'Aug. 25, 1900.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
14^ 
poultry" to Kansas City or Ft. Worth. It is pointedly a 
"breach of the law to net quail or ship ihem out of the 
Indian Territory, but they do it just the same, and I 
for one am going to try to prevent some of it. I am 
now in communication with the proper authorities, and I 
will let Forest and Stream readers know of the de- 
velopments. 
Regardless of the fact that deer for some time have 
been a "scarce article" in this country, I learn from re- 
cent reports .that further north from the Rush Creek 
country, on northeast even into the tliickly settled Okla- 
homa, an abundance of deer have been seen of late. I 
have It from reliable authority that on Little River in the 
•'Pot' " country (Pottawatamie county, O. T.) there is 
quite a number of white-tailed deer which are ex- 
ceedingly tame. We have here also the pinnated grouse in 
great abundance later in the season, and quite a number 
remain here through summer, nesting and rearing their 
young on tlie adjacent prairies. Altogether, considering 
the small number of sportsmen in this counti-y, the pros- 
pects are flattering for a good time when the leaves be- 
gin to fall. W. 
[m mid ^iv^t ^ist(ing. 
Chicago Fly-Casting Club Open 
Tournament* 
Chicago, 111., Aug. 17. — The third open tournament of 
the Chicago Fly-Casting Club began to-day under rather 
discouraging circumstances, though this was purely on 
account of unfavorabile weather. The skies were threat- 
eninig all the morning, with showers of rain, and by 11 
A, M. the downpour was so heavy and continuous as to 
cause the discontinuance of the work at the buoys, the 
judges being fairly, drowned out of their position on 
the boat. This brought the contests late into the after- 
noon, when at last the rain ceased and there appeared 
promise of a better day to-morrow. 
The grounds at Garfield North Lagoon to-day were 
arranged with the expectation of a pleasant time, and 
indeed the time was pleasant in spite of surly weather. 
Three tents furnished accommodations for the working 
force, the dining force and the guests and members. The 
latter had a large marquee just back of the western 
platform, and this was resident for the most of the 
attendance during the frequent squalls. Lunch was 
served in the open tent at about noon, during a let-up in 
the rain. The local arrangements were all that could 
be required. 
Tliere were just three communities represented in the 
tournament — ^two only besides Chicago— yet there were 
present without doubt the best casting talent of the 
country, and the display of casting was a great one. From 
San Francisco came JMr. and Mrs. W. D. Mansfield, Mr. 
and Mrs. E. A. Mocker and Mrs. A. K Lovett, all the 
above gentlemen members 'of the San Francisco Fly- 
Casting Club, and anglei's not only of reputation, but of 
great skill. These men to-day showed in the front rank 
of every cojnpetition, and are to be expected well in the 
front at I lie end of the tournament. This may be said in 
spite of the fact that every one of the California men 
is suffering with illness caused by the change of climate, 
and is feeling much below his personal average of fitness. 
Mr. Moclcer is perhaps better physically than the others, 
as he has been in this part of the world for several days, 
coming on ahead of the others for a little fishing over in 
Berrien countjr, Mich. Mr. Mocker made a hard run in 
the dry-fly work to-day, ranking very high in delicacy, 
and losing out only at the hands of the accuracy depart- 
ment. Mr. Lovett and Mr. Mansfield took .first and 
second in the distance and accuracy contest with the 
fly, and they made a very fair Start in the team con- 
test/ all-round casting, in which only the bait feature 
was run off to-day. 
The representation from Grand Rapids, Mich., could 
not have been better chosen. With the veteran John 
Waddell came Mr. Chas. B. Kelsey, Mr. Douglas Berry, 
Mr. Asa Stewart. The Grand Rapids men made a hard 
fight fot first in the dry-fly, and each of them showed 
himself in perfect control of his implements in that trying 
competition. It was thought at first that Mr. Waddell 
had this event safe, then Mr. Kelsey veered into_ favorite's 
place, Mr. Stewart also making a good try for it. Grand 
Rapids does not so much run to bait-casting, and not so 
much was asked of her men in that line. Neither was it 
expected that the Coast men would care so much for 
this art as the Chicago boys, who have perhaps mastered 
this work better than any anglers in America. The end 
is not yet, however, in the bait work, and we may have 
surprises in store to-raorrow. 
