468 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Dec. io, 1898. 
In Maine Snows. 
Boston. Dec, 2. — A most remarkable snowstorm for 
so early in the season has about stopped all the big game 
hunting in northern Maine. Over the former crusted 
snow of 5 or 6in. there fell, on the night of 
the 24th of November, nearly 6in. of light snow, and this 
was followed by 12 to 15m. more on Sunday, the 27th. 
But it would seem that almost enough deer, moose and 
caribou had been killed for one season, and if the close 
season was general on all big game Dec. 1 it would 
certainly be better for the future game supply. Messrs. 
H. S. Fisher and W. T. Farlew have returned from a 
very pleasant deer hunt. They went to South Molun- 
cus, 13 miles from Matawaumkeag, on the Bangor & 
Aroostook. A. S. Knight's ("Uncle Andrew's") teams 
met them at the railroad. "Uncle Andrew" and his wife, 
of the Forest Home, did everything in the world to make 
the sportsmen comfortable, and at a very reasonable 
price. "Uncle Andrew's" boys guided them, and in one 
day, after a fall of snow, they could easily have secured 
their full quota of deer. Bucks were wanted, however, 
and they tried other days and succeeded up to their full 
expectations. Mr. Shedd and his son have come out of 
the Aroostook woods with their full quota of deer. 
Albert J. Hedges, of Foxboro, has lately brought out 
of Maine a deer and a moose. The latter is reported to 
have weighed ooolbs. 
The D. 'J. Flanders party was successful in moose and 
deer hunting, as has already been noted in Forest and 
Stream, but the taking of Mr. Flanders' moose involved 
difficulties that but few would be willing to endure. 
From Ashland the party went 20 miles to Pratt Lake, 
at the headwaters of the Machias River. From that 
point they went four miles further to Moose Camps, 
where the most of the hunters remained; taking three 
moose and about all the deer the law allows. Mr. Flan- 
ders' guide, Arthur Winslow, suggested that he had a 
gumming camp 10 or 12 miles further into the woods 
and in a good section.' To this camp Mr. Flanders de- 
cided to go, and the second morning in camp they Were 
off, taking only a few pounds of flour, a few potatoes, a 
piece of salt pork and some tea. At midday they rested 
and ate some biscuits that they had hastily put in their 
pockets at the camp. A draught of cold water was all 
that they could stop to get, though the guide afterwards 
regretted that he had not insisted on making a fire and 
some hot tea. They plodded on through the swamps 
and thickets till, somewhere about 2:30 o'clock, they 
struck the high ground. Mr. Flanders here asked the 
guide as to whether it was nearer to the gumming camp 
they had started for or back to the main camp. He con- 
sidered (he distance about the same either way. They 
rushed on, Mr. Flanders already about exhausted, with 
wet *-»t and tired legs. An hour or two more brought 
them 10 a trail the guide recognized. It was now ilearly 
dark and still three or four miles to the gumming camp. 
The guide suggested that he would make a fire, and, 
leaving Mr. Flanders by it, press on to camp, get some 
blankets, and returning they would camp there. But 
the hunter decided not to be left alone in the woods, but 
to press on. It was now dark. The guide peeled birch 
bark and made torches, by means of which they were 
able to find their way. They reached the gumming camp 
soon after 6 o'clock, sooner than they had hoped when 
at the last stopping-place. . 
The guide made a fire, baked some bread, frizzled pork 
and boiled potatoes. An hour after, with his clothing 
nearly dry, his tin plate on his knee, with a dipper of 
hot tea by his side, the moose hunter said he felt like 
thanking the good Lord that he was there in the camp 
and not^in the woods. The guide quietly remarked that 
he also felt the same, for he had begun to expect the 
hunter to fail up altogether. The next morning dawned 
bright and beautiful. They had slept the sleep of tired 
hunters, though with only boughs and a blanket or two 
for beds. They calculated that they were nearly 15 miles 
from the main camp and fully 3,000ft. above sea level. 
From this mountain they could see everywhere, woods 
and waters in every direction. They were many miles 
from any other human beings. That day they located a 
big bull moose, and the following day got a shot at him. 
Two shotsS from Mr. Flanders' rifle stopped him. or at 
least he did not attempt to run. The guide stepped out 
to finish him. when he charged straight for the hunters. 
