408 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Nov. 12, 1904. 
fight wasn't as long as the first one, for the sharp hind 
claws of the bear cut into the belly of the painter m such 
a way that the critter was glad to crawl away with 
some of his innards hanging out. 
"As for the bear, he got up a little the worse for wear, 
shook himself to see if he was all there, and ambled off 
in a direction different from that the painter took. 
"Yes," continued the old trapper, as he refilled and 
lighted his pipe, "a bear is mighty handy with his feet, 
for he can box with his forepaws so well that a man 
has sot to be putty quick to hit him with an ax or 
other weepon; and as for his hindfeet the claws on 'em 
i« as sharp as knives, and a man or other critter has all 
kinds of trouble comin' to him if those claws get a 
chance to slash him." . 
Steve was in a reminiscent mood that night, his 
stories of the denizens of the forest keeping me in- 
terested until bedtime. He had been a keen observer, 
and was thoroughly conversant with the characteristics 
and habits of every wild animal that was pursued either 
as game or for fur. . , , , 
On the following morning we were astir at daybreak 
and after eating a hearty breakfast, Steve and 1 lett the 
cam for the purpose of visiting the traps, leaving 
Oscar, his son, to tidy up things, preparatory to start- 
ing down the (rail with the old horse, on their return 
to the trapper's home. . , 
To visit a line of traps eight to ten miles in length 
means to the ordinary walker a good day s tramp, and a 
pretty rough tramp at that, for the path, if path it can 
be called, leads through all sorts of cover around 01 
over ledges, windfalls, etc., and before we had accom- 
plished half the distance, I was glad to have an oppor- 
tunity to take a short rest. . ,.:-.".;> . 
Our catch thus far was a good one, consisting of a 
couple of minks, a red fox and a lynx the two latter 
having been taken in wire snares, which proved more 
effectual with these suspicious animals than ordinary 
steel traps are. ,, . , , 
"It's no use lugging all this meat around, said the 
guide, as he quickly removed the skins from the ani- 
mals "We'll leave these carcasses here to draw > the 
bears, and in a day or two we'll set a trap here for em 
And speaking of bear traps, I've got one clost by that 
has been set a couple of days, and as there was plenty 
of signs, it ought to have a grip on one of the critters 
by now. We'll soon see, anyway." 
At these words, throwing his pack over his shoulder, 
Steve started off with ax in hand, I, with rifle ready for 
instant service, keeping close behind him. 
The route was through a dense piece of chaparral, 
through which it was impossible to see more than two 
or three rods in- any direction, but the spot at which the 
trap had been set was soon reached, the old trapper 
picking his way without any difficulty. 
"Yes, old Bruin has been here sure enuff, exclaimed 
the guide, "and he has lugged the trap off with him. 
The next thing is to find the critter." _ 
A few words of explanation concerning the method ot 
setting a bear trap may be necessary here 
The presence of bear in any stretch of forest is de- 
tected by the experienced woodsman by certain unmis- 
takable signs, such -as the ripping open of an old log 
or windfall for the grubs it may contain, or the dig- 
ging up of an anthill, or the tearing down of the bark 
from the trunks of trees, beneath which the big white 
borers and beetles, upon which the animal feeds, are 
secreted. . , ; . > , .. 
Selecting a suitable location for placing the trap it 
it baited with the entrails and other offal of animals, 
which are dragged around the spot and finally left at the 
place where the trap is to be set; and sometimes the 
more flamboyant the bait is the more attractive it 
seems to be to the bear. 
The trap is set so that the animal cannot reach the 
bait without springing it with his foot, and to the chain 
that is attached to it is fastened a log of wood four or 
five feet in length, called a "hobble." This is not so 
heavy as to prevent the bear from moving around, and 
when he finds himself caught he starts off, dragging the 
hobble behind him; and sometimes he is able to go a 
mile or more before he gets tired and lies down. Of 
course, there is a chance of the hobble being "hung 
up" between two trees or saplings, but he generally 
picks out an open route. The trap is chained to this 
hobble rather than to a tree, for the reason that if it 
is thus firmly attached the bear gnaws off his foot and 
escapes. . 
In dragging the hobble he leaves many signs, which 
are easily followed by one experienced in woodcraft. 
