18 
FOREST AJSTD STREAM. 
Jan. 5, 1895.] 
f 
Control of Trap-Shooting. 
If the agitation against dropping for place, as evinced by the 
ma.ny letters published on that .subject in the columns of Forest 
and Stream, should bear no more fruit, it has at any rate placed 
before the trap-shooters of the United States the faot that dis- 
honesty and crooked work at the Irap must be put an end to, or 
else trap-shooting as a sport and a pastime must go by the board. 
The December issues of Forest and Stream have been, there- 
fore, of especial interest to trap-shooters. The hearty indorse- 
ments of the scheme propounded for the control of trap-shoot- 
ing have been worded in no uncertain language. The demand 
f or some national association, some head, endowed with the 
government of matters pertaining to trap-shooting, has been as 
widespread as the evil -which it shall be the part and duty of 
that association to combat and overcome. 
But the organization of this association must be the work of 
the trap-shooters themselves. In their hands alone lies the re- 
demotion of the sport oE trap-shooting from the level of a busi- 
ness, to wh ch it has been reduced by the malpractices of a com- 
paratively small number oE consistent *'droppers." On black 
sheep is said to spoil a whole flock. Certain it is that the a ions 
of a single "dropper" will mar the pleasure of an otherwise suc- 
cessful tournament. And it has' been urged that much of the 
dropping for place that bus of late been so marked a feature o 
our tournaments is caused by a semi-instinct of self-preserva- 
tion. It is but a poor argument at the best, and is equivalen^to 
the claim made by many a game law violator: If I don't ill 
them, some one else will. The proper and the only manly w y 
to combat this dropping for place is to organize, adopt a constitu- 
tion, legislate against all crookedness at the traps, and see to it 
that these laws are lived up to. Then, and then only, can trap- 
shooting as a sport, and as a means of recreation and honest 
rivalry, thrive and flourish as its best friends would have it live 
and grow. Memphis sounded the keynote some time ago; 
Cleveland and Pittsburg, two great trap-shooting centers, are 
also well to the fore; Massachusetts has also been heard from, 
and there is no doubt about New York, New Jersey or Pennsyl- 
vania. 
In response, therefore, to an expressed demand for the organ- 
ization of a National Association of Trap-Shooters, a convention 
of those interested in the future welfare of the sport will be held 
at the Astor House, New York city, on Thursday, Jan. 24. The 
names of those who back this call for a convention, together 
with the terms of the call itself, will be given in our next week's 
issue. 
In the time which will elapse between now and Jan. 24, it is 
the duty of every gun club to take aetioa on this matter. AVhen- 
ever possible delegates, one from each club, should be appointed 
to attend this convention; it this is impossible, some resolution 
indorsing the purposes of the convention should be passed, thus 
strengthening the hands o£ those who are able to at end in per- 
son Ail such eommuuications may bo addressed to "Control 
of Trapshooting," care of Forest and Stream Publishing Com- 
pany, 318 Broadway, New York. 
That is the wa to commence the year of 1895. 
Hebbard Goes on Record. 
New York, Dec. 29. — Editor Forest and Stream: "Would that 
we wei e any of us half so immaculate as we insist that our 
neighbor shall be." 
Ever since this old world of ours has swung around on its 
axis, and its surface beenttod by people, jaat that length of 
time it has been the object of man, in whatever position he has 
been placed, to s,et the best oi the "other fellow," or to use the 
phrase from the subject we are discussing, "to drop into a better 
place" t..an any one else occupies. 
And why? • 
Simph because it is human nature, m which is instilled a 
spirit of ambition, of rivalry, of trying to « git thar," which per- 
vades each and ever\ one of us in more or jess degree, and the 
more one man is b essed with this spirit the easier it is for him 
to "drop into the best places" in this life. 
Beginning with AUam and Eve, we find them happy in the 
Garuen of'Edt-n, but thinking to better themselves they "drop- 
ped into a place/ i. e. tied with the serpent and were "shot 
out" of Paradise, so we are told. 
