506 
over thoroughly without finding the bird, when in taking 
one last turn around the outside edge of the lot the bird 
burst from almost under my feet and 'started straight 
away. Throwing up my gun I gave it to him, and still 
he kept right on, but leaving a thin trail of feathers be- 
hind. John joined me and wc resumed the pursuit. 1 
had marked the bird down, and we went straight to him, 
Don finding him dead, a remarkably long flight from 
where I had last shot at him. Picking him up we found 
both legs broken and several shot marks on his body. 
So much for the game qualities of this noble bii'd. 
Working back on the other side of this same cover^ I 
took up position in some big pines so as to cover an 
open field on one side and some low oak sprouts on the 
other, while John beat out another strip of low pine. 
Soon I heard a bird start and caught a glimpse of a flash 
making for the opening on my right. He burst through 
the fringe of pine with downward scoop, and with set 
wings was fast getting out of range when the little Par- 
ker spoke and he was added to our bag. At times when 
.the birds will not lie well this method of hunting is the 
most successful — i. e.. one man drive and the other shoot. 
One must be thoroughly acquainted with the ground and 
be willing to do his share of the driving as well as be 
able to shoot some when he gets a chance, for after a 
partridge once gets under full headway he isn't any snap, 
even in an open field. 
'Our next move took us to a large swamp near a pond. 
While walking along the road Don came to a stand, 
pointing straight at a large oak tree close by the road. 
The bird flushed immediately and John missed, an un- 
usual thing for him. 
Following up this bird, Crimp struck a scent in some 
thick fringe around a dried-up water hole. John* got into 
the middle of the clear space, while I followed Crimp, 
who was working around to the west side of the clearing. 
The bird started without giving me a shot, but headed 
across the clearing, giving John a fine open shot. He 
missed with his first barrel, but at the report of the sec- 
ond the bird took a sudden upward turn, not exactly 
towering, but at an angle that sent him 30 or 40 feet 
above the treetops while yet comparatively near. While 
watching the bird there came another bird across my 
line of vision, which I saw at once was a medium sized 
hawk. Before I coitld shoot he was over John's head 
in the exact line of flight taken by the partridge. Soaring 
easily above the trees, he followed the partridge until it 
started to drop, when he instantly closed his talons on 
it and sailed away over the treetops, carrying the 
partridge, until out of sight. We hunted in that direc- 
tion, but saw no more of hawk or partridge. This is the 
only incident of this kind that I have ever heard of, 
although I've heard of hawks taking wounded ducks, 
etc., on the marshes. 
'"The short November day was fast drawing to a close 
and we turned in the direction of home. John got a 
partridge on the way back to the quail field, and another 
quail from the meadow where we found them in the 
morning, making a total bag of seven quail and four 
partridges — which is a good bag for two guns in this 
vicinity. 
We have some splendid covers, and a few years ago 
there w£s very fair shooting; but a few years more must 
see the end of that grand bird, the ruffed grouse, unless 
some severe measures are taken at once to protect the few 
remaining birds. 
I would advocate a close season for three years on 
partridge, quail, woodcock, rabbits, and squirrels. Pro- 
hibit the sale of the same and enforce the law. Offer 
a bounty on foxes. Of coiirse the fox hunters will ob- 
ject most strenuously to this, btit observing men in this 
section believe that the increasing number of foxes are 
a_mo.st potent factor in the rapid disappearance of our 
birds. No measure which could be successfully enforced 
would be too stringent to suit the sportsmen in eastern 
Massachusetts, who have the best interests of the game 
birds at heart. R. E. 
Massachusetts. 
Alaska Shots. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I notice in your issue for April 21 an article by Mr. 
C. F. Periolot on "Moose Hunting." In common with 
many other readers of Forest and Stream, I would very 
much enjoy an article written by Mr. H. E. Lee, of 
Chicago, giving us the results of the severe tests he has 
put his "arsenal of guns" to on big game, as referred to 
m Mr. Periolot's article. 
I have already given my reasons in these columns for 
considering the "English express" (of which Mr. Periolot 
speaks with disfavor) as one of the best guns, and while 
I have a great admiration for the Savage .303 (there is no 
such gun as the Savage .30-30 yet in use, which Mr. 
