There seems to be such a slight difference in 

 the performance of some of these high grade guns, yet 

 the systems of boring arc entirelj" difl'erent. For example, 

 take a Greener and a Lef ever of about the same cost and 

 finish. They will (supposing both gxms are fully choked) 

 put about an equal number of shot in a 30in. circle at 

 equal distances, other thmgs being equal, viz., poAvder, 

 charge, shell used, etc. 



NoAv, one of these tAVO guns, the Greener, is choked in 

 the manner adopted by many other makers, viz,, by 

 gradually reducing the size of the bore from about 4in. 

 from the muzzle to the muzzle. The Lefever choke is a, 

 gradual taper from breech to muzzle. One must have an 

 advantage over the other, and yet it is scarcely appai'ent. 



I have used many guns clioked oit botli tlie.se systems, 

 and my experience lias been that in most casi-s tlie grad- 

 ual taper is better for an nll-rormd gun, as largi^ sliot do 

 not scatter so much as in the other system. I have an 

 Ithaca whicl* makes very close and pretty patterns (and it 

 is muzzle-choked) with all sizes of shot. The closest 

 shooting gun I eA^er used was a "Needham gun with 

 Greener baiTels. It would scatter buclishot. however, 

 A^ery badly. 



l once shot a broad-wing hawk at eiglity-fix^e pac(='s with 

 a taper-choked gun made by Forehand & Wadswijrth. I 

 may be wrong, and if so will be glad of correction, but it 

 seems to me that a gun that is muzzle-choked thr<5A^■s 

 large shot across one another, more than if choked on the 

 taper principle. 



I am certain that the recoil is less in taper-bored guns 

 than in muzzle-choked ones. It seems to me that a charge 

 of shot which is brought together slowly and gradtially 

 wiU scatter less than Avben suddenly bunched togetlier at 

 the end of the barrel; and yet as I said before it is only 

 apparent Avhen using coarse shot. 



I hope some one who knows more than. I do Avill take 

 up this subject, as I am interested in it in more Avaya than 

 one (no bet), but chiefl.y from a scientific point of view. 



L. D. VON lFFLA?fD. 



ANOTHER PANTHER INCIDENT. 



Peatteville, Wis., J'con. ^d.— Editor Forest and Sfream: 

 I have read with amusement and interest the sex eral com- 

 munications in. yotir jjajjer upon the pautlier's scream, 

 and have wislied it avus in my ]i;iowei- l.o contribute a mite 

 to^vard settling the mueli vexed question. But as I never 

 saw bttt one uncaged panther, and that one did not scream 

 in my hearing, I was unable to add any testimt,iny as of 

 my own knowledge to either side of the discuHsion, 

 Though, if one ni;ty believe what his neiglilio.rs say re- 

 specting what tliey .lieard. niy impression, basfd upon 

 such evidence given at the tune. Avotdd be that the partic- 

 ular panther in que.stion had a good healthy voice and 

 knew how to use it. 



Yom- correspondent. John R. Spears, in his ^'n'y amus- 

 ing paper in your i.ssne uf Jan. 5, enters upon the discus- 

 sion of a ncAv type of asserted pantherian pecnharity 

 respecting A\dnch I can testify sonietliing from jny oAvn 

 observation. 



More tlmn forty years ago, when I was in ray seven- 

 teenth year, and a new-comer in ^iouth western \V isf'onsin. 

 I saw the ]:ia,nther above referred to. Tlie same aninial, or 

 one supposed to be the same, was belic\-ed to have re- 

 mained in the locality for several years, and was many 

 times seen — and heard so it Avas said — and left traces of 

 his visits to farm yards in dead aniinals kiUed and not 

 carried off, as it Avas asserted, besides leaving Iris f(,H>tpr.ints 

 in the snow. And altliough mam' hunting i^arties were 

 organized to kill or captiu-e him, in aoiua of Avhich I took 

 part, he was never killed ui.' captured tliat I heard of. 



When I saAv him it was under these circumstances: My 

 father and I were hauling stone fi'om a quarry whicJi we 

 had opened in a piece of prau'ie on our o^vn farm, to a 

 place about a quarter of a mile distant, where, in dense 

 imderbrush by the side of a fine spring, Ave were Inulding 

 a house. Going with the team and unloaded \\'agon from 

 the iMUSe to the r|uarry, and just as we emerged frumthe 

 underbrsh rqioii the prairie, we caught a glim [ise of the 

 back of some animal which showed above the tops of the 

 tall praii'ie grass and AA'eeds. Curious to see wliat sort of 

 an animal it was, Ave turned the te'axn in the direction 

 Avhich he hael taken and trotted off in tire hei])e lo (over- 

 take him. It was roily al)Ont oiie-sixteeni h of a, mile or 

 less from the place Av lrere we first saw hint to the, edge of 

 our farm, winch was then mifenced. Adjoining our lanti 

 lay a piece of new "breaking," which had been broken 

 the summer prcAdous and left tmcropped, and only as the 

 breaking plow left it. On our side of the Hire there was 

 anaiTOW fringe of low liazel and e-hokeclieny bushes 

 through which our Ansitor passed Avitliout slupping, and 

 A\dien we drove through it and rea< hed the edge of the 

 "breaking" there stood the pursued, some six, or. jierhaps, 

 eight rods distant out upon the '■breakin.t;-."' Evidently, 

 however, his ctmositA' as well as ours Avas stirred, and 

 looking l)ack at the oeeru-rence now it seems to me that 

 .probably he was thinking, as he looked back at us, "Well, 

 what are you going to do about itV" for tlrere he stood, 

 facing toAA'ard us, heael and tail erect. 



We did not go any further in that direction after we 

 saAv him standing there for three reasons, as I remember 

 it, Fu'st, the new breaking Avas too rough to driA'e OA-er 

 Avitli comfort; second, the pursued did not seem to be 

 particularly anxious to go any further, just then, in the 

 direction A\-]iich he had l)eeu pursuing, and thu-d, as we 

 hadnoAveaporrsitdid not seem to be advisalile to endeavor 

 to compel him to do so. Besides. Ave had ah'eady grati- 

 fied our curiosity: Ave had seen him. But neither of us 

 had stdl the sliglitest idea what aninral it really Avas. and 

 it was tvro or three years later Avhen 1 discovered that our 

 A'isitor actually Avas a fuU-gi-OAvn pianther. 



As I said, there he stood looking at us, and avo sat on 

 the wagon and looked at hiin. Neither partv' appeared to 

 be frigliteneu. The panther shoAved no signs of fear at 

 any rate, and irt}' father and I reaUy did not knoA\- enough 

 to be frigliteired. He shoAved no signs that we detected 

 of any purpose to attack us. and we had no purpe)8e U, 

 attempt to nrole.st him. After sm-Aeying us fuj' s<nne 

 seconds, probably not minutes, he hegan to Iris 

 tail. He would swing it around wiih the most stately 

 dignity, tmtil its tip wotdd be throAvn with what seemed 

 almost like a blow against one side, then the operation 



