14B 
FOREST AN£) . ^ti^^AM. 
t^Efe. io, 1964. 
shotgun or rifle, are unlimited. We always have nature 
and her beauties, for without them we could never thor- 
oughly enjoy shooting in any form. "Count up, Pete," 
called the Veteran, toward the middle of the afternoon, 
and then in a minute or so, "How many?" "Forty -two," 
came .back the answer, followed by, "Hey ! mark ahead, 
two duck comin' in." And sure enough, here was a cun- 
ning old baldpate, together with a mallard, almost over 
the decoys. "Now," said the Veteran, in a low voice, 
and the leading bird collapsed to his right barrel, while 
I finished off the mallard in the rear. - 
"Here come a pair of ducks," I said, a short time 
later, espying two black objects scudding up the bay in 
our direction. "No fear of those smart old fellows de - 
coying," commented the Veteran, sitting upright, in or- 
der to obtain a better lookout. "They seem to be lower- 
ing a little, though," he continued. 
- "Try one when they go over," I urged, and just as the 
foremost widgeon slid by overhead going like a bullet, 
and probably sixty yards high, a sharp crack rang out, 
and with closed wings the duck came whiriing down to 
strike in the grass behind us with a resounding thud ! 
"Good shot," called Pete, displaying a beaming smile, 
as he plowed through mud and water to pick up the 
fallen bird, for he was always as appreciative of an ex- 
hibition of skill as he was chagrined over a bad shot. 
No ducks came our way for a half Jiour or so, and we 
were quite contented to sit up in the boat and watch 
down the bay, where flock after flock of birds, varying Jn 
number from a half dozen to several hundred, were 
continually alighting preparatory to their night's feed. 
Finally the Veteran perceived a bunch that had come over 
from the lake nearer to our locality, and as they swung 
across the beach, their leader, a gray, gnarled canvas- 
back, swerved in his course and pointed straight for the 
decoys. Galls in various keys from all of us brought 
tMm stea^dily on, until, with splashes and flying water, 
thfee-: ducks lit in the midst of the wooden flock, while 
six others hung uncertainly over them. "Take one in 
the water," cautioned the Veteran, as we raised up 
together, and while my hrst barrel "turned one turtle," 
I killed a lusty old drake with the second, who was en- 
deavoring to clear himself of danger as sooii as possible. 
Meanwhile the Veteran had been doing lively work, and 
with four barrels krioeiked down five ducks, three kills 
and a pair of cripp&s, one of the latter outwitting Pete 
in his effort to rgtfieve it, while -the Other after some 
unavailing maneuvering, succumbed to a load of shot 
from his trusty fowling piece. Our bag now numbered 
forty-eight biids, and we had ^cored'even during the day, 
killing : twenty-four ducks each. Most of them were 
canvasbacks, mixed with a half dozen redheats, baldpates, 
and the one lone mallard. The sun had lowered until the 
last long level rays reached out over the bay and marsh 
with that clear, cold yellow radiance of autumn verging 
on winter, and so we thought it time to give the birds a 
rest, for the day had surely been a fruitful one. While 
Pete and Billy commenced picking up the decoys, the 
'"Veteran and I set out on our homeward pull, the sharp 
squalls .sweeping down against us and the keen wind 
biting our glowing cheeks, as we warmed up at the short 
stout oars. Once inside the river's mouth, the force of 
the latter abated somewhat, and after we struck a favor- 
able current, our snug shooting home soon appeared 
within view, the red glow of the kitchen lamp shining 
out through the window like a welcoming beacon light. 
-"That's what I call a good day's shoot," I said, while 
we landed at the dock. 
"Yes, and if the weather only keeps cold we ought to 
have some more as good," returned the Veteran, and let 
it suffice to say we enjoyed many more in the marsh and 
on the bay- — days that remaiyi fixed as brightly and 
pleasantly upon our memories as this one. Gamilla. 
Duck Shooting on Pamlico Sound. 
^ A MESSAGE from my friend Kirk that the day was now 
appointed for the start on our long talked of duck shoot- 
ing trip, was no unwelcome news to me. For a long time 
w:hen.w:e -Chanced to be together it had been the all- 
absorbing topic that claimed most of our consideration. 
Tiiai,^ after time we had gone over the details, and in 
general feasted on the anticipation of a good trip, where 
rest, fair shootiiig, and good, fellowship would be the aim 
of the entire party. 
^Vccording to my: summons I reached Beehaven, Sun- 
day,., January 10, and found all the paraphernalia aboard 
the' yacht with everything in readiness, only awaiting my 
arrival for the start. The party was to consist of W. E. 
Robertson, Washington, D. G. ; Gapt. B. G. Kirk, Mr. 
