118 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 9, 1893. 



THE MINNESOTA GAME SITUATION. 



The following portion of the report of President Robert 

 Ormsby Sweeny, Jr., of the Minnesota Game and Fish 

 Commission, sets forth in illimiinative hght the game 

 situation of the State, and the caU for unity of action in 

 protective legislation by Minnesota and her neighbors: 



The work performed by the State game warden, Stet- 

 son, and his numerous and valued assistant special county 

 wardens, is set f ortli at length in his report to the board, 

 which is appended together with those of the county 

 specials also. The general tenor of these reports seems to 

 be that the enforcement of the game laAV is salut.ary, and 

 is so recognized more than at first, and the violations ai'e 

 fewer tlian last year. In many localities none at all are 

 reported, and the people are putting more confidence in 

 its efficacy and beneficent results. Many of the wardens 

 say very emphatically there is a very percex^tible increase 

 of game, owing to the law's enforcement. Others, fewer 

 in number, I am glad to say, can see no difference; while 

 others report game very abiuidant — more so than for 

 years. 



There is one uncontrovertible fact set forth by these re- 

 ports coming from every part of our beautiful domain, 

 aad that is that our State of Minijcaota is still wonch-ously 

 endowed Avith a heritage of the choicest game, both small 

 and large, so lavishly bestow^od that the wealth of tlie 

 world could not reproduce it were it once to vanish. Only 

 a few years ago one might safely say, from the southern 

 tier of comities, where the sparkling trout streams like silver 

 ribbons thread their way across the verdm-e of the prairies; 

 from the midlands, northward, Avdiere the lakes are spread 

 to mirror the azure depths of the pure ether aboA^e us, and 

 the rivers that rush and dash among the rocks and oak 

 trees; and further north Avhere sigh the pine trees, the 

 streams laugh, leaiJ and tumble with their crystal afflu- 

 ents finally into the bosom of the great lake. In all and 

 eA-ery stream and lake Avere to be fotmd food fishes; not 

 here* and there one, but by myriads. The little brooks 

 where leaped the speckled trout; the countless lakelets, 

 where spoilt the perch, the croppy, bass, Avalleye pike, 

 muskalonge and pickerel, and in the blue, cold depths of 

 the fjord-like northern watex's, the luscious TuUibee, and 

 in the "great shiuing big sea water," Gritchee Gamme — 

 Lake Superior. The giant brook trout, the herring, the 

 Cisco, the three colossal lake trouts, the wall-oye perch, 

 the siscowett, and the whitefish and sturgeon, like the 

 untold wealth hidden within its rocky shores, were wait- 

 ing in all their glittering beauty for man's needs. 



As the Avaters Avere teeming, so were the lands filled 

 A\'ith game life. Tlie marshes, Avith their AA^ild rice and 

 cranberries, supported innumerable aquatic birds and 

 fowls; in the stubble, and in the wild, broad prauies 

 where the great cranes dance and swing, Avere feeding- 

 grounds for others. The chickens, grouse and jiheasant, 

 whirred and drummed from one end of the Sta,te to the 

 other; the deer, elk, caribou and moose imdisputed, 

 trampled om- northland marais and forest; the mink, 

 marten, fisher and otter peopled the banks of the forest 

 streams. The approach and contact of civilization has 

 greatly changed all this, yet, even to-day, far away in the 

 quiet depths of their scented silence, the beaA'er is yet 

 building his dams and constructing Ms houses as of old. 

 Only a few years ago Minnesota was really a hunter's 

 paradise. It seemed as if the game and fish Avould neA^er, 

 could neA^er be exhausted; bnt civilization's mUls, with 

 their refuse and sawdust, semes, gill and trap nets, and 

 dynamite for the fishes; breechloaders for the. birds, and 

 magazine rifles for the noble deer i'amily, are with their 

 relentless and deadly energy rapidly dissipating Avith 

 shameful waste our heaA^en-giA'en Ijounty. 



