S90 
FOREST AND STftfeAM. 
I Nov. i i, t^gg< 
^ Xt^- Soath. 
Within the next thii'tj: days some o£ ouf shooters will 
be making plans to go South for trips, and as times are 
very good now in this part of the country since the re- 
vival of business interests we may look for more than 
the usual rush to Southern shooting grounds. The tur- 
key country of Missouri is a tempting thing this fall, and 
the ducks of Arkansas arc very fair to look upon. I infer 
that in the neighborhood of Little Rock the duck shoot- 
ing has been very, fair this fall, as witness the following 
notes from my friend Joe Irwin, of that city, who is still 
able to be about with his little Smith gun. If he and Mr. 
McMurchy do get together down there lor one of their 
seances with the mallards, the only thing that will save 
the mallards is a cold wave to send them out further to 
ifhe South. Mr. Irwin describes the country something like 
iihat where I once shot with him — an old cypress swamp in 
the niiddle of a strip of woods. He says: 
"While the wcatlier has been very warm down here so 
far this fall, yet the mallards are here in goodly numbers. 
On Friday last with a friend T drove ten miles up the 
river to a little lake in the woods, where we arrived about 
S A. M. My friend put on his Avading pants and went 
to the lower end, while I took the boat and two dozen 
Acme decoys and my Chesapeake dog and pushed across 
into a pocket in the bear brass, where I put out my de- 
coys. With gun and caller I got into a good blind. My 
friend soon had a flock up and a few calls headed them for 
the decoys, and then the sport began. Every few minutes 
a flock would come over the trees and in gunshot, and 
some fifteen or twenty mallards lay in my boat before ri 
o'clock. My Chesapeake did some of the most difficult 
retrieving I have ever seen done. This bear grass has a 
saw edge that cuts like a knife above the water, but he 
retrieved these ducks from that mass of reeds and rushes 
without a scratch apparently. My friend was meanwhile 
pounding away in the lower end. .After a time the ducks 
gave my blind the go-by. Although I tried my most per- 
suasive notes on them with the caller, they would settle 
half way between us: but by 4 P. M. we had a fine bag and 
hitched up and drove home to supper that evening. 
"The bass fishing with live bait and spoon is very fine 
just now. Two members took thirt}^ yesterday at the Old 
River Club, twelve miles out, and a number of fine strings 
were taken at Cache River Bridge, forty-five miles east, 
last week. 
"I am expecting Harvey McMurchy, of the Hunter 
Arms Co., down here soon, and we will have a great time 
if present conditions continue." 
if any Chicago shooters have a fancy for a Florida trip 
this winter they might with profit look up the proposition 
Avhich comes from Mr. C. B. Davids, of Winter Parle, 
Fla. Mr. Davids wants to get up a party to be guided by 
himself and brother, starting out from either Tampa or St. 
Petersburg and working north through the best game and 
^ish country . He figures on deer, alligators, quail and 
oysters— a A-er\- decent layout of game, one would say — and 
IS confident that tlie party could have a splendid time. He 
wants to enlist enough capital to build the needful boat — 
about $150— and wishes to charge but a couple of dollars 
a day for himself as guide, dogs included for deer or birds. 
1 have no doubt this would give a party of Avinter tourists 
a very fine outing, and those purposing a Florida A-isit " 
this winter might very well write Mr. Davids. 
Illinois Test Case. 
There was some talk a while ago about the testing of the 
non-resident clause of the Illinois game law, and as was 
earlier mentioned in these columns a fund was raised for 
the purpose of making an arrest and pushing the case in 
the courts. This arrest, as also mentioned, was made in 
Henderson county, and the defendant, a non-resident by 
the name of Eberle, was sent to jail to see how he liked 
the martyr business. Habeas corpus proceedings were 
inaugurated and change of venue taken. The ca.se comes 
up for trial here in Cliicago, before Judge Kohlsaat, on 
Nov. 6. The legal battle will be carried to the upper 
courts, and we shall at last see what we shall see. 
