68 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan. 26, 1 90 1. 
CHICAGOrAND kTHE |WEST. 
Proposed Western Game Laws, 
Chicago, 111., Jan. 12. — It is loo early in the game yet 
to tell what will come out of the variegated game bills 
which are maldng the usual grist in the early days of the 
legislatures of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and other 
Western States. There will probably be some change in 
the Illinois law, but it is not anticipated that these changes 
will be very startling. President Van Cleave, of the 
Illinois State Sportsmen's Association, wishes to lead 
the energies of that Association partly into protective 
lines, as well as trapshooting matters. The resolution 
for the abolishment of spring shooting in our Illinois 
law is a good thing, and were it passed it would be glory 
enough for the administi-ation that suggested it, and a 
still greater glory for the Legislature which passed it; 
but the chances are that this measure cannot be carried 
as yet in Illinois. Neither is it likdy that a one-dollar 
gun tax can be passed in this State. 
Indiana proposes to do aU sorts of things. The news 
this week of another wealthy clflb of sportsmen going in 
on the Kankakee Marsh excited great interest at Crown 
Point, Ind., whose citizens have always shot on this part 
of the Kankakee Marsh, and all sorts of wild telegrams 
emanated from that vicinity. It was stated in general 
principles that something would have to be done to keep 
the rich sportsmen out of Indiana. One proposed meas- 
ure is that Indiana establish a close season on quail for 
five years. It is not in the least likely that this law will 
be passed. There may be some minor changes in the 
Indiana law, and the most probable of these is a non- 
resident license, which seems to be the thing in Western 
States at present. 
The State of Minnesota, which for a long time was 
credited with having the best game law in the United 
States, is showing signs of not letting well enough alone, 
and it is reported there will be a certain amount of 
tinkermg in the Legislature. The most radical measure 
suggested in Minnesota comes in the rumor that there 
will be a strong movement made to absolutely stop all 
shooting in that State for five years. In its extreme form 
this measure is to stop both resident and non-resident 
shooting, but there is a rumor that it will be modified by 
cutting off only non-residents altogether. It is stated 
that this movement is undertaken on account of the heavy 
market-shooting which has been going on in that State 
dumig the past year. So drastic a measure as this it 
would be a hard thing to get through, yet if it did carry it 
would have a good effect, for the result would be that 
shipments of game could not be made, there would be no 
loop holes available, and the men who were not allowed 
to shoot would not aUow others to shoot for the market 
The result would be the greatest educative measure as to 
the growmg Forest and Stream Plank' that was ever en- 
acted in the West. It is not to be believed, however, that 
this measure will carry. In fact, all these matters can be 
commented upon with greater wisdom a few months from 
Weights of Quail. 
Mr. J W. Turner, of Springfield, S. D., writes in- 
terestmgly on the subject of the Aveights of the Bob 
White quail, reraarlang: "The last three or four issues of 
Forest and Stream have contained items in regard to 
the weight of quail in different localities. After reading 
them all, I feel that Dakota quail are not so slow either 
on the wmg or in weight. Myself and two friends were 
out one day last week for three hours' shooting and 
brought home thirty birds. I weighed eighteen of thern 
with the following result : Two 8 ounces each three 73/ 
ounces each, five ounces each, five 6U ounces each ' 
three 6 ounces each. 
■ ^^^^^ ^'^ P'^"ty as they are year. Early 
m the fall there were three bunches within a stone's 
throw of my home for several weeks. So far this win- 
ter we have had practically no snow, consequently the 
quail have fared wonderfully well, likewise the hunter " 
These Dakota corn-fed birds are whales in their wav 
and much larger than the average of the Southern bird^ 
as I believe, let it was from southern Illinois that thi^ 
very fall I heard a quail story which at least ties this 
one from Dakota. My friend, Warren Powell, of Chris- 
tian county, II ., told me that he and a friend weighed 
two quail which they got on one of their hunts this fall 
and the two weighed just an even pound. I don't know 
how the weights would hold out. but it always seemed 
to me that the quail over in Canada, not far from the 
Lake bt, Clair region, in Ontario, were the biggest ones 
I ever saw I never weighed any of those birds, but would 
be glad to hear from Mr. WelJs or some other old shooter 
01 that vicmitjr. 
