Nov. 3, 1900.] 
FOREST -AND STREAM. 
347 
I have always been confident I could have gotten much 
nearer, 
1 was urged by my guide on the last caribou 1 ever 
saw to try some long range shooting, The cariboti was 
crossing a lake On the snow, and was so far away that 
it looked about tlie size of a sheep, I waited until it 
went into the woods and followed it about a mile,, killing 
it with a single shot, at seventy yards. Of course, there 
are times when game has been started or is on some large 
open place where it cannot be got nearer to, where it is a 
long range or none, but I think in spite of the stories 
of killing at 200 to 400 yards, that more game is missed, 
or at best crippled, and lost at all distances over' 150 
yards, I refer only to such game as I have hunted, and 
which is found in New England and the Provinces. I 
have had considerable experience in the woods for a 
good many years, and have tried to educate myself to 
judge various distances in all manner of places, only to 
find that I am way off oftentimes. One hundred yards 
down an old tote road in the woods looks a long way. 
The same distance out on a frozen lake, or open bog or 
barren, does not look half as far. 
Some years since a test was made at a well kiiown rifle 
range in Massachusetts, of the Keene bullet, and it wa.s 
not saMsfactory. The rifle used was the .45-70. and the 
bullets opened at the point before reaching the target, 
even at 100 yards. After hearing of the above 1 care- 
fully tried some of the bullets in my .4Sz90,. at waxed 
paper, and could see no signs of spreading before reach- 
ing targets, It_ was afterwards admitted by the party 
who tried the Keene bullet, that the fault was in the 
rifle, as the twist of .45-70 wa.s much quicker than .45-90. 
As for penetration of the above bullets I found it satis- 
factory. I saAv two moose, each killed with a single 
nhot with cartridges of my loading in a rifle similar to 
mine, one at 295 and the other at 175 yards. 
I want to mention the peculiar death of an old fox 
liunter in this section, tie was a man j^ast seventy, but 
pretty strong and vigorous. A few mornings since, he 
went out after a fox. At night his hounds came home, but 
he did not. A party tried to find him that night, but 
failed. The following morning they again went out and 
found him dead. He M'as sitting down with his back 
against a large rock, his hat on his head, and his gun 
with both barrels cocked across his knees. It is thought 
that his dogs had started a fox and he was watching for 
it when he died, apparently without the slightest motion, 
CM. Stark. 
DrNBARTON, N. H., Oct. 25. 
Moose Hunting on the Tobique. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Diti-hif the last few months I have noticed in -the 
Forest .•^Srb Stream letters from different sportsmen 
about the moose on the Tobique River, in New -Bruns- 
wick. One man writes that the moose are scarce and 
big bulls rare; another says that he and hiswvife .killed 
two big bulls withi.n a short distance of their camp-fire. 
In other sporting papers I notice Avhere a man writes 
of seeing and killing big bulls on the Tobiqiie, while an- 
other says that there is none there. 
T.ast winter I decided to go to the Tobique for a moose 
hunt this fall, and so made arrangements, but by the time 
I was ready I had about inade up my mind that I was 
going on a wild goose chase, but my guide assured me 
there were plenty of moose there, so I went. 
A doctor friend went with me, and we arrived at Riley 
Brook at noon on Sept. 11. Our guides had everything 
I'eady, and we expected to start into the woods early, the 
next morning, but it rained that night and the next day, 
so we had to wait until the 13th before we could move. 
We reached our camp on the afternoon of the 13th 
about 4:30 after a good, hard day's tramp, and good aiid i 
hungry. 
Saturday, the isth, was the first day of the open season 
and our guides took us over some of the country we 
were to hunt in, so that we could see it, and also see 
some of the poitds and lakes, around which we saw 
plenty of fresh moose signs, some of which had been 
made by big bulls. 
Sunday being a close day, we did not go out for moose, 
but spent the day in setting bear traps and taking in 
sotne more of the country. 
It rained again on Monday, so we did not go out until 
Tuesday, which opened up clear and cool. The Doctor 
and guide went one wajf, and my guide and I another. 
