FORfi^T AND STREAM. 
For More Varied Styles of Shooting. 
M''hen the tournament committee of the Interstate Association 
recommended at a general meeting of the Association that clubs 
holding tournaments under the auspices of the Association should 
be urged to vary their programmes, it took a big stride in the 
right direction. We have always held that the rapid-firing sys- 
tem, known or unknown angles, was too mechanical and too 
monotonous: there is something artificial about target shooting 
anyway, and we felt that something ought to be done to make 
it conform as nearly as possible to field shooting, accustoming a 
man to keep his eyes open and his head clear and cool. 
The two styles of shooting that in our opinion come tht- near- 
est to perfection in this respect are (1) expert rules, 5 unknown 
traps, known (or unknown) angles, one man up, the five traps to 
be emptied before retiring; (2) the Novelty rule, a system that 
calls for 8 unknown traps, regular angles, rapid-firing system. 
The recommendation of the tournament committee specially men- 
tioned the above two styles of shooting, and we trust that the 
clubs under whose auspices the Interstate Association holds its 
tournaments this season will see fit to adopt the recommenda- 
tion and include a few events at these styles of shooting on each 
day of its tournament. 
Business before Pleastire. 
Expert rules, one man up, is "the way we used to shoot," as 
old-timers would say. And that's a fact. It's a fact also that there 
was just as much fun at the old-time shoots, and more sociability, 
than there is nowadays at an up-to-date tournament, all unknown 
angles, rapid-fire, where the club is trying to .see how many tar- 
gets it can throw in a day, and where each shooter is apparently 
trying to see how many shells he can get rid of, and how much 
money he is "ahead of the game." 
Sociability has but a slight show at modern tournaments. You've 
no time for "visiting," and conversation on a business basis is 
out of the question, if the squad hustler is properly po.sted and 
acts up to his title. The daily programme calls for 170 targets, 
$17 entrance for all day, and by the time night comes, what witli 
extras, you've fired 200 shells away and are as tired as a dog that's 
been out himting all day. You're in no mood for a business talk, 
and even "social intercourse" (something that's generally men- 
tioned in article 2 of every gun club's constitution) becomes a 
bore. A supper, a smoke and your bed is about all you want, 
as you must get fit for to-morrow's siege at the traps. The above 
is our view of the modern tournament, and we have been present at 
very many of late years. If ow view is incorrect, we shall be 
only too happy to own up if the majority is against us. 
Unknown Angles are Monotonous. 
Again, take unknown angles. Why is it that ihere are so few 
spectators at target tournaments? Answering that query by put- 
ting another, we would say: "Is there anything much more mo- 
notonous than to watch squad after squad going to the score 
and breaking S5 to 95 per cent, of targets thrown at that style 
of shooting?" Every spectator who can handle a gun at all, and 
even the veriest novice, watches for a while and then sits down or 
goes away. We all know how easy it looks to break them all 
when it is not ourselves who are handling the guns. There goes 
the target, and it's dead easy. Once seen, no one, except those 
bitten with the fever, cares to come again and look on. 
Take the shooters themselves, ilow many of them ("the regu- 
lars" are here referred to) sit and watch squad after squad break- 
ing the targets? All they do is to inquire after a squad has fin- 
ished: "How many straights in that squad?" That's the inter- 
est nowadays. But let an event be imder "expert rules, ope man 
up." How different! 
In this connection let us refer to the tournament of the Balti- 
more Shooting Association, held last October. On the afternoon 
of the last day for target shooting it was raining quite hard, and 
was fast growing dark, yet all the shooters entered an expert rule 
race as an extra, and also shot a race at traps pulled in reverse 
order. More interest was excited by these two events than by 
all the unknown-angle events shot during the day. Experts, 
semi-experts and novices, all gathered under the roof that covered 
the score and watched each man go up to the score, stand in 
front of No. 3 trap, and pound awaj' at the 5 targets dealt out to 
him by the indicator. And when it came to 'reversed order" 
there was just the same interest taken in the shooting. 
The Novelty Rule was Popular. 
Going back to the novelty rule. Five years ago the Interstate 
Association introduced this rule at its tournaments, and it be- 
came quite popular. It was a sporting style of shooting, and there- 
fore it suited the shooters, and was approved by the spectators. 
