408 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 11, 1893. 



WIRE FENCING FOR PRESERVES. 



Beookline, Mass., Oct. n.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Will you kindly inf ox'm me, or let me know where I can 

 get the information in regard to wire fencing of game 

 preserves? I would like to find out abotit the fence 

 around the Brooklyn Gun Club's groimds on Long Island 

 and Austin Oorbin's preserve. The size and style wire, 

 number strands, etc., also if there are other preserves or 

 grounds so fenced. H. A. Horton. 



New York, Nov. 2.— Editor Forest and Stream: Your 

 inquiry of Mr. H. A. Horton regarding fences for game 

 preserves has been referred to us. 



As to Mr. Corbin's park in Newport, N. H., we would 

 beg to state that the posts are set 12ft. apart. On the 

 smoothest portions of the line (about twelve miles) the 

 fence is constructed with a 2in. mesh wire netting, 6ft. 

 high, and with five strands of out- Glidden barb fencing 

 above the netting, making the fence 8ft. high. The net- 

 ting is supported by se\en strands of two-ply No. 12 

 galvanized twisted fencing, stapled to the posts over the 

 netting, also in each panel by vertical "cross stays," 

 made of f xAin. steel rivetted* to the barb wire over the 

 netting and also to the two-j)ly twisted wires, through 

 the netting; the netting is thus held between the stays 

 and the wires. On the balance and rougher part of the 

 line (about twenty miles) no netting is used, as it was 

 found that the netting would bixckle over uneven grotxnd, 

 and it proved impracticable to use it in stich places, un- 

 less the line is graded specially for it, which is expensive. 

 On the line Avliere the netting was not used, twenty-one 

 strands of our Glidden barb wire was put on, spaced from 

 about Sin. apart at the bottom, to about 7in. at the top, 

 and the steel cross stays were rivetted to the wires, as 

 above. These stays or binders keep the wires from spread- 

 ing apart, cross-tying the fencing between the posts and 

 thus in the union imparting more strength and stability. 



We have furnished the material and built, by contract, 

 most of the game preserve fences in this country, and 

 among those in the neighborhood of New York we will 

 name the following: 



The New York State Deer Park, Big Indian, Ulster 

 county, N. Y. Fence 10ft. high. Posts one rod apart, 

 with 19 strands of two-ply No. 12, galvanized twisted 

 fencing and steel cross stays. 



Mr. Geo. Gould's game park at Furlough Lake, near 

 Arkville, N, Y. Fence 8ft. high, posts one x-od apart, 

 with 21 strands o! Glidden barb wire and steel cross stays. 



Mr, C. C. Worthington's deer park, near Delaware 

 Water Gap, Pa. Fence 8 ft. high. Posts 13ft. apart, with 

 25 strands of GlidJen barb wire and steel cross stays. 



Mr. J. A. Havemeyer's deer park at Mahwah, N. J. 

 Fence 8ft. high, posts one rod apart, with 23 strands of 

 wire, 15 of two-ply No. 13 plain twisted fencing and 8 

 strands of thick-set Glidden barb wire and cross stays. 



Tuxedo Park, Tuxedo, N. Y. Fence 8ft. high, posts one 

 rod apart, with 14 strands of two point thick-set Glidden 

 barb wire. 



Mr. Magrane Coxe's park at Southfield, N. Y. Fence 

 8ft. high, posts one rod apart, with 17 strands of two-point 

 Glidden barb fencing and steel cross stays. 



C. W. Chapin's game preserve at Lebanon Lake, Sulli- 

 van county, N. Y. Fence 8ft. high, posts 12ft. apart, 

 with 30 strands of two-point thick-set Glidden barb fenc- 

 ing and steel cross stays. 



Washburn & Moen Mfg, Co., 



R. K. Dana, Agent. 



STOLEN TIME. 



Gainesville, Texas, Nov, 3 —Many weeks have passed 

 since leaving the confines of your cxty, and having pre- 

 vioxxsly given myself no indulgence, an irresistible desire 

 possessed me to try the quail on reaching this point. 



Inquiry failed to elicit the information desired uiatil I 

 haply engaged in conversation with the genial proprietor 

 of the Lindsay. Arrangements are quickly made for the 

 afternoon and he kindly loans me a 13-bore, 6flbs., an 

 ideal quail gun. 



O^r conveyance is at the door by 1:30 P. M., and my 

 companion is soon with me. A drive of three miles brings 

 us to cultivated fields, where shooting privileges have 

 been given us, Secixriug our "team" to a near-by fence, 

 we hie away to the inviting stubbles, with Flossie (a 

 pointer bitch of great beauty and endurance) quartering 

 every inch of ground. We make inqxxiries of the "cuUad" 

 cotton pickers and are much encouraged. As we approach 

 the copse that borders a lovely little stream in front, a 

 welcome whistle greets us. We give a few answering 

 calls and Flossie beats the old field beyond. With head 

 high in air she makes game at the further edge. 



