Dec. 6, 1902.] 
FOREST AND STREAM„ 
488 
Some Long Island Shooting. 
RiVERHEAD, Nov. 26. — The Roanoke Recreation 
Club have this year shot and killed 200 quail, 150 rab- 
bits and 25 partridges, in addition two foxes, which 
was the result of the first day's hunt for foxes. Rab- 
bits have been very plentiful this year. One day mem- 
bers of this club killed eleven rabbits in a two hours' 
hunt at the sound clif¥s. Old hunters say that not in 
many years have rabbits and foxes been so plentiful 
as they are this year. 
Manor, Long Island. — ^Wm. Jerger, of New York; 
Ben. Hallock, of Centre Moriches; Ben. Shaw, of Val- 
ley Stream, and Geo. W. Raynor, of Manor, had a 
very successful day in shooting Thursday, Nov. 20, 
having killed fifty quail and six rabbits. G. S. 
East Moriches, Nov. 26. — Duck shooting has been 
fairly good in this section recently, and yesterday was 
one of the best day's shooting ever known here, taking 
into consideration the kind of birds shot — redheads — 
of which forty-four were killed, also some broadbills, 
by Scott E. Raynor, Frank Albin, George W. Palmer 
and Edgar M. Benjamin, all of East Moriches. The 
birds were shot in Hart's Cove, within one-half mile of 
the public landing at East Moriches. Old gunners say 
redhead shooting is now the best in their lifetime. 
W. C. Gerard. 
Aquebogue, Nov. 26. — ^Mr. A. V. Eraser came out 
here hunting for quail, and in two successive days 
killed thirty-eight quail and one partridge. These were 
all shot on the grounds of the Aquebogue Gunning 
Club, and within one-half mile of the station. 
C. L. Hallock. 
RiVERHEAD, Nov. 28. — Game appears to be plentiful 
fn this section this season. Eugene Beitter, of Brook- 
lyn, recently made a gunning trip to Aquebogue. Mr. 
Beitter is a thorough sportsman, but he acknowledges 
that he never had so much sport as he did on Tuesday 
of this week, when he and his friend, James M. Magee, 
of Aquebogue, went out on Peconic Bay with Capt. 
Herbert Downs ducking. The party killed and brought 
home twenty-three ducks, including a number of broad- 
bills and some black duck. As a result of three days' 
gunning trip, Mr. Beitter carried home twenty-three 
ducks, twenty-two quail, ten rabbits and one partridge, 
all of which game was killed on unleased lands. 
One day recently Capt. Downs and party killed 
eighty-one ducks oi¥ Mattituck with a battery. 
Nathan T. Corwin and party killed a fox on Thanks- 
giving Day. 
Bayport, L. I., Nov. 30.— The past week has shown 
considerable improvement in gunning, if the number 
of birds counts for anything. Among the number from, 
here who have had good bags was Mr. S. G. Painter 
and party, of New York, who on Thanksgiving Day 
got forty-five broadbills with Guide Will Brown. Mr. 
G. Hill, with Guide Le Roy Still, got t\yenty. Mr. 
Painter and party made a start out on Friday at 4:30 
A. M., but the wind was blowing so hard it was impos- 
sible to put out a battery, and they returned to the city 
very well satisfied with their one day outing. 
Saturday was a nice day for ducking. Will Brown in 
a single battery got twenty-three broadbills. G. Still 
got eight quail. The ducks still keep rather wild, but 1 
think that if we had three or four days of storm, when 
they could be relieved from their daily bombardment, 
which has been going on now for six weeks, there 
would be some appalling bags made. One gentleman 
who had shot ducks in all parts of the world, said to 
me the other day he never saw so many ducks at one 
time before, and the feeding grounds are in excellent 
shape. Henry Stokes. 
