4 BO 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
{Not. 26, 1904, 
irrelevant incident, gross and unsportsmanlike, and 
these are so enthralled with the beauties of nature and 
the ethics of gunning in the abstract that they think 
it should be mentioned in hushed tones only or viewed 
with eyes askance. But, according to my idea the 
beautiful and the useful should go hand in hand. Each 
is a component part of the whole, and as such should 
be equivalent as factors in the joys of the field and 
stream. A full bag and a full creel distinguishes the 
expert and the enthusiast. To the sentimental, which 
surely ennobles and adorns the useful in life, there must 
be added the material, the serious and the practical; the 
hunter must be rewarded for his efforts or he will soon 
cease to be a hunter. It is not all shooting to shoot, 
or all fishing to fish. 
There is still another important feature about quail 
shooting. The man whose business cares allot him 
but a few days for shooting, and these at no regularly 
stated time, certainly has more possibilities for recrea- 
tion and sport on quail than any other bird that flies, 
notwithstanding there may be a lack of fervid enthusi- 
asm and superlative exaltation as is conspicuous among 
the wildfowl, the jacksnipe and the grouse shooters. 
Quail are undoubtedly more uniformly and widely 
distributed throughout the United States than any other 
high-class game bird. Its habitat comprises both open 
and timbered districts from piny Maine to silvery-sanded 
California, and from the borders of British Columbia 
to the Gulf of Mexico. It differs from the ruffed 
grouse, whose home is exclusively confined to the 
woods, and therefore in a much smaller territory than 
that of Bob White, and from the pinnated grouse (prairie 
chicken), which is purely a bird of the prairie. The 
quail flourishes wherever it can obtain a sufficient food 
supply, either in a timbered country, or in the tree- 
less and shrubless prairie adjacent to some river or 
water-ways. It readily adjusts its habitat according to 
the dominating circumstances of food and cover, 
whether it be on our plains, or in the woods or in a 
region embracing both open and cover. Here in 
Nebraska it frequents both field and wood, preferring 
such as have a good food supply, with hedges, river 
and creek beds choked with plum and grape and crab- 
apple, to which it can run or fly to shelter or safety. 
Here it rarely penetrates far into the woods, preferring 
to skirt along the outer edges of them merely for pro- 
tection, as both the redtail and Cooper's hawk are its 
deadly enemy, and it must be ever alert to escape them. 
But the idyllic season is now here, so whistle up the 
old dog and prepare for a day in the thicket and stubble. 
The blackbird, with the scarlet splotch on either wing 
flashing in the hazy sunlight, has chucked a last sad 
farewell overhead; russet has succeeded the gold in the 
thin branches of the Cottonwood; a dull dun lights the 
faded green of the pasture land, and a marked change 
has come over the old setter. No longer does he tap 
out an indolent welcome on the porch floor at your 
coming at noonday or evening, but springs down the 
walk with eager bark and sparkling eye to meet you, soil- 
ing your business apparel with his forepaws as he leaps 
for your face, and evoking a harsh word of command for 
his effrontery. But he knows you don't mean it, and 
cavorts around you in an ecstacy of emotion, rushing off 
through the drooping peony and chrysanthemums, and 
back again to peer into your face in an effort to fathom 
your intentions — whether you are merely home for grub 
or after canvas coat and hammerless. 
A few more days and the sport will be at its height, 
and from out the tangly Elkhorn's mazes, where the 
orange arils of the bittersweet are darkening among its 
maroon and still clinging leaves, will come the plaintive 
signals of the scattered bevy that will set your soul ablaze. 
How different from the cheery whistle that so lately 
floated across the harvest field, yet how thrilling, how 
penetrating. Strangely exciting, indeed, is this autumn 
call of the quail. He who has never heard its melody 
when the hills are bathed in purple and gold, when the 
sumach burns its brightest, and a mellower sunlight floods 
the land, has missed one of the sweetest emotions of the 
human breast. Strong, indeed, must be the fetters of 
office or counting room that holds back the born sports- 
man when the perennial rustle of the late November 
winds sound like mystic music from angels' lutes and the 
blackening walnuts have dropped from their bare 
branches, when the querulous caw of the crow comes like 
a phantom cry from over the silent fields, and the acrimon- 
ious scolding of the irascible bluej ay, tilting up and down, 
through the elm's gray network, is nearly all that is left 
of the pleasing summer sounds, and when the golden flash 
of the yellowhammer's wing the last gleam of brilliant life. 
