Feb, 1, 1896 j 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
98 
quired by taking a few practice shots once or twice a year, 
but is the reward of frequent practice; and here I must 
put in a plea for target practice as a means of improving 
one's marksmanship in the field. When I hear the remark, 
as I often have,"Oh, I can't do anything at target shooting, 
but I don't take a back seat in killing deer," I don't dis- 
pute that the speaker MUb deer, but I do assert that he 
does so by an unnecessary repetition of shots. He is the 
one who loads himself down with several pounds of car- 
tridges and develops proficiency in the use of the lever 
for cartridge pumping, a waste of energy that ought to 
be employed in cultivating that nice co-ordination of eye 
and finger which is acquired by the practiced target shot. 
For more than twenty years I shot a rifle more or less at 
squirrels, deer, etc., and thought I was a pretty good 
shot; but a few years ago a friend induced me to join a 
target rifle club containing some of the best shots on the 
Pacific Coast. I soon learned that the art of rifle shooting 
is a great deal bigger and broader than I had imagined. 
One thing also very shortly impressed itself on my mind, 
viz. , my hunting rifle began to develop an accuracy on 
game that I formerly never dreamt of acquiring. 
The bearing of this digression on the proper caliber of 
rifle for deer shooting is this: You may have your .40 or 
.45 express accurately sighted and well fitted to you, but 
all this avails nothing unless you by practice and good 
judgment are fitted to use your weapon. 
Dr, L. O. Kodgbes. 
THE COURTENAY BUFFALO CASE. 
From a transcript of testimony offered at the trial of 
James Courtenay before Commissioner John W.Meldrum 
for the Circuit Court of the United States of America for 
the Yellowstone National Park, we are enabled to give 
the following abstract, which is of considerable interest. 
The defendant was charged with violation of the Act of 
Congress entitledJAn Act to Protect the Birds and Ani- 
mals in the Yellowstone National Park, etc., approved 
May 7, 1894, 
It will be remembered that Courtenay was arrested in 
Butte, Mont., after he had delivered to a taxidermist 
named Wittich four buffalo scalps. It was charged that 
these buffalo had been killed by the defendant in the 
Yellowstone National Park, but the case was not proved 
against him and he was acquitted. The trial was held 
Dec. 26 and 27, 1895. 
The first witness for the prosecution was Capt. George 
S. Anderson, 6th Cavalry, U. S. A., the acting superin- 
tendent of the Yellowstone National Park, He testified 
that he was familiar with the territory embraced in the 
Yellowstone National Park and boundaries; that in Octo- 
ber last he found in the western part of the Park, west of 
Summit Lake, the remains of two buffalo which had 
been killed within two months, the heads and hides of 
which had been taken away; that the place where these 
buffalo were found was about forty miles southeast of the 
town of Lake, Idaho. Capt. Anderson stated that the 
last remaining herd of buffalo in the country within the 
National Park, southern Wyoming and eastern Idaho, 
live almost entirely within the limits of the Park, its 
summer range being near its southwest corner and its 
winter range near its center. There are a few buffalo 
that range both winter and summer east of the Yellow- 
stone River, and a small bunch near Heart Lake. He 
further stated that he had been studying the ranges and 
habits of these buffalo since the spring of 1891, and had 
been through these ranges every season since then, and 
that for the last two or three years no buffalo have 
ranged within or on the line of the northeast corner of 
the Park. 
On cross-examination he testified that the western 
boundary of the Park was three miles west of the Wyo- 
ming line; that where trails crossed this boundary it 
is usually marked by stakes showing its location. He 
stated that in his opinion there were about fifty buffalo in 
the herd that range in the Bouthwest corner of the Park, 
and probably not more than half a dozen in each of the 
others. Within the past year he had visited the range 
east of the Yellowstone once, that in the southwest cor- 
ner once, that near Heart Lake once, and the one in the 
center Of the Park several times. In October last he 
made nearly a complete detour of the Park, during which 
he made every effort to ascertain the location and condi- 
tion of the few remaining buffalo. His investigations 
included the territory ten or twelve miles west of the 
western boundary of the Park. He testified that he be- 
lieved that Island Park is from five to eight miles outside 
of the boundary of the Yellowstone Park. 
On redirect examination Capt. Anderson testified that 
he saw the tracks of one or two buffalo made in the 
spring so close to the Park line that he could not say on 
which side of it they were; but that within the Park, for 
eight or ten miles from the line, there were abundant 
signs. 
