Sept. 8, 1894.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
SOB 
when there was a commotion in the willows and a noise 
as if a runaway reaper were going through. Then a large 
deer broke cover within 10ft. of W". and would have run 
over him if it had not had better instinct than he presence 
of mind, for the hunter was rooted to the spot with 
fright, and before he could think to shoot the game was 
100ft. away; and he either missed it or it outran the bullet. 
At camp we all insisted that the latter feat was the only 
way it saved its life. 
The next day we all went hunting grizzlies. Fresh 
tracks were seen, in fact so many that we could not follow 
any particular one out; but we saw no bears. A mountain 
lion threw dirt and gravel within a few feet of us, while 
tearing up the ground with his feet, as a protest against 
being run out of the brush, but we did not see him. 
We now resumed our travels to Hot Sulphur Springs. 
On the way down, while waiting for the cooking of din- 
ner, C. , with the heavy shotgun, was shooting suckers in 
a muddy bayou. He got his shells mixed, getting in 
buckshot backed with 6drs. of powder, and wlnle trying 
to step from one slippery scone to another, the gun "went 
off," and so did C. We deemed it unsafe to laugh until 
his clothes were partly dry. 
Hot Sulphur Springs takes its name from springs that 
bubble up with an offensive smell near the town. This 
place seems to be the lower terminus of Middle Park. 
The river here breaks through the hills, making for four 
miles one of the wildest dashing canons one could wish to 
see. Following down the Grand to the mouth of the 
Blue River we went northwest across the Gore Range in to 
Egeria Park. The pass over this ran^e is not so high as 
Berthound, but rougher. It is heavily timbered. Yaoipa 
River takes its rise in Egeria Park. We followed down 
this stream to Steamboat Springs, about thirty -five miles. 
It is a pretty valley, perhaps a half-mile wide. Steam- 
boat Springs, with about 40U inhabitants, is a lovely ham- 
let in the hills. There are- over a hundred springs within 
one-half mile radius. No two are chemically alike. Thay 
noiselessly bubble and boil, forced up by gas. Some are 
luke-warm, others delightfully cold. Some are excellent 
drinking water, others extremely nauseating. Another 
spring a few miles distant will cook your grub. A rail- 
road has been surveyed and will surely run down this 
valley, and I predict that Steamboat Springs will then be- 
come the greatest health resort in the State and also the 
center of the best hunting and fishing district. 
Our hunting camp was about fifteen miles from the 
springs. We reached the ground about noon, pitched 
camp, ate dinner and then went after deer in different 
directions, while the writer did camp duty, which gave 
him plenty of work. I had heard some shots, and directly 
the mail-carrier halloed, saying my partner was taking a 
deer down the road and needed my help. I found him 
exhausted, having carried a large doe nearly a mile. He 
was much cast down, for the law as well as our feelings, 
forbids killing does. This being his first deer he had 
taken a snap shot through the brush, to his regret, but he 
carried it to camp, thinking it would be the first venison 
in camp. While he was skinning his game we heard the 
signal report of a cartridge shell. I climbed the moun- 
tain side, and found C. Btanding by another dead doe. I 
protested that he should not have broken the law. He 
said he had stood ten minutes waiting for it to come out 
in sight, so that he might see its head, and thinking that 
even if a doe, it would be the first venison in camp. He 
had carried it so far and was tired out. 
When we had reached camp W. had come in at a 
double quick pace. He was in breathless haste, said he 
had killed a deer, but had no knife and so had to run to 
camp for one and for help to get it in before dark. He 
was much chagrined to learn that he was not the first to 
get a deer to camp, but would go back and get the antlers 
and then his task would be done and he could then help 
one of us to get a pair of horns, as we had only intended 
to kill one buck each. 
He had jumped up a dozen does and fawns, but did not 
molest them. Presently a half dozen deer came tearing 
down the hill, passing within 30tt. of him. They had 
doubtless got his wind, but did not rightly locate him. As 
they passed him like a runaway locomotive, he blazed 
away at the bunch and one pitched headlong down the 
hill and lay still. In great glee he felt for his knife, but 
found that he had left it at camp and had returned as 
above stated. He now hurried back to his deer and 
reached it as darkness began to gather, and to his amaze- 
ment found he had killed a doe. No more crestfallen or 
tired man ever returned to camp than he. We surely 
felt sorry for him. It was a doleful day for does. No 
more were shot on the trip. 
The next morning we changed camp four miles for 
better water and to get higher in the hills as the bucks 
browse higher up than the does. 