Gossiping about quail shooting reminds me that most of 
it is at close range. A majority of the birds killed are 
within twenty-five yards, and often much nearer than 
that distance. A gun weighing 6 l / 2 to y]/ 2 pounds is of 
ample weight, and the 12-bore is most commonly used, 
though the 16 and even 20 are excellent, and preferred 
by many sportsmen, especially those in the South. But 
under almost any circumstances, the gun should be a 
cylinder. There is little need of a chokebore in quail 
shooting. However, it is an exceedingly difficult matter 
to induce the average shooter of the day to use a cylinder- 
bore gun. Its use seems to be construed as reflecting on 
one's ability to shoot a close gun instead of being accepted 
as a matter concerning the gun fit for the particular kind 
of game. It requires time to effect a cure in the use of 
chokebores in quail shooting. One has to treat indul- 
gently the emotional attacks, sentimental and practical, 
which appertain to shooting, from the romance of it 
which requires that the landscape be bathed in mellow 
sunlight, the prairie bespangled with flowers, the breezes 
laden with the fragrance of the wildwoods, the glories of 
nature coloring all, to the assaults in the practical de- 
tails which require the closest of guns in shooting Bob 
White, the heaviest of loads when the lightest are better, 
and what commonsense dictate, or that a point, to be ever 
so well done and so accurate withal, is sporting heresy 
unless made by a black, white and tan dog. The "sports- 
man should go forth equipped for his sport according to 
its needs and not the whimsicalities of senseless custom. 
He should never take a full-choke gun in cover nor a 
cylinder-bore to shoot ducks. There should be intelligent 
adjustment of means to ends. Industry and skill and 
hunting craft should not be balked by Inappropriate 
x>m?im ami weapons, " Sandy Griswolo. 
Some New England Clubs. 
Boston, Nov. ig.-^-Editor Forest and Stream: Your 
readers have heard frequently of the good work which 
has been performed by the Fitchburg Rifle and Gun 
Club. A few evenings ago the club held its annual din- 
ner at the Johnsonia under conditions especially pleas- 
ing. For the first time in the history of the club, the 
tables were graced by the presence of ladies. Previous 
to the banquet, an informal reception was held, under 
the direction of Messrs. H. A. Hill, W. C. Kimball and 
Dr. J. W. Barton. The president, Dr. Russell Bing- 
ham, was master of ceremonies, and introduced the 
Rev. A. T. Kempton, who presented his illustrated lec- 
ture, "Hiawatha," which held the closest attention of his 
hearers until nearly midnight. The slides are excep- 
tional for their exquisite colored effects, and the ex- 
perience of his trip last summer to the land of the Ojib- 
ways, on Lake Huron, was graphically described, and 
won the unstinted praise of his hearers. 
President Bingham, ex-President I. O. Converse and 
Mr. J. E. Morse constituted the banquet committee. 
Another large and influential club of our State, the 
Greenfield Sportsman's Club, has just celebrated its 
annual, which was one of the most enjoyable in the 
history of that organization. Venison, 'coon, rabbit and 
pigeon "done to a turn" under the direction of land- 
lord and Mrs. Leipple, of the Union House, kept the 
200 sportsmen gathered about the tables in Hungari 
Hall, delightfully busy for over an hour, when the presi- 
dent, Dr. L. A. Newton, presented Capt. J. W. Collins, 
chairman of the State Commission. After expressing 
bis pleasure in being able to greet so many of his fellow 
workers, the Captain said he appreciated the existence 
of such clubs, as without them the work of the Com- 
mission would amount to very little. "We count on 
your support, and we hope the interest you have mani- 
fested in the past will continue." 
The chairman declared the work of the Commission m 
the protection of fish and game was a benefit not only 
to sportsmen, but "to the State at large." If game 
and fish can be provided in our own State, the Captain 
argued, no inconsiderable portion of the $2,000,000 or 
so expended annually by Massachusetts sportsmen out- 
side her boundaries would be spent nearer home, and 
inure to the financial benefit of her own citizens. "It 
is your plain duty," he said, "to hand down to those 
who shall come after you as good or better game con- 
ditions." . . 