Lieut. Elmer Lindsley, Second Lieutenant 6 th Cavalry, 
on duty in the Park under the command of the Superin- 
tendent, testified that he had been in the Park since the 
30th of May, 1892, and during that time had traveled 
through it a great deal and was thoroughly familiar with 
portions of it. That he spent the month of October, 1895, 
scouting along the western boundary of the Park, between 
Falls River and Riverdale, and during this month saw two 
buffalo skeletons on the Madison Plateau, near Summit 
Lake. Of one of these the head only had been taken. A 
fire had been built close to tbe carcasses and a horse tied 
to a small bush 3yds. away. These buffalo appeared to 
have been killed last spring. Four or five miles south- 
west of Summit Lake and near the State line were found 
the remains of two other buffalo, the heads and part of 
the hides of which had been taken. What meat had been 
left by the bears and birds was only slightly decomposed, 
and the animals appeared to have been killed only about 
two weeks. Near them were, found an empty carbine 
shell and a seamless sack containing half a bushel of oats. 
During this scouting trip Lieut. Lindsley struck the Park 
line about west of the Lower Geyser Basin, traveled as 
nearly due south as possible along the Park line to the 
edge of the Falls River Basin, and then scouted the 
country for about three miles west of that line pretty 
thoroughly. No buffalo were seen outside of the Park 
on the trip. An occasional old buffalo track was seen 
very close to the Park line, made when the ground was 
soft, probably last spring. The range of the buffalo, as 
personally known to Lieut. Lindsley, is in summer on the 
Madison Plateau about Summit Lake and on the slopes to 
the east and north of them. The country south of the con- 
tinental divide and western edge of the Park is dry after 
the snow water has gone, and only one or two small 
springs are to be found there. All the summer sign of 
buffalo seen was within the Park in the neighborhood of 
Summit Lake, Madison Lake, the head of Bechler and the 
Little Fire Hole River. 
Louis Eachle, a plumber in Butte, testified that he was 
acquainted with the defendant and had had correspond- 
ence with him about selling buffalo scalps. He had been 
directed to bring this correspondence with him, but 
averred that before he received the subpoana he had de- 
stroyed the letters. The defendant had spoken to him 
and also written to him about buffalo heads. He had said 
that he had four which he wished to sell, and inquired 
whether they could be sold in Butte. In a letter received 
in October or November, Courtenay stated that he would 
be up in a week or two with the heads. It was evident 
that the prosecution wished to show that in one of these 
letters Courtenay had written to the witness saying that 
one of the Park scouts had resigned and that everything 
was clear for the hunter, but the witness denied recollect- 
ing anything of that sort in the letter. He also denied 
that he recalled any statement by the defendant that he 
had the buffalo corralled where he could get them and kill 
them in a few days. The buffalo scalps had been brought 
to Butte about a month before. They had been unloaded 
at witness's place of business and kept there for two 
days. On cross-examination witness said that when he 
saw the heads the skins were dry and he could not tell 
whether they had been taken from animals recently killed. 
David Miklejohn, Deputy United States Marshal, testi- 
fied that he arrested the defendant, who in conversation 
expressed no surprise at the arrest because the people in 
the Park were prejudiced against him and his friends, 
who live near Henry's Lake. The defendant stated that 
he had never ventured in the Park, and that he intended 
to do right and not break any law. Defendant stated 
that he killed buffalo in Idaho, and not in the Park. The 
heads were found in the possession of Wittich, the 
Butte taxidermist. The defendant acknowledged having 
turned them over to Wittich. 
Jas. Courtenay, the defendant, r ,testified that he had re- 
sided for five years at Lake, Idaho; that he had buffalo 
scalps in Butte in the month of November, which scalps 
he had killed in Idaho about Oct. 10, 1894, They were 
killed about twenty miles southeast of the Lake, and 
when he was alone. He did not know where the western 
boundary of the Park or the western boundary of the 
State of Wyoming was. To the best of his judgment 
these buffalo were killed fifteen miles from the Park line. 
This was at a place not far from Island Park, perhaps 
twenty-five miles west of the National Park. In the two 
letters which he had written to Ejchle he had said noth- 
ing about the discharge of one of the scouts in the Park. 
From the time these buffalo were killed until he took 
them to Butte the heads were at the home of Silas Mc- 
Minn, a neighbor. He had seen buffalo feeding in Idaho 
outside of the boundary of the Park. He mentioned about 
twelve head seen last spring about June 25. These were 
twelve miles from and a little east of south of Henry's 
Lake on ;Big Spring, one of the heads of Snake River. 
He saw signs of other buffalo a year ago last October. 
That he had never killed or been connected with the kill- 
ing of any buffalo in the Park. 
