Feb. 29, 1896.., 
They are all hard- working business men and their names 
are as follows: 
Mr. A. G. Spalding, of the well-known sporting goods 
firm A. Gr, Spalding & Bros. ; Mr. Edwin A. Potter, of 
the Lyon & Potter music house and president of the 
Chicago Athletic Club; Mr. Gilbert B. Shaw, president 
of the American Trust and Savings Bank, Chicago; Mr. J. 
B. Wilbur, president of the Royal Trust Co., Chicago; Mr. 
A. J. Roach, of the sporting goods trade, Philadelphia. 
They will spend the month of March on Mr. Spalding's 
ranch in Grant county, near Deming and Silver City, 
New Mexico. All are bicyclists and will take to the ranch in 
this natural home of the broncho the rubber shod machines 
which seem so rapidly taking the place of the horse — a 
most unique incident to chronicle. The gentlemen will 
also take their guns and other sporting equipment, and 
will spend more than a month of happy days in the de- 
lightful region of New Mexico. 
Baron von Hegenmiiller, of the Embassy for Austro- 
- Hungary to this Government at Washington, D. C, 
stopped at Chicago this week for a short time, en route 
to San Francisco, and had his guns overhauled in prep- 
aration for some sport in the West. He concludes his 
American tour by a visit to Florida. 
Mr. Chauncey Ward Chamberlain, of Boston, Mass., 
paid this office a pleasant visit this week, Mr. Chamber- 
lain says that he has a complete file of Forest and 
Stream, from the first number of the old Bod and Gun 
down, and adds that his admiration for the paper in- 
creases each year. 
Deputy Warden S. L. Hough reports the following con- 
victions secured by himself this week of Chicago dealers 
selling game after the close of the selling season: H. V. 
Wennecke & Son, Thirty-first and Dearborn streets, ten 
squirrels and one dozen qnail, $20 and costs; H. & J. Gol- 
denberg, 188 West Randolph street, nine squirrels, $5 and 
costs. Mr. Hough brought his suits before Justice Foster, 
and that gentleman was so good as to say that an officer 
of the law ought not to secure evidence by buying illegal 
game. How else should he secure it? 
A farmer by name of Edward McClellan, living near 
Lake Forest,- a Chicago suburb, on Feb. 12 shot and killed 
the wolf which has lately been ravaging Chicago chicken 
coops. Chicago is a good place to go wolf hunting when 
there is a good tracking snow. 
Two heavy snowstorms have given this city about 2ft. 
of snow within the past week, and the snowshoeing has 
been good in the country near by. I find that the little 
village of Glen Ellyn, about twenty-five miles out on the 
Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, offers many advan- 
tages for sQowshoe parties. The nearest hills to Chicago 
are located there, and they are good stiff hills, which do 
very well for ski and toboggan work. There is also a lit- 
tle lake and a lot of woods, so that one can have quite a 
good winter day of it there. 
It is a curious fact that the sporting goods trade of 
Chicago is almost entirely ignorant of snowshoe matters. 
I tried in vain at the best stores here to get a set of snow- 
shoe straps, failed further to get a set cut at a house 
making sportsmen's clothing, and at last made myself a 
good set out of some rags. I had not seen a decent pair 
of web shoes shown in a Chicago store this winter, nor 
found a clerk who knew anything about them. A friend 
of mine wanted a pair of skis, and we set out to buy them, 
but failed ingloriously. There was only one pair in Chi- 
cago, and they were a curiosity. They were constructed 
of spruce, about 3in. wide, on wholly impractical lines, 
with utterly absurd straps, and — shades of Billy Hofer! — 
they were turned up at both ends! The genius who 
evolved that ski model is unknown, but it is a shame that 
such goods are not supplanted by practical tools which 
would encourage the growth and enjoyment of a healthy 
outdoor sport which siiould be better appreciated in Chi- 
cago. This city has good country near by, and often .has 
good snow. 
White Deer and a Pine Nut Bear. 
An interesting communication comes from Mr. E. 