The Cuvief CI«b* 
The Cuvier Club, of Cincinnati, held the annual 
banquet on Nov. 25 in the club rooms, which had been 
handsomely decorated for the occasion. President 
Alexander Starbuck welcomed the members and guests, 
of whom there was a goodly company, for the Cuvier 
membership now comprises 500. The menu was "an 
artistical gustatorial non disputandum triumph of Chef 
E. P. Boblett, of Columbus, whom the Cuviers regard 
with a certain degree of awe for his skill and achieve- 
ments. Mr. Boblett has a secret method of boning 
fish after they are baked and putting them together 
again without a break in their symmetry, and he apolo- 
gized for the delightful deception he had played on the 
old hunters and Nimrods, but his apology was not ac- 
cepted, and he was voted a gold medal. The game fea- 
tures of the elaborate menu included: Saddle of black- 
tail deer, venison steaks, venison chops, Kentuckj' 
sauce, golden plover with entrails on toast, teal duck, 
snipe, duck (wood pintail), mallards, guava jelly, ante- 
lope potpie with fresh mushrooms, rail birds, quail 
broiled on toast or stuffed with oysters, hominy frit- 
ters, wild turkeys a la Montargis, cranberry sauce, 
sherbet, creme de menthe, cold pates of black bear, 
pates of game, St. Hubert aux pistaches. 
Fox Hwntingf on Longf Island* 
RiVERHEAD, Long Island, Nov. 27. — Fox hunting is 
now great sport in the vicinity of Riverhead. The first 
party of fox hunters went out on Tuesday of this week, 
and in a half day's hunt succeeded in killing two splen- 
did specimens of the golden fox. In the party were 
Nathan T. Corwin, Fred. Corwin and Charles Che- 
shire and the foxes were hunted on what is known as 
the Quogue Plains, south of the village of Riverhead. 
This vast field of waste land affords splendid territory 
for fox hunting. Fox hunting is exciting sport, and 
a hunt with an experienced Long Island fox hunter is 
indeed a treat. Foxes are reported to be plentiful 
this ge*gon. yuLjPus, 
They Always Did It* 
Editor Forest and Sireani: 
Speaking of the frequent casualties to hunters at the 
hands of each oth^r, I find that Thoreau, in mention- 
ing the early celebrities of Litchfield, on the Merrimac, 
says, "James Rogers was from Ireland, and father to 
Major Robert Rogers. He was shot in the woods, 
being mistaken for a bear." So they seem to have been 
always at it. In this morning's paper I see mention of 
two more casualties of the kind. There is plainly 
nothing for it but for every hunter that goes to the 
woods to wear a bell. 
T. J. Chapman. 
Ingram, Pa. 
Dead Shots in the Maine Woods* 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The art of gunnery as practiced in the Maine woods, 
according to the stories told of men being shot there, 
so frequently when when mistaken for deer, shows that 
our young bushwhackers are dead shots. They never 
have buck ague. They never miss what they aim at. 
Had the man who was shot been a deer he would have 
dropped just the same, presumably. Now, these fel- 
lows ought to train for the army as sharpshooters. 
They would- be a mortal terror as soldiers. No hu- 
man enemy would dare to face them. C. H. 
How to Cook a Coot. 
Ossintng; N. Y. — I noticed in an article from Wash- 
ington State that mud hens were too strong for Mr. 
Baxter. I have had no experience with the mud hens of 
the far West, but those from this locality, if fixed in the 
following miinner, are plenty good, and excelled only by 
a broiled w'oodcock or possibly the broiled breast of a 
young fly-np-'the-creek or bittern. 
RemoA'e the skin, slice off the breast, cut slits in it, and 
stick in the slits thin slices of fat salt pork. Broil over a 
quick fire, ai^d see if you ever throw away anv more coots. 
C. G. Blandford. 
In Western Massachusetts. 
Plainfield, Hampshire County, Nov. 17. — The last 
days of October and the opening days of November have 
been beautiful : no house fire except in kitchen, and all win- 
dows open; in fact, it is more like summer than our 
summer was. Leaves are all off the trees. A lot of game 
has been killed this fall, and one hears the reports of 
guns at all hours and on all days, on Sunday as much as 
any other dav. Partridges and hawks are numerous, both 
very tame. Rabbits are tr3nng to get out of the country. 
One was seen reading the fingerboard of the cross roads 
the other day. F. W, G. 
Hints and Wrinkles. 
