SS6 
FOREST AND STREAM^ 
tNov. 14, 1896. 
MILITARY RIFLES AS BIG GAME GUNS. 
St. Paul, Minn. — Editor Forest and Stream: The in- 
troduction of the long-range military rifle into use as a 
hunting rifle — a purpose for which it was never intended 
— ^haa added a serious menace to life and limb in such sec- 
tions of country as are both hunting grounds and the 
abode of man whenever the long-range military rifles are 
used therein. When used as a hunting rifle it is not only 
a deadly danger to all hunters within the great circle of 
its range, but to all others whose business or pleasure 
takes them into the highways and byways of the woods 
and fields, and to those also who may be following their 
peaceful vocations of life anywhere within the deer 
region, or even within three or four miles of it. And 
bear in mind that the deer region is not necessarily in the 
wilderness. It may be in a settled community. Deer 
may be and often are killed within short rifle shot of 
houses, and such is the great power of the military rifle 
that its bullet will pierce a tree or a house, so that against 
it the ordinary safeguards avail nothing. It will pierce 
about 50in. of pine. 
In Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan earnest protests 
have been made against its use on the ground of its terri- 
fying power and great danger; while others, more pas- 
sive, say that they will remain at home, foregoing their 
big game hunting, rather than run the risk of death or 
wounds where the military rifle is used. Of these it is 
said that many are old hunters, men who valued their 
vacation for the pleasure it afforded them; for the relaxa- 
tion from business and the recreation to be found in the 
great woods where roam the big game, but who, knowing 
the dangers to be run where the military rifle is used — 
dangers put therein by tbeir fellow men — decline to take 
the chances. And it is a real danger, not an imaginary 
one. 
The military rifle, having a range of about three miles 
in every direction from the shooter, which is the radius 
of a circle of about six miles in diameter, commands an 
area of about twenty-eight square miles — surely a most 
startling danger scope all centering about one man; and 
if we multiply this by hundreds of others (as we may 
readily do, the weapons being alluring and exceedingly 
cheap, and therefore within the means of all hunters), the 
danger area would be many times multiplied, and as the 
hunters would be constantly on the move the danger area 
would be constantly shifting as the hunters moved about, 
and would necessarily include many dwellings, school- 
houses, towns and people. 
But it may be retorted that the shooting of deer is done 
in the woods; that the trees would stop the bullets before 
they could go far, thus preventing them from reaching 
the extreme ranges, and the trees being so numerous 
would act as a constant safeguard to the people. 
By way of rejoinder it may be said that the trees are 
no more numerous than are the spaces between them, and 
the spaces are much greater in magnitude than are the 
trees. Any one in the woods can see long distances be- 
tween the trees, the view never appearing as a mass of 
wall, and the bullets will pierce where the eye cannot. 
Even if the bullet at last strikes a tree, such is its power 
that it may pierce it and even then go on a long distance 
in its flight. 
But deer are not always shot in woods. Many a deer 
has been shot in places where the woods have been cut 
away and a second growth of tender trees have started. 
Shots are fired at deer from within the edge of woods 
toward the open fields when opportunity offers, or on the 
margin of lakes, and again the rifle may be fired at a deer 
as it skips nimbly over a hill; and if the shooter shoots 
from a hollow his bullet may go soaring over the hill and 
tree tops and strike miles away from the firing point. 
Nor is this objection against such weapons without good 
and sound precedent. The firing of all firearms, even 
those of the extremely short range, as pistols, is strictly 
prohibited by law in all corporate communities, for the 
re? son that such firing endangers the life and limb, and 
disturbs the peace of mind, of the members of the com- 
munity. Now consider that the long-range weapon, 
commanding such a vast area of the country, is a deadly 
menace to the dwellers in the country, and disturbs their 
peace of mind and threatens their safety, and you will 
have a case in which the precedents fit like a glove to the 
hand, waiving for the moment the common sense of the 
matter, the fundamental principle of self-preservation 
and peaceful enjoyment. The long-range weapon used 
in the country is more of a deadly menace than is the 
short-range weapon of the city, the latter being prohibited 
therein, and therefore is harmless. 
