Sept. 23, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



281 



More Coyotes. 



Oakland, Cal.— ilfr. E. Hoxujh: In Forest and Stream 

 for July 23 you publish an inquiry from Mr. Martin L. 

 Cummins for coyotes. A number of people in this State 

 are engaged in raising coyotes as there is a $5 bounty on 

 every scalp. The two people most interested in this 

 animal are Mr. Ambrose Bierce. of Berkeley, and Mrs. 

 Madge Morris, of San Diego. Mr. .Joaquin Miller, the 

 poet, was also at one time interested, but when thei-ivalry 

 between Mr. Bierce and 3Irs. Morris developed into per- 

 sonal antipathy Mr. Jliller quit. Yours for the advance- 

 ment of coyote interests. C. E. 



Will Take a Sneak. 



Mr. F. O. Cloyes, of Chicago, starts this fall for a long 

 trip down the Mississippi River in a small boat, probably 

 a sneakbox, and is reading up on the experience of his 

 predeceasor, Mr. Bisliop, who wrote a book about that 

 trip ("Four Mouths in a Sneakbox"). E. HouGH. 



909 SKCuaiTT Botlding, Chicago. 



WORTH THINKING ABOUT. 



"But he who attempts to prove that it is cruel to kill pigeons at the 

 trap while it is not cruel to kill quail in the fleld. has a task in dialec- 

 tics which it would require more than average skill to accompHsh." 



The foregoing is an excerpt from an editorial in the 

 Forest and Stream of June 23, 1893, and as a preliminary 

 to what I have to say, may I inquire if any one can direct 

 me to a better source of first-class texts on all subjects in- 

 cluded in the realm of "Our Paper" than are to be found 

 in the always sensible and admirable editorials that 

 weekly for many, many years have been served in such 

 enjoyable style for the delectation of the myriad readers 

 of Forest and Stream? Do these readers pause as they 

 read, and reflect upon the amoimt of satisfaction and en- 

 joyment and education there is in these editorials? Try it 

 on hereafter if you haven't, O, readers, and let your grat- 

 itude trickle just a little. An expression of such once in 

 a while would not, I am sure, offend anybody. 



I do not intend to advocate either side of the question 

 at issue, though I have some opinions on the subject. 

 Webster defines cruelty as the infliction of unnecessary 

 pain, or the act of causing extreme suffering without 

 good reason. Each one will have his own definition of 

 the words "unnecessary" and "good reason," and it may 

 be ijossible that there are advocates of the claim that 

 birds and animals do not suffer, as there were in the dis- 

 cussion relative to fishes, which had an inning in these 

 columns some years since. Be that as it may, it appears 

 to crop out between the lines now and then in editorials 

 as well as in communications that possibly there may be 

 cruelty in j)igeon matches, as well as in quail or other 

 shooting, and it is this idea, perhaps dim, undefined and 

 unexpressed, that has appeared to me a good omen. I 

 am glad to note it, if I read aright, not perhaps as 

 promising an abandonment of sport afield and by allur- 

 ing waters, but as pointing toward a modification, in a 

 degree at least, of tlie desire to bring as much as possible 

 to bag. "Him ting without a gun" is indulged in by a 

 good many people, and no doubt enjoyed by them as 

 keenly as labor by other people with a gun, and in the 

 former case after the day is done there is, I can imagine, 

 an added pleasure in the reflection that no pain, necessary 

 or unnecessary, has been inflicted on one of God's crea- 

 tures. It won't hurt any of us to remember occasionally 

 that other forms of life suffer as well as ourselves. It 

 might be that were all shooting stopped, the various forms 

 of ferae, naturce would so increase that they would be a 

 burden or menace to man, but it isn't necessary to wake 

 up that fear this year. 



