4BO 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Dec. 8, i^oo. 
"This vicinity has fair shooting this fall. In the last 
few days quite a numlDer of geese — Canadas — have been 
killed. Duck shooting has been fair, and there are plenty 
of quail, of which there will always be an increasing sup- 
ply, barring such winters as that of 1898, when they 
were nearly cleaned out by the drifting snow and extreme 
cold. , , . - , r ,1 
"There is no chicken shooting in this section m the tail, 
though a ^reat many are in the cornfields at the present 
time, commg down from the sand hills. There has been 
no fall chicken shooting to amount to anything withm 
100 miles Avest of here for eight or ten years. 
Nebraska has turned over a new leaf politically this 
fall, and we hope foY" better game legislation and a con- 
sequent increase in the supply of game. Thanks for the 
'jab' you give us occasionally. It's a worjl in the right 
direction." 
Caliber of Rifles 
Mr. Carlos de Leon, of Tottenville, N. Y., has the fol- 
lowing inquiry about an all-round rifle : 
"I have been shooting a .45-90 for several j^ears, and 
am going to change for a lighter gun, about .32-40. Is 
this heavy enough to do any damage ? I want a gun that 
I can use on l)ear. and if fortunate enough to get a 
chance, on moose. A .30-30 covers too much of the siir- 
rounding country to suit me, as 1 do not care to bring 
down a man in the next county should I miss the mark. 
It seems to me that a .32-40 would fill the bill. May I 
a.sk for your opinion on the subject?" 
I think the .32-40 black powder load is not a desirable 
one for big game. One can kill game with .such a rifle, it 
is true, but he will not stop his deer in its tracks, or 
dose to the place where it is hit, as often as he might 
with a more shocking charge. I should much rather use 
the .38-55. especially if it were a case of bear. But since 
the development of the .30-30 and .30-40 I am free to 
confess that for deer or bear the latter would appeal to 
me more than any other sort of arm. 
About the Ncpigon Rivet. , 
You can always get anything you want through the 
Forest and Stream. If you don't see what you want ask 
for it, and if we have not the goods at the time you may 
be sure they have been ordered and will be in pretty soon. 
Mr. Robert W. Patton, of 211 East Madison street, 
Chicago, very kindly comes forward with full informa- 
tion regarding the Nepigon River, for the benefit of a 
recent inquirer, who wished to know something about 
that stream. For this I wish to thank Mr. Patton. who 
writes as below : 
"I noticed in last week's Forest and Stream the in- 
quiry of Mr. Watson in regard to the Nepigon River, and 
your request that some one who is familiar with that 
stream would answer his inquiries, wdiich I take pleasure 
in doing. As you said in your answering note, the Nepi- 
gon is by no means a fished out stream, nor is it ever like- 
ly to become so, at least for many years. Lake Nepigon, 
a body of deep water, nearly eighty miles in diameter, is a 
reservoir from which the river is constantly restocked. 
The fishing there, however, is not as good as it was ten 
or fifteen years ago. This is especially true of the lower 
part of the river. However, no one need go there and 
come away without being Avell repaid for his time and 
expense, provided he stays long enough to give the waters 
a fair trial. 
"The trip up and down the river is alone worth the 
expense of going, even if one gets no fish whatever. T 
was up there last summer, the latter part of August, for 
two weeks, and although the first week did not jdeld much 
in the way of sport, yet in the last three days I caught two 
trout weighing over 6 pounds each, and two more over 
5 pounds, and a great many running from 3 to 5 pounds 
apiece. On one afternoon an old gentleman from St. 
Louis, over eighty years of age, who was camped near 
me, caught eight trout weighing a trifle under 40 pounds. 
The three largest weighed respectively 6K) 6^ and 7% 
pounds apiece. 
"The best time to go is the same as on any other trout 
stream, either in June or at the close of the season in 
August or September. In June the flies are very bad, but 
fishing is better than in the lower and middle parts of 
the river than at any other time. At the head of the 
river, where it floAvs out from Lake Nepigon, the fishing 
is best at the end of the season. Prior to this year, the 
season there has always closed Sept. 15, but this year it 
was officially closed Aug. 31, although parties were al- 
lowed to go up after that date. It is hoped another 
year that the old time of closing, Sept. 15, will be again 
in force. 
"Any one who wishes to make the trip should write to 
William McKirdy, Nepigon, Out. He is warden of the 
river, and will furnish the entire outfit needed, at reason- 
able rates. His provisions are good and not high priced, 
and it is better for one to outfit there than to take stuff 
with him. Parties taking supplies from the United States 
are required to pay duty at Port Arthur. Complete out- 
fits and provisions can also be obtained from the Hudson 
Bay Company at Nepigon Station. 