Elliott, of Seattle, Wash., in regard to an island in that 
region where albinism in deer seems to be unusually com- 
mon. This island is known by Whidby Island, and two 
of the deer killed there, one entirely white and one 
mottled, are on exhibition, mounted, in the Rainier 
Grand Hotel, at Seattle. Mr. Elliott says that Whidby 
Island is an island offshore in Puget Sound. 
Elk in Michigan. 
From time to time I have mentioned the report that 
there were still a few specimens of elk alive in Michigan, 
though I do not care to name the locality where they now 
are thought to range. But I can give the time and place 
where probably the last elk were killed in Michigan. 
Mr. F. H. Lord', general passenger agent of the Chicago 
Great Western Railroad, this week told me, by mere 
accident, that when a boy he "used to tramp around in 
the Michigan woods after elk and deer." 
"Elk!" I said, skeptically. "Are you sure about that?" 
"Yes," said he, "my father and I killed elk in the South 
Peninsula of Michigan when I was* a boy. I must have 
been about 15 years old then and that would bring it about 
in 1866. My father was lumbering in the Cass Rivercoun- 
try, in Tuscola county, Michigan South Peninsula, near 
where Caro now is. One winter we got track of a band 
of seven elk and went out after them on the snow. We 
surrounded them — I think now they must have been 
yarded, like moose— and killed four out of the seven. I 
recollect very well how nervous I was with my old muz- 
zleloading rifle, but I shot one of the elk. The horns of 
those animals were around our home place for years. I 
saw them there long after I had grown to manhood, and 
probably they are lying around there now." 
The above is the only account I have ever been able to 
get from an eye-witness of elk actually seen in Michigan 
or Wisconsin, although there is much indefinite hearsay 
evidence. Mr. Lord is to-day barely a middle-aged man, 
and the experience he relates shows how rapidly the 
actual is passing into the hearsay in the matter of Ameri- 
can game. E. Hough. 
909 Skcukiti Bcilding, Chicago. 
Game Laws in Brief. 
The Game Laws in Brief, current edition, sold everywhere, has 
new game and flsh laws for more than thirty of the States. It covers 
the entire country, is carefully prepared, and gives all that shooters 
d anglers reauire. Bee advertisement. 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
NOTES FROM THE NORTHWEST 
CORNER, 
Washington.— Let's see! was it Dick of Connecticut 
who was the doubting Thomas anent the clipping of 
grouse's heads with bullets? Seems to me it was. I am 
afraid Dick is a rather incredulous person. You remem- 
ber that he mildly called in question the veracity of my 
account of the origin of that resurrected and now re- 
adapted word eheu. His elucidation, amplification and 
invention in re were pretty neatly done'though. 
Concerning the grouse business, I notice that several 
rifle shooters have run up against D. of C. in rather a con- 
vincing manner. Why, even I, who do not pretend to 
honors in rifle shooting, have been convincing myself 
that D. of C.'s doubt was sadly misplaced. I've got an 
old .40-60 Marlin with a lOlbs. pull with which I have 
lately been doing the decapitation act. Of course I don't 
do it every time, but I've no doubt I could improve if the 
grouse would hold still and allow me to choose my dis- 
tance and get a rest, and the sight wouldn't be elevated 
for 200yds. occasionally, and the trigger pull was reduced 
to 3 or 41 bs. and I had front and rear Lyman sights. But 
I'm doing pretty well as it is — well enough to satisfy my- 
self and the grouse that the feat is not imaginary. 
Ruffed grouse are numerous in this country, and I hear 
them drumming even at this late day in the year. Blue 
grouse, or "hooters," are not so plentiful, but probably 
will be more so when the snows drive them down from 
the heights. 
