3S3 
Yes, sneered the engineer, "tenderfoot, fool, kid. t)on't 
you know better than that, going in a room with a 
panther? You never saw one before, that's plain. Any 
mothers' baby would know better," 
I stepped up to the door, saying, "Are you going to 
hold that light?" 
"Here," he said, "give me a torch. Now go in and let 
the panther maul you ; it will serve you right^' 
He held the torch at the door, and I stepped cautiouj-ly 
mto the dimly lighted room. At first I saw nothing and 
stood for what seemed a long time, the engineer telling 
me to come back while I could, and that the brute was 
only hiding. I didn't like it very much, and had jiist 
determined to back cautiously out, when I heard some- 
thmg stir, and then over in the corner above a pile of 
Hour bags two burning eyes appeared, glared at me and 
were motionless. There was the game. My chance had 
come. I r^iised the big .44-calibcr revolver, took careful 
aim, shot, and then repeated, aiming at the same place. 
Something fell heavily to the ground, the engineer gave 
a sort of gasp, and exclaimed, "The tenderfoot kid, he 
did kril it." Then everybody crowded into the room. 
We searched with great care, but could not lind the 
animal. The general opinion Avaa that it had been badly 
wounded, and had crawled in behind some of the stores, 
and we could get it in the morning. I moved a barrel 
find caught sight of a tawny fur, and made a grab for 
It, but one of the men caught my arm and held me back, 
saying, "Those animals have more lives than a cat; bet- 
ter be careful." However, the beast lay perfectly still, and 
I wanted to see it that night, and I put my hand down, 
feeling it carefully for a moment, then took hold with both 
hands, braced myself, laid my strength on for a big lift, 
and went over backward as if I had lost my hold. But 
1 hadn't. My grip was good enough, and so had been 
my aim ; but in my hands I held an unfortunate opossum, 
and not a very large one at that, except its eyes, and they 
were too big for its face. 
I didn't mean to hurt that opossum. It wasn't fit to 
eat. I had nothing against it. Why couldn't it have 
gotten out of a hole in the roof before I shot, and have 
made big noise getting away? Then I would have had a 
thrilling tale to tell of adventure with a panther. As 
it is, I only killed a night-prowling opossum, of the kind 
that smell badly when one gets too near them. 
Francis C. Nicholas. 
Collisions in Mid Ait, 
Currituck, N. C, Nov. 5.— Editor Forest and Stream-: 
Seeing Mr. Hough's account of a flock of mallards meet- 
ing in raid-air and killing each other, reminds me of an 
experience some years ago at night. 
I had been in a habit of going to a certain pond to 
shoot geese by moonlight. On this occasion I reached the 
pond just before the moon came up. Seating myself on a 
bunch of dry rushes, I lighted my pipe and waited for 
the first honk of a goose.. It was exceedingly dark, and I 
had begun to fear I Iiad not made the right calculation 
about the hour. I had heard the peculiar whiz of the 
ruddy ducks' wings as they passed very near my head, 
and while thus meditating I heard a loud report over- 
head, which sounded about like one dapping one's hands 
together while forming a hollow in each, followed imme- 
diately afterward by two splashes in the water. I was 
only a boy, and began to wonder if this was the spirits 
of the departed geese which had been shot by me around 
this same pond, haunting me. 
But the moon finally came and likewise the geese. While 
wading out to retrieve my first goose, I found side by 
side a ruddy duck and a widgeon. The widgeon was 
so smashed up that it was uftfit for food, but the ruddy 
was very little damaged, and went to the larder with the 
geese. 
Three years ago I saw two flocks of redheads meet in 
the daytime, when one of them was wing broken, and I 
retrieved it. These are my only experiences along this 
like in thirty years of duck shooting. More Anon. 
Some I Points. 
From "611 /finis and Points /or S/t>ris»ie»:'] 
Waather ia Bay Bird Shooting. 
The most favorable wind for bay snipe shooting inihe 
summer and autumn is one that blows steadily from the 
southwest. The birds that are coming from the north, 
,and flying against it, lower their flight and skirt the bars 
and meadows, and see the stools more plainly and decoys 
much better than when traveling with the wind in the 
clouds. A wet summer is also found to produce the 
best shooting, as the meadows afford plenty of feed, and 
should the birds arrive early in • the season, they stop 
jand make the large marshes their home, flying no'rth in 
the morning and returning south toward evening. This 
flight baymen call "a trade." 
