Nov. 14, 1903.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
S91 
S.<AMMUNITION 
JVEVEP^ FAILS and 
ALWA>^S ACCX/'RATE 
UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE COMPANY 
LOWELL, MASS. 
Agencies: 
497-503 Pearl Street, 35-43 Park Street. New York. 
114-116 Market Street, Sa-n FraLrvcisco. 
Cincinnati Clwbs* 
Cincinnati has probably more clubs and associations of sports- 
men lhan any other city in the country. There are between sixty 
and seventy fishing clubs and a number of gun and rifle clubs pf 
more or less importance, some having a permanent organization, 
owning or leasing grounds where convenient club houses are 
erected, and holding regular shoots, and others being composed 
of a few lovers of sport, who meet with more or less regularity, 
but have no fixed club house. The membership lists of these 
clubs, from - the earliest days to the present time, contain the 
names of men prominent in the business and professional life of the 
city, and many of them well known and successful in the political 
arena. 
All were deeply imbued with a love for field sports, and it was 
this common feeling which led to the formation of clubs, where 
all could meet on equal footing and enjoy, at stated times, a few 
hours of friendly intercourse. 
The first club of which any record has been preserved— and 
without doubt the first in the city— was the Cincinnati Shooting 
Club No. 1, organized in 1831. 
A number of sportsmen met on the evening of June 28, 1831, 
John J. Wright being elected chairman, and Geo. W. Neff secre- 
tary, the object of the meeting being to effect the permanent 
organization of the club. The following officers were elected: 
Robert Buchanan, President; R. Somerby, Vice-President; Kirk- 
bride Yardley, Treasurer; Caleb Jones, Secretary. Standing Com- 
mittee, John J. Wright, Wm. Corbin and John Winters. 
The by-laws provided that the name of the club should be as 
given above. Quarterly meetings to be held on the fourth Monday 
in June, September, December and March. Officers to be elected 
at the June meeting. 
The membership was limited to twenty-five at the same time, 
and only by unanimous consent could this number be exceeded. 
The annual dues were fixed at $5. It was provided that dis- 
tinguished sportsmen could be elected as honorary members. 
Once a year a day was to be appointed by the officers for a trial 
of the skill of the members, and premiums (to be paid out of the 
club's funds) awarded to the winners. At these trials no member 
w^as allowed to shoot by proxy, and the premiums could not be 
won by the same member twice in succession. The distance was 
20 yards. 
There being at this time no restriction on the killing of game, 
either as to season or quantity, the club provided an open season 
by a by-law, which was of course binding only on members of the 
club. Open season: Woodcock, the open season shall commence 
on July 1, and end Feb. 1. Quail, pheasants and rabbits, open 
season to commence on Sept. 1 and end March 1. Any member 
shooting out of season to be fined 50 cents for each offense. 
It was evidently not considered necessary to furnish any pro- 
tection to the various other varieties of game birds which were 
found in this section at that time. 
The early members of the club were K. Yardley, Geo. W. Neff, 
Wm. Neft, Wm. Corbin, D. Trotter, R. Somerby, John J. Wright, 
W. P. Noble, Geo. Graham, Jr., Benj. B. Fessenden, Thos. Sharp- 
less, R. Buchanan, Thos. Dawson, C. Jones, Jos. J. James, J. D. 
Garrard, N. F. Pendleton, Jacob Anmack, Thos. Winter, E. T. 
Yardley, Geo. Smith, Wm. Tift and John Winters. At various 
meetings during the existence of the club, the following were 
elected to membership, to fill vacancies caused by death, resigna- 
tion or removal from the city: J. C. Armstrong, Thos. D. Car- 
neal, Jas. Gibson, M. L. Harbeson, Jacob Strader, T. Mattock, 
H. Jordan, Silas Bryant, H. Hamihon, Wm. J. Van Horne, E. J. 
Miller, Dr. Jedediah Cobb, Joseph Longworth, Geo. Williams, 
Ira Athearn, J. Wheelwright, G. H. Shoenberger, W. H. H. 