War Along tlie Dcs Plaines. 
There is a merry little war just now in progfress along 
the Des Plaines River Valley, below Chicago, where the 
drainage ditch crosses Will county. This county holds 
some pretty fair shooting ground, and this has been 
eagerly taken up. chiefly by two rival shooting clubs — the 
Lockport Gun Club and the Will County Fish and Game 
Protective Associ.ntion. The former is made up mostly 
of townsfolk and the latter of farmers, the admission fee 
to the latter body being but nominal. The race for shoot- 
ing territory between tlrese two organizations has resulted 
in the lea.sing of pretty much all the farming country 
thereabout, sometimes one body getting a farm under its 
lease, sometimes the other, so that often the .shooting- 
grounds arc not consecutive, but intermingled, and con- 
.sequently difitcuit to keep in mind, It seems that the two 
clubs differ as to the shooting rights on the farm of one 
Williams, and the matter has gone so far that each club 
has hir(?d wardens who patrol the grounds and glare at 
eath other when their employers are around. The drain- 
age board of the big ditch has something to say also about 
the disposition of some good shooting ground along its 
right of way, and both clubs are trying all their blandish- 
ments to get the board into line with promises to lease 
its marsh regions to the good and glory of the shooting 
club interests. Such is one of the forms of the preserve 
idea in good old Illinois, long the home of about as stub- 
born free shooting propaganda as could be scared up of 
•a summer day. It would appear that the non-resident 
license idea and the preserve idea have hit us to stay. It 
has taken_ a town meeting to satisfy the Lockport boys 
abotit ;their position in this question, and I imagine a 
^eat deal of local bitterness* will ensue for a time. 
Dack Island Club. 
Duck Island Club, whose preserves are near the Illinois 
-Rjver. south of Peoria, continues to show about as good a 
record as anj- of our ducking clubs, some very decent bags 
having been made there this fall. It is now about mal- 
lard time down in that neck of woods, and Uuncle Abner 
Price has just packed his old gun and started for the chilj 
marshes. He will bring back dttcks if anybody does. 
The vicinity of Bloomington, 111,, is one of the best 
quail districts sf this State, and was at one time about as 
good chicken country as any of this pAft of thfe colittt^y. 
A great many quail are bagged each fall at aftd ftfear this 
town, and it is a point well kntiV^'ii to Chtea'go Bhobte'rS. 
,Mr. W. P. Mussey left for Bloettlingtoh kst "Wednesday 
for a quaii shoot of several dilys, and has n'dt y6t ffeWrhted. 
He should have good success, 
D\\ Morris, of Dl^con, ill-, iiAs .jUst returned from a 
quail hunt of a week anvl reports very good luck. He shot 
at a point about Umy miles north of Jackson, and aver- 
aged forty birds a day during- the hunt. I tip Alma, 
Mich., .as a ,g'ood point, also. 
Deer. 
As I_ write 1 just receive word from a friend in W^avV- 
sau. Wis., that a great many deer are behif kUifetl afoUiidl 
that point. One deer driver put four dfefef iftto \A>ate'r fbr 
ln"s watchers, but not one of them was ahle to kill his 
meat. Thinking of the dog clause ift the kw, pethaps. 
L©w Trajjectory^ 
Mr. D. H. Afmstrong, of Grand Rapids, Mich., passed 
through Chicago this week at very high velocity and mdk- 
ing a very low trajectory. He belongs to the National 
Projectile Works, of Grand Rapids, and t presume that 
is why he was going through so fa*;t that no one got to 
see him very well. 
Mallards. 
Fox Lake, Wis., seems to have had a ffew mallards in 
during the last Aveek, and I am advised that a local hunter. 
Van Meigs, Avas lucky enough to kill eighteen of 
these handsome birds one day, besides a couple of smaller 
ducks. He apparently got a good sliot itvto the brown on 
his first Hock, for it is stated that he killed seven as they 
rose and one with his second barrel. I used to kill them, 
"as they rose" that Avay myself, sometimees. when I was 
younger, and I always tried to catch them on the rise |Ust 
before they got off the Avater. Anyhow, he got the Mal- 
lards, and ducks are ducks these days. 