Underbill, and W. T. Kirk, of Beehaven, myself, and 
Thomas, the cook. 
The anchor up, the big 30 horse-power engine began 
to push the Gretchen through the water , at a ten-knot 
clip. Soon we were passing familiar landmarks and 
harbors, with our bow pointing S.S.E. for Ocracoke Inlet, 
a distance of about fifty-five miles. Soon the town was 
Icjst 'sight of, and we were getting just enough roll from 
up the" sound to know we were afloat. We were con- 
stantly' running close to coot and numerous small ducks, 
and were sighting geese and brant in the distance. As 
we rieared the eastern side of the sound, long lines of 
redheads were seen flying low to the horizon on their 
way down to the broad shallow sand flats near the inlet, 
where myriads find subsistence and thousands are shot 
annually. That was our objective point also. With a 
smooth and comfortable run to our credit the anchor was 
dropped at ,5 :i5 near the shooting grounds, in a good 
harbor' all safe and sound, with the honk of geese and 
the constant chuckle of brant and redheads coming to our 
eats? iftis was a condition that others might not have 
ai||)'r^b)'ated, but to me it possessed a charm of 
fascrin.ltipri., 
"^Kloyiday rnorning we were up early and ready for busi- 
nSsV 'Sreakfast over, it began to rain and blow from the 
noftfieast, an ideal day to kill ducks, but too hard a 
prdpoSition for any of us. The day wore hard as we re- 
mained aboard and watched the long lines of birds swing 
to and fro over the feeding grounds. 
Tuesday opened fair and we were up and "at 'em" 
early, with abput 250 decoys divided in three stands. 
Robertson on a point, Capt Kirk and Mr. Underbill in a 
blind, BilHe and I to the battery. I taking tbe first lay, 
my little Lef ever began to speak in a lively manner^ and 
il was answered in a spirited way by the Parker and 
Greener guarding the other stands. After the morning 
the shooting was a little slow until about three o'clock in 
the afternoon, when the birds began to come in from the 
outer shoals. Flying high over the marshes on their way 
to the feeding ground, they would discover the decoys 
when at an angle of about 72 degrees, and I never 
dreamed it possible for flesh and feathers to fly so fast as 
they did coming down. I confess that the pace was too 
hot, and the flight too rapid, for any of us to wrap our 
record with a score to be proud of. When darkness 
sent us aboard we had quite a few ducks, but far more 
explanations why this one or that bunch were allowed to 
pass vvithout paying the regulation toll. 
Wednesday furnished fair sport . only ; the birds were 
very suspicious and wary ; yet when night came we had 
quite a bunch of ducks. Nearing the boat we met the 
odor of baked redhead, and reaching the cabin we found 
that Thomas was up to standard and had them pre- 
pared to the "queen's taste." ■ After dinner we held a 
council of war, and decided to change our base to the 
upper sound the next day. Arriving at Rose Bay Thurs- 
day afternoon, we were soon making acquaintance with 
the fowl in great shape. We found that the birds were 
not so plentiful, nor by any means so wild. Thursday 
afternoon and Friday increased the number of our bag to 
a very satisfactory showing. 
We made the start for home Saturday morning with 
the yacht dressed in plumage from spar to spar, and from 
the shrouds ducks hung galore. We reached Beehaven 
about noon, much pleased with the trip. The comfort of 
the boat, with the complete rig, and the minute knowledge 
of W. F. Kirk as gunner, made the trip by far the most 
enjoyable I ever took. F. P. L. 
Gan Ducks Smell ? 
My genial correspondent- friend, Goahoma,- fakes issue 
with me on the -question as to whether mallards, or any 
other ducks, for .the matter of that, can and do smell — of 
course I mean when they are alive. _ Now, while I should 
hate, to see this subject run into a red god, shod-pole, 
blackened timber, log-jam controvfirsy, yet it is a matter 
; that should be settled once for all, so ;that hunters with 
Teutonic blood tn their -veins may take warning, and 
.deny, themselves, when on the duck pass, an indulgence m 
their favorite Limburger. To make quick' work" of the 
question, let the editor be made the judge, and the 
thousands of Forest and Stream readers around the 
world act as the jury, and my good friend from the land 
of the cottonwoods, moccasins, and rattlers assenting to 
this arrangement, here is my case: 
Now, may it please the court and gentlemen of the 
jury, the defendant in this case, one Goahoma, alleges, 
first, that it is his impression that the olfactory machinery 
of a duck is defective and wanting altogether. He makes 
that allegation on the strength of certain investigations 
claimed to be along original lines. 
