FOREST AND STREAM 
menu could be made. It was decided to have copies of the 
new regulations printed and placed in the bands of directors 
for their examination, upon which action will be taken at a 
special meeting. The editor of the Vm 
offered a long-range rifle, valued at $125. Mr. J. 'V. f ra- 
S would give a cash prize of $250 in gold, to be shot for 
upon conditions to be arranged by the executive officer at the 
spring prize meeting at Creedmoor Gen. Shalcr offered reso- 
lutions calling for a convention of the officers and members of 
the various rifle clubs throughout the country to meet in this 
citv or at Creedmoor during the spring prize meeting, the 
secretary was directed to notify the riflemen of all countries 
that the next competition for the “ Centennial trophy will 
take place in the month of September next, and in case no re 
ply is received from aDy team by June 1 next, the contest 
will go over until 1879, “scoring a walk-over" for the Ameri- 
can team. Thomas G. Alvord was elected an honorary di- 
rector of the association. On motion, the treasurer was in- 
structed to secure a loan of $2,000 for the payment of the 
floating debt. On motion of Major Fulton it was decided 
that hereafter no match should be shot at Creedmoor unless 10 
entries had been secured. William Richardson and Orlando 
L. Stewart were elected life members. 
Possible International Match in. Paru.— O n the 9th 
of this month a dispatch r was received in New York, pur- 
porting to come from tho Directors of the Paris Exhibition, 
announcing that a rifle match was to he held during the Ex- 
position for the championship of the world, shooting to be 
at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards, open to all teams. 
In a letter from Paris from the correspondent of the New 
York Times, dated Jan. 24, mention is made that certain diffi- 
culties in the way of foreign riflemen coming with their arms 
into France hod been temporarily removed through the ef- 
forts of M. Waddington, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. A 
ssciety of riflemen in France, called La Societc National du Tir 
(Us Communes de France , lia9 been created in order to develop 
and encourage a taste for r|fle practice. The Times corres- 
pondent brought forward 6ome facts not very well known. 
In 1876 only 1,511 communes had organized clubs; in 1877 
there were 2,492, and no less than 112,866 persons belonged 
to them. Vincennes, quite near Paris, would furnish every 
facility for a rifle range, or the plain of Sartory, at Versailles, 
only a few miles distant from Paris, would be equally avail- 
able. We should very much favor some kind of a rifle 
match in Paris, and we are pretty sure our American riflemen 
would show well to the front. Will our friends of the CJiasse 
IUustrcc show their accustomed energy and bring the matter 
into prominence. 
New Haven (Conn.) Rifle. Association. —At Quinnipiac 
range, Feb. 7 ; no prize matches, the time being principally 
taken up in practice. But part of the members entered for 
the two gold badges, the result of which was as follows : 
For All-Comers’ Badge. 
4 4 6 
6 
corporating tho association had passed the Assembly. T e 
proposed range at Elizabethport was 1,500 feet wide at the 
south end, and 300 feet wide at the north cud. Its extreme 
length was 3,500 feet. Another range “on the other side oi 
Bergen Hill, Major Fulton said, was as large as would he re- 
quired, and could he obtained for the sum of $1 a year, it is 
accessible by seven different lines of railroads. 
Utah Rifle Association.— At a meeting, held Jan. 31, at 
Salt Lake City, a territorial rifle association was organized. 
Communications from the Corinne. Springville and Beaver 
rifle clubs were received, all expressing their fullest sympathy 
with the association. G. A. Mears was elected president, J. 
A. Groeshcck, vice-president ; J. H. Latey, treasurer, aud r . 
J. Evans, secretary. 
SHOOTING RUNNING DEER. 
Dr A Rilckholilt 
CZ Gordon 4 4 
J E Stetson 4 4 
4 
4 
4 
6 
4 
3 
4—4-' 
4—12 
4—40 
4—40 
4—30 
4—33 
4—31 
0—29 
E A Folsom 6 
W E Story 3 4 4 
F Doersctiuck 2 4 4 
SRSailtU 0 6 3 3 3 4 
A Allen 3 4 4 4 4 4 
FC BroDsou 3 3 3 4 4 3 
For Military Badgo. 
