278 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Oct. 8, 1896. 
"With the Pennsylvania State shoot at Harrisburg this week the 
season may be said to have closed iu the East, so far as large gather- 
ings of sportsmen are concerned. The opening of the hunting season, 
together with the snap there is in the morning air as one goes to 
business, puts a different complexion on things in general. The 
"woods fever" Is prevalent at this season of the year, and the only 
sure cure for it that we know of is to get the dog, gun and shells (a 
few shells will do now) and be oil to the woods, where one runs the 
chance of hearing the whir of grouse's wings. 
In another portion of these columns will be found something on 
"handicaps and highest possibles." In chat article we have embodied 
our views on the matter, and have suggested a scheme that we think 
will add to the popularity of handicap events at targets. The idea 
was first advocated by Forust and Stukam, in our issue of June 'JO It 
was tried at the Interstate shoot at Burhugton, Vt., and worked well. 
It does away with all chance of imposing upon scratch or short allow- 
ance men a task that might bean impossibility for them to perform, 
and which, therefore, it would be an injustice to impose upon them. 
One of the most striking adverttBeraents we have seen lately, and 
one which especially appeals to a man who loves a gun, is that which 
appears on an envelope now used by the firm of Von Lengerke & 
Detmold. The envelope Is a large oni^ and is made of an exoellent 
paper, just the sort of paper to properly reproduce the half-tone made 
from a photograph of one of the firm's high-grade Franeotte guns. 
So perfect is the cut that every portion of the engraving on the gun 
is pasily traced, while the gun itself is "broken" so that the method of 
bolting it is plainly seen. 
The following from the Ironton (O.) Gun Club, dated Sept. 26, ex- 
plains itself: "We see in the issue of Sept. 2(5 that the Ironton Gun 
Club would give a shoot on Oct. 21-93. We will say that you are 
wrong; it is the Iron City Club that will give the shoot. The Ironton 
Gun Club has not authorized anyone to announce a shoot under our 
management. We will do what we can to help the other club to have 
a good time, and there is no doubt it will. Please correct the mistake 
and ohlige," etc. 
Oapt. G. H. Piercy, of the Endeavor Gun Club, Jersey City, N. J., 
has arranged a series of three races, twelve men to a team, with the 
Bergen County Gun Club, of Hackensack, N. J. President Bell, of the 
Bergen County Gun Club, won the toss tor choice of grounds for the 
first match, and of course names his own club's grounds. The first 
match will probab'y be shot on Oct. 31. 
The fifth monthly shoot of the New Jersey Trap-Shooters' League 
will he hnld Oct. 17 on the grounds of the Oritani Jf ield Club at Hack- 
ensack, N. J. A commodious shooting-house for the accommodation 
nf the trap-shooting members of the Oritani Field Club and their 
guests is now in course of erection, and will be completed in plenty of 
time for the above-mentioned shoot. 
The regular handicap shoot for the Club Cup of the Oritani Field 
Club, of Hackensack, N. J., will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 P. 
M. The conditions of this race are 50 targets, SI entrance (price of 
the targets). The six high guns in this event will be chosen to repre- 
sent the club at the League shoot on Oct. 17. 
On October 10 the Maplewood, N, J., Gun Club will shoot a race 
with the Bergen County Gun Club, the match to take place on the 
grounds of the latter club at Hackensack, N. J. The teams are Co con- 
sist of twelve men on each side. This match is the first of a series of 
three arranged to be shot between the two clubs. 
Fred Quimhy returned to the city on Friday with his dog and a few 
ruffed grouse. We saw the dog and heard of the grouse, but not from 
Fred, as he was holding his heud too high that day to speak to even his 
intimate friends. Of course a man who can get away and secure a 
few grouse is entitled to some privileges. 
On Sept. 17, at Bast Aurora, N. Y., Alexander Forrestfr, captain of 
the Audubon Gun Club, Of Buffalo, and W. B. Moore, of East Aurora, 
shot a race at 50 live birds per team with Q. O. Miller, of the Audubon 
Gun Club, and F. D. Kelsey, of East Aurora, The match ended in a 
tie, both teams scoring 45 out of 50. 
