110 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Feb. 7, I903- 
best quality is easily procurable on account of the con- 
stant care exercised by the State in stocking its waters. 
The increase in the number of deer taken is also worth 
noting, as an evidence of the wisdorn of existing laws. 
So also is the suggestion which experience has shown to 
be necessary for the preservation of certain fisheries by 
stopping fishing through the ice. Protective action would 
also seem to be necessary to keep the black bear from 
extermination. 
The Commission in conclusion takes pleasure in calling 
attention to the success which has thus far attended the 
work of restoring moose to the Adirondacks, and to the 
valuable additions made to the herds of elk during the 
past year. 
The following recommendations are presented for your 
consideration : 
That the number of expert foresters be increased to 
four, and their compensation be made such as to retain 
tbem in the service of the State. 
That the John Brown house be repaired so as to pre- 
serve this historic structure. 
That spring shooting of wildfowl and birds of all kinds 
be prohibited. 
That the shooting of black bear in the Adirondack 
region be prohibited for a period of five years. 
That a license fee of $50 be imposed on non-resident 
hunters excepting members of organized clubs in the 
Adirondacks, who shall present certificates of member- 
ship, and Adirondack land owners. 
That provision be made for the licensing of guides. 
By the Commission. 
John D. Whish, Assistant Secretary. 
Massachusetts Association. 
Hearing on Deer Law. 
Boston, Jan. 31. —Editor Forest and Stream: The first 
hearing given by the Committee on Fisheries and Game 
was on Tuesday, January 26, the House Chairman, Mr. 
Moody Kimball, of Ncwburyport, presiding. Heman S. 
Fay, Esq., as counsel for the Central Committee, pre- 
sented Mr. Henry A. Estabrook, of Fitchburg, the chair- 
man of the executive committee, as the first witness. 
Mr. Estabrook spoke of the good results of the five 
years' close time, as shown by the frequency with which 
deer have been seen' in many parts of the State where, 
until recently, there have been none. But a few days 
ago, he said', three had been seen together within the 
limits of the city of Fitchburg. He had heard of deer 
being seen in several neighboring towns, and was desirous 
of seeing the experiment which was begun in 1S98 con- 
tinued for five i^ears more. His testimony was cor- 
roborated by Representative Knight, of Townsend, who, 
however, said some of the small farmers of his section, 
who were excellent shots, as a rule, would be very likely 
to protect their crops from injury by deer. On the whole, 
he approved the passage of the bill. 
Dr. James B. Paige, member of the House from Am- 
herst, spoke strongly in support of the re-enactment of 
the law continuing the close time for five years more. 
Others gave similar testimony. 
President James R. Reed, of the State Association, 
favored the measure and gave very interesting informa- 
tion on the history of legislation in Massachusetts affect- 
ing the killing of deer. 
He stated that up to about 1882 there was a law apply- 
ing to the whole State prohibiting killing at any time ex- 
cept for a few days in the month of November. Mr. 
John M. Forbes, one of the greatest philanthropists of 
the State, and the owner o'f the Island of Naushon, at 
his own expense stocked the island with deer, which be- 
came very numerous, and he invited friends to join' in an 
annual hunt, usually in October. His attention was called 
to the fact that the deer on the island could not be con- 
sidered as "tame" deer, and therefore killing them at any 
time except the few open days in November was not per- 
missible, and as there were at that time no deer except 
those on Naushon in any county of the State, with the 
exception of Barnstable and Plymouth, the law was 
changed and made to apply to those' two counties only. 
The credit of initiating the movement in 1898 which re- 
sulted in securing the present law is due to Mr. W. H. 
Fowle, of Woburn, who induced a member of the Legisla- 
ture to present the petition for the passage of the bill. 
A letter from Commissioner Wentworth of New Hamp- 
shire, stating that he had caused several deer to be liber- 
ated in southern New Hampshire, and that one had been 
shot just across the line in Massachusetts, also that unless 
this State would protect them the Commissioners of New 
Hampshire would not release any more in the southern 
portion of the State, had a potent influence in securing 
the passage of the bill. 
In the course of the hearing on Tuesday, one member 
of the committee remarked that he had heard some com- 
plaint of injury to crops by deer in his section of the 
State, but when the chairman called for remonstrants, no 
one appeared. Favorable consideration by the commit- 
tee seems more than probable. What the House and 
Senate will do about it remains to be seen. A request 
for payment of damages done by deer has been made by 
a lady in Newton. It is doubtful whether such a request 
will receive serious consideration by the Legislature. 
Farmers in Vermont tried to get up a scare some years 
ago ; in Maine they are doing it this winter. 
The hearing on the re-enactment of the anti-sale law 
aflfecting partridges and woodcock, which your readers 
know expires this year, has not been appointed, but as no 
new business can be admitted in the Legislature without 
a four-fifths vote and therefore all bills are supposed to be 
in already, the committee will no doubt fix the date of the 
hearing on the bird law very soon, and all who believe in 
the continuance of the present law should make a sacri- 
fice, if necessary, in order to be present and support the 
bill before the committee. . . 
