Nov. 18, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



427 



NEW HAMPSHIRE SIDE-HUNT. 



"We have met the enemy and we are theirs," is the 

 spntimeiit of one-half the active members of the Franklin 

 Fish and Game League, whose first annual hunting match 

 obcurred Dot. 25 and 36 as announced. Beaten by a count 

 of over 56,000, the unfortunate side claim, witli reason, 

 that such drfeat was not administered by any art, cun- 

 ning or craftiness pertaining to or associated witli the use 

 of gun or rod, nor by any means fair to tliem or credit- 

 able to those who accomplished their overthrow; but by 

 that vulgar and invincible power, the almighty dollar, 

 welre they humbled. They also claim that much of the 

 game was not killed during the two days, if within a 

 week of the hunt, and should not have been counted. 

 Each side chose four fishermen, and they in turn evi- 

 dently engaged all the help they cordd, for the purpose of 

 making a showing. P. C. Hancock captained the win- 

 ning side and had on his list several "dudes"— men averse 

 to taking life of any kind, bi^t who proved capable of run- 

 ning up a score as was expected of them, procuring the 

 goods at Faneuil Market, Boston. M. D. Woodward cap- 

 tained the unfortunate and sadly deluded party, who 

 went searching the woods for what their opponents could 

 procure in a city by the barrel with the assistance of 

 neither dog or powder, or any established sportsmanlike 

 methods. Game counted as follows: Gray squirrels, 

 partridges, pigeons, woodcocks, wild ducks, rabbits, 100 

 each; harry wickets, crows, muskrats, 50; black squirrels, 

 wild geese, owls, hawks, woodchucka, 200; foxes, minks, 

 300; raccoons 500 One amusing incident was the count- 

 ing of a string from "out of town" for Woodward, when 

 the "cart" and "expenses" were furnished by Hancock's 

 side, through the sharp practices of the teamster. The 

 captains did the counting, and a glance at the scores of 

 individuals and groups, which follow, will make further 

 comment -unnecessary if one is acquainted with the New 

 Hampshire game regions. 



Capt. Hancock's Side.— G. F. Elliott: 16 partridges, 17 squirrels, 2 

 rabbits. 2 coons. 1 miDlr. 0. L. Eddy: 6 partridges, 9 squirrels, 1 crow, 

 1 woodchuck. H. E. Colby: fi squirrels, 1 rabbit. J. V. Goss: 7 squir- 

 rels, 1 duck 1 partridge. G. G. Fellows: 16 squirrels. 6 partridges, 7 

 rabbits. 2 muskrats. 6 crows, 0 foxes. 3 woodcock. E. F. Pike: 9 crows 

 9 rabbits, 1 owl. M M. Fitzgerald: 1 fox, 1 coon. 2 crows, :^ muskrats, 

 1 owl, 23 rabbits, 3 partridges. 25 squirrels. 1 hawk, I mink. J. W. 

 Dresser: 1 rahhit, 33 squirrels 3 crows. 2 partridges, 1 muskrat. P. C. 

 Hancock; 4 squirrels. 1 partridge. C. N. Emerson: 14 squirrels, 4 

 partridges. E. A Jones: 2 ducks, 6 partridges. 5 woodcock, .51 squirrels 

 1 rabbit. The Duces: 209 squirrels. 29,925 fish count, G. W. Stevens: 

 3 crows, 4 partridges, 1 muskrat, 12 squirrels. C. O. Bucklin: 6 squir- 

 rels, 1 crow, 2 muskrats, 1 rabbit, 8 partridges. Count: game, 58 900: 

 fish, 38,0.35; total. 96,925. 6 , , . 



M. D. V>^oodwahd"s Side.— J. W. Russell: 1 fox, 1 hawk, 2 partridges. 

 12 squirrels. 0. 0. Thompson: 8 partridges, 6 squirrels, 1 crow. W.' 

 E. Stone: 2 rabbits. 1 crow, 1 muskrat. 2 squirrels, 3 partridges. G E 

 Buiill: 1 partridge, " squirrels. 1 crow. Parker and Hoyt: 4 partridges! 