Whirr!— a bird rises far in advance; we are now fully 

 alive to the situation— to/wrr, whirr, whiiT—thej are off 

 through the growth of alders. Two reports ring out, and 

 but a solitary bird is secured. We raise a few of the 

 scattered bird^ and two of their number are brought to 

 bag. We "mark" the greater number away up the left 

 bank of the stream. I knock over a couple of rabbits that 

 dart across my path, and my companion secures a blue 

 winged teal as we pass a small "tank" or pond. 



With renewed hopes the spot is approached where birds 

 were "marked." Flossie's instinct prompts a motionless 

 attitude. A rise gives us two more of these rapid flyers 

 and we bag a number of scattered birds in the copse. 



Another bevy is found in a thick bed of weeds, where 

 the heavily fruited pecan ti-ees make welcome shade. 



Almost at oixr feet we discover the game, but our better 

 natures revolt against ruthless slaughter. An approach is 

 made and the birds take wing; the cloud of feathers tells 

 the tale of death. Flossie works to perfection and re- 

 trieves beautifully. Pursuing, we soon have birds enough 

 to satisfy our appetites, and decide to drive leisurely 

 along and try for ducks in the ponds along our route. 

 We scarcely get under way before a jack rabbifappar- 

 ently rises out of the prairie. Being a tenderfoot I am 

 surprised. Never before had I beheld such a creature on 

 his native heath. With long, sweeping strides, the ears 

 in the ascendant, his speed would more than equal 

 schedule railroad time in many parts of the South. I ex- 

 pressed a desire to pursue and endeavor to bag this 

 creatm-e while going at lightning speed. We drove rap- 

 idly on in the direction taken by this prairie racer, and 

 were soon given a duplicate performance. Another at- 

 tempt was made and the 10-bore Daly charged with 6s 

 and passed to me. My companion held the reins, and we 



Wain began the pxxrsuit. It was to me an exciting chase, 

 e suddenly spy the jack, vnth head erect and all ready 



foi; l-iisincFS. AViiizz! bang!— at this moment a prairie 

 chicken breaks cover and darts with cannon-ball speed to 

 my right. Quickly changing position, the left barrel 

 speaks. Imagine my surprise to find both shots success- 

 ful. Far ahead another chicken rises and is marked in a 

 ravine fully half a mile distant. Securing our game, we 

 lay our course and approach the locality where lies in 

 hiding one of the noblest of game birds, I leave the 

 wagon and Flossie assists me in beating the grassy cover. 

 Success is oxxrs. 



We drive homeward in the falling twilight; an occa- 

 sional jacksnipe makes music for us with his tweak; we 

 are too tired for further effort, and reach the hotel at 6 

 P. M. with a goodly bag of quail, a brace of prairie chick- 

 ens and a variety of other game. 



I enjoyed the trip immensely, and will look forward 

 with much pleasure to future visits here. 



Many of these lands are posted, but gentlemen will have 

 no difficulty in securing privileges from the hospitable 

 Southern planters. Good bags of quail and ducks can be 

 made near the city. I cross the Indian Territory next 

 week and will note any items of interest to sportsmen. 



Edward Havens Goodnough. 



A DAKOTA HUNTING WAGON. 



The object of this communication is to introduce the 

 Great Dakota Road Rvinner, which was operated some fif- 

 teen years ago in the southwestern corner of Minnesota 

 and adjoining territory in Iowa and Dakota, by E. F. 

 Warner, Esq., of St. Paul, who was at that time a mem- 

 ber of the wealthy syndicate which operated the Rock 

 County Farms. A sketch of this remarkable vehicle is 

 here given that it may not pass into oblivion. 



The Rock County Farm is notable as being the pioneer 

 of its class, antedating the Dairy mple, Grandin, Kennedy, 

 and Humboldt, Trail and Cass county farms by several 

 years, and its chief promoters, Horace Thompson, Eras-" 

 mus Deane, George L. Hamilton and Charles H. Bigelow, 

 leading business men of St. Paul, deserve the credit 

 which belongs to pioneers for many ideas which were 

 afterward adopted and put in operation by those who 

 went into expensive agriculture on the same lines. 