In the sweepstakes shot at Elk wood Park, N. J., on Sept. 2.3, Edgar 
Murphy did some fine shooting, scoring M birds straight in mlss-and- 
outs. He divided every event, 5 in number. Among those present 
were: J. L. Winston, A. L. Ivins, Applegate, Price, Dr. Gagnon, 
Churchill, etc. 
The Belair Rod and Gun Club, of Brooklyn, N. Y., is an organization 
that was incorporated on Sept. 23. The trustees are John P. St«ppe, 
Charles Wagner, John P. Hunt, Thomas Costello, Ernest Steiner, 
Philip A. Coons and George J. Berlenbeck. 
The Elizabeth (N. J.) Gun Club will hold its eighth bi-monthly tour- 
nament at its grounds on Oct. 37-38. The first day's programme wUl 
be made up of target events; the second day live birds will be on 
hand. 
The third annual tournament of the Massachusetts State Shooting 
Association will be held at Worcester, Mass., on the ground- of the 
Worcester Sportsmen's Club. All shooters are cordially invited to 
attend these gatherings. 
The Cuckoo Gun aod Social Club, of New York city, will hold its an- 
nual meeting at Rocbaway Park on Saturday, Oct. 10, and will open' 
its trap-shooting season on that date. 
Count CLangdon) and Winston will shoot a return match at live 
birds at Zwirlein'a grounds, Yardville, N. J., Friday of this week, 
Oct. 2. 
Sept. 28. Edward Banks. 
Handicaps and Highest Possibles. 
In our issue of June 20 we had something to say upon the subject of 
highest possibles as related to handicap events. The matter then dis- 
cussed had long been on our mind, and the result of a handicap 
event at the New York State shoot at Buffalo made us still more 
positive in our opinion that in every handicap event at targets 
nobody should he allowed to score more than a highest possible. At 
Buffalo a valuable prize was won in a 60-target event, handicap allow- 
ance of extra targets to shoot at, by a score of 61, just 11 more targets 
than a scratch man could have scored had he broken every one he had 
to shoot at. We can call to mind other instances where, in a 100- 
target race, nothing less than 100 straight by the scratch man would 
have gotten hun part of first money, and no doubt many of our 
readers can recall similar instances. 
Handicaps are popular events, but you want to get the scratch ipen 
and the men with small allowances into those events to make them a 
success in point of numbers They are the men that make a shoot, 
handicap or no handicap. The duties of a handicap committee are 
thankless to a degree, while the weight of reaponsibiiify that attaches 
to that position can only be realized by one who has oihciated on such 
a committee. The tendency of handicappers is to underhandicap a 
man rather than to impose what might appear to be a light handicap 
it the shooter should strike a streak. There are a lot of shooters 
whom the handicapper labels dangerous; in his opinion such men are 
liable to break anywhere between 23 and JO out of each 25, and you 
never can tell whether it's going to be the 16 or the 23. Such men 
under the system at present in vogue for running handicaps are much 
more likely to have too few targets given them to shoot at than too 
many. In that way the present system does an injustice to men who 
are not up in the first flight. Again, it a shooter receives a large 
allowance of extra targets and happens to strike that streak that is 
the bane of a handicapper's existence, he may break so many targets 
that no straight score on the part of a scratch or short allowance man 
can catch him. In that way the present system does an injustice to 
those men. To do away with that injustice we recommend the follow- 
ing to the notice of trap-shooters and ask that the suggestion be 
given a fair trial before being condemned: 
In all handicap events fix a highest possible score, making allowance 
for the loss of a few targets on the part of the scratch man or men in 
all events where the number of targets to be shot at reaches 50 or 100 
(say 48 as highest possible in a 50-target handicap or 94 in a 100 target 
race). The number chosen for the highest possible cannot be ex- 
ceeded unless some shooter shall break more than that number out 
of his first 50 or first 100, as the case may be, that is, without his al- 
lowance. Id the event of any shooter exceeding the highest possible 
as above, that shooter's score shall be the highest possible, and all 
shooters tieing that score, with or without their allowance, shall be 
entitled to a portion of first money. 
Under the above conditions it will be absohitely necessary to use the 
Bose system for dividing the purse, otherwise we would have the old 
anomaly cropping up again— a man in second place receiving more 
money than one who had broken more targets than he h.sd. At Bur- 
lington, Vt., on the last day of the Interstate Association's tourna- 
ment, Aug. 27, there was a SS target event, handicap allowance of 
extra targets to shoot at, 3|;2.50 entrance, $25 added hy the club. 