 1 squirrel. 8 rabbits. F. W. Gordon: 4 squirrels, 1 rabbit. Carleton 

 Stewart. Daniell and Ernerson: 27 partridges, 2 crows, 1 woodcock, 82 

 squirrels. G rabbits. Leach and Morrill: 3 crows, 1 partridge, 24 squir- 

 rels. C. H. Hinds: 2 ducks, 1 crow, 16 squirrels. 1 partridge, 1 mink, 1 

 owl. C. M. Babbitt: 1 fox, 5 muskrats, 3 squirrels, 3 rabbits, 2 par- 

 tridges. Davis and Morrison: 1 coon. 2 hawks, 3 duck.s, 6 crows 1 

 owl, 2 partridges, 18 squirrels M. D Woodward: 2 foxes 36 squirrels 

 1 partridge. Count: Game, 32,500; fish, 8,0,50; total, 40,.550. 



The supper, for which the contest was inaugm-ated, 

 occurs lo-night in the new Franklin Hall, furnished by 

 the defeated side without open protest, probably because, 

 although they are aware their adversaries got into the 

 mud to down them, they feel that their own skirts are a 

 trifle dusty and think "settling" the wisest course. 

 Ladips and other guests were invited, and arrangements 

 are made for an elaborate spread and an enjoyable affair. 



The New Hampshire Central House Club, of Goffstown. 

 proprietor F. A. Condon, captain, 15 members, and an 

 equal number headed by Mr. O. B. Pierce, were to have 

 had a match hunt Saturday, the 28th, but the forenoon 

 being wet only the former party started and brought in 

 a count of about 3,000, enjoying a supper and pleasant 

 evening at the Central House. Proprietor Condon is a 

 hustler and is anxious to get at Mr. Pierce's team ag.iin. 



PaYson. 



ON A STAND IN WEST VIRGINIA. 



The following extracts are from a letter written to a friend by a 

 commercial traveler who, after reporting a good business trip, breaks 

 oCC into this story of a deer hunt in tlie mountains of West Virginia: 



I COXJLD not help it, but stole half a day Friday and 

 dropped into the trough and took a turn at a deer with 

 the boys, and as usual got a fine buck, whose liranching 

 antlers I have in my possession as evidence of the fact, 

 and a splendid pair they are, four prongs and perfect. I 

 took Frank Turley down with me, and told John Van- 

 meter 1 wpuld not be there; wanted to surprise them. We 

 left Moorfield at 6 o'clock in the morning and were on the 

 stand nearly an hour before any of the hunters put in an 

 appearance. I occuppied my time in building one of my 

 old time fires, which was blazing and melting the frost 

 for about ten feet around, when they rode up the high 

 stand on the road to Painter's Lick,"where we watched 

 some years ago, John V. was so much surprised to see 

 me that he kept rationally quiet all day, and John Cun- 

 ningham, who was along, grinned audibly immediately, 

 upon which I asked for his coon dog, and that brought 

 him to. 



In no very parliamentary language I abused them for 

 being late, and hurried the starters off with ten hounds 

 for the big mountain in front of us to get to work and 

 run the deer in, telling them to come when I shot, for it 

 meant venison every time. 



About half an hour after I heard one se.t of dogs run- 

 ning on the Tater Row. and going straight for Zadick's 

 Hill, hut they soon doubled and made for our stand, hut 

 turned at Clifford's HoUow and took back under full cry 

 for the Sycamore, as I thought, but soon went out uf 

 hearing and I supposed they had run in at the rear. Just 

 then 1 heard another set of dogs coming over the Back 

 Bone, heading for the pastures where old Lou and John 

 rode so majestically the day we watched and gottbe littL' 

 deer. Nearer and nearer came the dogs, and I knew by 

 the bee line they took that they had a right royal buck in 

 front, and that they were running to kill by the way they 

 were tonguing only once in about 50 to 60yds., and they 

 were close on him. I had watched there so often, I was 

 sure he was coming straight to our stand, and soon I 

 spied the buck coming through the little clump of wood 

 over the fence fresh as a daisy about 500yds. ahead of the 

 dogs just topping the ridge" opposite. He looked every 

 inch a monarch of the forest, and I called to Frank Turley, 

 the dead shot of the South Branch. The buck looked to 

 be heading for Walnut stand, and I sent Frank up the 

 road and stood on the fence to watch the chaae and to be 

 ready fur him if he should change his course and come 

 ip. my direction, The hounds were now in the field, and 



five good ones in fuU cry which to me was worth all the 

 venison in West Virginia; and the buck coming straight to 

 Frank Turley. 