Those of your readers who have lamented the disap- 
pearance of the wild pigeon from the East might gladden 
their eyes with the sight and their game pockets with the 
bird were they out here. I haven't seen any very lately, 
but when the barberries and elderberries were ripe I re- 
newed my acquaintance very pleasantly with Passer 
something or other (I believe), shooting quite a number, 
but not seeing more than twenty or thirty in a flock. It 
was a very gratifying experience after an interim of 
CAPT. R, E. BOBO, 
twenty-eight years, and I had it borne in upon me once 
more that the big swift-flying bird would carry a good 
many shot out of my reach. I shot them along the creek 
bottoms and — well, that reminds me that a creek out here 
is a mighty good thing to have around. When I think of 
some creeks along and about which one might wander all 
day and night and see nothing but a chub or mayhap a 
muskrat, it makes me sorry for some folks. Along these 
creeks grow wild gooseberries, and sal-lal berries, and bar- 
berries, and elder berries and other kinds, on which the 
grouse grows lusty and fat as he drums in the fringing 
thickets on bis favorite log. Up these creeks swarm the 
lordly salmon, and whenever you will, you may have a 
day out with the dog and club. In these creeks under the 
shelving rock or protecting log lies the watchful and 
beauteous rainbow trout, waiting to spring like an irides- 
cent flash at your fly. Overlooking these creeks sit 
flocks of pigeons in berry time, but generally, alas, too 
often, afar aloft upon some sky scraping fir whence they 
look with mild curiosity upon the being below who crawls 
through the bushes in vain. But at morning and evening, 
when feeding, the man with the gun has his innings. 
To these creeks comes bruin from his mountain lair 
when the salmon are running, and there you may build a 
blind and wait for him to come to the feast, than which 
there is none other so toothsome — and you may wait and 
wait, and wait and wait, morning and evening, early and 
late, for bruin to come with shambling gait. You may 
shiver and shake in the chilling morn when the frost lies 
thick ere the day is born. You may sit in patience until 
the night has blotted out your ivory sight, and you're cold 
and hungry and disgusted quite, and never get a shot. 
These bears are wonderful cute, and had much rather 
come when they get ready. Then again, when you're 
least expecting them and don't want them at all, they 
loom up as big as a steer. But their reputation for cour- 
age hereabout is away down. Howbeit, I'm not in search 
of a scrap with a wounded bear in a hole. 
To return to the creeks, last but by no means least, the 
darling little ouspIs may be interviewed at any time, and 
they will jerk you one or a dozen of the cunningest little 
courtesies that ever was, and flip into the water and out 
again in a wink, unconcerned while the big salmon a foot 
away plies his sculling oar and the swirling water bub- 
bles in his wake. 
17 6 
So, you see, a creek out here is a ne plus ultra, summuni, 
bonum, facile princeps, mi generis, E pluribus unum, 
Washingtonian sort of stream. O. O. S. 
A Gloomy Growl from Michigan. 
The editor of Forest and Stream appears to have a 
sort of notion that any discussion of the ethics of cat 
shooting is wandering into foreign fields, even when the 
cats were killed in the interest of bird protection. Per- 
haps he is rignt, but I would like to know how it will be 
in twenty years from this time. To me it looks as though 
the men of that day will be lucky if they even find a cat 
to shoot, unless indeed they are of those permitted to 
maintain game preserves. 
It is hard to make the sovereign people see the import- 
ance of the strict enforcement of such game laws as they 
have, and this will be the case for some time to come in 
most of our States, 
I can never bring my mind fully into sympathy with 
any laws tending to exclude the inhabitants of one State 
from shooting or fishing in another. Such policy seems 
essentially un-American. Were I dictator I would give 
the State game wardens more power, and more money, 
if necessary; make the penalties heavier for infraction of 
the statutes, and give half the fine to the complainant. 
Our State game wardens have done well with the 
chances they have had, yet they have accomplished but a 
fraction of what they might had they been permitted and 
empowered to do their best work in the best interests of 
the people. 
I fully agree with one of your correspondents that the 
natives need looking after as much as the visiting sports- 
men. I think more, for they are on the grounds at all 
times, and few of them have much respect for the game 
statutes. For instance, I doubt if there are three men 
besides myself in this county who in trout fishing habitu- 
ally observe the 6in. law. 
a&Then the way nearly all the best camp grounds are de- 
stroyed for such uses by axe and fire is heart-sickening. 
aJiAnd the bass. Defective fishways, or the lack even of 
these, and the deadly spears and nets, have so extermi- 
nated these fish, as well as the maskinonge, in the inter- 
mediate lakes, that it is now scarce worth while to fish at 
all. 
