ApRlii 3, 1897.] 
herd to do well and to increase, and there is great hope in 
the little herd already accumulating of these beautiful and 
desirable animals. It is to be expected, however, that the 
full bloods also will do better from this time forward, and 
should this be the case there is no reason to doubt that this 
will be one of the great buffalo herds of the country — as 
indeed it is to-day. 
Mr. Hutchinson took us over the beautiful lake shore drive 
which lies between the houses and the buffalo park, a dis- 
tance of about a mile acd a half, and we had the good for- 
tune to come upon the buffalo without much trouble. We 
saw the entire bunch of the breeds in a little glade together, 
as we were told they always range, they seeming to prefer 
their own society to that of the full bloods, though showing 
no hostility to the latter. "With the breeds was the old Gal- 
loway cow which is the ancestress of them all. In the tim- 
ber not far beyond we saw one buffalo, a grand bull appar- 
ently about four or five years old, whose heavy head, faded 
color and humped back contrasted, one might say, with the 
more shapely outline and sleek black color of the grades. 
This big bull stood staring at us, with his bead showing over 
the undergrowth in which he stood shouldtr deep. The 
grades did' not seem much more bold , than the pure- blood 
buffalo, and this entire little bunch made off at a trot through 
the wood after a moment of staring at us, from a distance of 
perhaps 100yds. It was a curious sight at this day of the 
world. I noticed that some of the grades had horns and 
some didn't, and was told that only about half of them ever 
had any horns, the offspring thus partially reverting to their 
hornless Glalloway ancestry upon one side. This was an 
item I have never seen mentioned before in any description 
of buffalo crosses. 
We had not time to look up the entire herd of full bloods, 
which were ranging further away m the woods, but were 
told that they all seem in good condition, and that their 
prosperity is thought to be assured. They are living along 
very comfortably, not disturbed in any way — surely not 
often visited by any outsider — and it is a proof of theii* com- 
fort that they have fallen almost absolutely into their old 
plain ways. There are a number of genuine buffalo 
wallows, identical in every respect with those of the plains. 
There "are at present no moose upon the preserve, though 
it is the intention to try again with this animal. Three years 
ago there were five moose put in, but they all died, probably 
from scarcity of their proper food of browse in the place 
where they were put down. 
Of elk there are now eighteen upon the preserve, ten of 
them cows. All these are kept together upon a fine wooded 
island of eighty-seven acres across the lake from the central 
buildings. The deer are also kept here, and the result is that 
the ground is fed too close, all the trees being stripped clean 
up to a height of several feet from the ground. It is not 
unusual to see an elk here standing on hishindlegs and feed- 
ing on the boughs high above his head, and they have be- 
come very expert at balancing themselves at this style of 
feeding. The territory allotted these animals is soon to be 
enlarged by a wide meadow and iidjoining strips of low 
wood and shrubbery. The elk and deer are fed regularly 
in the summer on chopped oats, oats and hay, witn some 
fodder of cornstalks. It is their custom to come at hearing 
the rattle of the lid of the big feed box on the lake shore, 
but at the time of our visit they were all hid deep in the 
woods. jVIr. Hutchinson kindly went out hunting for them, 
and at length succeeded in finding them and driving them past 
the point where my friend and myself were concealed. It 
made a great sight when they came swinging by through the 
wood, some big full-antlered bulls leading the way. The 
visit was in the month of September. Tne antlers of the 
bulls were quite grown, and the tips whitened by rubbing 
on the trees. 
The condition of the elk is most satisfactory. There were 
five calves this year, and the future is thought secure for 
these animals. One bull was killed last year. 
Not so much can be said for the deer (only white-tailed 
deer are kept on the preserve), for the five does , and single 
buck have failed so far to breed at all. The deer run with 
the elk. They are fed nothing until the heat of the summer, 
and the constant feeding down has divested the range of 
grass and browse. The old buck at the time of our visit was 
just beginning to take on his autumn pugnacity, and we were 
"warned to carry a stick to "bluff" him if he showed fight. 
Mr Hutchinson says he is a treacherous sort of creature, and 
will slip up quietly and then make a sudden rush at one. I 
heard of no deaths among the deer. Of course the interest 
does not attach to them which does to other animals on the 
preserve, for it has already been estabhshed what can bs done 
with the white-tail in captivity. None of the deer have ever 
escaped. It is the case, however, and a very strange thing 
it is too, that two winters ago five of the elk got away from 
the preserve and escaped into the country, and from that 
time to this they have never been heard from. This was in 
the heart of a settled farming country, and it seems almost 
impossible that the animals were not seen and reported by 
some one in some part of the Slate. There is no great tract 
of wild country into which they could escape anywhere 
within 100 miles or more. There are now no elk native in 
Minnesota short of the extreme northern part of the State, 
where a few may still exist around the edge of the Roseau 
Swamp. Formerly the animal was native all over the State. 