There were twenty entries in this event, makiug a purse, with the !$.'5 
added, less the amount out for targets at 3 cents each, of about $65 
The Rose system was used at this tournament and this event showed 
up the excellence of its methods. No man was allowed to score more 
than 25, no matter what he broke. Barrett, of Montpelier, a scratch 
man, broke 25 straight and lied with three others for first place; 
Tucker hroke 24 and was second; Fanning and Barrows lied for third 
on 23, while the club's president, E A, Worthen, and W. 8. Phelps, Its 
treasurer, ended in fourth place. ■ Under the Rose system the four 
first men each received $10 for their $2.50 entrance; second pldca paid 
$<o; third place $i, and fourth place 
Once shooters become familiariiied with our scheme, we believe 
that highest possibles and the Rose system will make handirap events 
more popular than ever. Give the combination a trisil and send us the 
North Texas Gun Club League. 
Little Rook, Ark, Sept. 35.— The fourth tournament of the North 
Texas Gun Club League was hold at McKlnney, and while not as well 
attended as its predece.ssnr, which was held at Greenville a month 
previous, was quite a successful affair, shooters being present from 
Greenville, Parmeraville, Waxahatchle, Bonham, Dallas and other 
points, though not near so many entered teams in the League contest 
as at the previous shoots. 
On the first day the best work was done by Fa,urote, of Dallas, who 
shot th-ough the entire prograrame. Norman and Kerr also showed 
good form, while Moore was also in it, so to speak, though scarcely 
shooting the gait he is capable of. The team contest for the McKlnney 
gold medal was won by the home team by a score of 67 out of 100. 
Events Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 were merchandise shoots, the tenth being 
consolation shoot; event No. 8 was a live-bird sweep, 7 birds, $5 en- 
tance; the other events were sweepstakes. 
Events: 133450 '78 Events: ia34BG')'8 
Targets: 
McDowell. . 
Parker.,,., 
Rodrick . . . 
Hughes .. . . 
Stewart.. . . 
Sims. ...... 
Oates 
Worden . . . 
McKlnney.. 
Suttle 
Carpenter.. 
Russell 
H»p;gard . . 
Faurote 
Benge 
Con list 
J L White. 
H White... 
Kimball.... 
10 15 10 15 10 15 10 7 Targets: 10 15 10 15 10 16 10 
8 10 
5 7 
4 .. 
9 10 
7 7 
4 5 
9 13 
7 11 
4 .. 
3 
4 ., 
3 5 
4 11 
10 14 
5 7 
8 11 
5 7 
1 .. 
6 10 
3 .. 
5 .. 
5 8 
7 .. 
9 15 
6 11 
7 9 
7 .. 
5 .. 
3 .. 
3 7 
6 13 
7 14 
6 4 
7 11 
7 9 
7 S 
5 ., 
6 6 6 4 
1 .. 4 
8 8 5 
6 5 5 
5 11 8 
9 13 7 
9 8 8 
9 14 9 
6 .. 4 
5 .. 5 
S .. 5 
3 9 8 
B 9 4 
7 14 7 
5 8 5 
5 14 6 
7 "6 'S 
7 .. 4 
Mathews... 
Hill 
Gaston 
WWatklns 
8 10 
5 9 
5 5 
5 .. 
9 12 
Moore 9 18 
Allen 8 8 10 10 
E Watkins 6 . . 
George 7 10 
Chatham 1 7 
Sargeant 4 10 
Hope,., 10 13 
Spencer..!, 8 .. 
Norman 13 
Kerr 10 
Wilcox 7 
Broom , . 
Rhea 
Dr Foote 
4 10 
2 7 
4 3 
5 .. 
6 11 
8 13 
5 .. 
4 9 
1 .. .. 
8 13 5 
8 10 6 
4 .. 4 
9 11 10 
8 14 9 
3 .. 4 
1 .. .. 
,. .. 8 
The scores in the team shoot were as below: 
^ McKinney No. 1: McDowell 18, Sims 15, Matthews 14, Oates 11, Benge 
Dallas No. 1: Faurote 17, Allen 14, Worden 14, Stewart 13, Hughes 
7—65 
McKinney No. 3: H. Whit© 13, J. L. White 11, Harrison 7, Wilcox 6, 
Abernethy 3—40. 