Henry Ward Beecher once said: "In general I think 

 Ih'' earlier instruction which prevailed in my boyhood 

 that the animal creation was made for the sport of 

 1.1 ; II," and that seems to be the opinion now, exhibited, 

 may be, unconsciously. I have no compunction in taking 

 the life of bird, beast or fish when necessary, but when 

 I review my life I fear sometimes there has been cause 

 for regret, though I may not have boasted as big bags as 

 are occasionally recorded in sportsmen's journals and 

 elsewhere, and it is not, now that the shadows begin to 

 follow me, a very satisfying reflection. It is not a pleas- 

 ing thought that tiie most beautiful and innocent creation 

 on earth is not safe from destruction by man, if so his 

 idea, of pastime is gratified. It has often seemed to me, 

 when lying beneath some tree on a hillside, restfuUy 

 enjoying a j)atiorama of matchless beauty, invisibly 

 labeled "not transferable," with the eye feasting the brain 

 on lonely visions of variegated "field and fallow," wooded 

 slope and sinuous stream, blue sky and drifting clouds, a 

 silent symphony in charming colors wonderfully blended, 

 that it were far better to utilize such opportunities oftener, 

 even at the expense of a partly filled or empty bag; that 

 the gun at my side may be outbf place insuch contempla- 

 tion that leads from "nature up to nature's god." There 

 may be as much pleasure and liumanity in watching the 

 dainty ways of the graceful squu-rel yonder, as with sure 

 and nimble foot he trips the topmost rail of the fence 

 along the woodside, bound for the butternut ti-ee just out- 

 side in the pasture, as,there is in belching leaden death at 

 him, defenseless — particularly as you have a string aheady 

 dangling from yom- belt. It may evince just as trae 

 sportsmanship, with a couple of grouse in your pocket, to 

 let the third strut awa,y with its quit, quit, into its thicket 

 while you watch the beauty, as to snuff: its innocent life 

 out suddenly. 



The fisherman in his boat with a goodly string floating 

 by the side, or warily walking the stream brink with creel 

 fairly weighted, would better rest his arms and give his 

 eye and brain a chance, or if he has never learned to con- 

 trol himself, begin practice now by returning to their ele- 

 ment the extra catch. His is an opportunity not vouch- 

 safed the shooter. Is there nothing better, nobler, more 

 improving then than to add to an already sufiicient catch? 

 Is there no better feast for the eye than the struggling 

 prey? Is there nothing more ennobling than to glut one's 

 self? What is there more beautiful to contemplate, more 

 wonderful in its graceful gliding, gleaming, mobility than 

 the fretted surface of lake or stream, answering lovingly 

 to the lightest kiss of the breeze and' laughing to the sun 

 with its myriad rippling lips. That element so common and 

 unnoticed, is always, in my eyes, a marvelous exhibition 

 of wisdom and power. And the music in it, too! Did you 

 ever sit by the side of a babbling rapid in some little 

 stream, whose stony bed evokes deUghtful murmurings, 

 and listen to the ever changing, soothing, delicious under- 

 tone it sings, rujijiing tlSpugh the gamut from basg to 



treble? If not there is a revelation in store for you, and 

 it may be as enjoyable as adding one more fish to an 

 already sufficient string. 



To kill, kill, kill, seems to be the only object and enjoy- 

 ment of many otherwise mighty good fellows when they 

 get out with a gun. Why, only a day or two ago some 

 acquaintances of mine went out after squirrels. They 

 shot three black and one gray, and what else? Well, seven 

 woodchucks or groundhogs" for one item, and a crow or 

 two for another, and a lot of red squirrels for another, 

 and mixed small deer for others. This, I suppose, they 

 called sport, and I am sorry for it and hope they are. I 

 went squirrel hunting once myself, and in the m'idst of a 

 wood where the shadows were dense, the damp, woodsy 

 odors tickled the nostrils and the sturdy trunks reared 

 their umbrageous canopies in graceful arches, I came to 

 the steep bi-ink of a ravine, at the bottom of which was 

 the half dry bed of a little stream. As I leaned against a 

 tree watching and listening for movement of game, a big 

 groundhog appeared on the opposite bank, and leisurely 

 waddling down the incline paused a moment at the bottom 

 as it nosed among some plant growth, and then I shot it, 

 needlessly, uselessly, cruelly, and when the smoke lifted 

 saw it writhing in pain, and trying, in agony, with broken 

 back, to pull itself by its forelegs away from the monster 

 who ran down the bank and beat the life out of it. And 

 now it was mine, what could I do with it? Nothing. 

