Feb. 3, 1894] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



93 



Jack Thomas, Cranberry Lake, St. Lawrence County- 

 Deer are increasing here. The general opinion of guides 

 in this locality is to have the open season from Aug. 15 to 

 Nov. 15, and stop jacking. Give us the same time to 

 hound deer as they have in other counties. 



Orrin Harris, Pyramid Lake House, Essex County- 

 Deer are increasing. Guides ami everyone else in this 

 section would like to have the law changed so as not to 

 permit the huntiug of deer in any form until Sept. 15. 

 They would also like the season extended to Nov. 15, and 

 to have the time for still-hunting and hounding the same. 

 I have hunted deer more or less for 45 years, and have 

 studied the matter a great deal. 



W. H. Roblee, North River, Warren County.— Deer in 

 this locality are increasing. There should be no jacking 

 or floating. We would like fifteen days more bounding 

 and fifteen days in November for still-hunting. Cuides 

 Henry Maxham, Frank Maxham, Richard Burch, George 

 Raymond. Henry Straight, Nathan Bennett, Henry Ben- 

 nett, W. H Bennett, Fayette Weller, Fred B >rss. 



Thomas Salmon, Sacandaga Valley, Saratoga County. — 

 Deer are increasing in this locality. The guides and hunt- 

 ers think the hunting season should open Sept. 15 and end 

 Dec. 1. Venison can not be kept during warm weather. 

 Eight out of ten deer spoil when the attempt is made to 

 keep them early in the season. As parties are anxious to 

 carry venison home it is the opinion of all who hunt deer 

 that the season should be set a month later all around, 

 and that there would then be fewer deer killed and more 

 eaten. 



Reports from various sources give the estimated num- 

 ber of deer killed last year in the localities mentioned as 

 follows: 



Floating. Hounding. Still-hunting. Total. 



Hon nedaga Lake 5 



North Lake. 



Bisby Lakes 



Number Four. . , 



Harrisville 



Morehouseville . 



Sacandaffa Valley 



Pyramid Lake 



The figures given above show that 1,669 deer were 

 killed last year in the localities specified, and as there are 

 some points from which no reports have been received, 

 there seems to be every reason to believe that the aggre- 

 gate number of deer killed in the Adirondacks during 

 1898 was over 2,000. 



s 



31 





36 





13 



5 



18 



65 



45 



10 



120 



10 



10 



20 



40 



25 



280 



20 



325 





100 



30 



130 



6 



30 



7 



43 



-Set- 



30 



5 



40 



30 



200 



15 



245 



25 



40 



25 



90 



50 



100 



10 



160 



aoo 





SO 



250 



50 



15 





65 





50 





50 





6 



"i 



7 



471 



• 995 



203 



1669 



DUCKING ON A CALIFORNIA RANCH. 



Los Angeles, Jan. 4. — "Then you will come by for me 

 in the morning. Bob?" "All right, Dave, 6 A. M. sharp; till 

 then good-bye." 



According to promise, 6 A. M. next morning found me 

 turning the corner at F. street, and, dark as it was, I could 

 see Dave standing in the doorway, bundled up in a over- 

 coat which looked as if it rnLht have been left behind by 

 a member of the Peary expedition. Dave jumped into the 

 light buggy, along with a mixture of gum boots, hunting 

 coats and canvas decoys, and we were off. 



As our destination was only a little over six miles dis- 

 tant, we let the two dogs run, in order to keep them warm, 

 for, although we were in semi-tropical southern Califor- 

 nia, the morning was fresh, to say the least. One of the 

 dogs, a Gordon setter, Nellie, could trace her pedigree 

 back to the time her ancestors had come over with Noah. 

 The other was a common, everyday "yaller" dog, who 

 gloried in the name of Shep. But what Shep lacked in 

 pedigree he made up in usefulness and general good sense, 

 and consequently we were not averse to his company. 



After a drive of about forty-five minutes, we pulled up 

 at the gate of the ranch whither we were bound. Signs 

 were displayed in conspicuous places to the effect that any 

 and all trespassers would be prosecuted to the full extent 

 of the law, and warning would-be shooters to keep out. 

 But these possessed no terrors for us, for nestled safely in 

 the pocket of my coat was a permit for myself and friend. 

 The lake is situated on the extensive ranch of Col. A., who 

 very generously allows me the esteemed privilege of shoot- 

 ing on it. It is about a mile long and very narrow, in 

 some places not more than 60yds. across, in others it 

 reaches a width of about 200yds. 