Chicago did not want to win anything in this tourna- 
ment, but yet must try her sportsmanlike best to do 
so, of course. To-day Chicago was first in the bait 
work of the team contest, and she took first in the dry-fly, 
second in the same event, and tied two men for third. 
This is a great honor for this city, for dry-fly is the past 
mastership of the angle, and her men met the best in 
the land to-day. 
Valuable Prizes. 
The club list of special prizes is a long and attractive 
one, as is shown hereinafter. Special mention should be 
made of the handsome trophy brought along by the San 
Francisco boys from their club, to be offered for the 
prize in distance and accuracy, both bait and fly. The 
diamond of this trophy is a beauty, and the enameled 
flies and leader loops which are let into the gold facings 
are samples of really artistic design and execution. It 
is a vast and lovely world, that of the great American 
West Coast, and it is in the forefront of artistic as well 
as material things. Fine men and fine women grow there 
aiuong other fine things, and so far as Chicago can see, 
the miiiTl occupation on the Coast seems to be that of 
cu.'^ting tbc fly. 
Rules of the Competitions, 
Tlie following are the general rules governing the com- 
pctitioTl? pf thr tnurrlP^men^ ■ • 
RULE I. 
All persons competing for prizes shall pay an entrance fee as 
follows: One event, $3; two events, $5.; three events, $7; all 
events, $10. Entries to each event close 30 minutes beEore contest 
cemmences, 
RULE II. 
The captain shall be the executive officer of the day, and shall 
examine and approve all tackle used in the events. The secretary- 
treasurer shall receive all entrance fees and issue cards to con- 
testants, designating their number in the order of competition. The 
time-keeper shall start and close all events. He shall signal the 
judges with a flag, and call time to the contestants. 
RULE III. 
The contests shall be governed by two judges and a referee. 
In case of disagreement the referee shall decide. The decision 
of the referee shall be final, except as to a question of interpretation 
of rules. In svich a case contestant shall have a right of appeal 
to the executive committee, provided that notice of such appeal 
is given to the captain before the close of such contest. 
RULE IV. 
All casting shall be done single-handed only. 
RULE V. 
Competitors may con.sult their own wishes in choice of reel and 
line, but lines must not be knotted, leaded or weighted, and bait- 
casting reels must be free running. 
RULE VI. 
The leader shall be of single gut, and shall not be less than 6 
flor more than 9 feet in length. One fly 'only shall be used, of a 
ON AN .A.PRIL DAY IN THE YEAR l8lO. 
size not smaller than No. 12 or larger than No. 6. Snell must not 
exceed 6 inches in length. Hooks shall be broken off at the bend. 
Half-ounce rubber frogs used in the bait-casting events will be 
furnished by the captain. 
RULE VIL 
No cast shall count after the judges have notified contestant that 
fly is missing until same is replaced. 
RULE VllL 
If tackle breaks contestant shall be allowed to replace same if in 
the opinion of .tJie judges it was defective. 
RULE IX. 
All ties shall he cast off immediately after the contest. The 
loser shall be entitled to the prize next in order. 
RULE X. 
No one except active contestants and captain shall be allowed 
nearer the judges or casting pier than 10 feet; and any contestant 
distracting the attention of the judges, time-keeper or active con- 
testant in any manner whatever, shall forfeit all rights or claims 
and be barred from any future contest of the club. 
RULE XI. 
The general rules and usage of the club shall be used in deciding 
any question that may arise not covered by the rules in this pi'O- 
grammc. 
First Event, Accuracy and Delicacy, Fly. 
Shortly after ir o'clock A. M. the first event was be- 
gun, that of accuracy and delicacy with the fly, six- 
teen entries. The sky was lowering, the wind very puffy 
and hard to gauge, the buoys being shifted several times 
in the attempt to escape its caprices. The conditions 
could not be called good, yet were not outside of sporting 
conditions. Judges were W. H. Talbot, of Nevada, Mo. ; 
Douglas Berry, of Grand Rapids, Mich. Referee, Geo. A. 
Murrell, secretary of the chtb. The Chicago men made a 
fair showing in this competition, though hardly in the 
same class with the two Coast men, who went to their 
work with a confidence that seemed to show a perfect 
familiarity with the winninig points of the game. Mr. 