But gun clubs soon began to frov.n on it; you couldn't throw 
as many targets in one day under that style of shooting as under 
the ordinary unknown-angle system. Fewer targets per day 
meant just so much less money in the treasury, and therefore 
the novelty rule was finally tabooed. 
■The conditions under which it was shot were also popular. E.x- 
perts were handicapped at 18yds.; semi-experts at 16yds., and 
novices were moved up to 14yds. Behind the screen were the 
five traps set in regular order. Out in the field, 35yds. 
from the screen, were three smaller screens, one in front of No. 
1 trap, another in front of No. 3 and the third in front of No. 5 
trap. The one in front of No. 1 trap threw a right-quartering 
incomer; the one in front of No. 5 a left-quartering incomer, while 
the one in front of No. 3 threw a direct incomer. Thus there 
were eight imknown traps, and you were liable to get any one 
of them. With Ben O. Bush's pull, specitdly designed for this 
style of shooting, there was no telling whether you were going to 
get a "pudding" — that is, an incomer — or a "corker" — that is, 
No. 1 wiien you were in front of No. 5. How severe this style 
of shooting was at first may be gathered from the fact that at the 
Altoona, Pa., Gun Club's first annual totirnament at Wopsonon- 
ock, there were only two "10 straights" made on the first day, 
A novice made one, and W. M. C. Jones, of Pittsburg, Pa., 
a semi-expert, made the other! 
Tbe Clubs, want to throw Targets. 
The cause of the apparent loss of popularity of both the above 
styles of shooting was solely due to the desire of clubs and club 
managers to throw lots of targets and thus help out the treasury. 
The wish to attract large attendance by means of big sums of 
added money had a great deal to do with it. And mayliap the 
ammunition and target manufacturing concerns were not unwilling 
that many targets should be thrown and consequently much am- 
munition burned up. The move therefore on the part of the In- 
terstate Association, a bodj' composed solely of manufacturers of 
and dealers in just the very articles used at totirnaments, is de- 
cidedly significant. The Association wants to popularize trap- 
shooting, and it realizes that a varied programme will do it when 
nothing else can. 
The other move of the Association— that of^ barring; out itself 
and its employees from taking part in the divisions of the moneys 
at these tournaments — was a very thoughtful one, and is directly 
in line with that which recommends a varied programme. At 
the coming Interstate tournaments the rank and file will be on 
an equality when it comes to expert rule and novelty rule events, 
while the experts themselves, the men who have or who may have 
had experience at these styles of shootinf. are barred from com- 
peting against those who have had no such previous experience 
The review of the Interstate Association's season for 1898 will 
be of much additional interest when it is published next fall. Its 
figures will be scanned with a great deal ol care, for we believe- 
that from these figures much can be deduced that will foretell 
the future of trap-shooting. The Association is trying one ex- 
periment — that of barring the trade — and is anxious that the clubs 
imder whose auspices it purposes holding tournaments this sea- 
son shall try another: that of varying the programme by intro- 
ducing events at expert rules and under the novelty rule. It 
now remains for tlie clubs to decide whether they will help the 
Association or not. 
A Compass in a Gun Stock. 
Dundee, Ont., Jan. 28. — One day recently I was out in a large 
swamp and a very heavy snowstorm commenced. I had to look 
at my compass very frequently, and of course each time I had to 
stop and take it out of my pocket. This was losing time, and in 
addition my Viands were very cold. I thought then that it would 
be a good plan to have it fixed in the stock; it would always be 
with a man when he wanted it, and would be easily seen. If 
the idea is worth anything you might give it publicity in your 
paper. W. F. Mooke. 
(Note. — A compass could be readily fixed in the stock of any 
gun, and if countersunk would scarcely be liable to injury by 
breakage of the glass. With a rubber butt plate, the compass 
could be placed on the outside of the stock near that butt with- 
out any danger of attraction from the metal of the locks or bar- 
rel.-Ed.) 
Trap Around Buffalo. 
Audubon Gun Club. 
