7 2 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[July 28, 1894 
QUAIL PACKING. 
Seattle, Wash., July 13. — After several weeks of 
delay, occasioned by floods and strikes, I am in receipt of 
"our paper" up to date. It may take a vacation, or 
several of them on the trip from New York to the 
Pacific, but it gets here just the same, and then I am dead 
to the world until I have read it from cover to cover, 
"ads" and all. 
There are several things I want to "chip in" on, and I 
will begin with the subject of quail bunching. Five or 
six years ago I was on a quail hunt on the Medicine Creek 
near Curtis, Neb. , and killed quail until, like our German 
friend, "I had my satisfy." The valley is covered there 
with a thick growth of willow shoots about waist deep or 
a little more, a feature common to Western prairie 
streams, and here the quail were thick in the thickest 
sense of the word. I was hunting without a dog, as 
usual, but I flushed more quail than ten men could have 
killed. I hunted six days in a little strip of willows less 
than a mile long and perhaps averaging 700 to 1,000ft. 
wide, and there were apparently as many birds when I 
quit as when I started; and I used 38 shells every day on 
single birds on the wing; and my average score runs about 
26 nead quail to the belt of shells. Local guns were pop- 
ping away all the time, but as they were mostly muzzle- 
loaders in the hands of farmers and boys, no "hog" scores 
were made, though I think they were responsible for a 
good many wounded birds, which served to feed the 
numerous ' 'bob cats" (common wildcats) which infest the 
vicinity. At any rate, I found plenty of evidence that 
the cats were "pot-hunting" with a vengeance. 
I found the birds in twos, threes, covey bunches, and 
two or three covey bunches, and in one particular thicket 
of perhaps 300 or 400ft. square, the woods, or rather the 
tulie-like willows, were literally full of them. 
I think that 3,000 quail would be a low figure to place 
as the number of birds on that one-mile range. In those 
willow thickets, which fringe the Platte, Eepublican, 
Driftwood, Willow, Prairie Dog and Frenchman rivers 
and creeks, like tulle-patches, I think is to be found the 
solution of the quail supply of that country for all time, 
as the birds breed there and the dense willows give them 
both food and shelter from all kinds of enemies. In all 
of these places I have noticed the tendency of the birds 
to flock, and have frequently flushed a bunch of several 
hundred, which rose as an ordinary covey does, either in 
a bunch or in scattering, irregular numbers from a space 
of perhaps an acre of ground. They do not run much 
after lighting, as reports indicate in the case of the Texas 
quail, but when you watch a bunch "down" in a willow 
patch you can almost always find them very close to the 
place marked. In the cornfields in eastern Nebraska they 
almost always "light running," and many travel a quarter 
of a mile before taking wing again, therefore I argue 
thus: 
If little hunted in a grassy or short, thick cover, Bob 
White congregates in large flocks and depends on his coat 
matching his cover for safety and concealment. If much 
hunted and living in a grain country where thick cover is 
scarce, he hustles about with only his own family to look 
out for, flushes easily and "roads it" for safety when he 
strikes ground. My quail hunting covers fifteen years, 
and territory from Illinois to the Pacific, on both Bob 
White and the mountain or California quail, and this is 
my own view of the question, which I hope may throw a 
little light in some dark place. El Comancho. 
BAY BIRDS AT MARTIN'S POINT. 
Four reports sounded out over the water and five of 
the fattest, plumpest black-head ducks you ever saw lay 
fluttering on the water. "By Jove, Captain, that was one 
of the finest shots I ever saw. Only five in the flock and 
every one of them bagged at 65yds. with No. 8 shot." 
"Really I should have compromised on one duck," said 
Jasper. 
This does not begin like bay bird shooting, but the 
captain never allows ducks to bite him, even if he is 
hunting yellow-legs, robin-snipe or any other of the bay 
bird family. But one never knows at Martin's Point 
what he will get a pop at next. It is safe to carry in 
one's shooting coat a few BBs for sandhill cranes, No. 4s 
for ducks, No. 6s for curlew and No. 8s for willet, yellow- 
leg, doewitch, doebird, martin, grass plover, golden 
plover, beetlehead, blackbreasts, or whatever other kinds 
come your way. We have the whole family and we 
have recently learned by experience that the little ox-eye, 
the very smallest of the hosts which visit our meadows 
by the million, makes the finest potpie. A couple of 
shots will bag 50 or 75, which makes a very decent pie 
for two. 
