806 
[Oct. 15, 1898. 
Notes from New Brunswick, 
The moose is not always to the swift nor the caribou 
to the strong. On Sept. 20 Messrs. F. C. Peavey and 
Fred Stahrer, of Lawrence, Mass., went into the woods 
at Little River. They carried a grip-sack apiece, and 
had an abiding faith that they would bag at least one 
moose. Mr. Peavey, however, as a gentleman of very 
generous proportions, whose education as to firearms 
had been carefully neglected, was content to sit upon a 
log near the camp, while his more active friend scoured 
the country with the guide. It was while thus sitting 
upon the log contentedly fanning off the flies that Mr. 
Peavey heard the step of some foreign beast in the tote 
road. Mr. Peavey instinctively realized that destiny 
was dealing him a pat hand. When the smoke cleared 
away Mr. Peavey ascertained that he had acquired a 
bull moose. When Mr. Stahrer returned to camp that 
evening he expressed his surprise. 
Among local sportsmen no small degree of interestis 
taken in the problem as to how long Henry Braithwaite 
is going to keep up his unbroken record of success as a 
guide. It seems to make no difference to Henry whether 
the sportsman goes in for a week or a month, whether 
he is armed. with a cannon or a pop-gun, whether he is 
subject to acute attacks of buck fever or some more 
studiously acquired complaint — he always brings out the 
game. Henry is now about fifty-seven years of age. In 
all his long career as a guide not a single party has ever 
come out without a moose. His reputation has extended 
far and wide of recent years, and he can now com- 
mand whatever wages he chooses to ask. The moose 
shot by Mr. Percy N. Graham, of Godalming, England, 
was perhaps the best specimen that has ever been se- 
cured in Henry's country. It had a spread of 54m., and 
was a remarkably graceful head. Mr. Graham's caribou 
was also ornamented with a very shapely head. Major 
Hallows and wife, of England, are still in the woods 
with Braithwaite. It is reported that they have secured 
a moose and a caribou. 
Dr. Heber Bishop and Rev. Robert Codman, of Bos- 
ton, came out on Monday after a stay of four weeks in 
the Indian Lake country. The Doctor secured a nice 
caribou, but had the hard luck to lose a monster moose 
after the animal had been called up within very close 
range by the guide. The party saw about twenty moose 
on the trip. 
H. P. Walker and H. P. Fessenden, of New York, 
have returned from Salmon Brook Lake. Bill Car- 
son was their guide, and gave every satisfaction. Mr. 
Fessenden shot a bull caribou and wounded a moose. 
They will return for a snow hunt in December. 
Mr. W. Garrison Reed, of Boston, and friend returned 
some days ago from the Tobique lakes. They saw plenty 
of game, bagged one caribou and had the misfortune to 
lose a very large moose. 
William Walker, of this city, who went up to Nictaux 
Lake on the invitation of Adam Moore, and remained 
there a few days, says that the Tobique region is swarm- 
ing with sportsmen this fall. William brought out a 
bull caribou. He came very near getting a moose, for a 
Mr. Stevens, of Fort Fairfield, who was poling up the 
stream a short distance behind the genial William, 
sighted a bull moose and brought him down. William 
says he was so close to the scene of action that he 
had to dodge the bullets which Mr. Stevens was dis- 
tributing. 
Speaking of William reminds me that on Friday last 
the undersigned, in company with Harry Atherton, of 
this town, left for Cains River on a short hunting trip. 
On Saturday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock the undersigned 
aforesaid called up a bull moose on the Bantalorum bar- 
rens, which was subsequently induced, at the joint in- 
vitation of the party, to accompany us to camp. Harry 
is greatly pleased with the work of his Savage rifle, and 
the writer has no complaints to make as to the efficiency 
of the Lee-Enfield rifle with the dum-dum bullet. The 
internal economy of that moose, after the engagement, 
approximated to a junk-shop. Six shots were fired, five 
of which took effect, and the moose was really killed 
about five times/ The horns had twenty points and a 
spread of 4Sin. 
Mr. Jerome Bradley, of Dobbs Ferry, New York, 
who had such fine luck on the Nepisiguit last year, has 
more than maintained his reputation this season as one 
of the finest game shots ever seen in that section. Mr. 
Bradley and associate came into Bathurst the other day 
with a very fine moose, two caribou and four bears. 
Mr. Bradley is a very modest young gentleman too. 
