Nov. 2, 1901,] 
FOREST iClTjJ STREAM. 
847 
so as to look like a deet's eafs. It is called an "inevitable 
accident," and Mr. Vail is spoken of as being^ so careful 
for fifteen years that this is his first accident. Jtlst as if 
every hunter who did not kill a man in fifteen years was 
ft ttlodel of carefulness. The law is that the one who 
shoots a that! shall be puni!;hed. If the lumberman had 
shot the lawyer, there Wolild at ottCe be a demand for 
the law to be enforced, but it makes a great odds whose 
bull is gored. The law was passed to meet jtlst such 
cases of sheer carelessness as this ; but you will see that 
every means will be used to try to clear this man. 
Pot sOifie fifty years, ^vhen we had thousands of deer 
killed, we never knew of but otie man being shot by 
accident. Now, for the last eight or teil years, from 
five to six or more are shot every year. I know of thfee 
being shot within the last twenty days, besides one 
wounded for a gray squirrel. In every case it is sheer 
carelessness. 
t have barely escaped being shot by a rnan. who said 
he mistook wy hat for a partridge. 1 was in plain sight 
from my waist up, with- not a twig or weed in the way. 
I had spoken to the man, and called him by nanie. and "he 
was not over thirty feet from me; and still I barely 
escaped being shot. Most men who have hunted much 
here have had several chances to be I'esponsible for 
such "inevitable accidents" had they not been care- 
ful. I once had a chance to fire at the black head of an 
Indian who was sitting down digging roots. It showed 
just above a windfall every time he rose up. I could not 
see. any ears or brown iiose, and so kept creeping Up till I 
was within ten feet before I could tell what it was. 1 
once lost a deer by waiting to be sure, but I never fired 
at a man. Bangor. 
Moose Hunting on the Tobique* 
Having followed with a good deal of interest the dis- 
cussion which has been going on in your paper for the 
last few weeks as to the best companion to take hunting. 
I concluded the proper one was one's wife, so on Sept. 
10 my wife and I left Moncton, N. B.. bound for the 
TobiqUe Valley after pleasure and the "king of the for- 
est" and any other game We lliight have the good fortune 
to bag. Leaving Moncton at ^ P. M., our next stop- 
ping place was Fredericton, where We spent the night 
and found very comfortable quarters at the Queen Hotel. 
The followiilg morning at an early hour we drove to St. 
Mary's, which is across the St. John River, taking the so- 
called express on the line of railway known as the Gib- 
son Branch. The rate of speed was slow, and the cars Were 
uncomfortable, but the country scenery and the country 
people always afTord some amusement, so after four 
hours' rather tedious journey we arrived at Newburg 
Junction, where a stop of tWeUty minutes awaits the 
traveler, and a thoroughly good and sllbst'aHt'al dinner 
is to be had. In due course we took another express on 
the Canadian Pacific, which is an improvement on the 
Gibson Branch; after an hour's ride we again left Ihc 
train at Perth, taking still another branch line, which 
landed us about 6 o'clock at Plaster Rock, whicb ends 
the railway journey; the remainder is by carriage and 
canoe. Having made arraugeirients before with Mr. 
^Veaver, of the Weaver Hotel, he met Us at tlie station; 
after some delay in collecting t)ur baggage, we drove to 
the hotel, two miles from the station, over a road which 
is a disgrace to the communit.\-. being both rough and 
dangerous. Arriving at the hotel, we were agreeably 
surprised, it being an exceptionally comfortable house, and 
Mr. Weaver did everything he could for us. 
The following morn'ng we boarded a large express 
wagon. There were eight of us. all bound for Riley 
Brook, twenty-six miles from Plaster Rock, en route to 
various hunting grounds. We drove the distance in four 
hours, which was fairly good time. From Riley Brook 
our destination took us seven miles further up tbe Tobique 
River to a supply lumber depot camp, known as the 
Forks, which we reaciied about 4 o'clock P. M. There 
we found our guides. Mr. Chas. Crimm-en and David 
Edwards, of Scotch Lake, York county, N. B., and last, 
but not least, the cook, Fred Edwards, with three canoes. 
For the convenience of sportsmen, I may add they can 
secure licenses from Mr. Miller, whose house is three 
miles from the Forks. We pitched tent that evening on 
the bank of the river, and after an early tea, which had 
all tlie flavor of an extensive dinner at home, and a short 
chat over the events of the day. we retired as an early 
start was demanded by the guides, and, of course, we 
obeyed orders without a nmrmur. The morning start 
was not as early as the promises and conversation the 
evening before would lead one to believe, but we were on 
the move by 8 o'clock. We were three days going forty- 
seven miles up the river; the water was very low, and the 
canoes were poled and dragged a great part of the dis- 
tance. 