The greater part of the lake is full of a dense growth of 

 tule, which affords an excellent hiding place for the 

 myriads of web-footed wildfowl which frequent it; but 

 there is a stretch of open water at each end where there is 

 room to set decoys and enjoy blind shooting. Besides this 

 open water, there are numerous open in gs in the tule where 

 one may surprise an old mallard quietly feeding on the 

 smartweed and wild celery. Very few people are allowed 

 the privilege of shooting here, and this, combined with the 

 fact that the birds are not shot at more than once a week, 

 makes this place a very superior one for duck shooting. 



After reaching the lake we walked on down to the boat 

 house, putting up several flocks of widgeon and teal on 

 the way down, but we refrained from shooting at them 

 until we should have our decoys set and our boats hid- 

 den. It was agreed that Dave should take one boat and 

 Nellie and pull for the lower end, while I should take 

 Shep and the other boat and go to a certain opening in 

 the tule, where I surmised I would get good shooting. 

 Dave had the longest way to go, so he said that he would 

 fire a shot to let me know when he was ready. 



It did not take me long to row to the entrance of my 

 chosen opening, but I did not row iu, as I could hear the 

 widgeon whistling and occasionally an old mallard croak- 

 ing, and I wished to get a shot at them before 1 set my 

 decoys. So after bidding Shep to charge in the stern I 

 inflated the decoys and laid out some shells where I could 

 get at them conveniently. Then, as I had nothing else 

 to do, I sat down in the boat and waited for the signal to 

 begin. Dave put up several large flocks of green-winged 

 teal on his way down to the lower end; and as they 

 wheeled by me with a graceful sweep, not more than 

 40yds. away, I was strongly tempted to let drive into 

 them, but I recollected my promise to Dave and refrained 

 from doing so. 



Finally the welcome shot rang out, and with a quick 

 shove of the oar (the water was not more than 5ft. deep), 

 I sent the old boat gliding toward the opening, not more 



than 40yds. away. Quietly guiding its course with the | 

 oar, until I had almost readied the opening, I laid the oar I 

 down and quickly caught up my gun. I took a firmer 

 grip on the barrels, and as the boat shot from behind the 

 last bunch of tule, the ducks left the water with a roar of 

 wings. This was my opportunity, and a hasty double shot 

 into the thickest of them brought down five, all widgeon, 

 while two more glided off at an angle, plainly hard hit, and 

 finally fell dead at the other end of the opening. I 

 dropped the decoys overboard, one by one, and without 

 stopping to retrieve the fallen birds, I pushed the boat 

 between two clumps of tule, which effectually hid it from 

 sight. I could hear Dave's gun booming away at the 

 lower end, and I knew that he was having good sport. I 

 did not have much time for reflection, however, as flock 

 after flock wheeled over the tule, either to pitch headlong 

 among the decoys or else to cautiously circle around to 

 assure themselves that all was well, when with set wings 

 they would glide down and drop their feet to alight. I 

 levied a fair toll from most of the flocks, though some- 

 times missing what were apparently the easiest kind of 

 shots. 



For the first hour or so the shooting was fast and 

 furious, and it was with difficulty that I restrained Shep 

 from jumping out of the boat in his excitement. After 

 that it settled down, and the birds came sometimes singly, 

 sometimes in pairs, and at other times in small flocks. 

 The way those teal decoyed was a caution! Dave's gun 

 would ring out, and I would see a dark cloud rise out of 

 the tule from the lower end and head in my direction. 

 Then I would square myself in the bow, and here they 

 would come, rushing through the air like bullets, so fast 

 that it would make my head swim to watch them. Some- 

 times they would swerve off, and drop down in some 

 other part of the lake, but oftener they would attempt to 

 light among the decoys, for the opening which 1 had 

 selected was a favorite resting place of theirs. 



And so it went, the birds swooping down, giving me a 

 splendid oportunity to cover myself with glory by making 

 a handsome double or leaving me to bless the shells and 

 the poor quality of powder with which they were loaded, 

 as the case might be. 



When the sun, from his high perch in the heavens, an- 

 nounced high noon, and the "inner man" strongly hinted 

 at substantial refreshment, I pulled out from my hiding 

 place, and put Shep to work retrieving the birds, at 

 which job I helped him by means of the boat. 



When finally the last duck was placed in the bottom of 

 the boat, there was a goodly heap of them, and I was not 

 ashamed of my morning's work. After pulling leisurely 

 along in the genial rays of the sun, occasionally waking 

 up a long-legged blue crane from his midday siesta, I 

 arrived at the boat house. Dave soon came up, and I 

 knew from his contented look that he, too, had been suc- 

 cessful, and indeed he had been, as the pile of ducks in 

 the bow of his boat proved. 



After lunch we counted and strung the birds, and 

 found that we had bagged just 81 ducks to the two guns. 