Now, your Honor, let him make his pleading more 
definite and certain; let him come forward into the open, 
into the free sunlight that is given to us all to enjoy, and 
state the names of his investigators, and likewise say 
how they investigated, and give the time and place. _ I 
hold, 3'our Honor, that an ex-parte statement of that kind 
should carry no weight whatsoever with this court and 
jury, and that it is a mere conclusion. I say again, 
your Honor, that he must come before you with some- 
thing besides an impression that a verdict has been ren- 
dered by certain investigators; impressions are not evi- 
dence. If he intends to plead res adjudicata or stare de- 
cisis, let him produce the record. I would ask, were the 
ducks wild or tame? And how was the investigation 
made? Did they mix in categorical and synchronous 
order asafoetida, hydrochloric acid, concentrated am- 
monia and tincture of garlic (purissima) with boiled 
corn, and have the ducks eat it in the presence of reliable 
witnesses with a combination of quacks and relish? Was 
a memorandum made at the time that the ducks did eat 
the aforesaid meal with gusto, and has it been preserved? 
Is there anything to show that Limburger cheese was 
mixed with their food and greedily partaken of? No, 
your Honor, no such requisite allegations are made in 
the support of his contention, and I hereby challenge the 
defendant to produce any records on the subject which 
have not been tampered with. Ammonia (cone.) and 
asafoetida are strong things by themselves, but — mark 
you — they are not Limburger by any means. 
Now, your Honor, we will pass along to the conten- 
tion of the defendant that there is a limit to the power 
of Limburger cheese — like unto the Mephiticus horridus 
— to project its scent. Again, may it please the court, we 
are confronted with the ex-parte statement of the defend- 
ant, unsupported by a single fact. I call for facts, your 
Honor, facts. Where are they? Why are they not forth- 
coming? Because, your Honor, there are no facts which 
defendant can set up on this point, any more than there 
are facts to show how far a Mephiticus horridus can con- 
taminate the atmosphere, and also the air. 
Now, your Honor, as to the last contention of the de- 
fendant, in closing my demurrer ore tenus, not wishing 
to impose further upon the good nature and patience of 
the court, and the honorable members of the jury, who 
wish to return to business, I must point out that the de- 
fendant pleads white collars and white sapling cuttings, 
but— mark you — how widely he steers clear of red-labeled 
Limburger tins. Had the tin been white, and had it not 
been well hidden between the roots of the prairie grass, 
where it had considerately tried to hide itself from sight 
and smell— note, your Honor, that I use the word "tried" 
with due consideration for its meaning and value — there 
might be some fleeting shadow of a fact to support the 
statement of the defendant. But collars and saplings 
have no bearing on this cheese. 
Now, your Honor, and gentlemen of the jury, provided 
the court lets the case go to you and does not dismiss it 
forthwith, I will produce before you facts relating to that 
Limburger, and as I look on your intelligent faces, repre- 
sentative of culture, refinement, and prosperity, the lat- 
ter, no doubt, because of the keen business acumen evi- 
denced plainly by your interest shown thus far in this 
trial, I can imagine your bringing in but one verdict, a 
verdict which, will be supported on our side by the 
strongest evidence possible, and on the other merely by 
the negative conclusions of the defendant, a verdict, I 
say, gentlemen of the jury, that alone will be compatible 
with common sense, to wit, a verdict for the plaintiff. 
And I now, therefore, move you, you Honor, that you 
instruct the jury to bring in a verdict for the plaintiff 
Vi'ithout leaving their seats. 
Gharles Geistadoro. 
St. Paul, Minn. 
The Wild and Wo lly Adirondacks. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I sniff entertainment in your correspondent, Mr. George 
L. Brown, of Essex county, Adirondacks, and in the bear 
editor, who admits that yon cloud is like a camel, or 
very like a whale. . 
I have a kind of sympathy for bears. Without know- 
ing much of conditions in the Adirondacks, and having 
no sheep there, I hope the law-makers of New York 
will extend a little protection to the black bears of the 
Adirondacks if the bears need it. I suggest that the 
Legislature, or the framer of the bill for the protection 
of the black bear, inquire into- the subject -fully before 
abandoning what I believe to be a sensible, humane- -and 
probably a profitable measure. ^ - 
I suggest further that those really interested in- the 
matter gather all possible statistics as to the number bf 
bears extant in that region; and yet further, that they 
ascertain the number of sheep, cattle, men, women, arid 
children devoured by the ferocious and woolly little t)lack 
bears. \ 
I am interested at this distance because I know some- 
thing of bears, and because I know something of how 
stories of their depredations travel, like the tales of mad 
dogs; and further, because twenty.,; years ago L.tri,ed to 
arouse some sympathy for . common bears in Galifornia. 
