96 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 3, 1893. 



EIDER SHOOTING ON THE MAINECOAST 



Bowery Beach, Cape Elizabeth, Me., Jan. 16.— The 

 continuous cold weather of the past month has caused the 

 shooting of sea fowl to be better than for several years. 

 Our winter shooting is almost entirely at eiders a,nd smf 

 duck and some very good bags are being made of the 

 former in this vicinity. On Jan. 9 a party of six gunners 

 of this town secured seventy at Shooting Eock, nearly all 

 eiders, or "sea ducks or drakes," as the local gunners call 

 them. 



It is grand spoi-t, for they are large, handsome birds, of 

 great vitality, requiring good holding and hard hitting to 

 stop them. 



As a table bird, if well cooked, they are good eating, 

 but few cooks know how to prepare them, so they are 

 rarely seen in om- markets, which, perhaps, accounts for 

 their being so plenty, although they are hard to get at 

 ordinarily, as they feed most of the time on shoal rocks 

 miles from the land, and only when they come to the 

 gunning rocks can majiy be bagged. They are shot over 

 decoys, which they take well in places where they have 

 fed for a few days. 



I have shot a good many eiders lirst and last and al- 

 ways enjoy a morning among them, even though the 

 thermometer ranges below zero, as is often the case. 

 There are only two I'ocks in tliis vicinity suitable to shoot 

 from— Watt's Ledge, off Richmond Island, and Shooting 

 Eock, off Protit's Neck. Watt's Ledge is covered at high 

 tide, so the tide must ' 'serve" and the sea be smooth to 

 shoot from it. Half ebb tide at daylight is the jn-oper 

 time, as, if the sea is smooth, one can stay on the rock 

 imtD. noon. 



Sometimes shooters spend most of a night on the rock 

 (and in the boat) in order to get it away from others. As 

 a string of decoys holds the rock the first thing on arriv- 

 ing is to drop a few decoys, then land on the rock and 

 wait for dayUght, and waiting for daylight is slow, cold 

 business. 



To pass the time and keep warm, run, play tag, build 

 stone wall, or anything to '"kill time." At the first sign 

 of dawn the dory is shoved off, the rest of the decoys set 

 and the ice poimded oft' those wliich have been out; then 

 ashore and hide the dory behind the rock, the guns loaded 

 with 3s and all are ready for business. 



G-enerally, on a cold morning, just before sunrise the 

 first birds come jji and by 9 o'clock the shooting is ended, 

 except for a stragghng flock or so, as they invariably go 

 off to the outer shoals to feed when shot at from the 

 rocks. 



They are safe there, as there are about four fathoms of 

 water on the top of those shoals and they will not decoy 

 from a boat much. They never go into bays that are 

 landlocked, differing in this respect from ah. other sea 

 ducks, except, perhaps, the harlequin duck (called "lords 

 and ladies" by the old-time gunners), which are very rare 

 nowadays; in fact, a party from Peak's Island shot five 

 on Green Island recently and had to hunt up the oldest 

 gunner to find a name for them. 



I liave shot six or eight harlequins during the past 

 twenty years, but have never secm-ed one in plumage. 

 King eiders, although rare, are more plenty here In 

 dressing a great many eiders and sm-f ducks I have never 

 found a fish of any kind in the crops, although they are 

 called fish-eaters. Mussels seem to be their principal food 

 and as all shoals are covered with small mussels they do 

 not lack for food. W. S. J. 



PENNSYLVANIA SEASONS. 



Washington, Pa., Ja,n. 25. — Editor Forest and Stream,: 

 At a meeting of the members of the Pennsylvania State 

 Sportsmen's Association and others at Lancaster recently, 

 it was agreed, as reported, to endeavor to secure legisla- 

 tion making the open season on small game, with excep- 

 tion of quail, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 15, and on quail from 

 Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. 



Following is a copy of a letter I have mailed to Mr. C. 