 It was of no use whatever to me. It might have 

 been a source of pleasure, had I quietly watched it,- learn- 

 ing something of its habits and movements, reflecting that 

 it had done me no harm, that the slaying could do no good, 

 that the life I might thoughtlessly take I did not give and 

 could not replace, and let it go in peace; but I slew it, and 

 left it to rot, just as thousands of hunters are doing to 

 other animal life all over the country. It is not a pleas- 

 ant memory, trifling though it may seem, and by just so 

 much mars the happiness of life; and as I suppose it was 

 the intent of the Creator of all life, quadi'upedal as well as 

 bipedal, that as much genuine happiness as possible should 

 be corraled in our existence here below, cruelty on my 

 part works double harm. There is an abundance of shoot- 

 ing which comes under the head of "justifiable," without 

 indulgence in that which is needless. 



Come to think of it, how does this thing strike you, 

 anyway? O. O. S. 



THREE DAYS AT PLYMOUTH. 



Boston, Sept. IL— Editor Forest and Stream: SIi-. G. 

 J. Brann, of Revere, and I had a very enjoyable shooting 

 trip to Plymouth, and returned very well pleased with the 

 amount of birds brought to bag, and a general good time. 

 We were at the Gurnet during the big blow in the latter 

 part of August, but did not score many that day. 



Four o'clock A. M. generally found us on the beach 

 with our decoys out, and our pockets full of cheese and 

 doughnuts which Mi's. Burgess kindly put up for us the 

 night before. 



Our first day's shooting brought us about seventy good 

 birds, principally ruddy plover, red-breasted snipe, ringed 

 plover, a few pairs of blackbreasts or black-bellied, some 

 turnstones and a few large peeps. We could have bagged 

 lots of the tiny fellows, but the trouble of cooking them 

 saved them in a number of cases. 



The wind held southeast for the first three days of our 

 visit, and the birds kej)t moving all the time, affording us 

 constant employment. Occasionally a flock of coots 

 would go whizzing by, but our most seductive calls and 

 whistles had no effect on them. My friend Brann had a 

 roseate tern come in to his decoys, landing in their midst 

 and walking around among them just as if he were at 

 home. He did not walk much further; they missed him 

 at home that evening. 



A pair of black ducks paid us a visit, flying over toward 

 a creek. We saw them di-op into the creek and made 

 haste slowly in their direction. Brann had located them 

 properly and put them up. Letting go his right barrel he 

 missed, then pulled his left, and was pleased to see but 

 one fly off. The bird was in rather lean condition, but 

 was very palatable. I was not in at the feast. 



We found quite a number of herons around on the flats, 

 but were unable to obtain a shot; although we crawled 

 on our knees through the grass for over 200ft. They are 

 very wary feUows, and one has to lie in ambush for them 

 while the tide is high and then trust to luck for a chance 

 shot. I think this bird is the black-crowned night heron 

 or squawk, thoiigh I am not sure, not getting close enough 

 to recognize him. 



Often in crossing from one beach to another we would 

 come across a few of those hardly Uttle plovers pecking 

 away industriously among the hot sands, and we were 

 always moved to sympathy by their industry and apparent 

 loneliness, working hard for a liveliliood, and perhaps try- 

 ing in this out-of-the-way jjlace to escape the deadly 10- 

 bores which so cruelly empty destruction into their 

 midst. 



My friend Brann is an excellent wing-shot, and he never 

 shoots unless on the wing; but I am not so skillful, and 

 I had to shoot my best specimens when I got the chance. 

 I am having my birds done in a group among rock scenery, 

 and they shall always be a pleasant reminder of the ta'ip to 

 the Gurnet. 



