Nov. 14, 1903.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
S70 
It is believed that a large number of does have been 
killed, some say a hundred or more, and the sportsmen 
in some localities think more restrictions are needed. 
Central. 
Prince's Bay,_ N. Y., Nov. s— Editor Forest and 
Stream: The nail has been hit squarely on the head and 
st-nt home ; it will hold for generations to come, and Mt. 
Tom will stand a monument to Chirstopher Clark for all 
lime. The people of Massachusetts should thank those 
who were generous enough to Say "yes'' on election day. 
We will not hear any mote about |ioo,o<3o a year for 
those roads on Mt. Tom. I think it will be conceded 
by all that "beauty unadorned is adorned the most" in a 
case like this. Now let the people acquire enough more 
of the mountain to take in the old trout brook and put 
the beautiful lake in the same condition that it was about 
thirty years ago. But what has been done is a grand 
achievement. I do not wish to be harsh, but cannot help 
thinking it was a foolish opposition to oppose the benefits 
of future generations. *** 
In Assiniboia. 
from the Saginaw-^ Mich., I^eu'^i 
You ask me to write something in regard to our recent 
hunting trip in the northwest. Of Course there is a good 
deal that could be written about a trip of this kind, but 
1 have not time to more than give you an outline of what 
we saw and my impression of the counti'y. 
First, let me say, this was the tWertty-flrst annual trip 
of the Saginaw Crowd to the northwest. The iirst trip 
was taken in 1883 in our car City of Saginaw. This car 
v/as bought from a defunct circus, an old advertising Car. 
Messrs. Wells, Stone, Jerome, Stevens, Rust and others 
purchased it, and rebuilt it for a hunting car, and It Was 
used mainly, in those days, for deer shooting trips on the 
various branches or logging roads in northern Michigan. 
The old car finally outlived its usefulness, and the new 
car,- W. B. MershoU) was built in 1854, owned by ten 
sportsmen, mainly residents of Saginaw, though Some 
were from out of town. The ownership has now nar- 
rowed down to nine, by reason of the death of one of the 
original owners, R. D. Schultz, of Zanesville, O. 
The car and party left here on the mornirtg of October 
3, via the Straits of Mackinaw and the Soo line, stop- 
ping first at Portal, on the boundary line between North 
Dakota and Assiniboia territory. We had had reportd 
of tremendous shooting in that district, but, like a good 
deal of railroad informal ion, for the sake of getting 
sportsmen into their territory. Portal proved to be a dis- 
appointment. It is in the midst of the prairie wheat 
- . growing country. The country around and for many 
miles north and west of Portal, we were told by one of 
onr party who had recently returned from Europe, re- 
sembled Siberia greatly. 
Our first shooting ground was a lake fourteen miles 
from the railroad station, and we did find quite a number 
of ducks, but were literally devoured by mosquitoes. 
There was no other game in the vicinity, and as it was 
still early for wild goose shooting, the birds not having 
come down from the sub-Arctic regions, we concluded to 
put in the remainder of the week at Pleasant Lake, N. D. 
We found that the ducks that had been most plentiful 
earlier, had all gone south; in fact, common report in 
North Dakota was that there was a tremendous crop of 
ducks early, but the cold spell and snow storm the latter 
part of September had evidently driven them away. There 
were any quantity of prairie chicken around Pleasant 
Lake; sometimes we would see droves of 300 or 400 
' together, but they had packed for the winter, and were 
as wild as hawks, so we could only get an occasional 
one. 
Sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chicken are protected 
in North Dakota, excepting from Sept. i to Oct. 15. 
The last of the first week of our trip we pulled out for 
Moose Jaw, Assiniboia territory. This seemed like a long 
ways to go for shooting, but it is famed as the best wild 
goose country known. Being strangers, it took us a good 
while to get our bearings, and the weather being mild 
as midsummer and far warmer and pleasanter than it has 
been recently in Saginaw, did not make it ideal weather 
for goose shooting, and we found that we were still a lit- 
tle earl}', that birds had not begun their southern flight : 
yet Ave had fair sport, one day getting twenty geese and 
another sixteen. 
We found it very hard work to get teams to transport 
us to and fro from the shooting ground, owing to their 
being engaged to parties looking at land. It is wonderful 
the number of people who are coming in there to take up 
farms, and the greater share of them, we found, were 
people from the United States; in fact, we could scarcely 
go anywhere without running across people from Sagi- 
naw or vicinity. 
