Jan. 27, 1900.1 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
67 
photos of moose "taken where they fell" where any one 
used to the woods could see that the moose had been 
hauled out into some clearing, or old camping ground, 
where it was a favorable chance to use a camera, and at 
the same time have a background of trees. T lately saw 
one photograph where, according to the story, the moose 
had only been shot a few hours, where the swollen body 
proved that the moose had been dead till it had become 
inflated by the formation of gases. In such case the meat 
is spoiled, and yet the story goes on to tell of taking the 
meat home. I could fill a whole issue of your paper 
with cases which I know of where men have carried out 
game, the most of which they never saw alive, 
A few years ago there was a long story in our local 
papers of some men who killed four moose near Trout 
Brook Farm. All the particulars were given. Now, I 
positively know that the noted Indian guides, John Fran- 
cis and his brother Mitchel Francis, killed every one of 
them, and the man claimed to have done so never saw a 
live moose on the trip. This same fall a boy, the son of 
Mitchel Francis, shot a bull, which a New York doctor 
had the credit for. A few j^ears ago there was an ac- 
count of an ex-Governor, who had returned from a hunt 
in which "two fine bucks had fallen to his unerring rifle." 
Now, I know positively that one of these bucks was killed 
by a small boy, and the other bought by his guide for 
.$10 of a stranger, whom he met on the road, who had the 
deer in a wagon. Another party of five who hunted at 
the Sabios when the law allowed three deer to a man, 
brought out thirteen. These deer were every one shot 
by the guide. He shot them all by fair still-hunting, and 
was not over three days doing it. These are only a few 
samples of what is done and not nearly as bad as some, 
as I have known men to lie drunk in camp all the time 
they were in the woods and bring out their deer and then 
be called true sportsmen, while others bought their game 
in Bangor markets. I know this certainly, as I have been 
asked to pick out fresh deer for a "sport," who, on get- 
ting home, had an article in the papers telling of his 
success in hunting. 
There is very little doubt that the guides would willing- 
ly leave their guns at home, and the doing so would save 
the lives of hundreds of deer and scores of moose. But 
would the so-called sportsmen be willing to come here 
with the certainty of going home empty handed. It 
would be much better all around if they would, as a 
great injustice is done to those who fairly kill their own 
game, as unless one knows them personally no one who 
knows anything about how things are done here will be- 
lieve them or any photographs. While hundreds who are 
in the woods astonish their friends with stories of their 
promise as hunters, the people here do not call them 
hunters, but have a special name for them. Here they 
are known as "sports" to distinguish them from real 
hunters.. They bear about the same relation to real 
hunters that the men who chase anice-seed bags or tame 
foxes do to the real article. Yet so long as it pleases 
them to think they can make people believe that they can 
hunt, no one complains, from the same reason that the 
man allowed his wife to whip him. He said, "It pleases 
her and it does not hurt me." 
I think if any action is to be taken in this matter, it 
would be wise to begin at the right end, not with the 
guides, but with those who employ them. They are the 
men who pay for this and are responsible for it. If only 
those went into our woods who could kill their own 
game, no more than the present close time on moose 
would ever be needed, and each could kill three deer a 
year, and the increase would be greater than now. 
" Brewer, Me. M. HarDY. 
New Jersey Protection Records, 
George Riley, of Paterson, the Fish and Game Pro- 
tector of New Jersey, has made a report of his depart- 
ment for the period extending from Aug. I to Dec. 31, 
1899. 
The principal feature of the work done for the past 
five months, he writes, consisted in distributing 75)000 
trout in the different streams. The trout were purchased 
from the Penn Forest Brook Trout Co,, at Alauch 
Chunk, Pa., the hatchery being twelve miles from the 
town. The trout were placed in cans and carried to the 
railway depot on wagons, meeting any train either day 
or night. Three of these shipments were made to 
Stroudsburg, and thence over the N. Y. S. & W. R. R. 
All the other shipments were made to Phillipsburg and 
thence OA^er different roads to the various points of des- 
tmation. 
In my opinion the success attained in the safe delivery 
of this large number of fish is without precedent in the 
history of the Fish and Game Commission. Out of the 
75,000 fish delivered, only one trout has been reported 
as lost in transit. For the eminent success achieved in 
the distribution, with so slight a loss, the wardens who 
had charge are entitled to. the highest praise. 
