90 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Oct. II, 1902. 
Non-Resident Shooters* 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I notice in your columns an advertisement of the 
facilities offered by that most excellent steamship line, 
the Old Dominion, to "the gunning grounds of Virginia 
and North Carolina." 
I notice also that you advertise the Game Laws in Brief, 
wherein I find the following highly interesting informa- 
tion touching the laws of Virginia: "No person who is 
not an actual resident of this State shall kill any wild- 
fowl in any waters, or on any marshes, islands or beaches 
within the jurisdiction of the State, below the head of 
tide water." Non-resident members of the Eastern Shore 
Game Protective Association are excepted. "Numerous 
local and county laws prevail. Great care must be exer- 
cised." Good advice. Now, concerning North Carolina, 
let Its see what the law says: "It is unlawful for non- 
residents to hunt or shoot any wildfowl in the county of 
Currituck from any box, battery or float of any kind not 
on land at the time." It must be lots of fun to shoot out 
of a float on land. But let that pass. Here is a provision 
likely to please a sportsman who wants to remember the 
friends who "can't get away":- "Shipment of quail or 
partridge dead or alive prohibited." 
Now what are we to gather? No cheaper nor pleasanter 
ineans of reaching the "gunning grounds of Virginia and 
North Carolina" exist than those furnished by the O. D. 
S. S. But what are their patrons to do when they reach 
them? Violate the statute? Run the risk of arrest and 
fine? Or suck their thumbs? R. S. V. P. 
Non-Resident. 
[Notwithstanding what our correspondent says, it is 
the fact that each year thousands of sportsmen go to the 
gunning grounds of Virginia and North Carolina and 
there do have good sport — sport so good that the next 
year they repeat the trip, and do the same thing year 
after year. Whether any of them violate the law or not 
of course we cannot know. We do know that the most 
famous gunning grounds of Virginia are along the east- 
ern shore, and that any person of good character may 
become a non-resident member of the Eastern Shore 
Game Protective Association on payment of a small fee, 
and that this gives him the privilege of killing "any wild- 
fowl in any waters or on any marshes, islands or beaches 
(in Accomac or Northampton counties) within the juris- 
diction of the State below the head of tide water." In 
other words, membership in this Association amounts 
nearly to the payment of a non-resident license fee for the 
privilege of gunning in these counties in Virginia. The 
waters of the James River were formerly famous gun- 
ning grounds, but we hear little of them in these latter 
days, and imagine that non-resident sportsmen do not 
resort to them to any great extent. 
In like manner, thousands of guimers go each year to 
North Carolina by way of Norfolk, and while non-resi- 
dents are not permitted to shoot afloat, many men annu- 
ally have fine sport by shooting from the land. One need 
only examine the pages of the most recently published 
volume on wildfowl shooting ("American Duck Shoot- 
ing") to learn what are the opportunities for sport on 
Currituck Sound. 
We take it that there are a very large number of Forest 
AND Stream readers who go annually to the States 
named, and who neither violate the statutes, nor run the 
risk of arrest and fine, nor suck their thumbs. All of 
which is respectfully submitted to Non-Resident.] 
Qtiail in East Tennessee. 
Knoxville, Tenn., Sept. 30.— The Outlook was never 
more promising for quail shooting in East Tennessee 
and the sportsmen are eagerly awaiting the openmg of 
the season, Nov. 1. The absence of heavy beating rams 
dtiring the breeding and hatching season has resulted 
in the maturing of more quail in this territory than for 
many years past, and in a great many instances the sec- 
ond brood have been raised, the extraordmary growth 
of field grasses having afforded great protection to young 
birds. J . 
