S26 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Sept, 18, 1897. 
Tlie highway runs along one side of this beautiful chest- 
nut -woods, and on the other side of the road is a sloping 
hillside overgrown with scrub oak and an occasional dwarf 
pine. Turning a bend in the highway we saw, at a consid- 
erable distance, the old farmer who owned the posted land 
coming toward us with a y«ke of oxen and a wagon. He 
was described to me as a cantankerous old man, who found 
no pleasure in life, or if qualified pleasure he found at all, it 
was in trying to make others as unhappy as he could. 
Charley said I had better keep along in the road, and 
while the hillside was rather an unpromisicg place for birds, 
that he and Erford would take the dogs and work it out, 
and that if they started any birds which they failed to get, 
I might get a shot as they crossed the road to the woods. 
Soon after they left me I saw the farpier, and accosted 
him with: "A pleasant afternoon, sir!" 
"Wa-al, pleasant or not pleasant, I don't want you buntin' 
on my land. See them signs?" 
"Why, my dear sir, you have a most excellent piece of 
woods there, and I would not think of harming it by walk- 
ing through it," was my reply as 1 walked along. 
Some little distance beyond the timber growth terminated 
in an open pasture, and turning round to see what had be- 
come of the farmer and his team, I saw them turning into 
the woods. As 1 turned about to pursue my way, I noticed 
an apple tree in the pasture not far from the woods, and 
instantly a partridge took flight from under it. As quick as 
thought I covered him and fired in the line of his flight; but 
seeing no bird fall, nor a single feather fluttering down the 
wind, concluded that I had scored a clean miss. 
Breaking open my gun to replace the shell fired, judge of 
my surprise to see four more take wing and plunge into the 
cover before I could complete the act. Not an unusual ex- 
perience to be sure, but mighty exasperating. 
Soon the boys were at my side inquiring what I had shot 
,at. Being told the story, Erford volunteered to go back 
and importune the farmer to let them and their guest put in 
a few hours in his woods. In the meantime Charley and 1 
were to try and get some of the birds while negotiations 
were pending, even if driven off later, which it was thought 
we certainly should be. 
We had not been long in the cover before Charley's dog 
pointed, and a plump bird fell to his gun, and but a short 
time thereafter I added another to my score. 
We soon encountered Erford and the farmer, who finally 
gave his consent, much to their surprise, as they said later. 
Night came, and we returned to Dresser HUl after a day of 
rare enjoyment and success. 
The following Christmas, our former friend and his vnfe 
were importuned to visit a married daughter in a city some 
little distance away, and the young people of the household 
took advantage of their absence to have a Christmas party 
of the young people of the town at the old homestead. 
After the Virginia Keel, money musk, apples, cider, and 
pumpkin pie, stories and good natured banter was the order 
during intermission, 
"Well, Charley," said the farmer's son, "who is your 
friend from Worcester shooting partridges for now?" 
"What do you mean?" said Charley. 
"Why, don't you remember the day that Erford got 
father to let you fellows shoot up in the Chestnut woods? 
Weil, just before Erford got up to father, your friend shot 
a partridge, that came tumbling down through the treetops 
and fell at his feet. He picked it up and put it in his pocket 
and thought he might get another, and so he let you fellows 
go on and hunt!" Gko. McAlber. 
WoHCESTER, Mass. 
NEW JERSEY SEASONS. 
,Jeese¥ City, N. J., Sept. 7. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Gov. 'Griggs, who is a fine shot both with rifle and scatter 
• gun, and a good, all-round sportsman, recently delivered a 
very able address before the Bar Association on Legislation 
and Legislators, in which he scored the bucolic law makers 
severely, but very, very Justly, we think. 
What is the matter with our sportsmen of this State that 
they should allow the present game law to remain on the 
statute book for two years? The laws make the open sea- 
son for snipe March and April, when the birds are mating 
or traveling north; then September, when there isn't any in 
all the State; then closed for the remainder of the year. 
And the squirrel law, how abominable is that? Open 
September, then closed until Nov. 10. In September the 
rodents are only half grown, and in November they are in 
their holes, most of them. A friend of mine, an ardent ' 
sportsman, a good brush shot and a believer in good game 
laws, thought he would try the bushy tails for one day in 
Jersey. He started the first day of the season, Sept. 1, but 
he says he will never again draw a gun on a equirrel in 
Jersey in September, or at least not until the latter part of 
the month. He brought to bag five grays, all females and 
all in milk. Upon shooting into a nest, a little fellow 
dropped out whose eyes were not yet open ; and he heard 
another one squealing in the nest. It was early in the day, 
but he shouldered his gun and came home, a sad and re- 
pentant sportsman. 