Col. F. D. Pierce was received with three cheers as 
his name was called, and he spoke in his usual entertain- 
ing way of the benefits of the club in promoting a "bet- 
ter knowledge of many things," as well as good fellow- 
ship. . . , , 
Mr. Wm. A. Davenport, while recognizing the value 
of the work of the Commission, prophesied that it 
would be hampered in the near future unless accom- 
panied by "forest planting"— the only way, in his opin- 
ion, to keep up the covers needed for the adequate 
protection of game in the winter. 
Senator-elect Gerrett, who was a member of the 
House two vears ago, paid a tribute to the chairman 
of the Commission for his efficient service, and urged 
a rigid observance of the game laws, especially ( that 
making Sunday a close season, which, he said, "was 
greatly in the interest of protection." If the position 
taken by Capt. Collins is tenable, fish and game pro- 
tection should be the care of every citizen, whether he 
be a sportsman or not. 
A more enthusiastic gathering of sportsmen than that 
which annually convenes in Hungari Hall it would be 
hard to find. Many vears of success and usefulness to 
the Greenfield Sportsman's Club, and to all its members. 
The Vermont Fish and Game League. 
The annual dinner of this influential club was held in 
Armory Hall, Montpelier, after a business meeting at 
the Pavilion. President F. L. Fish, of Vergennes, 
urged greater observance and enforcement of the laws 
and alluded to the work already accomplished m the 
propagating of fish and protection of game. He re- 
quested members of the Legislature to consider the 
question, "How long can Lake Champlain stand seme 
fishing?" He emphasized the importance of stopping 
the poilution of trout streams and of protecting the 
ruffed grouse. ^ , 
Mr James F. Hooker, of Brattleboro, who was the 
toastmaster, made allusion to the President of the 
United States as the best-known sportsman in the 
world. ... , • 
Governor Bell made pleasant allusions to certain in- 
teresting phases of Vermont politics, and remarked 
upon the number of legislators before him, and said 
he could easily see by looking over the assemblage 
"why 375 of the 460 bills related to fish and game. 
Mr Hale K. Darling, of Chelsea, spoke for the Leg- 
islature Mr. Robert A. Lawrence, of Rutland, advo- 
cated the formation of county leagues, and the printing 
of game laws in Italian. Hon. J. W Titcomb, of Wash- 
ington spoke of fishculture in the Argentine Republic, 
and described his work transporting trout eggs 300 
miles across a desert. He said that Argentina had a 
o-reat future, and is to become a rival of the United 
States in agriculture. Commissioner Thomas, of Stowe, 
gave the number of deer legally killed this year m the 
State as 446. , , . , . , , 
Seventy-five new members were added to the list 01 
the Leas-tie. This Association has the proud distinction 
of having among its members about all the active poli- 
ticians in the State. 
In Maine. 
A heavy fall of snow occurred last Sunday— a foot in 
the West Branch and Aroostook regions and half as 
much in the region about Moosehead and Katahdjn. 
A deer head brought from Cremo Pond had antlers with 
thirty-three points. The prongs in the central part;had 
palms like those of a moose. There is exceptional 
hunting in the region about Silver Ridge in Kingman. 
It is reported that eighteen exceptionally . large deer 
were brought out in one day. Shipments for the week 
from Bangor, the biggest of the year, were 615 deer 
and 13 moose. A heavy snowfall is reported also in the 
Ram-jeley region and in New Hampshire, and the hunt- 
prs are getting many deer, Central, 
In Massachusetts. 
Boston, Nov. 20. — Editor Forest and Stream: Another 
State reservation is to be asked for next winter when 
the Legislature convenes. Petitions for the setting 
apart of Sugar Loaf Mountain in Deerfield have been 
extensively signed by citizens of that and several neigh- 
boring towns who are interested in the project. They 
would like very much to have the summit of North 
Sugar Loaf also included in its taking by the State. 
