FOREST AND STREAM 
li 
whole party together did uot do half as well. Wo could see 
acres of ducks in the large lakes near, but could not approach 
them. There is a sportsman— a hunter, more properly speak- 
ing— here named Ed Lyman, who excels all the hunters in 
this section of country. In October and November he would 
go out, when others could scarcely make a bag of half a dozen 
chickens a day, and get from thirty to sixty. It riled some of 
our amateur hunters to get cleaned out so badly. On one occa- 
sion four concluded they would put in a good big day, go quite 
a distance, stay over night, get to work early in the morning, 
and return at night witb a pile of game. Lyman started early 
on the morning of the same day. The four returned with 
three chickins, chagrined and crestfallen ; Lyman came up to 
the scratch late in the eve with fifty-six. I saw them and 
counted them. The boys said he had a corn crib full of them 
somewhere away down in the country, and just went and 
shot a wagon load. I have been beaten so often by this same 
man that I have made up my mind that a hunter, like a poet, 
is born, not made. 
Now, a good many will say while reading this, “I’ll bet I 
could warm him up!" To such I would say, “Come next 
fall and try it.” Others will ask, “ How in the world does 
he beat you so badly ?’’ That’s just what we would like to 
know ourselves. I have gone out often with him. For in- 
stance, on the last trip the roads were fearful, and we did not 
expect to do anything, for it was only a week or two ago and 
chickens were wild as near the city as we had to hunt We 
S ot one each in the first cornfields. Then I hoped we should 
nd no more, for I wanted to be able to say, once at least, 
that I was up to Lvman. We separated. I went through 
just as good cornfields, had equally as good chances, and 
when we came together Ed hud seven and I had— none. 
One eve in November he rode out, and while a certain per- 
son held the horse, he went through our cornfield, and re- 
turned to the wagon with twenty clnckens— a big load and a 
big story for November. The most , of us give up hunting 
chickens after the flocks begin to pack In the fall. 
Now, you will be more astonished when I tell you that Ly- 
man shoots a CJ lbs. muzzle-loading gun, and uses No. 9 shot 
even for fall chicken-shooting. This is just as true as preach- 
ing, and if some of our Western chicken hunters feel a little 
beaten at such a report, we have been beaten worse many a 
time at this man’s wonderful success. I will add that Lyman 
is the best taxidermist I know of, and makes his living a 
mounting game birds and shooting game. Nimrod. 
CHILLED SHOT. 
Editor Forest and Strbam : N*w York, Feb. 3, is7S. 
In the interest of practical sporting, I desire to make a few comments 
on your article relative to the trial of hard chilled shot to yours of 31 st 
Jau. It Is unfortunate that different brandi of No. 7 old fashioned 
shot were mixed, as varying In the number of pellets to the ounce, and 
consequently in weight, the result or difference is not as accurately 
Bhown as it would have been If only one brand had been used. II 
would perhaps be well. In order that the merits of the different kinds, 
chilled, eto., may be better appreciated, to state that thespeclflc gravity 
of lead of which old-fashioned shot is made la 11.4 times as great as the 
aame bulk of distilled water, which Is the basis of all comparisons : 
while that of antimony, which Is mixed with lead In the manufacture of 
hard (chilled) shot, Is only 6.7 times as great. If you decrease the 
weight of your shot you shorten the range, and If you use hard metals 
- - ’ on ,D '- rea8e the number of Imperfect shot. An accurate count of 
Tathams soft shot, No. 7, gives 974 pellets to the ounce, which weigh 
440 grains. A similar number of their “7 ” hard chilled shot weigh 432 
grains, a decrease of 18 grains, a very marked difference. The English 
chilled run about the same as the American. You say : “ in the ljtf oz. 