Old Noah had better luck and "dropped for a place" on Mt. 
Ararat, and was ail alone for first money and everything else in 
sight. 
And so it goes, and has gone until the present day. 
It is understood that I have no sympathy with the "dropper," 
nor do 1 attempt to defend his practice in any way, but there is 
one point all of your correspondents, I think, have overlooked, 
viz. : Has he no rights in the pi emisi e under the present rules 
and metuods of conducting tournaments? 
When caught in the act or even accused of it, he will quickly 
ask you, what of it? 
Yes, what of it? 
He will also ask you if this shoot is not advertised open to all; 
if he has not paid as much entrance money as any other c n- 
testant; if he is not shooting strictly under Ann rican Associa- 
tion rules, revised by a person who never shot in a tournament 
i n his Lf ; and also if he has not as much rigt.d to break a cer- 
tain number of targets, or miss them all if he desires, as any 
other ahooier has to try and break them all. 
His questions are pertinent, in fact unanswerable. 
You will tell him that it is not sportsmanlike, and that the 
tournament is given for the recreation and enjoyment to be ob- 
tained from it, to gentlemen, by gentlemen and for gentlemen; 
but his reply will be that it is your privilege to get all the pleasure 
and glory possible, but he has the same right to get the cash if 
he can. 
He will beat you in an argument on facts, under present con- 
ditions and rules, as easily as his combination can get the bulk 
of the purses. But there is a remedy. It is this : 
Bx A few grains of caution, mixed with specific condi- 
tions, well agitated by the Iobest and Htkeasi, and 
the patient advised that a second dose will be un- 
necessary, as this is guaranteed to kill or cure. 
The articles that have appeared in the Forest and Stream 
recently on this subject of dropping for places has been very 
interesting reading and instructive in more ways than one; 
while I do not think it can be at once entirely eliminated from 
the game of "Pull, bang and dead bird," I think it eowar lly to 
say, that in associations and meetings of what are supposed to 
be composed of gentlemen.it cannot be. finally controlled to such 
an extent as to be in time almost unknown, and to make one 
who attempts it ashamed to look an honest shooter in the face 
and cause him to be held up to ridicule by all who simply follow 
the sport for the recreation and pleasure they obtain from it. 
Different systems of dividing the purses may to a certain 
extent prevent it, but to my mind the best way is the course 
the Forest and Stream has taken. But I would go further, and 
when it is positively known that certain shooters are combined 
or dropping for place, to publish the fact in all the sporting 
papers, so that "he who shoots may read," and managers of 
tournaments can state on their programme that the pleasure of 
such and sticli parties' presence is respectfully declined. 
In other words, "black list" the man who does the trick, and, 
my word for it, after one or two examples have been made at 
prominent tournaments, and the fact published that such, parties 
had been debarred from participating, you will find all con- 
testants striving to do their best, lest suspicion be directed 
against them. Chas. 0. Hebbard. 
DRIVERS AND TWISTERS. 
Club secretaries are invited to send their scores for publication in 
these columns, also any news notes they may care to have printed. 
At Prosser, Yakima county, Washington, a new club has been 
organized under the title of the Prosser Rod and Gun Club; 
nineteen members were enrolled at tl H first meeting. The 
club's grounds are in the immediate vicinity of Prosser; the 
initial shoot was expected to cnnie off about Christmas Day. 
Golden Rod and Gun Club, of Morrisania, elected these officers: 
President, John J. Doyle; Vice-President. Wm. Coffey; Secre- 
tary, George Hallidav;' Treasurer, Den Cronnker: Sergeant-at- 
Arms, Robert Lewis; Athletic Department — Milton Daub, Cap- 
tain; Oliver Gilliand, Assistant. Captain; Judge and Mannger, 
H. A, Bnrdett; Scorers, Geo. Hallidav a.nd A. Robe. 
The Boiling Springs Gun Club, of Rutherford. N. J., and the 
Maplewoods will probnhly shoot a match early thisytear for the 
club champ'onsblp of the State of New Jersey. 