At Water Valley, on the Kankakee River. Dr. Hinkins, 
of Chicago, one day this week kiUed five mallards and a 
teal or so, which likewise is considered a good bag in 
these days. 
Successful Photographer. 
Mr. George Shiras, 3d, of Pittsburg. Pa., passed 
through Chicago this Aveek on his way to Wisconsin, deer 
htmting. j\Ir. Shiras is the author of some of the finest 
1-iig-game picttires CA cr made. He Avorks by night and 
with Hash light, saying that a dayli,ght picture shows not 
half .so shapely as a flashlight at night. Mr. Shiras has 
heretofore photographed mostly deer, but he now wants 
to make some pictures of ducks on their feeding ground 
'at night, thinking that this would be a unique and inter- 
esting subject. He, however, does not know just where 
to go to find the ducks. I have no doubt that he will 
CA-enlually get them and succeed in his ])nrpose. Few 
gentlemen have done more with the camera in sport 
than he. E, Hough. 
180 Caxton Building, Chicago, 111. 
Maine Big Game Season. 
Boston. Nov. 5. — Newspaper men are sometimes for- 
tunate as big-game huntcp. Mr. W. C. Harding, fore- 
man of the Boston Herald composing room, is one of 
that class. He is just out of the Alaine woods, Avith all 
the game the law allows — a bull moose weighing 620 
pounds and two buck deer. Going into the Avoods from 
Patten, Aroostook county, he struck SaAvtelle Brook, Sa- 
bots Farm. Here he had the good luck to see a big coav 
moose feeding on the marshy borders of the stream Avhen 
h^ had a well-loaded camera in hand. He says that he 
.was more excited than if he had seen a moose that he in- 
tended to shoot. Lie jumped out of the canoe into the 
soft mud and came near goin.g mider, camera and all. 
He managed to wallow, however, till he got near enough 
to her ladyship for a couple of good snap shots. Just 
then a big bull appeared, and Mr. Harding got a couple 
b£ good snap shots at him. Then he signaled to his guide 
TO. bring his rifle. xAll the time neither of the moose 
seemed to be alarmetL He thinks that he was so covered 
with mud they did not see him. Rifle in hand the hunter 
had time for careful aim, giving the bull a bullet front 
which he Avas soon down. Air, Harding shipped this moose 
home to Boston, being the first hunter in that section to 
take out the special license for shipping game out of 
Maine, provided for last Avintcr. Tlie films containing the 
exposures on the moose were not developed at this Avrit- 
ing, bttt Mr. Flarding feels confident of some good, live 
moose pictures. He shot his moose in the same section 
last year, 
Mr. Geor.ge. H, Mclnifjsh, of Boston, has killed a fine 
moose on the East Branch of the Penobscot. The day 
liefore Mr. W, J. Marsh killed a mate to it, the heads 
being especially fine and natch alike. Mr. W. C. Wigg 
has also taken a big moose at Roach Pond. Mr. I. H. 
Yonug, of Quincy Market, has just returned from a hunt- 
ing trip on the Machias River, Me. He secured a buck 
deer that dressed 210 pounds and a doe that dressed 176 
j)oiuids. These deer he brought home to Allston, Mass. 
He thinks the buck the largest brought out of Mtiine 
this year, weighing about 300 pounds as it ran. 
Boston, Nov. 6. — That there has been a rapid increase 
in cow moose is testified to by about every hunter AA'ho 
goes into the moose regions this fall. They all complain 
that they see tnany cows, Avithin reasonable shooting dis- 
tance, but few bulls. This is true of New BrunsAvick as 
Avell as Maine, though those Avho Avrite tO' draw hunters 
may not care to have the statement published. Mr. Geo. 