We Aveut to some ponds where the guide was sure we 
would find moose, and where we did find plenty of fresh 
.signs, also signs showing that the bulls and cows had 
gotten together. I was for stopping until it was time to 
call late in the afternoon, but he thought it best to return 
to camp and start out the next morning with a supply 
of grub for two or three days. 
The next morning the Doctor and his man went to the 
Upper Lake to camp and stay a day or two for the 
morning and evening calling. My guide and I struck 
out for one of the ponds where we had seen the signs the 
day before, and located in a small bog near a pond for 
the evening calling, which we commenced about 5 P. M., 
and' soon had a young bull dancing around in the alders 
trying to make us think he was something big; but he 
could not fool us. We soon had an answer from a big 
bull, and the youngster got out in short order. 
The first answer from the big one was about 5:30 P. M,, 
but it was after 8 before he came out on the bog. His 
horns were so wide that he could not move very fast, and 
it was hard work for him to get through the thick 
woods ; besides, he was very cautious, and stopped a good 
many times to listen; but a blat from the horn and a 
splash or two of water started him ahead with renewed 
vigor. At last he came out, but it was too dark to see 
him, I knew he was near, but I could not locate him, 
and would not shoot, as I did not Avant to Avound him 
and have him go off and die somewhere where I could 
not find him. My guide said he could see the white of 
his horns, and told me to look for them, but I could not 
see them. The gitide was yotmg and had good eyes; 
I am getting along in years and wear glasses. The old 
fellow stood there until he got our scent, when he went 
off with a rush, trying to tear down the woods as he 
Avent, and every now and. then would roar like a, wild 
barnyard bull. 
We "b'iled the kettle," ate some cold grub Sind turned 
in, but was up again before day, ate breakfast and 
started across the ridge to another pond for the morning 
calling, which we reached about 5:20 A. M., and started 
in to call at once. Soon we heard some old cows 
tramping around in the woods above us, but got no 
answer to our calls. After a little we heard something 
coming down behind us, and to get a better view the 
guide stood up, and at once saw a bull and cow coming 
to the water. He touched me, and as I got up he 
whispered, "The bull is to .the left of the big birch; the 
cow ahead of him," I saw about 18 inches of moose 
about 50 or 60 yards aAvay between two trees, with a 
cow standing just ahead of him. She was looking at us 
and seemed very restless. I raised the rifle, took good 
aim just back of the fore leg and over the heart and 
pulled the trigger, but there was no report, only a snap; 
the cartridge had failed to go off. I pumped in another 
shell slowly, so as not to make any noise, but as the 
lever came into place there was a sharp click that caused 
the cow to bolt and the bull followed her. When I 
stooped to pick up the defective cartridge my language 
was soft and sweet. The guide said the bull had a big 
head of horns, but I could not see them, as they were 
behind the birch and a bush next to it. If the cow had 
not been Avith the bull I would have gotten him, as he 
would have stood a little longer. 
It rained that afternoon, so we went back to camp, 
where we found the Doctor cussing his luck, his guide 
having called a big one down to the lake, but could not 
entice him out into the water Avhere the Doctor could 
get a sight of. him. 
The next three or four days it rain«d, and we did not 
do much except fish and look up our bear traps, when 
we found that we had caught tAVo bears. 
The middle of the next week I killed a caribou. I was 
fishing on a small lake when the caribou came to the 
water. I was sitting on a raft made of three cedar logs 
and the caribou was over 200 y^rds aAvay. I .shot at him 
rive times and hit him four times out of the five. He Avas 
a young one, but had a very pretty head of horns. 
On the 28th I got the Doctor to take my guide and go 
to the Upper Lake and see if he could get out the big 
bull he had called in , twice. They did so, and got a 
bull, but it did not altogether suit the Doctor. The next 
day I shot a bull, and our moose hunt was over. 
The rest of the time was spent in fishing, calling in 
moose for practice (and, \by the way, I called in one 
with a big head of horns) > and. packing up and getting 
ready to go out. ' \ i, 
If we had had good weather ywe Avould have gotten 
our moose during the first , ten days Ave Avere in the 
woods. There are plent}^ ofithem in that country, and 
lots of big ones, notAvithstanding some say that they 
are scarce. I am so sure ^ of it that we haA'C made our 
arrangeinents for ■. another '^raoose hunt ,9.13. the Tobique 
next year. \ - \ I ■ 
As Ave were coming' down the Tobique Ave saAv some 
large heads belonging* to sportsmen going out, and at 
McAdam Junction we saAV a'.fine big set that I think 
must have spread over 60 -.inches. 