We had just retrieved our five ducks when about thirty 
doewitchers swooped down among our decoys, which are 
of the tin variety. "Your first shot, Captain, and I will 
take them as they rise." Nqw, the- Captain had been a 
fine shot at Manassas and Bull Run, about thirty years 
ago, but he took deliberate aim, and with that nonchalant 
air of a man who feels perfectly sure he can do it every 
time, blazed away. Jasper followed with both barrels. 
The smoke cleared, but nothing had suffered save the de- 
coys. 
We had hardly recovered from the bitter disappoint- 
ment at our clean miss, when three large winter yellow- 
legs hovered over our decoys, singing their well-known 
note, tweedle-dee, tweedle-dee, tweedle-dee. They dropped 
dead as three reports rang out on the air, for there was 
blood in the Captain's eye now; and there were signs of 
great determination about the eye of Jasper, for he has 
the reputation at Norfolk of being quite a shot. He likes 
to recall the different shots when we gather around the 
hearthstone at night, tell of good and bad work of the 
dog, and run our horses at an impossible speed. But he 
went to bed very early on this May the 21st, 1894. 
I have rather an elastic conscience, I think, but I never 
allow myself to exaggerate the bag killed on any occasion ; 
and in recording this one I confess I feel meaner and less 
inclined to do much spring shooting than I ever did 
before. I never yet took a friend to Martin's Point who 
was not crazy to go again. I am glad to say, however, 
that we are not obliged to shoot many of these birds in 
spring, for they return to our place the first of July and 
stay until Nov. 15, and when they return in summer they 
are as plump and fat as a butterball. I think that for 
the table our doewitcher (the proper local name being 
grayback), grass plover, summer yellow-leg and golden 
plover, are equal to any bird in the world. They are 
truly delicious at Currituck, While the Captain and 
Jasper were popping away about as fast as they could load 
and shoot, Will was down at the other end of the flats, 
and the smell of powder in that locality was very strong. 
You should have seen his bag. He was in a little fresh 
water pond, where robin snipe were wont to feed, and 
they are a beautiful bird to shoot over decoys. I dropped 
six with one barrel on this trip, while a bunch of ahout 
forty hovered just outside of the decoys. The other 
barrel I had not had time to load from the last shot. 
President Cleveland was down there on May 13; he 
spent one day among the bay birds there and expressed 
himself as much pleased. He hopes to visit us again in 
August. 
Our bag for the day was 240 bay birds, 10 blackheads 
and 3 ruddy ducks. J. B. White. 
THE PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION. 
Altoona, Pa., July 19. — Editor Forest and Stream: In 
your issue of July 7 I notice "D. P. F.'s" letter regarding 
the consideration of the question of game protection by 
the State Association, and also note your editorial com- 
ment on the same. 
The Association has many staunch game protectionists, 
similar to "D. P. F.," in its ranks, every one of whom is 
desirous of seeing the question of better game protection 
for the State argued earnestly and fully. It is impossible 
that this can be done during the few hours set apart for 
that purpose at the annual meeting of the Association. 
The election of officers for the ensuing year, the choice of 
the location for the next year's tournament, the reading 
of the reports of the retiring treasurer and secretary, and 
the consideration of whatever minor business there might 
be before the meeting, would make business enough for 
any meeting to consider on a warm night in a hotel parlor; 
at least, that is my impression of the case, judging from 
last year's meeting at the Commonwealth Hotel in Har- 
risburg. 
Our president, N. A. Hughes, of Williamsport, Pa., is 
fully alive to the exigencies of the case and is consider- 
ing what will be the best course to pursue. There is no 
doubt that before any final decision in regard to a new 
game law for this State is arrived at there will be a 
great amount of talking done. Covering as the State 
does a wide territory, wild and rugged in its western 
portions, in a high state of agriculture east of the Alle- 
ghenies, Pennsylvania's game interests are about as diver- 
sified as it is possible to imagine. Hence the difficulty 
attached to the passage of a uniform game law. In Vir- 
ginia, Florida, and I believe in New York, as well as in 
many other States, sectional laws are in force, overcom- 
ing the difficulty attendant on such conditions as we have 
in this State. Our constitution, however, forbids sec- 
tional laws, whether wisely or not does not enter into this 
question. The fact remains that what the Northwest 
wants is in some cases distasteful to the Southeast; then 
comes the "kick." 
It is necessary, therefore, that ample time for discus- 
sion on this subject should be provided; this, as "D. P. 
F." says, cannot be done at a single short night session. 
The New York State Association's system appears to meet 
the case satisfactorily and could very properly be adopted 
by the State Association in Pennsylvania. 
