Nov. 5, 1898.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
371 
ing the bark from a tree in which are a whole family 
of coons, so far away that we can't hear him. 
In half an hour we are almost desperate with sus- 
pense and loud in praise of our coon dog. 
"Suppose we call him?" 
"No, that won't do; it might spoil him." 
"What's that white spot over there in the dark?" 
We swing the lantern round to see, and there, not 30ft. 
away, is the faithful old dog, where he has been patiently 
waiting for us to start. And we did start— home. 
Emerson Carney. 
A Pacific Coast Instance. 
San Francisco, Oct. 18.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
Apropos of your recent articles on mankilling sportsmen, 
I send a pat instance of criminal carelessness which oc- 
curred a few weeks ago about forty miles from this city. 
An account of the occurrence was published in the local 
papers at the time, but the incident had slipped my mind 
until a few days ago, when an old medical friend, who 
Jives near the scene of the "accident," while paying me 
a visit gave me a more explicit account of the affair. 
One evening two well-grown lads, one of whom had 
had some experience in hunting, set out for a night 
hunt for deer in a thickly-wooded section of the country. 
After a time they discovered a small, bright light shin- 
ing through the tangled undergrowth. Aha! that is the 
eye of a big buck. A .44-40 Winchester is aimed at the 
buck's head, the trigger is pulled and — a loud human 
cry of agony breaks the stillness. Shortly afterward my 
medical friend was summoned to the little summer- 
cabin of a gentleman in a secluded part of the hills. Ar- 
riving, he found two bright young misses each lying suf- 
fering from a fresh bullet wound, with their stricken par- 
ents benumbed with brief and anxiety. Calling other 
medical assistance, my friend found the .44 bullet, fired 
by one of the foregoing lads, had passed through the 
shoulder of the elder daughter and had then pierced 
the breast bone of the younger, After a severe surgical 
operation the flattened bullet was found lying against the 
heart sack (pericardium) and was removed. A little 
more vis a tergo and the bullet would have penetrated 
the heart cavity, with a quickly fatal result. The children 
are recovering. 
The perpetrators of this and of all such "accidents" 
should be permitted to meditate for many moons on a 
clarifying diet of bread and water, in the hope and belief 
that they might emerge from such seclusion possessed 
of at least a glimmering of prudence and caution. 
ROEEL. 
The Repeating Shotgun. 
lidi'cr Forest- and Stream: 
111 your issue of Oct. 1 a correspondent argues in 
favor of the use of this gun on the score of economy 
and shooting quality. 
As to the first: I recently saw in a dealer's window a 
very attractive double hammerless at $21, and another, a 
hammer gun, at $22, both standard makes. So evidently 
his first point is not well established. 
And as to the other: What, with the superb quality of 
the modern gun, supplemented by the great strength of 
our powders, making them far more effective than those 
in use a few years ago, when game was plentiful, it 
would seem as if any reasonable person should be satis- 
fied with their shooting qualities. 
There are times when the use of this gun would lead 
not only to slaughter, but to waste. I saw a friend 
hunting quail recently in a marsh where the reeds were 
as high as his head. Under slightly more favorable cir- 
cumstances and with a repeating gun he might have 
killed four birds; as it was, he killed one, which his dog 
retrieved, but it is doubtful if he could have found the 
others had they been there. With a rapidly diminishing 
supply, it is manifestly time for sportsmen to show some 
consideration for the game, and incidentally themselves 
and others, in matter of sport for future years. 
'After us the deluge," is a bad principle to work on, 
and your columns bear evidence as to how much it is 
deprecated by thinking sportsmen. Notwithstanding 
what your correspondent says, I believe it is the general 
impression that four of every five of these guns purchased 
go into the hands of persons who desire to kill all the 
game in sight. G. H. B. 
SCRANTON, Oct. 28. 
New Jersey Game Interests. 
The following letter was written by Mr. J. L. Robert- 
son, a New York business man, whose home is 1 in New 
Jersey. "I feel," says Mr. Robertson, "that at my 
time of life, when my greatest pleasure is to go up to my 
shanty on Lake Culver and have fairly good fishing 
during the summer,, and in fall with my dog and gun 
find some game in the woods and bush, I cannot feel 
satisfied to sacrifice these pleasure." Up to this time, we 
understand, Mr. Robertson has not received any re- 
sponse to his letter: 
New York, Oct. 10.— Honorable Foster W. Voor- 
hees— Dear sir: It is quite generally understood by 
sportsmen in New Jersey that you are antagonistic to the 
prevailing game laws, and if elected Governor would 
favor making such a change that our woods and streams 
would soon become depopulated. I represent a large 
contingency, and feel just as is indicated above, and al- 
though a Republican and resident of New Jersey, would 
hardly feel satisfied to support you or advise my friends 
to do so without some definite word from you as to 
your course in this respect if elected. Game protection 
is more dear to sportsmen than the question of State 
politics, and it would be a matter of much regret to me 
to openly advise that large element to vote otherwise. 