Hanging his pack in the crotch of a tree nearby, the 
trapper, with ax in hand, took up the trail that had been 
left by the bear and hobble, following it as accurately 
as he would have done if the tracks had been made in 
newly fallen snow. 
"Gosh 'mighty!" he exclaimed, pointing to the im- 
print of a huge foot in a soft spot that had been 
crossed, "he's a buster and no mistake; it's the biggest 
footprint I've ever seen." 
I looked at the imprint, and wondered how I should 
act if I were within reach of one of those immense paws. 
For at least half a mile the tracks were followed be- 
fore the cracking of sticks, which indicated that we were 
nearing the animal, was heard. Pushing steadily ahead, 
the guide soon discovered the huge black form of the 
bear as he was crawling beneath a big windfall, or old 
decaying trunk of a dead tree, as if he were endeavoring 
to conceal himself. 
"Well," said the guide, "he's crawled in under that 
windfall, and the next thing is to git him out. The 
best plan is for me to go 'round on the other side and 
poke him out with a pole, and you stand on this side 
and shoot when he comes out of cover." 
I assented to this arrangement, and stood with cocked 
rifle near the windfall awaiting the appearance of the 
bear. The trapper, after cutting a stout pole, moved 
around to the further side of the windfall and began 
poking in the spot where he thought the animal was 
secreted, and it was not long before a loud growl an- 
nounced that his probing was effectual. The bear was 
evidently disinclined to come out, for it required con- 
siderable urging on the part of Steve to move him, and 
when he did emerge from his hiding place, instead of 
coming out near where I was stationed, he started out 
briskly on the further side, evidently with the intention 
of attacking* the trapper. 
"Come round here, quick!" shouted Steve, "the bear 
has got rid of his hobble somehow, and if we don't 
look out we'll lose him." 
I hurried to the spot as quickly as I could, and found 
that the brute, now thoroughly enraged, instead of en- 
deavoring to escape, was attacking the guide with the 
greatest fury. As he was encumbered by nothing but 
the trap, which was attached to one foot, he could move 
almost as if he were unhampered, and easily evaded the 
blows that Steve aimed at him with the ax, and quickly 
sent it spinning into the undergrowth. The trapper, 
now disarmed, had no alternative but to run, for the 
bear was rushing upon him, and about to seize him with 
his huge black paws. Steve was a pretty good runner, 
and he darted about among the bolls of the trees with a 
celerity that was, astonishing in a man of his years; 
but the angry bear was also quick in his movements, 
and ever and anon, he almost came within striking dis- 
tance of the guide. 
As I was following them, I did not dare to shoot, 
fearing that the bullet might hit the trapper, who was 
on a line with the bear from me, and it was only after 
Steve reached a pine tree, into which he swung him- 
self by its lower limbs, and which he began climbing, 
the bear following him, evidently determined not to be 
cheated of his prey, that I had an opportunity to use 
the rifle with safety to my friend. Higher and higher 
mounted the guide, the bear following him almost as 
well as if he had no clanking trap fastened to his foot; 
and he had mounted nearly thirty feet before he was 
in a position that would insure a successful shot, when, 
aiming carefully at the point of juncture of the head 
and neck, I fired. But one shot was needed, for the 
work of the bullet was fatal, and almost without another 
struggle the huge brute came crashing down through 
the branches to the ground. 
/ "That was a mighty close call," exclaimed Steve, when 
he had descended from his lofty perch and stood beside 
■ me. "Old Bruin meant mischief, for sartin. I hadn't 
reckoned on his gittin' rid of that hobble. Well, we'll 
take off the brute's pelt and git back to camp, for it's 
growing late." 
It was an unusually large bear, and its long glossy 
black fur was in the best possible condition. It did 
not take long to remove the skin and hams, which 
Steve made into a pack, and slinging it over his 
shoulder, together with the huge trap, led the way back 
to the windfall, where he recovered his ax, and then, re- 
tracing our path to the spot where he had left his pack, 
a portion of which I insisted upon carrying, we started 
"homeward bound" for the camp, which we reached just 
as the sun was sinking beneath the western horizon. 
A Deplorable State/' 
La Salle, N. Y., Nov. i. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Game laws are made to be broken. At least this seems 
the only use that is made of them through this section 
of the State. I cannot think of one game law that is the 
proverbial exception to prove the rule that is not openly 
violated. The old Niagara, once the home of many game 
fish, flews peacefully on as of yore, but its sturdy in- 
habitants have nearly gone. Its banks and surrounding 
territory once furnished cover and feed for a feathered 
host, but to-day the covers stand deserted. 
