248 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Sept. n, 1894 
SUMMER WOODCOCK SHOOTING. 
Wilkesbarre. Pa., Sept. 13. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: As the question of midsummer woodcock shoot- 
ing is being discussed quite freely pro and con by the 
sportsmen of this State at the present time in consequence 
of the proposed change in our laws concerning the season 
for the killing of that bird, I wish to. be afforded an op- 
portunity of expressing through your columns my views 
on the subject, as I know that through this medium they 
will reach more Pennsylvania sportsmen than in any 
other way. 
Our Legislature has made the slaughter of woodcock 
lawful at any time subsequent to July 4 in any year, and 
many of our gunners who term themselves sportsmen 
and are members of clubs the object of which is the pro- 
tection of game, avail themselves of the questionable 
privilege so inconsiderately permitted of commencing 
their work of carnage upon the gamiest of game 
birds at this unseasonable date. Many sportsmen 
and ornithologists allege, and I am inclined to be- 
lieve that woodcocks raise two broods in a year. 
If this be true, the second brood has not been hatched, or, 
at any rate, is not sufficiently matured to care for itself 
when the law makes its slaughter legal. But whether 
two broods are raised in a year or not, I know, and every 
hunter experienced in the bagging of this bird is aware, 
that its killing in the month of July is not sport but pot- 
hunting. The birds killed then are often only half- 
grown, unable to fly with strength and easily knocked 
over in their sluggish flight by the veriest tyro. At this 
season woodcock shooting is no more to be compared with 
woodcock shooting in the true season (two months later) 
than bullhead fishing is with bass fishing. Woodcock in 
the dog days may almost be killed by the country lad 
with his slungshot, and with a shotgun require no skill, 
while in October it requires all the skill of an adept to fill 
his bag, and is genuine sport. 
Prior to the close of the moulting season, which com- 
mences in the eariy part of August and closes in the lat- 
ter part of September, the bird is not edible. The old 
birds are sick, lean and lousy after the period of incuba- 
tion, and the young birds are insufficiently matured and 
not fit to be placed upon the table until their return from 
the uplands with their new plumage. The arguments 
used by the advocates of the midsummer season expose 
the true inwardness of the persons who advance them and 
are unsportsmanlike in the extreme. They are, that the 
birds are plenty in the month of July, and are easily shot, 
while in the month of October they are scarce, scattered 
and difficult to be shot. To a sportsman such arguments 
are simply absurd, as his mission is not the destruction of 
the game he seeks, but the pleasure derived from such 
excursions; and the more skill required, and the greater 
the difficulty of securing the game, the more pleasure it 
affords and the greater the sport. 
Where is the sportsman who takes greater pride in a 
large bag of game easily secured than in a smaller one 
obtained with more difficulty? I never saw him. For 
this reason he refrains from joining the motley band 
which sallies out early in the morning of our nation's 
birthday and works havoc among the cocks of the wood, 
although the law gives him license so to do. He prefers 
to await the return of the bird from the moulting grounds, 
at which time it is full grown, strong, healthy and wary, 
and its killing something more than mere slaughter. 
Upon the statement that the bird is at this time naturally 
scarce and scattered, I take issue. It is scarce and scat- 
tered because of the merciless slaughter of young birds 
two months before, and if unmolested until the close of 
the moulting season, the birds, although more gamy and 
affording better sport, will be just as plentiful as at the 
opening of the midsummer season and not more scat- 
tered. D. J. W. 
THE PRAIRIE CHICKEN WAR. 
Warren, Minn., Sept. 9. — Editor Forest and Stream:' 
War is raging throughout northern Minnesota and 
Dakota between the sportsman and the prairie chicken 
and grouse. 
As in the Japan-China war, the odds are in the Japs' 
favor, so it is here; the sportsman as a rule fares the best 
in most of the expeditions that are taken. 
Prairie chickens and grouse are found in goodly num- 
bers throughout northern Minnesota, and resident sports- 
men say that the crop of birds has not been so great for 
years. The season has now been open about ten days, 
and it is becoming difficult to approach within gun range 
of a covey of wise old prairie chickens. Not so with 
their cousin, grouse. His intellectual qualities are of a 
different stamp. He allows you to approach him and 
almost trample on him before he thinks of his personal 
safety. He of eourse finally attempts escape by flight, 
and then his female companion and their dozen offspring 
v.ry to fly the gauntlet in pairs or threes and so on, until 
the happy family is extinct or in a badly demoralized 
condition. 