Dallas No. 2: Conlist 11, Spicer 11, Haggard 8, Russell 6, Gaston 
4—40. 
The programme on the second day was similar to that on the pre- 
vious day; Conlist, McDowell, Moore and Faurote all doing work and 
carrying off the honors of the day. The Dallas team won the E. C. 
cup. scoring 75 out of 100, beating the local club just one bird. Event 
No. 6 was a live-bird sweep, 10 birds. 87.50 entrance. Faurote won 
the special prize for the best average in all target events of both days. 
Events: 1 S 3 4 B 6 7 8 Events: 1» 345678 
Targets: 
McDowell.. 7 11 8 13 7 
Parker 5 . . 5 
Allen 10 8 9 6 
Hughes 9 7 10 8 
Stewart..., 6 10 4 8 8 
Sims 13 6 10 5 
Oates 8 14 6 10 9 
Worden... 7 11 
McKinney. 6 .. 
Suttle 4 8 
Carpenter. 6 
Russell 3 .. 
10 15 10 15 10 10 10 20 
6 18 
.. 6 
.. 11 
.. 14 
.. 10 
5 17 
9 18 
8 16 
v. 13 
.. 18 
5 14 10 7 
3 1 
Haggard , 
Faurote. . . 
Benge,,.,. 
Conlist 
J L White. 
H White,.. 
Kimball.... 
8 
9 13 
8 11 
10 13 
.. 6 
5 .. 
3 
8 
4 7 
3 10 
7 14 
7 7 
9 13 
5 11 
7 13 
Targets: 
Mathews... 
Abernethy 
Gaston 
W Watkins . . 
Moore 10 
HiU 
George 5 11 
Hope 6 6 
Spicer 
Norman... 6 14 
10 15 10 15 10 10 10 20 
..12 9 13 .. 8 7 9 
.. .. 5 6 
2 .. .. 
6 .. .. 
8 
9 14 
3 .. 
7 9 
5 13 
4 .. 
6 11 
8 14 
.. 13 
,. 13 
4 .. 
9 9 15 
Wilcox 6 
8 7 
10 
5 12 
9 19 
0 14 
6 14 
13 
6 
Brown 6 
Critcher,,. 5 7 4 
Hamilton., ,,10 4 
Miller....,,- 7 7 
Jones 8 
Hale 5 
Horn 5 
9 
8 10 
.. 11 
The scores in the team shoot for the E O. cup were as follows: 
Dallas No. 1: Faurote 19, Stewart 17, Worden 16, Hughes 13, Allen 
11-75. 
McKinney No. 1: McDowell 17, Simsl6, Benge 14, Matthews 14, Oate 
13-74. 
Dallas No. 3: Conlist 14, Spicer 13, Gaston 13, Haggard 11, Russell 10 
—GO. 
Farmersville: Moore 11, Hope 9, Hale 8, Horn 7, Hamilton 3—38. 
McKinney No. 2: Wilcox 9, H. White 8, J. L. White 7. Harrison 7, 
Abernethy 3—33. Paul R. Litzkh. 
" > 
Kansas City Gun Club. 
Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 19.— The Kansas City Gun Club held Its 
regular monthly shoot to-day. The day was an excellent one for 
pigeon shooting, being bright and clear, and with a wind that blew a 
gale from the west, having an invigorating effect on the pigeons as 
well as the shooters. The local shooters turned out in force, and a 
number of those who had been in attendance at the Schmelzer tourna- 
ment stayed over to take a shy at the live birds. 
In the club contest P. J. Smith won Class A medal, Fletcher won 
Class B medal, and the Class C medal was also captured on a clean 
score by Williams. 
After the conclusion of the regular club shoot a 10-bird sweep was 
shot, 85 entrance and three moneys. In this event those who scored 
10 and those who scored 9 received exactly the same amount— S7. 