There are excellent camping grounds all along the 
banks of the river. On the morning of the third day, 
Sept. IS, we were at the entrance of Lake Nictaw, which 
is about three mile-s long and two miles wide. The 
morning was perfect, being fine and clear. It was with a 
feeling of thankfulness we felt the canoe gl ding quietly 
through the water, after two days' dragging with, in 
many places, three inches of water. Arriving at the head 
of Nictaw Lake we had to be poled up a small brook 
about 300 yards, the land which divides Nictaw and Mud 
Lake, on which our "haven of rest,"' our log cabin and 
home for the next month, was situated. The cabin sur- 
passed all our expectations ; it was large (15 by 26), with a 
good stove, heavy, birch-bark roof, two large windows, 
standing 50 yards from the shore of Mud Lake, and sur- 
rounded by beautiful shade trees. We at once made our- 
selves at home. After everything was arranged I tried 
the lake for fishing, and was successful, getting five dozen 
nice trout. After that I kept the camp supplied with 
fish. 
^ly wife hunted on Mud Lake ; I took the deadwaters 
five mile's on each side of the lake. On the morning of 
the 17th I saw a large bull moose, distant 200 yards. I 
tired three shots, missed first two, but the third hit him ; 
he fell, apparently dead, but got up, fell again and up 
again, to fall on his knees a third time, and up and 
off before I could fill my magazine. My gun was a .30-30 
^V^nchester, and. at that distance, unless you hit him in a 
vital spot. I am of the belief they are too small. It took 
f]3e several dajr§ to get over my disappoititment. A few 
days later the guide, through excellent work and calling 
for three hours, got one out in the lake for my wife; she 
fired and missed. However, about a week after her first 
miss another came out into the lake, and this time she 
was more fortunate, killing him with one shot at 75 
yards. The horns had a large spread, 48 inches, and 
were very long. To say she was justly proud hardly ex- 
presses it. I was still without a moose, and hunted con- 
tinuously without success, until just two days before we 
were leaving, when I was fortunate enough to secure a 
fork-horn or two-year-old— a small but pretty head. 
Before closing I would like to say a few good words for 
our guides. Crimmen and Edwards. We were with them 
for a month, and found them all attention and kindness 
from the first to the last day. In fact, I cannot too highly 
recommend them to any one who may intend visiting this 
land of the moose. We saw about twenty moose, cows 
and bulls, and one caribou, on the trip. 
J. W. Y. Smith. 
MoNXTON, N. B . Oct. 21. 
A Strenuous Game Warden; 
St, Paul, Minn— Editor Forest and Stream. \ As a 
general proposition, nine out of ten sportsmen, if asked 
the definition of a game warden, would answer, one who 
holds down a soap box in the country cross roads store 
and draws his salary once a month. 
Where and when he was most wanted there was he not 
to be found— as a rule, a sort oi flesh and bones scare- 
crow, who did not scare. 
We have much to boast of in this State, "Pdlsbury s 
Best," turned out at the rate of 10,000 barrels a day in 
our suburbs; to wit, Minneapolis. Butter to go with it 
conceded to be as fine, if not finer, than any ever pro- 
duced in either Orange county or Elgin. 
Then comes our Minnesota pine, unfortunately being 
slaughtered at such a rate as to promise absolute denuda- 
tion in a few years. Our Mesaba iron rnines — the won- 
der of the mining world. Then our stock raisers, who are 
bold enough to claim precedence of quality over the 
choicest steers from far-off Wyoming. I think I read a 
few days ago in a New York paper of the excellence of 
the peaches grown in southern Minnesota. Peaches from 
a State popularly supposed to be somewhere near the 
North Pole and where the thermometer goes out of sight 
during the winter! 
The above may be things to be proud of in their way, 
but we have another product we are more than proud of, 
and that is our State Game Warden— simply because he is 
a game protector who protects. 
Quail is a bird that, unless he is potted in a bunch in 
the corner of a rail fence, is apt to thrive and mult-ply. 
And certainly that is just what the quail are doing, for of 
late thev have been seen repeatedly in our city traversing 
our sidewalks and crossing onr asphalted streets. In the 
residential district of the city they can be heard at break 
of day giving their peculiar "Co-hee! Co-heel" so differ- 
ent from the "Bob-Bob-White!" of the early spring. 
