April 18, 1896.J 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
817 
there, though they have to shoot them to get them. There 
are some wildcats and any quantity of rabbits. Trout 
fishing they have to go a dozen miles to get, and by going 
on up about sixty miles further north, along the Wiscon- 
sin Central road, they get to the Fifield and Butternut 
chains of lakes, where the muscallonge are to be had in 
good size. These are Flambeau waters, that stream 
emptying into the Chippewa, which carries the 'lunge 
from the Mississippi. The Flambeau is a lovely stream to 
run. 
Mr. Kerr says that it is all nonsense saying the non- 
export laws of Wisconsin are respected, but he says they 
could be enforced if the express companies of Chicago 
would be honest in their attempts to enforce the laws. 
Thousands of pounds of grouse, venison and trout go out 
of Wisconsin every day in their season , and only too much 
out of season. The goods are boxed and billed through to 
Chicago, and the local express agent takes care that he 
does not meddle in any one's business by trying to learn 
what is in the boxes. The express agent gets a commis- 
sion on what business he does, and does not want to lessen 
that business in any way, and game is the same to him as 
anything else. If this state of affairs be the case, it may 
be seen about how faithful are the protestations of the 
express companies annually and regularly made to the 
sportsmen of Chicago. They will help prosecute or 
allow prosecution when the goods are found in their 
possession; but they take precious little care to keep such 
goods out of their possession. It is no doubt true 
that the railroad and express companies could in one 
year break up the game trade of Chicago and establish 
fine shooting in regions now shot out. But they will not 
do this, because they figure there is more money in the 
freight than tbere would be in the fares of the sportsmen 
they would carry out to such shooting grounds if the 
latter offered anything to shoot. In this the companies 
are probably or possibly correct. But they are not right. 
It is their wide cloak of secrecy that has made cover for 
the illegal destruction of our Western game. In spite of 
all the hoggishness of many men who pass as sportsmen, 
such men do not have time to kill as those who make a 
living at it, so that it is the markets which have taken 
the game, And without question two-thirds of the goods 
of the markets— perhaps lour-fifths of the total — came to 
them illegally, killed illegally, shipped illegally, or carried 
illegally by common carriers who were delicately careful 
not to seem to break a law, nor to keep any other man 
from breaking it who made them a dollar by doing so. 
This is a fine, big, boyish, good-natured, strong country, 
this America of ours. And how dearly it loves a humbug! 
Opening: Day on Trout. 
The first of our trout fishing here is done in Wisconsin, 
and the opening day of the season falls on April 15, next 
Wednesday. While not so far advanced as it was at this 
time last year, the season should be enough so to afford a 
basket of trout to the early and ardent who will sally forth 
next week. It will of course not be worth while to go too 
far up to the pine country, for there the streams are 
muddy and cold, if even free of ice; but lower down in 
the State there are a few streams which carry a few 
trout — some very good ones, if you know where to go. 
Mr. H. L. Stanton and his friend Mr. Willard will start 
Tuesday next to some streams in Walworth county, where 
they expect at least a day of walking. It remains as yet 
a case of bait, and he who scorns the patient and faithful 
worm might as well stay home, for it is not warm enough 
yet to render the fly anything but ornamental as an acces- 
sory to the sport. 
They will Come North. 
A great many Northern men have heard of or have seen 
on their native cactus the two San Antonio, Tex., sports- 
men, Joe George and Oscar Guessaz, who are positively 
the only two shooters in America who shoot 20-gauge 
guns and live on baled hay. It will be pleasant news to 
these and many others to learn that both these gentlemen 
are to come to the North on a visit this spring, more 
especially to attend the E. C. Powder Co.'s tournament in 
New Jersey, May 5-8, but incidentally to have a good 
time, and of course to see Chicago. Mr. George was born 
near the City Hall in New York, and will act as guide to 
Mr. Guessaz, who was discovered in the chaparral west 
of the fifth principal Meridian. I hope all who meet 
these gentlemen in the North will remember the debt the 
sportsmen of this region owe to those of the South. 
P. S.— -Mr. Guessaz will not bite. P. P. S.— Mr. George 
has agreed to leave off his gun when app sarins; in full 
dress. E. Hough. 
909 Security Building, Chicago. 
BALLS IN SMOOTH BORES. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have been a subscriber to Forest and Stream for 
nearly twenty-one years, and during that time have no- 
ticed that at regular intervals of about three years some 
one asks if a ball can safely be fired from a shotgun. 
Then follow a few replies, both negative and affirmative, 
and the subject is dropped. One of these periods with the 
usual question having recently come around, may I be 
permitted to attempt a reply? 