I write in opposition to the use of the military rifle as a 
hunting rifle because it is an improper rifle to use on big 
game, since, having a flat trajectory of about 800yds., and 
a range of about three miles, it shoots much further than 
any hunter could see a deer; and seeing a deer, no hunter 
would shoot so far as he could see it; yet the people in all 
the superfluous distance it flies through are in danger 
from it. 
Its long range is particularly unnecessary when it is 
considered that the average ranges at which deer are 
killed are from 50 to ISOyds., and that there are numbers 
of other rifles of approved makes, styles, sizes and cali- 
bers, all sufficiently deadly and fit for the purpose, and so 
proved by' years of trial. Indeed, many of these rifles 
have an unnecessary long range and are therefore a dan- 
ger to a community too, but so weakly so when compared 
with the military rifle that the danger from them sinks 
into insignificance. These rifles, moreover, are too deadly 
— in fact, when it is considered that no more deer should 
be killed than what is the surplus not needed for breed- 
ing, and with the rifles already used and approved, there 
is danger that the needed numbers of deer will not be 
maintained. Therefore, whether the matter is considered 
from the standpoint of the^portsman or that of the mar- 
ket shooter, the exceedingly long range of the nailitary 
rifle in deer hunting is unnecessary. 
Now as to sportsmanship, let us understand first of all 
that these small caliber military rifles are designed for 
military purposes, to wound or kill men far away or near 
by. No consideration of sportsmanship enters into their 
design, purpose or use, as originally contemplated. To 
kill or wound an enemy by design or by accident is the 
purpose of the gun, and the longer the range and the flat- 
ter the trajectory the better the purpose is served; for it is 
self-evident that a bullet going several miles through the 
enemy's country will command a greater field and do 
more damage than will one whose range is measured by 
yards. 
But it also has been demonstrated that the killing pow- 
ers of their bullets are not instantaneous enough for sport- 
ing purposes. The high velocity and small caliber do not 
communicate the necessary shock to kill or bring down 
the game, so that much of it will escape sorely wounded, 
to die a lingering and painful death, or fall a prey to rav- 
enous wolves. Aside from the cruelty of it, no sportsman 
would use a weapon which disturbed the peace of mind 
or safety of a neighborhood or of his fellows by creating 
fears of bodUy harm or loss of life. A true sportsman 
would not take pleasure in a sport which caused fears of 
loss of life or maiming to others, or which endangered 
life if the danger was unknown to anyone but himself. 
No doubt but what the novelty of the gun and its long 
range are the qualities which attract so many, rather 
thdn its fitness for practical work. It serves to excite 
wonder amongst those who have not seen it, and the own- 
er gains a distinction by the ownership and parade of it 
which he might never have as a hunter. 
Again, there are many who are thoughtless, and take 
for granted that a gun which will shoot further than any 
other gun is the gun for all purposes. 
Even with the best of care, lamentable accidents are 
constantly happening from the use of firearms; and it 
seems like tempting fate to make a departure which has 
in it so much of jeopardy to the lives and limbs of others, 
without the shadow of reason or necessity to justify it. 
The annual report of Gen. Flagler, Chief of Ordnance of 
the United States, criticises adversely the stopping power 
of the .236 and ,303cals. of the navy and army rifles, a 
matter of much more consideration to the hunter than it 
is to the soldier, since the purpose of the hunter is to 
secure absolute possession, while that of the soldier is to 
put his enemy out of the fight, a very severe wound serv- 
ing the purpose quite as well as one that is fatal. The 
report mentions that the small caliber and high velocity 
of the new bnllets do much less damage than the old ,45 
bullets. When the small-caliber bullet hits a man, so 
great is the velocity that it makes a clean round hole, im- 
parting no shock, and even bones are drilled as if bored 
with a gimlet, instead of being smashed, as the older and 
larger calibers acted, with of course a greater correspond- 
ing shock and stopping power. The report further men- 
tions that medical men have demonstrated that small 
bullets, regardless of velocity, are not so effective as the 
larger ones. 
