88 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
Feb. .3, 1895. 
McMillan could more than likely get some information 
from there. 
"There is a skunk farm near]Martinsburg, Ohio, but I 
have never obtained the owner's name. This, however, I 
will be pleased to do to enlighten Mr. McMillan should 
he not be able to get the information from the publishers 
of the Rural New Yorker. 
"C. W. SEARS." 
Michigan Partridge Shooting. 
Mr. Bert Funk, of Baraga, Mich., writes this business- 
like account of a little partridge shoot he and a friend 
had: 
"A chum of mine, Tom McGrath, and myself make 
trips every fall to a certain partridge ground. On Octo- 
ber 12 we arranged to go out that night and stay a day for 
shooting. We left town about 8 P. M. on the 10th and 
drove about fifteen miles to the Silver River. When we 
arrived there we tied our horse to a tree and built a fire, 
then we rolled up in our blankets and went to sleep. In 
the morning we were up at 6 o'clock, and after our break- 
fast we started out on an old logging road. We had gone 
about a mile before we saw a bird, but pretty soon we 
started a covey in the brush, numbering six birds. We 
shot four of tbem. We travelled about five miles and 
shot twenty-three birds, and on our return killed eight 
more, making a total of thirty-one birds for that day. 
We had enough sport then, so we went back to our fire 
and hitched up our horse and started for home.', 
"Pop" Hirth is Wrathful. 
About two weeks ago I wrote a nice paragraph about 
Pa Hirth, Spalding's fishing-tackle chief, giving the 
affable old athlete as good a send-off as I knew how In 
return for this he chased me out of the store the first, 
time I went in. "There have been fifty people here in- 
quiring for my dyspepsia," he said, wrathfully, "and I 
have had several letters from friends, telling ; me what to 
do for rheumatism." Here is a letter from a friend who 
believes all you said, and who recommends some English 
pills that he uses. Now, I'm not sick, never was sick, 
and can't get sick I w r as a color-bearer in the war, and 
I'm tough as they make 'em. I want you to say that I 
have not got rheumatism, neuralgia *pr dyspepsia, and 
never did have. You'll be saying I've got wooden legs 
next." 
I must be all wrong in my diagnosis of Papa, but con- 
sultation with Dr. George Whitney, who runs the dog 
medicine counter next to Mr. Hirth, leads me to believe 
that it is biliousness that is what is the matter with Mr. 
Hirth. Does anybody know what is good for biliousness? 
If so, don t be afraid to tell him, for he is the best-natured 
man on earth, as I said before. Dr. Whitney has offered 
to prescribe, but Mr. Hirth counsels him to go hence. 
E. HOUGH. 
THE BOSTON MARKET. 
Boston, Mass., Jan. 36. — Game does not cease to be 
shown in the Boston markets, nothwithstancling it. is 
now in the close season, for almost all classes of game and 
game birds in the New England States. Boston game 
dealers are allowed to handle game at almost any season, 
and the greater is the pity, since there is always a temp- 
tatoin foor illegal shooting and fishing, if the" game and 
fish can find a market. A handsome caribou was shown 
in a Quincy Market stall the other day— after the close 
season had begun in Maine, and the provinces as well. 
It evidently came from Maine. In another stall was a 
monster black bear, which had evidently just arrived. 
How this bear was taken in midwinter, it would be inter- 
esting to know. But the marketmen know, or pretend 
to know, but very little about the game they are hand- 
ling. 
Never in the history of the Boston markets has there 
been such a volume of rabbits received as at the present 
time. They have been coming in by all sorts of ways, 
and from many directions. One reciever of game has 
received "jacks" from the plains by the carload. He 
received almost 5,000 rabbits in a single consignment the 
other day. They went into store, such as were not piled 
up outsdie the sidewalk; for it is next to impossible to sell 
them. There are the small gray rabbits from Nebraska 
and Colorado, as well as the great northern hares from 
Maine and New Hampshire. These come in boxes and 
bundles, frozen stiff. The other day a lot came, in bags 
to a well-known commission house. The receiver reniar 
ked that he could not sell them. "Anybody can have 
them, who will pay the freight." It seems to be a great 
pity that such a volume of game should be wasted, for 
wasted it will be, a good deal of it. In the Maine Legis- 
lature a bill has lately been introduced, making a close 
time on rabbits for a part of the year. The desire for 
such a close time evidently comes from the hunters in the 
more settled sections of the State, where excessive hunt- 
ing has made the game scarce. The Forest and Stream's 
effort to stop the sale of game might apply to rabbits in 
Maine, where they are generally fairly plenty, but where 
the rate of slaughter and shipment that has prevailed the 
present season will soon reduce them to the small num- 
bers of other game and game birds. 