One of the original products of the Rock County Farm 

 was prairie chickens, and "Doc" Warner, as he was 

 familiarly called, although he was in no respect a medi- 

 cine man per se, devoted much energy and inventive 

 genius to gathering them in. This road-runner was the 

 most conspicuous of his appliances. With his bxisiness 



COMFORT IN THE FIELD. 



partner and a few chosen comrades outside of the connec- 

 tion he carefully "scoured" (if he did not absolutely clean) 

 the adjacent country for birds and other small game which 

 came in his way. The location was newly settled, and 

 horns of elk and antelope and buffalo were found all over 

 the prairie. Perhaps it was his habitual scrutiny of the 

 plains which prompted him ten years later to gather up 

 and utilize this ghastly legacy of the defunct occupants, 

 whereby he realized an income of $70,000 in a single year 

 —the bone industry becoming the most lucrative of any 

 in that treeless region. 



i The famous Pipestone Quarry was situated within 

 three miles of Luzerne, the county seat of Rock county. 

 It was a red cliff of jasper, aligned for half a mile with a 

 vertical wall, which rose 70ft. above the surrounding 

 level. For an indefinite period it had been a sort of 

 Mecca for nomadic tribes of Indians, who resorted thither 

 from far and near to make their "medicine" and collect 

 material for pipes. Legends and superstitions in great 

 variety were associated with it. Altogether it was an 

 ideal hunting grotmd, and in respect to plentitude of 

 game a "happy" one for both whites and Indians. Buz- 

 zards, crows and ravens enjoyed it too. 



When the dry September south winds began to loosen 

 the long tap-roots of the "tumble weeds" and blow them 

 about the prairie like toy balloons, careering headlong, 

 and the fields were bristling with the stubble of cut wheat 

 and Indian corn, the "Do- Funny," as the wagon was 

 styled, went forth on its autumnal rounds, sometimes into 

 one State and anon into another. The hunters' dogs were 

 provided with a spacious kennel which took the place of a 

 rack in the rear of the vehicle. Guns, ammimition and 

 provender found their place in ample lockers under the 

 seats. There was a water butt in front with a faucet, and 

 a pail swung under the rear axle for dipping water from 

 the pockets of dxy creeks, or any chance slough that of- 

 fered. A capacious canvas canopy on two sticks made a 

 grateful shade from the sun, which was often fervid at 

 that season of the year. Ice could be carried in quantity 

 sufficient to last a day, and was often the salvation of our 

 heated dogs when the temperature was ninety-seven de- 

 grees. Altogether it was a commodious and comfortable 

 outfit, and the like of it, I dare say, has never been seen 

 to this day. 



When "Doc" went into Montana on his bone business, 

 the wagon passed out of commission, and eventually dis- 

 appeared like a wet weather creek which sinks into the 

 sand. Its present whereabouts is not oflicially known. 

 Perhaps from the sketch herewith presented, some worthy 

 imitation may be contrived in the interest of men who 

 hunt the prairie stubbles and skirt the sloughs. 



Charles Hallock. 



North Carolina Shooting Club Site. 



Mr. HARVEif Terry, of Coswell, P. O., Washington 

 county, N. C, advertises this week an unusually advan- 

 tageous site for a shooting club. It consists of a planta- 

 tion of 4,000 acres on Lake Phelps, adjoining 170,000 

 acres of wild lands, both of which offer great attractions 

 for the sportsman. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



[From a Staff Correspondent.] 



Chicago, 111., Oct. 37.— A gentleman asking to be 

 known as "St. Albans," writing from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., 

 asks: 



"I should be glad to hear whether it is possible to in- 

 crease the number of quail by giving them some care 

 dirring the year? Can they be kept in the neighborhood 

 where they ai-e fed if moderate shooting is done, or do 

 they wander as partridges do? What kind of protection 

 in the winter against snow is it best to give them? What 

 kind of a structure would you recommend to be made in 

 the woods so as to protect against the snow and foxes? Is 

 it practicable to plant some food for them in summer and 

 fall? If so, what is best?" 



I believe it to be unquestionably true that the quail 

 sometimes migrate in large nximbers, just as squirrels do. 