Ktlliog a Wounded Bird. 
Many gunners bite its neck with the teeth. This will 
not break the skin. Others squeeze the bird on both 
sides close under the wings and at the same time press 
the forefinger over the wishbone. This stops heart and 
lung action and causes almost instant death, but it is 
impracticable to kill large birds in this way. 
Pfcserving Dead Birds. 
Draw and stuff with green grass; cover bottom of box 
with a layer of coffee grounds, then pack a layer of birds; 
then another layer of grounds, then birds, and so on until 
all are packed, The grounds should be perfectly dry. 
Preserving Killed Game. 
Take a supply of paper sacks (such as grocers lise). just 
large enough to put a chicken into and -tie snugly. Draw 
the birds and hang by the head until they have thoroughly 
dripped and the natural heat has left them. Stuff fresh 
leaves or grass inside; put into the sacks heads first, and 
tie sack tight enough to exclude air. Put them in a cool, 
shady place until ready to ship. Birds packed in this 
way. have kept over fifty hours, and when used were 
sweEf and fresh, and this during the hottest weather of 
August. Never put game o.n ice unless- you can keep it 
:here until ready to use, for it spoils in an almost in- 
:redibly short time after being taken off. 
^wj^ ^dg md §ium 
The Vermont Deer, 
t.dUar Forest and Stream : 
The inclosed list shows the number of deer reported to 
the Commissioners by postmasters as having been killed 
in Vermont during the last ten daj-s in October. These 
statistics are obtained by furnishing every postmaster in 
the State with postal cards addressed to the chairman of 
the Commission, the back side being printed blank, so 
that the postmasters can fill in simply the number of 
deer, the town in which killed, the person by whom 
killed, and his residence. They then state the weight as 
received, and whether estimated or actual. The same 
table also gives the number of deer reported by post- 
masters for each year since the open season on deer. 
From these statistics it may be gathered that in 1898, 
which was the first open season in about twenty years 
and extended through the month of October, 131 deer 
were reported as killed; in 1899, 89; in 1900, 127, and 
in 1901, 181. It is probable that the statistics for 1901 
by actual report will be raised to about 200, as the re- 
ports straggle in from the backwoods for at least a week 
after the open season. 
Vermont Deer Killed in I90J. 
Addison. 
Ripton 4 
Middlebury 1 
Lincoln 1 
Starksboro 1-10 
Caledonia. 
Sheffield 2 
Groton 'I 
Stannard 1 
Danville i 
Peacham 1 — 7 
Essex. 
Bloomfield 1 
Concord 1 
Brighton 1— 3 
Lamoille. 
Stowe 1 
Cambridge 4 
Eden 1 
Johnson 1 
iMorristown 1 — S 
Orleans. 
Charleston 1 
Westmore 1 
Glover 1 
Ne«'port 1— 4 
Washington. 
Duxbury 8 
Fayston , 4 
Woodbury ,.,>-..ii.,., 3 
Marshfield 1 
Middlesex 1 
Bennington. 
Sunderland 1 
Searsbiirg 1 
Pownal .i 2 
Readsboro ....,4... 1 — 5 
Chittenden. 
Milton 1 
Bolton 1 
Colchester a — 4 
Franklin. 
Highgate 2 
Sheldon 1 
Franklin 1 
Montgomery 1 
Fairfax 2 
Fairfield 1-8 
Orange, 
Orange 2 
Vershire 2 
Newbury 1 
Strafl^ord ....ivvitii .■• 2 
Bradford 1— S 
Rutland. 
Wallingford .1 
Chittenden 10 
Mount Holly 2 
Shrewsbury ......11 
Sherburne , ... 9: 
Mendon 4 
Mount Tabor . 4- 
Poultney , 1 
Pittsford 3 
Pittsfield 1— .=i4 
Windham. 
Halifax 1 
Windham 1 
Grafton 1 
Stratton 1— 4 
Windsor. 
