loa 
[fm. to, itjoo. 
trip, I came ro one or two conclusions, which it maj' 
be wqII to jot down. 
If one is looking for deer, Maine is the more likely 
Rlace, for while from all reports they are increasing in 
lew Brunswick, the chances are much better in most any 
part of the hunting country of Maine. If a moose or 
caribou is your object you can do no better than take a 
trip into New Brunswick, and to be doubly sure of suc- 
cess, leave at home the .30-30 and take along the .45. 
You will need it. If you would take the best kind of a 
vacation into a land where you will see nature at her 
best, where you make your own labor laws, and where 
there are none of the perplexities and confinements of 
our every-day life, take a trip into either one of these 
wonderful countries. You will be well repaid. 
Watotpa. 
In Oregon Slashes. 
"All aboard," came from the conductor, and our party 
of three took the train from the little town of S., for a 
two days' shoot on the slash, in western Oregon. 
By way of explanation, we believe that the word "slash" 
was coined ^jn Oregon. It has reference to a low, flat 
country, which is mostly covered with water during the 
winter months, or whenever it rains — and there is no 
scarcity of rain in the Williamette Valley. 
Previous arrangements having been made to stop at a 
farmhouse near the shooting grounds, by kindness of the 
train men we got off at a country road crossing. It was 
dark. We did not have long to wait, for the farmer was 
soon there with a good strong team and farm wagon, and 
we arrived at the farmhouse just in time for a good 
supper. 
We were very well supplied with paraphernalia. One 
of the party is a "pump" gun crank, and of course had 
his Winchester, No. 12. The other member of our party 
and myself were content with our No. 12 Smiths. 
Our case of cartridges were C. P. W. smokeless .los 
for jacksnipe, .4s for duck, and BBs for geese. It might 
be well to say that our farmer friend, who is quite a 
sportsman, a good shot and a royal good fellow, was 
quite careful in paying attention to his big No. 10 hammer 
gun, which he always speaks of as "Old Betsy." 
During the night our slumbers were often disturbed by 
the quong, quong, oot, oot, of numerous flocks of geese 
that were exercising from one grain field to another. The 
next morning at 5 o'clock several husky shouts of "Get 
up. Get up," from our farmer friend, awoke us, and all 
hands hurriedly commenced to get ready for the day's 
sport. It was decided to try for geese that morning, and 
let the ducks, on the slash go until the next day. 
Already geese were beginning to come into a field near 
where we were stopping, and the sound of their musical 
voices probably had a great deal to do with the decision 
as to where we would hunt. After breakfast we put on 
rubber boots and our long slickers, and filling our hunting 
coats with BBs, went out into a field to take our stands. 
Our stations were probably 300 yards apart. Streaks 
of daylight were now just beginning to appear. The 
method of hunting was to lie flat on our backs in a furrow 
and take chances of the geese flying near enough for a 
shot. W e did not have to wait long. Quong ! Quong ! 
I cautiously turned over. Here came one lone honker, 
flying straight toward me, not more than 20 feet from 
the ground. I slipped the safety slide. The bird made a 
little turn and came within 40 yards. At the crack of the 
gun the goose collapsed. I hurriedly picked up the 
prize, reloaded, and again heard that musical sound. It 
wias a large flock this time. They came straight for me. 
but turned just a Httle out of range.- Both barrels were 
discharged, but the only effect was some consternation 
and a little more velocity added to the flight of birds. 
They made another turn and started for Frank, our 
"pump" gun crank. They went straight for him. When 
his Winchester spoke, I saw a fine goose drop from the 
flock. The next shot another one dropped, and as a 
parting salute, Frank sent three more loads of BBs after 
them, but without effect. A minute afterward I glanced 
toward Frank, and he was going across the field at the 
top of his speed. Just then he hooked his toe on a 
clod and down he went; while getting up he threw off 
his coat and hat, and it was a merry chase he gave one 
of his geese, which he had only winged, The bird was 
captured and all was quiet again. 