Mansfield used a v'ery hea^^y line in his work, size D. 
which also was apparently used by Mr. Lovett. The lines 
of these two casters cut straight and true across the 
buoys, there being only two requirements, to get the fly 
the right distance, and get it inside the ring^s. The 
Chicago man most nearly approaching this straight, 
heavy, slashing tournament gait w^as Harry Hascall, of 
Chicago, who also appeared to use the Coast form of full 
body work rather than the canonical wrist motion which 
is of such small avail in tournament casting. Mr. Bel- 
lows, a favorite for place at this game, made a fair show- 
ing only. Had it not been for Mr. Hascall the two 
prisco pxpert§ wQuld have beep in a clas§ by theiris^elY?* 
and several grades away from the rest of the talent. The 
scores of 98, 97 1-3 and 96 were the one, two, three places. 
At the short buoy Mr. Mansfield lost but one point. 
On the second lie made a little bobble, the wind coming 
up in a gust just then, and here he took a demerit of 
4. On the third hoop he was set back 3. Mr. Lovett's 
work was very consistent, and he scored perfect three 
times at eacli ring, losing four points, each time one foot 
from perfect, certainly a very memorable exhibition of 
careful casting. Mr. Ha-scall lost his gait on the second 
ring, losing 2 on the first, 6 on the second, 4 on the third. 
Mr. Waddell lost 4 on the change to his second buoy, a 
bit of hard luck, as he was centering his rings admirably 
up to that point. Mr. Kelsey, of Grand Rapids, also 
cast in very good form, and his work was model in many 
ways, he losing points chiefly on the swing from one buoy 
to the next. A close heat was trotted between Capt. 
Letterman and Mr. Rev. C. A. Lippincott, the former 
92 2-3, the latter 92 1-3. The scores: 
First EvetU. — Fly-casting, fixed distance and accuracy, at rings 
25 inches in diameter, 50, 55 and 60 feet. Rod not to exceed 8% 
ounces. There shall be made five casts at each ring. One minute 
shall be allowed in which to extend line to 50-foot buoy. When 
the contestant has extended his line and is ready, he shall call 
".Score," and the next cast thereafter shall be counted. When 
five consecutive casts have been made at 50-foot ring the judges 
will announce "Next ring." Contestant, if he so desires, can 
make not to exceed five dry casts before dropping his fly at the 
55-foot ring. A like procedure shall be followed between 55 and 60 
foot rings. If fly falls inside of ring it shall be scored perfect; for 
each foot or fraction of a foot from ring a demerit of 1 shall be 
scored. Fly striking ring will be scored outside. The sum total 
of such demerits divided by 3 shall be considered th? demerit 
per cent.; the demerit per cent, deducted from 100 shall be the 
percentage. The contestants having the largest percentage shall 
ue declared the winners. 
I. D. Belasco 78 1-3, I. IT. Sellows 92, L. L Blackman 70 2-3, C. 
F. Brown 76 2-3, U, Greenwood 90 2-3, H. G. Hascall 96, E. R. 
Letterman 92 2-3, C. A. Lippincott 92 1-3, F. N. Peet 93 1-3, H. W. 
Perce 87 1-3, A. C. Smith 92 2-3, A. P. Stuart 85, C. B. Kelsey 
89, J. Waddell 91 2-3, A. E. Lovett 98, VV. D. Mansfield 97 1-3. 
First prize, diamond medal, Chicago Fly-Casting Club: A, E. 
Lovett, Leonard rod, 8 1-2, 98 per cent. 
Second prize, English fly-rod, value $15, Montgomery Ward & 
Co.; leader book and two dozen leaders, value $12, Wm. Mille & 
Co.; total value of second prize, $27: W. D. Mansfield, Leonard 
rod, 8 1-2, 97 1-3 per cent. 
Third prize, one year's subscription to the American Field, 
value $4, American Field Publishing Co.; extension rod case, value 
$3, Lanz, Owen & Co.; gold-plated fly-pin, value $5, Geo. H. 
Burtis; total value third prize, $12: H. G. Hascall, Devine rod, 8 1-2, 
96 per cent. 
Fourth prize, expert reel, value $2, A. F. Meisselbach & Brother; 
one-half dozen bass flies, G. II. Burtis, value $1.25; two dozen bass 
flies, value $2, Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.; total value fourth 
prize $5.25: F. N. Peet, Leonard rod, 8 1-4, 931-3 per cent. 