Taylor, Francis Read. 
A special meeting of the ckib was held at Massard's Coffee 
Hcuse in the fall, and the following resolutions adopted and 
added to the constitution as Articles XX. and XXL 
Resolved. That the first Thursday in November shall be fixed 
upon to hold the anniversary dinner of the club, which shall be a 
game dinner, from game killed by the members the day preceding, 
divided into two parties or sides, by the president and vice- 
president. Each member may invite a guest by paying his 
expenses. 
Messrs. Wm. Corbin, J. J. Wright and J. D. Garrard were ap- 
pointed a committee to report a suitable scale of game. It was 
also resolved that the members should appear at each June meet- 
ing, dressed in sportsmen's custume and with their shooting 
apparatus for inspection. At this meeting John Winter resigned 
from membership, and J. D. Garrard was elected to fill the 
vacancy on the standing committee. 
The first hunt of the club to provide game for the dinner was 
held on W^ednesday, Nov. 2, and the members met on the even- 
ing of that day to exhibit the game shot and count the points. 
I'resident Buchanan's side counted 161 points, two of bis m?n, 
Smith and Jones, not taking part. Vice-President Yardley's side 
had a total of 72 points. The first dinner was held on Nov. 3, at 
Wm. Corbin's Sportsman's Hall, located on the Turnpike, three 
miles east of the city. Twenty members and a like number of 
invited guests sat at table, and many toasts were drank among 
them. The following seem worthy of being recorded: 
"The Object of our Association; Improvement in the Noble 
and Manly Exercise of Field Sports." 
"The Honest Sportsman; May his 'Charge' of Care be Light 
and the 'Recoil' of disappointment never felt." 
"Our Country; May We 'Mark' W'ell Tier Honor and always 
'Stand Ready' to Defend It." 
"Fire Arms — Every American should know their Use; But for 
them Our Days of Freedom would be Numbered." 
"Our Brother Sportsmen throughout the World — While their 
'aim' is correct, may they Never 'misfire.' " 
"The Feathered Tribe— "On the Wing' or on the Table, the 
Sportsman's favorite." 
"The Fair" — The 'Surest Shots' where the Heart is the 'Game.' 
K. and E. T. Yardley having removed to Philadelphia, Francis 
Read was elected treasurer in place of the former at a meeting 
held in December at the Louisiana Coffee House, and Matthew 
L. Harbeson was elected a member in place of the latter. 
At this meeting the club subscribed for the Cabinet of Natural 
History and American Rural Sports, established in 1830, published 
in Philadelphia, and for Skinner's Sporting Magazine, published 
in Baltimore, where it was established in 1829, and was the first 
publication on field sports issued in the United States. 
Mr. Corbin reported the amount of game killed by him since 
the formation of the club to Dec. 20, as follows: Woodcock 75, 
quail 163, rabbits 21, rail 3, ducks and mallards 9, ducks and teal 
55, bullhead plover 8, yellow-leg plover 13. 
The record of game killed by individual sportsmen, and in the 
side hunts are, I think, interesting to present-day sportsmen, as 
showing the variety and abundance of game in the early days 
in this section. 
At the quarterly meeting, on March 26, 1832, IMessrs. Corbin, 
Anmack and Gibson were appointed a committee to report a scale 
of game. The members were divided into sides for a shoot on 
April 3, to provide game for the supper to be given on April 4. 
The supper was given, and was a success, the records saying, 
"That after a time spent in eating, telling hunting stories and 
singing, the company adjourned at an early hour (for sportsmen)." 
The game brought in by the two sides for this occasion was as 
follows : 
Buchanan's side— R. Buchanan: 2 Spanish curlew, 1 blue-wing 
teal, 3 marling; points 36. J. Anmack: 1 green-wing teal, 1 
banty, 13 snipe; points 30. J. Gibson: 1 mallard, 2 wood duck, 
2 green-wing teal, 3 snipes; points 25. B. B. Fessenden: 1 
mallard, 2 wood duck, 1 green-wing teal, 4 snipe; points 24. Total 
points, 115. 