In the eightwins scored to him for the Riverton Plate, R. A. 
Welch has made an average o f 88 3 ^ per cent. Hi 1 * highest score 
was 98, mad A against .Tames Wolstencroft on Aug. 2; his lowest, 
79, was scored against T. S. Dando on Dec. 6. Four mal^hes 
were won by a single bird : June 2. versus George Work. 30yds. 
bouudarv, scere, 84-88: June 4. versus Fred Hoev. 50yds. bound- 
ary, 91-90; Aug. 8, T. S. Dando, and on Aug. 22, L. Finlc.tter, 
were each defeated at Riverton, 30yds. boundary, by similar 
score* of 91-90. 
In the notice of the 25-bird race at Charlie Zwirlein's grounds, 
Yardville, N J., on Jan. 9, which appeared in "Drivers and 
Twist- rs" of list week, the item should have read. "$50 cash 
added to the purse if t'^ere are 30 entries." F'om all accounts 
the 30 entries will be there or thereabouts, as Zwirlein's grounds 
are decidedly popular. Shooting commences at 10 A. M» sharp- 
lunch will be served on the grounds. 
On Dec. 22 C. Furgueson. Jr., shot at 25 live birds in the vari- 
ous club events brought to a conclusion on the New TJtrecht 
Gun Club's grounds; out of those 25 he is credited with 24. a 
score which, considering the qualitvof the birds, was a very 
marked improvement on Id's recent form. Mr. Furgueson has 
been shooting a, gu>> recently with an extreme drop and was 
consequents undershooting his birds. The stock has now been 
straightened and he attributes to that fact his return to his old 
time form. 
The Elizabeth ^nn Club's second bi-monthly shoot is an- 
nounced for Feb. 27-28. First day will be devoted as usual to 
targets : the second day to live bird events. Their tournaments 
are open to all. 
Weir City, Kan., Dee. 26. — The last meeting of the Business 
Men's Gun Club ofWeir City, Kan., was well attended, and a 
lively interest in the present and future prosperitvof the club 
was manifested. Bv a unanimous vote the club decided to in- 
crease the amount of added money <->ff ere d in the "ow 1 shoot" to 
be held under its auspices on May 8, 9 and 10 from $200 to S300. 
thus making $100 a day. The following officers were elected 
for 1895: Mayor Dorking, President: C. H. Ca.'^oun. Vice-Presi- 
dent; W. W. McTlhauv. Secretnrv-Treasurer: T. C. Histed, Cap- 
tain : J. W. McK'm, beferee. The officers of the club constitute 
its executive committee. — Mamaluke. 
The result of the two matches between Fred Hoey and R. C. 
"Nathaniel" will, in all probibilUy. lead to a. third, each having 
won a race by two birds. Mr. Hoev's antagonist is some, years 
his innior and bis Titefht name (Nathaniel, of course, being nn 
assumed name) would be new to most readers of Forest and 
Stream's trap columns. His recent work at live birds, however, 
guarantees that he has not been heard from for the last time. 
There will be a large delegation of New York and New Jersey 
tran-shooters "t the Hamilton, Can., tournament on Jan. 15, 16 
and 17. The United States team in the live bird race will eon- 
tain some well-known names on its list. The Hamilton shoot 
looks as if it was going to be a big success. 
In the. recent shoot of the Onondaga countv (N. Y.) Sportsmen's 
Club at Maple Bav, near Syracuse, N. Y., Harvey McMurchy won 
theelub medal for nias= A with a sco r e of 45 out of 50. Critten- 
den won the. Class B medal with 39, while Herman took the Class 
C medal with a score of 32. 