In a few minutes geese were heard again, this time tliey 
came toward Doc. Quong ! Quong ! Oot ! Oot ! two 
flashes and two more geese hit the ground. Doc was 
now having some of the sport. All was quiet again. We 
waited almost an hour, covered with mud and shivering 
with cold when the sound of geese made us forget about 
the unpleasant part of the situation. It was an immense 
flock; the air was full of goose language. Frank v^&s 
the luck one this time. His pump gun or something 
else seemed to attract the geese. I thought he had a 
Gatling. There wasn't a shell left in the magazine when 
he got through, but he gathered up four more geese. By 
this time we were shivering with the cold in earnest, and 
Doc and our farmer friend froze out and went to the 
house to get thawed. I left my station, picked up my 
goose and went down to where Frank was. We waited 
and waited for what seemed to be a very long time, but 
heard not a sound of geese. Finally two more honkers 
came along. Down we went, flat on our backs in the 
furrow. They came directly over us, and we killed them 
both. It was now 11 o'clock, and covered with mud and 
loaded down with geese, we went to the house. 
After dinner it was decided not to go to the slash that 
afternoon, but to try our luck along a muddy slough for 
ducks and jacksnipe. As soon as we reached the slough, 
up jumped a teal. It came within 50 feet of me, and away 
went both barrels, a clean raiss, when our farmer friend 
dropped it with Old Betsy the first shot. The laugh 
was on me this time. 
■ During the afternoon there were occasional shots, and 
we brought in a small bag of ducks and snipe. We saw 
many Mongolian pheasants, but as this was the close sea- 
son, we were forced to be content with watching them fly 
<way. 
That evening was spent among ringlets of tobacco 
smoke, cleaning guns, and drawing the game, inter- 
mixed with talks on the incidents of the day. 
Next morning we arose early and the farm wagon was 
f ©on ready for a three-tuik drive to the slash. Id going 
to the shooting grounds, several flocks of geese were 
sighted feeding in the different grain fields, but they were 
always at a safe distance, and as this day was for duck 
shooting, the geese were not molested. Driving up to a 
shallow pond, away went a flock of ducks and away went 
several loads of 4s, but not a feather. Here we stopped, 
tied the horses to the wagon and commenced preparations 
for the daj'-'s worlc. 
After putting out the decoys, Doc and Frank started 
out to drive, while our fai-mer friend and myself stayed 
with the decoys. We stayed and shivered, and just kept 
staying. We saw. plenty of ducks, but they would not 
decoy, and when Doc and Frank came in for lunch, we 
had had several shots, but they were at long range, and we 
didn't have a duck. Doc had one. Frank's pump did not 
seem to attract the ducks. 
After an exchange of experiences and a good luncli, it 
was decided to change our location and go a couple of 
miles further up the slash. We hitched up and drove 
to a suitable looking place, and were again ready for 
busmess at 2 o'clock P. M. We were disgusted with 
the decoys, and all struck out. We walked about a mile 
and scared up some ducks ; away went a couple of shots, 
and to our surprise, ducks seemed to get up in every 
direction. The air was full of them, of all kinds. We 
again stationed out in order to keep them flying. My 
station was behind an old rail fence, where the water 
was about 6 inches deep, with tall grass sticking up 
several inches above the water. At every shot the air 
would .?warra M'ith ducks, when they would circle around 
and drop down again, but they were flying high. Here 
came two mallards directly for me. I thought they were 
too high, but I was surprised to see the hind one drop 
dead at the crack of my gun. I picked up the duck, and 
got down by the fence again, when here came a flock of 
what are called wheat ducks. They were also high. With 
the second barrel I brought down one. It was only 
winged, and gave me a lively run through the grass and 
water. The whole party was now shooting quite lively. 
Looking for the result of a couple of shots from Doc's 
gun, I saw an immense flock of teal coming. There must 
have been over 300 in the flock. They came within 125 
yards, and dropped down in the water and grass. To 
get at them was the question. They were on the opposite 
side of the fence from me, and I knew that if I attempted 
to get over they would fly. At short intervals ducks of 
all kinds could be seen in almost every direction. They 
were coming in for tlieir evening meal. The shooting 
was general. I kept banging away at every sky-scraper 
that came over me. My efforts were not in vain, for I 
brought down enough ducks to keep up my enthusiasm, 
never once thinking how cold it was. The moral satis- 
faction of bringing down a sky-scraper can only be 
realized by a sportsman. But that great flock of teal. 