The crack of a ride was a serious interruption to the 

 stillness of the crisp morning aif, and shot after shot 

 rang out till I counted five, and 1 could see the game old 

 fellow stagger, lean against a bush and drop on his 

 haunches, grit to the last, but struck every time. The 

 dogs came up and he landed one of them ten feet up in 

 the air, and dropped as dead as Hector 



The hunt was over and up the road the procession 

 came, all riding two by two, the first time I ever saw as 

 much order on a Hardy hunt. As I had the only buggy 

 in the party the buck was loaded into my vehicle and we 

 started for the Old Fields to butcher the deer and divide 

 the spoils. As we were driving quietly over the rocky 

 road all of a sudden there was the greatest commotion, in 

 which my old horse joined, and all was hurry scurry. 

 The set of dogs I had heard and supposed gone to the 

 river were coming into the Gap full cry with another 

 deer. With the companionship of the deed deer and a 

 prancing steed I was almost run over by the retiring 

 hunters, and there was a babel of orders to go to the Mill- 

 bery, back to the divide, to Clifford Hollow and Saw Mill 

 Mountaua, High Bank and the Tumbly Dam, Zodick's 

 Hill and Cousin Williams's gate. The road was full of 

 dogs, horsemen and footmen. I sat and looked on. You 

 can imagine the melee, having seen it once. 



The Syc-amore was occupied by Will Wirt Harness, a 

 splendid shot, and if he went there it was sundown for 

 the deer. Into the woods, over the rocks, rode the hun- 

 ters; and after the road was cleared I drove to the trough 

 gate, intending to tie my horse and watch for the deer. 

 Then just as I got there, down came a full-grown doe. 

 not 10ft. from the head of my horse, and over the fence 

 straight to the Sycamore. My gun was in the case and 

 not loaded. From all quarters came the hunters, Big Ike 

 bellowing at the top of his voice, "Open that gate, open 

 that gate!" "Jump it, you fool," I exhorted. In the 

 meantime the self -same gate was wide open and he and 

 the dogs and a dozen men were through and into the 

 fields, and the deer going over the upper end of Sawmill 

 Mountain to the river. I sat there on the road listening 

 to the chase. In a few minutes the rifle cracked; the soft 

 eyed doe was stretched across the pommel of a saddle; 

 and he continued the mai-ch to the old fields, where the 

 decision of the day's sport was to be made. 



To the starter of the dogs went the hide and the firat 

 choice of the meat; to the man who killed it second 

 choice and the horns. For the rest of those engaged 

 in the hunt the plan is this: Some one is chosen to put a 

 stick on a piece of meat. The himters all stand in 

 a row looking to the pieces laid out. One man is 

 placed facing them, his hack to the venison, and 

 the one chosen puts the stick on a piece and calls to 

 him, "Whose piece is this?" "Big Ike's," he answers, and 

 so on tin the last piece is come to. which is his own. 

 John Vanmeter held the stick while Will Harness named 

 the receiver, and as you may imagine, neither he nor 

 John got left. The stick was changed and I thought the 

 voice too much like a mind-reader's who asks, "What have 

 I in ray hand?" Turley gave me the horns, and I asked 

 for a piece of the neck, which I carefully wrapped up and 

 gave to Joe Cunningham, who was too lazy to go, but not 

 much elated over the venison I brought him. 



The two we killed to-day make twenty-five so far this 

 season, and they were out to-day; what luck I have not 

 heard, but rather expect they got something. 



Turley hit that deer five times in succession, and the last 

 shot was in the head just below the eye, and the game 

 running every inch it was able about 200yds. away from 

 him. This same man is a capital shot at anything on the 

 wing. Harness shot his deer through the head, and they 

 weighed, buck 177, doe 1381bs., and both very fat and in 

 splendid condition. F. H. I. 



WASHINGTON CITY NOTES. 



There is marked activity among the hunters of the 

 seat of Governiuent these days. At the railway stations 

 and steamboat wharves are to be seen men, dogs and 

 guns destined for promising hunting grounds, near to or 

 remote from Washington. Deer, bear, moose, squirrel, 

 ducks and quail are the great objects of interest, and not 

 a few parties are planning their annual turkey hunt in 

 the mountains of Pennsylvania and the Virginias. Deer 

 and turkey are said to be plentiful, but reports of the 

 scarcity of quail are ratlier discouraging. The severe 

 weather last winter is to blame for this state of things. 