Let us call a halt; it is time. Let . us make the effort, 

 every man of us, to saA^e this wonderful heritage from 

 destruction, remembering there are others to come after 

 us, perhaps our own descendants Avith our \ery tastes and 

 enjoyment of fishing and liuutiug. l^et us spare some- 

 thing for the comiag generations. We can do it, by 

 Avholesome and salutary restraints upon the killing of 

 game and fish. First let better laws be enactcMi, laws for 

 the purpose iatended, and let us obey them ; imj la rtially 

 enforce them, whenever and Avherever A-iolated; forbid 

 selling and shijDping game killed in Minnesota out of the 

 State; forbid the selling and shipping of all fish caught in 

 Minnesota waters out of the State, except those caught in 

 Lake Supeiior. Restrict the use of dogs in hunting, for 

 either birds or deer. This would prevent the terrible and 

 deadly slaughter which now threatens extermination. A 

 few years without dogs Avould demonstrate the value of 

 then- absence, hj the greater abimdance of game both 

 large and small. 



This rajjid destruction and dissipation of our game and 

 fish is the result hi larger part of the demand" for such 

 luxm-ies from the thickly peopled coimtries, where all 

 native game has long since been exterminated. The 

 buyers and sellers, or perhaps more properly the dealers 

 in game, direct, induce, emijloy, hire and jjay men to 

 locate good fishing and hunting grounds; kill and ship to 

 their agents, in season and out of season, all and every 

 kind of fish and game obtainable. 



^ JThe game killers' methods are so pernicious and destruc- 

 tive that in a very short time they will haA-e, by netting 

 and by dynamiting, like a pestilence, killed all the fish 

 from a large water area, then sneak off, lea.A'ing it denuded 

 and bereft of piscine life, and even that which sustained 

 it, to recover sloAvly, if ever, as best it may. 



These game killers are a guild of themselves, they are 

 "nomansland" iDeople. They acknowledge no law, they 

 know no mercy, their only desire is to kill something for 

 hire. They are the thugs of the lakes, woods and prair- 

 ies, and as the thugs of the Orient had to be sujapressed so 

 must the game thugs of the West retire from their un- 

 holy calling. They pay no taxes, contribute nothing to the 

 support of the State they phmder, as a rule. They have no 

 local interest in then- habitat beyond the boot^' the loot- 

 ing of its woods, Avaters and prahies may afford to their in- 

 satiate greed. They pass their ill gotten si^oils from county 

 to comity and from State to State, from jurisdiction to 

 jurisdiction, escaping through the meshes of tlie law's de- 

 fects Avith impunity. To remedy these eA^asioiisaud bring 

 a,bout a legal uniformity of times and seasons, close and 

 open, and also as to the duties, i^owers and appointments 

 of game and fish wardens; a convention of the Game and 

 Fish Commissioners and wardens of our neighboring 

 States most in touch Avith us, namel}", loAva, Wisconsm, 

 North and South Dakota and Michigan, was called in the 

 name of the Minnesota Game and Fish Commission by 

 Mr. W. P. Andrus. chairman of the committee on revision 



of the game laws, to consult and agree if possible upon 

 such plan of legislation as Avould put a Avholosonie control 

 upon, and proper legal restrauit upou tlio dostructiA-e if 

 not exterminating traffic in game ao novv <::arried on. 



The result of the call Ava;-^ a A^ery enthusiastic and inter- 

 esting conference of gentlemen w Iio are the representa- 

 tives a.f the game and fish prottM-tive interests of the two 

 Dakotas, lovva, Wisconsin and Minnesota, on Dec. 14 and 

 15, at Minneapolis, OA^er Avhich Hon. James J. Hogen, of 

 Lacrosse, presided. 



At this conference the draft of a game law, the result 

 of the labors of the committee on reAasion, was submitted, 

 discussed and passed upon section by section, amended 

 and modified so tis to harmonize as much as j^ossible its 

 effects in the different States therein interested. The meas- 

 ures proposed are intended to bring about uniform seasons 

 for hunting; reciprocal arrangements toAvard tracing game 

 illegally killed and shipi^ed; mutual encouragement, help 

 and aid in protectuig the game and enforcing the laws f Or 

 that purpose strictly and impartially. 