Corbin's side— W. Corbin: 2 wood duck, 7 teal and banty, 1 
yellow-leg plover, 1 marling, 16 snipe; points 64. J. J. Wright: 
7 teal and banty, 6 snipe; points 33. F. Read: 1 spoonbill duck, 
1 blue-wing teal; points 8. W. Noble: 5 ducks,- 1 batter box, 3 
teal, 9 snipe; points 55. T. Dawson: 3 teal, 14 snipe; points 37. 
J. D. Garrard: 1 mallard, 6 snipe; points 17. G. Smith: 4 marling; 
points 4. Total 218. 
The annual meeting was held on June 25, 1832, and the officers 
for the ensuing year were elected. The annual dues were also 
fixed at $2; the initiation fee to remain at $5. Members unable to 
give a satisfactory reason for not turning out on the appointed 
shooting days of the club, the meeting decided should be fined $1. 
The officers elected were: R. Buchanan, President; R. Somerby, 
Vice-President; F. Read, Treasurer; W. P. Noble, Secretary; 
Standing Committee: Wm. Corbin, J. J. Wright, J. D. Garrard. 
The game scale as reported by the committee was as follows: 
Quail or partridge, each 1; woodcock, 5; bullhead or golden head 
plover, 2; pheasant and grouse, each 15; deer, 50; rabbits, 2; 
canvasback, black ducks and mallards, each 5; English snipe, 2; 
yellow-leg plover, 2; Spanish curlew 10; wild turkey, 20; wild 
goose or brant, each 30: rail, 1; wood duck and baldhead, each 
4; leal, bunkers and all other ducks fit for the table, each 3. 
The first recorded trapshooting match of the club was held on 
Tan. 30, 1833, at Corbin's Sportsman's Hall. The day was mild, 
wilh a light drizzling rain, "though pleasant enough for shooting," 
writes the club secretary. 
Wild pigeons were used in this match, and in matches for 
many years afterward by clubs in different parts of the country, 
and there is no question but what this practice was an important 
factor in the practical extinction of this beautiful bird, which was 
sii abundtint in certain section.s, even as recently as the '70.S. The 
ties were shot off at quail— what a united protest would be heard 
in these days against the sportsman who would countenance such 
an unsportsmanlike (as we deem it) proceeding by his presence. 
A pjeeting of the club was held at 11 A. M., and the following 
regulations were adopted to govern the intended match at pigeons 
and quail for premiums. The distance for shooting at pigeons 
was fixed at 20 paces, and at partridges (quail) at 12 paces from 
the traps, birds to fall within the fence (about 100yds. in area) 
or no hit. If one copper misses, the other barrel to be used, 
but not at the same bird. Five pigeons to each member First 
prize, $20; second, $10; third, $5. Following are the scores made: 
Five pigeons: Graham 2, Harbeson 1, Noble 4, Fessenden 2 
James 2, Anmack 5, Corbin 2, Wright 2, Strader 2, Gibson Z 
G. W. Neff 5. 
The ties were shot off at quail: Neff 4, Gibson 1, Anmack 4, 
Neff and Anmack shot off the second tie at 5 pigeons: Neff 4, 
Anmack 3. First prize was awarded to Neff, second to Anmack 
and third to Gibson. This was the first trapshooting match in the 
United States of which any record exists, as far as the writer has 
been able to learn. 
The meeting on March 25, appointed April 2 as the day for the 
spring hunt, the game to be exhibited and counted at Holmes' 
Ccffee Llousfc, on the 3d, and a game supper to be given there 
on the 4th. The hunt day was cloudy, with rain after 2 P. M, 
The weather for three weeks previous to the hunt had been dry 
and unfavorable for snipe and ducks, and under these conditions 
the hunt was considered a very successful one. The game killed 
was as follows: Mallards, 3; spoonbills, 1; teal, 18; snipe, 110; 
wood duck, 6; marling, 18; ducks, 2; banty, 1; sprigtails, 1. 