Club shoot: 
J B Porter 212212221222122—15 
Williams 112111111111111-15 
P J Smith 111211311112321—15 
Fletcher 313011112112211—14 
Jarrett 121112011122111—14 
Keene 121 0031 11 121 223—13 
Melvin 110221011212110-12 
Hubbard 022322002222222—12 
German 102101211101111—13 
Fogg 111200221211001—11 
Youman. ..... . .112111111112310-14 Longfellow 221211021100110—11 
R S Elliott 111213210011311—13 CurUce 110111210112000—10 
Halhwell 111011201111121—13 Frost 0OW2O1 12032101— 9 
Orr 113013111332130—13 
Sweepstake, 10 live birds per man: 
Parker 1122111111-10 Hickman 3333300133— 
Swinney 1111112311—10 
Ross 2121332333—10 
Jarrett 2311111311—10 
Fanning UllSlllll— 10 
McMurohy 2011323111— 9 
Buker 1101111111— 9 
Gottlieb 1120122133— 9 
Hubbard 2320231301— 8 
Stockwell 0011313331— 8 
Curtice 2210201222- 
Keene 1210021111— 8 
Robin Hood 1010233233— 8 
Ferguson 3131323030— 8 
German 1101121001- 7 
Jackson 0220011111— 7 
Essig 2300102111— 7 
Erhardt 0010111110— 6 
Taylor 0200111101— 6 
The Newburgh, N. Y., Programme. 
Tbb programme of the tournament of the West Newburgh Gun and 
Bifle Association, Oct. 7-9, has come to hand rather late in the day. 
There Is matter in it, too, that it would have been better to give to 
the public at as early a date as possible. We refer to the clause that 
stales that "professionals are barred." Professionals, however, are 
only barred from the programme events on the target days, but on 
those days there will be an extra set of traps for professionals; at 
least that is what we gather from the programme. The live bird 
events on the third day are open to all. 
The programme for each of the first two days Is precisely the same: 
Ten 20-target events, $3 entrance. The Rose system will be used for 
dividing the purses. Twelve entries and under, 3 moneys; under 12 
entries. 4 moneys. The club will give $50 for average money; this 
will be divided into 6 moneys-S13, $11, f8, $7, »6 and S5-to the shoot- 
ers making the best averages on both days at targets. Empire tar- 
gets will be thrown, two sets of traps being used. 
The Baltimore Tournament. 
Thb Malone-Olaridge match for the Du Pont trophy will take place 
on Tuesday, Oct. 6, as announced, daspite all rumors to the con- 
trary. 
In addition to the programme published in our last issue there will 
he a race at 25 live buds, $25, handicap rise, five high guns. This will 
be shot on Thursday, Oct. 8 Handicaps will range from 26 to 32yds. 
Although the notice of this shoot given to the public has beensbprt, 
there is no quesiion but what the tournament of the Baltimore Shoot- 
ing Association will be a success. It will be managed by Mr. James 
R. Malone, captain of the Association. 
Pennsylvania State Shoot. 
Hareisbubo, Pa., Sept. 29.— [Special! to Forest and Stream.] The 
Pennsylvania State shoot, which comes off to-day, does not have very 
good weather for opening. The sky Is duU and drizzling rain has 
fallen. Shooters are quite numerous, enough to give promise of a 
good Hjiool. Among those here are Rolla Heikes, Bartlett, Billy Wol- 
siencrbft, Landis, Thurman, Justus von Lengerke, Jack Winston, Dr. 
Gaguon, Captain Money, Smith, of Buffalo; Kniskern, Leonard and 
Learning, or Philadelphia; Remsen, of Brooklyn; John Denny and a 
host of oihers, It looks as if next year's shoot would go to Wilkes- 
bRrre, EpwARo Banks. 
Old Hoss. 
EvKRy trap-shootfog reader of Forest and Stream knows Old Hoss, 
by reputation at (east. Pennsylvania never produced a more popular- 
shooter than C. M. Hostetter, of Pittsburg, a man with a history, a 
memory and everything else. Old Hoss was the natural corruption, 
of a surname into a pet name, and by that name he has been knowa 
for years, always shooting under that nom de fusil. 
His excellent memory and a passion for figures, formulas, initial 
velocities, etc., has earned for him another title that threatens to dina 
the luster of that which was won by deeds of skill before the traps 
and in the field. Mr. Hostetter can speak for hours upon every scien- 
tific point connected with powders, nitro or black, and can quote 
figures up to the nth decimal point to prove the correctness of hi-* 
assertions. He is Old Hoss out of doors, but he is Old Statistics when 
it comes to talking shoot indoors, particularly in the "Fheker's Nest." 