For our three days' shooting we had about 200 birds, as 

 many as we wanted; we gave some to our friends, used 

 some for our table, and gave the best to the taxidermist. 

 We intend to go ducking soon and are anticipating a good 

 time. On our way up from the Gurnet, and while passing 

 Saquish, Brann shot a common tern, and instantly the 

 victim in the water was surrounded by his companions, 

 wheeling and cu-cling and uttering theu harsh cries; one 

 could almost touch them with the hand. 1 am trying to 

 acquire the art of taxidermy, and proceeded to skin and 

 stuff that tern. But you ought to see him now; his own 

 mother would not know him, his features have changed 

 so much. J. P. W. 



The Time to Shoot Sqiiirrels. 



Marsh, Chester County, Pa., Sept. 7. — Editor Forest 

 and Stream: Last year squirrels were with us, this year 

 they are not. On Sept. 1 I hunted for the nimble grays 

 and got none, not even seeing one. Three other gunnex-s 

 that I met on my tramp had none, and the largest bag 

 I heard of for the day was six to two guns, every one 

 that was seen. 



On the second day a friend and I tried it again; we eacli 

 succeeded in getting one, a good record to finish up the 

 season with, but enough, and why? Well, first because 

 1 squirrels are too scarce, and second because the mother 



squirrels are heavy with young and therefore should not 

 be murdered even if the law is out on Sept. 1. 



Having shot squirrels in Pennsylvania for some years 

 and during eveiy season having seen squirrels killed 

 which were tco young to eat, I am now positive that our 

 law opens at least six weeks too soon, and although the 

 last hard winter is the probable cause of the late breeding 

 this year, yet if this goes on, as it must for two years 

 more at least, the time will come when the squirrel hun- 

 ter of this State will hunt in vain for the game that he 

 has cleared out by permission of the law. 



Sportsmfen, what have been your experiences with the 

 squirrels? o. B 



Trapping Bear in the Rangeleys. 



Elliott Rich, Postmaster at Lakeside, N. H., and 

 keeper of Lakeside Hotel, at foot of Umbagog Lake, 

 killed his first bear last Wednesday, Sept. 6. He set two 

 bear traps about three miles from the lake near Mono- 

 lidgewak stream, and Wednesday tended them. One of 

 them was sprung and gone, and after following about 

 three miles he came upon the bear, and found that the 

 clog was gone, which gave the bear a good chance with 

 nothing but a light trap on his foot. Bruin started on a 

 brisk canter, with Rich closely following; it was nip and 

 tuck for about one fourth of a mile, when the bear got 

 mad and faced about, rose upon his hindfeet and showed 

 fight, making a squealing noise, lapping liis face with his 

 tongue and champing his teeth, at the same time jumping 

 on his hindfeet toward the hunter, who was all too near 

 the enraged animal for the nerves of a common man. 

 Rich quickly brought his rifle to bear, but not without 

 misgivings, for he well knew that should he miss fire, or 

 only wound the beast, a deadly combat must ensue, with 

 the odds against him, but he had not a moment to hesitate. 

 He unhooked, down went the bear, the bullet passing 

 through the brain and neck and lodging in the shoulder. 

 A 4001bs. bear, J. G. Rich, 



Bethel, Maine. 



A Shooter For Sure. 



EsCANABA, Mich., Sept. 11.— Edifoi- Forest and Stream: 

 I have before me a copy of Forest and Stream of Sept. 

 9 and notice communication from Fort Bid well, Cal., 

 signed "G. H. A.," in which appears a statement as fol- 

 lows: "On the third day I killed two snow geese as the 

 flock arose, and upon pacing the distance found it to be 

 105 steps. My gun is a 9^1bs. 10-gauge, and was loaded 

 with No. 6 shot. Pretty strong .shooting, I thought it." 