*200 yards. BOO yards. T’l 
J E Stetson 4 4 4 5 3 4 6-29 3 4 3 4 6 6 6—29—58 
8 R Smltll 3 2 4 4 4 3 4-25 5 6 6 3 2 3 4-27—53 
F C Bronson 3 3 6 4 4 6 4 — 28 3 3 4 3 3 4 4 — 24 — 52 
CE Fowler 4 6 3 3 4 4 4-21 4 3 2 3 2 3 4—21— 4S 
E A Folsom.'. 4 5 6 3 2 3 3-23 4 3 2 2 4 6 2-22-17 
t Allen 4 4 3 4 4 4 2—24 0 2 5 3 0 5 6-20-46 
F Doerschnck 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 — 24 8 3 3 6 2 3 0 — 19—43 
The best score out of a possible 50 was made by W. E. 
Story, as follows: 655444 5 55 5 — 47. 
At the Bame range, seven shots to a score, the following 
were among the best shots : 
j 3 
c Z Gordon 3 
R M Walker 3 
6 4 4 4-31 
4 6 4 8—30 
4 4 4 3—27 
F. M. L. 
Calico Hop. — On Feb. 26 the New York Schutzen Corps 
will indulge in a dance and the usual festivities at the Ger- 
mania Assembly Rooms, 291 and 293 Bowery. 
Spring Meeting at Creedmoor.— The regular meeting of 
the N. R. A. of America was held on Tuesday. In our next 
iasue we will publish the programme in full. 
Jr , Feb. 2.— Match for $100 in gold at 260 
Cbkedmoor, 
Broadway : 
C E Blydenbnrgb 6 4 
W M Farrow 3 5 
Fred Alder 5 4 
H W Gourley 5 4 
DFDavldB 4 6 
Blydenburgh 6 5 
FH Holton 5 6 
J W Todd .5 6 
L Bird 6 4 
WM Farrow 3 6 
F Jones 4 5 
C Johnson — - 6 8 
Gen F V Milieu 3 4 
GLeo 6 5 
EH Sanford 5 4 
D Banks — 6 4 
F .Johns...,. 0 4 
A Steele 3 4 
6-47 
4— 47 
3— 45 
2- 45 
5— 44 
4- 41 
4-44 
6— 43 
4—43 
6-43 
3- 43 
6—43 
4- 12 
4—42 
6-41 
6-41 
8—11 
3 — 33 
Grohman’s Gallery.— Fourth weekly practice; the follow- 
ng scores were made (100 feet, .22-cal. rifle, off-hand, 10 
ihots) on Friday, Feb. 8, at Grohman's, 1,581 Third avenue: 
G See 4 
M Ratley 4 
J R Grohman 4 
I* McMorrow 6 
6 4 4 3 4 
8 4 4 4 4 
3 3 4 5 5 
4 4 3 3 6 
5 6 
6 6 
4 6 
4 4 
5 4-43 
4 6-42 
3 6-41 
4 4—40 
A few others made less than 40 ; scores omitted. 
At the fifth competition, Paulding match, the following 
scores were made (100 varde, any rifle, off-hand, 15 6hotsT 
on Saturday, Feb. 9, at Washington Park. 
J R Grohman 4 4664464444644 3—63 
W W Dodge 34444444434448 4—38 
P McMorrow 5 44433403634 3‘4 4-5S 
O Kclz 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 8 4 3 4 3 4 4 4-60 
J J Reilly 0 6644643064444 4-56 
J L Padding ..w 
—The New Jersey State Rifle Association held their meet- 
ing last week. Col. E. H. Wright, the president, in the chair 
Mr. Man, Chairman on legislation, reported that the bill in- 
REPLY TO ' 1 PEEK-HUNTER. 