A meeting was held at the Commercial Exchange on Sept. 23, 
when officers were elected, though it is not stated why the election 
was not held in June, as provided in the constitution, but lack 
of attendance at the meetings was probably the reason. The 
officers elected were: R. Buchanan, President; J. D. Garrard, 
Vice-President; F. Read, Treasurer; W. P. Noble, Secretary' 
Standing committee: Wm. Corbin, J. Anmack and J. J. Wright. 
New members elected were Henry Jordan and Chas. Bryant. 
Mr. Harbeson resigned as an active member, and was placed on 
the honorary member list. The following report of game killed 
by the members was handed to the secretary and recorded: 
Buchanan: pheasants, 3; ducks, 4; partridges, 5; rabbits, 2, 
Corbin: partridges, 408; rabbits, 41; snipe, 139; woodcock, 13; red- 
heads, 4; mallards, *49: widgeon, 4; teal, 38; banties, 21; canvas- 
backs, 4; black duck, 2; wood duck, 6; sprigtails, 13; butter bo.x, 
7; plover, 5; rail, 9; curlew, 1. Anmack: Snipe, 24; teal, 1; 
banties, 3; woodcock, 3; partridges, 39; plover, 3; rail, 2; yellow- 
leg, 7. Strader: Pheasants, 4; partridges, 24. Garrard: Par- 
tridges, 33. 
The fall hunt was held on Nov. 5, and the count took place 
on the 6th, at Holmes', and in number and variety of birds was 
successful. 
On April 1, 18-34, the usual spring shoot was held. At the meet- 
ing on May 28, it was stated that Mr. Corbin had purchased a 
quantity of wild pigeons, and the standing committee appointed 
jNfay 30 as the day for the shoot. It was decided not to offer any 
premiums. No record of the shoot was kept. 
R. Buchanan tendered his resignation as president at the meet- 
ing of Sept. 5, and Vice-President Garrard, with J. J. Wright 
and J. J. James, were appointed a committee to express to him 
the desire of the club that he reconsider his action. On Sept. 
25, Mr. Buchanan having been placed on the honorary list, his 
resignation was considered accepted. Geo. Neff also resigned, 
and Mr. Read vacated the office of treasurer. The meeting was 
adjourned to Oct. 4. At this meeting B. B. Fessenden was 
elected President pro tem. Caleb Jones was placed on the hon- 
orary list, .^s was W. P. Noble, at his request. The following 
officers were elected: J. D. Graham, President; J. Strader, Vice- 
President; J. Sumach, Treasurer; T. Mattock, Secretary; Stand- 
ing Committee: Corbin, Wright and Jordan. 
At a special meeting on Oct. 12, held at Holmes' Coft'ee House, 
H. Hamilton was elected a member. It was decided to hold the 
annual meeting at Sportsman's Hall, all arrangements to be made 
by the Standing Committee. At the meeting on Oct. 22, wli di 
was held at Holmes', the club was divided into sides for the 
hunt for the anniversai-y dinner. Messrs. Jordan and Corbin 
were captains, as they counted the most game in the spring 
htmt. At this meeting Mr. Armstrong was placed on the hono- 
rary list at his request. 
The hunt was held in November, the game being counted at 
Holmes' on the 5th, the result being as follows (points in 
parentheses) : 
Jordan's side— H. Jordan, 1 woodcock (5), 4 snipe (8), 3 rabbits 
(6). 49 quail (49), total, 68. J. D. Garrard, 2 turkeys (40), 3 woodcock 
(15), 8 mallards (40), 1 rabbit (2), 17 quail (17), total 114. T. J. James, 
8 teal (24), 1 snipe (2), 23 quail (23), 1 rabbit (2); total 51. Win- 
ter, 1 mallard (5), 3 teal (9), 4 quail (4), 2 snipe (4), 1 turkey (20); 
total 42. Bryant, 2 rabbits (4), 1 quail (1); total 5. Strader, 2 
teal (6), IS quail (18); total 24. Fessenden, 5 teal (15), 2 rabbits 
(14), S cjuail (S); total 27; total points for side, 331. 