Only this morning I was awakened at daybreak by the 
calling of a scattered tlock of quail. It is unnecessary 
to recite how it took me away to the woods and fields 
and along the hedgerow as I listened for fifteen minutes 
to those 'scattered birds as they ran together. Naturally 
I ascribed this situation to the fact that in reahty the 
quail and other game birds were plentiful because they 
had been protected. 
And to cite tbe way Warden Samuel F. Fullerton 
works. Up at Heron Lake three market-hunters were 
slaughtering the ducks by day and by night and ship- 
ping them into Chicago as "squabs" or "young turkeys." 
etc. — all of which made them amenable to the law. . Some 
one put Mr., Fullerton next. Instead of writing them a 
letter under the official seal of the State Game Warden, 
ordering them to desist, etc., Mr. Fullerton went him- 
self //;• propria persona. He seized their game, their boats, 
their dogs, their tents, their provisions and their guns— - 
five in number — and if I mistake not got them fined in the 
bargain. Now, if this be not strenuous game protection 
what is it? As long as Sam Fullerton holds his job as 
Game Warden will those three bold hunters ever patron- 
ize the sloughs of Minnesota again during the duck 
flight? I guess not. How many men can stand up 
against such game protection as this? 
It was only a few weeks ago that this same Fullerton 
got next to a moose and deer tannery trust up in the 
northern Minnesota woods and cleaned it up in quick 
order. Black Friday could not have wiped out the market 
value of that trust stock any quicker than did Mr. Fuller- 
ton. There were moose and deer heads to the number of 
a score or more seized, and many hides undergoing the 
process of tanning were taken. 
News of this kind travels far and wide, producing a 
wholesome effect. It will become generally understood 
that unlawful hunting in Minnesota is rife with much 
risk, so much so that the game actually becomes not 
worth the candle, . 
I am writing this article pour encoiirager les autres. 
If other States had more Fullertons, with the dog-gun- 
and-boat-collecting fever well developed, things in some 
localities would be different as regards the_ game. And 
yet when you sum the whole case up, it is simply the 
difference between doing one's duty and not doing it at all. 
So we'll close by saying, that our game warden has Aery 
clear ideas as to what his duty is — and is doing it., 
Another peculiar idea this Sam Fullerton has, is that 
it is against public policy to grant deer hunting licenses 
to minors with .30 smokeless rifles or any other kind of 
rifle. And perhaps Fullerjton is right in preventing the 
young idea from shooting. It is evident that deer shoot- 
ing has become recognized as dangerous to both man 
and beast— the hunted and the hunter. 
Charles Cristadoro. 
The following letter from Executive Agent Fullerton 
was written to Mr. Charles Cristadoro. who rightly con- 
siders it of general interest, and sends it to us for publi- 
cation : / 
State, of jMinnesoia, Board of Gj^e Commissioners, 
St. Paul, Oct. 22. — My Dear Cris»doro:. The article 
that you have written in regard to deer is indeed very 
timely. This j'ear no licenses will be issued to minors. 
\vhic"h is all right as far as it goes \ but yotA know as well 
as I do that there are many adults who ought not to 
be allowed to pull a trigger. They are careless and rattle^ 
headed, and they will shoot at anything that comes along 
— in fact, if they see a bush move, will come to the con- 
clusion that it is' a deer and fire at it. To have the crime 
of manslaughter held over their heads is not enough, they 
ought to be denied the privilege; but that, of course, is 
impossible as long as all are supposed to be created 
equal, and are equal under the law. 
I just returned this morning from Heron Lake.; per- 
haps you have seen something in regard to it in the 
papers. They tell me on good authority that over 12.000 
prime canvasback ducks were snipped from Heron Lake 
and Lakefield last year,* and it was done openly, and 
when a man in St. Paul drew the attention of the Game 
and Fish Commission to it, the Executive Agent made 
the remark that it was very hard to enforce the law on 
Heron Lake, as over two-thirds of the lake is in Iowa. I 
thought it was a made-up story, but verified it on this 
trip, and it was vouched for by a man who I know would 
not tell an untruth. To give you an idea of the kind of 
ducks there, we seized forty-three canvasbacks. and they 
averaged over four pounds apiece. I understand they got 
from $8 to $12 a dozen for them in Chicago last year, de- 
pending altogether on the quality and weight of the ducks. 