It won't be long before\the ■ New Brtmswick Govern- 
ment will haA'C' to shorten' up, the close .season, as, the 
moose are being killed off, tQQ fast. W. W. King. 
In the ' Fence Corner. 
The spirited, full-page ' supplenient, \entitled "In, the 
Fence Corner." ' published ' in this issue of Forest AN)) 
Stream, is replete with the theme dear to the hearts and 
memory of all sportsmen. - It vividly portrays a climax to 
many different experiences when seeking quail with dog 
and gun. . * 
Perchance the ^shooter ha.s plodded through tangle and 
open' during many weary hours before the wjarning attitude 
of his dog brought to him exhilaration of mind and for- 
getfulness of fatigue in' the anticipation of the rise, the 
kill and the capture. | I 
Perchance the' shooter ! has but just sallied forth in the 
early season,' Avith nerves, over tense and unsteady. The 
point of the dog causes his blood to course sAviftly and 
his imagination to \ run riot. Visions ofj swiftly flying 
birds, of sm.art kills Avith each barrel, and of finished re- 
trieves glimmer through his brain. As he' nears the dog 
to flush, his fingers begin' to tremble and] his knees to 
wabble. When -the (birds rise Avith a roar of Avings, he 
nervously discharges one barrel before the gun reaches 
his shoulder, and the other one at the flock or before he 
can bring it to bear steadily on a bird. He has buck 
fever, with a few little birds as an origin of it. More 
birds rise as he holds the empty gun in his hands, and he 
resolves that never, never again will he be nervous or 
hurried ot accept that illusive chance called shooting into a 
flying flock, ■ _ 
Perchance flie dbg finds birds after the .shooter has 
walked over miles of hill aiid dale, and from over eager- 
ness or malice springs iti and flushes. All the effort has 
then resulted in vexatious, lost opportunity. This is a 
climax which every shooter can remember. 
But to every shooter the picture has its .special climax. 
To some it portrays experience of success ; ' to others, of 
disappointment, To the average shooter it will portray 
successes keenly remembered and failures , almost for- 
gotten. 
The old fence, with its enticing nooks for the birds, also ' 
tells its story of hopes evoked in the weary shooter, while 
the woods. in the distance have an alluring ■ suggestion of 
ruffed grouse. 
As a whole, the picture is most pleasing,- and, Ave, feel^a- 
wish that the shooter portrayed may have good 'luck- and 
a pleasant day 
Vermont Game. 
S WANTON, Vt., Oct. 16. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Below please find a few brief game notes: 
Woodcock.— Where, oh, where are our woodcock? 
They were here in abundance in July and the first part 
of August; then they disappeared. We have hunted 
the country thoroughly over, and we have only found a 
few single birds, where the last of July we could flush 
dozens. The only solution is that they bred early in the 
season, consequently were ready for their flight south- 
ward when the storm of August 6 and 7 struck us. Some 
of our sporting farmers say that if they can't shoot 
woodcock hereafter Aug. i they Avill clear up their breed- 
ing grounds and turn them into pasture land. 
Ruffed Grouse. — The early dry season was favorable 
for the early growth of these young birds, but neverthe- 
less the coveys are few and far betAveen. Cause: too 
many good wing shots nowadays. The pot-shooter who 
only shoots at sitting birds does not get a shot at one 
in six of the birds that he sees, while the wing shot shoots 
at five of every six birds that he flitshes, Avounds and 
destroys many that he does not kill outright. As the 
army of wing shot.s is steadily iticreasing, the grouse 
are as rapidly decreasing. Shortening the open season 
will not remedy this, as the shorter the open season the 
greater novelty it is, consequently the more guns will 
be out. The way to keep the general public from follow- 
ing a thing is to strip it of its novelty. 