He says it ismt a good year for bears on the Nepisi- 
guit. Dr. J. C. Wilson and H, B. Smith have each bag- 
ged a caribou on the Nepisiguit. Jacob White, a local 
sportsman, secured a bull moose. 
Mr. Sumner L. Crosby writes me that he has received 
up to date (Oct. 3) thirty-two moose and caribou heads 
from New Brunswick. As these were chiefly shot by 
American sportsmen, it may be interesting to your read- 
ers to learn the names of some of the fortunate hunters: 
A L. Sylvester, Boston, a moose and caribou, killed 
<m t;hg P»s'igouche. G. M. Whitin and brother, Whit- 
msville, Mass., two moose. George C. White, R H 
Boyd and George P. Camman, New York, two moose 
ami two caribou, killed on the Tobique. Dr. V F 
Parker, Brooklyn, moose and caribou, killed on the 
Tobique H Radclyffe Roberts, Philadelphia, moose 
and caribou, killed on the Tobique. N. C. Downs Stam- 
ford, Conn., moose, killed at McKiel Brook Lake. Ed- 
ward W. Gren, Boston, moose of 6oin. spread killed on 
the Restigouche. D. S. Burley, Newburyport, Mass 
moose of 56m. spread, killed on the Tobique ' A m' 
Brewster. Newburyport, Mass.. moose of 52m spread 
killed on the Tobique. Edward R. Samson, Boston moose 
of 50m. spread, twenty-six points, killed on Tobique Dr 
G. A. .Suffa, Boston, moose, killed on Tobique. Dr J 
M. Bryant, caribou, killed on Tobique. P. M. Berry 
Pasasic. N. J., very fine caribou, thirty-two points killed 
on Tobique. H. L. Lugues, Passaic, N. J., caribou 
killed on Tobique. B. J. Callahan, Lowell, Mass cari- 
bou, killed on Nor'west Miramichi. J. Caswell ' Bos- 
ton, caribou. H. B. Smith, Norwich, Conn., very larg-e 
caribou, killed on Nepisiguit. A. H. Jackson New 
York, moose, caribou and four bears, killed on the 
Restigouche. 
Mr. Crosby very truly remarks: ''The headwaters of 
the Tobique seem to have been thus far the most pro- 
ductive, doubtless because more parties have been lip 
there." Frank H. Risteen. 
Fredericton, Oct. 5. 
n fin 
Fredericton, N. B., Oct. 10. — Probably the largest 
moose head ever secured in America, outside of Alaska, 
has just been brought down the Tobique River. The 
animal was shot by Mr. F. H. Cook, of Leominster, 
Mass. The horns, which are remarkably massive, 
spread 67m., and have twenty-four extremely long, sharp, 
heavy points. Mr. Cook also secured a bull caribou and 
two large bears. Frank H. Risteen. 
Don't Shoot Until You Know, 
State of Maine. — Office of Commissioners of Inland 
Fisheries and Game.— Augusta, Sept. 15.— Editor Forest 
and Stream: Nathan B. Moore, of Bingham, Maine, 
the oldest and most experienced registered guide in 
Maine, writes a timely letter of advice to his brother 
hunters, warning them against hasty shooting, and telling 
them how they may avoid all accidents. I think it worthy 
of printing in Forest and Stream. 
L. T. Carleton, 
Chairman Commissioners Inland Fisheries and Game. 
Bingham, Sept. 10. — Dear Brother Hunter: As I am 
a man that has had a long experience hunting in the 
Maine woods and on the St. Johns River, I wish to give 
you all 3r few words of caution, as there have been so 
many accidents happening every year. It has come to be 
a serious thing, and I cannot help giving my brother 
hunters a few words of caution, hoping it may teach you 
all that takes his rifle and starts out on a hunting trip 
to try their luck on big game. I have hunted the Maine 
■woods for seventy-four years; I have killed 276 moose, 
that I have kept a true account of, and one-half as many 
caribou, and many deer, bears and small game, almost 
without number, so you must know that I understand 
well the rules of hunting, and hope that I am able to 
give all of my good brother hunters a few good words 
of advice. Not any good experienced hunter is going 
to shoot any one. 