 There were nine varieties represented — canvasback (in the 

 minority), mallard, sprigtail, widgeon, spoonbill, bluebill, 

 greenwing teal, cinnamon teal and ruddy duck. The 

 majority of the birds were teal and widgeon, with a fair 

 number of sprig and mallard. It was no small job pack- 

 ing the heavy birds to the corral, so we concluded we 

 would drive down after them in the buggy. We piled 

 everything into the buggy, and although this necessitated 

 puttting our feet in our pockets, we reached town safely, 

 and delighted with our morning's sport. Culpepper. 



THE LAST WILD TURKEY OF NIAGARA. 



LOCKPORT, New York. — Mr. D. G. Elliott's interesting 

 article on the wild turkey of North America brings to 

 mind "fond reccollections" of an incident of nearly thirty 

 years ago. I am not an old turkey hunter, for I never 

 hunted wild turkeys more than half an hour in my life; 

 but within that short time I claim to have killed the last 

 wild turkey in Niagara county, New York. It happened 

 in this way: 



A Mr. Townsend, who lived just beyond the present city 

 limits of Lockport, and adjoining the home of the late 

 ex-Governor Washington Hunt, had procured some wild 

 turkey eggs, which were put under a domestic hen turkey, 

 and she succeeded in raising a brood of sixteen, which as 

 far as circumstances would permit, were practically wild 

 turkeys. They kept to the woods of Wyndham Lawn, 

 souie twenty or more acres, and adjoining fields, and it 

 was almost impossible to get within shot of them, except 

 a rifle. 



A few days before Thanksgiving Mr. Townsend invited 

 Mr. Charles Craig, an expert with the rifle, to come down 

 and shoot his wild turkeys. That afternoon I was out 

 after quail. At that time Bob White was plenty within 

 two miles of the city, and the first I ever saw sold was 

 when a gentleman from Boston bought from a shooter on 

 the street a dozen for one dollar; while now you could not 

 contract for a dozen of Niagara countv quail for $100. 



On my way home I passed through the woods of Wynd- 

 ham Lawn, and when about in the center was startled by 

 a large bird flying out of a tree overhead. As it sailed 

 thr ugh the woods I saw that it was a turkey, and won- 

 dered why it should have been so high up in the trees; it 

 was at least forty to fifty feet from the ground. A few 

 minutes later I met Messrs. Townsend and Craig, and the 

 former asked me if I had seen anything of turkey. I told 

 him that I had just frightened one — or one ha 1 frightened 

 me by flying out of a tree over my head. He asked me 

 why I had not shot it. I told him that I had not lost any 

 turkey, and did not know thatit was rulable to shoot other 

 pei iple's turkeys when they were in the woods. He said 

 that this was the last one of sixteen that they had been 

 hunting during the day, and had looked for this one for 

 an hour; and that if I saw it again I was "to shoot it on 

 the spot." 



I carried a 16-gauge muzzleloader with No. 8 shot. This 

 I withdrew and put in No. 6, and started in the direction 

 the turkey had taken. Coming to a high stone wall at the 

 edge of the woods and looking over, I saw the turkey 

 skulking along another stone wall running at right angles 

 with th« one I was against. It was at least ten rods across 

 to him, but I thought it was my only chance, and I took 

 it, and so also did the turkey. I climbed over the wall 

 and went for him. I found that one shot had gone 

 through his head. Hearing the shot Townsend came in 

 that direction. As I got back over the wall he came up, 

 when I handed him his turkey, and walked up to his 

 house where he showed me the other fifteen, which Craig 

 had shot with the rifle, mopt of them through the head. 



To make this story complete I suppose I should have said 

 that they were all shot through *he head — as that was Mr. 

 Craig's intention— but some of them were shot through 

 the neck. 



I also presume that I should say that Mr. Townsend 

 gave me one for Thanksgiving; but he must have forgot- 

 ten to do so, and it never o* curred to me to propose such 

 a thing. But I have the satisfaction of thinking that I 

 shot the last wild turkey of Niagara county and possibly 

 the last of New York State. J. L. Davison. 



Lookfort, Jan. 20. 



CHAT OF GAME AND GUNS. 



Providence, R. I., Jan. 22.— The State Game Protective 

 Association have acted on a good idea. They hav had 

 printed a large number of cardboard signs stating the 

 fact that the, law is now on for all game in the State, and 

 threatening punishment for any offense. These are being 

 posted in conspicuous places throughout Rhode Island, 

 and may let the out of season shooter know that he has 

 something to respect. 