The unusual number of whistlers along the coast, and 
even in the inland rivers this winter, is a surprise to the 
duc-shooters and naturalists. 
The Inglewood Club will sowwild rice this spring at its 
preserve in New Brunswick, to mae feeding ground for 
the ducks. Mr. Harry B. Moore, of Boston, has been 
commissioned to obtain the wild rice for seed. 
The hearing before the Committee on Fish and Fish- 
eries in the Maine Legislature has been set for January 
29, and that for better game laws, before the Committee 
on Game, will take place on February 5. Several Boston 
sportsmen propose to be present at the latter hearing. 
SPECIAL. 
West Virginia Game- 
Randolph County, W. Va,— The game season here was 
only fairly successful to the sportsman. A short time 
after it opened we had a pretty good snow, which gave us 
about a week of good deer hunting. After that it froze 
upnad the conditions were mostly unfavorable subse- 
quent snows crusted Some twenty deer or upwards were 
secured in my immediate vicinity. My son and I got but 
one; we had lots of sport nevertheless. We also secured 
one small black bear in fine condition, the only one pro- 
cured in the neighborhood. 
Ruffed grouse were tolerably plentiful; quail almost 
unknwn, as faor as I could learn. The terribly severe, win- 
ter two years ago destroyed them almost entirely. As 
fro wild turkey, I heard of but one being killed. 
In our deer hunt we track detwo large cougars, or 
panthers, as the old hunters "call them. We followed the 
trail about two miles, but night coming on, were forced 
to 'abandon the pursuit without coming up with the cats. 
I intended giving you some of my more or less cranky 
experiences about loading for game, but will reserve that 
for a future article. BACKWOODS. 
New Hampshire Deer- 
Josh Farns worth, of Connecticut Lake, a veteran sports- 
man, tells me that up to November 1 he kept tally, and 
that the score for First Lake alone for the season of '94 
numbered 70 deer. How many were afterwards killed by 
tracking on error, I have no means of knowing; but for 
upper Coos County more than 100 deer were known to 
have been killed the past season. 
These figures need no comment. I would advise the 
New Hampshire Legislature, while reading of the string- 
ent protection granted deer in Vermont, Canada and 
Maine — regions bordering on Coos County upon three sides 
— to put these facts in their pipes and smoke them. 
C. H. GLEASON. . 
Imported Game in Connecticut- 
Leriden, Conn., June 16. — The English pheasants have 
done first rate during the past year. The prairie chick- 
ens, which were brought here last year, do not seem to 
thrive very well in our climate. Partridges and quail did 
exceedingly well and are standing the winter well so far. 
More quail will be imported this spring by the club. A 
great horned owl has been having a good time stealing 
pheasants and poraiue chickens until Warden Stiles 
trapped him, and now he numbers one among my collec- 
tion. , T. A. J. 
Illinois Quail and Doves- 
Jerseyville, 111. — Several petitions to the Legislature 
now in session at Springfield praying that the opening of 
the quail season be changed from Otober 1 to November 1 
and to end January 1 instead of December 1, as at pres- 
ent, have been circulated and signed by many of our 
sportsmen and farmers in this and adjacent counties. 
These, petitions also ask that doves be classed as game, 
birds, and a suitable open season be assigned for them. 
L. S. H. 
Sportsmen's Association of Cheat Mountain. 
Pittsburg, Pa., Jan. 22. — At the annual meeting of 
the Sportsmen's Association of Cheat Mountain, held 
January 21, 1895, the following persons were elected to 
serve the ensuing year : President. W. M. Kennedy ; 
vice-president, W. K. Shiras, D. M'K. Lloyd, W. S. 
Edwards, Utilies Baird, Nathaniel Ewing ; secretary, 
Theophilus Sproull ; treasurer, D. P. Corwin ; naturalist 
and surgeon, Dr. J. W. Riggs; board of directors, W. 
G, Brown, A. P. Tallman, C. C. Scaife, Dr. Jos. N. 