On cross-examination the defendant stated that he had 
killed these buffalo about twenty miles southeast of 
Henry's Lake, and gave the distance from Henry's Lake 
to the Park boundary as twenty-five miles. The buffalo 
were killed about fifteen miles west of the boundary and 
ten or twelve northeast of Island Park, He said that he 
had killed no buffalo in 1895; that he took the scalps to 
McMinn's because he lived alone and had no place to take 
them to. 
Silas McMinn testified that he had resided for eight 
years at Lake, Idaho. He had supported himself by 
hunting and fishing until the last year, when he then kept 
a small store. He was familiar with the territory in 
Idaho adjacent to the Park, remembered James Courtenay 
having killed some buffalo in that region and knew very 
nearly where the buffalo were killed; thought that it was 
about fifteen or twenty miles from the Park boundary. 
He had seen buffalo ranging in Idaho outside of the Park 
frequently during the last seven years. Saw some last 
spring and signs of two other bunches, three in one bunch 
and seven in another. In October, 1891, Courtenay 
brought some green scalps to him. They were left at his 
place until May, 1895, He believed Big Spring to be 
twelve or fifteen miles west of the Park line; had seen 
buffalo range there and signs of others. That in the 
summer and fall of 1895 Courtenay was building a house, 
stable, corral and wood house west of Targee. 
On cross-examination witness testified that Courtenay 
had been at home all the past summer, that he knew this 
was so because witness's wife baked his bread for 
Courtenay, and he got his milk at witness's house. He 
usually came after his bread every day. He was not re- 
lated to defendant until after this case began, when 
Courtenay married his stepdaughter. 
Al, Courtenay, brother of defendant, who resides at the 
Lake, knew of the defendant having killed some buffalo 
in 1894 and where they were killed, but believed that 
these buffalo were killed fifteen or twenty miles west of 
the western boundary of Wyoming. Had seen buffalo in 
Idaho outside of the Park last spring, when he and another 
man chased a band trying to catch a calf. He had seen 
buffalo at Big Spring, which he believed to be twenty 
miles from the Park, and also at Island Park. On cross- 
examination stated that he had seen buffalo in the vicinity 
of Big Spring last J une, twelve or fifteen head. That he 
believed these buffalo killed by the defendant were killed 
ten or twelve miles from Island Park. He had no knowl- 
edge of it except what his brother told him. 
John Golden, who has lived at Lake, Idaho, off and on 
for four or five years, knew of Courtenay's having killed 
buffalo about October, 1894, and saw the scalps last winter 
at McMinn's, Did not know that Courtenay had killed 
any buffalo since that time. Was at Courtenay's [place last 
October for ten days and saw no green skins brought in. 
On-cross examination stated that in October, 1894, he 
stopped with McMinn at Henry's Lake, that he did not see 
Courtenay bring any buffalo heads there, but he saw the 
buffalo heads at McMinn's. He knows that Courtenay 
brought them in because he was at the house when he 
brought them in and saw him bring them in. Thus he 
flatly contradicted himself and could offer no explanation. 
Courtenay told the witness that these buffalo were killed 
on the head of Big Spring. He did not know just how 
far from the Park line, but thought fourteen or fifteen 
miles. Knew of no law in Idaho against killing buffalo. 
On the 27th of December Wm. Ahrens, an enlisted man 
residing at Fort Yellowstone, testified that last season, 
while scouting on the western border of the Park, he saw 
buffalo west of Summit Lake, at a point which Burges, the 
Park scout, stated was two or three miles outside the 
Park. These were seen in the early summer and appeared 
to have been there during the spring. Remains of a 
buffalo cow and calf were seen at a point so near the line 
that the scout could not state whether they were in or 
out of the Park. They seemed to have starved to death. 
Silas McMinn, recalled, gave some testimony with regard 
to the boundary line between Wyoming and Montana 
and the Park line. 
MR. CLARK'S CARIBOU. 
Mr. Clark, the able and courteous paying teller of the 
Lincoln National Bink, of this city, a keen sportsman 
and a cool shot, has recently returned from a very enjoy- 
able and successful trip in New Brunswick, Mr. C. has 
been through the various degrees of an amateur sports- 
man from his boyhood days with the woodchuck and 
bushy tails, grouse, quail and we believe turkey; and now 
aspires to the sublime degree of a Master Sportsman in 
the big game line. Last year he journeyed westward an- 
elking. He had had glowing promises of the sure cap- 
ture of this noble animal in the region he proposed to 
visit. But alas! he found that the Indians had been let 
loose from their reservation and had scoured the country, 
butchering for their hides what game they could and 
firing the grass and brush, driving everything living 
away. His party found only a devastated land, with here 
and there half-burnt carcasses of the noble elk, killed for 
their hides alone. He returned agreeing most decidedly 
with General Sheridan as to the character and value of 
the noble red man— "the only good Indian is," etc.; you 
know the rest. 