"The trip is rather an expensive one, and one should 
figure to spend two weeks on the river if they have the 
time. This would require about three weeks for the trip 
from Chicago, and the total expense of such a trip from 
Chicago and back will be not far from .$150. The fishing 
is done from canoes almost entirely. Two guides are 
necessary to each canoe, and although two persons pome- 
times go in one canoe and thus save expense, yet this is 
not desirable, as it overcrowds the canoe in traveling, and 
it i« extremely difficult for tAvo persons to cast" from 
the same canoe. The cost of two guides Avith canoe is 
.$4 per day, and there is a license fee required of $15 per 
rod for two Aveeks or less fishing, $20 for three Aveeks and 
$25 for four Aveeks. The guides arc Indians, and arc 
thoroughly competent and reliable. 
"The riA'er is forty miles in length, and requires about 
three days to go up it, and about two days to come doAvn. 
One can fish on most of the portages and at each camping 
place Avhile going up and doAvn the river. While most 
of the fishing is done from the canoes, it is desirable to 
take hip boots, or better still, Avaders. On my last day 
on the nA'er. while my guides Avere making a portage of 
tAvo miles in length, I put on mj^ Avaders and going over 
to the rivsr, about midway of the portage, fished for a 
couple of lionfs from tl^e river's edge, and caught two 
trout that weighed 4}4 pounds each, and several more of 
about 3 pounds each. While most of the fishing is done 
with flies, it is only fair to say that the larger fish Avill 
rarely, if ever, rise to the fly. It is seldom that a fish of 
5 pounds or over is caught on the fly, and practically never 
one of 6 pounds or over. These larger fish are taken 
either on the spoon or artificial minnoAvs or with live 
bait, 
"Nepigon Station, from Avhich the start is made in 
canoes, is a station on the Canadian Pacific R. R. about 
seventy miles east of Port Arthur, and is at the mouth of 
Nepigon River. Port Arthur is best reached by boat 
either from Duluth or Sault Ste. Marie. 
"If .there is any further information that I can give 
about my experience I shall be glad to do so." 
Wyoming Big Game. 
Col. Chauncey P. Williams, Assistant Adjutant-General 
of the State of New York, gives an interesting little story 
regarding his hunt in the Wind River country, to Avhich 
reference was made earlier this fall. He writes as beloAv : 
"I left here Aug. 30 with my friend, Mr. Edward L. 
Pruyn, of this city, and we reached Wells, Wyo., Sept. 
5. Mr. John G. Mott and his son. of Michigan City, Ind.. 
Avere with us on the three days' stage drive across the 
desert from the railroad to Wells, and Ave greatly enjoyed 
their company. 
"We outfitted at Mr. William Wells' place. Gros Ventre 
Lodge, on Green River, which, by the Avay, is all of Wells, 
Wyo., but where any visiting sportsman Avill be pretty 
sure to enjoy himself even if he does not care to go 
further into the mountains. Mr. Wells thoroughly under- 
stands guiding and how to make sportsmen comfortable. 
He is a A-ery clever gentleman and altogether good sort. 
After leaving Wells, Oct. 6, Ave saAV no more of Mr. 
Mott's party. Incidentally, Mr. Mott, A\'ho is a thorough 
sportsman and excellent shot, killed an elk Avilh the finest 
set of antlers ever brought in to Wells, and they know 
there, too, Avhat fine ones are. Of this perhaps Mr. Mott 
was too modest to tell you. 
"Leaving Wells Ave traA^eled two days witli guides and 
pack train about sixty miles up into the mountains and 
camped at betAveen 9.000 and 10,000 feet above sea level. 
There Ave Avorked hard hunting mountain sheep, and killed 
one big-horn ram, one mountain lion and four elk, not to 
mention letting live the grouse which came into the tent 
and slept Avith us nights. I failed to bring out a sheep, be- 
cause I Avas too anxious to get a big head and neglected to 
improve good chances I had at medium size rams. When 
my opportunity came to kill that big one, I Avrongly esti- 
mated the distance, and only cut out some of his hair. 
After that, of course, i had no good chance at even small 
ones. 
"Getting our elk Avas kind of a side issue, and this we 
did on days Avhich Avere not suitable for scrambling after 
sheep. Hunting elk Avhere they are at all numerous is 
almost too easy to be real sport. We both secured some 
fine heads. I Avas fortunate enough to kill one Avhich Ave 
all thought Avas the finest killed thereabouts for a long 
time until Ave saw Mr. Mott's. Mine had seven points 
(on a side), beams 53 inches in length and massive, the 
burrs Avhere the antlers join the head being 12^2 inches in 
circumference. On one occasion we unexpectedly jumped 
three bears, a cinnamon and tAvo blacks, but they were 
too quick for us, as we were mounted and had not lost a 
bear. They all incontinently fled before Ave could get a 
shot at them. 