At the last meeting of the State Association, there was 
an informal discussion of the hunter's license in Maine. 
Several prominent members, men accustomed to visit^the 
State once or twice a year, denounced the plan as an "im- 
position." All expressed the opinion that it is uncalled 
The question of having an annual dinner was referred 
to the Board of Management with full powers. The board 
met on Thursday evening and the following members 
were appointed to arrange for the dinner, the general 
expression of opinion being in favor of having it at the 
Algonquin Club. Committee: President J. R. Reed, Ben- 
jamin C. Clark, Nathaniel LeRoy. C. W. Dimick, Heber 
Bishop, Maurice H. Richardson, Robert S. Gray, Thomas 
H. Hall, H. S. Dodd and the secretary. The time will be 
decided later on. 
Henry H. Kimball, Secretary. 
Boy and Cat. 
A Secret Service Fund. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I read with much interest Mr. J. R. Fanning's article 
in January 17 number, and quite agree with him as to 
the uselessness of a protector who attempts to do busi- 
ness in his own locality where he is well acquainted and 
his every movement konwn to the law breaker. Not only 
that, they form friendships, and one does not like to soak 
a friend. Then, too, I have known of instances where 
they have lost their position by hitting some person with 
a strong political pull. I have noticed that if a stranger 
violates the law, he is pretty apt to go before a justice, and 
it usually costs him something. A gentleman from New 
York City parted with fifty dollars last spring for e few 
minutes' sport shooting ducks in Jefferson. I believe 
that with a very little effort the protector who offi- 
ciated in the ceremony could have landed a few of our 
own people for the same offense. 
Our game protectors are paid the munificent salary of 
$500 per year and $450 for expenses. Out of this allow- 
ance comes their necessary railroad fare, livery, hotel 
bills, boats and boatmen, and incidental expenses. This 
is one of the principal reasons why Mr. Fanning has 
seen so few protectors in his vicinity. It has been sug- 
gested that the expense account be increased to $1,000. 
This would mean an increased expenditure of $27,500 for 
ihe 50 protectors and would probably not be allowed. 
If an appropriation of $10,000 or $15,000 could be secured, 
to be placed at the disposal of the commissioner or chief 
protector as a secret service fund, he could then select his 
best men to investigate complaints, and with the aid of 
the local protectors secure a much better enforcement of 
the law. I believe that with this small appropriation the 
efficien'cy of the department could be more than doubled. 
We have had three prosecutions for violations of the 
game laws in this county in 1902 — the gentleman from 
New York, two parties in Carthage who are described as 
respectable and worthy citizens, whose names are with- 
held as a matter of courtesy, and who parted with $25.75 
and $50.85, respectively, and a young farmer of Tylerville, 
who paid $35 for the privilege of shooting two gray 
squirrels the day before the opening. When respectab-c 
and worthy citizens and farmers can be prosecuted, con- 
victed and made to settle for a violation of the game 
law in any county, it shows that there is a mighty good 
sentiment in that county for the enforcement of these 
laws. 
The fact that the penalty account for violations of the 
game laws for 1902 was $20,000, an increase of $8,000 
over 1901, doesn't show any great incapacity or lack of 
attention to business on the part of Commissioner Mid- 
dleton or our State protectors. If the sportsmen who 
really want the game laws enforced would send their 
plans and specifications, names of violators, dates, nature 
of complaint, etc., to the department at Albany, instead 
of to the local protector, I am certain they would obtain 
better results. And I believe that if we could secure the 
secret service fund, the way of the transgressor would 
be hard. W. H. Tallett. 
Watertown, N. Y., Jan. 81. 
Cuffitttcfc Dtjcfcs* 
CuREiTUCK Sound, N. C, Jan. 26. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: At this moment there are more canvasbacks 
in the northern half of Currituck Sound than we have 
had here in fifteen or twenty years; and they are in 
splendid condition, owing to a very large crop of wild 
celery in this end of the sound. They are very shy 
and seem to know a stand of decoys every time, unless 
it is raining or snowing. They seem to prefer to asso- 
ciate with blue peters and swans. I think the natives 
who hunt for market will manufacture (blue peter) de- 
coys on a. large scale next fall. Forty-six canvasbacks 
have been the largest bag made recently, but I expect 
to hear of at least 100 to one gun some day this week 
if it proves stormy. 
I am much afraid our ruddy ducks will become ex- 
tinct in five years. They are exceedingly scarce now 
and have so little protection I see no hope for them. 
I think there must be some mistake about the great 
slaughter and waste of blue peters in Back Bay, Va. 
Norfolk, Va., which is not over twenty-five miles away, 
stands ready to pay 10 to I2j^ cents each for all that 
can be shipped there, and the natives of Princess Anne 
County have known it for fifteen years, and not being 
overburdened with the coin of the realm, I hardly 
think they allowed such waste as reported. Besides 
the blue peter is a fine bird, when properly cooked. 