To one at all familiar with the literature of the hunting 
of large game this question is a strange one, for in th« 
past and at the present time great numbers of such ani- 
mals have been and are hunted and killed with smooth 
bores, especially in Africa and India, where the great 
value, with certain obvious limitations, of such guns is 
perfectly well understood and appreciated, Pages of 
Forest and Stream could be filled with quotations from 
various writers telling of good work done by 10 and 12- 
gauge smoothbores at distances up to 100yds.— and much 
more game is killed within that distance than beyond it. 
For night work and in jungles and forests these are 
more convenient and efficient weapons than any rifle, bet- 
ter adapted to and as accurate in snap shots, and the ter- 
rible shock from such a large ball is more effective in at 
once stopping the game than is the bullet of any but the 
heaviest rifles. From greater use most sportsmen can do 
f ar better snap shooting with a Bhotgun than with a rifle, 
and this is an important point to be considered in com- 
paring the two arms. 
Common sense is as valuable in this matter as in others. 
In this country a smooth bore is no more a proper arm to 
carry when hunting antelope, sheep or goats than is a 
.50-110 300 Winchester express for squirrels; but for such 
work as jumping white-tailed deer, Dear hunting in the 
Southern canebrakes, watching for a grizzly to come to 
bait at dusk and similar forms of sport, I am convinced 
that a good 12-gauge smooth bore that has been well tested 
by its owner is a much more useful and efficient weapon 
than is a rifle under the same circumstances. The opposi- 
tion to its use is largely due to ignorance of its merits and 
to the widespread idea that the use of ball in shotguns is 
dangerous both to shooter and gun. Provided the ball 
does not jam in the choke there is no danger to either; 
but the best results are obtainable from barrels especially 
bored for the purpose, not choked, but cylindrical to within 
a few inches of the muzzle, when there should be a slight 
contraction, also cylindrical, in which the ball fits snugly 
until it leaves the barrel. The axes of the barrels should 
so converge as to intersect at from 50 to 75yds. Proper 
fitting of the balls is of course of the utmost importance, 
and a special mold should be made from accurate microm- 
eter measurements of the bore after deciding whether 
a patched or naked ball will be used; the former is the 
more accurate. 
Now load a few dozen shells with different weights and 
kinds of powders and test them carefully at measured 
distances of from 10 to 100yds. Having decided upon the 
combination which gives the best results, do not vary it, 
but load 100 shells and practice snap shooting at stumps, 
stones and other natural objects at unknown distances. 
In this way alone can one acquire such familiarity with 
the gun and its shooting qualities as will insure good re- 
sults in the field. 
After considerable experimenting, I have found that 
in the gun I use for this purpose i^drs. by measure of 
E. C. powder and plenty of wadding in a good grade of 
nitro powder shell, firmly crimped down on the ball (which 
must not have a wad over it), gives the best resultB, with a 
minimum of recoil and a maximum of penetration. Ly- 
man's ivory shotgun sights aid in taking a quick and ac- 
curate aim, and other details might be given, but the above 
are sufficient to guide any one in testing his own gun if 
he cares to. Absaroke. 
LONG RANGE GAME SHOOTING. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I recognize the killing power of Mr. Irland's gun and 
respect it accordingly, but do not think it an ideal hunting 
rifle; and when its worthy owner es3ays to smash the 
vitality out of a bull moose at 400yds. he is certainly 
taking too many chances of crippling the animal instead 
of paralyzing him on the spot. That is, unless Mr. Irland 
can instantly convert himself into a yardstick and meas- 
ure the exact distance at once without alarming the moose. 
That the gun is inaccurate or lacks stopping power, no 
one will claim; but the trouble lies in the high trajectory 
of the bullet and the hunter's inability to judge the distance 
correctly. Suppose, for example, that Mr. Irland saw a 
moose 400yds. away, and that his eye estimated the dis- 
tance to be 350yds. ; that he adjusted the sight for that 
distance and then held on the center of the 36in. target; 
what would be the result? A clear miss! Why? Because 
the bullet would fall below the target while traveling the 
50yds. lost by his error in estimating space, and the only 
possible result would be the smashing of a leg. If his 
estimate came within 25yds. of being correct he could 
only scratch the lower part of the animal's body, and it 
would get away — yes, get away, even from the most ex- 
pert rifle shot in the country shooting from a perfect rest 
and using Mr. Irland's .45-120-500. With many sporting 
rifles an error of only 10yds. would save the life of the 
moose. This is no flight of the imagination, but a solid 
fact, and it should cry out in thunder tones against that 
class of sportsmen who think they can judge space and 
kill game at almost any distance. Such attempts are 
brutal folly and should not be made. The certain killing 
of game at long unmeasured distances cannot be done 
with any rifle I know of, for the reason that a long range 
weapon is needed, and as that arm must have a high 
trajectory it consequently involves too much guesswork 
on the part of the man who handles the rifle; and as not 
more than one sportsman in a thousand is sufficiently 
familiar with the ever varying phases of geography, 
light, etc., to make correct estimates of space, I must 
repeat my statement: Such killing cannot be done with 
any degree of certainty and ought not to be attempted. 