 The shooters of Missouri wiU tell you this. The migrations 

 usually take place just above and below the latitude line 

 of severe winter. Bob White is not partial to snow and 

 will move to escape it sometimes. This, however, is rare, 

 especially in the upper North, and of all the game birds 

 Boh White is perhaps the most purely local. The feediixg 

 and roosting grounds can be determined almost to a cer- 

 tainty for every bevy on a farm, and there is no bird so 

 easily and directly helped by artificial aid in food and 

 shelter. Buckwheat is as good food to sow as any, as it 

 lies on the ground in such way as to be useful in the time 

 of snow, and the birds are very fond of it. Henq:) is good 

 and so is wheat. You can always find the birds about a 

 wheat stubble. They would riot 'in a field of broken down 

 and uncut wheat. In time of heavy snow they will come 

 up to a barnyard as regxilarly as chickens to be fed, if 

 only they once learn they can get a meal of wheat, broken 

 corn, and almost any small grain, not to say crumbs or 

 scraps. Broomcorn seed is another thing they like a 

 great deal, and a small tract put down to that would fur- 

 nish a great deal of food. In the South a broomcorn 

 patch is always good for a bevy or more. I should think 

 buckwheat and broomcorn about as good as anything to 

 plant for food, the latter to be broken or cut down, 



As to shelter, it is hard to say. Lean-tos of brush and 

 treetops might be useful, but would afford no protection 

 against foxes, as would nothing else except houses with 

 entrances too small for a fox. Into the latter the quail 

 woxild hardly go to roost. Until the weather grows very 

 severe they prefer to roost out in the open on a grassy 

 knoU, sometimes in a cornfield, less often on stubble, it 

 seeming to be their notion that they are less liable to sur- 

 prise than they woxild be if hampered by more coA^er. 

 They roost in a circle, and like to be able to spring out in 

 every direction about the circle, when startled. As the 

 winter deepens, they take to the hedges or to heavier 

 cover, sometimes going to brush heaps, and in deep snow 

 sometimes tucking themselves in under the edge of a 

 straw stack. Sometimes again, they freeze to death, 

 x-oosting in the open. Their worst time is when a sheet 

 of ice shuts their food in on the ground from them, or 

 when deep snow keeps them from the ground. At times 

 like that the birds should be fed, and if feed be put along 

 the edges of their accustomed feeding grounds, they will 

 find it if the weather allows them to travel at all. Straw- 

 covered lean-tos along the fences and hedges will be more 

 apt to be patronized then than earlier in the winter, and 

 Bob White, usually hard to hive, will then be tractable. 

 This is the time the trajjper knows so well. 



If others would join "St. Albans" in his effort to pro- 

 tect the quail, the quail crop of the coxmtry could be in- 

 ci'eased one-thix-d. If trapping were then stopped entirely, 

 the supply would double, and it would be found diflicult 

 to kill the birds down too close with a month or so of 

 legitimate shooting in a region where they were native 

 and fairly abundant. 



Sale of the Jones Buffalo Herd. 



Buffalo J ones was in the city this week, and reports the 

 recent sale of his entire herd of buffalo, numbering 53 

 head of full and cross bloods, to Charles Allard, of the 

 Flathead Agency, Montana. This now gives Mr. Allard 

 the practical, if not the actual, monopoly of the buffalo 

 of the United States. Add these to his numerous hei'ds 

 of cattle and to the band of buffalo he already had, and 

 Charlie Allard may be held a rich man. The considera- 

 tion in the sale was $36,000. The Jones herd was thought 

 to be sold once before this summer, but the sale fell 

 through and the Allard deal was effected later. This puts 

 Buffalo Jones out of the industry to which he has clung 

 so long and under such difficultirs. He bears this philo- 

 sophically, and wishes Mr. Allard all success with his 

 great herd, E, Hough, 



909 Skcukitv BinLDiNQ, Chicago, 



The Porcupine as Food. 



It is repixgnant to the feelings of many individuals to do 

 the crawfish act, to take back any statements that they 

 have made, squarely, fairly and confidently. I am one of 

 that number. But when I find I am wrong, ' 'what I says 

 I don't stand to." 



Two years ago I wrote slightingly, in fact, disparagingly, 

 of the flesh of the porcupine as a food. I thought I had 

 the papex's to prove that xt was "strong" and rank-tasting. 

 And I had, so far as one specimen was concerned. This 

 fall, while I was out hunting with two members of the 

 Catawampus Club, the dog treed a porcupine. Our Uncle 

 Adam Moore looked the animal over, said it would "do," 

 and ordered the animal shot. He then px-oceeded very 

 cooly to dress it. I said, "You're not going to eat that 

 thing?" He said he was, if he lived. "Why," said I, "an 

 Injun down our way tx-ied to eat one a few years ago and 

 he couldn't, it was so strong." "Would you like to eat an 

 old buck sheep at this time of year?" I confessed that I 

 would not. "But you wouldn't object to a piece of good, 

 fat lamb?" "Nary an object," said I. "Well, neither 

 would I eat an old he porcupine. I couldn't if I wanted 

 to. But you will find a fat yoxmg fellow like this pretty 

 good stuff when you are hungry." And I did, too. But 

 it did not "taste just like lamb," as many say it does. 



Not very long ago I wrote tliat there was no difference 

 in exceUence between English and American guns. I 

 stiU think there is none as regards shooting qualities. 

 But I find the woodwork of the guns manufactured in one 

 of the above countries is more liable to have small pieces 

 chipped from it where it joins the iron, and to shrink and 

 swell, and "bind" the action. I had no preferenc two 

 years ago. I have a very pronounced one now. We 

 "live and learn," or think we do. L. I. Flower. 