Under the present regime it is possible for a "game 

 thug" to kill for a couple of weclcs in Iowa, then a As^eek 

 or two each in South Dakota, and iNorth Dakota, then end 

 up Avith two Aveeks inMmncsota, giA'iug him from a month 

 to eight weeks killing time; as he kills only for market 

 the slaughter is excessive, and the already visible re- 

 sults in some localities of extensiA^e area, make us ap- 

 proheusiA'e of what will soon be the uniA^ersal condition 

 unless decisive action be taken to stop the • exterminat- 

 ing onslaught ui:)on the fish and game Avithout delay. 



Tiie conference, as part of its AN ork, named committees 

 ill each State to draft and lay before their resjjective legis- 

 latures such laws, OT amendments to existing enactments, 

 as Avould bruig about the desired statutory pi-otection. 

 Tlie conference was luinnonious and in perfect accord as 

 to the desirableness of sncli ch;.ingGs and modifications as 

 would secure the practical uniformity and enforcement of 

 game protection, enlarging the pOAvers and authority of 

 wardens, etc. And when they adjourned they did so feel- 

 ing tliey had at least started in motion, a force toward the 

 accomplishment of great good in this direction; the effect, 

 we hope, Avill be so apparent in its beneficence as to go on 

 unhindered till the game and fish ;ire .saA'ed. * * * 



The birds of our State are lumted with the same reck- 

 less pertinacity and the quantity slain is enormous. The 

 wastage is considerable. The deer family, hke the 

 buffalo, seems to be doomed, unless some strong protec- 

 tion is giA^en them and restraint upon the hunters. Does 

 in the milk are kiUed that the little fawns may be cap- 

 tured. Bucks and bulls are slain for theii' horns only and 

 their carcasses alloAved to rot by the hundreds. The Avast- 

 age is even greater than in tlie fisheries. Sucli an enorm- 

 ous drainage upon the natural resources of restoration 

 can liaA^e but one ending. The fisheries restoration may 

 b(.' and is helped by artificial pro]jagatiou, but even that 

 will reach its limit when the egg-producers are not to be 

 had. 



But A\'ith the birds and venison game there is no ai'ti- 

 ficial help possible. Here nature brooks no interference. 

 She is generous to man, but when too much is demanded 

 she will yield nothing to importunity and withholds her 

 bounty, and, when too late, Ave realize the reward of otu' 

 reckless gi'eed and folly. 



Wlien such enactments shall come before you for ap- 

 proval as will properly conduce toAvard the preservation 

 and protection of our game and fish and their propaga- 

 tion, I feel that it will not be Avithheld. 



"PODGERS'S" COMMENTARIES. 



Domesticating Wildcats. 



San Feanoisco, Cal.— I see that Jilr. H, B. Hersey 

 comes to the front in a recent issue of the Forest and 

 Stream in contradiction of my experience in taming the 

 lynx or Avildcat. There must be some difference in the 

 species, and the Florida cat shows a much more amiable 

 disposition — or pbssibly Mr. Hersey's success may liaA^e 

 been the result of their being tcdien in hand at an earlier 

 age than mine Avas. I had no means of judging of the 

 age of mine Avlien I obtained them — at any rate I neA^er 

 saw two more vitious and untaiii cable Afarinints, and all 

 ray eft'orts to get on friendly tei-ms Avitli tliein were fruit- 

 less, but after reading Mr. Hersey's experience AA'ith the 

 species, I tender him my tile and retire from the cat field 

 vanquished. I think their having fits was the result of 

 feeding meat at so early an age, as it has a similar re,sult 

 in the case of the ordinary domestic cat. 



After the success of Mr. Heres.y in the cat line, if I am 

 80 unfortunate as to ever acqiiite another of the kind I 

 Av'ill ex]3ress it to him for its education, and Avitli a quit 

 claim deed to all my right, title and interest in the thing, 

 for I still dechne to take any stock in that species of 

 natural lustory. 



Carp and Duck. 