H. Lanphier, Avho has carried the Forest and Stream to 
Boston readers for a number of years, has returned from 
his annual moose hunt. He saAV seven coavs, but not a 
bull ; hence he returned empty handed. He says, some 
of the cows Avere monsters. They allowed him to ap- 
proach pretty near to them Avithout becoming alarmed. 
NoAV it is stated that the average size of the moose 
shot in Maine this season is 800 to 900 potmds. This is 
hardly true, for not a moose has yet been in the Boston 
markets this fall that actually weighed ovesr 600 or 700 
pounds. There is more solid lying about the weight of 
moose than almost any other fish or game subject. Re- • 
ports from Bangor say tliat there is a great increase in 
the number of Avomen Avho come iato Maine to shoot deer 
this -fall. So far, 150 deer have passed through that 
city that have, been shot by women. Contrary to tfae 
Ushal.iihpi-fessioh. this guides s^y that gerierill^- these dtiti 
have bee'h actually shot h}f thfe WoiileH to Whohl ttief firi 
accredited; I khbW of olle plucky lady who stayed oUl 
iill hignt on the shores of a pond, watching for deer t<3 
come down. About 11 o'clock she was rewarded by seeing 
a good buck appear. Btit it was night, and the accuracj 
of her aim Avas doubtful. The deer escaped, but not th< 
courage of the lady, who Avas determined to shoot one 
At 3 o'clock in the morning it began to rain, rendering th<, 
Avatching exceedingly uncbmforttiblt;, and the eamp Wftf 
sought, «l;H)Ut it fflile flWAy: itill fh^ kd^ iJefstsyet'eil 
mid the third sight Wris Silttegssftii; T.Hel-g Is.eeftjiiiilf ? 
f?hah'e,fe fbl- Wplil'eH t8 sliobt deer ih MaiHe, if they have 
im ^lUtk^h'd endurance, but it is, no . child's play, afic 
means gteat patiehce, With a deal of hard traniping. 
Froih 'every hunting section comes the same report 
the aeet takeh are small .dnd generally does. But this wil 
chahge. . Thte season of show is hear At Haila. , Mafii 
Boston hunters arfe waitihj^ KH^ioUsiir fdi^ tH^ t^li^Ffilt 
from their giiidfes s'ayiHg tliat snow has come. The riexf 
ttaih will take them^. Tracking will be good, and thi- 
big bucks can be selected by their tracks. Over fift}; 
deer haA^e been landed by Boston sportsmen the past 
Aveek; some that Avould scarcely dress 40 pounds. An- 
other fifty has passed through Boston for the week, tc 
the credit of Massachusetts hunters. Mr. F. C. Clark 
of Plymouth, Avho has jttst returned from the Schoodie 
region has an exciting experience to tell about the shoot 
ing of a female bear, Avith his .30-30 Hflc. The ball passfic 
completely through the atliitial, evidfetttlv iii a vital spot 
but still she went some distance iilto a thicket; 
Richard Knight, a yotihg mail of hitieteefi, steward M 
Poland Springs, Wettt intb lhte,wbtids at fieffliS, Me., tWt 
Weeks agOi hunting :\vit) I tWo (jthef ifiph; Tlie hien Sobh lie 
cahife separated. . Since that tiiiife nbtiiing h^s hten seen b 
yoUtig foiight, thoiigh feVei-y pdssible step has been takeiL 
to fihd him. Parties have been organized, including mer 
from Portland, Mechanic Falls, Poland Springs, Auburn 
LcAviston and Rumford Falls, some days to the numbei 
of 200 to ,300, and the Avoods have been scoured for mile!« 
around. But, up to the date of this writing, no traces havt 
been found. The Rickers, of Poland Springs, hav( 
oft'ered a rcAvard of $300 for his recovery, dead or alive 
Capt. F. C. Barker, of Bemis, has offered a reAVard 0 
$100. The Portland & Rumford Falls Railroad _has fof' 
Avarded the searching porties free, besides offerihg i 
rcAvard. Qi'EctAt^ 
A Firm Stan«l dn the Plank; 
DkAclJT, Mass., Ott. 24— editor Fol-est md StfeaOi: 
a constant reader, very fond of the rod and gun and som€j 
thing of a natural history man, I Avould like to ansAver oni 
of the perplexing questions of hoW better to protect ous 
fish and game. There ai^e alt kihds df theories advahcfed 
and I Avill givi: one that Is original with, nie. and shall iisi 
plain tal^jin e.xplaihiiig. My idea has been foiihdfcd afl( 
proved bij%onstant watchiiig ahd \vofk. I fihd that, thojl 
sands of (Jtillurs arc yearly spfetlt foilowihg illegal fish 
iiig and hunting, Avhile the real game hog, the ex 
terminator uf our game and fish, is alloAvcd to pursue hii 
wanton deslrtv(;fjon of our true sport, protected by ou? 