Dickson, S. B. Elkins, Geo. Shiras, III, H. P. Pears. 
In order to raise the amount necessary to build a tele- 
phone line from Huttonsville to club house the board of 
directors have made the annual dues for this year $15. 
The 50,000 acre preserve of the association is near Cheat 
Bridge, P. O., Randolph County, W. Va. 
A Large Adirondack Buck- 
Rochester, N. Y. , Jan. 21. — Editor Forest and Stream : 
While still hunting on the St. Regis, Franklin County, 
last October, I shot an eleven prong buck which weighed, 
dressed. 213 pounds. The long tines measure lilt, inch 
each, the next one on the left side 9 inch, corresponding 
one on the right side, 8 inch. The antlers are beautiful 
in shape, being very regular and finely curved. One of 
my friends says they look as if they were ' ' steamed and 
bent ' ' I have the head finely mounted and shall be 
glad to show it to any of the rifle fraternity when visit- 
ing Rochester. I have read accounts from time to time 
of some good sized buck, so I submit my story and 
figures, and shall be pleased to hear through your paper 
of some one who has done as well or even better than 
myself. I was told by the guide that this was a very 
unusual specimen, and this, coupled with the fact that 
I made a running shot at 50 yards (guide's measure, 
take off ten), I think warrants me in putting myself on 
record. The measurements given above are taken from 
•exact base of prong where it joins the antler. With best 
wishes to all lovers of the still hunt who "climb the 
crag and thread the brake. " • Frank E. Shepard. 
A DAY WITH THE STEELHEADS. 
On the Eel River, about 25 miles from Eureka, Hum- 
boldt County, Cal. , is a deep pool three-quarters of a 
mile long and 150 yards wide, known as the "Grizzly 
Bluff Pool. ' ' It takes its name from a mountain peak 
which rises from the river's edge, its sides covered with 
redwood and madrone, but the top as bare as the writer's 
head. 
The party, consisting of our kind host, his wife and 
daughter, and two ardent fishermen from San Francisco 
left the country home of the former at 6 a. m. , and 
after a drive of six miles reached Alston, where our 
bost left us to go to Eureka. We soon arrived at the 
pool, and procuring boats from Mr. Weymouth we were 
ready for anything from a half pound salmon trout to a 
twenty- five pound steelhead. The ladies took one boat 
and we followed with other. It was a clear September 
morning, cool and bracing, and the trout were in evi- 
dence in large numbers as they leaped out of the water, 
their silvery sides shining in the sun's rays. My 
partner took the oars, and with a slow stroke, keeping 
near the deep, alder covered banks the boat was impelled 
up stream. 
Suddenly George cried, ' ' A strike ! ' ' and dropping his 
oars and grasping his rod the butt of which was resting 
on the bottom of "the boat within easy reaching distance 
he commenced to reel in slowly. The fish would take a 
notion that the spoon belonged to him, and George 
would let him take it until, thinking that the trout had 
gone far enough in one direction, he would check him 
with the reel. He was finally coaxed to the landing net, 
aud the first battle ended in a defeat to a two-and-a-half 
Salmon trout. By the time we' reached the riffle at the 
began to think "we were in it, " when, meeting another 
fisherman and asking him, "What luck?" he held up a 
end of the pool five more trout were brought to net, and we 
six-pound steelhead for our inspection. This cheered 
us, for we now knew that the big ones were around. 
Examining our tackle and finding everything O. K., 
started down stream, occasionally picking up a trout to 
relieve the monotony. By 12 o'clock we had fifteen 
beauties averaging a pound. 
The ladies in the meantime had not been idle, for 
they had beaten our score by two. This defeat we took 
as a matter of course, for their catch outnumbered ours 
everytime we fished in their company. 
The inner man had now to be repleted, and, landing 
on the gravelly beach, we were soon busy with the 
lunch. Pipes for the men were now in order, and as 
we rested, gazing at the timber-clad mountains, I 
thought with compassion of the poor fellows in town 
slaving at their desks or in the workshop, but did not 
think of the short time that wou'd elapse ere I would be 
one of them. 