 E. H. Brelsford, Hari-isbiu-g, Pa., jjresident of the State 

 Association, on the subject, and I desire to call the atten- 

 tion of the sportsmen of Pennsylvania to the matters 

 therein contained, and ask for an expression of opmion 

 thereon. If they agree with us in the behef that the 

 open season shoidd be the same on the game mentioned, 

 we request them to use their influence to get the com- 

 mittees having the matter in charge to adopt that proposi- 

 tion, and then let them make it between such dates as the 

 burden of evidence seems to favor. Following is the 

 letter: 



Me. C. E. H. Brelsfoed, President Pennsylvania State 

 Sportsmen's Association, Harrisburg, Pa. — Dear Sir: We 

 respectfully offer the following propositions for yom- con- 

 sideration in connection with your efforts to secure the 

 enactment of new game laws. 



That the principal small game in Pennsylvania consists 

 of squirrels, rabbits, ruffed grouse or pheasants and quail 

 or partridges, affording pleasure to shooters throughout 

 the State generally, and woodcock affording siaort to a 

 few in some sections of the State. 



That all of the foregoing need protection, and that in 

 view of the scarcity of ah in the greater portion of the 

 State, only a comparatively short oijen season should be 

 allowed on all. 



That an open season from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 on squir- 

 rels, rabbits, grouse and quail would afford reasonable 

 sport to all who delight in the pursuit of the same, and 

 with such an open season such game should increase and 

 multiply if the laws are properly enforced dm-ing the 

 close season. 



That woodcock are scarce in this State during the latter 

 part of October, so that making the open season on the 

 other small game commence Oct. 15 to accommodate the 

 woodcock shooters is a mistake; and that to make an 

 open season on woodcock earlier than on the other small 

 game would endanger such other game, so that it will be 

 better to sacrifice the interest of the lesser sport to the ad- 

 vantage of the greater and make the open season on wood- 

 Cock commence on Oct. 1 also. This, of course, will be 

 practically total protection on woodcock, but it is made 

 necessary in order to give the other game needed protec- 

 tion, at least for some years. 



That quail afford the greatest sport to the greatest num- 

 ber of sportsmen of any small game common to the State; 

 that the true sportsman — the man who observes the game 

 laws from pi-inciple, and who is ever ready to aid by 

 money or otherwise in the propagation and protection of 

 game, derives his greatest pleasure afield from the pursuit 

 of these birds, and that making the open season on quail 



commence fifteen days later than on rabbits, etc., is un- 

 fair to him, for the reason that he must remain at home 

 while the "great majority" of "hunters" are turned loose 

 to kill anything they can find. For, much as it may be 

 regretted, we all know that the "woods are fidl" of such, 

 who, from the first day of the open season on any game, 

 go forth to seek and kill all they can find, without regard 

 to game laws. 



That an open season commencing on Oct. 15 is i^erhaps 

 late enough for squirrels and woodcock and early for rab- 

 bits and quail; but that the interest of aU demands that 

 the open season on all commence and end at the same 

 time, be that Oct. 15 or Nov, 1. 



Tha,t game laws are one thing and their enforcement 

 another. When not enforced they are of advantage to 

 those who disregard them, and serve only to punish tlie 

 sportsmen who obey them. So that such legislative pro- 

 vision as wiU sm-ely secure the enforcement of laws when 

 made is of paramoimt importance. 



The foregouig pi-opositions come from a quai-tette of 

 sportsmen who * * * are law-abidmg and, so far as 

 possible, law-enforcing sportsmen. We congratulate you 

 up®n the many good things proposed at your meeting at 

 Lancaster, and make only such criticism as you wiH find 

 herein indcated, and we ask for such your careful consid- 

 eration. On the game hereua mention we are for an uni- 

 form open sea.son, whether it be from Oct. 15 to Dec. 15, 

 or whether it commences later. Our wLsh is that such 

 legislation may be had as will secm-e the greatest good to 

 the greatest ntunber. Very respectfully yours, 



Firefly. 