Buffalo, N. Y., Jan. 29. — Below are the scores made to-day by 
members of the Audubon Gun Club at the club's regular weekly 
shoot. Event No. 3 was the regular club badge shoot; in this 
event H. C. Heinold won in Class A, George Zoeller in Class B, 
and Dr. Fred Sauer in Class C. No. 4 was the shoot for the 
monthly cup. In this event B. Talsma won with 25 out of 28, 
this event being a liandicap. No. 5 was at 5 pairs. Scores: 
Events: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Events: 1 2 3 4 5 6 
Targets: 15 15 25 25 10 15 Targets: 15 15 25 25 10 15 
A Heinold 10 12 24 24 S 9 Tacobs 15 12 14 22 . . .. 
E Burkhardt . . 11 11 21 20 . . . . R H Hebard.... 7 6 14 17 5 .. 
Gebhardt 7 .. 10 20 .. .. Porter 16 15 4 .. 
Storey 9 10 14 19 4 .. H Kirkover 17 23 7 .. 
Fanning 14 14 20 23 7 .. B Talsma 20 25 . . . . 
J J Reid 9 10 14 20 6 .. G McyVrthur 10 14 22 .. .. 
G Biukhardt ... 15 12 21 20 8 11 G O Miller 12 21 .. .. 
L Norris 9 21 20 7 .. T Roesch 14 15 4 .. 
C Oehmig 7 9 19 20 .. ., "D Kerew 8 21 .. 7 
G Zoeller 12 13 23 20 .. .. E Hammond ..11 8 .. 19 .. .. 
P G Myers .... 3 2 14 19 ... . E \V Smith .... 12 11 . . 22 . . . . 
J T Chabot .... 5 4 10 15 .. .. H Middaugh 20 .. .. 
Dr Sauer 10 6 16 20 ... . W R Eaton 5 . . 
F J Shuler .... 7 3 15 10 ... . 
Bison Gun Club. 
Feb. 3. — Considering the blizzai'd which was raging to-day, 
in East Buffalo, there were some remarkably good scores made at 
the regular weekly shoot of the Bison Gun Club, Walden avenue 
and City Eine. In the badge shoot liaunian and Mack tied in 
Class A; Saleman won in Class E, and Schreier in Class C. 
On Thursday, Feb. 10, there will be an all-day shoot at sparrows 
and targets, shooting beginning at 10 A. M. sharp. 
To-day's scores were: 
Events: 1 2 Events: 1 2 
Targets: 10 25 Targets: 10 25 
Bauman 8 17 Mack 7 18 
Danser 7 16 .Saleman 9 19 
E C Burkhardt 7 16 Schreier 6 13 
Cooper 8 15 
Fifteen sparrows, 25vds. rise: 
Mack 120222211111022—13 Bauman 100121021222011—11 
E C B 110121202210212—12 Cooper 021112110121021—12 
Saleman 011221121221201—13 Mack, Sec'y. 
Boston Gun Club. 
Boston, Mass., Feb. 2. — Boston's blizzard of Feb. 1 was too 
severe to admit of much trap-shooting on the day following. 
With trains late, wires down, business interrupted and every- 
things at sixes and sevens, people had but little time to devote to 
sport. A few of the regulars, however, put in an appearance 
to-day at Wellington and negotiated the different events regard- 
less of several drawbacks. The weather was very cold, and a 
10-targct event was quite sufficient to make one duly appreciative 
of the warm ckib house. Events as follows; 
Events: 123456789 10 
Targets: 10 10 6 10 5 6 10 10 10 10 
Eastman, 16 7 9 2 8 5 3 9 8 10 10 
Taft, 16 8 9 2 7 5 3 8 8 5 4 
Miskay, 18 8 7 3 6 2 5 10 7 .. 6 
Winters, 18 444653 lO 9 10 8 
Wildman, 16 8 6 
Horace, 16 7 2 8 4 4 9 6 5 .. 
Whiting, 15 4 
Events 1, 2, 4 and 7 known angles; 9 and 10 same, with use of 
both barrels; 5 and 8 unknown; 3 and 6 pairs. 
Merchandise match, 21 targets, 10 known, 5 rmknown, and 3 
pairs, distance handicap: 
Eastman 1111111100—8 11111—5 10 10 01—3—16 
Hor,ace 1111110011—8 10111—4 10 H 10—4—16 
Taft 1101101110—7 11111—5 11 10 00—3—15 
Winters 1100101110—6 11111—5 10 10 10—3—14. 