Periolot mentions), I find it hard to believe that Mr. Lee 
killed all of these animals with only one shot each. I 
feel sure the majority of big-game hunters will agree 
with me in believmg that it is hardly probable that ten 
big-game animals, including two large moose and three 
grizzly bears, were killed at sporting ranges with only 
one shot each. 
If there is any man, using any rifle, v^ho will come out 
over his own name and honestly affirm that he has accom- 
plished such a feat, he is justly entitled to a place of 
honor among hunters, and every hunter will be indebted 
to him for the information. 
Even in Alaska, where game is so comparatively tame, 
not yet having become accustomed to the sight and scent 
of man, and thus learning to dread him, there are so many 
little chances which might, and I believe would, prevent a 
man making a fatal shot ten consecutive times, even sup- 
posing the rifle had the stopping power of a 13-inch 
shell, that I wonder more deeply the more I think of it. I 
know that conditions in Alaska are very favorable for 
making a record shot and a record bag. There is lots of 
game and it is comparatively tame, and the country is so 
accessible and easy to get into and travel over and hunt 
in. that any hunter can get easy chances on game.. 
'" ''Regarding the country, any average hunter who has the 
time and means necessary can go there in safety and com- 
fort and easily get fine specimens of moose, sheep, cari- 
bou and bear. If I were in the "guiding" business, I 
would guarantee to T)ut any hunter who can walk ten 
miles a day within shooting distance of the game men- 
j^loned. In proof of my assertion, I need only say that 
FOREST _ AND ^ STREAM. 
during the summer of 1899 a lady of my acquaintance, 
born and bred in one of the large cities of the United 
States, who had done but little hunting before, and who 
only weighed 125 pounds, went to Alaska and came back 
safe and sound, having killed a bear and two sheep with 
her own rifle, and that rifle a Savage .303 — only it took 
more than one shot for each animal. She could have 
also killed two moose and some more sheep, but their 
party had no use for the meat. 
The section of country in which the bear was first 
snared and then shot was the same as tliat in which Mr. 
Lee and party hunted — ^that is, the Cook's Inlet region. 
This lady, however, killed her sheep much further in- 
land than Mr. Lee's party had ventured. 
Mr. Periolot is scarcely justified in claiming that Mr. 
Lee killed the "universally acknowledged record caribou 
of the world." From other sources, I believe this caribou 
has a head of horns with fifty-seven points (counting 
knobs). Now, I can refer any interested reader to where 
he can see a larger head than this one. I would give its 
location here, but am not at liberty to do so, the owner not 
wishing the notoriety of a newspaper notice. 
Until I saw Mr. Periolot's article, I was of the opinion 
that the head in Mr. Lee's possession was killed by an 
Indian of Mr. Lee's party, while huuLing in Ala ka with 
him, and who '.ised one of Mr. Lee's guns. I have the 
word of two different people for it that the Indian did kill 
a head with fifty-seven points, so that if Mr. Lee also has 
a fifty-seven point head of his own killing, there is also, I 
believe, another fifty-seven point head existing. 
There may be other larger heads which I do not know 
of. In these latter days, when so many large heads have 
been secured of all big-game animals, it is risky for any 
one to assert that theirs is the largest. 
James Turnbull. 
Halifax, Nova Scotia. 
Massachusetts Game Interests, 
5 Park Square, Boston, June 23. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: Your readers have already learned that the 
confidence Massachusetts sportsmen have reposed in Gov- 
ernor Crane was not misplaced. They will also be glad 
to know that Representative Harry Draper Hunt, of North 
Attleboro, has been made the happy recipient of the pen 
wiih which the bill was signed. This recogn tion of his 
untiring efforts to secure the passage of the bill was most 
appropriate, and I have reason to believe meets the ap- 
proval of every one. 
The success of the committee in securing the bird bill 
is the cause of much rejoicing among Massachusetts 
sportsmen. Mr. John Fottler, Jr., formerly President of 
the Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Association, 
writes: "I know very well, from a long and tedious ex- 
perience, just what you have been through, and of course 
we have all lent a hand as best we might. * * * I 
consider this the greatest victory that has ever been 
gained by sportsmen in the State of Massachusetts. It 
shows that the game dealer cannot always have his_ own 
way, even though he feels that he is in position to dictate 
to the Legislature." 
Mr, F. R. Whitcher, a deputy game warden, of Ames- 
bury, whose name I have mentioned in a previous letter, 
writes of his great delight on learning that the bill had 
become a law. 