laAv. Th^ 1 jfui^;is the market-hunter. Who is the man' 
He is not by'/^iny means the tradesman, or the mer 
chant, or the laborer, but the man on Avhom Ave spend i 
great deal of money Avatcliing during the closed season 
and the rich m::n, or retired gentleman, so called. Whili 
the tradesman at his bench, the merchant in his store, atic 
the employees love to fish and hunt, they are handicappec 
by the market-hunter. 
Now I contend that there is only one way to stop thi! 
business ; that is to pass and enforce a law to prohibii 
the sale or exposing for sale of certain kinds of game 
Of course that will make a hoAvl Avith some people, AVllf 
are living on game from the market at the expense o\ 
others Avho cannot have it, except by going out and en- 
joying the best of all recreation, hunting and fishing fo| 
their own table. When we haA'e such a law we can alj 
eat game with the satisfaction of knowing that we ar< 
not being robbed by the game hogs. 
The market-htmter is almost invariably of a class of ittec 
Avho liA'e through the closed season doing just enougt 
work to ke'ep body and soul together, and spend theii 
time marking places and breeding grounds for a general 
round up as soon as the law is oft", aitd not always 
Avaiting for that. The rich man market-hunter is the 
Avorst of all. As a gentleman of leisure, he spends all 
his time in the cover.s, killing everything that gets ug 
before him; and Avhcn the season will not permit him to 
find any more, he Avill pack off to the Southern States tcl 
resume his slaughter for market. Why protect such men 
and destroy the sport of true sport.smen? 
Some may ask, "Must I go Avithout gante; I can'( 
shoot." Answer — Learn how, or do as your neighbor does 
who can't shoot — eat pork. Others should not be denied 
the-pleasures of the ballroom because you can't dance. We 
will all be able to shoot if Ave take the game hog out of the 
field, and to do that we must htop the market-hunter. 
C. Frank Scott, 
Deputy. Fish and Game Commissioner. 
[Deputy Commissioner Scott's suggestions are all ths; 
more interesting and significant because manifestly he is 
an observing and reflectiA'e student of the game problerri 
Avho has formulated for himself, independently, the 
Forest anp Stream^s Platform Plank.] 
"Not All of H«ntmg.'^ 
My "fdAvling piece'' is but an old model Remington 
breechloader. The barrels are getting pitted AAath rust. 
In one of them is a slight dent, made by some former 
owner hitting some substance harder than the game he 
struck at. The stock Avas cracked in the same way, so 1 
haA^e had it replaced by a homemade one. It is lo-bore. 
and so gets decidedly heavy before the end of a day's ) 
tramp. It has hammers, for I like to see them Avork. - 
I use black powder, for I like to see the stnoke. Bttt 
Avhen the old gun and I go n-hutitiiig we have lots of 
fun. Sometimes Ave find the game scarce, wild and hard 
to get; sometimes we find ' at plenty apd easy to se- 
cure. Sometimes I hit and sometimes I miss; but 
this is never the old gun's fatilt, for it shoots where -I 
point it,; But game or gameless we always have a good ; 
time. . together, my old gtm and I- Piot Tree. 
1 