The Canadian northwest is a great grain raising coun- 
try. I understand that in Assiniboia the average per acre 
of wheat, computed on a basis of the tilled soil for the 
season of IQ02, was 27;/^ bushels. Wheat, of course, is 
the main product, but flax is usually the first crop sown 
on the sod, and is a fairly profitable one. Vegetables can 
also be raised. I never saw finer potatoes, which were 
selling at 75 cents per bushel, not only there but all 
through North Dakota. They also raise cabbage, beets, 
turnips, etc., but it is too far north for raising corn. 
One of the drawbacks to Assiniboia is the lack of good 
Avater. There is any quantity of water, but mainly alka- 
luie, so drinking water is generally at a premium. One 
is scarcely ever out of sight of a farm-house, but the 
bouses are far apart, for the farmers believe in having 
lots of land, rarely anything less than a section, and 
•sometimes two or three times this amount. We were 
told it was no uncommon thing to get crops of wheat 
nmning from 40 to 55 bushels to an acre. 
AVe hunted about four days in the territory around 
Tvloose Jaw, and just as we were ready to leave, the 
southern flight of geese began, and could we have stayi d 
llie following week, we certainly would have had rare 
sport. In this locality prairie chicken or pinnated grouse 
was rarely seen, but the sharp-tailed grouse takes its 
place. It is a magnificent bird, and had not packed as 
badly as the prairie chicken had further south, and we 
iK'.d A'ery good sport with this game, making no large 
bags^but i|; -^as no wncomraon thing for a party of two 
cr three to get twenty of these birds in a day, and that 
all without dogs. The quantity of game we got was not 
much considering the time and the number in the party, 
and none of it Avas wasted, for each day we gave aAvay 
ail_ that Ave could not use ourselves, and the settlers or 
railroad men Avere always glad to get it. The last few 
days of our shooting Ave tried to saA'e some to bring home 
for it is not contrary to the laAV of Assiniboia to bring 
out of the territory ducks or geese, but sharp-tailed 
grouse are prohibited. 
The license fee in Assiniboia is $15 for non-residents, 
and it is clo.sely looked after, and I understand their 
gr.me laws afe well enforced. In North Dakota the non- 
resident license fee is $25, and there is a non-export law, 
but 1 am sorry to say that about the only rigid enforce- 
ment of the game laAvs I noticed Avas the prompt collec- 
tion of the license fee, Avhich is divided mainly among 
the game wardens. About half of it goes to the district 
Avarden, for North Dakota is divided into tAVO districts, 
Avith a chief warden in each, then the local game Avardeu 
has a good big proportion of the balance, and a small fee 
goes to the county auditor. While the North Dakota law 
prohibits the killing in any one day by any one person of 
more than _ twenty-five of the game birds protected by 
kiAv, very little attention is paid to this clause, the local 
game wardens themselves considering it a dead law, and 
boasting of some of the big bags. I believe, however, 
they look rigidly after the enforcement of the law as it re- 
lates to the exportation of game by market hunters, for 
I heard of instances of the seizure of grouse that had 
been taken to a Creamery and packed in firkins and a 
layer of butter put over the birds and shipped out of the 
State as butter. I believe that a license laAV is beneficial, 
and tends to protect game, but I believe it would be more 
consistent and fair if non-resident sportsmen, after paying 
the license, Avere permitted to bring home a reasonable 
quantity of the game they kill. I believe such a law 
Avould be good here in Michigan. Minnesota game laAvs 
ate better enforced j the State game warden is not afraid 
to work himself, and instead of enforcing the law through 
some oflice by typcAVriter he gets out and hustles himself. 
State Game Warden Fullerton, of Minnesota, only three 
Aveeks ago, made an important seizure. Five wagonloads 
of ducks shipped from Herron Lake were intended to 
cross the loAva line, but they caught the outfit within 
ten miles of the line. It seems that a professional market 
man had been there and engaged hunters to .shoot for 
him, and he Avas arranging to get them to market in some 
of the big cities Avhen the game Avarden dropped on to 
the Avhole scheme. 
To sum it all up, we found that prairie chicken and 
sharp-tailed grouse Avere far more plentiful in North 
Dakota this year than probably ever before; that the 
er-rly crop of ducks was tremendous, but did not stay in 
the State long; that the Avild geese are probably as plen- 
tiful now as they have been within the last twenty years, 
but owing to the wheat growing territory being so much 
greater than formerly, the birds are more scattered, and 
large flights not so centralized as Avhen wheat Avas only 
giOAvn along the Red RiA^er Valley. Noav they are grow- 
ing Avheat north of Assiniboia territory in Saskatchewan, 
the Avhole northern country is to be crossed by new lines 
of railroads. We were told that more wheat is annually 
now receiA'ed at Winnipeg than either at Duluth or Chi- 
cago, and one has but to take such a trip as we have just 
fnished to be convinced that there is a mighty big coun- 
try north of us that is capable of supplying wheat for the 
world. 