Readers are Invited to send for publication tioder Ihis 
head hints and wrinkles drawn from practical experience, 
and •pertaining to shooting, fishing, camping and outdoor life. 
Rifle Wrinkles. 
It is sometmies desirable to use for hunting a rifle bar- 
rel wiich has fitted in near the muzzle the base of a wind 
gauge target sight. A good hunting sight may be whittled 
out of a celluloid collar button in such shape that it will 
fit in the same base and ^lide in and out readily. The 
wide bottom portion of the button should be trimmed off 
at two opposite points, narrowing it to the required width, 
and the straight edges thus formed should be beveled to 
fit under the beveled faces of the sight base. The button 
is then slid into the base until it comes against the ring 
of metal, which is made for the screw of the wind gauge 
sight. That end of the button must be cut off enough to 
bring the bead — which is made from the small, upright 
part — in line for correct aiming. This is arrived at by 
careful rest shooting at a target, with a file at hand for 
the final touches at the inner end of the celluloid. This 
is the delicate part of the operation, as the least bit too 
much of filing here will let the bead go past the desired 
line of aim. This sight, if made just right, fits snugly 
enough to keep its place, but may be fastened, if necessary, 
by a little wedge; like the end of a wooden toothpick, in- 
serted under the outer end. 
Some of the methods of cleaning rifle shells are absurdly 
laborious. I find nothing necessary but to soak them in 
hot water, and then shake them up thoroughly in it. 
Under this treatment, they turn blackish, but that does no 
practical harm. They are not dirty, corroded or weakened 
by this discoloration. A handy device for drying them 
may be made from a cigar box. Remove the cover, and 
cut out in the bottom of the box slits as wide as the slaell 
is at the point where it joins the head. Then, with the 
box bottom-side up, drop the rinsed shells into the slits, 
where they will hang by their heads, and set the box on 
'the stove, grate or radiator. 
The box thus tinkered also serves me conveniently in 
connection with lubricating bullets, which is the worst 
part of bullet-making unless one has some suitable in- 
strument for the purpose. The Ideal and similar lubri- 
cating tools are rather expensive, and I have managed 
to get along with a honie-made substitute. I lubricate the 
bullets after loading, having left them projecting from 
the shell near their whole length, which is conducive to 
accurate shooting. The loading of the clean bullet is a 
neat and pleasant job. I use tallow for the lubricant, and 
it is a good one, but so nasty on the fingers that I like to 
apply it without touching it. For this purpose a tool may 
be made as follows : 
Take a bit of planed board two or three inches square 
and an inch thick or more. In one face of it, with a fine 
saw, make two cuts half an inch deep — more or less, ac- 
cording to the bullet used — crossing at right angles in the 
center of the block. At this point bore down to the same 
depth with an inch auger. In the saw cuts fasten four 
thin pieces of wood — veneer, for instance — ^projecting 
equal distances into the auger hole. Their inner ends 
piust be s0 near together mi trirnmecf to mch s curve, 
that when a loaded shell is stood up between them the 
bullet touches each of these ends all the way down. 
The tallow having been melted in a shallow tin dish 
and placed on the cooler part of the stove, take each 
loaded .shell by the head, dip the bullet in the grease, and 
then hand the cartridge through the bottom of the cigar 
box, as above directed for drying shells. Set the box aside 
and the tallow will soon stiffen enough for the rest of the 
process. It should not get so cold as to crack easily. Tak- 
mg each cartridge again by the head, insert the bullet in 
the hole in the block, and by a turn or two of it the super- 
fluous tallow will be removed by the ends of the veneer 
slips. A similar turn of the nose of the bullet in a bit of 
rag will leave that part still cleaner if desired, with plenty 
of lubricant remaining on the bearing part. 
Bristol Hill. 
Proprietors of fishing resorts will find it profitable to advertise 
them m Fokebt and Stream. 
A Pearl River Camp.— VII. 