I think the streams are sufficiently stocked with trout 
for years to dome. Attention should now be given to 
all our lakes, as many of them are greatly in need of 
new life. Especially do bass and pickerel need attention 
for some time to come, in order to supply the demand. 
I would also respectfully recommend a more liberal 
purchase and distribution of pike, perch and silver bass 
from the Great Lakes, also strawberry bass; the two 
former species not to be put in less than 20 feet of water, 
with plenty of rock bottom and gravel. There are four 
lakes where such fish can thrive. The strawberry bass is 
a very beautiful fish, and would make a valuable addition 
to the waters of the State. The most favorable period 
of the year for procuring these fish is during the 
months of April and May, at Erie Bay, Pa. This fish 
is very hearty, and can be carried a long distance with- 
out showing any indications of sickness. 
On Dec. 20, 1899, I received from Superintendent 
Dunn, of the D. & R. Canal, permission to net the canal 
for bass, pickerel and perch, which every winter are left 
in the canal after the water is allowed to flow out. These 
fish have been collected and will be placed in many of 
our lakes during the next two months. They are largely 
adult fish. They will spawn during the coming spring 
and a material addition to the quantities of fish now in 
our lakes can confidently be expected. 
A hitherto unknown portion of our State has been 
brought into great prominence during the past month by 
the unsuccessful prosecution of offenders, Barnegat Bay 
is a large body of water extending from Point Pleasant, 
in Ocean county, to Cape May, and in some places it is 
three or four miles wide. It is cut up by various arms 
of the sea, into inlets and islands, and portions of it are 
given different names, such as Great Bay, Manahawken 
Bay and Tuckerton Bay, etc. This bay is dotted 
throughout its full extent by islands of various sizes, 
pind if properly looked after, would be a veritable paradise 
for duck shooters. For years past, owing to the lack of 
knowledge possessed by the wardens and commissioners, 
it has been neglected, and hence the law has been con- 
stantly violated to the great detriment of legitimate 
hunters. It has also been said that some of the wardens 
in that part of the country had made known the fact 
that they proposed to take a cruise up and down the 
bay, and the violators, both net fishermen and gunners, 
were on their good behavior during the warden's trip, 
and immediately when his back was turned they would 
again proceed to violate the law. A determined effort 
was made to stop such practices, with the result that 
about a dozen arrests were made, and the parties con- 
victed. Warden Rider visited Bay Head in the middle 
of one week, and seized thirteen nets and destroyed them, 
and the following Monday, Warden Stratton, in pre- 
cisely the same locality, seized fifteen nets, showing the 
persistent determination of the residents to violate the 
law. Illegal blinds had been erected in the bay, which 
were destroyed by the wardens, a number of parties 
shooting from sailing vessels were arrested and convicted, 
and the wardens have been so diligent that Sunday shoot- 
ing, night shooting and the violations above mentioned 
have about ceased. 
Too much credit cannot be given to Wardens Stratton, 
Rider, Mathis and Shaner, for the manner in which they 
have discharged their duties. This also, in the face of 
great difficulty. The wardens were threatened with dire 
vengeance, and even the hotel-keepers were importuned 
by the residents not to entertain the wardens, because 
they were interfering with the nefarious practices of those 
who complained. 
It is not only a great benefit to the State to have the 
duck shooting laws properly enforced, but it has its effect 
also upon the land shooting, as the whole territory ad- 
joining the bay on the west abounds with rabbits and 
quail, and the news spreads to the violators of the law, 
and thus has a two-fold effect. The great extent of ter- 
ritory covered by these waters makes it difficult for the 
wardens to inspect the same, and it is desirable that an- 
other warden be placed in Ocean county, and also in 
Burlington, in order to help cover this territory, as well 
as the central portion of our great game belt. There 
seems to be no particular spot in all this great extent of 
territory, covering about one hundred miles, where the 
law was being violated more than another, but it seems 
to be general from the head to the bottom of the bay. 