ALBANY GAME AND FISH BILLS. 



[Special Correspondoice Forest and Stream.] 



Albany, Jan. 31.— The following biUs have been sub- 

 mitted: 



Senator Floyd-Jones and Assemblyman Higbie intro- 

 duced an amendment to the charter of the South Side 

 Sportsmen's Club, of Long Island, so that it may hold 

 Ijroperty to the amount of $500,000. 



Assemblyman Hennessy has a bill amending the game 

 code so as to extend the close season for deer from Aug. 15 

 to Sept. 1, The season for possession or sale of venison is 

 extended to the same date and possession of the same is 

 further aUowed between Sept. 1 a,nd Nov. 15. A bormty 

 of !^10 is allowed for each fox killed. The close season for 

 trout is extended from April 15 to Jilay 1. 



Assemblyman Stanton jsroposes a new section, No. 56, 

 reading thus: "Skunks, minks and coons shall not be 

 hunted, trapped or kiUed for the jourxDOse of obtaining the 

 skins therefrom to be sold or offered for sale between 

 March 1 and Nov. 1." 



Assemblyman Porter's bill allows dogs without] owners 

 or unmuzzled to be killed by the owner of premises over 

 which they are caught roaming. 



Assemblyman Brown's bill amends Section 73 by'add- 

 ing Otsego to the counties in which quail must not be 

 killed or possessed for five years. 



Another bill by the same member amends Section 141 

 by adding Otsego to the counties in which bullheads, etc., 

 may be caught through the ice by hook and fine, and it 

 allows fishing through the iccAvith tip-ups in that coimty. 



Senator Floyd-Jones's bdl amends Section 132 so as to 

 rearrange certain boundaries in Jefferson countj' that are 

 exempted^from the prohibition except by anghng. 



Assemblyman Lounsbmy's biU amends Section 141 so 

 as to add Ulster to the coimties in which bullheads, etc., 

 may be caught through the ice. 



Albany, Jan. 30. — A bill has been introduced by 

 Assemblyman Hilton which legislates out of office the 

 present forestry commission and provides for the ap- 

 pointment of five new forest commissioners for the term 

 of five years. The commission shall compjlete the loca- 

 tion of the lands within the Adirondack Park in five 

 years. The bill also gives the forest commission authority 

 to make contracts with owners of private preserves 

 within the park limits, whereby the State will be able to 

 secure these preserves forever as a pai't of the Adii'on- 

 dack Park. At the expiration of the five years for which 

 it is to be api)ointed the commission shall cease to exist 

 and its duties shall be vested in the commissioner of 

 agriculture. It is expected that by sales of matured tim- 

 ber without iujmy to the forest and the revenue from 

 camp leases the park will in a few years be self-sustaining 

 and ultimately be a source of revenue to the State. 



Assemblyman Kinsella has introduced a veiy long biU 

 for the protection of game in Orange county. 



Assemblyman Townsend has a bill relating to fishing in 

 Jamaica Bay. It repeals the clause in the ijresent law 

 which forbids taking striped bass, sea bass or black fish 

 under 6in. 



Colorado Game and Vermin. 



Berthoud, Col., Jan. 24.— Wild geese were never so 

 plenty here as they have been this past fall. Some fine 

 bags have been made in the wheatfields near my place. 