A well-directed shot, as he came on, stopped his career, 
an^ the prize was theirs. They stayed at the gumming 
camp four days, and Mr. Flanders is greatly pleased with 
the adventure', though it was fraught with greater hard- 
ship and danger than he had anticipated. 
Dec. 5. — The storm and gale were particularly hard on 
the Cape Cod and South Shore gunners. Some of them 
were so unfortunate as to have been caught in camp over 
that terrible Saturday night, and they will not soon for- 
get their experiences. Two Boston boys were gunning 
off the South Shore and resolved to stay in a rude cabin 
over night. By 10 o'clock they were satisfied that the 
rude structure could not withstand the wind, and was in 
danger of being washed away every minute by the ticle — 
higher than ever known before. They decided to leap into 
the water and run. Their course was circuitous over the 
marshes, and they became bewildered by the blinding 
storm. They had read somewhere that for two persons 
lost in the blackness of night the best way is to take hold 
of hands and both to persist in keeping a straight course. 
They did so, and near morning saw a light across the 
marsh, which they soon reached in an exhausted condi- 
tion. Two men were caught in a gunners' cabin down on 
the Cape. The rude shanty was mounted on cedar posts. 
They soon saw that the wind was likely to blow them 
over any minute, and that N the receding breakers would 
carry "them out to sea, while the tide had come up so 
as to threaten to swamp them at any moment. They 
waited in terror till the tide had begun to recede, when 
they decided to jump into the water and struggle for the 
shore above them. They did this, but suffered greatly 
from the ice-cold water, through which they had to wade, 
with the breakers threatening to wash them out to sea. 
Great flocks of black and other ducks are reported to have 
been driven in by the fury of the storm, where they 
could not possibly get out, but had to seek the inland 
creeks and marshes. Blinded by the fury of the gale and 
snow, they were an easy prey to the gunners who had the 
courage to be' out after them. 
The storm reached the Maine hunting grounds and 
buried them to the extent that big game hunting has 
been very hard. Still there are some reports of deer^ 
taken. First have come to Boston a couple of Maine* 
guides, with a moose or two and all the deer the law 
allows. These they have taken directly to the market and 
sold for barely enough money to pay the expenses of their 
trip. Wonder if they are registered guides? The Maine 
open season on moose closed Dec. 1, though the season 
on deer is open till Jan. 1. Last year there were 139 moose 
killed in the same length of open season in the Aroostook 
region. This year the number is greater, with a total 
record already in of about 150. The papers say that 
woodsmen are of the opinion that moose are more plenty 
than a year ago. From the Dead River region come re- 
ports of more moose seen than a year ago, with a greater 
number killed. There seems to be an effort already be- 
gun to influence the Maine Legislature, which convenes 
Jan. i, not to put any greater restrictions on the taking of 
moose. The writers in the Maine papers, whose only 
object is to boom hunting resorts, are already laboring 
hard to make it appear that moose are on the increase, 
but every returning moose hunter that I have seen ad- 
mits that he has had to go further back this year than in 
former seasons, and is ready to allow that sections where 
formerly signs of moose have been abundant are now 
destitute of such indications. 
Late New Hampshire reports say that the snow is about 
right for hunting, and that a good many deer are being 
taken. A Boston gentleman tells me that his men at his 
mill in Bartlett have had good luck the past week. In the 
vicinity of Campton fully a dozen deer have been taken 
the past week, largely by local hunters. Littleton reports 
also note the taking of a good many deer. In the Water- 
ville Valley a number of deer have been taken, with re- 
ports of deer taken in the vicinity of Canaan. 
Special. 
The Game Question in Jackson's 
Hole. 
Jackson, Wyo., Nov. 20. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
The game question in Jackson's Hole is one that inter- 
ests not only good honest people in the valley, but all true 
sportsmen everywhere. In taking up the matter, I shall, if 
permitted through the kindness of the editor, go briefly 
into facts, as it is my desire to show positively that the 
game of Wyoming has been unjustly dealt with by county 
officials and deputy State game wardens, and that no par- 
ticular effort has been made outside of the efforts of 
private citizens, and the Jackson Hole Gun Club, to pre- 
vent the unlawful and indiscriminate waste of the game. 
In this article and all future ones touching upon this 
question I intend to call a "spade a spade," to handle men 
and motives as I see them, and to show positively that 
the worst enemies to game protection in Uinta county, 
Wyoming, are the petty local officials, who believe them- 
selves above the law, and who, if aggrieved at anything I 
say, may answer my assertions. 