Miskay 1010110101—6 10001—2 11 11 10—5—13 
Scores in team match, 10 known a.nd 10 unknown per shooter, 
distance handicap: 
Eastman 1111110111— 9 1110110111— 8—17 
Taft lOOlllllU— 8 lllUlOnn— 8—16—33 
Miskav 1111111111—10 1101010111— 7—17 
Horace 1111101111—9 1010101101—6—15—32 
Boston. 
Tlie Amateur Championship at Carteret. 
The amateur championship, held under the auspices of the 
Larchmont Y. C. in past vears, will this year be held at the Car- 
teret Club's grounds. Garden City, L. I., Feb. 22-23. 
The conditions of this contest are: 100 birds, entrance $100, 
post entrance $125, moneys to be divided 40, 25, 15, 10 per cent., 
and 10 per cent, to the club, all shooters to stand at 30yds. On 
each day each contestant will be allowed one bye bird. In case 
there be fourteen or more entries the following rules shall apply: 
1. The shooter who misses 10 birds by the time the 50th round 
is finished, and thereby becomes tenth in place or lower, shall 
drop out without privilege of re-entry. 
2. The shooter who misses 16 birds by the time the 75th round 
is finished, and thereby becomes eighth in place or lower, shall 
drop out without privilege of re-entry. 
3. From the 75th round up to the finLsh, the referee shall re- 
tire (with privilege) those shooters who in his opinion have no 
chance of sharing in the moneys. 
The Clarence H. Mackay cup, value $200, will be presented by the 
club to the winner of the championship. Entries to be sent on or 
before Feb. 14, each to be accompanied by $25 forfeit money, to 
'Walter H. Mead, secretary of the Carteret Gun Club, 67 Wall 
street, New York. The executive committee of the club reserves 
to itself the right of refusing entries. 
Cobweb Gun Club. 
New YoTtK, Feb. 3. — Daniel Brady and Charles Zorn tied to- 
day in both the events shot at the Baychester grounds, this 
being the regular monthly shoot of the Cobweb Gun C'lub. Event 
No. 2 was a 10-bird match; No. 1 was the club shoot and Pentz 
medal match combined. The conditions of this contest are: All 
to stand at 30yds. rise, entrance fee $10, open to all members of 
the Cobweb Gtin Chib only: 
No. 1. No. 2. 
D Brady 2*12211222—9 0012121121—8 
C Zorn 2112202112—9 1201201212—8 
J Regan OlOOOw 
H Muller 22122*1200-7 
G Thompson 01*2210010—5 
Sweepstakes, $5, high gun: D. Brady 3, C. Zorn 2, H. Muller 1. 
Trap at Sidell, 111. 
Stdkli,, 111., Jan, 28. — ^Below are some scores that were made 
here to-day. We hold shoots every two weeks during the season. 
Scores: 
No. 1, 10 targets, unknown traps, known angles; Sconce 10, 
Jackson 10, Mitchell 9, Gray 9, Walls 8, More 7, Carson 6. 
No. 1. No. 2. 
Mitchell ...111011111011110—12 1111101101111111111110011-21 
Gray 111111111101110-13 1111001011011110011111111—19 
Sconce lUf 11111011111— 14 1111111111111111111111111—25 
Jackson 111111111111111—15 1111111011111110111111111—23 
More 111110111010111—12 0111011101111111111111111—22 
Carson .101101110101011—10 11111111111111 1001 0110000— IS 
H. J. Sconce. 
Sumpter and Clements for the Arkansas Championship. 
Pine Bluff, Ark., Jan. 27. — John J. Sumpter, Jr., of Hot 
Springs, and Geo. Clements, of Pine Bluff, shot a 50-target race 
here to-day for the diamond" watch charm emblematic of the in- 
dividual championship of the State at targets. The targets were 
ialuerocks thrown from a magautrap, and neither of the shooters 
could locate them to any extent until Sumpter hit his gait in 
the shoot-off. Scores were: 
Clements 10111111111111101011011101010001111111111110011111—39 
Snmpter lllllOOllOllOOlllllllllllllOlllOllOlOlOHlHllOlll— 39 
Shoot-off: 
CI em en t s 1101111111111 1 1 0111100110—20 
Sum pter 1111111111111111111110111—24 
JL. ]. 