In organizing the State Association the promoters had 
a two-fold object in view; this object is well set forth in 
Article II., of the Constitution, which runs as follows: 
"This association is formed for the protection and propa- 
gation of game birds and animals and for the enforce- 
ment of our game laws, and for the promotion of kindly 
intercom - • and generous emulation among sportsmen at- 
the trap." The annual tournament, which promotes this 
" kindly intercourse and generous emulation among 
sportsmen at the trap," has done all that was expected of 
it. By its aid the Association has not only been kept 
from falling to pieces, but has grown and thriven until 
now it is a homogenous whole, formed of game and fish 
protection associations, etc. , well able to take care of 
itself and to look after its own interests — the better ' 'pro- 
tection and propagation of game birds and animals, etc." 
The propagation of game birds is a question that de- 
serves special attention at the hands of our Legislature 
next year. If I make no mistake, D, P, F.'s own asso- 
ciation, the Tremont Fish and Game Protection Associa- 
tion, has been the means of turning out a large quantity 
of game, both furred and feathered, for which there is 
absolutely no protection provided under our existing 
game laws. It stands to reason, however, that to be en- 
tirely successful, the efforts of this latter association 
should be protected by legislation, and this protection 
can only be obtained by the united efforts and earnest 
work of the sportsmen of this State, and by a spirit of 
mutual concession on the part of those self same sports- 
men. Edward Banks, Secretary, 
Pa. State Sportsmen's Association. 
Changing Conditions in Maryland. 
A Maryland correspondent writes: It is evident that so 
long as personal wants are considered paramount to the 
real needs of the time, game legislation is a farce, and 
that is what is the matter in this State. If you have a 
political pull you get a game law to suit your ideas, if you 
have not the necessary influence you get nothing, no 
matter if you are asking for a measure that is of import- 
ance to the State at large, I will venture the assertion 
that if some one with a pull should ask a law authorizing 
woodcock to be killed in March and April, and Bob White 
in July and August, he could get it. I am adverse to the 
importation of the English ideas in connection with our 
game supply; but those of the fraternity who have money 
will have shooting; and the tide is setting strong toward 
preserves; once this system becomes rooted in this country 
and Americanized, the day of sportsmen of moderate 
means is surely done. I can see in my own locality the 
tendency from year to year to narrow the limits of free 
shooting; the farmers are posting their land from even 
their own neighbors, and are trapping and snaring such 
game as they can find on their farms to sell, claiming 
that no law can prohibit them from so doing. They say 
that as they are not expert enough to kill game with a 
gun, and can get it no other way, the shooter shall not 
rob the land owner of his share; and that share they will 
have, and get any way they can, and at any time of the 
year they want it or can sell it. Here is where the cold 
storage man gets in his work. If the sale of game could be 
stopped, even to the extent of storing it during the close 
season, the beneficial effects would soon be seen, 
Cranberry Lake Deer and Trout. 
Cranberry Lake, St. Lawrence County, N. Y., July 
16. — Sportsmen who mean business should give Cranberry 
Lake a trial. Last Sunday afternoon I watched for two 
hours a deer feeding in total indifference to my presence 
at Silver Lake just at back of Mr. Bishop's pasture lot. 
This evening a family just arrived from New York city 
report that after entering the woods a mile above Clifton 
they met three deer, one of which, an old buck, stood and 
"peaked" at the carriage for five minutes, until right of 
way was demanded. Again at Tooly, further in the 
woods, two more deer were seen. Sunday at Sternberg's 
Inlet a party of young men from Brooklyn, on their way 
into camp at Brandy Brook, saw three deer feeding and 
numerous tracks at other places. 
Senator Charles H. Russell and his nephew, Russell 
Stearns, brought in on Saturday evening 121bs. of speckled 
trout, all of good size. Another gentleman from New 
York, nineteen years an habitue of this lake, brought in 
this evening lOlbs.; both gentlemen are blaming the fine 
weather for their poor luck. The writer while boating 
around Joe Indian Island this morning surprised two 
pair of loons who were billing and cooing in their own 
sardonic way; also one gull and one crane, and numerous 
wild duck. 
If you come this way thank the Lord if you get here 
alive, and ask no questions, for Governor Flower has 
ridden over the same woods road, too, and is now moving 
heaven and earth to impress upon our State Legislature 
the desirability, nay the necessity, of improving our 
State highways. W. H. H. 
Stop the Sale of Game. 
A Platform Plank. — The sale of game should be forbidden at all 
tivies.— Forest and Stream, Feb. 10. 