The Pittsburg Daily News of Sept. 21 ran an excellent likeness of Mr. 
Hostetter, and gave the following interesting account of his thirty 
years of life in Pittsburg; 
"Who has not heard of Old Hoss (C. M. Hostetter), whose portrait 
Is presented? His first experience at shooting was in 1S58. At that 
time wild pigeons were abundant, and continued so for many years. 
He brought many of them down with his old Long Tom of a singlei 
muzzle-loader. He came to Pittsburg in 1866, and engaged in the- 
drug business with Dr. J. H. Dickson, with whom he remained for- 
twenty-three years. 
"He was the father of and first member of the Pittsburg Gun Club,, 
which through his energy was organized in 1878. Trap-shooting, which 
he has followed for twenty years, was his favorite sport. Mr. Hos- 
tetter is one of the oldest members of the Sportsmen's Association of 
Western Pennsylvania. In the days when this organization held front 
rank he won many prizes at its shooting events, the grand total being 
7 gold medals, 1 silver medal, 3 silver cups, bronze card stand, and 
other prizes. One of the gold medals was valued at $150. It took a 
good shot to win in those days, and that is what Hoss was. , 
"He has hunted and fished In most of the counties in western Penn- 
sylvania, West Virginia and eastern Ohio. His companions generally 
were Dr. Joe L. Duncan, D. N McDonald, Dr. James McCann, Dr. Joe N. 
Dickson and Dr. W. R. RamiHon, all of whom are dead but Dr. Ham- 
ilton. At his home Is a fine library of works on shooting and flshlDg^ 
and all pertaining thereto. He has read every number of Forest and. 
Stream that has been published. He is one of the best posted men on 
shotgun ballistics in the country, also on guns etc. His opinion is often 
asked for. The Fhckers Nest, as Old Hoss calls his room. Is filled with 
old reHfiS in the way of old pistols, revolvers and shooting apparatus. 
Sparrows for Trap-Shooting. 
Mr. Bert Hampton, of Chicago, who makes a business of supplying- 
English sparrows for trap-shooting, sends us these notes; 
"Your interesting editorial regarding the European or English 
sparrow attracted my attention. In studying the hat)its of this littlft 
pest I find him forsaking the densely populated and business parts of 
the cities, and he is found in great numbers in the suburbs, where ho 
can find grain to eat. Another place is about large elevators and rail- 
road yards, where the constant switching of ears spills more or less 
grain. I notice that the English sparrow will eat any grain excepting 
flaxseed, eating oats, corn, wheat, rye and grass seeds. He is one of 
the shrewdest birds Known. I have some I have had in captivity for 
four months; they show no sign of becoming reconciled, but are 
always on the lookout for a hole by which to escape. He is a plucky 
little fellow, and will fight with his whole strength, biting hard enough 
to make it unpleasant in handling him. I have seen him bite hard 
enough to break an old grain of corn in two, or to pinch a blister on 
my hand. When used in trap-shooting he shows his only good 
quality and there only have I ever known him to have any 
friend, and that is because the shooter knows his bird will fly 
when he says "Pull." His flight at the trap is usually quite 
straight and rapid the first 25 or 30ft. and afterward a little 
wavy. Out of 500 used at one match not one refused to fly, the whole 
number trying to get away on the instant the trap opened. Now a 
suggestion regarding the general use of the sparrow as a bird for the 
trap. While inanimate targets are Inexpensive and satisfactory for 
rapid shooting, it never has and never will equal live birds, for the 
nearer it imitates field shooting so much more interest does the par- 
ticipant take. Everyone knows there are many true sportsmen 
whose pocketbooks are not equal in size to their love of the gun. 
Now that man should not be barred (if it be possible to have him 
along) on account of his financial condition and because he cannot 
afford to pay 35 cents apiece for pigeons. Ten shots to that kind of a 
man make about all he can lose in one afternoon's Shoot. Let the 
boys get some sparrows and shoot them off at 10 cents apiece It 
leaves more for sweeps, and the scores of the expert and amateur 
will be a little more ^qual; makes the little fellow feel good and don't 
do the big one any harm. To a gun club that has never tried them I 
would say try them as a novelty, and next time you will try them be- 
cause you like them." 
The Endeavor Gun Club's Merchandise Shoot. 