When I first started out, in the morning of life, as a 
young hunter, I made this solemn promise, that I never 
would fire my rifle at any kind of game until I could see 
enough of the object to tell whether it was a man or a 
beast that I was taking sight at, and if I had not made 
that promise and stood up to it, I should have shot a 
man dead. I was out hunting moose in January; the 
snow was very shoal and light, and no one but myself 
would have thought of running a moose down in such 
hard going, and after I had run him eight miles, as he 
came out of a thicket, I saw him go up a little rising 
ground, about twenty rods from me; I tried to pull the 
case off my rifle, but it was frozen on, and when I got 
the case off, he was just going over the knoll. I soon 
came to the top of the knoll, and it was descending- 
ground for about thirty rods, and there was a spruce 
thicket about four rods through it, and I knew the 
moose was not one minute ahead of me; I did not think 
there was a man within ten miles of me, and there was a 
moose standing in a thicket just ahead of me. I came 
running very fiercely, knowing I must be in sight of the 
moose. As I came, there stood the moose, head to me, 
in the thicket. He was as black as a bear, not over three 
rods from me. I took my rifle to my face and took good 
aim. I would hit a quarter every time at that distance, 
but there was the vow I had made. I pulled on the 
trigger two-thirds hard enough to fire, and thinking of 
the promise that I would never shoot until I knew what 
I was shooting at, I stepped three steps to one side, and 
I saw a man in the place of the moose. Please tell me 
if there is one man in ten thousand but what would have 
shot in my chance? . 
He did not see me until I said: "How came yon 
here-?" He said he was "looking at some moose tracks," 
and there was a tote road within 15ft. of him. He just 
stepped out to look at the tracks. I kept right on upon 
the run, and shot the moose within 100yds. Now I 
never was scared in my life, but I trembled for three 
hours to see how near I came to killing a human being. 
And now, dear brother, I will tell you how to keep 
clear of such terrible accidents. Always bear in mind 
when you are in the woods, hunting game, never to 
shoot at the glimpse of any creature. Be sure you see 
the nose or ear or side foot of the animal, so that you 
are certain that it is not a man. How many times I 
have been in the woods, miles, as I thought, from any- 
body, and heard something coming, tearing through 
the bushes, and would listen to the sound. Well, I 
would think to myself, it is a moose or a bear or a 
caribou coming, and stand with the hammer of my 
rifle drawn back, ready for a shot, and soon see the 
bushes move, as though they were all alive, and soon 
get a glimpse of something moving, then my heart 
would beat high for a shot; and now remember, my 
good fellow, this is the time where the danger comes 
in, and then all at once out comes a man, rushing 
through the forest, and I would halloo to him and say 
"Friend, where are you bound for?" For a moment he 
would almost forget himself, he was so astonished, think- 
ing he was at least ten miles from any human being. A 
man I knew had been following two deer all day until 
just at night. When the deer went into a hollow, and 
he knew he was close up with them, he thought he 
would run around onto the other side of the basin, so as 
to get in ahead of them, and take them when they came 
out. He had not been waiting long, when he heard the 
bushes crack, and standing with his rifle to his face, with 
a deadly aim, he soon saw a deer's head coming to- 
ward him, and just as his rifle was going to crack he 
saw it was a man's head he was aiming at. He gave a 
shout, dropped his rifle, and had all he could do to keep 
from fainting. 
Many a time I have been hunting and have heard the 
stir of the bushes, arid, looking sharp could see the 
glimpse of something moving, but could not tell what 
it w r as, when all of a sudden away would go a deer, 
which had got the scent of me, and I would be glad he 
was gone, for I had better a thousand times lose him 
than to risk a shot and not know what I was shooting 
at. 
Now in a very short time the Maine forests are going 
to be full of hunting parties, and the warning I give to 
you all is, when you take your rifle to your face, be ab- 
solutely sure what it is you are aiming at, and I hope 
this warning may save some poor fellow's life, and you 
a life of bitterness and regret. 
Nathan B. Moore, Registered Guide. 
Connecticut Grouse Snaring. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
It lacks nearly two weeks before the opening of the 
shooting season, yet the reports of guns are heard in 
the woods every day, Sundays especially. Yellow-ham- 
mers are shot in great numbers despite the law which 
protects them the year around. Now and then some 
person falls into the meshes of justice and is fined; but 
suc,h cases are exceedingly rare. Those who seem dis- 
posed to obey the game laws in general for some inex- 
plicable reason draw the line on yellow-hammers, and 
they are slaughtered by the hundreds. Many take de- 
light in boasting of their law-breaking exploits in this 
line. 