There are always more or less eggs destroyed m reap- 
ing hay fields with machines which are in general use 
in this section, and a gentleman told the writer that in 
mowing one field of clover, his machine destroyed seven 
or eight nests, the birds seemingly having come fr9m 
other fields to nest in this dense growth of clover which 
afforded protection from the sun and heavy rains. He 
stated, however, that there were two nests passed over 
undisturbed; he carried the eggs, while yet warm, to 
the house, and his wife placed them under two bantam 
hens after having removed the eggs they were sittmg 
on; the result was that two broods were hatched and 
have been raised around the large yard and garden, only 
three or four having died out of the thirty-six birds 
hatched. These birds are now nearly grown, and when 
feeding time comes, at the call of his wife, the whole 
brood come flying, some alighting on her shoulders and 
outstretched arms, while the others perch at her feet, 
and are seemingly not in the least afraid. This gentle- 
man adds, that should some "town fellow" or any one 
for that matter, come along and shoot into this covey 
of birds while out feeding in the orchard, he would cer- 
tainly get into no end of trouble with his wife and 
daughters. „ . ^ 
I get the best of reports from all directions as to the 
quantity of birds in East Tennessee this season, farrners 
sajnug they have never had so many birds on their 
plantations. One gentleman who has a fine river bot- 
tom farm seven miles from the city, told me that owing 
to the fact that his place was close in, he could never 
keep any birds because the old lawns afforded no pro- 
tection but that last season he took full advantage of 
the newly enacted bird laws, and persons not authorized 
by him to hunt upon his inclosures were fired bodily 
from the premises and the offense placed in the hands 
of the authorities with instruction to act. The result 
is that he now has twelve to fifteen coveys of quail on 
his farm, and Bob Whites are calling from all directions. 
He does not propose to furnish sport tor any but the 
"chosen few" of his friends, and they must limit their 
desires to a reasonable bag of birds during a days 
hunt as he considers his "shy" little friends his personal 
property His neighbors are also acting on his good 
jxidgment, and the man who "goes a-gunnmg" around 
that neck of the woods had better arm himself with a 
permit, or else he may find that it would have been 
much less expensive to have gone to the market. 
The laws passed by the last (1901) Tennessee Legis- 
lature are broad and far reaching in this respect, making 
it a misdemeanor for any one to hunt with dog or gun 
upon the inclosed premises of another without the own- 
er's written consent, except in cases of chasing foxes 
when once started; it also prohibits the netting or trap- 
ping of quail under any circumstances and conditions, 
and places heavy fines upon such offenders, such fines 
to apply to the State school funds, etc., etc. 
These laws were practically aimed at the pot hunters 
who trap and net birds and who in the past have destroyed 
thousands and thousands of birds in East Tennessee. 
The framers of these laws did not lose sight of the pot 
hunters' "partners," who have in the past handled and 
shipp*d these birds, so with our State laws, aided by the 
National Lacey Law, these men who hunt for "revenue" 
only, have had a crimp put in their "tail feathers," and 
this season will in all probability see some of these fel- 
lows doing some other kind of work. 
While quail shooting is going to be a burden to soine 
of those who have heretofore gone out and indiscrimi- 
nately slaughtered fifty to seventy-five birds in seven 
hours' shooting a day, I want to say to any gentleman 
who might want to drop off in East Tennessee and take 
a few days' shooting, that the farmers are good people, 
and when approached in a gentlemanly manner, any 
gentleman (and these farmers seem to be excellent 
judges of human nature) will, I am sure, be allowed the 
privilege of getting into as fine sport as can be found 
in the country. 
The farmers in East Tennessee, as a rule, are plain, 
conscientious fellows, who, when dealt with honestly, are 
your friends from sun to sun, and I doubt if in two or 
three days' hunting any gentleman would be denied the 
courtesy to enjoy a hunt through any field he might 
come to. The land is rolling and fields are, as a rule, 
long and narrow. Late in the season, after the birds 
have been hunted, they will, as a rule, when flushed, go 
to the woods, and when once there, you had better have 
on your "shooting clothes" if you want many birds, for 
then they are big and strong, and when once up, go 
like the wind, but it's the greatest sport in the world to 
catch them as they go darting over the hills and afford 
shots from all imaginable angles. 
I read in a recent number of Forest and Stream 
that Mr. Hough, of Chicago, refers to what he is pleased 
to call his "meat dog." Now, I also have one of these 
"meat dogs," and if that gentleman should ever honor us 
with the presence of himself and his "meat dog," I and 
my "meat dog" would like to meet him in the "Sweet- 
water Valley," where, I am sure, that both Mr. Hough 
and his dog would quickly realize that they were not fol- 
lowing prairie chickens, but on the other hand, the 
gamest open field bird in the world, and when these birds 
"get up" it behooves "the man behind the gun" to 
straightway "get busy."_ 
We must have some heavy frosts to knock down the 
very rank growth of weeds before the best hunting is to 
be had, and it is usually Nov. 15 to Dec. i before the 
fields are in really good condition for either the man or 
the dog. 