The attempt to secure the effects of the larger bullets 
by using a soft pointed small-caliber bullet, so that it 
would mushroom when it struck an object, proved un- 
satisfactory, since accuracy was impaired. And as to ac- 
curacy, when the new guns were flrst put in the hands of 
the troops they did inferior work with them and ques- 
tioned their accuracy, for while they would shoot accu- 
rately a few times, there were wild shots betimes. 
Now, as the stopping power of a rifle is a vital consid- 
eration in its purpose and use on live game, and as the 
highest authorities in the army admit its lack of stopping 
power, and as in actual use on big game many writers 
who have tried it complain of its inferiority in this re- 
spect, it is no doubt very weak in the very feature that it 
should be strong in, that is, stopping power. 
It is yet unsatisfactorily tried in all the other condi- 
tions to which rifles are subjected — high and low temper- 
atures; wear and tear from use, the hard metal jacket be- 
ing very destructive to the rifling; economy of expense, 
etc, , so that any claims for its excellence are more specu- 
lative than real. 
To sum up, the military rifle is an unfit weapon for big 
game shooting in an inhabited country, since it endangers 
the lives of people in the country in which it is used. 
It is an unsportsmanlike weapon, since it wounds much 
game without killing it and therefore inflicts a lasting loss 
and cruelty; and, more important yet, it destroys the peace 
of mind of a neighborhood and deters sportsmen from 
hunting in a country in which such dangerous guns are 
used. 
Lastly, it is not necessary to use it at all, as there are 
many kinds of rifles already perfected which are much 
more effective and far less dangerous to the community. 
The gratification of the individual is as nothing compared 
to the safety of the community. A single life is of far 
more importance than the pleasure of all the hunters in 
the land, and the peace of mind of a community far 
transcends the importance of any man's pleasure. 
That accidents do occur with deplorable frequency 
with the less powerful guns of shorter range, even when 
used with the greatest care, we all know, and it is a 
certainty that guns with such extreme ranges as the 
military rifle will when shot recklessly add greatly and 
needlessly to the death list if their use is tolerated. .44. 
A Texas Crazy Quilt 
Sketch map of the State. The black portions indicate 
the sections exempt from the game law. 
Two Stays. 
Forest and Stream is my "mainstay," and taken in 
cormection with my "stay in Maine" manages to puU me 
through the year. C. H. A. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Down in Arkansaw. 
Chicago, Nov. 6. — Mr. Joseph Irwin, of Little Rock, 
Ark., advises me that bass fishing is very good in the "old 
river," near the mouth of Scott's Bayou. Messrs. Bate- 
man Bros, and Alvin Johnson took seventy- five bass Oct. 
31, and Mr. King and his party, all of Little Rock, fished 
there three days, using spoons and live bait, and had very 
good luck indeed. Mr. Irwin says: 
"QuaU shooting has been limited owing to the warm 
prevailing weather, and few large bags have been made. 
The ducks are here in limited numbers, but only a few 
have been bagged so far. 
"Large numbers of deer came into market three weeks 
ago during a cold snap — mostly yearlings, however. 
"I expect Harvey McMurchy here this month some 
time. Nancy, the old pointer, is still able to do good 
work on quail. I have an English setter in training that 
I expect great things from." 
Game Law Matters. 
The members of the Illinois State Sportsmen's Associa- 
' tion have never jfor years been satisfied with the statutes 
covering fish and game protection in this State. The dis- 
gusting fiasco over the Blow bill is still fresh in the mind 
of the public, and it is the intention of the sportsmen to 
make further effort in the way of legislation of the 
proper kind. The secretary of the Association, Mr. F. R. 
Bissel, is sending out the following circular to the mem- 
bers of the clubs composing the Association: 
"It is the intention of the Illinois State Sportsmen's 
Association to present at the next meeting of the State 
Legislature a fair and equitable game bill, one which 
will commend itself to all who desire to see the game, 
game birds and fish protected from extermination — a 
point not very far distant under present conditions. 
" Every true sportsman should co-operate with us in 
our efforts, and we beg to ask if you will appoint a 
committee of say three members from your club and 
have them interview your Member of the Legislature, 
whoever he may be, and bring such influence as they 
may be able to aid in insuring the passage of the bill. 