(Contmued from page 488 ) 
After an early breakfast next morning, we began prep- 
arations for our trip to the tree bridge at the mouth of 
the lake, for a try at the river fish. Our light lines were 
removed and replaced by heavy cotton ones, about as 
coarse as chalk line, fitted out with a buckshot, called a 
blue whistler, and a strong hook. No floats were to be 
used, as we intended to do only bottom fishing, mostly 
for channel cat, which is an excellent table fish when 
taken in running water, if not too large, the large ones 
being somewhat coarse. 
The plebian angleworm we knew to be the best bait, but 
how to get them was a question that puzzled us. No 
spade._ no hoe. no nice damp spot in the yard or garden 
in which we knew them to be, whether near the surface 
or deep down, it was all too unusual and vague to be 
encouraging. 
Will solved the first part of the difficulty by making a 
very serviceable fork— for the soft ground we had to work 
—by cutting a dogwood limb that forked, and pointing the 
ends with our hatchet. 
Then by moving logs and turning over about half an 
acre of ground, we succeeded in collecting a fairly good 
supply of bait, which was stored in a broken jar, that had 
come out with us filled with an article of strawberry jam. 
that would v.'in county fair blue ribbons against all 
comers, only to be eaten by hogs. 
"How had the mighty fallen! 
Immortal Csesar dead and turned to clay, 
Might stop a hole to keep the wind away." 
Crossing the lake- in the boat, we hurried down to the 
point of destination, arriving there just as the sun was 
beginning to show through the trees. 
It was a perfect morning, calm and bright, and we 
found the river flowing by without a ripple on its clear 
surface. The conditions were all favorable to success, 
and our enthusiasm was great and expectations high. 
Walking out on the tree, we seated ourselves in a row 
over the water on the smooth trunk, which afforded a 
comfortable and convenient location for fishing the river. 
.As fast as we cottld bait up we sent our resoective lines 
out into the water, where they landed with a musical 
"plunk" and sank down until they hung almost per- 
pendicular from the end of the poles, showing that there 
was good depth of water. 
It was not what a salmon killer or expert fly-caster 
would have thought the thing, but it suited four boys as 
though made to order ; and we swung our feet, chatted in 
low tones, and were altogether happy. 
"I've got a bite," said Jim, after a few moments' wait- 
ing. 
"Big one?" we chorused. 
"Yes; see him jerk." 
And we could see the line show considerable disturb- 
ance. 
"Give him time," .said Walter; "let him run before 
you pull." 
Waiting until the line straightened out in a strong, 
steady pull — which was what we called running with it — 
Jim jerked. He hooked his fish, and it was a good one, a 
channel cat that weighed about two or three pounds. 
Dragging it upon the log, amid excited suggestions and 
directions from all hands, he gripped it firmly back of 
the dangerous fins and made for the nearest bank, climb- 
ing over Will and knocking off that gentleman's hat in 
his haste. 
While Jim secured his fish, the rest of us cast for the 
hat that had gone overboard, and finally succeeded in 
catching a hook in it before it had floated out of reach. 
Walter had the next bite, and caught another , catfish 
about as large as the first one. I scored next, and then 
Jim was lucky again. We each caught several fish before 
Will had a bite, but he broke the record when he did 
begin, as his first fish was a cat that we felt sure would 
weigh from eight to ten pounds, as it was fully two and 
one-half feet long. We all took a hand in landing the 
big fish, and it was a very exciting event. After several 
narrow escapes from pitching off the log we retreated to 
the bank, dragging the pole, and fought it out there. 
The fish was well hooked and the tackle strong, so we 
only had to wear it out bv dragging around in the water 
and then haul it ottt oti the bank. It was a glorious fish, 
and filled us with satisfied pride when its capture was 
accomplished. 
We held an informal celebration in honor of the lucky 
event, and danced around our prize like a lot of savages 
around a well-fed missionary. 
There was very little of the successful sportsman en- 
thusiasm in our function; it was the thought of once 
more having all we could possibly hold to eat that caused 
our rejoicing. 
Resuming fishing, we soon added variety to otir string 
by catching some fairly large perch and drum. 
As the sun mounted well up, it grew unpleasantly 
warm, and as we had a large string of fish, and the bait 
was giving out, we disctissed the advisability of getting 