They would get up at intervals, flying so clof^e together 
that their wings seemed to touch, circle around a time or 
two and then settle down again, where they started from, 
just keeping out of range. I just kept banging away to 
keep up my end of the shooting ; it was getting Tate, when 
up jumped the flock of teal. This time they came within 
60 yards. Away went both barrels. While reloading, I 
noticed they were making a circle and coming my way 
again. This time they came a little closer. I was ex- 
cited, and gave them two more loads. I then jumped 
over the fence, tore my pants on a barbed M'ire, ran into 
the rnucky marsh, got over rny boot tops and fell down. 
Nothing could have stopped me then. After a tiresome 
chase, I gathered up eleven teal for those four shots. 
I held ray stand until dark and got four more ducks. 
We all got to the wagon about the same time. All told, 
there was a pile of forty-seven ducks in the wagon box. 
Bud. 
North American Association. 
Montreal, Can., Feb. 3.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
I send you a marked copy of Montreal Gazette of this 
morning, reporting our new Game and Fish Association. 
We hope for good results. W. G. Parish. 
The meeting of the North American Fish and Game 
Protection Association was held yesterday at the Govern- 
ment offices, at which were present the best representatiA^es 
of fish and game interests. 
It was one of the most substantial meetings; one of 
those gatherings, pleasant to the ear, for everybody there 
knew wliat he was talking about, talked about what he 
knew, and let the other fellows make counts. 
To anybody who has been particularly interested in 
game protection the convention organized yesterday was 
of the utmost importance. 
Practically it covered everything from Hudson's Bay 
to the Gulf of Mexico. That is exactly the sentiment we 
want to instal, and be appreciated by everybody who 
shoots over a dog, shivers half to death in his blind, and 
simply goes nosing after rabbits with hounds to show the 
way. 
Our spring duck shooting has been outrageously abused, 
thanks to the kindness of local magistrates. Our deer 
hunting has also outrageously been abused, and thanks 
to the efforts of the Fish and Game Protection Club of 
the Province of Quebec, we have been enabled to make 
it uncomfortable for some of those who broke the law 
flagrantly. 
Costs a lot of money to get some people vvithin the 
clutches of the law. The men who did the trick prac- 
tically paid the costs out of their own pockets. This might 
be particularly interesting information for the Provincial 
Government in so far as the Covay case, for instance, the 
details of which have already been published in the 
Gazette, may be used as reference. 
The amount of money donated, given, subscribed, prac- 
tically what you will by the Quebec Government to the 
Fish and Game Protection Club, loses itself in its absolute 
obscurity. It is too small to revert to it as a matter of 
practical usefulness. 
We find the State of Maine teaching us a lesson. The 
people of Augusta find their way to dispense $25,000 a 
year for the purposes of game protection. 
The people of the State of Maine also find that through 
their game protection laws, the revenue of the State was 
increased last year between $2,000,000 and $3,000,000. 
This is not a figure thrown out at raodoin ; this is & 
figure which can be and may be verified at any time that 
one cares to look over the statute books and the blue books 
at Augusta, 
Does it not look as if we might learn something from 
Mame.-' In many cases the conditions are alike, they 
should be Canadians— their fish, their game and the habits 
of them are the same as ours; our interests are alike, and 
Maine has managed to make such laws that might be 
conveniently adopted in the Province of Quebec or other 
Provinces in the Dominion. 
Looking to the future, or rather preparing for it, is 
the most excellent motto adopted by the Montreal Fish 
and Game Protection Club. 
The work of the convention will speak for itself, and 
the president, the Hon. T. S. Parent, outlined the pro- 
ceedmgs, which was as follows: 
"Gentlemen : You have done me the honor, in answer 
to my invitation, to leave your homes and your numerous 
occupations to meet me here, in the commercial metropolis 
of the Dommion of Canada, which was purposely chosen 
as the most central point for this convention. 
"I most sincerely thank you on behalf of the Govern- 
ment of the Province of Quebec, as well as on my own 
behalf, for your courtesy in coming, and for my colleagues 
as well as for myself, I am happy to bid you a most hearty 
welcome to this city and to tliis Province. 