At M , North Dakota, it became noised through 
some source that our car contained a noted party, headed 
by Senator Hanna, and Ave had just gotten nicely packed 
in our beds when the local band struck up "Little Eva" 
alongside of us. One man held a kerosene lamp Avhile the 
bass drum got in its Avork. We, of course, passed around 
cigars and the orator of the party appeared in pajamas 
cn the rear platform and did the best he could to tell how 
much we appreciated the compliment. The paper the next 
day contained the names of the party, and from the list of 
Generals, Senators and Governors, Ave had considerable 
enjoyment trying to locate Avho was who. You can rest 
assured that the newspaper account was decidedly flatter- 
ing to North Dakota and the people of M^ as well. 
W. B. Mershon. 
The Maine Season* 
Bangor, Maine, Noa". 7. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
The past Aveek has not been an ideal one from the stand- 
point of the hunter, as almost no rain has fallen until the 
latter part of the week, and the dry leaves made sti!!- 
hunting almost impossible, while the Ioav state of the 
streams and rivers has made canoeing, except in the 
larger streams, very difficult, even impossible at times. 
As a consequence the shipments of game through Bangor 
have been, with the exception of Monday, very light. So 
tbe woods-bound course of travel has been light except 
for two days, when the very early morning trains brought 
fair sized lists of passengers. Some of the camps are 
already closing for the season, and others who have but 
four or five guests for the balance of the season, wish 
that they, too, might shut up and save further expense 
Still others report that they are doing an excellent busi- 
ness — in fact, the best for years. But it seems beyond 
question that the sportsman travel from "outside" has 
dropped off materially from what it Avas in T902. One 
camp proprietor told your correspondent one day this 
Avpek that of the tAventy-nine persons who had made dates 
with him for the fall hunting, every one had cancelled 
his engagement. 
Friday afternoon it began to snoAV here in Bangor, and 
by night it Avas coming down thick and fast, extending 
clear to the St. John River, and covering all the territory 
in the Maine Avoods Avith the soft white blanket that the 
still-hunter looks eagerly forward to. Like a bliz,'.ard, 
almost, the snowfall has continued through to-day, and is 
still falling at this writing, which means that the first 
clear day will see some great tracking done, to be fol- 
lowed by ^ h'g exndns from the woods of successful 
liuiiter.<i. ' Merbeut W Rowe. 
All communications for Forest and Stream must 
be directed to Forest and Stream Pub. Co., New 
Yorkt to receive ittention. We have m Pthey office. 
Long: Island Shootingf. 
Bayport, L. I., Nov. 7. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
The past Aveek has been most successful for duck 
shooters, and will no doubt improve with the cold snap 
v.diich has just set in. The weather has been like sum- 
mer, the sun shining down on the gunner in the box was 
S(, hot, as one gentleman remarked, it was hard work te 
keep aAvake, and I believe from Avhat the guides tell me 
some of them were really guilty of taking a nap. The 
ducks, by the way they acted, looked as if they would 
like to do likewise, and seemed to resent being disturbed, 
for when the sloop Avent around to put them on the wing 
they flew but a very short distance before alighting again, 
which made it difficult to get them over the battery. The 
bay in this neighborhood is full of ducks, enormous flocks 
half a mile in length being a common sight, and they are 
liable to stay, as the feeding grounds are in good shape. 
Among the lucky duck hunters this week Avere W. A. 
Williamson, of NcAvark, Avith Capt. Green, 75 broadbills; 
H. W. Knight, of NcAvark, 45 broadbills, 2 redheads, i 
black duck, 4 coots. Mr. Freeman, of New York, Avith 
Capt. Still, 22 broadbills. Mr. Such, Perth Amboy, 
Avith Capt. Will Brown, 49. Dr. Robinson and his son, of 
Sayville, with Capt. Rhodes, two days, 76. Mr. S. G. 
Painter, of New York, with Capt. Brown, 19 broadbills, 
I redhead. Mr. J. Suydam, New York, 37 broadbills, i 
canvasback. Mr. Purdy, of New York, with his own 
ducking outfit, 75 in three days. Capt. Still, shooting for 
the market, got 103 ducks in tAVO days. 