Silver City, Tintic Mining District, Utah, July 14.— 
Put me down as one who is in favor of your new plat- 
form plank to put a stop to the sale of game, and why 
not add another to prohibit spring shooting? 
I would be highly pleased to sign a petition, too, to old 
Father Time asking for a lease of life for a hundred 
years to come for our friend Hough. Those Yellowstone 
letters are the best thing we have had for many a day. 
I confidently believe that he and Billy Hofer could go to 
the North Pole and take a photo of the man on duty 
there to grease the axle at that end, but then we could 
not spare him so long. Both my wife and I enjoy his 
letters hugely, and are putting on flesh laughing at his 
adventures and expedients. It is to be hoped he may 
take another hunting trip to Texas this fall. C. H. B. 
The German Emperor's Game Bag. 
During the period from 1872 to 1893 the German Em- 
peror killed 1 whale, 2 aurochs (European buffalo), 8 rein- 
deers, 7 moose, 3 bears, 709 stags and 57 does of red deer, 
944 stags and 40 does of fallow deer, 1,703 wild boars, 121 
chamois, 413 roebucks, 16 red foxes, 11,066 hares, 7,387 
pheasants, 407 partridges, 29 capercailzies, 4 black cocks, 
56 ducks, 2 woodcocks, 638 rabbits, 694 herons and 559 mis- 
cellaneous game; total, 24,860 pieces. 
In the course of the present year the Emperor has killed 
30 stags (red deer), 14 stags (fallow deer), 2 wild boars, 56 
roebucks, 1 fox, 400 hares, 8 capercailzies; total, 512 pieces. 
Grand total, 25,372 pieces. Armin Tenner. 
Relating to Bears. 
Dunbarton, N. H, — In a letter received from C. R. 
Peavey of Oxbow, Me., who last year was so successful in 
finding mnose, Peavey says: "Game promises well for 
next season. Had good luck trapping last spring; caught 
fifteen bears. You had better come up and stay awhile at 
my camp about snow time." C. M, Stark. 
Massachusetts Quail. 
Danvers, Mass. — There seem to be many quail nesting 
about here this summer. With the proper observance of 
the prohibitory law for 1894 there had ought to be some 
good shooting next year. J. W. B. 
Horicon Marsh Ducks. 
Horicon, Wis., July 16 — Everything on Horicon Marsh 
looks favorable for this fall. We have the biggest crop of 
ducks this season we have had in years. J. M. Y. 
Quail in Northern New York. 
I notice a "quail record" at Ticonderoga, N. Y. I shot 
one last fall at Willsborough, Essex county, N. Y. A 
male, in good condition. J. M. H. 
No notice taken of anonymous communications 
CDS —Will you kindly inquire, through your Natural. History 
coliium if any of your correspondents can furnish any facts relative' 
to carnivorous propensities of our red squirrels? Ans. Its carnivorous' 
habits are well Known; the red squirrel is usually regarded as a pest- 
because it preys on the birds. 
J. W. B., Danvers, Mass.— 1. Is there any law in Vermont that pre- 
vents the hunting of game birds with a dog'/ 2. My tunpowder 
hardens in lumps while standing in the tin kegs. What causes it, and 
does it hurt it any? It is kept in a warm, dry store. 3. WtU you pub- 
lish in the Forest and Stream at an early date the general fish and 
game laws of the United States? Ans. 1. No. 2. Caused by damp- 
ness; will not hurt it. 3. Mo, they are given in the Game Laws to 
Brief, as revised to date. 
W R R —Under the A. S. A. rules is a man compelled to use only 
one hand in gathering his bird, or can he use both if he wishes? Ans. 
He may use both. Rule 9 as to gathering birds reads: A bird to be 
scored dead must be gathered within bounds before another bird is 
shot at and within three minutes 1 time, by a dog or shooter, or person 
appointed by the shooter for that purpose. No extraneous means 
shall be allowed to assist in gathering. If the gatherer cannot locate 
the bird, he may appeal to the referee to locate it for him. All birds 
challenged must show flesh-shot marks, to be scored '-dead birds. 
PUBLISHER'S DEPARTMENT. 
The much talked-of aluminum pleasure boat is at last a reality. 
The Illinois Pure Aluminum Company announce in our advertising 
columns that they have one ready for the market. 
We have received from Reuben Wood's Sons, Syracuse, N. Y., a 
dose of "Wood's Specific. " This consists of a prescription lift, long, 
which recommends as a simple cure for all ills to go a-Ashing. Inci- 
dentally "Drs." Wood find opportunity to call attention, to various 
BpecialtieB ia their line of fishing tackle. 