The maskinonge, the king of all our game fish, are 
practically extinct. Time was, and that only a few short 
years back, when a boat could bring in two or three 
large, gamy 'longe for a day's catch. To-day you are 
lucky if you can land one for a season's catch. It was a 
pleasure in those days to sit in a boat and feel the trem- 
ble of the line caused by the whirr of the spoon. Antici- 
pation was keen, momentarily realization probable. Now, 
alas! anticipation is at lowest ebb and realization rare! 
rare! rare! ! ! And why? Simply because our game laws 
are not enforced; our game officials are — well, not doing 
their duty. I know personally that our game wardens 
know of daily infractions of the law, and I have yet to 
learn of one single instance where they have even tried 
to detect the infringers. 
Again, Upper Niagara black bass fishing was at one 
time fine. Not later than 1901 catches of from 60 to 70 
bass were made by one boat in one day, and we think we 
hear you murmur "game hog!" To-day the catches are 
very small, and "fisherman's luck" by no means rare. 
Again you ask me why, and again I answer, non-enforce- 
ment of the game laws. "Game hogs" have played their 
part, but it is a very small part as compared with other 
fish-destroying agencies. The way our fish have gone 
was nicely told one day last spring by a little boy about 
four years old. Our little boy saluted his father upon his 
return from work one evening by telling him what a 
large basket of fish two men had caught that day, and 
ended his story by stating that "they had caught them all 
on one hook that they had in a valise." That tells the 
whole story. There are too many using the fishing tackle 
that is done un in small packages and must be lighted 
before using. Our bass spawning beds are literally blown 
to pieces. Big fish and little fish, game fish and food 
fish all come to the top after a stick of dynamite has done 
its fiendish work. "Familiarity breeds contempt," and so 
familiar has this thing become along our shores, that 
no one seems to pay any attention to it. No attempt is 
made to keep the dastardly work secret, and I have 
known of blasting to be done within 100 feet of men 
who were trying to have a little sport fishing in a lawful 
way. Seine fishing is indulged in to a considerable extent, 
and while the damage done to game fish in this way is 
considerable, it does not begin to compare with the dam- 
age done with dynamite, as the principal fish caught in 
the seines are sturgeon. 
For the last two years I have been advocating stocking 
our fields and covers with birds, and the one great ob- 
stacle that I have found was the non-enforcement of the 
game laws. Wherever I have brought the subject before 
sportsmen they have invariably answered that the attempt 
would be useless, for the birds would receive no 'pro- 
tection and would be killed faster than we could supply 
them. I still clung to my theory and still persevered in 
my undertaking until a few days ago, when I gave up in 
despair. There was a small covey of quail back about a 
mile, and these I had b?en watching and fostering as one 
would a baby. Imagine my indignation and grief when 
the other day a man informed me that one of our hunters \ 
had gone back there and potted the whole bevy I ' 
should as soon have thought of firing upon a group of ; 
children as shooting into that tame flock of birds, but 
unfortunately there are others whose scruples are less 
fine. Sm 
Our duck shooting has gone the same road as all the 
rest Decoy shooting a few years back was very good I 
to-day the feeding grounds along the shores are empty' 
the great number of hunting gasolene launches are to ; 
blame for this. Every flock of birds that arrives on our 
river are spied out with long-distance field glasses and a 
launch is after them. They are chased morning, noon 
and night and the duck that stays longer than one day is : 
a u i- - y are glven no chance to feed, and spend 
what little time they are among us flying up and down 
the center of the river looking for some quiet resting 
place. s , 
Have not things sporting reached a deplorable state in 
this section? Is there a remedy? That this article will 
reach the eyes of someone who can suggest a remedy is ; ' 
the most heartfelt wish of A Reader. 
In New England* 
Boston Nov. 3-— Mr. Cyrus A. Taft, of Whitinville, 
reports that the hunters in his section are flushino- sortie 
co .y. e -ys of? 11 ?)!, and he thinks there are one or two that 
will kill all they can, but this is not true of all of them 
He is anxious to get more birds the coming year for 
stocking, and says he is strongly inclined to put out some 
early m the winter, as he thinks by his system of troughs 
tor feeding he can carry them through all right. Partridge 
shooting, he says, is fair. 