The usual army of deer hunters have been out, and 
from what I have heard must have killed over a hundred 
deer Avithin a radius of five or six miles from here, and 
not a single accident reported. 
Quail shooting has not been up to the usual standard,, 
though there are lots of birds here ; but it was so dry the 
dog could not hold the scent. Four or five brace Avith a 
few rabbits and gray squirrels make the average bag. The 
most remarkable shot was made by Mr. Fred Ware, of 
New York, who got four birds with one barrel. A party 
of five went from here on Monday over to the beach 
r?bbit shooting, and succeeded in getting thirty-two rab- 
bit in one day. Henry Stokes. 
Long: Island Deer. 
The Long Island deer season comprises the four 
days, Nov. 4, 6, 11 and 13. It was estimated that a 
thousand and more hunters were out on the first day. 
Many took up their positions on the grounds the night 
before and waited for the coming of dawn to turn 
loose the dogs. Among the kills recorded by the Suf- 
folk County News were the following; 
The Bohemia Game Protection and Gun Club were 
on the ground early and their membership was aug- 
mented by scores of city hunters until their party is 
said to have numbered more than 125 men. They killed 
21 deer, 6 does and 15 bucks, of Avhich the finest was 
an eight-year-old buck Avith broad spreading antlers, 
killed by Joseph Hrabak. 
The Wheeler Road Gun Club killed but one, a doe 
shot by Joseph Martin. 
The Bohemia Sportsmen's Club got four, Dr. Rob- 
inson killing a doe and his son William killing a hand- 
some buck; Frank Buchacek, of Islip, a doe, and Tom 
Farrell, of Babylon, a nice buck. 
Another party from Babylon is credited with two 
bucks, one of which was afterward stolen. 
William T. Rhodes killed a fine, large doe, and Will- 
iam F. LeCIuse also got a doe. Lew Howe shot a 
buck, and Mr. Patterson, also of West Sayville. killed 
a large and handsome buck; Andrew Josten a doe. 
The O'Berry brothers and their party from St. James 
got three. 
The Northport Gun Club killed two, the lucky men 
being Postmaster George Call and Melville Nichols. 
A party from Smithtown Branch killed two, and 
Riverhead sportsmen are also credited with two. 
Captain Will Jeffrey shot two deer, a buck and a 
doe, on the Taylor estate; Joseph I-ennon's party killed 
one doe, as did Milton Hawkins. A party of Orange 
county sportsmen shot a small doe. Martin Seezy 
killed one doe. 
Nearly 100 deer were killed in all on the first day, 
and fewer on the second day. 
Partridges Scarce in New Engfland. 
Rye, New York, Nov. i.^ — I was a little disappointed 
this season in not finding at least the usual number of 
birds in the coveys. I have done considerable shooting 
in the New England States and I can never remember 
such a scarcity of partridges. One of the causes that Ins 
contributed to this was the unusual wet spring, consist- 
ing of tAventy-one days of rain, which killed the young 
broods before they had half matured. T consider raysejf 
an amateur sportsman and never try to kill everythintT 
tliat moves, and L venture to say if I can kill half the 
number the law permits for one day's shoot, I am 
leady to turn for home full of glee and ju.st as full 
cf enthusiasm for the next day's hunt. Th^ fif'st fo"-'' 
days of the open season my father, two friends and my- 
self, all of us being considered fair shots in the field, 
went out expecting to have a hunt Ave had never expe- 
rienced before after the favorable winter for birds, but 
instead of this we bagged one partridge and did not see 
more than half a dozen. We cannot blame this to the 
unfavorable locality and covers, because the section we 
generally hunt in is considered one of the best, and ex- 
tends for miles around our fann. 
The successful partridge shooter must be quick of eye, 
motion, and under no circumstances Avait and be par- 
ticular in having clear, open shots. If this may be the 
case, however, he will undoubtedly kill few birds. Cover 
shooting of all kinds, to be successful, requires the 
greatest quickness of mind and action. There is an ad- 
vantage in all this in having modern facilities for the 
brush, and not be burdened with extra heavy clolhe.s 
and a firearm that will tire you before your day's hunt is 
balf done. 
My favorite gun for this work is one ih;it weighs not 
mere than 6^2 pounds, cylinder bore, barrels and stock 
to be of best material that Avill assure safety. 
I have killed a fair number of woodcock, and they 
seem to wfH reporte{J, ' "' ' "W"- Q» 