A new shooting club was organized on Saturday night 
at the Bradford Hotel, corner of Atlantic avenue and Brad- 
ford street, Brooklvn. William Ehriehs, the well-known deer 
hunter, was in the chair. After many suggestions, the name 
of the Chippewa Gun Huh was flnnllv ndorited. A board 
of managers, including President Fhrichs J. C. Becker, Henry 
Ehriehs and John A. Hatter, was chosen. The club Will have its 
own grounds and paraphernalia, and will shftot once or twice a 
month at targets and live bods. The members, however, will 
not shoot at pigeons, but at all live bird matches sparrows will 
be trapped. 
The monthly shoot of the Johnstown Rifle nnd Gun Club came 
off on the afternoon of Deo. 20 at the Morrebville grounds, in 
the presence of a large number of spectators. There was not as 
big a turnout of scooters as was expected but those who did 
attend shot for blood, as the scores will show. It was a close 
and pretty race from start to finish, each man shooting at 50 
targets. Following is the score: J. A. Rhoades 42, S. A. Snook 
41, J. B. Holeinger 39. J. C Condon 38 H. Felix 35. Tim result 
of this shoot p 7 aces the men in the following order for the prizes 
for the year: J. B. Ho'.singer takes first prize, a cartridge 
loader: J. A.Rbondes, second prize, a fine leather gun case; S. 
A. Snook, third prize, an Ideal loading flask: T. C. Condon, 
fourth prize, a fine set of ducking scenes. The fourth prize was 
donated to the club bv W. J. Oopeland of Stanton's Mills, who is 
the champion wing-shot of Somerset cmnty. 
Louis Duryea is shooting a fast gait iust now, and could make 
it warm for anv of the club cracks around this citv. On Christ- 
mas Day be shot a race at 25 live birds with B. F. Kittredge, beat- 
ing him by lbh-d. Durvea conceded his opponent 2yds. and two 
misses as no birds. That this handicap was a severe one is 
proved by the fact that the winner bad to kill his 25 birds from 
the 30yds. it ark to score a victory. Kittredge scoring 24. 
The midwinter shoot at Htica, N. Y., on Feb. 5-7 comes at a 
time when there is no shoot to ela°h with it. The programme 
will be readv about the first of the vear, and can be had on 
application to the promoters. E. D. Fulford or H. L. Gates. 
The Worcester (Mass.l Gun Club held a shoot on Christmas 
Day. Wonder how the "Mayor or Su'ton" came out of it? 
Secretaries of gun clubs should r°member that shooters like 
to see their own and other shooters' scores in type ; it all helps 
to keep up the interest of club members in their own club 
shoots, and thereby increases the attendance at the same. It 
takes very little time and trouble to send them to Forest and 
Stream. Let them come. 
The formation of a circuit for the Interstate's shoots for this 
year is now under consideration. With the exception of the 
Grand American Handicap at Paterson. N. J., and possibly a 
tournament at Pittsburgh in the latter end of April or May. and 
one at Grand Rapids, Mich., on Mav 30-31. the circuit will be 
wholly in the South. T/vnehimrg, Va., Wilmington, N, C. Lex- 
ington. Ky., Atlanta or Macon. Ga., etc, are among the places 
suggested at present. Clubs desiring a tournament should 
apply early. 
The Altoona (Pa.) Rod and Gun Club will probably give a tour- 
nament at Lookout Point, Wopsononoek, the latler end of June. 
Since Reynal, of the Country Club, has shot his two matches 
with Fred.' Hoey. shooting under the name of "Nathaniel," a 
cood deal of attention has been attracted by the scores he made 
in those matches. At the Country Club match on Dec. 26 he 
broke the recprd fop tboge grounds by scoring 89 out of 100, 
while Fred. Hoev tied the previous record with 87. Up to 
that day Tant. Money's 87 was Ihe record. Hoey was fairly 
beaten by his 98th bird, which was a veritable hummer., just the 
bird that heats the best man living; he was also handicapped 
badlv by a swollen cheek, whicb was discharging all the time, 
and by his gun, a Purdy. the rib of which came unsoldered. 