Mr. Charles Bradbury, of Camden, Me, tells me that 
woodcock and partridge shooting has been exceptionally 
good 111 his section this fall. 
Mr. William Pray, of Boston, says his experience in 
Massachusetts, so far as upland birds are concerned this 
season has been very discouraging, and his main reliance 
for birds is his place in Maine. 
Our smelt fishermen have had phenomenal success this 
season— so good that some of them who are hunters as 
well as fishermen have deferred their gunning trips up to 
the present time. On the north shore several boatmen 
have seen an anomaly in the shape of a white whale. 
I have reports of several deer being killed in various 
towns m New Hampshire, one of the largest in Berwick 
weighing 250 pounds. Several have been reported from 
Vermont of unusual size, 250, 275, 300, and the largest 
350 pounds ; also several bears, the largest weighing 400 
pounds. A bill is before the Legislature at Montpelier to 
abolish the open season on deer for a period of three 
years, and I understand it is meeting with some support. 
The great slaughter of last year (1,000 deer) has, in the 
opinion of some, reduced the stock almost to an alarming 
extent. Most of the Massachusetts sportsmen who have 
returned from Maine have been able to secure one or two 
deer, and several have got a moose also. One of these is 
Miss Helen Maude Locke, of Arlington, who has just re- 
turned from a hunting trip which she made in company 
with her uncle, Mr. Edwin S. Farmer. They brought out 
other trophies, but of course the moose was most prized. 
The antlers contained 20 points and measured 52 inches 
from tip to tip. Miss Locke's first shot struck just back 
of the shoulder, the second in the forehead, killing in- 
stantly. 
The shipments from Bangor this year in October were 
1,564 deer, 92 moose ; as against 1,675 deer, 78 moose for 
the same period in 1003. Many game birds have been 
secured which, for safe transportation, must be properly 
tagged and accompanied by the owner. By neglecting 
these precautions, some of the hunters have been forced 
to forfeit their birds. .. Central. 
Small Shot for Brush Shooting:. 1 
A ruffed grouse jumped from under a stump close to |l 
my feet and he suddenly lost one wing, cut off as neatly S 
as you please. "That was a bad shot," said Sam. "Why 1 !, 
so?" asked I. "Because," said Sam, "if you had held 
straight and hit him fairly he would have been blown:j 
into smithereens." 
The point of view is the thing with which to pin de- J 
cisions relating to such a shot, and there may be many;;} 
points of view aimed at my ideas concerning the use of J 
small shot for brush shooting, but the subject is worth 
some notes anyway. 
Did you ever notice that most of the ruffed grouse that 
are brought to bag at this time of the year have broken 
wings? That seems rather peculiar if one holds up a 
plucked grouse and observes what a comparatively small 
part of the sky-line is occupied by the vulnerable surface 
of a wing. And yet not many grouse are bagged with-, 
wings whole, although there may not be more than one or ; 
two shot in all of the rest of the body of a bird. 
One day last week I shot a few partridges and wood- 
cock, but there were several others that flew right along 
while I was playing a Japanese march for them, and if 
they did not stop flying before night, they went a long 
way if the speed rate was maintained. I felt, however, 
that birds which kept on had been in the center of theJ 
charge at several of the shots. Number 6 shot was used: 
that day, and it was the first time that I had used such 
large shot in brush shooting for many years. Next day, 
I went out in the afternoon with a supply of No. 7^2 
shot, but only got shots at five birds during the after- 
noon. Four of these came down with the first barrel—;; 
three partridges and one woodcock — and every one ofj' 
the four came down with broken wings, but otherwise in' 
what might be called good running order. My argument 
is this: If we use large shot there are fewer shot to the, 
charge, and fewer wings are hit, and birds hit fatally in 
the body may fly out of sight before they drop. If we 
use small shot and hit more wings, more birds will drop; 
where they can at least be retrieved by greyhounds, andi 
the body shots are not nearly so likely to be fatal for 
the birds which escape. By using small shot we are more 
humane toward the birds, and at the. same time we can be 
more generous toward our friends who are awaiting our 
return home with game for distribution. 
The reasons for hitting more wings with small shot are 
probably two, Qne that is commonly recognized is 