This may be an exceptional year, when squirrels are so 
late in maturing; but, in the name of all that is rattoaal, 
why make October a close month — the very month of all 
months of the year dear to sportsmen? The squirrels are 
lipe, so are the nuts, and the nimble creatures are bounding 
from limb to limb, laying in their winter stock. They are 
in their prime and delicious in broil or pie. It may be ad- 
visable to close this glorious month of crimson and gold for 
quail and hare, but nothing else. 
"We don't like (and have often said so in your paper) the 
open season for woodcock in July, those hot, sultry days, 
when the swamps are reeking with malaria, and lively with 
snakes and Jersey's billions of blood-sucking mosquitoes. 
But we know of one man, a resident of Monclair, who 
watches most intently the Trenton law-makers every year in 
order to prevent the passage of any law that will stop his 
few days at the longbdls in July. It is but a short distance 
from his house to their breeding places, and he claims that 
unless he gets a crack at them at that time, he gets none the 
whole year, as they are not found near hia domicile in the 
fall ; and yet he claims to be a consistent sportsman. 
Why, one October woodcock is worth a half dozen of the 
tender, half-grown squealers of July, and it takes one of 
quick eye and steady nerve to stop one as with shrill whistle 
he towers above the scarlet maple or twists around the 
golden-hued oak copse. With what satisfaction a true 
sportsman gathers such a bird; and as he smoothes down its 
full-plumaged breast, and with the eye of experience weighs 
it in hia hand, ere he consigns it to ms game pocket, he says 
to himself: "I am not ashamed of that Bhot or ita result." 
How different in July. He goes out with his 10-gauge or 
12 even, and with loz. of No. 12 or mustard seed shot lets 
drive at the little weakling through the thick leaves 
in the direction he last saw it, and then lets the dog do the 
rest. What kind of a show does the bird have ? And if 
Mr. Sportsman stays out in the swamp all day, with the mos- 
quitoes and flies and the heat, what condition is be or his 
dog in at the end of the day? Perchance half of his young 
birds have spoilt in his game pockets to be thrown away. 
But he had great sport. Bah ! 
I see that the State Sportsmen's Association has opened its 
eyes recently from its long sleep, and it proposes not only to 
have a big tournament the latter part of this month, but to 
take some active measures in regard to the protection of 
game. That is supposed to be the object of the Association, 
at least that is part of its name ; but in years back, like the 
same body of men in New York State, has run more to 
shoots at the traps and a good time than bothering with game 
laws. 1 hope the Sportsmen's Association of Jersey in their 
conclave, will seriously consider the sad condition of the laws 
in this State, and give us something sensible and worthy the 
men of brain as well as nerve, who we know are prominent in 
that body. I wonder that some of your able writers have not 
had something long ere this to say in this matter of vital in- 
terest to Sportsman; and I hope this hasty note may stir 
them up, though I know that I tread on the corns of some of 
the July and spring shooters. Jacobstaff. 
THE BRANDRETH PRESERVE. 
New York, Sept. 2. — Editor Forest and Stream: I have 
received, but only recently, a letter from you dated May 32, 
mentioning your proposed fourth annual ripport on American 
game preserves, and asking information concerning my pri- 
vate park, with special reference to the fish and game. 
Complying with your request, I will say that I have 
strictly preserved about 30,000 acres of land in Townships 
5 and 6, of Totten & Crossfleld's purchase, Hamilton county, 
N. Y., which is situated on Lake Mohegan, Lake Sumner 
(now Lake Tuscarora) and Lake Shedd (now Lake Saga- 
more), and some fifteen to twenty miles of brook trout 
streams. For five or six years past I have stocked two of 
these lakes with brook trout and lake trout; and two or 
three years ago put in 4,000 or 5,000 landlocked salmon, and 
a few frost fish taken out of an adjacent lake. 
I have fine mesh, heavy wire screen nettings across the 
outlets of Sumner Lake and Shedd Lake, and Lake Mohegan, 
which .preclude the egress and ingress of fish. 
I find that in Lake Mohegan the brook trout fishing is 
improved, and this summer, f©r the first time, landlocked 
salmon have been caught, one, I believe, weighing about 
21b8. 
I find that the brook trout fishing in Shedd Lake and the 
outlet has become very much belter the last year, notwith- 
standing the fact that this lake has black bass in it. The 
past spring over eighty black bass, some of them weighing 
2iand31bs., were caught in Shedd Lake one morning. I 
have so far failed to ascertain whether the frostfigh have in- 
creased or not. 