of soft shot the pellets average some SS4, In chilled shot the number of 
pellets by vuamre were the same.” (The Italics are mine.) As the 
pellets of soft and hard shot will gauge the same If of the same number 
and diameter, thq hard (chilled) though “ by measure the same ” are In 
weight much less, 8S4 soft shot, No. 7, weighing 616 grains, and 3S4 hard 
(chilled) weighing only 693 grains, a difference of 23 grains ; yet. In the 
trial, the charge of powder (4 drachms) was the same. Now Is It reason- 
able to suppose that 4 drachms of powder, In a range of 40 yards, could 
make 616 grains of shot penetrate as far as 693 grains ? if it could, the 
old saying of “sending a boy on a man’s errand" must be revised 
Similar weights should have been used to Insure correct results. Last^ 
ly, you say : “ Soft shot being Jammed out of shape before leaving the 
muzzle of the gun, many fall short of the target or fly off out of range 
chilled shot retaining their spherical form, etc." This would be difficult 
to prove, as no one ever saw the condition of shot - before leaving the 
muzzle of the gun" after the powder wap Ignited. Plenty of your 
readers, however, have seen and felt good, round, old-fashioned shot 
in game when cooked. Would It not be more reasonable to ascribe the 
“falling short of the target or dying off out of range " to the fact that 
not enough powder, In proportion to the weight, was used with the 
■oft shot 1 
Of what use would penetration prove if your range is so shortened 
as not to reach the bird ; and yet this Is the result if hard (chilled) shot 
be used at long range. Either a sportsman must have two guns, one 
for long and the other for short range, or else the birds must bo induced 
to dy nearer than they have been In the habit of doing. 
Of what practical uso to sportsmen, In the light of these facts, Is 
hard (chilled) shot? Why do such eminent shots as Capt. Bogardus 
refuse to use It? In his matches. Including the breaking of 5,ooo glass 
balls, he used No. 8, old style shot. Do away with black lead polish 
which so fouls the gun and taints the game, and old-fashioned shot 
will be good enough. Yoiffs truly, h. W. Knowlton. 
THE “OLD GANG.” 
Forks? m s™, . 8. C„ J.D. .0, 1m. 
Dy way of introduction let me state that I am one of a hunting club, 
known as the “Old Gang," of twenty-dve years’ standing. 
At the commencement of the war, we were In our prime, and had all 
the fun and good hunting we wanted, but the cruel war knocked every- 
thing Into a cocked hat, and scattered the Old Gang. Most of them 
went Into the war, and did their best; some of them now sleep In the 
grave, and their old shot-guns are laid away, and kept sacred os family 
rollcs. Their mellow old horns, that have so often sounded to call the 
Gang around the death scenes of the old bucks, now hang on the gun- 
rack, a iid have long since been made mute by dlrt-daubers and spiders 
But the war Is done with, we are now at pence, and let us have peace I 
Our motto 19 now, “ To give the right hand of fellowship to every real 
good fellow that wo meet, regardless of his clime, aud both hands and 
a little of our * Irish eye-water,’ If he Is a Simon Pure. Jolly good hun- 
ter." Since the war our Gang has revived, and we have plenty of sport 
at times, notwithstanding that we are a very poor set of devils. 
Wo hunt deer, foxes, turkeys and partridges ; but have no deer or 
turkeys In our Immediate vicinity. We And deer, turkeys and wood- 
cock somewhat abundant In the lower section of our State, on the San- 
86 and Savunnah R lv m. Bisters’ Ferry, oil the Savannah, is tho mots 
desirable place, as deer, turkeys and woodcock are plentiful, and the 
place Is easy of access by steamboat. The grouud la well adapted to 
shooting, Sisters’ Ferry Is somewhat notable as the place where Sher- 
man and Kilpatrick crossed the Savannah River from Georgia Into 
South Carolina, about the lutter part of the war, with a desperate set of 
fellows under their lead, and created right amort consternation as they 
passed through the State. 
We keep a rousing line pack of hounds-when all together, about 
twenty-flve— and what we consider some , good pointers, and some 
crack shots ; no Bogardus, however, among us, and no Irish reds or 
Gordon setters. And, sir, if you should ever blander dowu Into the 
Palmetto State, with an Irish red and your breech-loader, and should 
have occasion to stop at the health-giving town of»Alken, ou the South 
Carolina Railroad, sixteen miles from the city of Augusta, In the great 
State of Georgia, Just Inquire for the Old Gang. You will have no 
trouble fluffing us, and we promise to carry you to Sisters’ Ferry, where 
you can try your hand at any gamo you wish, all through the roll, from 
an elght-snag buck down to a cat squlrrol ; and if you are not right 
lively, It will bother you smartly to turn down some of the Gang. 