I propose to continue to keep a very careful watch over 
this portion of our vState, until violations of the law ab- 
solutely cease, and the natives and boatmen who have 
been continuously violating the laws might as well under- 
stand at once that we propose to enforce them at all 
times. George Riley, 
Fish and Game Protector. 
The Pennsylvania Association. 
Why Every Citizea of Pennsylvaoia should be Interested 
in the Protection of our Game Birds, Game 
Mammals, Sonz and Insectivorous Birds, 
Forests, Streams and Fish. 
BY JAMES H, WORDEN, BOARD OF GAME COMMISSIONERS. 
TsE question of protection for the game birds, and 
game mammals of our State, as well as song and insectiv- 
erous birds, has been the subject of much thought upon 
the part of many of our citizens, and one of them, a noted 
scientist, recently expressed the opinion "that this world 
of ours would not be inhabitable by man in fifty years after 
its bird life had been taken from it." 
The question of the preservation of our forests is also 
one of vital import to us all, and scientific report^ upon it 
has already resulted in national State legislation to per- 
petuate and renew our timber land, and this not only from 
a commercial standpoint, or of securing and continuing a 
source of pure water, but that the health and happiness 
of our people, and indeed our life itself, depend in a great 
measure upon the presence of growing timber, upon 
forest and shade trees. 
Game and food fish are, and always have been, one of 
our necessities, and much thoitght and legislation has 
been expended in the effort to prevent their absolute ex- 
tinction from our inland rivers and small streams. 
The consideration of these subjects, with the contin- 
ued necessities of the hour for their protection, has re- 
sulted in ihe organization of what is known as the Penn- 
sylvania State Sportsmen's Association. Article 2 of the 
constitution reads as follows: "This Association is formed 
for the preservation of our forests and the protection and 
propagation of our song and insectiverous birds, game 
birds, game mammals and game fish; for aiding in the en- 
forcement of the laws of this Commonwealth governing 
the same; for the promotion of kindly intercourse and 
generous emulation among sportsmen; to unite the ef- 
forts and influence of all law abiding citizens within the 
State in securing such legislation for the future preserva- 
tion of oirr birds, game mammals and game fish as will be 
best suited to the interests of the people of our Common- 
wealth at large." 
The membership is drawn from all walks in life, and 
numbers, among others, judges, lawyers, physicians, mer- 
chants, mechanics and farmers — men who see and under- 
stand that the time has come when united asd organized 
effort is required to secure the enforcement of the laws 
we now have upon these different subjects; for of what 
use or good is a law unless it is enforced? If you are a 
middle aged man you will no doubt remember the flights 
of wild pigeons in your boyhood days. The flocks were 
apparently more numerous than the stars on a clear night: 
innumerable smaller flocks were everywhere in woods and 
fields. During their migration the supply seemed inex- 
haustible, yet they are gone, and few of the young men 
of to-day ever saw a wild pigeon. But a few years ago 
on the plains of Colorado and adjoining territory, travel 
for da,Ys or weeks, or even months, failed to carry one 
beyond the evidences of buffalo; frequently, upon attain- 
ing high points of observation, vast herds of these creat- 
ures would be revealed, herds seemingly limitless in ex- 
tent, and as innumerable as the wild pigeon; yet they, too, 
are gone, victims to the insatiate desire of the man with 
a gun. And as these multitudes have passed, so other 
tribes are passing. If those who are to follow us are to 
know and enjoy the game bird or wild songster of to-day, 
if the farmer is to have the help of all these in the destruc- 
tion of injurious worms and insects, if the country is not 
to be transformed as far as possible into a desert by the 
taking away of those forms of beautiful color and sweet 
music, some positive position must be taken and main- 
tained for their protection. 
The robin sings the same song he has sung for a 
thousand years; the oriole passes like a flake of fire, just 
as of yore. Is there anything sweeter to-day than the 
robin's song? Is there anything more beautiful than the 
flash of the oriole thr-ough the green trees? Yet, I ask 
you, what protection has either song or beauty been to 
them? And so we might enumerate almost endlessly, add- 
ing usefulness to the music and beauty of each, but I 
deem it needless. You who hve or visit in the country 
know them all, and have no doubt spent many happy 
hours in their company; you know how they are passing, 
and the cause. Simply let us ask what our forests and our 
fields would be without them, and are you willing that 
all these should be taken to come again no more? Are 
you satisfied to remain passive, while men and boys are 
authorized to carry engines of destruction the year 
around? 