Fifth prize, artificial minnows, value $1, F. A. Pardee & Co.; 
four dozen flies, value $4, Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.; total 
value fifth prize, $5: A. C. Smith, Devine rod, 81-2, 92 2-3 per cent, 
.Sixth prize, two alligator bait lines, value $2, J. L. Van IJxem;, 
one P. S. ball bearing bait, value ,50 cents, P. & S, BallBearing Bait 
Co.; one revolution bait, value 50 cents, Wm, Shakespeare, Jr.; 
total value si.xth prize. .$3: E. R. Letterman, Chubb rod, S 1-2, 92 2-3 
per cent. 
Second Event, Team Contest, Bait. 
Judges. Mr. Mat Benner, Mr. A. Stewart; Referee, Mr. 
A. C. Smith. 
The bait section of the team contest was next taken 
up. but was discontinued for a time on account of a 
heavy rain, which made it impossible either to cast or 
to score. Three teams entered for this, one each from 
Chicago, Frisco and the Rapids. Messrs. Mansfield and 
Lovelt tnadc the Coast team,' Messrs. Waddell and Kelsey 
the Michigan team, Messrs. Hascall and Peet the Chicago 
team. This was a very interesting competition and was 
closely watched by all present. Individually, it was hot 
for a time between Messrs. Hascall and Lovett, and it 
was thought once that Hascall was next to top man, but 
the figures proved his running mate, Fred Peet, to be 
entitled to second place. Hascall's last shot at the blue 
buoy was a 3, and Lovett followed with a 2, both men 
meeting applause, as it was then thought they were prac- 
tically tied. 
Mr. Mansfield does not claim to be a master of the free 
reel, but he showed himself a thinker and an original 
man in this as in his fly work. He had his reel screwed 
tight up, so that it ran far from free. It was his theory 
that this would prevent the fatal backlash, and give 
him better control of his bait. He did well in practice 
on this basis, somewhat dangerous to attempt, but in 
his trials in the contest he met two or three facers which 
set him hack pretty badly. Twice he struck perfect, but 
once he caught a sharp stop, which landed him 50 feet 
away from the buoy, a distance which he could never 
make up. 
Mr. Peet scored 3 perfects in this work, and main- 
tainied a very killing average throughout. Mr. Waddell 
was perfect twice, but twice he came to grief, and landed 
60 feet away from the mark, which gave him a sad task 
to make up. Mr. Hascall was perfect 3 times, but once 
made the fatal "bad one," going wide 17 feet. Mr. 
Lovett, winner, was perfect twice, and 9 feet was his 
worst deviation from the buoy, a very even and regular 
gait indeed. Mr. Kelsey was a beginner with the bait, but 
pluckily held on through the somewhat snnoyinig ordeal 
of the free reel. Scores : 
A. E. Lovett.. 9714-15 
W. D. Mansfield „ 86 2-3 92 3-10 
H. G. Hascall.. i.r..;.;....: :.. 9610-15 
F. N. Peet : 97 7-15 971-15 
Tohn Waddell 85 8-15 
C. B. Kelsey 74 8-15 801-30 
Third Event, Dry Fly. 
Fourteen men entered for this exacting contest. Of 
these, Mr. LoA^ett was perhaps favorite, on the showing 
of practice during the afternoon, where he was watched 
closely by some of the knowing ones. He was a favorite 
also late into the actual competition, and in the opinion 
of the writer was given just a shade the worst of it, if 
anything, in the delicacj^ side of the scoring. The wind 
was not so fresh then, but the fresher wind is an ad- 
vantage and not a disadvantage in this work, for a little 
ripple of water disguises a ripple by the fly. However, all 
this scoring must, of cour'^e, be much a matter of opinion, 
and the result was that given onl}^ after dividing the scores 
of two judges for delicacy (Mr. Babcock and Mr. Letter- 
man), and of two for accuracy (Mr. Benner and Mr, 
Berry). I liked Mi;. Lovett's theory of dry-'fly fishing 
very much. His retrieve is especially good, hardly Itaving 
a discoverable mark upon the water. Mr. MansfieM 
has, as usual, a different theory, and I would not c»l'. 
it impraclienl, nnd no doubt it would catch fislt l^s 
{ICCiiracy is, of {wsrse, very gr^atf but tPiCaif^?^ pf*^ 