The liberated quail seem to be doing well, but we have 

 reports that the lawless are killing a few. We have in 

 mind a private reserve not far from the city, where a 

 genial sportsman goes with a few select friends now and 

 then. He purchased a supply of quail and liberated them 

 on his farm, but we hear that more or less of them are 

 being shot by surrounding farmers. We understand that 

 our friend don't care to make a complaint for fear of 

 getting the ill will of the farm folk. Of course this is his 

 own lookout, but it hardly seems right for one man to 

 supply birds for others to kill, and out of season at that. 



A little different case was that at our "farm." The club 

 has a shooting privilege of nearly a thousand acres, and 

 on this tract are a good many promising rabbit spots, A 

 certain person owning a small tract near by rather defied 

 the rixht of our club to stop him from using ferrets, but 

 when he found that we meant business and that one or 

 two of the members were authorized constables, and were 

 prowling around with blank warrants in their pockets, 

 hunting for rabbits, and "keeping their eyes peeled" to 

 catch him in the act — well, we believe he has quit. If we 

 can't win such men over with good argument, treat them 

 aB sportsmen and show them that we are only doing what 

 is right (and the average farmer will come around if you 

 use him right), then with the mulish species we must try 

 the other measure. The way of the transgressor is hard, 

 but the Protective Association's is harder. 



People wonder how gunning accidents occur. Here is 

 a possibility, and it shows the ignorance of some thick- 

 headed handlers of a gun. Some few days ago we boarded 

 a car bound for the outskirts, to experiment with a rifle. 

 Out in the mill district two specimens swung aboard with 

 shotguns. One was a rusty single-barrel. On the nipple, 

 for it was a muzzle-loader, was a bright new cap, and the 

 hammer was set firmly down upon the cap. And still we 

 wonder at accidents. We kept pretty close to the butt of 

 that gun every time the car rounded a curve, for the indi- 

 vidual holding it was not over-particular how he allowed 

 the hammer to swing around. 



Probably if an accident had occurred on the car sports- 

 men would be debarred from carrying guns thereafter. 



Tode. 



IMPORTING BIRDS FOR VERMONT. 



To Members of the Vermont Fish and Game League, and 

 to all others interested in the introduction and propaga- 

 tion of new varieties of game: 



At the third annual meeting of the League, held in 

 Burlington, Nov. 17, a committee was appointed for the 

 purpose of introducing new game into our State. 



It is proposed by the committee to begin their work 

 at first with a few hardy varieties of feathered game, 

 such as are adapted to our climate and State. 



Through the kindness of the president of the Maine 

 Game Protective Association we can import with them 

 black game and capercailzie from Norway and Sweden, 

 and sharp-tailed grouse from the Northwest. We also 

 expect to be able to secure a quantity of quail from 

 Tennessee. 



The black game, which are the largest of the grouse 

 family, thrive in countries where the flora is similar to 

 ours and the winter climate much more severe than in 

 any portion of our State. 



The sharp-tailed grouse are very hardy game birds, as 

 they are found in large numbers north of the Saskatche- 

 wan River, where the winters are extremely severe. They 

 are bud-eaters and would do as well as our native ruffed 

 grouse in any part of our State. 



It is believed that the common Virginia quail can, with 

 a very slight expense, be helped through our winters, and 

 is a very desirable game bird for our lake and valley 

 towns. 



The time has arrived when energetic and vigorous 

 measures should be taken to protect our fast disappearing 

 native game, and to introduce and propagate new 

 varieties. To do this latter work requires funds, which 

 we propose to raise by subscription, and we now appeal 

 to you and to your sportsman friends to assist in making 

 Vermont the banner game State of New England. 



The first cost of black game is $4.50 a pair, with quite 

 as much more for transportation charges, and the cost of 

 sharp-tailed grouse will be about the same. We expect 

 to be able to land quail here at 50 cents a pair. Arrange- 

 ments will be made so as to secure desirable localities to 

 be used as game preserves, where these birds can be bred 

 and then be distributed to other parts of the State. 



To perform this work successfully the committee should 

 have at least $600 to $800, and the orders for black game 

 and grouse should be given at once. This we shall do as 

 soon as a sufficient sum is subscribed to guarantee pay- 

 ment on first lot of birds. Please send in your subscrip- 

 tions promptly to A. W. Ferrin, Treas., Montpelier, Vt. 

 N. P. Leach, Chairman, 1 

 W. Y. W. Repley, 



W. S. Webb, y Committee. 



J. M. Gelot, 

 B. R. Seymour, 



St. Johnsburt, Vt., Jan. 9. 



National Association, 



IN our report of the National Association resolutions, 

 the resolve as printed to "pledge each and every game 

 and fish warden to the moral and financial support of the 

 National Association, should have read, "pledge to each 

 and every," etc, 