 A Boulder pa;rty killed fifteen one morning. Ducks were 

 also qixite plenty. I recently returned from my sheep 

 ranch on the Bijou, in Morgan county, Colo., where I 

 spent some three weeks; there a^e many antelope in the 

 sandhills there, but they are cute fellows and hard to get 

 a good shot at. My son Frank killed one fine fat buck m 

 November. But for black-taU jack rabbits, that country 

 "takes the cake." I do beheve that a good shot could 

 kiU a wagonload in two or three days. When I left, the 

 sheep herder had about two dozen hanging up at the 

 end of the house and we ate all we wanted; he kiUed 

 them while herding the sheep. In warm weather rattle- 

 snakes are numerous; we killed from one to half a dozen 

 every day. There are many coyotes and gi'ay wolves. My 11- 

 year-old sou was herding 200 Southdown ewes last Novem- 

 ber, when six big gray fellows came up and tried to get a 

 sheep, but he had the"^ pluck to show fight, and with his 

 club and dog he kept them off imtil near enough the 

 ranch for Frank to see hini. Frank came out with the 

 Winchester, but only succeeded in wounding one. The 

 foreman of the D. T. Cattle Co. , Warren House, roped a 

 big fellow last fall; he chased it on horseback, threw his 

 rope over its head while on the full inin, turned his horse 

 and dragged it to death. 



A number of hunting parties have went from here to 

 the moimtains this winter, but only a few have brought 

 home any deer. Grift" Smith killed three in Estes Park. 



^A. A, Knott. 



A REMINISCENCE OF "NESSMUK." 



Capt. L. a. Beardsleb, U. S. Navy, our long-time con- 

 trilbutor "Piseco," sending us his remittance for the 

 memorial fund, thus recalls his fii'st meeting with 

 ' ' Nessmuk" : 



It was at the Forge House, at foot of the Fulton Chain, 

 in the Adirondacks. As I dismounted from the woods 

 nag — that had brought me to the door— I did not hurry 

 in, although I was hungry and dinner was ready, for on 

 the stoop lay the very in-ettiest httle boat I ever saw. I. 

 will not describe her, for who of you all woiiiil fail to re- 

 cognize at sight the canoe Sairy Gami^. While I was in- 

 specting her a little grizzly old fellow came up and kindly 

 answered my questions a.bout her. We introduced om'- 

 selves, and when "Ncssmuk" and "Piseco" were the 

 names announced there was an exhibition of fratemizmg 

 that astonished the natives. 



That afternoon he took me with him for a spin up the 

 lake; and I was glad for once in my fife that I was some- 

 what bald-headed, for it reduced my anxiety about cap- 

 sizing. I knew that it made no difference, so far as I was 

 concerned or the stability of the boat, whether my hair 

 was parted in the middle or not. 



In the evening he came to my room, and although for 

 a few moments he occui^ied the chair I offered him he 

 very soon, as we engaged ourselves in the pleasing 

 anmsement of comparing and overhauling gear, slid off 

 to the floor and spent the rest of the evening sitting Jap- 

 fashion on his heels. 



I had a fancy that I was tolerably well fitted out, that 

 is, I had no more traps ("dufiie," he called them) than 

 would cost a single carry; but he did not secan to think 

 so. Nor did I, Avhen he brought in Jiis, uo great task. He 

 had a light rifle with just five bullets, and a f^jnall vial of 

 powder. 



"Why so little ammunition?" I asked. 



"I've got enough," he answered, "at the most I s&ML 

 not depend on my gun for my meat more than six weeks 

 on this outing — very probably less. A venLson a week 

 wiU be more than I or anj other man ought to kill; tlu'ee^ 

 will do me; and I may want a couple of extras for a bear."' 



"But," I said, "suppose you miss a shot?" 



"When 1 miss I'U go without and five on crackers." 



He had with him the famed little hatchet, the Ettle 

 sack, and a quart of fly poison — tar and oil (with which,, 

 he informed me, he bathed), and such a little tent. 



That evening he took me to catch trout by moonhght, 

 and arranged that we should camp out, for tlie moon was 

 old and would he late; said he w-oiild talce his tent (which 

 I had not yet seen). Wlien he set it up that night, weU, I 

 was very glad when he j)ohtely took to a hush outside and 

 his blanket, leaving me what room there was, for I'm sure 

 two of us never could have squeezed into it. We did not 

 catch any trout, l:>ut it A\'as a. night to be remembered. 