Mr. J. M. Stevenson, of Pittsfield, has just called at this 
office and informed me that he was able to answer nu- 
merous questions propounded by Governor Crane prior to 
affixing his signature in a way that removed whatever 
objections had been raised against the bill. The sports- 
men of Massachusetts are under obligations to Mr. 
Stevenson for championing their interests on maiiy occa- 
sions since he first represented his city in the Legislature. 
It is in no small degree due to his influence that our 
friends in the western counties were led to give up the last 
two weeks of September and consent to opening the shoot- 
ing season on Oct. i. 
Mr. C. J. H. Woodbury, who has been many years a 
Vice-President of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Pro- 
tective Association, and one of the most active members 
of the Board of Management, writes as follows under 
date of June 21 : "I wish to acknowledge with thanks 
your courtesy in sending me a copy of Forest and 
Stream, and congratulate you on your success." 
Mr. W. S. Hinman, who was a valuable witness at the 
hearing before the Legislative Committee, has just re- 
turned from a two weeks' trip to the Maine woods. Mr. 
Hinman is a Vice-President, and has recently taken life 
membership in the Association. 
While we regard the passage of the bird bill as the 
crowning achievement of the year, there have been other 
improvements in existing laws. For several years the 
Southern Massachusetts Fish and Game League has 
.sought to have power granted the Commissioners to con- 
struct fishways at the expen.se of the State in those 
cases where the owners were financially unable to build 
them, and where they are needed to allow fish free access 
to their spawning beds. 
Such a law has been enacted this season. A bill relative 
to the stocking of brooks, introduced by Representative 
Hunt, has been enacted, and carries with it an appropria- 
tion of $500. I inclose a copy of the bill. A bill to prevent 
the killing of Mongolian pheasants for five years has be- 
come a law, on recommendation of the Commissioners. A 
law has been passed to .regulate the fishing in Podunk 
Pond, or Quacumquasit Lake, Brookfield. 
The Brookfield Club, of which one of our Vice-Presi- 
dents, Mr. C. H. Moulton, is President, has done a great 
work in stocking the lake, having put in about 10 000 
brook trout fry. 40,000 lake trout fry. nearly 3 000 yearling 
and adult brook trout from 5 to 11 inches long, and 8 000 
landlocked salmon fingerlings. Fishing has been allowed 
in July and August only the oast three years. A laAV 
has been passed this session allowing fishing from Jtme 
20 to Oct. I, but limiting the amount to 12 oounds of 
white perch, S pounds of trout and 5 pounds of landlocked 
salmon per day, by any person, for a period of five 
years. 
Another law just passed requires lobster fishermen to 
have been residents of the State not less than a year. 
As your readers know, the attempt to pass a 9-inch 
lobster law failed, and the les^al length remains as be- 
fore — 103^ inches. NoWv'J^i"- Editor, yon will agree with 
me that this is not a bad record for the Old Bay State, and 
I do not hesitate to predict that this season's victories 
tJuNE 36, iybo. 
will prove harbingers of still better things to come in the 
not distant future. 
The co-operative spirit that has been developed among 
our sportsmen should be fostered in every way possible. 
The united action of all sportsmen's, farmers' and other 
clubs that participated in the great convention of last 
December, resulting in the organization of the Massachu- 
setts Central Committee for Protection of Fish and Game, 
has secured the passage of a law that is likely to prove-of 
great benefit to those sportsmen who must do their bird- 
hunting in Massachusetts or nowhere, and has shown 
what methods we must adopt in order to win victories in 
the future. I wish to suggest the importance of all clubs 
keeping up the work in dissemenating information, awak- 
ening public interest and promoting in every way the 
interests they represent. Sportsmen m those cities and 
large towns where no club exists should at once set about 
forming one so that in every locality there shall be some 
organization to care for fish and game. 
Henry H. Kimball, Sec'y. 
Care and Accidents. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I read with interest the other day the ve'ry suggestive 
and instructive notes by Mr. W. H. Avis about the neces- 
sity of care in handling firearms. 