I talked with a middle aged farmer seventy miles west of St. 
Paul, who said that seventeen years ago he frequently saw 
elk where his farm now is. 
Every year there are many wolves (coyotes) seen about the 
place, especially toward spring, and of course every tffort is 
made to kill these. Mr. Hutchinson said that he usually 
killed eight or ten wolves each year. He carries with him 
on his trips about the place a long barreled and heavy 
Stevens pistol, .3:ical., with which he is very expert. He 
says that often he can see the coyotes playing about on the 
ice in the winter time. These animals destroy small game 
and killed two of the deer last year. 
Attempts have been made to rear the English and Mon- 
gohan pheasants, but the results have been discouraging, 
vermin having killed numbers of the birds. Mr. Hutchin- 
son thought the winters were too cold for these birds, though 
that is contrary to the belief accepted in regard to these 
birds at this latitude. They do very well in Wisconsin on 
about the same pai'allel, though it is well known that the 
winter of Minnesota is a rather severe affair 
There are numbeis of prairie chickens upon the place, 
probably about 100 in all, or some eight or ten coveys. The 
rufffd grouse is native and has increased extremely well, a 
number of coveys being knowTi to the superintendent. 
Quail also are abundant and seem to get aloug ver}' well, 
and of rabbits there are quantities. Mss Charlotte Hill is 
fond of shooting, and has an occasional day with the pin- 
nated or the ruffed grouse. The latter are driven from cover 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
and fl.y across the road where she is stationed, thus offering 
shooting not quite so hard as that of the cover, to be sure, 
but certainly quite difficult enough. 
Besides tnese birds, properly to be called native, the wild 
ducks have always resorted to the lakes of this region in their 
migratory flight, and some ducks breed annually upon the 
place, where certainly they haye every protection and ample 
room. The wild rice is luxuriant in the lakes of the pre^ 
serve, and each fall the ducks come in upon the lakes in 
numbers, offering the best sort of shooting. In the spring 
these lakes are full of ducks, and an ice blind in the winter 
has been known to yield shooting good enough for the most 
extravagant desire. The birds are never harried and worked 
to death at any season, and shooting is allowed only upon 
certain days— never at dark — and certain bedding and feed- 
ing grounds are kept always untouched. In one lake alone 
there are over 800 acres of wild rice. It is whispered that 
1,500 ducks have been killed in a week at the height of the 
season here by a party of Mr. Hill's friends. Thus it will be 
seen that a magnificent shooting preserve as well as a grand 
park is among the easy possibilities if desired. It is the in- 
tent to increase always the numbers of birds and animals, 
and not to shoot down the supply of any kind. There has 
been a great deal of trouble with local poachers, who have 
been accustomed to shoot ducks where they pleased, but this 
trouble has been largely obviated of late 'after a long and 
serious educational effort. The grounds are surrounded by 
nothing more formidable than a Page woven wire fence, but 
the lines of the inclosure are locally very well known. 
The waters of the seven different lakes of this favored 
place are naturally the home of the usual game fishes native 
to Minnesota, especially the pike and the large-mouth bass. 
It is a great commentary on protection that these lakes now 
fairly swarm with these fish. Sometimes fishing parties of 
Mr. Hill's friends have. great sport here, and it is of record 
that one catch of eighty-four black bass, weighing 2411bs., 
was made in May of 1895. Every effort has been made to 
exterminate the pike, against which ceaseless war is waged. 
It is common to take them of 10, 13 or 151bs. weight, and one 
was taken weighing 331bs. Last spring Mr. Hutchinson cut 
off with nets a certain little creek ihto which the pike were 
crowding on their spring spawning run, and killed l,5001bs. 
of the despised fish with pitchforks. It is not thought 
best to let them increase to destroy the bass, which are more 
prized. 
There are no brook trout upon the preserve, but there is 
one cold spring creek which can be made to afford a quarter 
or half a mile of fishing, and it is the intention to stock this 
with trout at an early date. 