Some of our farmers have the notion that they have 
a perfect right to kill game indiscriminately the year 
around, so long as they do it on their own lands. For 
one, I do not know whether, their opinion is right or 
not. It is impossible to comprehend, however, why 
any sane person should wish to kill game during the 
breeding season, even should some flaw in the law grant 
them that privilege. 
Whether erroneous or not, the opinion prevails among 
a large number of law-abiding sportsmen in this vicin- 
ity that the slack enforcement of the game laws is 
largely owing to the incompetence of the game war- 
dens. "They don't appoint men with the proper amount 
of sand," said a well-known shooter the other day. "But 
then, even if such men should be appointed, they would 
have to be well up in law in order to steer clear of the 
network of provisions which seem to have been designed 
in direct opposition to some of the game laws. For 
instance: If a warden should meet a man with a lot of 
snared birds on his person, how is the warden to know 
whether the man snared the birds on his own land or 
not? And how is he to know that the snarer isn't on 
his own land if he should catch him in the act of taking 
a bird out of a snare? Then again, even game wardens 
like to receive pay for their work; but they don't get 
much out of the 'public crib' of this State." 
Now my personal acquaintance with game wardens is 
so limited that I cannot say positively whether they 
as a rule are deficient of "sand" or not. There is one 
thing, however, of which everyone must be aware, and 
that is this: any man who is required to go alone into 
the woods and arrest single-handed an armed and de- 
fiant law-breaker has got to have "sand," and plenty of 
it. He must also thoroughly understand the law apper- 
taining to his business, "I'd like to have any game 
warden try to take me in once," boasted a notorious 
snarer in the presence of a number of listeners in a 
prominent gun store in New Haven; "I'd blow his head 
off so quick he'd never know what struck him." This 
ferocious blatherskite had his chance, for he was arrested 
soon after and fined. I cite this instance simply to dem- 
onstrate the reeling entertained by many law-abiding 
shooters and snarers in this neighborhood. 
As I mentioned before, breaking the game laws is 
not strictly confined to what is generally accepted as 
the "lawless element." It is nothing unusual to meet 
men afield with dogs and guns before the law is off. 
Many mornings, while driving to the city last fall, I 
met one of New Haven's city ex-officials on the way 
to the woods with dogs and gun, and long before the 
law was off. He was complained of, but nothing was 
done in the matter. 
While writing of lawless shooters and snarers, the 
thought comes to me that it might not be amiss to 
mention the lawless act of a lawless warden whom 
I chanced once to meet. He put in an appearance at my 
house one Sunday morning a few years ago, and in- 
quired as to the snaring operations in that neighbor- 
hood. I imparted what information I could and vol- 
unteered to conduct him to where I thought there might 
be snares. After half an hour's tramp we came upon one 
of those round, fence-like structures, with an opening on 
four sides. There were no birds in the snares, but the 
fresh bait of frost grapes plainly indicated that the 
snares had been recently set, and everything was ready 
lor business. 
Now that structure plainly indicated the law-breaker, 
and I had no sympathy for him. My surprise and dis- 
gust can be imagined, however, when the warden proved 
himself even more contemptible than the snarer. Said 
he: "I'll have that fellow inside of thirty-six hours. 
How will I do it? Well, I'll go down town to-morrow 
and get a partridge from some market; then I'll come 
straight back here, put the bird in one of the snares, 
lie in the brush and collar the cuss when he takes the 
bird out of the snare."" The warden chuckled, but I 
expressed my opinion of his method in words which 
wouldn't do well in print. 
It must be confessed that it is very easy to tell these 
evils. To suggest a remedy for their suppression, how- 
ever, is a different matter. Could sportsmen amalga- 
mate into a sportsmen's political machine and eject 
their own candidates at the polls, or could they even at- 
tain such strength as to command political recognition 
in the Legislature, then a remedy would be in sight. 
They could at least insist on regular annual appropria- 
tions with which to. pay salaries to good game wardens, 
with plenty of "sand." As matters stand at the 'pres- 
ent time, however, all that sportsmen can do is to ap- 
plaud the sportsmen's press in its gallant fight for the 
suppression of the sale of game. 
W. H. Avis. 
Hamdkn, Con.n., p«.' 4; 
[The Connefcticut 1 law permits snaring by land-owners 
on their own-larids] but forbids the traffic in such snared 
game by any' ofher_;:than the land-owner. To this ex- 
tent then Connecticut already forbids the sale of game.] 
The Forest and Stream is put to press eaca week on Tuesday. 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at the 
latest by Monday, and as much earlier as practicable. 