The game law of 1897 was formulated and made uni- 
form, with the single purpose of keeping the gun out of 
the fields and woods as much as possible. It is the re- 
sult of much labor and many meetings, upon the part of 
representatives of the State Sportsmen's Association, who, 
when they limited the number of birds or animals that 
could be killed in each day or season, as well as reducing 
the time for shooting, gave evidence beyond dispute that 
they were doing their utmost to throw safeguards around 
nature's innocents, that they might not be blotted from 
the face of the earth, and not, as some people appear to 
think, simply to increase their numbers, that the game bag 
might be filled the more easily. The members of this 
Association are men who delight in doing right for 
right's sake, and who year after year have gone down in 
their pockets to restock the State with game, and then 
have stood helplessly by and watched the market-hunter 
kill the last bird of the flock they had fostered. 
These are the men who, by way of expense on a hunting 
trip, put in circulation four, and even ten, times the value 
of all the game they ever get. These are the men who 
worked so earnestly in securing the creation of the Game 
Commission and the uniform law of 1897, which protects 
not only game, but the farmer as well, for under its pro- 
visions he has but a short and limited time through which 
he must contend with irresponsible persons, who under 
the name of hunter, open his gates, tear down his fences, 
shoot his stock and poultry, and so frequently start fires 
that result in great injury to individuals and our State. 
These are the men who drafted and secured the passage 
of the act of 1899 making constables ex-officio fire, fish 
and game wardens, thereby putting it in the power of 
any and all good citizens in every community to see that 
the several laws bearing on these subjects were enforced. 
These are the men who agree that there shall be no 
hunting or shooting on Sunday, and who have prescribed 
a way in tke act of 1899. whereby every constable of the 
State is compelled to do his duty or suffer for his neglect. 
Are you not interested in this matter, and are you not 
willing to assist in the enforcement of the laws these 
men have given you? If you are, why not organize a 
branch of the Pennsylvania State Sportsmen's Association 
in your neighborhood, or join an organization that is a 
member of it? "In union there is strength," and the sim- 
ple fact that such an organization exists in each county 
of the State will have a wonderful weight for good in the 
direction of protection to these several worthy subjects. 
The simple fact that habitual violators of the law know 
that there is at least a possibility of their being punished 
will have a beneficial effect. 
The declaration of principles of the Pennsylvania State 
Sportsmen's Association might well be indorsed by every 
man and woman of our Commonwealth. Will you not 
give a little of your time toward the protection of these 
worthy subjects? You need not become a shooter to do 
this. Many of the present members of the Association 
never put a gun to their shoulder, but still do great good 
by simply making it known that they are members of an 
association which stands ready at all times to investigate 
and report violations of the law that may be brought to 
its notice. 
If the reasons are good and sufficient, will you not be- 
come a member of our Association, and assist us in our 
efforts to carry forward this commendable work? 
The membership fee if an individual is $2, which also 
pays your first year's dues. The annual dues thereafter 
are $1; if an organized body, club or association, the 
membership fee is $5 and annual dues thereafter, $2. 
Applications should be accompanied by a complete list 
of your officers and members, and the postoffice address 
of each. 
All applications and any information will receive prompt 
and careful attention when addressed to any of the follow- 
ing officers of the Association: 
J, O. H. Denny, President, 
Ligonier, Pa. 
Will K. Park, Secretarv, 
34 South Third St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
J. H. WoRDEN, Treasurer, 
Board of Game Commissioners, Harrisburg, Pa. 
The Guinea Fowl as a Game Bifd. 
May I ask that you will kindly inform me through 
-Forest and Stream if there has ever been an attempt 
made to use the Guinea fowl as a game bird. I see no 
reason why if turned out it would not rapidly increase and 
be a great addition to our game_ birds. 
.Even in domestication the Guinea fowl is but little re- 
moved from a wild state, and its propagation could be 
attended with but little expense or attention. 
RoBT. B. White. 
[Although the project of putting out Guinea fowl ha.s 
been discussed, we know of no case where it has been 
done.] . , 