If is true that Mr. Brown has. given figures showing 
the number' of bears killed, in Essex county-, during many 
years, but why he should assert these figures as . proof 
of the supply of live bears at Targe is- too logical for me. 
If, for instance,. -35 bears were killed in 1903 (for which 
the slayers= received $10 .e-ach- in bounty, as well as the 
sport and the value of skin and -carcass) , how ih "Halifax 
or Essex or Adirondacks .does that attest that live -bears 
are still {.eatibg slieeQ ahiiputting farmers out of busineiis 
in 1904?: % ■ '' : i ff^ - - - 
Having, during a' quarter ' of a century, seen thg -afliii- 
hilation of about every bear" withiri -reach of the -most 
zealous hunters in this region, where there has; been no 
bounty to encourage their extermination, I begin 'to' per- 
ceive that the West is not wild and woolly,,vbiJt that 
Essex county. New York, is so much more, hazardous a 
frontier that there the sheep and bears , straggle for 
supremacy. The glory of the Rocky Mountains and the 
Sierra Nevadas and of the great Goast Range of the 
Pacific is transcended by the tourist and tavern-haunted 
hills of New ^ York and New England! In Galifornia 
we have a bear or two on exhibition as curiosities of an 
almost extinct animal, while in the land of Bartholdi's 
statue and wooden nutmegs bears threaten to .predonii- 
riate! Ohe! Nisi Dominus frustra! . -. 
There is consolation in most afflictions. Aside from 
the ignoble, speculative point of view taken by sheep men, 
I beg to observe that in their sentence they may seek 
salvation. The bear is a nobler and more valuable animal 
than the sheep. Neither is the bear as destructive; as the 
sheep. Turn a thousand sheep loose in the Adirpndacks 
and if they had intelligence enough to subsist in winter 
they would eat all the bears and the deer, too, out of 
house and home. 
After all, about all a sheep can do is cry baa-a, let some 
duffer shear him once Or twice, and then relapse into mut- 
ton of a more or less questionable value. Wool is worth 
from 10 to 15 cents and a good sheep two or three dollars 
and thirty cents. If bears are not worth more, alive or dead, 
sportsmen do not read Forest and Stream, there are no 
taverns or guides in the Adirondacks, to say nothing of 
smoky Indians or raw, right-angled log jams. '\\''hy in 
Essex do not the sheep men go in and raise bears? It 
may be possible, being at so great a distance, that I do 
not comprehend the situation. Perhaps they orri? raising 
them. $10 per capita besides the skin and carcass would 
pay better than coyote farming in Galifornia and Nevada. 
If this lattei" is the case, my suggestions are ill, and I 
would not deprive Essex farmers of a bounty from a 
State to which I pay no taxes. 
The bear is a long suffering, much maligned quadruped, 
persecuted to the death by mankind. Scripture hath tqjd 
many,- many generations of us how bears ate up childi;eti: 
from the beginning, and unruly infant humanity has been 
hushed to sleep for nineteen hundred years with stqrjes 
of hungry bears. About every mighty hunter that eyer 
killed one of the furry creatures has been an exaggerator 
of facts as to ferocity, weights and measurement for the 
remainder of his life. It has been alleged that fishermen 
sometimes lie. If you know of one having undue con- 
fidence in his ability introduce to him an amateur bear 
slayer and watch him dwindle. 
The bear is the noblest American quadruped. He, is 
almost a biped, and he can walk upright with his face to 
heaven. He is almost a%,near like man as the monkey. 
He is intelligent, fearless and powerful, but he has the 
sagacity to avoid mankind because he knows man has the 
advantage with his villainous gunpowder and missiles. 
He is not, like man, a tool using animal, but in his other 
attributes, he is more than a match for the invaders of 
his dom.ain. He is a central and prominent figure on the 
great seal of the State of Galifornia, and the order of the 
Native Sons of the Golden West (who are hard games— 
I mean hard to beat, generally and collectively), decorate 
themselves with bear badges and they keep a few pet 
bears for parades. But there are at this time few bears in 
this wild State — that is to say, in their wild state. _ They 
have been slain by every human device that civilization 
has invented. There are miles square of wastes and un- 
irjhabited mountains in Galifornia where bears once sub- 
sisted but where a bear track could not be found by 
Leatherstocking himself. , 
The last bear track I saw in the miles of mountains in 
this region was being followed by three Indians.. Three 
of the last of the Indians following about the last bear. 
An old man with tottering legs, a younger man, and a 
boy about fifteen years of age. The old man wore por- 
tions of a broadcloth coat— descended to him by slow, 
successive gradation — ^tbat is to say, degradation, and he 