■ Like Mr. Avis I consider myself very cautious in every 
move with a gun, whether it is loaded or not; but I have 
seen a number of accidents, some of which were not 
due to carelessness. I have carried a gun for the last 
fourteen years. Once only have I had it accidentally dis- 
charged in my own hand. On this occasion I was in the 
woods, and seeing a coon cross the path. I raised guft 
to shoulder, pulling the hammer back as I did so. The 
coon disappeared behind a fallen tree. I ran to the tree 
and was looking about when my gun was exploded, being 
carried about 20 feet away. The only damage to my per- 
son was a smashed finger. 
On one occasion, while trapping in Canada with my 
brother Fred, when we were breaking camp after our 
midday meal, everything being in the packs, I was filling 
my pipe when Fred took the gun from the log I had 
leaned it against and handed the arm to me muzzle first. 
The butt stood on the ground. There was a loud report, 
a flash of heat in my face and my hat went flying. I stag- 
gered back a few paces, and passing my hand over my 
face looked at it for blood. Seeing none, I tried the sec- 
ond time. It was hard for me to believe that I had 
not been shot. Fred looked as if he had been white- 
washed. We laughed the matter off, but always after that 
Fred let me pick up my own gun. 
While I was out once with a party of yotin-g boys one 
day a small green snake crossed the path. One of the 
party attempted to put the butt of his gun on the snake. 
The hammer struck a hidden.log. Two charges went 
through his abdomen. 
Another time, while out, one of the party shot , and 
wounded a rabbit which ran into a stone wall. The lad 
slipped a shell into his gun, put it on the opposite side of 
the wall pointed toward him, and began rolling down 
the wall to dislodge the rabbit. A stone rolled agains't 
his gun, a report followed and he went to the ground 
with his brains blown out. I know of many other cases. 
I agree with Mr. Avis that none of us can be too careful. 
No matter what you are doing with your gun, keep the 
muzzle upward, loaded or empty. 
In picking up your gun from lying f^at, standing against 
anything, from a companion or a boat, do not take hold 
of the muzzle and drag it toward you; talce hold of it by 
the forestock and barrel if you are only using one hand; 
if two, in the regular way you grasp it when you go to 
shoot In carrying your gun do not keep the muzzle 
directly behind you; throw the butt to the right or left, 
whichever shoulder you are carrying it on. This will 
bring the muzzle toward the opposite shoulder, thus ren- 
dering it easy to carry, as it will be resting on your neck 
and shoulder instead of on the small part of your shoul- 
der, and with the muzzle upward will also lighten it a 
little. 
I think there are more men shot with 'their own guns 
by taking them from a boat than in any other way. When 
you run your boat or canoe to the bank your gun is likely 
to be in the bow, which I think is the best place for it. 
Take hold of it by the forestock and step out. Put it in 
a safe place where you are sure it will not fall down. 
Then draw up your boat or do anything else you have 
to do; but do not let yoirr gun stay in the boat until you 
have shouldered your pack and then catch hold of the 
muzzle, d^ag it up over the gunwale, hook the hammers 
and ha.ve it explode. It is likely to blow out your brains. 
I have hunted and trapped eight years in Canada, and 
I will give a few of my experiences in dealing with the 
fur-bearing animals of Canada, from the muskrat to the 
black bear, in a later number of your valuable paper. I 
have read it for the past ten years and find it the best 
sporting paper published. W- K. S. 
T.\IJNTON, 
Chickens in the Northwest. 
All through the Northwest, North and South Dakota 
and Minnesota, there has been a long season of extremely 
hot, dry weather, which has been most injurious to the 
crops over a vast territory in that region. Ordinarily 
speaking, this would mean a poor chicken season, but the 
following dispatch from St. Cloud, Minn., seems to in- 
dicate the contrary, being as below: 
"The only crop in this vicinity that seems to have 
been benefited by the' dry weather, in fact thrived on -it, is 
that of prairie chickens. Ordinarily the rains and storms 
of spring and early summer are responsible for the death 
of many broods, but this year the conditions have been 
exceptionally faA''orable and already a noticeable difference 
is seen by parties who have occasion to be in the country, 
and the prairie chicken harvest this fall promises some 
rare sport." - 
First Artist — "I deceived a magnificent tribute to my 
skill the other dav at the exhibition." Second Artist — ■ 
'"What was it?". First Artist — "You know my picture. 'A. 
Storm at Sea'? ' Welt; a man and his wife were looking 
at it and I heard the ,man say, 'Come on, my dear; that 
picture makes me sick,' " — Brooklyn Life. _ 