The Effectiveness of Small Charges, 
In recent issues of the London Field there have appeared some 
articles and commtinications on the effectiveness of small charges. 
One of these letters reads as follows: "Apropos of guns and loads, 
I believe if Sir F. Milbank was asked what charge he used when 
he killed 364 brace of grouse in one day, and 85 brace in one 
drive, he would tell you 2%drs. %oz. in a 12." , 
Acting ori the above suggestion, tlie editor of the London Field 
wrote to Sir Frederick Milbank, receiving the following interest- 
ing reply: 
"Your correspondent is quite right as to the charge I shot with 
on that memorable day's grouse shooting at Wemmergill Moor, 
Aug. 20, 1872, viz., 2%drs. black powder and %oz. of No. 6 shot. 
My three guns were 12-bore pinfire, by Westley-Richards. 
"All the three guns I used in the great drive, in which I killed 
95 brace of grouse, were so hot that on laying two of them down 
on a mossy wet bank close to the 'stand,' it made it 'smoke.' It 
must, however, be remembered that the drive lasted only twenty- 
three minutes. It may be asked how I know this? It was in this 
way: At the very first shot I had, the hammer of niy gun caught 
the watch chain, which drew the watch out of my pocket, and I 
then saw the time; and after my last shot I purposely took the 
time, as I then knew what an extraordinary drive I had had. I 
think you will say it was sufficient to make guns hot! For the 
last five or six minutes I was obliged to shoot from the 'trigger 
guard,' owing to the heat of the barrels. 
"I have to ask, would some of the new powders we read of 
have stood this heat without exploding? It may be the whoIe_ 
firing was so extraordinarily quick, from the first shot to the 
last, that there was no time for the heat to get through the car- 
tridge case. 
"Owing to the death (ten days ago) of my old keeper Joe Col- 
linson, who had been keeper in the Wemmergill Moors for a 
great number of years (and a better or more respected keeper 
never lived), some of our local papers, in reference to this great 
shoot in 1872, have been led into a few mistakes; and as the 
statement I now give has never been published, I am induced to 
give it to you, viz., during the season of 1872 myself and friends 
killed 17,074 grouse in forty-one days' driving. The number of 
shooters (as taken from my game book) averaged as near as pos- 
sible five per day. The number of birds per day for each shooter 
was eighty-two. I think this is worthy of record as showing what 
a wonderful season 1872 was for grouse. It will be a very long 
time, I fear, before we see such another." 
Trap at Hot Springs. 
Hot Strings, Ark., Jan. 25. — Inclosed herewith I hand you 
scores made to-day on live birds at Whittington Park, the con- 
testants being Gov. John H. Tanner, Springfield, 111.; Col. J. W. 
Gates, president Illinois Steel Co., Chicago; Col. J. L. Elwood, 
De Kalb, 111.; Col. John A. Drake, secretary of Illinois & In- 
diana Railway Co., and Mr. Alfred Clift'ord, of Consolidated 
Steel and Wire Co., St. Louis. Mr. Chas. Macalister, of Balti- 
more, was referee, and John J. Sumpter, Jr., scorer. 
The birds were all good strong flyers, and aided by the wind 
they were all more or less drivers, the wind blowing straight 
away from the shooter. Col. Gates, whose guests the other gen- 
tlemen are wliile in this city, undertook to stand at 31yds. and 
use one barrel, while Gov. Tanner, Col. Elwood and Drake stood 
at 21yds., and Mr. Clifford at 31yds., using both barrels. 
Each shot at 25 pigeons, low man to pay all expenses. Three 
tied for this honor, and the entire race is to be shot over again 
in a few days. Gov. Tanner and the rest of the party seemed 
to greatly enjoy pigeon shooting, and the Governor remarked 
that if he only had the time he would soon learn how to shoot 
well enough to give the regulars a hard race, and from the way 
he shot the first time out he should liave little trouble in doing 
so. The scores: 
Gov Tanner, 21 22*10100020'*0111121000101— 13 
Gates, 31 110001010110100010**00101—10 
Elwood, 21 002001221*1*0002100100100—10 
Drake, 21 2221000100101010000021000—10 
Clifford, 31 02021201011020000011*0211—13 
Sumpter. 