The Endeavor Gun Club, of Marion, N. J., announces that it will 
hold a "grand merchandise shoot" at Its grounds, Oct. 23-34. The 
main event on each day will be a 100 target handicap race, entrance 
the price of the targets only, $3. Two handsome cups and several 
other valuable prizes have been secured and will, with others that will 
be added to the list later, be competed for on the above dates. In ad- 
dition to the big event each day, smaller events for suitable prizes will 
be shot each day. The entries for the 100- target events close on Oct. 
23. All who intend entering should send their names and $3 "to cover 
the cost of the targets," that is, as a forfeit," to A. R. Strader, 371 New 
York avenue, Jersey City, N. J., or to Carl von Lengerke, 8 Murray 
street. New York city. 
A merchandise shoot of this character and proportions is something 
new to shooters in this section, and few men can realize what an 
amount of work the actual getting up of such an affair entails on the 
moving spirits. There are a great number of new shots coming up, 
while there are also a number of older and more experienced shooters 
who are fond of a day at the traps; many of these two classes cannot 
afford to go to a shoot and pay either high or low entrance fees, and 
shoot on a par with the expert class of their own clubs. To such men 
a shoot of the kind proposed means a cheap day's amusement with 
the chance of winning something to carry home with them. 
The Endeavor Gun Club, too, has done a great deal for trap shoot- 
ing In the vicinity of New York, and under its present roll of ofQcers, 
especially its president, Mr. A. R. Strader, and its captain, Mr. George 
H. Piercy, not to mention Carl von Lengerke, it is a decidedly lively or- 
ganization in local trap-shooting circles. As such it should merit and 
receive the generous support of the local trap-shooters. It is from 
that class, of course, that the majority of the shooters at its coming 
tournament will be drawn. But the Endeavor Gun Club draws no 
lines; it simply says that ''AH are welcome," and that "Every shooter 
will be handicapped on his merits." 
We may add that the Endeavor Gun Club means what it says, and 
will carry out all that it proposes to do . 
An Invitation to the Champions. 
Charlik Zwirlein, of Yardville, N. J., is issuing the following invi- 
tation to all the best known live-bird shooters in the United States: 
"Iwish to place before you the following proposition : The Cast 
Iron championship trophy seems to have gone out of sight, and the 
claims to the title of 'champion live-bird shooter of the United States' 
are many in number. For the purpose of deciding this vexed question 
I propose a contest on the following lines: 
"One hundred live birds per man, $100 entrance fee, 80yds. rise, 
50yds. boundary, Hurlingham rules (or American Association rules), 
all birds to be shot from one set of traps. 1 he shoot to take place Dec. 
1-8, 1896, on the grounds of the Interstate Fair at Trenton, N. J. The 
first day will be for sweepstake shooting open to the world. Then 50 
birds will be shot at by each contestant for the championship on 
Wednesday and Thursday. I want to get the ten or twelve best live- 
bird shots in the United States to take part in this event, and as an 
additional inducement I will provide all the live birds required for this 
match free of all charge to the shooters. 
"You will appreciate by this that I want to bring off this shoot, and 
I would like you to be one of the shooters in this event. I will have 
all first-class birds, the best I can get in the country. Think this mat- 
ter over and let me know what you think of this shoot. Also let me 
have your ideas as to how the stake money of $1,000 or $1,200 should 
be divided, as this matter will be settled oy a majority vote of the 
contestants. All entries should be made accompanied by a forfeit of 
$25 in cash or a certified check to Forest and Stream Publishing 
Company, Shooting and Pishing Publishing Company, or to ine New 
York office of the American Field, and all entries must be made on 
or before Nov. 15. 
"You will greatly oblige me and facilitate arrangements if you will 
favor me with your opinion on all the above points, as requested, at 
your earliest convenience." 
Mr. H. S. Peed, of Norfolk, Va , accompanied by Mrs. Peed, has 
been making a visit to the North, taking in New York, Niagara FallSj 
elc While in New York be tried his hand at a little target shooting 
to see what it was like. Neaf Apgar, who had met Mr. Peed in Nor- 
folk, acted as his chaperon. Liise all good shots in the field, Mr. 
Peed found targets not s" easy "as f hey looked." Watching Neaf 
Shoot is bownd to make one think they're easy, and so they are— in 