Reading 2 
Springfield 2 
Chester 3 
Stockbridge 5 
Baltimore 2 
Plymouth 23 
Sharon 7 
Bridgewater 13 
Cavendish 1 
Rochester 3 
Pomfret 1 
Weathersfield 1 
Barnard 1—64 
Franklin 
Lamoille 
Washington 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
5 
6 
10 
4 
10 
5 
3 
5 
7 
2 
1 
4 
6 
2 
3 
1 
3 
S 
1 
1 
8 
2 
5 
8 
5 
4 
29 
3G 
54 
1 
4 
17 
1 
4 
35 
48 
64 
131 
89 
127 
196 
In 1898 the open season extended throughout the month- of 
October. The report for 1901 includes those reported up to Nov. 6. 
There are several not yet reported. 
Open seasons for 1899, 1900 and 1901 were for the last ten days in 
October. 
The Commissioners estimate that about 25 per cent, 
more deer arc killed in the open season than are actually 
reported. Out of this 25 per cent., a number of does mav 
be included. Some of these does are dressed and 
utilized, but frequently the man who shoots_ one leaves 
it to rot on the ground where killed. The actual statistics 
for the last four open seasons, by comparison, may be 
taken to show that the deer have increased in spite of the 
open season, but not in the same proportion as the 
increase in the number of deer annually reported as 
killed. There were undoubtedly more hunters in the 
Vermont woods this year than during any previous year. 
Many of the residents of Vermont who had not hunted 
deer for many years equipped themselves with rifles. 
More visitors have come in this year than in the 
previous years. Most of the deer killed, however, were 
killed by residents of Vermont; not over 5 per cent, 
were killed by non-residents. 
In making up any report as to weight of the deer 
killed, it is difficult to make actual statements, because 
the weights may have been inaccurately reported. For 
example, it is reported that on Oct. 31 in the town of 
Pownal a deer weighing 530 pounds was killed by Fred 
Peckham, a resident of Pownal. This weight seemed 
too large for belief, although the report stated that it 
was the actual weight. It has since been reported that 
the actual weight was 236 pounds. 
Among the lucky ones who killed deer weighing over 
250 pounds may be mentioned these: Dr. Galvin. of 
Londonderry, killed one weighing 366 pounds before 
it was dressed, in the town of Mount Tabor. Elwin 
Leach, of Rutland, killed, in Bridgewater, a deer which 
weighed 300 pounds after the inwards were removed. 
This deer was weighed at the post ofiice in North 
Clarendon, to obtain the above report, and measured, 
from tip to tip. 8 feet 3 inches. I should estimate that 
this deer would compare very closely with the one 
killed by Dr. Galvin. Geo. H. Soule, of' Fairfield, killed 
in his own town one which weighed 328 pounds. Harry 
B; Ladd, of Island Pond, killed in that town one which 
weighed 325 pounds. Joseph Guyette, of Marshfield, 
killed in the town of Peacham a five-pronged buck 
weighing 3ii pounds. Alden Olmstead. of Hardwick, 
killed in the town of Woodbury a 300-pound deer. A 
300-pound buck was killed in the town of Grafton by 
Mr, Turner, of Grafton. A 288-pound buck was killed 
in Fayston by N. L. Boyce, of Waitsfield. A deer 
weighing 255 pounds after being "hog dressed" was 
killed by Wm.. H. Gardner, of Weathersfield, in the 
town of Cavendish; this buck would have weighed prob- 
ably over 300 pounds when alive. Chas. W. Streeter, of 
Weathersfield, killed in his own town a buck which 
weighed 279^ pounds. Hiram Moore, of Pomfret, 
killed in the town of Sharon a buck weighing 277 
pounds. D. P. Mills, of Ripton, killed in his own town 
a deer weighing 274 pounds. Chas. Blake, of West 
Concord, N. H., killed in the town of Stockbridge, a 
deer weighing 249 pounds after it was "hog dressed." 
W. H. Vaughn, of Middlesex, killed in his own town a 
deer weighing 276 pounds, with an 18-inch spread of 
antlers. Geo. Bryan, of Sharon, killed in his own town 
a 280-pound buck. A. J. Durkee, of Duxbury, killed in 
his own town a 265-pound buck, with a 21-inch spread 
of antlers. W. Gardner, of Weathersfield, killed a 255- 
pound buck in the town of Cavendish. Ed Lucas, of 
Bridgewater, killed in his own town a 2So-pound buck. 
Lindsay Turner, of Grafton, killed in his own town a 
250-pound buck. V. S. Thayer, of Readsboro, killed in 
his own town a 250-pound buck. Undoubtedly there 
were many other bucks killed which would weigh 250 
pounds or over. These are the statistics obtained from 
the reports where the animals were actually weighed. 