There are two classes of people living in Jackson's 
Hole. One is of those who see in the country a future 
for themselves and ^families, and who arc particularly 
anxious to protect the game within the borders of Uinta 
and Tremont counties. The other class is of those who 
have no permanent interest, no property, nor anything to 
keep them, outside of being able to kill game for the 
meat, hides, heads and teeth ; and in this manner they 
make a partial living without work. I am pleased to 
say that this element is greatly in the minority. 
In the last four years past, especially under the old law 
of i8co. persons were permitted to capture game for 
speculative purposes, and are yet so far as that goes — but 
must first obtain a permit from the State Game Warden. 
This being a legal proposition, some people took ad- 
vantage to make an honest dollar; but public sentiment 
was against the capture of game, not so much on account 
of the number shipped as because numbers of elk were 
killed and died from the exposure of the pursuit. In 1897- 
98 strong protests were made to the Governor of Wyo- 
ming, instituted by the Jackson Hole Gun Club, to revoke 
numerous permits issued to one H. K. Glidden, of New 
York. The county attorney of Uinta county at the time 
took issue against the State authorities and against the 
legal authorities which determnied the status of the game 
within the borders of a State. He evidently presumed 
that the dwellers in Jackson's Hole were" a class who 
altogether lived upon game, and further were inclined to 
be unlawful in other particulars. But when the people 
protested as a unit to the Governor the true conditions 
were brought to light, and for once the game fared well. 
The following winter the game was well protected ; not a 
shot was fired during the winter at game, unless to dis- 
pose of a scabby bull. 
The issues, however, raised in the opinion of Attorney 
General Fowler, and the premature rejoinder of County 
Attorney J. W. Sammon, would not down. The county 
attorney had said, in his communication to the attorney 
general", that "he would certainly refuse to prosecute a 
violation of law in regard to capturing game." Notwith- 
standing this, Mr. S. N. Leek, while at Evanston, Wyo., 
obtained a promise from the commissioners that they 
would appoint one deputy State game warden under salary 
for the fall months of 1898, upon the recommendation of 
the Jackson Hole Gun Club. The club held a regular 
meeting, selected Mr. D. C. Nowlin as the person to be 
their representative deputy and made the recommenda- 
tion to the commissioners. The county attorney arrived 
in Jackson on or about the 20th of July. '98, and looking 
over the grounds, determined that as Mr. Nowlin was a 
Republican, he was not acceptable to the authorities at 
Evanston, . and immediately notified the county commis- 
sioners to hold up the appointment, which was accordingly 
done. Later Jas. I. May, who lives on the south line of 
the timber reserve, and who has been a resident of 
Wyoming something like two years, was appointed a 
deputy, and Fred W. Cunningham, of E4k, was appointed 
another deputy. I am free to admit that the appointment 
of Mr. May was justified : that Mr. May is, so far sa l 
know, a gentleman, and interested as far as he knows in 
the welfare of the game interests of Jackson's Hole, and 
that so far as his services went he was honest and faith- 
ful in rendering them. The manner in which he received 
his appointment, and his absolute newness for such a 
position, made it extremely difficult for him to act, hence 
no arrests nor collections were made by him, and no good 
to the game interests resulted from his political ap- 
pointment. 
As to the appointment of Cunningham, I know it to be 
a fact that he was familiar with parties killing immense 
numbers of elk and antelope. That, he was many times 
importuned to stop the illegal killing and to arrest the 
parties, and that in each instance he absolutely refused. I 
know it to be a fact that he collected from divers persons 
license moneys, issuing at the same time his personal 
receipt for licenses against the strict orders of the Board 
of County Commissioners, and in absolute violation of 
law ; and I have positive knowledge of several parties 
hunting in his bailiwick without license, and whom he knew 
to be violating the law. I know it to be a positive fact 
that this game warden knew of elk being hauled out over 
the Teton Mountains'; and in one case I am reliably in- 
formed he was party to the act in question. I think that 
he will get his pay from an obligated board of county 
commissioners, but alas, poor game ! 