Little Bat Is Shot. 
Little Bat, otherwise Baptiste Garnier, a well-known 
Western character, hunter and army scout, is probablv 
dead at Crawford. Neb. He was shot, with probable fatal 
results, in a saloon row by James D. Haguewood this 
week. 
All About ttie Doughbird. 
Mr. E. K. Stedman. of Mt. Carrol, 111,, writes to ask 
a question regarding a game bird which in these days 
does not cut so very much of a figure in Western shooting 
matters, though not long ago it was one of the recognized 
sporting attractions in certain parts of the West, notablv 
Kansas and Nebraska, He writes as below : 
"By way of preface. In our little communitv here- 
abouts whenever a question arises as to anything in the 
least degree connected with sportsmen and sportsmanship 
they always pick yours truly out as judge. It sometimes 
J'eq'tires a- great deal of research and inventive ingenuity 
to find answer to all their queries, and in the present case 
they have 'stumped' me. 
"They— and so do I — wish to know what sort of an 
animal a 'dough bird' is— not its. latin name, but hasn't 
it got some other common title such as we can put oar 
hands on and not have to get a dictionary to find the 
pronunciation of ? • 
"They are quoted in. the markets as game birds, and list 
at from $4 to $4.50 per dozen. Kindly enlighten us poor 
mortals in such a way that we can hereafter speak of 
them as next door neighbors— or at least as if wfe were on 
speaking terms with the family." 
The dough bird, or doe bird, is tlie New England name 
for the Esquimaux curlew. It fornierly mingled with the 
golden plover flight in the West. It is rather larger 
than the latter bird, with a mottled back, showing the 
splotched brown snipe and plover markings. It has the 
longish bill of the curlew family, down curved at the 
point. It is perhaps in these days more common in the 
coast flight of the East than in the West. Mr. Ezra 
Howard, of Edgar, Neb., about two or three years ago 
asked me to come out and shoot dough birds with hun. 
I wish he would tell us something about the bird as he has 
seen it in his part of the country. It is said that this 
bird is found in countless numbers in the summer time in 
Labrador. It breeds in the barren grounds of the Arctic 
Circle, and spends its winters in South America, notably 
the Argentine Republic. It goes in the same flight with 
the upland plover and golden plover. It grows very fat 
in the summer time, like the plover. It is a shy bird, and 
is best approached by a horse and wagon, as one hunts 
the upland ploA^er. Sometimes one may have good flight 
shooting at dough birds. I have never heard of decoys 
being used in shooting them, but there is no doubt that 
they could be used successfully, as the bird decoys readily 
to the whistle. A description of the bird says that the 
bill is short and slender and a little curved. The back 
is brownish black in color, and the tail distinctly barred. 
The feet are greenish black. There is much variation in 
the tone of the color, though there is a general sameness 
in different specimens. A hundred different specimens 
examined' showed a considerable divergence. There are 
dusky streaks in some cases and sometimes stripes and 
little arrov,? heads in the arrangement of the colors. The 
bird may be popularly described as a sort of composite of 
the golden plover and the upland plover. When it alights 
it folds its wings and peaks them over the back exactly 
like the upland plover. It flies in battalions like the 
golden plover. My friend, William Werner, formerly chef 
at Kinsley's restaurant^ in this city, once served me a 
couple of dough birds roasted in an eathenware dish. 
Thfey were a. dream. I hope Mr. Howard will not forget 
to tell us something more about this bird. 
Hopes for the Minnesota Park. 
Chicago, 111., Jan. 15. — ^At this writing the matters 
pertaining to the Minnesota National Park have at- 
tained the most satisfactory shape yet reached since the 
Congressional deadlock on this question first began. 
The thorough agitation of the matter by the Minnesota 
friends of the park and by newspapers in different por- 
tions of the country has shown members of the House 
at Washington that the public is impatient and does 
not fancy too long a delay before reaching a decision, in 
one way or the other, upon the question of the North- 
western pine. Secretary Hitchcock has for a long time 
been anxious to have the Nelson law modified, and he 
earlier proposed to have a conference with the repre- 
sentatives from Minnesota before taking up the matter 
with Congress. At the same time Secretary Hitchcock 
will insist upon taking up this proposition for a national 
park. This much we knew some days ago, but at that 
time it was left to that conference between Secretary 
Hitchcock and the Minnesota representatives to decide 
whether there was to be any legislative action on these 
matters during the present session. 