Will the deer continue to increase under these con- 
ditions. Undoubtedly yes. Ten years ago the Commis- 
sioners did not have any reports about the deer being 
killed by dogs more than once or twice a year, and per- 
haps the same number of cases to investigate where 
poachers had violated the law outside of Essex county. 
As time has passed by, the increase in number of these 
animals has been made apparent to the Commissioners 
from the number of letters received about them. Not 
a week passes without the Commissioners having some- 
thing relating to deer to investigate. Sometimes it is 
a case of dogs running at large chasing deer. This 
complaint comes at all seasons of the year; but the prac- 
tice is most offensive and harmful when the crust will 
hold the dog but not the deer, and as the snow is leaving 
in the spring when the does are heavy with young. 
Many deer are undoubtedly killed by those who care- 
lessly allow their dogs to run at large at this time. Many 
deer are found wounded, some of which have been 
killed and some of which have been cared for until suffi- 
ciently recovered, to be turned loose. Many reports 
come in regarding damages done by deer. Some of 
these complaints arc well founded and some are based 
upon slight damages that are not worthy of passing 
notice, and perhaps the claimant does not approve of 
the protective law and wants the privilege of killing 
the deer. Some of these complaints are curious forms 
of letters. I quote a sample such as have occasionally 
been received: 
•'Dear Sir — The deer have damaged my crops to the 
extent of $25. Please call and settle or you will hear 
further. Yours truly, ." 
Many misunderstand the existing conditions and laws. 
They do not seem to be aware that the animals are the 
property of the State, and not either the property of 
the Fish and Game Commissioners or the Vermont Fish 
and Game League. No damages can be paid except by 
provision of the State'LegisIature, and it is probable that 
if the present policy of protecting the deer continues and 
they continue to increase, some provision will have to be 
made. 
Why are not more deer killed in Essex county, from 
which county the appeal comes at every session of the 
Legislature for a longer open season? 
Simply because the people do not hunt the deer 
during the last ten days in October, and very few hunters 
are out. The woods are less accessible and convenient 
to get at for the outsider than the covers of New 
Hampshire and Maine. Manj- of the residents prefer 
to get their deer in cooler weather, when they can be 
kept better, and when they can be more easily captured. 
Of course it is contrary to the law, but they get them 
just the same. From letters received by the Commis- 
sioners at various times as to the tracks and yards seen 
at various times, it may be inferred that there are as many 
deer in Essex county as in any other county in the 
State, proportionate to its wooded area. The deer are 
slaughtered there in great nttmbers and eaten in the 
lumber camps, and in spite of the fact that it is done 
openly, no complaint comes to the Commissioners about 
llic violations. Of course the Commissioners could stop 
it by sending a special officer to inspect the camps fre- 
quently, but this method is expensive and the State does 
not provide the funds with which to do it. 
Will the bucks hold out if constantly killed so that the 
does can all be made fertile each year? Yes, I think 
there will be plenty of bucks to line all the does for a few 
seasons to come. Our law permitting the killing of 
bucks only is not an unusual one except as applied to 
deer. In Maine and in Canada it is unlawful to kill the 
cow moose, and only bulls are taken by the hunters. It 
is found that the stock of moose improves because the 
old bulls are gotten out of the way. they being the ones 
sought by the head hunters. Perhaps the same con- 
dition will apply with reference to the deer. 
Clianges in the law I would suggest are: 
That it specify that no buck with horns less than 4 
inches in length can be killed. Some hunters shoot 
from salt licks, and kill anything that is a buck, even if 
it is nothing but a .six-months old creature, on which the 
iiorns have not yet started through the flesh. I should 
also have the law changed so that if a person brings in 
a deer without the head or the pafts which indicate the 
sex of the animal it should devolve upon him to prove 
that the animal had horns when alive. 
Do I recommend any further open season? 
I hardly know what to say yet. The Commissioners 
have not discussed the matter jointly. I am inclined to 
think that ten. days are enough, except for the northern 
part of the State. Essex county is peculiarly situated 
on the border of New Hampshire, and New Hampshire 
has a longer open season. I -think it would be well to 
give Essex county a longer open season — possibly 
lengthen out the season a trifle throughout the State. 
John W, Titcomb, , 