Onh ok the Gang. 

SPRING AND SUMMER SHOOTING. 
Ambbicus, Go., Jan. 80, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
Allow me space to express gratification at seeing the article of M. J. 
Eagan on “ Spring and Summer Shooting." This la a subject we have 
long desired agitated, but dare not do It ourselves, as those who enjoy 
the sport should bring about the reform to make It successful. In the 
last few years the diminution of both snipe and ducks has been great, 
and every winter the number that comes to us grows alarmingly leas. 
We trust others, both North and Northwest, will zealously second the 
motion and save these precious game birds from total destruction. 
Permit me to add my item of observation on deer In this latitude. 
The running season here commences about Dec. 1, vary ing according 
*° the severity of the weather. The bucks shed theli horns In Feb. I 
saw a large buck last year-Feb. 27-wlth one antlor gone and the other 
hanging down by the size of his head. Shot. 
» <» ■ 
“BOONE” TO THE EDITOR. 
Mr Dear Mr. Hallock : 
Pardon the presumption of a subordinate addressing the Chief, In 
person, but when the Editor himself brings the afflatus on his corres- 
pondents, he must bear with their acknowledgment of It. 
First, on the part of the large shooting and Ashing fraternity— who, 
yon know, like Brutus, are all " honorable men"— I want to thank you 
for your “ Vacation Rambles.” He must needs be hard to please, as 
gunner or angler, or both, who cannot now, after you, And a satisfac- 
tory resort for his chosen diversion. And yet, I am not sure but that 
some poor fellow, pressed and kept at home by the ret angmi* domi 
—the straitened pocket, that no Silver Bill will relieve, for no man 
would like to pay even ninety cents on the dollar— I say, some such poor 
fellow will scarcely feel disinterested as he lays down the "Fistilug 
Tourist," the “Camp Life In Florida," the " Vacation Rambles," and 
sighs for himself while glad for another. Bat no I we will take on the 
generous spirit of our craft, nor grudge a brother what is denied to us ; 
and remember the high ordination of turn cu( omnia, not all things 
to any one, which permits us, the year round, to look forth on green 
woodB aud fields and grassy plains, while, the sarno year round, the 
Editor la immured In walls of brick, and walks over heated or frozen 
stone. 
Bat, when you do break forth, my dear sir, a man has need to draw 
on his seven-league boots to follow you I Now, In Michigan, then In 
Wisconsin ; then, while we are tracking you on the map, over the 
Father of Waters in Minnesota; then In Dakota, or threatening 16 - 
truly, when snug in your sanctum again, you must yourself feel as If all 
had been a dream. Except the upset ! We all sympathized with you 
In that, at the time, and our sympathy la renewed ou your own record 
of It. I could well feel for you, remembering a like catastrophe at 
midnight In tho rapids of the Raquette, when I waa too busy saving i 
comrade from drowning to be able to take much thought for myself 
another In the Sandusky marshes, my boat sinking, Inch by Inch, under 
me Into the treacherous moss-gross, with twenty feet of mud below ; 
no help in hearing, no form of man In sight ; alone, alone ; sinking, 
sinking, and Knowing it to be as fatal to plunge out into that waving 
grass, cUnglng to legs, to arms, to neck, as it would to throw yourself Into 
the hideous arms of the octopus— the longest ten minutes of my life. Yes, 
my dear sir, there was oue reader that could feel foryou.for he had ‘“been 
there I ” The gun, the tackle, tho equipage— how striking, at such a 
time, the old Roman word for baggage, (mpedimmto-that wus a shrewd 
loss 1 But a person of doubtful veracity told the truth once, “ Skin for 
skin, all that a man hath will he give for his life.” You came off with 
that, and more than yourself are thankful for It. I once raised an um- 
brella In a bark canoe to save paddling. My old OJlbwa guide grunted, 
"Too much bush for canoe, heap turn over I" I furled sail, and resumed 
the paddle. 