At noon we were all ready for a hunt, but a heavy 
shower came up and the scrub oak was too wet to travel 
through. After a while the sun shone and W. and I 
climbed to the top of a hill and lay on a large rock watch- 
ing the deer browsing on the opposite hillside and below 
us. The bushes were so thick they were hidden from 
view much of the tune but we counted thirty at one time 
within one thousand yards. After an hour's watching I 
concluded I would see how close I could get to some of 
them, and leaving W. on the rock to "look at me now" I 
descended by a roundabout way to the ravine, which I 
found to be 100ft., wide and so full of willows I could 
not get through them but got into the bed of the rivulet 
and literally crawled on hands and knees for a hundred 
yards pushing my rifle before me. The sun had not pen- 
etrated here and every bush I touched produced a shower 
so I was thoroughly wet. While thus creeping I came 
•upon a bear's track made since the recent shower. The 
effect on my hat was very strange. It became so light it 
would scarcely hold the hair on my head down to its 
proper place. I got through all right and reached camp 
after dark. 
The next morning it was my turn to hunt. Three of 
us started in different directions. I started more than a 
dozen bucks with many fair shots, but refused them, 
waiting to see larger horns and about 10 o'clock found 
them. Some half dozen started out of a gulch. They 
stopped when 200yds. off to look and I let drive at the 
big one, shot him through the neck. He dropped in his 
tracks and never moved a muscle. We judged him to 
weigh 3001bs. I managed to dress and partly hang him 
up in a tree, took head and horns and reached camp at 
3 o'clock, oh so tired. We secured his meat next morn- 
ing, and I had the honor of getting the first antlers. We 
simply gorged ourselves with trout, grouse and venison, 
After a long stay in camp, a great deal of hunting or 
roaming, for we obeyed the law after the first day, we 
each having one pair of antlers, started for home by way 
of Blue River, Hoosier Pass and South Park, stopping on 
the way long enough to wash out enough placer gold to 
pay the expenses of the trip and a little over. Hoosier 
Pass is high, steep and rough; we were told it was steep 
but smooth. When we arrived on top we found the 
steepness all right. We again tied the brush pile on be- 
hind and B. got astride, but it was so rough he could 
scarcely stay there or keep his hat on his head. Half 
way down he said if that was a smooth road he would like 
to see a He did not finish the sentence. At the bottom 
of the hill the reason was apparent; his mouth was bloody, 
he had bitten his tongue half off. It was a rough road. 
We arrived home without broken bones and with the 
resolve to go again when convenient. Perry Robey. 
SHOTGUN LOADS. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
This subject was discussed a few years ago in the Forest 
and Stream and I think a great benefit was derived by 
many from it. As every one cannot spend a day or two 
testing his gun to find the best results, he is obliged to rely 
on what others tell him. 
I have a couple of 12-bore breecbioading shotguns of 
about 81bs. weight, and after numerous trials at the target 
came to the conclusion that 3drs. by measure of either 
Schultze or black powder and loz. shot is the best for 
ordinary shooting, and for hard shooting, such as ducks, 
3tc, 3idrs. powder and l^oz. shot are the best loads for a 
12-bore. I load as follows: First a card, one felt, and 
another card over the powder, and a light card over the 
shot, and if the shells are not filled up so as to crim prop- 
erly, add another black or pink-edge wad over the powder 
before the felt; and when loading with nitro powder the 
pink-edge wad should always be used. I cannot find much 
difference, if any, when a card and two pink-edge wads 
are used over the powder instead of the felt. I use Nos. 
5, 6 and 8 shot, and find that No. 6—209 pellets to the 
ounce — gives the best and most regular pattern. T. H. 
Walsh ("Stonehage") and Greener both advise 3drs. black ' 
or 42grs. nitro powder and l^oz. shot for ordinary shoot- 
ing, and 3Jdrs. and 1-fcoz. for hard shooting. Others ad- 
vise 3^ ana 3§drs. powder and loz. shot; but as far as I 
have tried, this load causes the shot to scatter and there is 
no certainty of a regular pattern, and in many cases a 
duck woula escape. With good powder, such as Curtis & 
Harvey's or Schultze, or any other equally as strong, 
3^drs. and l£oz. shot will stop any duck up to 60yds., and 
it is seldom they are shot at at that distance. 