 Reports from further south are better as to birds, and 

 Messrs. Jos. H. Hunter and Chas. Simpson are taking a 

 three weeks' trip to North Carolina. With the aid of 

 Hunter's celebrated Black Wonder good bags of the savory 

 Bob White are sure to be made. 



Col. Cecil Clay has just left Washington for Canada, 

 not as a bank cashier, but to bank some moo.se. The 

 colonel, as is well Isnown, has an empty coat sleeve, and 

 IS one of the best one-armed shots of the country. His 

 hobby is moose, one of the finest specimens of which, a 

 handsome bull, shot several years ago, is now the central 

 figure of the magnificant group in the National Museum 



Messrs. M. A. Tappan, Chas. Laird, Atkins and Lan- 

 voigt are going to Buckingham county, Virginia, after 

 deer and turkeys. Thp reports from that section are very 

 good for the game men lioned. An occasional bear relieves 

 the monotony theiv also. 



Reports of deer in the South Mountain, Pennsylvania, 

 are f avorable. They are said to be more abundant than 

 kist year, and hunters claim that there has been a steady 

 iucrease in the number of deer in this section for the past 

 tliree years. 



Considerable game is beingreceived herefrom Virginia. 

 Cdtlett's Station, Fredericksburg and Milboro are the prin- 

 cipal shipping points. Deer, bear and turkeys are plenti- 

 lul in the mountains, and Millboro is a good point from 

 which to reach the game. Good accommodations, reas- 

 onable rates and no restrictions barring strangers, are to 

 be found there. ° 



Nov. 1 the duck sea-^on opened on the Susquehanna 

 Flats below Havre de Grace. It is estimated that several 

 lliousand ducks, consisting of canvasbacks (very few), red- 

 lieads, blackheads and coots, were killed. Ducks were 

 there by the thousands, and the main object of the 

 slaughter was for the pecuniary profit, most of them being 

 shipped to the markets. Quite a number of Washin^-- 

 tonians go to the mouth of tlu- Susquehanna for ducks. ° 



The fi.'jhiug rods are not all put away yet. Bass fishin°f 



for the past two weeks has been out of the question owing 

 to muddy water. At this writing the water is just about 

 "bass clear," and we know of several parties who are 

 quite ready for the sport. 



Messrs. Coburn, Otterback, Einstein, and other members 

 of the Washington Anglers' Club, go to the foot of the 

 Great Falls, fishing the river from there to Cabin John's 

 Bridge; Chas. Laird and Ownes are trying the fishing at 

 Tuscarora, just above the Monocacy; and Arthur McCor- 

 mick and Harry Fiske go up Point of Rooks way for a bit 

 of the same sport. 



Perch fishing on the Eastern Branch is done for. 

 Channel cat fishing furnished good sport early in October. 

 Dr. Patten and your humble servant took a day on the 

 Branch and caught a fair string of catties. They are very 

 game, but the perch iiavn't as much puU in them as a 

 good healthy minnow. BA.RT. 



Washington, D. C, Nov. 10.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: Our gunners were busy on the marsh, while the 

 rail and reed-bird season lasted. But they are gone and 

 the quail season is now at its best. Very fair shooting can 

 generally be had in Maryland and Virginia, with stiU 

 better sport as you travel further South into North 

 Carohna and adjoining St-ates. This year it is not as 

 good as usu .1 liere, because of the cold weather last 

 winter wliicli killed many birds. Still w-hen two gunners 

 can bag 40 quail in half a day's work or 14 wild turkeys, 

 as I was told the other day, it is not bad sport, for this 

 section. 



But North Carolina is the favorite resort. Last Monday 

 morninar, the Washington papers recorded the arrival of 

 William K. Vanderbilt, the millionaire railroad magnate 

 of your city, on his shooting trip to North Carolina. He 

 was accompanied by three friends, in the sleeping car 

 Idler. He had a dozen fine dogs. They live on the train 

 during the hunt. It is well stocked with provisions and 

 all the conveniences of a comfortable roughing trip. 