Bye the bye, Air. nallock, "speaking of the Father of Waters. I once 
heard an apostrophe to, him by poor Tom Marshall, which Is not In print, 
ami I want to record it In your columns. In his very last days, Jnat 
before the outbreak of the rebellion, notice was given that he would 
speak’ln St. James’ Hall, In Buffalo. He came In, intoxicated as usual, 
and supported by two friends. They gave him a table and a chair to 
prop on, and then began the wondrous talk : "They talk of secession, 
of division— how can these be In a couutry which Natnre herself has 
made eternally one I The Father of Waters, his head pillowed on tho 
snows of the Noith, his feet bathed in the tepid waters of tho Gulf— the 
conditions of health I-airetchtng out oue hand to the rtchea of the Alle- 
ghenies, and with the other, reaping to himself the gold and silver of 
the Mountains ! The Father of Waters, who can divide him 7 » The 
Intellect of man rose above the grandest work of Neture. and, for the 
moment, the shattered mind was more sublime than tbemtgh* stream. 
In short, thanks for your pleasant account of your varied trip. It will 
show many what Is open to honest fishers and gunners In this beaute- 
ous world, when leisure and means open the way. 
A lew words on other recent points of agreement. You notice the 20 
gauge Scott guns In your late visit to Schuyler, Hartley k Graham. 
Was It "Royal," — honor and peace to his memory— or was It " Re- 
capper,"— thanks that he Is yet with ns— who said that the gun for his 
use would be a 16 gauge, built to six pounds ? That preference and 
your own, as expressed for small gauges, are precisely mine. As you 
say of the rifle— that, for hunters and war. the magazine rifle will be tho 
rifle of the future— so, for uso over a dog, aud while birds will lie to a 
point, the small gauge shot-gun will be the gun of the future. While 
sweltering through our stubble-flolds and prairies last summer for 
grouse, I would often look at my 6-pound, 12 gauge, and ask myself, 
For shooting like this, what need of so much Iron as this T of so much 
wood to balance the Iron and bear the discharge 7 Where birds rise as 
set by your dog, at ten feet from your muzzle, and give you your choice 
up to 120 feet, wliat need of 4 drs. and l oz., with the weight to meet It, 
when 3 drs., at the outside, and \ oz. No. 10 is absolutely all needed T 8o 
of grouse till they flock, aud so, always, of woodcock, snipe and quail.” I 
And my thoughts went back to a beautiful little SO gauge mono of those 
wondrous English cases at tho great Exposition, and, under the August ' 
dcr'an . ? , * KUD ’ W,tMe “ lr0 " an *> ■«* WOOd. less now 
ttLT ' JH 8umcleut for M s »°t over a dog “57l 
Hr “ gU “ 88 1 and “ S 70U ae - scrlbe ’ 1 woaM u«o no other 
rim the Norm' T T an " lhv 1 " ucka * n<1 Reese emo on 
° me North. Then, of course, heavier metal, with a nroi.opiinn.t- 
!„. argC :^“!. tlleU :. t00 ’ tha bracing air and the braced nerve aid lnvlgo- 
ratod musete In their proportion. I do not wonder at your plewTre 
whoever buys a gun of these gentlemen, will have two pleasured 
chLe ^iy yim.'" 0 ° 0rre8 * ,n<lenco ““effing the pur- 
’ Boonh, 
PIGEON MATCHES. 
New Jersey— Flemington, Jan. 28.— The following is 
8 n COr R e ° ‘ match shot at Stockton, N. J„ January 2(5 for a 
Riiode^nVrut: tWclvechttQces ’ *3 each, five birds each! 
Wm Jack i i i i i_6 
L Case i i i i , r 
\ W Belts i iiii_8 
A Burroughs l 1 —2 
Dslrymple Ow — o 
KBnc i liii-s 
Gano , 
l 1 1 lw-I 
8 he PP ow J} 
Kiumomt ,,,, ow n 
. mi 1 1 OW -3 
.Ties on five. 