As to 10-bore guns there seems to be much difference in 
opinion as to the proper load. Greener advises 4 to 4£drs. 
of best powder and l£oz. shot, or if the shot is smaller 
than No. 6, l^oz. ; and for hard shooting 4jdrs. and li to 
If oz. shot, and wads the shells about the same as above 
described for a 12-bore. Bogardus in his book says 4£ to 
5drs. powder and only loz. shot for duck shooting, and 
uses 5drs. with two pink-edge wads and l^oz. shot for 
trap-shooting; and if I remember rightly Kleinman used 
this same load, and both these men were considered the 
best duck shooters in the world. All the parties agree, 
however, that cartridges, no matter what bore is used, 
should be well crimped. I have tried about all the above 
loads, and when pattern is taken into account, as well as 
the penetration, 1 find, that 4£drs. powder and li or even 
ifoz. shot suits my gun best, which is a lOlbs. 3^in. Eng- 
lish make. I have tried the 4Jdrs. and loz. shot, but the 
pattern seems to be very open and patchy. 
Greener in his works claims that with this load the 
quantity of powder is altogether out of proportion with 
that of the shot, and that there is an idea prevalent that 
by diminishing the charge of powder below the standard 
charge and keeping the standard charge of shot, the close- 
ness of the pattern will be increased. He says this is 
erroneous so far as it applies to choke-bored guns, and 
the use of black gunpowaers, and in any case it is pro- 
ductive of irregular shooting and patchy patterns; and 
overloading the gun with powder and shot or with pow- 
der only causes tne same tning. 
By the many different opinions thus given, and no 
doubt I only have mentioned a few, there seems to be a 
great diversity in the manner of loading a 10-bore, and I 
would like to hear from some more of our modern sports- 
men as to thei r ideas. Shotgun. 
BRAGGADOCIO. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
What you said in an editorial paragraph about bragging 
gunners, that when we hear one boasting over a "tremend- 
ously long shot" and "taking to himself the credit as a 
mighty sportsman" we may regard him as a "novice, or, 
if experienced, as one not entitled to much credit," strikes 
the truth. I like to go out with these fellows who "never 
miss," and find that they are mediocre or below par. 
They cunningly "blow their own trumpet," and credulous 
persons are led to regard them as great as Commodus, 
who was reputed to have severed with his arrows the 
thongs on his rival marksman bound for execution. 
I remember a colored wing shot of Poughkeepsie of 
whom it was said he offered to bet that he could be drink- 
ing at a spring and shoot two grouse that might be flushed 
while he was quenching his thirst. He would rise, grasp 
ais gun, fire right and left, and the drumming of two 
more birds would forever cease. So he got a reputation. 
But he knew he was safe in his offer, as such a test of his 
skill woidd never be made under the circumstances 
mentioned. 
I was quite amused the other day when a nimrod from 
a neighboring county, whose skill is unequalled (accord- 
ing to his own "brag"), told me of his wonderful work. 
"Two hawks," said he, "had each caught a chicken, 
which they were eating in a patch of high grass. I knew 
I'd get one, but as tney rose I dropped them both. I 
picked them up, and also the chickens, and cooked and 
ate them all. Hawks are fine eating." As I am a regular 
reporter for a newspaper, I said, "I'll publish that for it's 
a good one. " He most excitedly protested. 1 'But I won't 
say anything about your eating the hawks," said I. 
"Well, don't publish anything," said he almost in alarm. 
After a while he said that the reason why he did not want 
it mentioned was because the man with whom he was 
staying did not want anything said about it even if I did 
not mention the eating of the hawks. The plausible 
inference is that the story was a fabrication, and he saw 
that publication of it would expose him as a great blower 
skill he does not possess, N. D. Elting, 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
[From a Staff Correspondent.] 
He would not Die in Autumn, 
Chicago, 111., Sept. 1.— Des-chree-shos-ka Island, be- 
low Detroit, is near by some famous ducking grounds, 
and no marsh in the Union is more fairly international 
than that bounding the big Detroit River near its mouth 
or lining the lake below it, for time out of mind Kanuck, 
habitan and Yankee settler have reaped there their harvest 
of fowl, or at least did so before the club preserve en- 
croached too much on the old grounds. Of these old days 
the language of the country still bears record, and we 
have evidence of the old joy in autumn's fruitful time, set 
down in chapter and verse. At 'Tite Cote — of course the 
visiting tourist goes over to the cottages on the Canadian 
side, or Petite Cote where the wild rushes grow out into 
the river and make natural redhead blinds — one is in the 
pleasant land of France, only a France transported and 
grown broader and more inaependent. Of course, Jack 
Parker knows all the marsh hunters on 'Tite Cote, 
and also knows all the little taverns where one can 
steal up in quiet canoe by night, away from 
the big hotels, and get such a hot supper as we did, 
of muskrat, frog and chicken. Not until one has eaten 
muskrat, so they say, can one understand all the customs 
of- the country and be called en rapport with its institu- 
tions. When he has partaken of tne national Canadian 
dish, and so established his position in the land, he can 
perhaps catch the full fervor of the lines handed down 
from an unknown author and an unknown time — lines 
which, in part at least of their sentiment, will at this 
time appeal to the sportsman who speaks Yankee idiom 
or the patois of 'Tite Cote. The tops of the big rushes 
were getting gray, and the winds were whispering pro- 
phetically through them as my friend stopped the boat 
and half in soliloquy repeated the little confession of 
faith which is to-day, opening day of the season, being 
borne devoutly in mind by all of 'Tite Cote: 
I vould not die in Hautumn 
Ven ze ma'ash is full of game, 
Ven poisson blanc han duck git fat, 
H'an' mus'rat do ze same. 