With another season like that we have had this year, I 
venture to say that East Tennessee will afford the finest 
quail shooting to be found in the United States, for 
every man's land is fully protected for the asking, and 
the man who has and can make friends, is the man who 
will be able to satisfy his full ambition in this direction. 
Samuel B. Dow. 
Maine Deer. 
Boston, Oct. 4.— The Maine deer season is open, but 
it has rained nearly all the time since October came in; 
a condition much against hunting. Hence reports of 
deer taken are yet very meager. The Megantic Club 
members and guests have not yet taken deer in Maine 
to any extent, though a few continue to be secured over 
the Canadian border. At the club house the shooters 
have seen a great many does, but the prevailing senti- 
ment is against killing them; hence they have generally 
been allowed to escape. W. S. Richards has the honor 
of having killed the first bear of the season, by Megantic 
Club members. His trophy is to come out to Boston. 
The weather has generally been too stormy for partridge 
shooting, and only small bags are noted. Mr. and Mrs. 
A. W. Robinson started for the Megantic Preserve to- 
day. Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Pierce go in about the 13th. 
Dr. Payne, who has been staying at his camp, Big Island 
Pond, reports the best fishing in years, with many trout 
of two and three pounds weight. 
The continued rain has also been much against the 
opening of the Massachusetts game bird season, Oct. i. 
Nearly all the gunners have put off trying the shooting 
till better weather. Friday was fair at last, and some 
of the gunners were out. One hunted the woods of 
Reading, starting five partridges and securing one. He 
pronounces the birds very wild. 
A later report from Bangor, Maine, says that the first 
day's record shows three deer shipped, to go through 
that city; all does. They were shot by J. P. Lawry, of 
Benton; J. Sarnuelson and Dr. J. Ackerman, of Boston. 
Mr. Lawry has been hunting in the neighborhood of 
Moosehead, and says that the outlook there is very good. 
Neither Mr. Sarnuelson nor Dr. Ackerman appeared to 
identify their game in Bangor, so Warden Blanding was 
nbhged to seize both deer. Before doing this the war- 
den made a careful search through the train, but could 
not find the men. All sportsmen should remember that 
they are obliged to appear and identify their game at 
Bangor before it can proceed. Failure to do this will 
result in the confiscation of all unclaimed deer and 
moose by the State. One deer was brought into Ban- 
gor by team, Oct. 2, the second day of the open season. 
Evidently the game laws are being enforced in Arling- 
ton and Belmont, Mass., this fall. Monday a man was 
fined $10 in the Cambridge district court for shooting 
a squirrel in Arlington. Friday Peter Cosseta, of Bos- 
ton, was locked up in Station i, CambrMge, on the 
charge of shooting a robin in Belmont. Cosseta was 
bailed »nd will be arraigned later. It is a notorious 
fact that a great many song birds are shot, especially 
robins, by gunners who go out of Boston, and return 
with bags of what they pretend are "snipe," "peep" and 
"reed birds." Some of the farmers and residents of out- 
lying towns are very indignant, and have called upon 
the officers to enforce the law. 
Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Jones, of Boston, their son, and 
Mrs. Jones' father, Alvin Jones, are on a hunting trip 
to Carthage, Me., where they were to camp. But the 
weather has been against them; raining almost every 
day since their departure. 
Boston, Oct. 6. — The Maine hunting season is on, and 
nobody has been shot yet, so far as reports are received. 
It is to be hoped that the chapter of shooting accidents 
will be greatly lessened this year. Writers, who evidently 
know as little about hunting as may be, are full of sug- 
gestions. One would have a hunting suit with checks of 
black and white not less than a foot square. Another 
would avoid red, as that is the color of the maple leaves.- 
I would avoid whisky in the stomach of the other fellow. 
About all the trouble comes from firing at the first mo- 
tion in the woods. It matters little what the hunter 
may have on. No man in his right mind would shoot at 
another man when seen with such distinctness as to dis- 
tinguish even the smallest part of his dress or form. If 
novices would always remember that it is almsot impos- 
sible to shoot game unless it is distinctly seen, and that 
if one waits for a couple of seconds or more, the game is 
almost sure to show itself plainly, they would not only 
secure more game, but avoid the terrible sorrow of having 
shot a fellow hunter. 
Up to Saturday, fifty-one deer had passed through Ban- 
gor, a larger numlDer than for the same days the first three 
seasons a year ago, when twenty-eight deer were noted. 