The true and best way to keep our game from utter 
extermination is to have in every toAvnship several tracts 
of woodland protected as preserves, Avhere no person 
should be allowed with a gun. In these places the ruft"ed 
grouse in particular could breed and rear their broods 
unmolested. These protected grounds .should not be too 
extensive in size — if in square form not over 200 acres; 
then the game— that is, a portion of it — ^would stray out 
on to unprotected covers, Avhere the sportsman would 
have a chance to indulge in his favorite pastime. This 
Avork of securing the permits from farmers to post their 
lands should be done by our fish and game leagues, and 
the farmers, Avith few exceptions, would readily grant 
permission to have their woodlands posted, and vi^ould 
also take an interest in protecting these preserves. 1 Let 
CA-ery reader of the Forest and Stream make an, effort 
in;,this direction, and they will be surprised to see hoAV 
easy it: will be to establish such a preserve. 
Ducks. — The usual number of black ducks bred on 
the "marshes around the Missisquoi Bay. The flight 
ducks, OAAang to the warm season, have not at this time 
of writing arrived, with the exception of the woodduck; 
they have come- and gone, with another exception of a 
few flocks that have recently come in, composed almost 
if not wholly of cock birds. 
Wi:ld Geese. — ^A few flocks of wild geese for the past 
two weeks have been hanging about our bays; only a 
fcAV as 3'et have been bagged. 
English Snipe. — The native bred snipe liaA-e been 
nearly aU shot off, and the flight birds are not here; but 
last night's cold snap should bring them in. 
Plover. — The flight of golden plover was a small 
one, and is passed. The yellowlegs and dodwits are 
here in diminishing numbers. The upland plover bred 
in large numbers back on our hill farms, but started 
southward soon after the first cold rain in August. Un- 
less the open season is extended to Aug. i our boi's will 
another season be laAV-breakers, for they are determined 
to have a few of the birds that they protect during their 
breeding season. It is to be hoped that our present 
Legislature will, for this section at least, extend the open 
season to Aug. i, for if our young men break the ice and 
become law-breakers on this bird, it Avill so hardeti them 
that they will be likely to disregard the laws on other 
game. 
Deer. — Does and fawns are quite common, but vfe 
have neither seen nor knoAv of a buck with horns being 
seen in this part of the State. 
Foxes. — -Foxes arc scarce, consequently meadow mice 
are plentiful. 
H.\res. — The Northern hares are numerous, though 
beagles are also numerous. Lepus dinericanus Avill hold 
his OAvn so long as there are large tracts of land grown up 
with white birches. 
Squirrels.— A few fair-sized bags of grays have been 
brought in from hills Avhere the trees were not stripped 
last season by the forest caterpillar. No nuts on those 
hills this year. 
Imported Birds. — A fcAV coveys of quail arc to be 
found, the result of stocking some years ago; but no 
pheasants. We expect to again this season hear favorable 
reports from the black game released in East Middle- 
bury, Vt. This town made no mistake in its election 
of town representative this year, as this gentleman. Col, 
C. C. Gilmore, is chairman of the Committee on Game 
and Fisheries. Personally, he has introduced a bill to 
largely increase the appropriation toward supporting otir 
State hatchery. 
In an agricultural State, like Vermont,' when farm 
products are so low in price as they are now and have 
been for years past, it would be good business for 
these farmer voters to instruct their representatives to 
make such laAVS as would attract the summer tourists to 
come into the State and spend their money. Now the 
summer A'isitor during his A^acation is going where he 
can have or get recreation as Avell as rest, and their 
favorite recreation is fishing; and every dollar of 
public money that is expended in developing and im- 
proving our fishing — hook and line and fly-fishing — will 
bring back to the general public large returns. New 
hatcheries should be established, fishAvays built in the 
dams of our rivers, and the spawning fish thoroughly 
protected; the small feeders of our trout streams should 
be closed against all fishing, and during the warm months 
fishing in the rapids of streams that contain bass should 
be strictly prohibited, as in these rapids the baby bass 
congregate and fall victims to the small boys, who take 
them out by the thousand. 
The last wolf killed in this part of the State was shot 
in Sheldon during the Avinter of 1851, by E. W. Geer 
(the Old Gent). The rifle used, a small underlock 
Windsor, is now in the possession of the writer. 
N. P. Leach. 
Se? the list pf good things in Woodcraft i^ ow adv. cols. 