There are a good many hunters now in this part of the 
State; the greater part of them are St. Paul and. Minneap- 
olis men. Some have been here since the season opened 
and more are arriving. Every day chartered cars are 
coming in containing sportsmen and their wives, porters, 
dogs, guns and camp outfits. Some of them go back 
with a respectable showing for their trip, while others 
could carry all they shot in their vest pocket. 
I was amused last night by listening to a Minneapolis 
man who was telling some of his experiences at chicken 
hunting on this particular trip. It seemed that he had 
very poor luck in bringing the birds down, and after 
several days of unsuccessful shooting he became desper- 
ate and resolved to slaughter a chicken in any way 
that might present itself. When he had reached this de- 
cision he braced up and drove on. Presently his dog 
came to a stand, and with gun in hand he alighted from 
the wagon, and with a severe determination and a beat- 
ing heart he commenced his journey in the direction of 
his dog on his hands and knees. After reaching his ani- 
mal friend, he tried to locate the game by following out 
a direct line from the dog's nose. At last he discovered 
the bird, and found that he was almost upon it. 
He stopped and took in the situation of things. He 
thougnt of catching the bird alive, and then he remem- 
bered that his game bag as yet lacked its first chicken. 
Then he thought it would be fairer and more the part of 
a true sportsman to throw his hat at the bird, scare it up, 
and shoot it on the wing. But again the thought of his 
empty game bag shot through his mind. At last he con- 
cluded that, on the whole, the best thing that he could do 
was to take deliberate aim, shoot the bird sitting, and kill 
it instantly so that it would not suffer pain. With the 
last resolution in mind he pressed the trigger. After the 
smoke cleared away, he picked up what was left of the 
bird after the charge of shot had first taken its allowance 
of elegant prairie chicken breast; and if no accident befell 
this gentleman, he arrived in Minneapolis early this 
morning with his vest pocket full of prairie chicken. 
Every one who shoots a great deal will now and then 
make, and see made, some remarkable shots; but I think 
the longest shot I ever saw was made on a flock of 
chickens the other day by my partner, "Shorty" Stuart, 
with a Winchester shotgun. Our dogs came to a stand, 
and we alighted from the wagon. No sooner had we done 
so than the covey took to wing, fully 90yds. away. To 
shoot at that distance never entered my mind, but my 
friend Stuart concluded to shoot once for fun. We were 
both amazed to see three birds drop from the flock. We 
stepped the distance and found it 107 long paces to the 
first dead bird. The shot used was No. 7, 1-Joz. 
R. E. M. 
TEXAS AND THE SOUTHWEST. 
The first "norther" struck San Antonio on the 11th 
inst. , breaking up the heated term and setting all migra- 
tory birds on the move. Thousands of plovers, curlew, 
blue-wing teal and shore birds have passed, over this city 
in the past two weeks en route to the feeding grounds 
and winter resort par excellence to be found only on the 
Texas coast. Good bags of blue-wing teal are being 
made on the fresh-water lagoons along the coast, but the 
weather is so hot that the Texas sportsman has not yet 
donned his gum boots. 
Death of a Sportsman. 
On Sept. 13 at 9:30 P.M. the soul of Geo. Paschal, one of 
nature's noblemen, passed to its maker. Mr. Paschal was 
mayor of San Antonio and one of the most successful 
lawyers in Texas. He was an ardent sportsman, taking 
advantage of every spare moment to pursue his favorite 
pastime. An excellent shot, a splendid fellow in camp, a 
good blade at story telling, perfectly at home with the 
black bass, George was beloved by all men in this section 
who handle the gun and rod. He was indefatigable in the 
enforcement of the game laws, and secured the first con- 
viction in Texas of a dog thief. We all mourn his loss. 
Game Plentiful. 
The reports keep on coming in from the Southwest to 
the effect that game of all kinds will be very plentiful 
this winter. Deer, turkey and all kinds of large game are 
reported abundant in the western counties, while quail, 
turkey, plover, etc., infest every county from the Colo- 
rado river to the Mexican line. 
Texas Buffalo. 
A cowboy whose name could not be ascertained, tells 
that he saw the buffalo herd spoken of in these columns, 
two weeks ago in Vaiverde county, at nearly the same 
point designated in the account published some three 
months ago. He says that he certainly saw them and 
that he knows them to be buffalo. He claims to have 
counted about thirty head. O. C. G. 