If one does get a fair-sized fish, it is pretty sure to be 
scarred by a spear, and the old grounds seem to be deserted 
by the bass. 
As to deer. I don't hunt them nowadays; it is too dan- 
gerous. 
I was going to say more, but perhaps this is as much 
growling as the editor can stand at once, and I will re- 
serve the rest for some other occasion. Kelpie. 
Game Notes from Iowa. 
Our fishing and wildfowl shooting are gradually grow- 
ing poorer every year in northwestern Iowa, owing to the 
drying up of our streams and lakes. Many places where 
I have enjoyed good fishing and duck shooting fifteen 
years ago can be driven over with a team and buggy. Of 
course, Spirit Lake, Clear Lake and a few of the other 
large lakes are left, but they are gradually growing lower 
every season, and their days are numbered, unless we get 
increased rain and snowfall for several successive seasons. 
Our sportsmen are trying to preserve from total annihila- 
tion what few fish are left in our larger lakes and streams; 
to further that end they have succeeded in getting, 
through the efforts of Senator Funk, the following law 
passed: 
Sec. 1. No person shall have, erect or use while fishing on or through 
the ice any house, shed or other protection against the weather, or 
have or use any stove or other means for creating artificial heat. 
Sac. 3. No person shall use more than two lines with one hook upon 
each line in still-fishing, trolling or otherwise. 
The above law of course is aimed at the market fisher- 
men, and I believe will accomplish good results if prop- 
erly enforced; and I believe it will be if the sportsmen of 
thp State will cooperate with our Fish Commissioner. 
The following clipping taken from the Cedar Rapids 
Republican shows that we have a real Jive Fish Commis- 
sioner in Iowa: 
George E. Delevan, State Fish Commissioner, was in town a tew 
hours yesterday visiting his brother-in-law, T. E. Booth, of the Eu- 
reka. He has been having a great deal of trouble with spearmen at 
Waterloo and Cedar Falls, and has made it pretty warm, for a lot of 
them. He took in sixteen of these offenders on the Cedar River at one 
time who were making a business of spearing flsh contrary to law and 
then take them to the towns and sell them. Mr. Delevan had them 
arrested and fined. Part of them were unable to pay their fines and 
had to go to jail. 
Now if those who love the gentle art and want to see 
our sport preserved will take hold and do their part, I feel 
sure our fish will increase in the larger bodies of "water. 
Wm. H. Steele. 
Forest City, la. 
A License Scheme. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Those who have studied or hunted the large game of 
the United States have probably had brought to their 
notice that for various reasons during the month of Sep- 
tember it is, in most cases, much easier to approach the 
same than during October, November and December, or 
what is generally considered the open season. Now, to 
my mind, it is of the most vital importance that large 
game shall be protected up to at least the 1st of October, 
and each State should allow no one to shoot without a 
license. Said license to be granted to all — without cost — 
by a justice of the peace, game warden, etc., or there 
might be a small charge of 50 cents or $1 for the trouble. 
Now, no license should be granted until the day 
before open season, and anyone meeting a person shooting 
or hunting should, on request, be allowed to see their 
license. If they refused to show said license they should 
be considered as shooting out of season, and suffer the 
penalty. This would prevent many people going into the 
woods before season and bringing out heads and horns 
just as soon as it opened, and add very much to the pro- 
tection of large game. Willarb Nye. 
New Bedford, Mass. 
Meg antic Fish and Game Corporation. 
The annual meeting was held on Tuesday, Feb. 25. 
Treasurer L. Dana Chapman's accounts showed a mem- 
bership of 300; receipts for the year, $16,105.69; expendi- 
tures, $16,082.21; total assets, $30,656.53; total liabilities, 
$4,429.49; net assets, $16,237.04; gain in 1895-6, $2,984.05. 