I most throughly agree wdth "G. H. A." that it was 

 "pretty strong shooting," and if you will communicate 

 with him, asking him to forward to me the name of the 

 maker of that gun, you will be doing a kindly act toward 

 a poor but deserving duck hunter, who has worn out 

 numberless pairs of pants creeping up to within 55 or 60 

 paces of the wary mallard with a Greener ham merless No. 

 9, only to carry away experience in very many instances. 

 If I can find a gun that will shoot No. B'shot 105 paces, or 

 about 20 rods, many of the duck stories told by me now, 

 bearing only the semblance of truth, wiU have the true 

 ring of warranted facts in futiire. W. W. McQ. 



Chickens on Red River. 



The Kittson County Enterprise, published at Hallock, 

 Minn., the town which is named for the pioneer editor of 

 Forest and Stream, has ten separate paragrai)hs devoted 

 to prairie chicken shooting and the crowds of sportsmen 

 who have flocked to that region this season. Ex-Gover- 

 nor Merriam and President J. J. Hill, of the Great North- 

 ern Railroad, are among the score of notables who are 

 mentioned among the rest, including clergymen, doctors 

 and representatives of sundry railroads, many of whom 

 came in private cars, chariots and other regal convey- 

 ances. The editor is much exercised at the wholesale 

 slaughter of birds, which he says is terrific, and he believes 

 it "safe to say that 1,000 chicksns have been killed in Kitt- 

 son county just prior to and since Sept. 1." Many farm- 

 ers have posted their lands. 



The same paper says that 1,750 harvesters are at present 

 engaged in threshing out the inimitable wheat cx-op of 

 the vicinity at the rate of 100,000 bushels per day. 



Beaver Dam Duck Club. 



The twelfth annual meeting of the Beaver Dam Duck 

 Club was held Monday, Sept. 4. Dr. Robei-t W. Mitchell 

 was re-elected President; W. A. Wheatley, Secretary and 

 Treasurer; A. C. Treadwell, Vice-President; M. S. Buck- 

 ingham, E. A. Edmonson and J. C. Neely, Jr., new mem- 

 bers. There has been no change in officers of this success- 

 ful duck club, ab initio, now in the thirteenth year of pros- 

 perous existence, on the Louisville, New Orleans and 

 Texas Railroad, Tunica county, Miss., forty-three miles 

 south of Memphis. The same keeper and cook, Andrew 

 Jackson Bounds, has served the club well and faithfully 

 eight years, and Queen Victoria's kitchen is famous 

 there for roast duck, broiled squirrel, baked 'possum and 

 sweet potatoes with sop, fatty bread, fish, fresh eggs, and 

 often venison and wild turkey. It is another home for 

 the members and their families. 



The lake is a gi-eat resort for fowl and the feed yearly 

 grows more plenty and with the feed the ducks. 



Shooting Prospects. 

 Elkton, Md., Sept. 11.— The rail and reedbird season 

 opened in Ceil county Sept. 5. Birds are reported more 

 plentiful than for some years. R. E. Jamar was high boat 

 the first" morning with 60 rail; others report from 12 to 50. 

 The pro-spect for quail shooting is very poor in this section 

 this fall. E. S. G. 



Squirrel Shooting Wanted. 



Oswego, N. Y., Sept. 12.— Editor l^orest and Stream: 

 Will you kindly inform me where I can get some good 

 black and gray squirrel shooting in early October within 

 200 to 300 mfles of Oswego? Canada asks $25 for strangers 

 shooting. W. 



A NEW-SUBSCRIBER OFFER. 



A bona fide new subscriber sendhig us $5 will receive for that sum 

 the Forest and Stream one year (price 84) and a set of Zimmerman's 

 famous "Ducking Scenes" (advertised on another page, price ?5)— a 

 value for ^. 



This offer is to new subscribers only. It does not apply to renewalt. 



For 8-3 a bona fide new subscriber for six months will receive the 

 FoaasT aud Stbxam during that time and a copy of Dr. Van Fleet's 

 handsome work, "Bird Portraits for the Youpg" (the price of which 



i9»3) 