These are twin mountains, standing side by side, close 
together, rising abruptly from the rich plain on the 
west bank of the Connecticut River, not far from the 
Sunderland bridge. Both are heavily wooded, and the 
southern one is accessible by means of footpaths and 
a good carriage road, which leads out of the main high- 
way between Greenfield and Northampton, branching 
off a little south of the village of South Deerfield. The 
Greenfield, Deerfield and Northampton electric cars 
pass the point of divergence hourly. From Amherst 
the Amherst and Sunderland street railway carries pas- 
sengers within a short mile of the mountain road. Thus 
is will be seen that the advantages of the mountain 
park would be within easy reach of a large population 
in the Connecticut valley. The young ladies of Smith 
College and the Amherst students frequently make pil- 
grimages to Sugar Loaf on what they call "Mountain 
days." At the top of the mountain is a farmhouse, 
known as the hotel, fronting the south and facing the 
view that makes the mountain famous. Nearby one 
may take his stand on a great shelf of rock, jutting out 
from the face of the mountain and which holds the ob- 
server out over the valley, so that he may look almost 
straight downward five or six hundred feet. A path 
winding around under this shelf to a recess in the cliff 
leads to a rough stone seat known all up and down the 
valley as "King Philip's Chair." There is a legend that 
the great Indian Chief was wont to sit on this rocky 
throne to read the smoke signals of his warriors or 
watch the burning of the English settlements. It is 
well worth a journey of many miles to behold the ex- 
quisite view to be had from the summit of Sugar Loaf, 
embracing as it does the placid waters of the river 
stretching southward until lost to sight far down the 
valley, where the spires of Holyoke and Northampton 
rise out of the hollow just below Mt. Tom. To the 
southeast may be seen the college buildings at Amherst. 
In whichever direction you look, the view is most-en- 
chanting. As regards the expense of the taking by the 
State, those who are interested say it would be small 
in comparison with other mountain reservations. It 
would not necessarily include a large tract of land, but 
only the wooded summits, as it would not be necessary 
to secure adjacent land (as in the case of Mt. Tom), in 
order to insure fire protection. The estimated value of 
the land is $10 an acre, or a little more, and it is 
>thought not much more than 300 acres would be re- 
quired, and that probably $3,000 would buy the hotel 
property. It would be necessary to secure an appro- 
priation covering only the first cost, as the expense of 
maintenance would doubtless be assessed upon Franklin 
county. Should the plan prove successful, there will be 
another tract, though not a large one, where game will 
be secure. Special. 
Wisconsin Against Spring Shooting. 
Milwaukee, Nov. 19. — Editor Forest and Stream: A 
determined effort will be made at the coming session of 
the Wisconsin Legislature to stamp out spring shooting 
in this State, and for that purpose an association is being 
formed to popularize the movement which is expected to 
terminate in revoking the amendment made to the game 
laws two years ago giving permission to shoot all 
varieties of ducks with the exception of wood ducks, mal- 
lards and teal. 
The State administration is at the head of the plan to 
preserve the game birds of Wisconsin, and at a meeting 
of the sporting writers, which was held in Milwaukee on 
November 16, attention was called to the additional neces- 
sity for protecting feathered game in Wisconsin by Game 
Warden Tracy, under whose able administration the laws 
have been carried out to the letter since he was inducted 
into office. The fullest co-operation of the newspaper 
men was promised, and steps were taken to secure signa- 
tures to a gigantic petition to the Legislature requesting 
that the laws be amended to prohibit the destruction ot 
ducks and geese in the spring. 
In Milwaukee there is an overwhelming sentiment 
against spring shooting, and in many sections of the State 
the feeling is similar. The improvement in fall shooting 
has been marked since the game laws were amended six 
years ago and spring shooting stopped for years, while 
the sale of game was regulated to such an extent that 
dealers have been out of business for two years. Resi- 
dents in the interior of the State have gradually realized 
that in the game they have a valuable asset which should 
not be disposed of as was the "goose that laid the golden 
egg." Ten years ago the farming communities were howl- 
ing for the retention of the spring shooting section in 
the game laws, asserting that the closed season in the 
spring months of the year was the invention of the "city 
feller" and the devil; but now, with the return of the 
days when twenty-five to thirty birds a day are an average 
bag, bringing city men to their localities and the distribu- 
tion of the coin of the realm for circulation, they are tak- 
ing the other side. . 
The protection of game and fish in Wisconsin has been 
radically improved since the advent of Governor La Fol- 
lette at Madison four years ago. Radical changes in the 
laws regulating the shipment as well as the shooting of 
birds and animals have been enforced with impartiality, 
with the result that the game laws of Wisconsin mean- 
something now: Infractions are rare, and the detection of 
contraband shipments from the interior to Milwaukee 
long since caused them to almost totally cease. 
About the middle of December another meeting of the 
association will be called to perfect the organization, 
which may be retained permanently. J. 
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