 They will be joined by George Vanderbilt, who is 

 wintering at his magnificent home near Asheville, N. C, 

 where he has thousands of acres, well supplied with 

 game, reserved for his own use and that of his special 

 friends. 



Many members of the Washington Capital City Gun 

 Club enjoy their winter sport in North Carolina and 

 adjoining States, where the quail are always plentiful, 

 and the open season extends to March 15. J. M. Green, 

 treasurer of the club, leaves to-night with Captain West 

 for some days' shooting in the Vanderbilt resort, and other 

 members of the club will go later. Seventy-Six. 



NEBRASKA'S ABUNDANT GAME. 



Broken Bow, Nebraska.— a^ifo?- Forest and Stream: 

 Never before has Nebraska seen such abundance of game 

 as this season has produced. First — prairie chicken 

 yielded the hunter some tremendous bags in September 

 and now the abundance of quail, geese, snipe and duck 

 fills the sportsman's bosom with delight. Though the 

 flight of wildfowl is no greater than in some former 

 years, still the combination of land and water fowl that 

 may be found in many localities in Nebraska cannot be 

 excelled in any State of the Union and can be equalled by 

 but few. As in former years, the Platte River from 

 Columbus to North Platte affords shooting _pa?' excellence 

 for waterfowl. At Clark's the well known hostelry of 

 Col. West has entertained numerous parties of jolly sports- 

 men who have departed with well filled bags,'and the re- 

 membrance of many a happy incident to relate to their 

 less fortunate brethren who have remained at home, 

 "Chained to business." 



Cozad, Brady's Island and Gothenburg have had their 

 quota of visiting sportsmen, and still they come. Any of 

 tlie points mentioned along the line of the Union Pacific 

 R.R. will be found ne plus ultra for aU kinds of game, 

 the accommodations good and the officials of theU.P.R.R. 

 courteou« and obliging to their patrons. 



The variety of game that one can bag is surprising. 

 Near Clark's I shot in one day seven distinct varieties of 

 duck and geese, besides snipe, prairie chicken, sharptail 

 grouse and quail. There may be localities where one can 

 make larger bags of some particular bird, but no place 

 where one can find good shooting on a different kind of 

 game each day in the week as they can here. 



The semi-occasional stir among Nebraska sportsmen to 

 have the game laws better enforced has just broken out, 

 and I hope will do some good. It is safe to say, however, 

 that these spasmodic attempts will amount to little untU 

 an organized effort is made to protect game during the 

 close season. The eame warden system is the only one 

 that has ever proved satisfactory, and until a fund is 

 raised to support such system, local protection will be of 

 little avail. 



I am always willing to advise brother sportsmen who 

 intend visiting Nebraska as to routes, locations, etc., for 

 the best shooting, and am amply repaid in th^ knowledge 

 that I have done a good turn. I will gladly answer any 

 inquiries that may be made. C. P. Hubbard. 



Elk Hunting and Mule Trading, 



One often hears of beginners, when over-anxious to 

 shoot their first deer, having shot instead a cow or a 

 mnle, but little did I dream of such being my misfortune. 

 We were driving a bunch of milch cows from Colorado 

 Springs to Glenwood Springs, a distance of 200 miles, 

 across the main range of the Rockies. When we reached 

 Eagle River, a few miles beyond Battle Mountain, we 

 decided to camp for a few weeks in order to let the 

 stock, which was very footsore and thin, gain strength 

 and flesh from the abundance of grass that grew there. 

 The place was surely a himter's paradise, game of. all 

 kinds was plentiful. I never failed, when watching the 

 lick, located about a mile from camp, to get several shots 

 at deer or elk, but did fail many times to hit one. After 

 many unsuccessful visits I laid aside my rifle with (Us- 

 gust, substituting a shotgun heavily loaded with buck- 

 shot, fully determined that the next elk or deer that got 

 in range of the buckshot should be my meat. The night 

 the imfortunate shot occurred was a dark one, which is 

 the only excuse I have for making such a mistake. I 

 had not been there long when in walked what I supposed 

 to be an elk. No one but those who have had a similar 

 experience can imagine my disgust and madness whea I 

 found my elk to be a mule. It was a costly shot for me, 

 but might have been worse. The mule was cured, how- 

 ever, and after many trades and a final sale I came out 

 with only a |25 loss. . yj, L. Jenkjns, 