I permit no illegal fishing in my preserve, and I limit the 
catch of any one person to twenty -five fish, 
Kegarding the increase of the deer, I can speak with 
authority, and say that since I have preserved this property 
the deer have increased very materially. On one of these 
lakes as many as thirty-one deer during the early part of 
July have been seen at onetime; and at Shedd Lake the deer 
go down close to the camp and eat up the beet tops and car- 
rots out of the garden. In fact, I do not think there has 
been a single day this past summer that one or more deer 
have not been seen on the carries between the lakes I men- 
tion, and frequently many more than that number. 
I do not see any difference in the partridges ; there are some 
seasons when they seem to be more plentiful, and others 
when they are scarce. 
It is impossible to give anything like an estimate of the 
deer on my property about Shedd and Sumner lakes. All I 
can say is.'that 1 do not believe there is a spot in the Adiron- 
dacks where there are as many to the acre as on my pre- 
serve, 
I have noticed a decrease in the bear signs, and no panther 
track or wolf track has been seen in years in my neighbor- 
hood, W, West Durant. 
TEXAS AND THE SOUTWEST. 
Hebetopoke the writer from Texas has bragged about 
the game, gone into ecstacies anent the fishing, and has gen- 
eralized about the health-giving ozone. But this year your 
correspondent desires to call the attention of the sports- 
men's world to the market- hunter-tight game law which is 
now in full force and eifect. To be sure, there is a lot of 
kicking going on, because the law prohibits the shipment, 
handling or carrying of game, not only out of, but within 
the State, and the man who hunts solely for big bags will 
find his occupation gone, for he can't take hia game with 
him. This will necessarily confine game- killers to the appe- 
tites of their party, and thus will people be gradually brought 
to the realization that an outing can be enjoyed without the 
wholesale killing. It was intended to prohibit the shipment 
of ducks and geese, as well as other game, but the proprietor 
of the Moody- Can vasback rice culture preserve in Galveston 
spent a few bones, and had the ducks and geeee excepted 
from the law, so that the anglomaniac epicure of Boston 
and New York can again regale himself with the toothsome 
canvasback and the succulent redhead that will be shipped 
from Lake Surprise every week. 
MonfTollan Pheasants. 
Messrs. Albert and Ed Steves, Gus Critzer, of San 
Antonio; Wagenfuehr and Simons, of New Braunfels, 
together have about 100 Mongolian or Chinese pheasants 
which will be turned loose in the spring. The birds are pro- 
tected for five years and the coming crop will add largely to 
the game supply of this country. 
Capt. Dick Woods, who, with Col. Sam Allen, owns St. 
Joseph Island, say that the quail are fairly taking the island. 
These gentlemen are of the open hearted species, and invite 
sportsmen to their choice preserve. 
All along the line of the Aransas Pass Bail way quail are 
more plentiful than for years. At Alice, on the Skidmore 
branch of this road, deer are very plentiful, and at Mathis, 
on the Nueces River, turkey abound. Erom the car window 
one can see 100 jackrabbits at a glance. The country seems 
to be fairly alive with game of all kinds. 
The Beeville people also report a large crop of deer, tur- 
key, quail and other game. Likewise there is splendid fish- 
ing in the ftesh-water streams of the neighborhood. 
Every trap shot of this country knows Mr. C. Tiblier, of 
San Diego, Tex., not only on account of his excellent marks- 
manship, but also on account of that barn-door largesse of the 
heart which is not common in this world. He lives in San 
Diego, and told the writer that game is very plentiful in his 
bailiwick. ' ■ 
Max Luther, of Corpus Christi, wants the shooting world 
to know that the wildfowl shooting on Mustang Island will 
be the best ever known this winter. He knows several fresh 
water ponds on the island which are the watering places of 
thousands of ducks and geese, 
A Good Shot. 
Before the toot of the locomotive was heard in San An- 
tonio, there lived a man bv the name of Stouts, whose people 
were not distinguished bv reason of the presence of their 
names on the tax rolls of San Antonio de Bexar ; but who, 
on the contrary, enjoyed a kind of a river bank notoriety. 
They were lazy, and flsherm'=n of the long cane pole variety, 
and whose members daily enjoyed a sleepy sojourn on the 
San Antonio River in quest of bass. One day one of the 
longest, biegest footed representatives of that angling aggre- 
gation hied himself to the muddy bank, and swishing a long 
Japanese bamboo through the foliage of an overhanging pe- 
can tree, managed to plunk his live minnow in the middle 
of the stream, Falhng backward from the (Sort, this deni^ 
zen basked in the sunshine for hours, his legs in the water 
until the great toe of one foot only was visible from the op- 
posite bank, his body, too, being hidden from view by the 
flag that grew on the shore. 