Miner's Ranche, San Diego County, Cal., Jan. 4, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
In your ieaue of Deo. 20 I notioe a slight exception taken by 
“Deer-Huuter" to my views of the distance necessary to Bhoot 
ahead of a running deer with a riflo. For this I am obliged to 
him, as it gives mo an opportunity to explain more fully what, for 
tho sake of brevity, I loft in my foVmer artioles too much to im- 
plication. I stated then that the distances given could not be relied 
upon, from tho impossibility of mailing a measurement, and that 
they were giving only as hints to aid others in learning it for 
themselves. What at fifty yards appears to me like four feot, 
might appear to another as only two feet, and be in reality three 
feet. Furthermore, I neglected to state that all my remarks ap- 
plied only to hitting in the heat place— the shoulder or JuBt be- 
hind, instead of tho paunch or haunoh, which latter may, of 
oourae, bo dono with mnoh less margin, aud whore the deer is 
close or running slow, without any. 
“ Deer-Hunter ” says : “ Few huutere will agree with me as to 
this distance, etc.” In this he is correct, and that is the main 
reason why there are so few good running shots with the rifle. 
The majority of running shots lu timber will be on doer, either 
driven toward one or sprung from their beds by very cautious 
still -hunting, and will he inside of fifty yards. The great ma- 
jority of rnns of the latter kind will also be quartering or straight 
away, and may unquestionably be generally struck without hold- 
ing off the deer. I do not claim that it’s always necessary insido 
of fifty yards to allow margiD, bat that it is generally necessary 
if you wish to hit the shoulder, absolutely so if the speed is great 
and always expedient. At sixty or seventy yards and over, this 
expediency becomes a necessity, unless the deer is running very 
6low. 
There is a difference in the speed of balls, a round or light coni- 
cal ball, with plenty of powder, travehng np to 100 yards much 
quicker than the ponderous bolt now so muob in vogue. But this 
difference is not enough to allow one to neglect holding ahead at 
any considerable distauco — say sixty or seventy yards or over— if 
the deer is under ordinary speed. 
I have never yet missed a deer by holding too far ahead 
although I have held as far as 10 feet on some lhat were killed 
But I have missed dozens aud dozens by holding on the body, 
although at short distances I have also hit them while bo holding 
<5n. And I repeat it, old hunters to the contrary notwithstand- 
ing (for many of whom, as practical men, I have tho greatest 
respect, and as companions and friends tho most pleasant recollec- 
tions and kindest regard), that tho distance ahead, necessary for 
good, successful shooting — not occasional hitting — is much greater 
than one would naturally suppose, or is supposed even by those 
who do occasionally hit. I base this statement not only upon 
large number of shots, both successful and unsuccessful, at deer 
in every possible form of running, but also at rolling wheels, 
running hares on dry ground, where every ball can be plainly 
seen to strike, birds Bkimming along water, etc. 
Three times this very year it has happened in trailing up a 
wounded deer that had had time allowed it to lie down, that it lay 
out of sight and sprung within fifteen or twenty yards of me, and 
started off at a lively pace. So olose were they, that, notwith- 
standing the number of times I have been deceived, it seemed so 
absurdly unnecessary to hold ahead that I did not do so. One 
running quartering got scratched on the off-ham, though I held 
on the near shoulder ; another, on which I had to make a snap- 
shot or none, though running broadside, had a hind-log broken ; 
and the other, nearly broadside, was missed, and I saw the dirt fly 
from the ground in line with his tail, but a few inches behind. 
Twice at deer, only walking, at seventy or eighty yards, I have 
hold a few inches ahead, and struck just iD the shoulder. In tjie 
former article I spoke of a deer coming in tho direction of an 11 
o'clock wind toward me, and firing at 75 yards so as to see a strip 
of daylight ahead of his breast, and striking in the middle. That 
was a mistake of either my pen or the compositor. Tho distance 
was only 35 yards, and the deer was not running extra fast either. 