The land embraced in this interesting inclosure is of fea- 
tures rather pleasant than bold, the hills being low and roll- 
ing, well covered with a heavy growth of short oaks. The 
soil is a sandy loam. No attempt has been made at artificial 
beautifying, and indeed none is needed. Around the shores 
of the pleasant lakes driveways have been laid out, or rather 
roads have been worn out of the natural soil, but beyond 
this the place is much as nature made it. The extent of the 
tract may be guessed from the fact that though we drove 
for several miles in our looking at the game we saw almost 
no trace of farming operations, except as an occasional sight 
of a herd of cattle would indicate it. The "farm" is a big 
resting place for a man of big projects and great business 
energy. Its care and development are in good hands and the 
future of the enterprise is assured. This fact, if the owner 
will allow the belief, is matter for congratulation, not only 
for him, but for the public. Without the possibilities of 
such large handed private enterprise, the time must come 
when the American people would lose all knowledge of some 
of the great animals which once belonged to all, and which 
were not kept. Especially is it to be hoped that the success 
with the buffalo will continue and be increased from year to 
year. E. Hough. 
1206 BoYCB Bdilding, Obicago. 
DECOY STORIES.— IV. 
DoRVAL, Quebec, March 20. — Editor Forest and Stream: I 
have read the letter of your correspondent, Mr. M. D. 
Stevens, and it reminds me of an experience of mine which 
may interest some of your readers. One morning in Octo- 
ber, 1894, I rowed from Dorval across the St. Lawrence 
River, or rather, Lake St. Louis, to the Chateauguay shore, 
taking my wooden decoys and my gun, in the hope of bag- 
ging a few ducks before breakfast. 
I made a very early start and reached the sandy beach, 
where my blind was built, before daybreak, set out my de- 
coys and got into the blind, which was built of stones 
gathered on the beach, and waited for the ducks, which 
always come in to the spot I had chosen just as the light i& 
creeping up. 
The water before me was very shallow, and about 300yds. 
behind was thick bush. 
While waiting I suddenly became aware that something' 
was moving behind me. I heard nothing, but had the feel- 
ing that something was there, and I glanced over my left 
shoulder in time to see a, shadowy form flit from one rock to 
another. 1 could not see what it was, as it was too dark but 
I could distinguish a something. 
In a few seconds it darted from the second rock to a third, 
and so on, always getting nearer to the decoys, which it was 
evidently stalking. 
There was a breeze blowing up the river, and suddenly 
my visitor got the breeze after it had passed me, and he left 
the shelter of the rocks and bolted, but not before I had 
seized my gun and fixed a charge of No. 4 over my shoidder. 
It was still so dark that I could not see whether he fell, but 
on leaving the blind and walking up to where he had been I 
found him, a beautiful red fox, stone dead. 
I brought him home, took himinto Montreal to be skinned, 
and now have his akin in my drawing room, where it 
makes a fine show, as the brush is the largest I have ever 
seen. 
The fox was certainly after my decoys. What a surprise 
he would have had if he had got his teeth into one of 
them! 
On another occasion I saw a large brown owl come into a 
flock of wooden decoys, and my companion shot him. 
This was on a sandbar in the middle of Lake St. Louis,, 
two miles from the nearest land, where we had built a blind 
of stakes and rushes. Solitude. 
[For previous decoy stories see issues of Feb. 20, March 1.3, 
March 20, and the story told by Mr. Townsend last week of 
"Duck HuHting Porkers."] 
The FoHBST AND STREAM is put to press each week on Tuesday. 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at thet 
test by Monday, ancJ as much earlier as pi actioable. 
267 
An Adirondack Outfit> 
In our trip to Sperry Pond, Hamilton county, Adiron- 
dacks, in October, 1896, I saw more large deer in the coun- 
try we were in than at any time previous. On a trip up there 
say about the last two weeks in October the chances of still* 
hunting would be better, as you are very apt to have a light 
snow or two and the leaves would be mostly all off. It could 
be made by a couple of men, without guide — the way I usu- 
ally prefer, as cooking, etc., adds to the charm of camping-^ 
for two weeks for about $50 each. Such a trip 1 expect to 
take next year if the land is not posted, as I am afraid it 
will be. 
Our outfit has been cut down to the lowest possible weight 
consistent with comfort, and for the benefit of any who would 
like to know what it is I give details for two persons: 
Two .38-55 Winchesters — the buck dropped with one of 
these soft bullets in the neck; two leather knapsacks — we like 
them better than pack baskets; two pairs double woollen 
blankets, two rubber blankets, small muslin tent with flap, 
camp axe, pocket camerai, extra suit of heavy underwear. 
Then there will be a number of small articles, but pay a 
great deal of attention to them, as you will be surprised to 
see when they are all together how much they weigh. 
The cooking tools consisted of two tin pails, two plates, 
two cups, spoons, forks, one stewing pot, one frying pan, and 
cake turner, 
All this, with about 651bs. of food, will weigh about 651bs. 
for each person to carry, which can be done all right if you 
take your time to it. Of course, if you will be near a base of 
supplies the grub can be cut down; but we always go so that 
farmhouses or hotels can be let alone, and so that we can stay 
our time out without trips back for supplies. 