Baltimore Shooting Association. 
Baltimore, Md., Feb. 3. — By killing 15 straight to-day James 
R. Malone won the cup of the Baltimore Shooting Association 
for the third time. This makes a tie for the permanent possession 
of the cup with Charles Macalester. Both have won it three times 
during the past year. It was to become the permanent property 
of the man winning it the most times in twelve monthly shoots. 
Macalester and Malone will probably shoot a race for it. Mac- 
alester is now out of the city, but will return about March 1. 
Should he win it permanently, Malone will probably again donate 
it to the Association. Malone's winning yesterday was full of 
merit. Not only was he in it against some of the crack wing 
shots, but he stood at 31yds., which was the longest mark. The 
scores in the cup shoot were as follows: 
Malone, Slvds., 15; Jamison, 28yds., 12; Collins. 28yds., 9; Sims 
29yds., 11; Michael, 29yds., 8; Howel, 30}'ds., 9; Noah, 27yds., 8. 
After the cup shoot Sims and Collins defeated Brewer and' 
Michael in a 10-bird race, Sims and Collins scoring 15 to the 10 
of the other pair. The individual scores in this event were: 
Brewer 4, Sims 9, Michael 6, Collins 6. There was also a lot of 
practice shooting. Geo. L. Harrison, Sec'y. 
^mwer§ to ^orveB^tondi^nk. 
Ifo notice taken, of anonymons communications. 
M. C. D., Newark, N. J.— Who has an adjustable try-gun (as 
the English call it) in New York? Ans. Von Lengerke & Det- 
mold, 318 Broadway, and J. P. Dannefelser, 9 Chambers street. 
C. S. W., La Salle, 111.— 1. What is the best method for find- 
ing the trigger-pull of a rifle? 2. Are there any rifle clubs in 
Chicago that have shooting matches similar to the one held in 
Madison Square Garden by the Sportsmen's Association? Ans. 
1. Any gunsmilli will test the trigger-pull of your rifle. 2. We 
know of no such club. 
J. B. F., Elizabeth City, N. C— 1. My English setter has dew 
claws; can these be cut off without injury to the dog? The nails 
of these often grow in the flesh, round, on the order of-a hawk's 
bill. 2. Also is it not advisable to cut off say about 2in. of the 
tail where a dog whips it and gets it sore by hunting • in briers 
and thick cover? Ans. 1, Yes. 2. No. 
PUBLISHERS^ DEPARTMENT. 
California. 
PERSONALLY-CONDUCTED TOUR VIA PENNSYLVAtSflA RAILROAD. 
The next Personally-Conducted Tour to California via the Penn- 
sylvania Railroad will leave New York, Philadelphia and Pitts- 
burg by the "Golden Gate Special" on Wednesday, Feb. 16, stop- 
ping at the Great Mammoth Cave and New Orleans during the 
Mardi Gras Carnival. Four weeks will be allowed on the Pacific 
Coast. Returning, stops will be made at Salt Lake City, Colorado 
Springs (Garden of the Gods), Denver, Chicago, etc. Roimd- 
trip rate, including transportation, meals, carriage drives, hotel 
accommodations and Pullman ^accommodations en route, and 
IHillman berth I^os Angeles to San Francisco, and transportation 
in California, $335 from all stations east of Pittsburg; with hotel 
accommodations, meals, transfers and carriage drives through 
California for four weeks, $125 additional. An experienced chaper- 
on will accompany the party for the benefit of the ladj' tourists. 
For itineraries and full information, apply to ticket agents; Tour- 
ist Agent, 1196 Broadway, New York; or address Geo. W. Boyd, 
Assistant General Passenger Agent, Broad Street Station, Phila- 
delphia. — Adv. 
Superb Service to Brunswick and Jekyl Island. 
The Pennsylvania, Southern & Florida Central and Peninsular 
Railroads now operate a Pullman Drawing Room Sleeping Car, 
New York to Brunswick, Ga., on Tuesdays and Fridays, to accom- 
modate the Jekyl Island travel. The car is hauled on the New 
York & Florida Limited, which leaves New York daily, except 
Sunday, at 11:50 A. M. For particulars call on or address Alex. S. 
Thweatt, Eastern Passenger Agent, 271 Broadway, K^w York. 