Luck Reported. 
North Hudson, N. Y., Sept. 13.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: The following is our report for the opening of 
the hounding season at the above place. Mr. Sidney 
Phelps of Troy, N. Y., Mr. Chafey, the proprietor of Pine 
Ridge Cottage, and myself, with John Greenough as 
guide, and two hounds, Major and Towser, started on the 
morning of the 10th inst., and started our first race at 
7:20 A. M. The doe, a large one, was killed at 8:40. The 
second race was run at 10 o'clock, and was finished with 
another large doe at 11:55 in a driving rain storm. The 
hounds were started again at 2:30, but lost ofi soon after 
on account of the storm. 
On Tuesday, the 11th inst., we started first race at 7:45, 
and another large doe was the result at 8:20, the quickest 
race of the day. The second race began at 9:50, after 
another doe, which we missed, although she was shot at 
by myself at a distance of 60 rods in the brush alongside 
of the river. The next race was at 1 1 :20, and ended in 
another doe at 1:30 P. M. The fourth race and last began 
at 3:10 and ended at 4:25. brought us a very large buck, 
weight 2231bs., as fine a pair of antlers as has been seen in 
this part of the country in many years; 13 prongs all in 
the velvet, and not a scratch or break. I shot him through 
the heart as he leaped out of the river. The head has 
been sent to Troy to be mounted. I shall bring it back 
to Brooklyn on my return next week. 
This we think pretty good luck, five deer in seven races, 
and we feel proud enough to write you an account of it. 
A. H. Scheer. 
A Bear in the Brush. 
Sweet Springs, W. Va., Sept. 11.— Editor Forest and 
Stream:. I have been baiting a bear pen this fall. This 
morning on going to the pen as usual, I found the bait 
gone. Evidently it had been pulled off of the trigger by 
a bear, or possibly a dog. I tied the bait more securely, 
and I hope to catch one soon now. 
What I am writing to you for is to know if there is any 
market for live animals? If I can get the bear down out 
of the mountains all right, can I sell him anywhere and 
for enough to make it worth my while? I am almost sure 
of catching one as I have caught three in this same pen 
during the past two years. 
Of course, you know it is the common black bear, 
generally medium size. C. R. C. 
[Live bear are not very uncommon and we presume do 
noc bring great prices. Perhaps some reader may care 
for a pet of this kind. But you haven't caught the bear 
yet.] . 
Carrier Pigeon Shot. 
Macomb, 111., Sept. 1.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
About four weeks ago a farmer near this city shot on his 
farm a carrier pigeon with a silver band around his leg 
marked "S., 16845." I understand the letter S. means 
that the bird was two years old, hatched in 1892. I write 
this thinking it may strike the eye of the owner of this 
number; and if it should I would be pleased to hear from 
him. W. 0. Blaisdell, 
The Professor and the Bear. 
Spokane, Wash., Sept. 5. — Prof. Yeager of our city 
schools is home from a three weeks' trip along the Pend 
d'OreiUe River, between Newport and Box Canon. 
Among his trophies is a beautiful bear skin with three 
bullet holes in it, put there by the professor while bruin 
was still wearing it. Early one morning the campers 
were disturbed by a rustling in the bushes, and on look- 
ing out of the tent the professor saw his bearship making 
off with a quarter of venison which had been hung on a 
limb. In a dispute over the ownership of the meat the 
professor had the best of the argument. 
Mr. Yeager says the country along the Pend d'OreiUe 
from Newport to Box Canon is alive with game of all 
kinds, and he pronounces it the best chicken, duck and 
goose country he was ever in. 
He is a professional photographer and spends his sum- 
mers in that vocation. "The scenery," he says, "is the 
finest I have ever been privileged to focus, and I have 
taken over 300 plates this summer in that beautiful 
country." 
Newport is a station on the Great Northern Railway, 45 
miles east of this city. The town is prettily located on 
the banks of the river, about a mile from Albani Falls, 
directly above which the railway bridge crosses. 
D. E. C» 
Western Game. 
Sioux FalLs, South Dakota, Sept. 6.— Editor Forest 
and Stream: Chickens in southwestern Minnesota and 
northwestern Iowa are reported as being unusually plenti- 
ful, and in the vicinity of Worthington, Minn., are so to 
my own knowledge, as the bags of myself and friends 
and also others, can testify. Chickens are, however, ex- 
ceedingly wild and strong, as much so as is usually the 
case in October. Another thing I notice is that with 
rare exceptions the birds are all in the corn fields, which 
I think will account for the reported scarcity of birds in 
many cases. 