"The last Aveek of our trip we spent in the Prong Horn 
country, and Avhile there we each captured three buck 
antelope and one blacktail, the latter being quite scarce in 
that region. Some of the antelope heads were first class, 
and one of the blacktails pretty, although small. We 
returned to Wells with our outfit on Oct. 7, and reached 
home Oct. 14, well pleased Avith the 'Equality State.' 
"There seems to be some fascination about that Western 
country Avhich draws back to it so often those Avho 
have once been there. But the next time the mountain 
madness overwhelms me I mean to have a telescope sight 
on my rifle. I am convificed that it is the thing for 
Western hunting." 
With all due deference to CoL Williams' preference 
for a telescopic rifle sight, I don't believe he Avill find it 
so good for game as for the target, certainly not for run- 
ning game. I once tried to shoot a bullfrog Avith a rifle 
that had telescopic sights. The old felloAV looked as big 
as a meeting house, but much to my surprise I found that 
there was a lot of country around him Avhich Avas occupied 
by the spot where the hairs of the telescope crossed. I 
couldn't get the intersection to intersect the frog. Not 
that I knoAV anything very much about the matter. I 
ahvays liked open sighs for hunting, but there are a 
great many different personal preferences in such matters. 
How to Anchor Duck Decoys. 
Mr. A. G. Holmes, of Green Bay, Wis., gives some 
interesting points out of his experience in duck shooting 
over decoys. What he says Avill be read Avith interest by 
all shooters. His scheme for an anchor is new, and I 
should think very practical. Prefacing his remarks Avith 
the news that most of the ducks have gone south from 
his country at the date of Nov. 23, he goes on to describe 
his decoy anchor as below: 
"In looking back over my Forest and Stream files for 
the past twenty years (taken by my father until his death 
and taken since then by mj^self) I find but few mentions 
of weights or anchors for decoys, and Avhat fcAV are de- 
scribed are of such poor design and such light Aveight 
as to be of but little use on such open Avaters as ours 
Avhere duck shooting is generally rough weather Avork. 
The light anchors Avill not hold the decoys for any length 
of time in even a fresh breeze Avith a little sea running, 
and to have to get out and chase after decoys and reset is 
A'ery discouraging, and especially so Avhen the ducks arc 
moving. It is generally the case as soon as a person is 
out from his blind ducks generally happen along. The 
decoA' anchors generally used and for sale in the gun 
stores are neA^er more than 4 to 6 ounces in Aveight, and 
Avill alloAv the decoys to drag in a fresh breeze very 
easilj'- in open -AA'ater. My anchors are made after a pat- 
tern of my OAvn design, which. 1 think will be found far 
superior to any noAV on the market. I will try to give the 
readers of Forest and Stream a description wherebAr they 
can make these anchors for their OAvn use. Here is the 
description ; 
"Weight as for work intended, 6 to 8 ounces for mal- 
lards (shoal water ducks), and from 8 to 16 ounces -for 
outside or deep water ducks. The bottom or anchor 
proper is on the style or form of a saucer with the inside 
solid. 
"To make this saucer weight, take a board (pine is all 
right) and make a circle of from lyi to 2^4 inches across. 
Then cut down into the wood, hollowing it out, but not ■ 
over inch in depth. If you never Avant to lose your 
anchors by friends borrowing them, just cut your initials 
in the wood, but be careful not to cut them backward. 
Then take a piece of Avire, telephone wire size is heavy 
enough, 8 inches to 10 inches long and bend it as .per- 
cut. ... 
"Wire is 8 to 10 infehes long. Bend lower ends in about 
fi to % inch to hold in the lead. This piece of wire will 
go over the heads of your decoys and act as an anchor 
shank by upsetting the lead saucer a trifle, causing the 
edge to dig into the ground or gravel at the bottom the 
same as the flukes on a boat anchor Avould do. Use either 
copper or brass wire, as it does not rust the cord. 
"If you AA-ant anchors for open water shooting you had 
better make the size of the hole 2 inches across and ^ 
inch deep. This will make a Aveight of about 12 ounces, 
and for ordinary work is plenty heavy enough. 
"NoAv take your wire, haA'ing bent it in proper form and 
having your lead melted, then place the wire, or rather the 
lower part Avith the edges turned in, doAvn into the hole 
about half-Avay in your board, holding- the Avire with a pair 
of nippers or pliers, so as not to burn your hands, and 
pour the lead into the hole until nearly level full, and hold 
for a minute until the lead cools enough so as not to let 
the Avire spring out. 