There is only one way to do this, i. e., skin like a 
rabbit as soon after being killed as possible, dress 
and wash clean, hang up for one day or night, dip m 
dry flour and fry brown, make a nice bowl of brown 
gravy and tell your guests it is fried canvasback. Nine 
chances out of ten he'll say he never ate finer ducks 
anywhere. We are to have some changes in our game 
laws this season, but I cannot tell just what they will 
be this time. Will report later. All other ducks seem 
quite as abundant as last season, except broadbills and 
mallards: they are both rather scarce. 
More Anon. 
Evenly Matched. 
Macon, Ga., Jan. 20.— We have had a good many 
quail in our section this winter. I have hunted but 
very little. I had one very good hunt with a friend 
in December. We found a good many birds and 
bao-ged seventy-one. We shot together all day with 
onfy ovie bird more to his bag than to mine. 
Hoi-MEs Johnson. 
Clarion, Pa., Jan. 20. — I inclose a photo of one of the 
latgest wildcats shot around here this season. 
It was shot on the river hill within half a mile of our 
city by a young lad of this place, who deserves great 
credit for the bravery he showed in the conflict. 
Although these animals are not usually considered 
dangerous, they put up a savage fight when wounded. 
The lad was hunting rabbits, accompanied by two 
hounds, when the cat was treed after a short run. At 
the boy's first shot the cat came to the ground badly 
wounded and immediately put the dogs to flight, and 
then turned on the boy. It took three more shots from 
A CLARION COUNTY CAT. 
his i2-gauge with No. 6 shot to give the finish. The 
animal has been mounted in very skillful manner and 
makes a fine trophy and ornament. I think the lad 
did very well considering his age. Although Clarion 
County is not to be compared with some of the won- 
derful game fields we read about in Forest and 
Stream, it is about as good as any place I know of in 
Pennsylvania. 
Birds were scarcer the past season than usual, but 
rabbits, foxes and 'coons furnished considerable sport 
to their patrons. 
A few of our local sportsmen were lucky enough 
to get deer, and several bears have been reported in 
the neighborhood. Several men, while hunting bear, 
got shots at them, but have not been lucky. 
Samuel J. Sloan. 
A New Hampshite Game Preserve* 
Inclosed I send a clipping taken from the Concord, 
N. H., Daily Patriot, of Jan. 26: 
Lancaster, Jan. 26.— W. H. Griffith was here a few days ago 
and disposed of the entire property of the Groton Lumber Com- 
pany, located in the town of Groton. The property sold consisted 
of 5,400 acres of timber land, on which is located the famous 
Darling pond, which it is said furnishes the best trout fishing in 
America. The price paid was $30,000. Mr. Wright has pur- 
chased an additional 3,000 acres adjoining, and it is announced that 
he will form a company to convert both tracts into one large 
game preserve. The land is admirably fitted for such a purpose. 
The original spruce has nearly all been cut off, and the dense 
undergrowth that is springing up will give the best of feed and 
cover for deer and other animals. As soon as the few remaining 
trees are removed, which will be done this season, it wdl be given 
up entirely to the preservation of game. Mr. Wright is con- 
templating building a club house in spring, and by the time the 
trout season opens there will probably be commodious quarters 
for those who visit th.e lake for the purpose of fishing. The entire 
property is also very desirable on account of the growth of young 
timber, which would be ready to cut in a few years. 
In many parts of New Hampshire there are miles 
of wild land from which the timber has been cut. When 
the spruce has been taken and the succeeding growth 
is hard wood, the land is of little value. Practically 
about all it is good for is to harbor game. For some 
years, at about every session of our Legislature, there 
has been more or less discussion as to preserving the 
forests of the White Mountain region. The cutting of 
them goes on just the same. A few years since, while 
on a hunting trip, I met one of our largest lumber oper- 
ators He said, "I own something over 120,000 acres 
of timber land." The only thing which seemed to 
trouble him was that he would not live long enough 
to cut it. . , . f • 
As for the Darling Pond mentioned in the clipping, 
I never heard of it before, and I have been on a num- 
ber of fishing trips to that region. The last annual 
report of our Fish and Game Commissioner gives a 
long list of the ponds and lakes in the State and does 
not mention the above pond. C. M. Stark. 
Hunting Quotations. 
There is no more fascinating sport than the legitimate 
hunt for quotations. 
We use the qualifying word deliberately, there are 
varieties of this occupation that are in no sense sport. 
The hunt which has a commercial taint cannot be in- 
cluded. Mere utility is not a proper object in the pursuit. 
The man who goes page by page, line by line, through 
an author with no higher purpose than the attainment ol 
verbal accuracy in quotation may be a wholly reputable 
member of society, a faithful husband, and a kind parent, 
but he is not a sportsman of letters, and he can never 
hope to feel the thrill which the perfectly practiced hunt 
for quotations can convey to a soul attuned to its dt- 
In the first place the quotation must be given a chance 
of escape. That is a fundamental condition of the game. 
lnd«x traps and even the ingenious contrivances oi 