Some small caliber man might take one of those 
"crochet needle guns" and by holding on the withers of 
the moose, with level sights at 400yds., hit the 36m. circle 
on the lower edge, and what would be the result? It 
would simply tickle the old fellow's diaphragm, and he 
would go off laughing at the simpleton who tried to ex- 
terminate him with a crochet needle. A moose is occa- 
sionally killed at 400yds., and because he has accom- 
plished this remarkable feat once the hunter is too apt to 
believe he can do so whenever a fair shot is offered. Let 
the sportsman count these lucky shots as they should be 
counted — accidents — and his bump of conceit will grow 
smaller as his experience enlarges. 
Mr. Irland seems to have a poor opinion of the ordinary 
repeating rifle as a gun for moose, and not without 
reason, for many of them are quite worthless for such 
purposes; but the Winchester Company is now making 
a repeater that commands the respect of all who are ac- 
quainted with it. I refer to the .50 100 450. It does not 
have the long range of the .45 120 500 Sharps, and its tra- 
jectory is too high, yet it shoots true and strong, and has 
great paralyzing power up to the limit of range that any 
sane man ought to shoot a moose. If it could be modified 
and made to manipulate I50grs, of powder and about 
500grs. of lead it would suit me better; but a workable 
repeater of those gentle proportions I understand is be- 
yond the capacity of the manufacturers to produce at 
present. As we can expect and realize great things from 
the above firm I am hiving in hope of possessing a .50-150- 
500 repeater in the near future. While waiting for it I 
shall continue to shoot my .50-100 450. By using a soft 
nose bullet and 50grs. each of Hazard's JSo. 4 and No. 2 
ducking powder one can make a cartridge that more 
than equals in power the 120grs. Sharps factory-made 
cartridge, and it does awful execution, smashing the 
bones of the heaviest moose with ease. For deer 1 load 
the mercuro- mushroom bullet in place of the eolid soft 
nosp, and the shot produced by this unique bullet is simply 
terrible — the deer goes down in a heap, and stays there. 
Wnen it comes to the question of repeater vs. Bingle-shot 
rifles, much can be said in favor of both. For accurate 
work where one shot only is needed I prefer the single- 
shot rifle; for game the repeater has its advantages, and 
as the first and second clas3 guns will all shoot better than 
the average man can ho'd, I fail to see any sound objec- 
tion to their use, providing the man masters the weapon, 
and thinks more of making a center shot than the rapid 
pumping of the lever. 
Your correspondent fully agrees with Mr. Clay when 
he states that the man who cannot kill a moose standing 
still at 200yd8. would *do much better to try his hand at 
something else. I should call for still more rigid require- 
ments, and say that the hunter who shooting off-hand 
cannot puncture hiB cap with considerable regularity at 
that distance is not qualified to do long range game 
shooting. But when Mr, Clay intimates that he makes a 
regular practice of tripping the heels of a moose at full 
speed when over 200yds. away from him, then I must 
enter an emphatic protest against the publication of such 
nonsense. True, the gentleman may have killed a moose 
or two on the run at that distance. No experienced run- 
ning shot will deny it. The question is, with what regu- 
larity can he repeat the performance? For Burely Mr. 
Clay would not shoot one of these noble animals outside 
of a radius of 15in. from the heart. That would allow 
him as large a killing circle as any rifle shot could reason- 
ably expect, and I should like to have Mr. Clay inform us 
how he performs the act of stopping the moose while 
traveling at its highest speed and crossing his line of sight 
at right angles 200yds. away. Kiudly tell us, for upon 
your answer much will depend. Remember, it is not al- 
together guesswork; that good, solid mathematics play 
an important part in the little affair; that you must perfo- 
rate the 30in. circle well in toward the center in order to 
make a stopping shot, and that the decapitation of a grouse 
at 40yds. or the hitting of a standing moose at 400yds. is 
simply boys' play in comparison with the killing of a 
swiftly running moose at 250yds. If the explanation ia 
not satisfactory to the many readers of Forest and 
Stream, some of them may be unkind enough to say that 
the 220yd. running shot was made much after the manner 
of an estimable lady I knew of who once saw a large 
hawk making off with her pet hen. Rushing into the 
house she seized a shotgun, and running out, pointed the 
gun heavenward, closed her eyes and. pulled the trigger, 
when to her utter amazement down came the hawk dead 
as a stone. Now, it is not my desire to insinuate that Mr. 