Th~ Keystone Shooting League of Philadelphia, with grounds 
at Holmcsburg Junction, expect to have a big day oil Jan, 7, 
Anybody who attends the shoot is sure of a warm welcome. The 
Pennsylvania State Sportsmen's Association tournament for 1895 
will be held on the club's grounds next October. 
On Dec. 28 at Oslfaloosa. la., Dr. Carver shot a 100-hird race 
with Marshall, defeating him by Ihe score of 92—90. The 
weather is stated to have been very cold and raw, while the birds 
were "tame." 
In this issue will bp found a fable of all the principal live bird 
events decided in 1894. The list is bound to "be of interest to 
trap shooters. 
Edward Banks. 
Danger of Overloading Nitro Powders. 
Foxboro. Mass.— Believing tha t a stitch in time might prevent, 
some brother sportsman from overloading nitro compounds. I 
wish to relate a. little incident which happened to a shooting 
companion of mine one dav recently. 
While rofurntng from partridge hunting, my friend wishing to 
target his gun (a $60 grade) wbh nitro powder, flre^l at a piece 
of pnper tbft we had provionslv pinned to a telegraph pole. 
The pulling of the trigger wns followed bv a terrific ronort, the 
gun jnroned clear of the shooter but. was caught before it 
reached the ground. Upon examination we f ound both locks 
blown off. the trigger guard twisted, the breech block- broken off 
below the plungers and the stock broken abov" the grip. The 
shooter bmlnlv escaped injury. One other pecnlinr action of the 
powder was the flattening of the head of the shell to the thin- 
ness of tissue paper, and this was the only piece of the shell we 
Were able to find. 
The s' ell, a 12-gau' y e. contained 3 l /£drs. nitro nowder with two 
felt wads on too, and lj^oz. No. 8 shot covered with one card- 
board wad. The distance the target was shot at would be, 
rough guessing, about 30vds. and ihe size of t!>o target about 
12xl4in. Upon examining the paper we found four snot markp. 
Any one used to loading nitro powders will acknowledge that 
although this charge is a little in excess of the usual load, it 
goes to »bow that this particular brand, at least, cannot always 
be relied upon, aB this gnn bad fired upward of 70° loads identi- 
cal with the one referred to and we cannot account for this 
particular 'oad adin" in the manner in which it did unless 
nitro compound's are errntie in their combustion. 
Before concluding I would like to ask if there are not some 
Forest and Stream readers in pome of our adjoining towns 
who would be willing to put their shoulder to the wheel in help- 
ing to organize a gun club in this vicinity. We have plenly of 
good material and why couldn't wc bring it above water in some 
trap shooting the coming season. Sharps. 
Phoenix Gun Club, 
Port Dover. Onf.. Dec. 26. — T?niow find scores of our pittb 
s'<oot on Christmas Dav. Live. bird«. POvds. boupdarv : 
No 1 6 birds; No. 2, 6 birds ; No. 3. 6 birds; No. 4. 3 birds: No. 
5, 3 birds. 
No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. No. 5. 
001210-3 10*0*1—2 111— § 002— 1 
Nb-: 1. 
AWLawrie. . ...*01101_ 3 
J Crnickshank... 10*01 0—2 
J Ross 00110n_2 
HMcOuaid 110110—4 
C MeOunid 0*0011—2 
.TP. Fick 101011-4 
C Scofield 001200—2 
C Anslev -. . .O^Oill— 3 
V, Skev HOOOl—3 
R Sk-V 111212—6 
ff WiPinms 000120—2 
H Barrett 101122—5 
J Alexander 001122-4 
p Wnlker 
000110-2 
221121-6 102-2 
111120-5 
WHO— 2 
021020—3 
101111-6 
101122—5 
012111- 
0*00*0- 
010-1 
020-1 
oi mm _3 iu—3 
112111—6 111-3 
110-2 
000-0 
220-2 
000-3 
boo— 6 
00:11 oi— s 
The fiftli evfint Was shot in the dark and it was impos=ih'n to 
locate I'irds shot at. The Bcores look verv ragged, hut the birds 
were a hard lot and required a lot to stop them, those killed 
being done so cleanly. 