I trust you will consider this of sufficient importance 
to plainly define in writing- your views and the course 
you would pursue if elected. Respectfully yours, 
(Signed) James L. Robertson 
Two Deer. 
Cornish, Me., Oct. 28.— The people of this vicinity, 
especially the sporting contingent, were greatly excited 
last night over the shooting of two deer by G. W. 
Adams, these probably being the first animals of this 
♦pecies to be killed in the immediate vicinity within the 
memory of any but the oldest inhabitants. 
Deer have frequently been seen through the summer 
in this and adjoining towns, and at the opening of the 
shooting season a doe and two fawns were located in a 
tract of plains land on the Hiram side of the Ossipee, 
where they seemed determined to remain in spite of the 
most persistent hunting, in which about everybody joined 
who courd carry a gun. 
Yesterday morning, however, Mr. Adams tracked them 
down the valley to a similar tract, by the river, where he 
succeeded in finding them late in the afternoon, with the 
above fortunate result. The spot was not a mile from 
the village. 
The singular part of Mr. Adams' achievement lies in 
the lact that he has hitherto taken no interest in hunting 
for years; yet, notwithstanding his inexperience, but 
three shots were required to dispatch his game, all of 
which took effect, and the old doe, which was one of 
the pair, being dropped in its tracks at a single shot. 
The old heads frankly admit that George has "wiped 
their eye" this time. 
Both deer were in good condition, the fawn weighing 
loglbs. and the doe iSslbs. The other fawn was shot 
early this morning by Mr. Ira demons, also of this 
village. Templar. 
A Maine Deer Hunting Case. 
West Lmianon, Me., Oct. 17.— Editor Forest and 
.Stream: Mr. Samuel Shapleigh told me yesterday that 
in August last he saw a large buck come running up 
through his field, and the pasture in front of the house 
I am now writing in; and after two or three attempts it 
succeeded in getting over the stone fence along the 
road, which it crossed and stepped on the lawn within 
50ft. from where I am now sitting. There it stood for 
some time looking around, and finally seeing Mr. 
Shapleigh (who was standing in front of his house, less 
than twenty rods away), started off down the road. Fif- 
teen minutes later Mr. Shapleigh saw two hounds com- 
ing through the fields on the deer track. When they 
came into the road Mr. S. caught one of them and tied 
it up, but could not get the other. The Maine farm- 
houses and barns are so connected that there is a lawn 
surrounded on three sides and open to the road. The 
deer was inside of this enclosure, which in this case was 
50 by 80ft. There is a driveway through the intermediate 
building between house and barn, but as the house was 
not occupied at the time the driveway was closed; had 
it been open, Mr. Shapleigh thinks the deer would have 
gone through, as the back door opens in an orchard on 
rising ground from the building. 
This house was for many years the summer residence 
of the late Ole Bull, the famous Norwegian violinist. 
Gov. Black, of .New York, lived in it when a boy, and 
attended the academy in the nearby hamlet of West 
Lebanon. % L. Davison. 
Currituck Game. 
Currituck, N. C, Oct. 24.— Our opening day for 
ducks, geese and swans is Nov, 1, and unless all signs 
fail we shall have the finest shooting we have had for 
many years. Currituck Sound is literally filled with wild 
celery; the ducks and geese are here in countless thou- 
sands, and the swans always arrive about the first day, 
mostly all arriving in two or three days. Our quail crop 
is also a good one. For the benefit of any one wishing 
to come to Currituck and not knowing where to go, 
would advise for both quail and ducks to write to Mr. w! 
H. Bray, Currituck Court House, N. C; for ducks 
geese and swans, O. Ewell, Virginia Beach, Va., for 
his grounds are about twenty miles south of the Princess 
picture of Katahdin. From there it is a tramp of five 
miles through the woods to the base of the mountain, and 
the ascent is about a mile more. We saw a number of 
deer, and on one occasion, while cn our way up the 
West Branch, a big cow moose came out of the woods 
and waded across the river not more than 50yds. ahead 
ol the leading canoe. Walter K. Barton. 
Connecticut Covers. 