Mr. Wilmot Towusend's little sketch of marsh shooting 

 carries me back to precisely similar experiences in tlie 

 f resh-AA^ater marshes near San Francisco. He describes 

 just our methods and the character of the sxiort we en- 

 joyed before these marshes Avere conA^erted mto agricul- 

 tiiral properties — and what were not became the exclusive 

 shooting privileges of the numerous clubs now monopo- 

 lizing them. But the shooting has been greatly impaired 

 by the idiotic introduction of the German carp into our 

 fresh Avaters, Like all pestiferous things, they have 

 tluiA'en to an extent worthy of a better fish. They are 

 vegetarians, and at high water roam OA'er the marshes, 

 consuming the natural feed of the ducks, Avith the result 

 of shortening the stay of the birds, and each year the 

 shooting is more indifl'erent. 



There is still some good shooting for a month on the 

 opening of the season, and some of the bags on the Snisun 

 marshes at the outset gaA-e 'IT) to the gun per day, mostly 

 sprigtails and teal, and a fe^\• mallards; but a heaA^^ rain 

 storm so raised the riA^er as completely to oA^erflow the 

 marshes and spread out the area of water so greatly as to 

 destroy shooting from blinds over decoys, scattering the 

 birds. For the last month conse-iuently duck shooting 

 has been poor, much to the disgust of club members, Avho 

 OAvn fine club houses on the maishes and run them at no 

 mconsiderable expense; for it is clipa-acteristic of the Cali- 

 fornia sportsman that Avhatever he has is of the best, be it 

 dogs, guns, boats or club houses. The cost is never con- 

 sidered. And this reminds me of the cut in your same 

 issue of the fellow who sits in the boat without a gun, and 

 looks longhigly at the flock of ducks just beyond that he 



has no meaiis of bagging. You were Avise in not endeav- 

 oring to divine Avhat he is saying to himself for being so 

 stupid as to leave his gun at home. The language doubt- 

 less Avould not bear repeating. I haA^e been there and 

 knoAv how it is niyseK. 



The Doings of a Decoy Doe. 



Reading Mr. Isaac Kenwell's exiierience as to the ques- 

 tion of deer killing sheep (which he denies, giving per- 

 sonal exxjerience on that head), and also of the tame doe 

 that v\"ent oft' at times and retmned with an occasional 

 buck, serves to "remhid me'' of the case of the proiarietor 

 of the hotel at the Soda Springs, Shasta county, in this 

 State, Avho owned a tame doe that always accompanied 

 him in his deer hunts. When he had ensconced himself 

 behind a log and said "Go for 'em Bet" she would start 

 out and not return until she had picked some gay 

 Lothario, Avhom she decoyed to within range of her mas- 

 ter's rifle; and she seemed to find great satisfaction in 

 compassing the death of the victim. The gentleman told 

 ■ me he had often rested his rifle across her back Avhen 

 firing at another deer. 



As an illustration of her fondness for the sport: On one 

 occasion, Avhen I was at the Springs, he went indoors for 

 his rifle. The doe was feeding in the yard at a distance. 

 On seeing him emerge from the house Avith the gun, she 

 ran toward him and began capering about as Ave see dogs 

 showing their delight at the sight of a gun in their mas- 

 ter's hand. Her greatest delight seemed to be to entice 

 her kind to then- death. So it Avould seem that the female 

 deer is not unlike the human of her sex in then fondness 

 for drawing the male animal into difficulties just for the 

 fun of it — from AvMch a moral can be draAvn, and a Avai-n- 

 iug to be careful how you fool with dears or you may 

 get your ft)ot in it. 



Poor Bet finally met her fate at the hand of a pot- 

 hunter, who came upon her in the woods near the house 

 and knocked her over, much to the gTief of the owner, 

 Avho declared he Avould not have taken a $500 bill for her; 

 and thereafter venison was a much scarcer article oh. the 

 hotel table. . Podgers. • 



SOME NOTABLE SHOTS. 



r. 