Clay killed that bull moose in this manner, and I hope 
that he will succeed in proving to the experienced mem- 
bers of the moose hunting fraternity that he actually did 
it on scientific lines — yet this is considerable to expect 
from a man who would use a .50-110-300 for target prac- 
tice at 600yds. 
Mr. Clay is quite severe on what he is pleased to term 
"would-be hunters" and those who use large caliberrifl.es, 
implying that such sportsmen are compelled to use big 
guns for the reason that they are not sufficiently well 
posted in the art of still-hunting to approach their quarry 
near enough to enable them to hold a small gun on a fatal 
spot. This insinuation must be the result of want of ob- 
servation on the part of Mr. Clay; for if he will take the 
trouble to correctly inform himself upon this subject, he 
will probably be surprised to learn that among the advo- 
cates of large calibers and heavy charges of powder will 
be found the greater part of the most expert shots and 
experienced hunters known in this country, men who can 
place a bullet where they want to when they get the 
chance; and the oft-repeated failure to get this chance is 
one strong reason why small caliber guns cannot do the 
work required of them. 
If a .32cal. bullet could be placed in the brain or spinal 
column at every shot there would be no need of such guns 
as Mr. Clay rails against. But where is the man who can 
play the part of Svengali and induce a moose or grizzly 
bear to pose for him while he calmly selects the most vul- 
nerable spot on the animal's anatomy to perforate with his 
little gun? Years ago and in the far West big game was 
quite obliging and would loiter around for us, and occa- 
sionally ask to be shot; but one can seldom duplicate those 
experiences nowadays in the East, and it is well that it is 
so. Conditions have changed; much hunting has devel- 
oped the naturally keen senses of the quarry into an ab- 
normal alertness, and the hunter must accept his chances 
as they come, and shoot at the best target offered when 
he feels fairly sure that the animal can be brought to bag; 
and the best results under these conditions are obtained 
when a large-caliber expansive bullet is propelled by an 
enormous charge of powder. The shock to the nervous 
system produced by such a projectile is simply terrible, 
and its value cannot be overestimated. It stops the ani- 
mal on the spot, and the secondary and tertiary effects of 
the bullet are not needed. Your game is dead. Such is 
the charge usually used by the sportsman who knows how 
to stalk his game and drop it on the spot when he pulls the 
trigger. Don't handicap a good workman with a poor 
tool, or, in other words, do not use a .44-40 200 on moose. 
To those sportsmen who are contemplating the purchase 
of one of the new military rifles, ,30cal. , smokeless powder 
and steel jacketed bullet, let me suggest the advisability 
of first considering a few facts in relation to these guns. 
The ideal army gun and the ideal hunting rifle are con- 
structed with entirely different results in view : the first 
one is designed to cripple, while the second must paralyze 
the animal shot at immediately. To produce the latter 
effect one must use a bullet with a large striking surface 
and drive it with an enormous charge of powder. The 
.30cal. Government cartridge will not kill quickly unless 
the brain or spinal column is pierced, and even then it is 
not to be depended upon, as an authentic case is on record 
of a man who was shot through the brain with it and then 
recovered. The great power of the gun as shown by the 
makers is somewhat delusive— more apparent than real — 
and to satisfy yourself as to the correctness of this statement 
you have only to place a soft nose cartridge in one of the 
rifles and then test its penetration; its piercing power is 
at once reduced 80 per cent, and Bometimes more. The 
diameter of the wound is a trifle more than double the 
size of one made by the solid bullet, but it stands no kind 
of a comparison with the wound made by a .45-70 Gould, 
and its penetration is considerable less. Again, take the 
penetration of a .45 hollow point and a. 45 solid bullet; 
the mushroom loses less than 30 per cent, in piercing 
power notwithstanding the fact that it often expands to 
over three times its normal striking surface, and makes 
an exit hole alongside of which the .30cal, soft nose open- 
ing ia insignificant indeed. As the penetration of the 
Gould bullet is regarded as not sufficient for moose, large 
bears and an occasional buck when in certain positions 
it is very evident that the .SOcal. soft nose is not in the 
race at all for large game. 
"An exhibitor of a certain small caliber smokeless 