When cool enough turn your board over and anchor 
will drop out with your initials on ready for use. 
"I trust this will enable the readers to make an anchor, 
that they have looked for and have been unable to buy 
from the sporting goods houses. 
"I will give the readers the size of my decoys, Avhich 
are used by the most successful shooters on this bay, at 
some futnre time. These decoys are extra large and can 
be made by any one and Avill be found better than any 
decoy made and for sale on the market. 
"Duck shooting is nearing its end here, although yes- 
terday, Nov. 22. a good many shooters made good bags — 
in fact, the best of the season. It requires heavy loads of 
both ]3bAvder and coarse shot to bring them down. I have 
used a 12-gauge gun for duck shooting the past four 
years, but next season I hope to have a lo-gauge, as I do' 
irot like to put such tremendous loads in a 12-gauge aS a 
person needs here on our bay the past fcAv seasons. _ 
"My gun is a fine Parker pigeon gun. 8 pounds Aveigh^,' 
30-inch full-choked barrels, and I use for ducks a 3-inch ' 
smokeless shell, 3^. to 4 drams Schultze, E C, Dupont 
or Hazard pOAvder, as I may have on hand, and to ' 
ounces of Nos. 6 and 4 shot, chilled, Avith proper wadding, 
but this load. Avhich my gun shoots to perfection, is not 
enough for our off-shore shooting, and I think a io-gaug;e' 
lo-pound hammerless full-choked 32-inch barrel gun Avill 
be more efficient for this Avork. 
"T v-fould like very much to hear from some of the 
many shooters as to their idea of a duck gun for off-shore 
shooting. The shooting on Chesapeake Bay off of points 
is, I imagine, similar to our off-shore shooting, and I 
would like to hear frotn these men especially. I used to 
use a lo-gauge gun and black pOAvder years ago, but haA'e 
used a T2-gauge the last ten. years, or nearly that long." 
In Town. 
Mr. C. E. Willard, nOAV of the Harrington & Richard- 
son Arms Company, is in Chicago this Aveek, on a business,, 
visit, and is seeing his old friends here in his former! 
home. Mr. Willard is looking Avell, doing .well and talk-' , 
ing AA^elf. and the boys are glad to see him.:' v- 
E. Hough. 
Haktford Building, Chicago. 111. 
That Adirondack Moose. 
On Thursday, the- 22d inst., the 'case of the People 'Bf 
the State of Ncav York against Elzi McManice, J. H. 
Slater and C. E. Martin, all guides, for shooting and 
possessing a moose, was tried before Justice R. H. Mc- 
Intyre and a jury at Saranac Lake. The People Avere 
represented by M. A. Martin, Esq., of Malone, and the 
defendants by J. C Little, of Saranac Lake, and Col. W. 
H. Johnston, of Virginia. 'I 
The first Avitness called by the People Avas Dana Bissell,.': 
who SAVore to having been hired by the defendant Mc^ 
Manice to remove a moose from Long Lake in the woods 
to Long Lake Station. He told hoAv McManice said to 
him. "1 have shot a moose." 
The next witness was Hy Courtney, Avho was em- " 
ployed by Bissell to take the moose out of the woods 
and carry it to Long Lake Station. He said the three • 
defendants took charge of the moose there and assisted in • 
the loading of it. 
W. L. Allen, the express agent at Saranac Lake, told of 
the receipt of the moose at that place and the payment by 
McManice and Slater of the charges, amounting to $5, 
The truckman, Jordan, told about being employed to 
carr}' the moose from the express office to Tully's market 
and then to the barn of Slater, Avhere it Avas receiA'cd by 
all the defendants. John Tully swore to the exhibition 
of the meat at his store and the removal therefrom by the • 
defendants. 
To the surprise of every one the defense put in no 
evidence and the case Avas submitted to the jury first bv 
J. C. Little for . the defendants, Avho Avas followed by M..- 
A. Martin for the People. Avho made a good, strong plea. 
After being out for about ten minutes the jury returned 
Avith a verdict of guilty against all the defendants, and.: 
the court rendered judgment against the'th jointly fol".' 
$too and co.sts, $60.75; in all $160,75,' 
Thus ends the famous moose case, and it ought to be a 
subject of congratulation that a couAnction has been had. 
The evidence being perfectly clear, the jury could not 
help but find the defendants guilty. ■ 
The chief protector, Avho authorized the bringing, of 
the action, and Game Protector Vosburgh, Avho AVorked 
the case up, are also to be congratulated upon the prosecu- 
tion of this case. A little energy and diligence on the 
part of th& fish, and game departm.ent will m time eon- 