That calculation was based upon a similar shot upon tho previous 
day— a fawn running away slanting, instead of toward mo, whioh 
I hit in the rump while holding on the shoulder. It would only 
weary the reader to give more instances, of which I remember 
many striking (not always on tho deer) ones. But the sum of my 
experience has been that, though a good standing shot with rifle 
aud good wing shot with shot-gun, I never could hit a deer at any 
distance until I commenced holding far ahead, and since then 
have had little trouble except on high jumps or irregular ground, 
which will bother any one. After missing scores of good chances, 
my eyes were fully opened only by shooting at a running wheel, to 
which I kindly recommend “Deer-Hunter" or any one else who 
wishes to solve tho “ lateral motion" question. 
The reasons why some “old hunters" will m>t agree with me 
(though I believe tho majority will) are those : Old hunters, es- 
pecially the real old Leather-stocking type, though the best fellows 
in the world, generally capital shots and good hunters, are often 
amazingly ignorant in the abstract of principles, which they im- 
pl-citly, but unconsciously, follow in practice. Though I have 
rarely been so happy as when smoking or talking with them round 
a backwood's log -fire after a day's hunt, enjoying their large- 
hearted hospitality, I know no class of men from whom so little 
can bo learned. 
Many are full of thoorios, and are implicit believers in nonsense, 
which their every-day's practice or a few moments' thought would 
show to be wrong. I scarooly know one (who owns a modern 
breech-loader of tho long or mid-range pattern who is not ready 
to swear on a stack of Bibles that it “holds up” (shoots level) 
forty rods, when in fact at 100 yards* tho ball drops six or eight 
inches below tho round ball of tho old muzzle-loader that lie has 
discarded. Tho majority— I do not refer to tho hunters of the 
plains— have about as muoh.idea of distauoo as a woman has. 
“That old buok "• — it's most always au “old buck “ I tiled 
yesterday " is always at least ' ‘ forty rod off.” I know some men 
whom I’ve hoard detail tho killing of [dozens of deer, and it was 
almost invariably "fortyrodoff” or “sixty rod off." Tho faotis, that 
in timber, twenty rods^is a long shot, and more door are killed in- 
side of fifteen rods than over it. Some of the best hunters 1 ever 
knew had filed oat tho half-cook notch, “ booauso it was danger- 
ous" to carry it so, and I’ll hot “ Deer-Huntor” that to-day, iu 
the Wisconsin baokwoods, he will find tho majority of tho old 
muzzle-loading rifles so fixed. Tho nearest I over camo to getting 
a thrashing was in a quarrel with a first-class hunter, of tho real 
old style, for carrying my riflo at half-cook, when a mule could 
hardly pull it off. Ho argued that if it caught iu brush and waB 
pulled back, that the notch of tho “tumbler" would paSB tho 
“dog " (isn’t it?) In its descont, and.lot the hammor fall ou tho 
cap. And afterward, in discussing tho point before sovoral 
others at a turkey shoot, ho was backed up by the roBt, and they 
only “oavod’’ when I offered to give my rifle to any one who 
could fire it in that way, aud they actually tried it. These are only 
a few samples. 
t Now, most of the shooting these men have done is at standing 
game. But few of them are good running shots, but some are 
splendid ones. But nearly all their experience has boon in tim- 
ber, at very short distances, on deer at a moderate gait, and with 
round balls. Of course many such (shots can be hit by holding 
“ on the shoulder, low,’’ as “ Deor-Hnuter ’’ says ; bnt they make 
no account of the number they don’t hit, nor of those that are 
struck in the paunch or haunch instead of shoulder. 
Moreover, I am satisfied that they often hold a little ahead with- 
out knowing it. Some do know it, aud avow, as I do, that it's the 
only true way to success. But I know that others say they do 
not. It may seem absurd to say that a man can shoot ahead with- 
-out knowing it. But it is not strange when wo recolleot how a 
preconceived theory will ofton influence our observation of the 
simplest facts. A man knows that his Sharps or Maynard or Rem- 
ington holds up higher at 300 yards aud over than his old muzzle- 
loader and round ball. Therefore, it holds up higher all the way. 