It seems that a lot of young ladies, late in the afternoon, 
came on Ihe opposite side. They were armed with a small- 
caliber rifle and up-to date ammunition, and they were look- 
ing for turtles. They saw some, fired at them, and then the 
great toe of our individual was seen to wiggle in the gloam- 
ing, and thinking it was a turtle the youthful sportswomen 
took a few shots at it. For a while all went well with the 
sleeping hobo, save the occasional plunk of a small-caliber 
bubet in the water, which he mistook for the gulp of a fish* 
But then all things have an end. So did our hobo's sleep. 
A bullet better directed than the others perforated the great 
toe thereof, and then there came a commotion such as had 
not been heard on the banks of the placid San Antonio since 
.Jim Bowie put a bullet in Santa Anna's wooden leg. With 
a roar the owner of the perforated toe fled incontinently. 
A suit followed, which was promptly hushed by the lady 
marksman's papa with a handful of shining shekels. 
Texas Field. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
More Distinguished Sooners. 
Chicago, 111., Sept. 4 — ^We are getting them on the lists. 
In addition to the distinguished sooners last week mentioned 
as having been brought to book for violations of the law, I 
have this week to add the name of Mr Lee Mitchell, of 
Noble, 111., who was on Aug. 28 fined $100 and costs for 
shipping quail and prairie chicKens out of the State, his 
shipments being made to Cincinnati, There are two very 
interesting features attached to Ibis case. The first is that 
this arrest was the first one ever made in Richland county 
that was followed by a conviction, although there have been 
more than 1,000 chickens shipped out of the town of Noble 
alone already this season. The second and especially notice- 
able fact is, that Mr. Lee Mitchell is no less a personage than 
a Justice of the Peace, and therefore sworn to enforce and 
uphold the laws of the State which is unfortunate enough to 
claim him as a citizen. What his offenses in the past may 
have been we may leave to the imagination of the reader. 
His final conviction of willful violation of the law is due to 
the effective work of deputy warden J. E, Slocum, who has 
been at work also around Fairfield, m Wayne county. 
Warden Slocum has secured twenty-nine different convic- 
tions during his short season this summer, and he has about 
broken up the soonerism of the very soon community which 
lives in Wayne and Richland counties. Justice Mitchell was. 
tried before Justice Gunn, at Olney, 111., who soaked him. 
$10 for each bird. This is the kind of a repeating Gunn to- 
have. 
So now we have a sheriff, a justice of the peace and & 
would-be warden, all within two weeks tried and convicted 
for breaking the laws which they are supposed to enforce. 
Justice Mitchell, this is Sheriff Johnson, of Peoria. I am 
glad to make you acquainted. Gentlemen, allow me to in- 
troduce to you both Dr. Hedderly, of Minneapolis, somewhat 
of your sort, though he was not quite appointed game war- 
den. I hope you will like the place. 
Word to the Wise. 
Mr. John G, Smith, many terms president of the Iowa 
State Sportsmen's Association, gives the following little in- 
stances of the "Word to the Wise"; 
"One man that I had out caught a fellow shooting prairie 
chickens. He paid well for his sport, and has concluded 
that he will let the chickens alone till after Sept. 1 W. W. 
Titus is at Whittemore, in this county, with his dogs. He 
sent me word that some fellows from that town were after 
the chickens, but that he could not catch them. I dropped 
him a card to let him know that I would have two men 
there to look after the boys. Mr. Titus lost the card, some" 
one found it, as hunting ceased at once. I saw Mr, Titus 
yesterday, and he told me that he was satisfied that no more 
shooting would be done in August," 
Work of Illinois Warden. 
Warden Loveday tells me that he has at date appointed 
244 deputies in different parts of the State, and that durin;j 
this week alone these deputies have turned in, from various 
sections of the State, reports of eighty-one convictions; this 
summary covering not over 20 per cent, of the entire force 
of deputies, most of whom are yet to be heard from. War- 
den Loveday has seized thirty dozen illegal chickens in Chi- 
cago and four dozen illegal woodcock. He got nineteen 
dozen illegal chickens this week on South Water street, and 
got evidence against a restaurant man who was caught sell- 
ing chicken out of season. This man he does not yet want 
mentioned, as he is going after him again a little bit harder. 
He has, best of all this news, secured a case against a South 
Water street firm— O. P. Emerson & Co.— the trial to come 
up Tuesday, Sept. 7, before Justice Prindiville. Mr. Love- 
day tells me that he finds the game dealers receive illicit 
game nicely done up in butter firkins and shipped as "Fresh 
Country Butter," the packages coming in with clean cheese- 
cloth sticking obtrusively out from under the edge of the 
flrMn, just as though it were butter and not birds. 