"This bill will soon be drafted by our law committee, 
and we will endeavor to have a copy sent you for your 
perusal and approval." 
Meantime we are to have a change of governors and 
possibly a cbange of wardens in the State of Illinois. So 
far as the condition of the game of the State is con- 
cerned, no change could exist which would not be for the 
better, for there has been no intelligent conservation of 
the game of this State for the past ten years. 
The short season for deer in Wisconsin has now been 
ended for nearly a week, but I hear that hunting is still 
going on in parts of the State in spite of the fact that the 
legal season is closed. It is too often the case that the so- 
caUed sportsman gives himself the benefits of all the 
doubts, and there are a few of thes& persons who con- 
strued the trouble in the Wisconsin law to mean that they 
should go out as early in October as they heard of the 
change in date, and hunt as late in November as was al- 
lowed by the old and invalid law. I hear that there will 
be an attempt made at the next session of the Wisconsin 
Legislature to establish a license law. 
Speaking of license laws brings up for attention the 
stringent measure recently passed in Louisiana which 
bars the parish of Caddo absolutely to non-resident 
hunters. It is thought by some residents of that parish 
that the police jury of Caddo Parish had in passing this 
law some animus against the Shreveport Rod and Gun 
Club, and there are some discrepancies pointed out in the 
law, which it is claimed is passed for reasons other than 
those of rigid sportmanship. For instance, it is pointed 
out that in eighteen States of the Union the hounding of 
deer is prohibited, whereas it is left wide open in Caddo 
Parish. The more interesting points of the law are Sec- 
tion 7, which reads: "It shall be unlawful for non-resi- 
dents to hunt within the limits of the parish of Caddo, or 
to carry out of the limits of said parish any game for sale 
or otherwise after same has been killed;" and paragraph 
3 of Section 5, which states "that it shall be imlawful in 
the hunting of ducks, geese, brant, swan or any other 
wild water fowl, to use as decoys any live ducks or live 
geese, or artificial decoys made of canvas, rubber, wood, 
cork or any other material." 
The startling decrease in the game supply of the country 
must be keenly felt indeed when such startling measures 
as the above come from the hospitable South, 
Small-Bore Rifles. 
Sportsmen have been much interested in the question 
of the utility as sporting weapons of the modern small- 
bore smokeless rifles, and there has been the most inter- 
esting diversity of opinions in regard to the merits of these 
arms. Some say that the .30cal. is the most deadly and 
destructive weapon on game ever devised, and others say 
they would not have it as a gift. This week I have two 
reports from Chicago hunters in regard to the effect of 
these weapons. Mr. E, C. Carter, assistant engineer of 
the Northwestern Railroad, recently returned from a hunt 
in Colorado near Pagoda Peak and along the West Fork 
of Williams River. He killed a very large number of 
blacktail deer, but got no other game, though he saw 
some elk and bear sign. In his shooting he used a Win- 
chester .50cal. single shot, with I40grs. of powder. This 
weapon would kill a deer like a rabbit. He varied its use 
with a .45-90 rifle. One day he killed a big buck, and his 
companion, a; ranchman of the country, discovered on 
skinning the animal that it had been shot through the 
shoulders with a small caliber bullet. This shot passed 
directly through both shoulder blades, a location which 
should have dropped the deer at once. At the point of 
entry the bone was shattered but little, the hole being but 
about iin. across. On the opposite side the ball passed 
out, leaving a clean, small hole. The flesh about the 
wound was green and unwholesome, but the wound was 
healing and the deer was lively and able to run. Several 
Mannlicher rifles had been used on deer in that vicinity 
earlier in the fall, the guide said. 
The second case of the use of one of these small-bore 
rifles is reported to me by Dr. 0. B. Sayre, of this city, 
who recently returned from an elk hunt in Montana. 
Dr. Sayre, being advised that one of the small calibers 
was the correct thing, took along one of them and did 
not take any other rifle. He killed three elk with this 
gun, using in all cases the soft nosed buUet. The first 
elk he shot was struck in the neck, and it fell as if hit.by 