Oh, zen ze Frainchman's hai-ves' time, 
Ven game vas sell so high. 
'Tis zen he make ze Vargent blanc 
I vould not vant to die! 
And so say we all, whether or not we are to make any 
"white money" out of the duck crop, as does our shooter, 
who fives at Tite Cote. When the wind begins to &ay 
inviting things among the rushes, when the air bears the 
mysterious messages of the whistling wings, when fish or 
fowl, and even the humble muskrat are fat and fit for 
the fire 1 — when, in short, the stirring summons of autumn 
is in the air and in the blood, then indeed must one, if he 
be aught of sportsman kind, look up above him and ail 
around him, and murmur to himseh the legend of 'Tite 
Cote in Canada: 
I would not die in autumn, 
When the marsh is full of game. 
No, let it be some other, some less cheerful, less invit- 
ing time. 
Opening Day on Many Marshes. 
To-day is opening day on many of the best marshes of 
the West. Tne teal and wood ducks are having trouble 
this minute on the channels of the Lake Erie marshts. 
The Mak-saw-ba men of the Kankakee will reap a harvtst 
of Indiana, wood ducks, made legal to-day. Illinois, more 
conservative and more wise, forbids the Swan Lake and 
Hennepin men to set loose their destructive machinery 
until Sept. 15, but Wisconsin, just to keep up the variety 
in our absurdly various game laws, opens the seasjn 
to-day, Sept. 1. Of course, the main interest of the Chi- 
cago shooters for Wisconsin centers on the Horicon Marsh, 
where the birds are reported to be on hand in all their 
usual numbers. Not being able to go up to the Horicon 
Ciuo for opening day this year, I can only guess at the 
number oi guns on the upper half of the marsh, which 
would probably be two or three dozen in all. At tne 
Diana Club 17 guns are expected to be on hand. Messrs. 
«J. B. Dicks, Geo. Holden, W. P. Mussey, J. Hall, Cnarlts 
Wilcox, H. C. Buechner, L. R. Brown, L. M. Hamhne 
and P. F. Stone all left in due season, and will not be back 
till the first of next week. When they do get back, 1 am 
disposed to think, each one of them will be ready to say 
that he "would not die in autumn." E. Hough. . 
909 Security Building, Chicago. 
Ohio Game Outlook. 
Rose Farm, Ohio. — This seems to have been an unusu- 
ally favorable season for the breeding of grouse. I hear 
of more than the usual number of covies being seen of 
late. Looking for squirrels last evening, I flushed a covey 
of not less than fifteen nice fellows. How I did long to give 
them right and left, but I had to relraid, for the season 
does not open on grouse till the first of tue month. They 
are pretty safe, though, for a month or six weeks longer 
on account of the leaves on the bushes. It's a very diffi- 
cult feat to bag the wily grouse when you only hear the 
whir and see a few leaves shaking in the direction he 
went. Grouse shooting is my favorite sport, and 1 know 
of no reason other tnan that he taxes my skill more to 
bag him to an any other game we have. 
Uur prospect for quad is flattering (considering the fact 
that they vvere nearly all frozen to death during the haxd 
winter of 1392), which is due mostly to the generosity 
manifested by our shooters in not shooting them last sea- 
son. If all shooting men had the true sportsman's instinct, 
jur game would need no law to protect it. Nothing will 
io more toward driving out that spirit of greed from man 
ind educating him up to the plane of a "gentle sports- 
_aan," than the reading of good sportsman papers like 
the Forest and Stream. 
I think there will be an abundance of rabbits for those 
who prefer that kind of shooting. 
There seems to be a goodly number of squirrels in some 
patches of timber. I haven't time at present to do much 
shooting, but expect to commence about Nov. 10, and 
spend about four weeks shooting grouse, quail and rabbits, 
li' some brother sportsman woula like to spend those four 
weeks with me and will write me to that effect, I will 
answer, giving full particulars. J. T. Maris. 