Thus it will be seen that so far as game protection 
went in Jackson this last season, it was an absolute 
nonentity. The game- was made to subserve the interests 
of the political henchmen. One thousand head of elk, 
mostly females, were slaughtered in the Teton timber re- 
serve in violation of law during this fall. I have the 
names of several guilty parties; and one game warden re- 
fused to have knowledge — because he had his price. It 
is further against the policy of some individuals living 
around Jackson's Lake to have the game protected. But 
there is a class of citizens living in the Teton timber 
reserve who are progressive, wideawake and honest ; and 
these people should at all times be protected in their 
rights. I am compelled to admit that all is not as it 
should be lower in the. valley ; several infractions of law 
have been brought to my knowledge within the last few 
weeks by settlers. I do know, however, that the great 
majority — in fact all those owning homes- — have the utmost 
respect for the game, and will sacrifice money and time 
for its protection. 
So important has become the game question to our 
people, so determined has become the law-abiding class 
to protect it against the unlawful opposition of politics and 
individuals, that Mr. D. C. Nowlin was. appointed to be- 
come a candidate for the Legislature on the Republican 
ticket. Much against his inclination, he consented. A 700 
Democratic majority of two years before seemed to in- 
dicate that he would be defeated. After making represen- 
tations to the Republican county committees, they readily 
consented to place Mr. Nowlin's name upon the ticket. 
The election returns determined that Jackson S Hole 
should have a thoroughly competent official in the next 
Wyoming Legislature, one who as a resident sees and 
feels the interests of the game; and the most significant 
fact is that in the Teton timber reserve was found the only 
real opposition to our candidate. More than this, the 
solid majority vote of Jackson's Hole has relegated m 
private life the county attorney. 
The people of this valley have won out. They de- 
manded game protection and received it not ; they as 
sisted to change the political situation of a county m 
which for years a Democratic nomination had been equiv- 
alent to an election; they made a right against men and 
motives; and is it not right and just that they should 
receive a law at the hands of a Republican Legislature 
that will make the game a permanent feature of Jackson's 
Hole resources? We should have a law that will pro- 
hibit the indiscriminate waste of game ; that will prohibit 
the bead and hide hunter from making il a marketable 
commodity, and affix penalties that will insure obe- 
dience. By all means let us strike a la^t blow at the game 
interests being kept in politics. Let us make the untenable 
squatter obey the law or leave the country.' 
Of the sportsmen of the East we ask hearty co-opera-, 
tion. We desire you to have, when wanted, a place for 
you to come unrestricted by public parks and control, 
where you can hunt for a time and be successful. The in- 
fluence you can bring to bear upon a proper and equitable 
game law in Wyoming will be manifold. The recent 
work of Indians red and Indians white upon Wyoming 
game must cease if Wyoming game is to exist. We claim 
that the progress of a part of Jackson's Hole, at least, in 
no way interferes with the game's increase. The mas.-, of 
the people desire to see the game preserved, and this peo- 
ple, under a proper law for game protection, will guar- 
antee the game increase and its future prosperity. 
Wm. L. Simpson. 
Jackson, Wyo., Nov. 29. — On Friday morning last 
constable and ex-oificio game warden James Lanigan 
arrested George Moulton, of Idaho, on the Teton Pass, for 
having in his possession eight head of elk. four bulls and 
four cows. Being taken to justice's court, Moulton 
showed a license to kill game, issued by the Justice Web- 
ster La Plout. and plead it as a justification for killing 
and transporting Wyoming game out of the State. The 
court, after hearing the evidence, assessed a $30 fine, in- 
cluding costs, and confiscated the elk. An examination 
of the records revealed the fact that several parties had 
recently taken out licenses, intending to transport game 
out of the State. 
The people, are wild over the manner in which game is 
being killed and transported. Over 500 head of elk have 
been killed and wounded along Jackson's Lake in the 
Teton timber reserve, and nothing is being done there by 
the residents to protect the game from this wanton de- 
struction. Seventeen wagons from Idaho went there. last 
Friday, and more are following. The Jackson Hole Gun 
Club have two determined men at the Teton Pass, and 
it is intended to arrest and prosecute every individual at- 
tempting to transport game, license or no license. Yet 
this does not save the game. The authorities refuse to 
employ good men to protect .the game, yet insist that all 
license fees be turned into the county treasury. Private 
individuals have been, and are now, paying men to ride 
the game ranges and hold up Idaho poachers ; and we be- 
lieve we are equal to any emergency. 
W. L. Simpson. 
The Fohest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday. 
Correspondence jgjfended for publication should reach us at the 
latest by Momft^ and as much earlier as practicable. 