Trap at Newbnrjrh, N. Y. 
Nf.wbdrgh. N. Y.. Dec. 26.— The West Newburgh Gun and 
Rifle Association ha i a good time on Christmas Day. During 
the daV live birds and targets were s'^ot for practice.' flip c cnr e« 
appearing in detail below. That lunch at Gidney's was, as tisuni> 
immense. Scores: 
No. 1 25 targets, practice, ehnbtl 
C Leicht. , 1 1 1 001 11 01 0101 11 01 01 11 01 1 -17 
Sneed, Jr 0000001010101001110000001— 8 
H igginson 1111111 1 11 1011 10001111 111— 21 
Taggart 0101101001111111100111110-17 
Donohue 10111 id minii m mi lorn— 20 
Dixou , , iuliOOOOl 001 000000001 00001— 5 
A Leicht 1010010111001001110000010—11 
Stansbrough 1001 001011 01 1 1 ] 01011 01 1 1 1—16 
Likel v 1 1101 11 1110011 101 11 1 1 0111—20 
Sneed, Rr 000010011110101 1111001101— 14 
Sutton 1000010110110010010111000-11 
No 2, 10 live birds. 28vds. rise, practice Shoot: 
HCH 0211021*11—7 Taggart 00112011*0-5 
Stansbrough 2022022222—8 Gihb 0002010120-4 
Likely 2011210001—6 Brown 221*2*200*— 5 
No. 3, practice shoot kt live birds: 
HCH 022120111211200—11 Gibb 1222111001 — ft 
Taggart 02000211 1212122—11 Brown 1101111*1 212222— 13 
Stansbrough 202001022120222—10 Ru Hon ... 2100200200 —4 
Likely. 221100122*21120—11 C Leicht ... .02 — 1 
Dixon 121202011**2112— 11 A Leicht .. 00 — 0 
David Beown, Vice-Prea. 
Dexter Park, L. I. 
Dexteb Patsk, L. L, Dec. 25.— There was a full day's fun at the 
traps here to-day. In the morning target races we're nil Ihe go 
while live birds occupied the attention of the shooters during 
the afternoon. 
A start was marie at 11 o'clock. Warren Thompson and his 
brother Fred shooHn<* a rnee at 10 targets each. Fred winning 
with the score of 5 to 4. "Job Lotz" and C. W. Flovd next tried 
conclusions at20 targets, Lotz winning with 18 to his opponent's 
16. Three svveeos at 10 targets each were th<m decided- 
No. 1: C. W. Floyd and Tom Short 8. F. 4. Thompson 7, W. 
H. Thompson 6, Owen Bowen 5. W. J. Passmore 0. 
No. 2: Floyd and W. H.Thompson 7. F. A. Thompson and 
Bowen 5, Short and Passmore 4. 
No. 3: Floyd 8, Lyons.W. H. Thompson, F. A. Thompson and 
Bowen 7, Short 4. 
During the afternoon five events at, five I've birds were de- 
cided. Jim Elliott was od hand and was verv much in evidence 
scoring 24 out of 25 from the f '30vds. mark, his lost bird falling 
dead out of bounds. Full scores in live t> l- rd e V ents follow • 
No. 1. TJn. 2. No. 3. No. 4. No. 5, 
J A R Elliott. 30 22222-5 2221*-4 21211-5 12112-5 2222'-5 
OW Floyd. 28 11211-5 20100-2 22200-3 21111-5 11111-5 
F A Thompson, 28. .. 01212-4 
O Bowen. 28 01221-4 
W .1 Passmore. 28 . 01210-3 ... . 
Pfaender, 28 20122-4 111*1-4 12212-5 
Metz .., 22U0-4 01201-3 
Job Lotz 02000-1 0122*-3 11022-4 Ol^ll-l 
LGehring 01101-3 11212-5 12111-5 
Burtell 00200-1 .... 
Detlefeen 02021-8 22012-4 