This is the whole basis of this belief, to which many cling with au 
utter blindness to facts, or the plain principle of low initial 
velocity from weight of the long-range ball. Just so with some 
running shots. They have the “lateral-motion" theory in their 
heads, and unconsciously argue thus: "The motion of the gun 
carries the bullet ahead, therefore it's ^unnecessary to shoot ahood. 
Therefore I don’t.” 
Now, this may seem too ridioulons, bat I have heard it not only 
from riflemen, bnt from Beveral first-class dock shots. One of 
the beat shots I ever knew, and one of the best friends I over had, 
used to swear positively that he never held ahead, because the 
motion of the gun was sufficient; while I, shooting by his side, 
had to bold from one to three feet ahead in crossing shots, and 
never could touoh a crossing duok at over 30 yards by holding di- 
rectly on. 
In this “lateral-motion ” idea, which I see “ Deor-Hnnter " has, 
a very- natural mistake is made. The motion of tho barrel, as a 
radius vector (like a wheel-spoke), is mistaken for a lateral, equal 
motion of the whole oylinder, whioh forms the bore. In the latter 
case the ball partakes of both motions, and its actual motion iu 
space is that of the diagonal of a long narrow parallelogram, 
built upon the line of fire and the line of lateral motion. Thus, 
if a ball were fired from one railroad car to another, both at same 
speed, It would strike a target on the other the same as if both 
were at rest (allowing of course for wind), just as an apple tossed 
up in the car returns to the hand again. Here tho path of both 
ball and apple, though apparently straight, is not so in fact. 
But where the gun Is simply moved on a pivot at its breech, 
the ball pursues a straight line. If it were not so, a hall thrown 
from a light tube, by a whirling motion by hand, would be plainly 
seen to take a crooked path in tho air. And, if this wore true 
the great host of authorities, who tell ns we must 6hoot ahead 
with a shot-gun on crossing birds, would be in error. Au old 
hunter onoe undertook to explain this away to me by saying a 
rifle ball was so muoh swifter than shot. But for forty or fifty 
yards, a gun, properly loaded for duoks, heavy with powder and 
light with shot, gives about as high velooity to heavy shot as lhat 
of a round rifle ball, and higher than that of a loag slug. 
If holding on were sufficient, how could such a riflemen as Col. 
Gildereleeve have missed, as he did on his first trial last spring, 
twelve shots ont of thirteen at the Creedmoor running-deer tar- 
get, at only 100 yards- a target that moved with a smooth, evon 
glide, on tramways, and whore the conditions of every shot were 
all alike, and the speed very slow ? Tho Colonel could certainly 
hold hie eights on its shoulder through that kind of motion, and 
if “lateral motion" were sufficient he surely would not have 
missed tho whole body. 
“Deer-hunter’’ says, “.Others Affirm that tho best way is to 
carry tho aim ahoad of the doer, and when ho jumps into the 
sights pull . ” I have heard this often, and it cost me over a dozen 
as fine door as ever waved, with flaunting handkerchiefs, farewell 
to a mortified banter, to satisfy mo that it is worthless. When ho 
jumps into tho sight is just too lato, uoloss very close, as any ouo 
can find out by making a swinging target, and resting tho riflo, with 
a board so fixed that ho cannot possibly boo tho target until it 
swlngB into the sights. Tho fact is that thoao who shoot success- 
fully this way— and thoro aro many who do— pull just boforo ho 
Jumps into the sights, although somo say aud, I boliove, roally 
think that they do not. But the strongest proof lies in tho state- 
ment itself. Why cany the sight ahoad of the deer at all, unless 
for tho purpose of shooting ahead ? Why resort to this bunglmg 
process when it’s so much oaeior aud more certain to draw di- 
rectly on him ? Where is the difference in effect between lettln* 
tho deer Jump into tho sights and making tho eights come ,' nD to 
tho doer. If ho could bo hit by either method, tho lattor would - 
be by far tho most acourate. Tho very fact that tho lattor way 
won’t work proves that the othor must bo different from it. 
Ho »»ye, " When tho doer roaches ground ho is praotioully in a 