Ducks around Worthington will be exceedingly plenti- 
ful, as most of the sloughs are dried up elsewhere. In a 
few hours' hunt the other day with two friends I saw 
fully 500 teal and mallards in less than a mile, and suc- 
ceeded in bagging all we wanted for our own use. Had 
we been so minded we could have easily killed a hundred. 
Later on when the flights begin the lakes in that neigh- 
borhood will be fairly alive with them. W. R. H. 
Rail in the Mountains; 
Sweet Springs, W. Va., Sept. ii.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: 1 see in Forest and Stream and in other papers 
accounts of the great plenty of rail in Connecticut, New 
York and eastern Virginia. Last fall we had a great 
many rail here, that is for the mountains; I killed about 
150 or more and others killed more. 
I am anxiously waiting a storm with an easterly wind 
in hopes of having some shooting like last fall. I want 
to ask you and the readers of Forest and Stream 
whether the great abundance of rail on the coast would 
indicate that there will be plenty of rail inland or not? 
C. R. C. 
[We should think so. But it is not yet certain that the 
rail are unusually plenty this year.] 
Climbing on the Plank* 
Edwards, Miss., Sept. 10.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
Your platform of "Stop the Sale of Game" is bearing 
fruit here in the greatest quail district in the South. 
There is a general statutory law protecting quail from 
March 1 to Oct. 1, but by iaw .the county supervisors have 
especial care of the game in each county i At a late 
meeting of the board of this, Hinds County, protection to 
game birds was extended until Nov. 1, and it was made 
absolutely unlawful to hunt for market at all. The sports- 
men here regard this as a great triumph Over the pot- 
hunter and game hog. 
Quail are more plentiful than for years. The covers 
are alive with them. R. S. W. 
The Bear Season Is On. 
Essex County, N. Y., Sept. 10.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: Elijah Simonds has trapped two more bear, this 
time near "Seventy," in the town of Lewis. He is now 
after one under Raven Mountain, on the north side. There 
are towns and farms all around this small mountain, and 
a very unlikely-looking place for bear. 
Wm. Ritson, a trapper of the Boquette region, has trap- 
ped two also this summer. He said the finest pelt he ever 
got was secured in July. It was very black and the hair 
tight. * Heathoote. 
Fleeing from Fire? 
St. Lambert, Canada, Sept. 14. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: During the last four days my friend, Mr. C. E. 
DeWolf, and I have come across nine wild pigeons on 
Moffat's Island, opposite the City of Montreal, going 
south, probably driven by fire from Minnesota or Mich- 
igan during that dreadful week. What think you of it? 
J. Edgar Buchanan. 
Compartment Cars on the Pennsylvania Limited a 
The American people of to-day are th« best travelers in the world. 
They require the best accommodations, and it is the aim of the rail- 
roads and the sleeping car lines to supply them. Many people desire 
exclusiveness in their accommodations which has heretofore been 
provided in the drawing and staterooms. The demand for the draw- 
ing-rooms is increasing, and in order to meet it the Pennsylvania Rail- 
road Company has added to the already comprehensive and complete 
equipment of the Pennsylvania Limited a compartment car. This car, 
finished in the usually luxurious style of the Limited cars, contains 
two large drawing-rooms and seven state-rooms. The drawing-rooms 
contain a section and one lower berth, the state rooms one section. 
Both have complete and individual lavatory arrangements. 
In this car one may enjoy all the privacy of a hotel room, and 
travel almost as much secluded as in a private car. 
The Pennsylvania Limited, leaving New York every day at 10 A, M., 
Philadelphia 12:20, Washington 10:30 A. M., Baltimore 11:40 A. M., and 
arriving at Chicago 9 A, M. next day, is the only perfectly appointed 
Limited Express running between the Eastern cities and Chisago.— 
Adv. 
Chickens, Ducks and Geese 
are going to be very plentiful along the line of the Northern Pacific 
this season. Make your arrangements to go and get some of them. 
Send Charles 8. Fee, General Passenger Agent, St. Paul, Minn., 4 
cents in stamps for S'Natural Game Preserves of the Northwest."— Adv^ 