Much better than the above is the news which comes 
from Washington, under date of Jan. 14, which goes to 
the Minnesota journals in the following form: 
■"Those interested in the Minnesota park project are 
not to be defeated b}' mere objection if plans now for- 
mulated can be put into effect Senator Quarles, of Wis- 
consin, a member of the Senate Indian Committee, will 
offer an amendment to the Indian appropriation bill 
which will permit an investigation by a joint commission 
into the feasibility of the establishment of a park on the 
Minnesota reservation. 
"The amendment was prepared by Minnesotans who 
have been agitating the park project. It provides for an 
investigation and report by a joint commission as to 
what Indian reservations or parts of reservations are 
better fitted for the purpose of forestry or park purposes 
than for agriculture. The sum of $5,000 is made available 
for the expenses of the joint commission, which is to be 
composed of three members from the House and a like 
number of Senators. Reference is niade to the Chippewa 
reservation. While the Senate committee passed unani- 
mously the original park resolution, some objection will 
probably be offered to the amendment, as the committee 
has adopted the policy of excluding from the bill any 
new legislation. Objection may be made to the amend- 
ment on this score, but Senator Quarles said to-day he 
expected to have no difficulty in having it acted upon 
favorably. Representative Morris has not indicated what 
he purposes doing about the park resolution," 
Senator Quarles has always been a very good friend to 
the park, and there are many other very good friends in 
the House. While there is nothing sure until the act is 
passed, it may safely be said that the prospects for the 
Minnesota Park are better than could have been hoped 
in view of the recent attitude of certain enemies of the 
enterprise. It is not unreasonable to entertain a hope 
that the park will be established. 
Protest at the Proposed Tonty Club. 
Mention was made this week, in these columns, of the 
new club which it is proposed to estabHsh on the John 
Brown tract, near Shelby, Ind. When this matter was 
first made public, during the week last past, telegrams 
of a most indignant nature came up from Crown Point, 
Ind., protesting at this occupation of Indiana shooting 
grounds by a Chicago shooting trust. In telegrams sent 
to the New York newspapers, Mayor Harrison, of 
Chicago, whose name was mentioned as a member of the 
new club, was stigmatized as a monopolist and an op- 
pressor. It is true that the John Brown tract has long 
been a favorite hunting ground of the Crown Point 
sportsmen, and there is, of course, much sympathy to be 
expressed with the shooters who would thus be kept out 
of their old and favcrite ground. Yet this seems to be 
the tejndency of the times, and there is very little use in 
combating it. Moreover, this club, established in one of 
the most lawless parts of the Kankakee country, so far 
as shooting is concerned, will have a very wholesome 
effect, and it Will be a practical preserve for the wild 
game, where now there is no preserve at all. The gen- 
tlemen who propose to establish this club are not ogres 
or oppressors, but a very decent set of sportsmen, 
with very little selfish blood in their veins. Mayor 
Harrison has not yet stated positively that he will join 
the club. The Crown Point bombardment is therefore 
a trifle premature, so far as he is concerned. Mr. John 
Brown, owner of the tract, is expected in town at an 
early date to complete the arrangements regarding the 
leases. 
Mallards Coming Up. 
Day before yesterday we struck a cold wave here in 
Chicago, and perhaps this has checked the ambition of 
the wild fowl, but up to that time the ducks were begin- 
ning to come in along the waters of this region. It has 
been a v»ry open and mild winter, and the mallards have 
not yet left the open streams of this State, but have 
wintered there. A great many more have been scattered 
over the country from here to Texas, and ihis week, up 
to the present cold snap, these birds were actually be- 
ginning to work north again, in a country of timbered 
streams and adjacent cornfields, an environment of which 
the mallard is particularly fond 
Favorable Winter for Game. 