This year he went for caribou and was deservedly suc- 
cessful. The party secured five caribou and one 2 -year- 
old moose, but it had no horns of any account. Two of 
the deer fell to Mr. Clark's gun. We had a good look at 
one finely-mounted caribou head that now adorns the 
walls of his dining room, and of which he is very proud, 
as this was bis first caribou. The party secured several 
fine views with their camera of various camp scenes, the 
barrens as they are, the feeding grounds of the game, the 
road in, which is a veritable "rocky road to Dublin," and 
reminded us very strongly of the old road from Moose 
River to Arnold's below the Forge in the old Adirondacks, 
in the years 1848-50. Many of your old readers will 
remember that rough road where we used to tie and ride, 
as they called it. 
At one time upon stealthily approaching an open spot 
Mr. Clark's party discovered a drove of some twenty-five 
or thirty caribou leisurely trotting along. While two of 
the men dropped each one of the young bucks, another 
secured as he thought two or three fine views of the 
drove before they were out of sight. Unlike the common 
deer, caribou will not take alarm at a noise only, but 
easily notice the movement of a body. The dropping of 
two of their number did not seem to startle them at all 
out of their gait. Alas! upon attempting to bring out the 
moving drove the negative proved a dead failure. The 
party came across several of the stamping or fighting 
places of the bucks, where the ground would be all cut 
up by the hoofs and struggles of the infuriated animals. 
During the rutting season the bucks are very bellicose and 
the weaker has to run or succumb to the stronger. One 
of the guides shot a buck that was very lean in flesh and 
the animal seemed weak. Upon removing the mask a 
deep suture was discovered almost entirely across the 
forehead; the skull had been badly fractured, so that 
one of the horns fell off upon removing the skin. 
The crack in the frontal bone had commenced to 
heal, but the jaw seemed to have been entirely or par- 
tially paralyzed, so that the poor thing could not take any 
nourishment. Could it have kept up its vitality, the 
broken skull would undoubtedly have healed up and have 
been as good as new. Some of these fights are very much 
in earnest and to the death, as the many pairs of locked 
horns found from time to time amply testify. 
Mr. Clark and party will go again in the same direction 
next fall, but to a different part of the county, where he 
hopes to capture a big bull moose, the head of which he 
will place opposite his first caribou. Then for an elk. 
After that I presume he will not be satisfied until he visits 
Africa and bags an elephant, a lion or a hippopotamus. 
Jaoobstaff. 
Three Shots, Three Ducks. 
Licking, Va., Dec. 15,— My father owns a millpond 
which covers an area of about fifty acres. Numerous 
ducks come to feed — mallards, bluewinged teal, shovelers, 
wood^ducks, etc. One day I took my gun and started down 
to the pond to see if I could get a duck. I had a setter 
along to retrieve the game. On my way down there the 
setter started a wild turkey, but I did not get a shot at 
him. 
As soon as I got to the pond up flew a flock of about 
eight black ducks. I turned loose on the flock, not aim- 
ing at any particular one, and a crippled one flew by and 
fell about 20yds» from me, I was juat about to go and 
get the one I had killed when the flock came back over 
me and I dropped one more. I got these and tied a string 
around their necks, swung them over my shoulder and 
started down the pond. 
I had not gone far before I sa w a flock of five mallards 
about 50yds. from shore. Making the dog stay behind 
me I crept as near as I could get, picked out a fine drake, 
took good aim and pulled the trigger. At the crack of 
the gun the whole flock got up, How could I miss such 
a pretty shot? But as I was thinking of this I saw that 
one of them, instead of going with the flock, changed and 
went across the pond. He flew about 100yds. and fell. I 
went over there and picked him up. He was a beauty — 
a great mallard drake. With a light heart I went home. 
Out of three shots I had got three ducks — two of them 
flying. 
My father also owns 100 acres of woodland right around 
our home. We do not allow anybody to shoot in them, 
and gray squirrels constantly come up in the yard. 
Deer are getting abundant about here. Some time ago 
while I was out hunting wild turkeys an antlered deer 
jumped up right before me. I did not have any buckshot 
in my gun, or I could have killed him as dead as a ham- 
mer, W. A. Leake. 