Still, it is estimated that there are a greater number of 
sportsmen in the woods than a year ago, with the great 
rush yet to come. A feature this year is the marked num- 
ber of women hunters. Of the above fifty-one deer, four 
were taken through by women. Among the lucky Boston 
hunters were Ogden Brewer, Alice K. Brewer. W. F. 
Smith, E. Binghurst, J. S. Mundy, Dr. G. E. Whitehill 
and Mrs. J. Sawtelle. The first deer reached Kineo, 
Moosehead, on the morning of the opening day. Three 
were taken by Mrs. Henry S. Durand and Master Durand, 
of New York. Three other deer were shot during the 
forenoon by guides. Mr. A. Roderick, of Farmington, is 
believed to have killed the first deer of the geason in the 
Rangeley region. He secured his prize at the foot of 
Sluice Hill, on the Phillips & Rangeley Railroad, on the 
morning of Oct. i. 
Reports concerning partridge shooting in Maine are 
conflicting. In some sections in Franklin county they are 
reported to be fairly plenty, though the cold rains of the 
nesting seasons are believed to have destroyed the chicks. 
Woodcock shooting is reported to be good in the vicinity 
of Farmington and above. In the towns of Weld, 
Carthage and Dixfield a good many partridges are being 
secured, Avith some good woodcock shooting. Bird shoot- 
ing is still unsatisfactory in Massachusetts, although better 
weather is expected to improve it somewhat. Hunters are 
having some luck in northern New Hampshire on birds, 
but partridges are scarce. Big game in the northern 
counties is said to be in greater abundance than ever 
before. 
Coon hunting is in order with the hunters of Lewiston. 
and Auburn. They go out of nights with torches and 
dogs, returning at daylight, often with several good 
specimens. The vicinity of sweet-corn fields and orchards, 
near the woods, are good points to hunt. One 'coon 
hunter in one of those cities does not care to associate 
the hunting of 'coons with molasses, although the boys 
insist that one has something to do with the other. About 
ready for a hunt the other evening, he went into the back 
room of his store for his gun and ammunition. The 
dog, a good one on 'coons, was greatly delighted. He 
scooted about that back room in the dim twilight in great 
glee. His master called him and locked the door. Re- 
turning next morning, he unlocked the door to put away 
his gun, and hang up his 'coon till he had time to skin 
him. Behold the sweetness ! The whole floor was cov- 
ered with molasses to the depth of an inch or more. The 
tired dog jumped in, but was out again in a moment, with 
all four feet stuck with molasses. The mystery suddenly 
solved itself. The dog, in his gambols of the night be- 
fore, had completely turned the spigot of a barrel of 
molasses, and it has been running all night. Say " 'coons" 
to that dog now, and he will run to the door of the back, 
room where the gun and molasses are kept, pause, whine, 
then lap all four feet. Special. 
A Memory of Barnegat. 
On Tuesday afternoon, March 4, I went to Barnegat, 
N. J., on a wild goose shoot. That evening I started out 
(after having arrived by the C. R. R. of N. J.) to get a 
guide, and going to the village grocery, which is used as 
a sort of country club room at night, found the man I 
wanted. He was a grizzled old gentleman, and he stood 
his sixty-six years much better than we city boys do our 
forty-five. I retired at 7 :30 P. M. ,and after sleeping, I 
think, five minutes (though the clock said 3 A. M.), the 
banging at the door aroused me and I hopped out of bed 
and then to a most delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs, 
with fried oysters and coffee. Everything seemed to reach 
the spot where it would do the most good. The guide 
came in just then with the cheering information that it 
was snowing, with some sleet, but would probably clear 
up with daylight. My host also ventured the informa- 
tion that whenever the weather was too bad to keep a dog 
out of doors, then the ducks and geese flew low and the 
shooting would be, better. 
My guide and I started out on our two-mile journey to 
the bay, where we had to kick the snow and ice off of the 
cover of the sneak boxes, so wc could get under way for 
our five-mile sail down the bay to the shooting grounds. 
By this time it had turned to a drizzle, with some snow 
and lots of sleet. I now commenced to freeze from my 
toes up. After an hour and a half's sail, both wet, un- 
comfortable and partly frozen, We arrived at our shoot- 
ing ground, a marsh island called Sunken Sage. Here the 
guide got out his spade and commenced digging a small 
bay so the boats would rest easy. While he was putting 
out the decoys, both goose and 4^?!?, I was covering my 