 TJie wood nymplis touched ] i iin ^\ it}i tlieir charms and 

 the store of prose and poeti-y with which he entertained 

 me made of it a bit of dreamland. 



Let us give him due honor. PiSECO. 



GAME AND FISH PROTECTION NOTES. 



New York Association. 



The Forest and Stream's report of the proceedings of 

 the annual convention of the New York State Association 

 for the Protection of Fish and Game, in Syracuse, last 

 Mai-ch, has been republished in an eight-page pamphlet, 

 and AviU be sent free to any address by Secretaiy John B. 

 Sage, Buffalo. Clubs and associations shoidd apply for 

 sufficient munbers to put one into the hands of every 

 member. 



The Colorado Garne Bill. 



Our Denver coiTespondent "Teseeby" sends us the fol- 

 lowing encouraging report: The CVilorado Game and 

 Fish Protective Association met in Denver, Jan. 24. 

 The proposed game law, winch A\-as i resented at tlie last 

 meeting, was thoroughly discussed, and Senator Felker 

 and Representative Both kindly consented to look after 

 the bill in the Assembly. It was decided to ask for an 

 appropriation of $13,200 for 1803 and $12,000 for 1894 for' 

 the payment of game wardens, etc. It is probable that 

 the bill will be passed without opposition, as representa- 

 tive men hke Jtidge France, W. N. Byers, Dr. Bancroft: 

 and many others are workmg hard for it. Tiie bdl fixes; 

 open seasons as follows: Pheasant, prairie chickens, moun- 

 tain quail, ptarmigan, Sept. 1-Nov. 15; sage liens, Aug. 15- 

 Nov. 15; quail, or partridge, Nov. l-Dec. 1: ducks, geese,, 

 swans, Sept.l-April 15; deer, elk and antelope, Aug, 1- 

 Nov. 1 (only those with horns may be killed and for' 

 "reasonable necessity" only.) Bison or bidJalo and moun- 

 tain sheep protected at aU times. Use of dogs for deer or- 

 elk forbidden. Sale of game— meat, hides, heads or horns; 

 — ^forbidden. 



A Quebec Law Commission. 



A deputation of spoi'tsmen representing fish and gam© 

 clubs inter"\dewed Hon. E, J. Flynn, the Commissioner of 

 Crown Lands, at Ottawa, last week, and presented their 

 objection to the Auge bill. They lu-ged that the present 

 law be retained for this year at least. The Commissioner 

 expressed his pleasure at meeting the members of the 

 deputation, with whose views he was entirely in accord. 

 He was willing to assume all reriponsibihTy fnv necessary 

 legislation aft'ecting tlie fish and game law.s, ;ind thought 

 Mr. Auge's bill would not be pressed tliis sessicjn. He said 

 he was going to move for the appointment of a special 

 committee of the House to study the fish and game ques- 

 tion, and hoped that sportsmen wordd appear before it 

 and give it the benefit of their knowledge and advice. 

 The deputation left thoroughly satisfied with the result 

 of the interview. 



An American at the Antipodes. 



Dare Rivee Downs, Queen.sland, Austi-alia, Nov. 31 — 

 Editor Forest and Strea m: Dear old Forest asd Streasi to 

 hand with its spicy pages of good things. How I long once 

 more to get ainong the wary grouse and quail. There is 

 nothing here btit the kangaroo and emu, with the turkey 

 bustard, all of which must be liunted either on horseback 

 or in a trap or our America n buckboard. which by the 

 way is handy for that purpose. '^I'here is scune very good 

 duck shooting in various ])arts of Australia, but not where 

 I am at present located. The turljey lju:stard.s (or plain 

 turkeys, as they are cafied here) are very xdentifttl: and 

 when'nothing else is to be had atiuid fairly good sport, 

 the only sttccessful way to lumt tlieiu taemg as bll'oi-e 

 stated with buckboard. J . B. 