A boat is unnecessary at that lime of year unless you have 
a guide to carry it, or want it for the purpose our New York 
friend did — waiting in it with lasso and pitchfork. But 
don't do this. Talie right to the woods. Tramp all day. 
Get lost a few times. Let the rain spoil your food or the 
squirrels and birds steal it. Get bitten with punkies. And 
last, get over it all, and you will enjoy woods life as well as 
the writer, who only wishes his two weeks were two months 
to spend with rod and gun. S. P. M Tasker, ,Jr. 
Fox Trapping. 
ScHUTLERVXDLE, N. Y. — ^I havc taken your paper for ten 
years or mere, and have read the same chestnuts a hundred 
times, and have been on the lookout for an article on fox 
trapping. Your paper has published points on poisoning 
foxes. Our country is fuU of foxes, and nobody kills any. 
On page 207, your issue of March 13 tells that they trap 
them in Maine. Now how do they do it? C. E. B. 
[Use a No. 3 Newhouse trap, which is known as the fox 
trap, and follow these directions taken from the "Trapper's 
Guide": 
"To prevent the smell of iron from alarming the game, 
the trap should be thoroughly smeared with blood, which 
can be done by holding it under the neck of some bleeding 
animal and allowing it to dry. Or, for the same purpose, it 
may be heated and covered with beeswax, which at the prop- 
er temperature will readily run all over the trap and chain. 
It should be set near the haunts of the fox. A bed of ashes> 
chaff, or light earth should conceal the trap, and it should 
be fastenad to a movable clog of 6 or 81 bs. weight, as di- 
rected on page 18. Wool, moss, leaves, or some other soft 
substance should be packed lightly under the pan and around 
the jaws. The surface of the earth in the neighborhood of 
the trap should be brushed with a quill or bush, so that all 
will seem natural. Scraps or small pieces of fried meat 
rolled in honey should be scattered over the bed of the trap, 
except where the pan is. Care should be taked to erase all 
footprints. 
"Another method practiced by woodsmen is to set the trap 
in a spring that does not freeze over in winter, placing it 
about iin. under water, and covering the space xvithin the 
jaws with a piece of moss that rises above the water. A bait 
of meat should be placed in such a position that the fox, iu 
taking it, will be likely to put his foot on the moss to prevent 
wetting it. The essence of the skunk is sometimes used in 
this case in connection with the bait with good effect; but 
most trappers prefer the preparation in alcohol above men- 
tioned. 
"Another good way is to obtain from the kennel of some 
tame fox (if such can be found) a few quarts of loose earth 
taken from the place where the animal is accustomed to uri 
nate. Set your trap in this material, and bait and smooth the 
bed as before. The fox, cunning as he is, is not proof 
against such attractions."] 
Alabama Association. 
Secretasv .J. H. Allen is sending out copies of the Ala- 
bama Game and Fish Protective Association's Constitution 
and By-Laws, with this note of invitation to join its ranks : 
"It has no doubt long been apparent to you that a healthy 
public sentiment must be aroused in opposition to the whole- 
sale slaughter of fish, game and song birds, or in a short time 
none will be left. If adequate Slate laws are enacted for the 
proper protection of our birds, mammals and fish, there will 
be enough for all to have some, and still have plenty for 
propagation. 
"In a great many counties in this State there are local 
game laws, but in most instances they are inadequate and 
observed only in the breach. A majority of the States have 
State game laws, some of which are very rigid, and as a con- 
sequence game and flsh are plentiful there. 
"If we protect the flsh, the United States Government 
will stock all our sti-eams with an abundance of the finest 
fish, and if we protect the game, the natural increase will 
always give us enough for aU our legitimate needs. There- 
fore if you have not already done so, send your name and 
$3 to the secretary, who will receipt you and enroll your 
jQame on the list of members. 
"This done, use your influence among the huntsmen and 
fishermen in your neighborhood to induce them to be 
moderate and reasonable in the quantity of game and fish 
taken, and also prevent the destruction of young, or females 
with young. J. H. Allen, Sec'y and Treas." 
Indiana Quail. 
Fremont, Ind., March 34. — Quail were more plentiful here 
last season than they have been for many years; the winter 
has been favorable" for them, and we can expect to have a 
good supply for next November. We know of several 
coveys that were not disturbed last season and have wintered 
well. All other game is scarce here. Going out for an occa- 
sional day's romp with Roy Rodney and my little Holenbeck, 
my score for 1896 was 183 quail, 46 woodcock and 10 par- 
tridges. Mc. 