I assure you I appreciate your work in regard to game 
protection — you and the other men who take a deep_ in- 
terest in the matter. You don't know what a help it is 
to the Commission and what a help it is to the wardens 
who are trying to enforce these laws. The moral sup- 
port is indeed a great help, and its value cannot be esti- 
mated. 
Anything that comes under your observation in regard 
to any violations, I assure you we will esteem it a great 
favor if you will drop me a line or 'phone me. 
Yours very truly, 
Sam. F. Fuixekton. 
*Anotlier game warden under former State admioistratioa ; Mr. 
Fullerton just went in this year. — C. S. 
Incidents of a Hunter's Life^ 
MoRG.^NTOWN, W. Va. — Editor Forest and Stream: A 
very small proportion of those who now take their out- 
ings in the woods, hunting, have had opportunity to know 
anything of the pleasure and gratification connected with 
the hunt, except from the standpoint of a sportsman, who 
hunts solely for pleastire. To the pioneer, who lived 
amid an abundance of game, and who had neither the 
opportunity nor the money to buy domestic meat, we can 
imagine a two-fold pleasure would come in his pursuit 
of game, feeling, as he would, that in the pursuit of that 
which was in itself a rare pleasure, he was performing 
a necessary part of his daily routine of life; and when 
successful in bringing down a choice animal, then spe- 
cially would his gratification be two-fold. Being near 
his own home, where he could go out as the weather con- 
ditions were favorable, and could save and utilize everjj 
particle of his game, he could at the same time watch 
with interest and gratification the live game all around 
him, and know that it would be around when he needed- 
more. At such times and amid such surroundings, game 
was killed at seasons of the year which would be unlaw- 
ful under present conditions, but no persons are or have 
been more solicitous for the preservation of game than 
such as were dependent upon it to a great extent for 
their livelihood, killing only such as were not essential 
to their increase. 
Roosevelt, in his "Wilderness Hunter," has fittingly 
said, "Hunting in the wilderness is, of all pastimes, the 
most attractive, and it is doubly so when not carried on 
merely as a pastime. * * * The fact that the hunter 
needs the game, both for its meat and for its liide, un- 
doubtedly adds a zest to the pursuit." 
When one goes out from his city home for a stay in 
the woods, especially a person of limited time, he feels, 
naturally, that his friends expect him to return with a 
good account of himself; and that he has much to accom- 
plish, in a short time. In words, he says he does not 
care anything for the, game he may kill, or whether he 
kills anything or not; that he does not expect to kill 
anything; that he only wants the benefit and pleasure 
of a camping trip; that he does not propose to hunt 
much — just to wander around in the woods and enjoy 
walking through nature's furnished parlors; but, after 
this has all been said aloud, with an air of indifference, 
away down deep in his heart he thinks to himself, "I 
must kill something which I can be proud to show to 
my friends. I only have a few days to be in the woods; 
I have merited this vacation by a year's hard work, and I 
must make it count; I must hustle." As he tramps 
through the woods, after the time for his stay is more 
than half gone, and has, 'as 3'ei:, been unsuccessful in kill- 
ing anything, he catches only passing glimpses of the 
real beauty of his surroundmgs. He is tired; he sits 
down in some spot, beautiful in its rugged wildness, and 
tries to enjoy it; but no! his ambition will not allow it; 
no animal life is in sight; each hour lessens his chance 
of getting the coveted game he so much desires to take 
home; he is up and off again, and comes in at nig;ht 
tired and discouraged; and each successive day of dis- 
appointment finds him more impatient and worn out, 
and thus less capable of success. 
To be in the woods where other hunters are in the 
same vicinity, of whose presence we are made painfully 
aware by the occasional report of a gun, creates a feeling 
of uneasiness, both from the possible disturbance of game 
on our course, and tlie danger of stray bullets. To the 
real hunter, who has an inbred nature which longs for 
the woods and wild life, nothing but being away in the 
solitude of the wilderness absolutely alone, without the 
possibility of another hunter spoiling his opportunity, 
can fully satisfy. 
Jl^aving hunted under all the various conditions, I have 
marked the difference, 
Hunting on a tracking snow, where there is a hunter 
or more for every deer, we find a iresh trail, but instead 
of following with the proper caution, we are constantly 
thinking of some one else striking the trail ahead of us, 
and, :n spite of ourselves, husry just enough to sj^ii our 
chances of success. 
On the other hand, whea wf get m%q % l^rtit whe#c 