I was awakened with the admonition that the day 
would not last forever, so hastily packing up the. rem- 
nants of our lunch we got into the boats and were ready 
for business once more. The fish were also taking a 
siesta, and the strikes were few and far between. I was 
lazily watching the little tront jumping near the boat 
when suddenly the pole was almost snatched out of 
my hands, the reel commenced to hum and I knew that 
I had hooked on to something big. The way that small 
silk line run off the reel was a caution, and I began to 
fear that there would not be enough to last out this 
trout, as I had only sixty yards. I did not dare to raise 
the tip of the rod much for fear that it would not stand 
the strain. 
The extra drag was applied to the reel and while 
busily engaged with this, George sung out, ' ' There he 
is, and he's a steelhead sure enough. " Hastily looking 
up I saw him as he was returning to the water, and he 
looked as nig as a mountain. George had reeled in his 
line and I had plenty of room to play him. The strain 
on the line was not severe by this time, and I com- 
menced slowly to reel in, gaining about ten feet, when 
he made another dash, breaking water again and taking 
about twenty more feet of line. My friend commenced 
to pull slowly toward the fish while I took up every 
available foot of line and soon had gained enough to 
feel comparatively safe, especially as the heavy drag was 
beginning to tell on my antagonist. He still kept fight- 
ing, and broke water twice more, but his mighty rushes 
were over and he sounded for the bottom of the river, 
which was about thirty feet deep at this spot. Slowly 
working the boat to the opposite bank, where the water 
was shallow, we landed on a gravel bar and cautiously 
drawing the trout over it (for we had no gaff) we 
dragged him on to the bank. 
While the fish was in shallow water I was fearful that 
it would break away in one of its flurries, and asked my 
friend to wade out and get behind it with the landing 
net. As he started from the boat I heard his reel play- 
ing out at an alarming rate and asked him if he had a 
strike. He replied that the spoon had caught in his 
clothing. "Why don't you take it out, then?" I said, 
impatiently waiting for him to go to my assistance. ' ' I 
can't get at it. " Quickly moving over to where he was 
I found the hooks imbedded in the seat of his trousers. 
I gave the spoon a yank, not caring in my excitement 
whether the whole seat gave away. Luckily only a few 
threads parted and he was free. 
When we reached home a tape line was produced. The 
steel head measured 27 inches and weighed pounds. 
A few days before I saw one taken from this "pool that 
scaled 14 pounds, and one was caught several years ago 
weighing 25 pounds. 
As a fish possessing all the game qualities of a fighter 
the Eel River steel head has few peers and no superiors. 
Jas. S. Turner. 
NEW YORK FISH COMMISSION. 
Albany, N. Y. , Jan. 28. — The Senate Committee on Fish 
and Game to-night introduced a bill for the consolidation 
of the Fisheries and Forest Commissions. The Commit- 
tee's report sets forth: 
"The proposition for the consolidation of the Fish and 
Forest Commissions originated with the Committees on 
Finance and Gme Laws in the Senate, and is submilted 
after a thorough investigation of the powers, duties 
and operations of the two commissions. The Committee 
on.Finance at the last session of the Legislature was di- 
rected and empowered to make a thorough investigation 
into the workings of the several State commissions and 
ascertain if it were not possible to consolidate some and 
reduce the expenses of others inasmuch as the burden of 
maintaining these commissions had grown to be intol- 
erably great. The attention of the Legislature was also 
called to the advisability of consolidating Commissions 
having powers almost similar by the Governor in his ad- 
mirable message. The two committees at the beginning 
of their investigation naturally directed their attention to 
the two commissions above mentioned, as in their very 
nature they were working upon almost parallel lines. 
The Committee on Finance considered whether the Fish 
Commission might not very properly assume the care of 
the Adirondack Park and the preservation of the forest, 
or whether the Forest Commission could not perform also 
the duties relating to the preservation of fish and game. 
They also considered whether it was not practicable to 
compel the fish and game protectors to perform the duties 
of forest inspectors and foresters, or whether those latter 
officers could not, without much additional trouble, take 
care of the fish and game. The Committee on Game 
Laws of the Senate, after a thorough investigation of 
the operations of the game laws of the State, came 
squarely to the same conclusion. They agreed with the 
Committee on Finance that the two commissions might 
very properly be consolidated; that a Commission of Fish- 
eries and Forests, with a paid president, could veiw easily 
take care of the forests as well as provide for the preserva- 
tion of the game and fish they contained. As a result of 
these conclusions this bill has been prepared. It provides 