I It was in the Little Missouri Bad Lands, in the Avestern 

 edge of North Dakota, when I, a youth of nineteen, Avas 

 "riding lineB" in the A\'inter time to keeji the cattle from 

 Avandering out on to the great plains to the eastward. It 

 chanced one OA-ening that I called on a neigliboring cow 

 camp, some miles from the himible dugOLit_A\'iiich was my 

 aliode. a.nd for some reason Aveut afoo1;, taking my rifle 

 along. W'lu^n part Avay home I sau- a liunch of light-col- 

 ored animals scudding across my patli sou lo 100yds. ahead 

 bf me, looking, in the darkness, like big wolves; so think- 

 iing to give them a passing salute and perhaps make them 

 run a little faster I let a .45cal. ball go in then- approxi- 

 mate direction, holding the rifle at m\' iiips without the 

 shghtest idea of hitting any of them. At the flash and 

 report the creatures disappeared into tlie darkness and I 

 continued on my Avay. thinking no more about it until a 

 few days later, when I happened to ride by that spot and 

 discovered an antelope shot dnectly through the heart 

 by my random shot. Unfortuately the flesh was spoiled- 



n. 



When the then Territory of Montana ptit a bounty oni 



ground squirrels and prairie dogs in 1887, we, tlie floating 

 jpopulation or "foot loose" jjortion of tin; eommunity, em- 

 braced the opportunit}' of making a living liy trap and 

 rifle, and made a pretty good one, too, though we did not 

 confine our operations to the Adcinity of farms, where the 

 XJests A\^ere doing the damage, but hunted wliere wefovmd 

 our quarry thickest. Thus it haxixjencd that 1 camped oni 

 the Shields River, near the Crazy Momi tains, and waged 

 Avar against the rodents durmg the sx^ring months, before' 

 the squirrel-hunters so emxitied the teriitorial treasui-y 

 that the bounty law had to be repealed. For the squh-rela^ 

 I had brought along a .2.2cal. single shot Winchester and! 

 some 10,0()0 rounds of .32 short cartridges, and we had! 

 no other gun in the outfit. 



Seeing some anteloxae one morning, I told my x">artner 

 that I thought I could kill one with the little pox)gun if I 

 got near enough. He doubted it. I saAv that they Avere 

 feeding up a long "draw," by the side of a ledge of red 

 scoria that cropx^ed out on the crest of the ridge, offering- 

 good jjlaces of concealment, so I started after them, made 

 a detour so as to get ahead of them, and concealed my- 

 self in the rocks, Avhere I thought they Avould pass. Sure 

 enough, presently they came in sight, Avorking my Avay. 

 occasionaUy stox^lJing to look back in the direction tliey 

 suxix)osed me to be coming. I let them feed Avithin about 

 GOyds. or less, and then put one of the little bullets just 

 where I wanted it, behind the shoulder of a nice one, 

 thinking as I shot what nonsense it Avas to suppose I could 

 hurt an antelope much witii such a charge. The antelope 

 all disapx^eared OA-er a ridge together, the one I shot at 

 going as Avell as the rest, and I Avent to the brow of the 

 hill to see if any dropped out or acted as though Avounded. 

 I could hardly believe my eyes to see my game kicking its 

 last, some quarter of a mile aAvay. I found tliat the bul- 

 let had actually gone clean through the animal, not liap- 

 X>euing to strike a rib. This was a .22 short. Maybe my 

 Xiartner wasn't tickled to see fresh meat coming into 

 camp ! 



May we not hear from others of your readers about 

 their "noteAvorthy shots? IreAHRAKA. 



Ducks on Great South Bay. 



AVhen the cold weather caute tlie ):>ay and the creeljs 

 shut up tigiit and all tlie birds left — even the black ducks, 

 which we always expect to st&y with us. no matter how- 

 cold the Aveather — and I guess they iurve gone, not to 

 come back until sxiiring. A hole has oxieued off GU'eene 

 Point, abijut. 5(J0 acres in extent, and I Avas in it all Mon- 

 day morning and did not get a shot. I have just looked 

 oA^er it from the AvindoAv witli a field glass, and there is 

 only one duck in it. I haA^e been out every day from day- 

 llglit mitil dark, storm or shine, and liaA'e sliot at only 

 nineteen ducks, klhing fifteen. That is all the birds I got 

 this Avinter. When the bay shut np there \n as a hole kept 

 oxien doAvn tlio channel, near Fire Islantl, where all the 

 ducks stoxDX^eck Two market gunners got at them and 

 , killed aU— 543 birds. A. A. F. 