The rail bird season that has just closed has been one 
of the best in a number of years, owing to the fact 
that the wild oats on which the birds feed were very 
plenty. It was a common thing for a man to bag from 
fifty to sixty in a tide, which means about two hoars' 
shooting. llus sport is growing more in favor every 
year, and has brought up the question among sports- 
men 111 the State of limiting the number of birds to be 
shot by one man on a tide. This with the true sports- 
man would be unnecessary in my mind, but we have a 
class of men that come here to shoot these birds that 
only kill them for practice, and then throw them away 
and as they arc a very fine bird to eat, it seems too bad 
that they should be wasted in that manner. If the same 
men were put into a field of white birches after wood- 
cock, I don t think there would be any need of putting 
a limit on the number they were to kill, for if there was 
not a meat market within a short distance of camp they 
would be very apt to go hungry a good many times. 
lhe quail and partridge shooting has opened up very 
good, and now that the leaves are getting off the trees I 
expect to see some fine lots of birds. BAR 
Long Island Ducks and Deer. 
Ducks, including red-heads, canvasbacks and others 
are reported in big flights on the Great South Bay. Long 
Island. The best shooting is from Sayville east We 
shall be glad to give specific directions to intending- 
shooters. 
As was said last week, Long Island deer shooting is 
practically entirely prevented this year by the posting 
of all the deer country against trespass by hunters in- 
cluding the closing of the Long Island Railroad track 
shooting points. 
Texas "Wildfowl. 
High Island, Texas, Oct. 20.— I have no doubt that 
some of your readers would be glad to know that at. 
High island the hunting season has commenced, with 
good sport on plenty of game of all kinds. Teal, mal- 
lards and chickens are in abundance; brant are comiiW 
in large quantities; snipe are making their appearance" 
and there is every prospect of a grand time for hunters! 
Old Sportsman. 
Proprietors of fishing and hunting resorts will find it profitable 
to advertise them in Forest and Stream. 
The Black Grouper or Jewftsh. 
New Smyrna, Fla., Oct. 21.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
It is not generally known that the fish commonly called 
jewfish, warsaw and black grouper are frequently caught 
at the New Smyrna bridge on the North Indian River 
The depth of water (23ft.), the velocity of the tide, and 
the protective facilities afforded by the numerous piles 
composing the foundation of the draw, together with the 
enormous numbers of sheepshead which frequent that 
locality and vicinity, and which appear to be amon? its 
choicest food, render this place its favorite feeding 
ground. 
llfillls'i ' . '^^^^^ 
111 - ,WB 
WM«ww( Wmffm 
- - -Jill 
THE FLORIDA JEWFISH. 
"Every kind word you say to a dumb animal or bird 
will make you happier." The wheelman should remem- 
ber .this when a big dog seeks to sample his calf, 
Anne Hotel. These are the only places in this section 
where sportsmen can be accommodated, unless they 
belong or are invited to some of the numerous clubs. 
More Anon. 
The Game Hung- Up. 
New. York, Oct. 8.— Editor Forest and Stream: So 
many of my friends have been interested in the photo- 
graph which I send herewith, it occurred to me that 
Forest and Stream might like to reproduce it. It was 
taken at Norcross, Maine, the point on the Bangor & 
Aroostook Railroad, where sportsmen who visit Mount 
Katahdin by way of the west branch of the Penobscot 
begin their canoe trip. 
I recently made the trip in company with Mr. Arnold 
R.^ Weber, of this city, and it far exceeded our expec- 
tations. There were numberless pretty views along the 
route, while the outlook from the summit of Katahdin 
was grand beyond description. We made our camp on 
the junction of Katahdin Stream with the West Branch 
and almost on the spot where Chase painted his famous 
The beginning of the present season for sheepshead 
fishing demonstrated by the number of lines, sinkers and 
hooks lost that some unweildy denizen of the deep was 
entering a vigorous protest against relinquishing its 
share of the sheepshead supply. After exhausting his 
patience in renewing his fishing outfit, Capt. Alf. Sharp, 
of the sharpie Coronado, resolved to capture the vora- 
cious monster. Having a line specially prepared, baited 
with a live sheephead, after an entire day of patient 
waiting he hooked the fish, and while laboring to bring 
it to shore the line fouled round a spile covered with 
barnacles, cutting it, allowing the fish to escape, not 
however, without revealing itself to be over 5ft in 
length and heavy in proportion. Not to be discouraged 
the next day found him patiently awaiting the con- 
venience of the fish to take the bait provided, when late 
in the evening his perseverance was rewarded by a 
successful strike, and with the combined efforts of 
several men the fish was by main strength pulled to the 
surface of the water, thence over the railway of the 
bridge thereby preventing the repetition of the experi- 
ence of the day previous, On being weighed, it was 