Chicago, 111., Jan. 19. — It is stifl trying hard to be win- 
ter, but making a miserable failure of it. Up to this date 
this has been the most favorable winter for small game 
in the last fifteen years. All over the Slate reports come 
of large bevies of quail, and they all seem to be in a perfect 
condition, with all the feed they want. From a friend at 
Mt. Carroll, 111., 127 mfles west of here, I hear of two 
farmers who claim in all ten bevies of quail which they 
know of on less than 200 acres of land, and they are all 
large, full bevies. The farmers are taking good care of 
these birds. Should conditions such as these obtain all 
over the State, we will have a grand head of game for 
next year. These birds can take care of themselves pretty 
fairly well. Thus, my informant above, Mr. Stead- 
man, says that two of his friends who in trap shoots are 
good for eight or nine birds out of ten, this fall went 
quail shooting and shot 200 times at quail. They killed 
just thirty-six quail between them with the 200 shells. 
Bob White is certainly an amiable game bird, and if the 
netters and ground-sweaters would give him half a show 
he would continue lo have fun with the sportsmen for 
several generations yet. It seems sure that we will have 
another good year of quail shooting in this section. 
A good many of our streams in Illinois are not frozen 
over. A few ducks— mallards — are reported killed this 
week on the Mississippi west of here. A warm thaw any 
time within the next two wfeeks would in all likelihood 
bring up a heavy flight from the south. 
Deer Hunters' Convention. 
There is on foot at Benton Harbor, Mich., a movement 
to hold a deer hunters' convention within the near future. 
Special railroad rates have been arranged, and the pro- 
moters of the enterprise believe they will have 300 men 
present. The object is in the nature of a sportsmen's 
convention, called for the purpose of discussing the ques- 
tions of the rapidly diminishing deer supply and the best 
way of preserving same. Suggestions for improvements 
on the present law will be made, probably in the form of 
resolutions. It is understood that this convention will 
favor the raising of the non-resident deer license from 
$25 to $30, thus making it equal to the non-resident license 
adopted by the State of Wisconsin. 
All these movements are praiseworthy', but it is to be 
hoped that this particular movement will not be kept too 
strictly in line with the sportsmen's convention of the 
past. It will not do the men of Michigan any good to pass 
a set of. resolutions. It will not save twenty of their 
deer next year, if they raise their license to $30 and then 
let it go at that. They have got a good enough law now 
if they would only enforce it. So has Wisconsin, and so 
has Illinois. There is a strange mental quality possessed 
by the .A,merican citizen and not shared by the men of any 
other nationality, by which he rests content with the 
making of a law and stops this side of "its enforcement. 
The weak side of all our Western game laws is the 
executive side. Personally I used to take off my coat 
and holler as loud as anyt)ody in these conventions, but 
I have seen so many of them amount to nothing in 
practical results that I must admit I have left no longer 
very much respect for the town. State, national or inter- 
national convention which is customarily willing to con- 
tent itself by the mere passing of gaudy resolutions. If 
the men of Michigan shall get together and raise some 
money, and shall expend that money in the practical en- 
forcement of the law they already have, then they may 
expect to save some of their deer. If they shall search 
their game markets for illegal venison, then we may ex- 
pect to see the demand for their deer discontinue. If they 
shall watch the lum.ber camps which are now reported to 
be purchasers of summer deer, and if they shall not merely 
content themselves with making faces at these lumber 
camps, but shall go after them and punish them under 
the law, then we may expect to see fewer deer killed by 
Indians and woods loafers. If they shall discountenance 
as illegal and ungentlemanly among their friends the, 
taking of a rifle into the woods on a summer fishing trip, 
then we may expect to see fewer deer killed by men who 
call themselves sportsmen. The convention is all right if 
it does not disband at the time of its adjournment. 
Apropos of this same matter is the suggestion made to 
me to-day by a prominent sportsman of Chicago, that a 
new organization be effected here for the purpose of look- 
ing after the executive side of our Illinois law. more 
especially as regards the enforcement of the law in the 
game markets of this city. Without doubt much illegal 
game comes to this market, but it is to be questioned 
whether a purely amateur association would not repeat 
history and content itself with "unanimously resolving." 
I don't know, but am afraid such would be the case. 
Yet on the whole it is to be said that the game_ laws 
in the West are improving ; that their enforcement is be- 
coming easier. Perhaps it is because our game is getting 
so scarce that it 'has reached the point of value. We are 