"We are bound together by very close ties, and by what 
may almost be called a community of interests. Many 
of you are our neighbors and we are yours. By the States 
and Province from which many of you come, the Province 
of Quebec is surrounded. We appreciate the neighborly 
feelings that you have shown in accepting our invitation, 
and the readiness which your presence implies, to dis- 
cuss with us those matters concerning the protection of 
game and fish in which we are all alike interested. 
"To the Department of Lands, Forests and Fisheries 
of the Province of Quebec, over which I have the honor 
to preside, as well as to the public departments controlling 
the fish and game interests of all your States and 
Provinces, protection is one of the burning questions of 
the day. The man who makes two blades of grass 
grow where only one grew before, is considered a bene- 
factor of his race. You. gentlemen, some of you at least, 
have game preserves and fish hatcheries under your 
control, which have already resulted in the multiplication 
of game and fish, some thirty-fold, some sixty-fold, and 
some even one hundred-fold. Not alone from the stand- 
point of benefactors of the race, but also from the stand- 
point of the material interests of your respective Provinces 
and States, your work for the propagation of fish and 
game is of vast_ importance. 
"Beneficial as it is, however, it would be inadequate to 
even maintain the existing supply, if it were not seconded 
by necessary laws efficiently enforced and applied for the 
protection of the fish and game whose mukipHcation you 
encourage. 
"The practical extinction of the American bison, or 
buffalo, is but one illustration of the danger Avhich 
threatens all our large species of game, where a proper 
and efiicient system of protection is neglected; while the 
millions of dollars annually spent by sportsmen in several 
States of _the American Union and in almost every 
Province of the Dominion of Canada, serve to emphasize 
and to impress upon us the duty of handing down to 
posterity, unimpaired, the wealth of fish and game, which 
has come to us from the lavish hands of a bountiful 
Providence. 
"We have our own system of fish and game laws and 
protection in each of the different Provinces and States 
here represented, but no two of them are exactly alike. 
The differences are rendered necessary by the distinction 
in climatic conditions and other vmcontrollable circum- 
stances. Yet, we have all experienced the difficulty that 
occurs at various points of the border Imes of our respec- 
tive territory, when we encounter different ?ets of laws, 
varying close season and conflicting .system of licenses. 
"It is to consider this condition of affairs, and if pos- 
sible, to devise and to apply a remedy that I have in- 
vited you to meet here with gentlemen of the Province 
of Quebrc, who also take a large interest in the preserva- 
tion of the game and fish of this Province. 
"And let me here convey my thanks to these last men- 
tioned gentlemen who have accepted my invitation. Their 
presence here to-day, is a suflicient proof and irdxation 
of the interest they take and of the importance they attach 
to the protection of game and fish. 
"You will be asked to express your views cn the 
harmonizing of the fish and game laws of different ^t^itc^ 
and Provinces, to devise better and more efiicient metlicds 
of collection of license fees; to suggest better means of 
enforcing the game laws, especially along the frontiers of 
this Province and the dift'erent States and Provinces 
bordering on ours. These frontiers are clearly enough 
defined, hut the moose, caribou and deer which have not 
had the advantage of securing diplomas as land surveyors, 
go over them very easily, and are too often followed by 
poachers who are always glad to chase them. 
"You will also be asked to discuss the question of the 
necessity of interesting the press, both daily and weekly, 
and through them of impressing upon the people the 
belief that the game and fish are valuable assets, and that 
more money can accrue to the people at large by thi,' strict 
observance of the fish and game laws than by poaching. 
"Protecting laws are very good, but I am sincerely of 
opinion that the best means of applying them is moral 
suasion and the edtication of the people. The subjects to- 
consider are : 
"Universal gun licenses. 
"License guide system. 
"LiiTiit of quantity of game to be killed. 
"Limit of the size and number of fish to be caught. 
"Licensed coupons system. 
"mm ting of deer with dogs. 
"Shooting of deer in the water. 
"Ij'censing market men and game dealers. 
"Cold storage. 
"Leasing of hunting and fishing territory. 
"Encouraging the formation of fish and game protec- 
tion clubs, and many other matters will be submitted to 
you for discussion. 
"On all these questions we will be happy to have your 
views. And we are the more anxious to get them,' be- 
cause we know that all those who compose this meeting 
are sp^lalists who have devoted much of thdr tim^ to tha 