WmJack ow -o Kline „ 
LCase 1 Ow -l Delta V }} } J , 'T — ^ 
Delta won, killing ten straight birds. 
FoHowed hy sweepsUtkcs-SU to man shooting most 
straight birds ; first miss out. 
J?!? Branch Jan. 24.-M a tch bc tween E . Hart Haight 
of Allendale, and Henry Whtte, of Red Bank, at Wheeler's 
Driving Park, Eaton vilie, N. J; 40 birds, 21 yards rise 80 
yards boundary. Score: 1 se , w 
i?, n n frfh-o 1 ^ 1 ! 1 -^ 01101 11101 ^ id 
ifmWiVii Wo . 01111 ii,m 01 ooiii, id, 
T _. * E. 8. Q. 
kKNTUOKY-Zouwptto, Jan. 28. -Below I give you the 
shoot of the Louisville Gun Club, at the Jockey Club Grounds 
11-8 
11 — s 
11-8 
11-7 
10—8 
11—8 
Saturday, 26tb. First match, *50; ten Vmglo bi'rd^.^vanls 
rise, H and T traps : ’ J ur,ls 
J Van Cowling, Jr i , , , , 0 , , 
HS Gilmore ololioij {l? 
Second Match— $5 sweepstakes, 31 yards rise. 
W W Thompson t 1 1 1 1-6 J W Thompson. . ’ , , , „ „ . 
J V Cowling, Jr 1 110 1-4 Jno S Noyes. o n ? 
Jos Griffith o 1110-3 1 1 0 1 !-3 
Third Match-$5 sweepstake, 21 yards rise, miss and out 
? S 0 J v Jr I,-/, 
Dr J W Bed ford u I 0 -s 
Fourth Match— Same as last. 
H 8 Gilmore 1 111110-0 Jos Gr.mth 1 1 1 1 l ] i_ r 
Fifth Match— Hive double birds, *5 entrance. 18 yards ri« ( . 
Dr JW Bedford ]n ,, , n ‘ 
JW Thompson ,, . , ’ 
Jno M Barton „„ 
Ties shot off at ono pair. 
DrJW Bedford „ u 
T SV Thompson tow 
WW Thompson iow 
J V Cowilog, Jr n ii 
J M Barbour oow 
This match created a great deal of excitement, and the en- 
thusiasm at times was immense. The birds were all hard 
ones, and stronger than any the club has hitherto shot at 
The score shows excellent work by alL 
J. V. Cowlino, Jn., President. 
Waco (Texas) Gun Club, Jan. 18.-Side match, fifteen 
balls each. Score : 
Captain McCall’s Team. 
McCall l ooooiooioiiiio— 7 — 
J Thompson l lliooiiiiioii l-i* 
Almond l 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 110 1 1-9 
o i 1 1 o i o 1 1 o 1 1 1 1 1 — I, 
J Garland l loiiiooiiooioo s 
Cresap 1 11 00 I 0 0 l 0 1 0 1 0 0 - 
Captain Thompson’s Team. 
Thompson l lioiiiiioiioi l-u 
Lane 1 loioiliioiiio 0 II 
McCulloch 0 1011110001010 o— 7 
8 Garland 0 1110101110111 O-lo 
Downs 0 11011M110110 0 — lu 
Gerald 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 I 1 1 0 1 I 1 0 — i-69 
Second Match— Five balls. 
it li n ii n -j 4 
u n li it io — ,3 
Thompson l i i i ,-s 
Lane... o 1 1 I 0—3 
McCulloch o 1 0 1 1—3 
Dowus 1 l 1 1 1—5 
Gerald l o 1 0 1 — 3 — 19 
Waco. 
North westebn SnoonNG Clob— Eric, ra., Jan. 21. — 
First regular shoot for the champion gold badge. Score ; 
McCall 1 110 0-3 
Thompson 1 0 I 0 1—3 
Almond 1 1111-6 
Early 1 1111-8 
Creaap 1 110 1-4-20 
Johnnie Graham 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 l l i— io 
Tbeo. Jtreckl 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 l i l— ,o 
SS Burton 1 10111111 1 — j> 
H Vanvelsor I 11101 1111—9 
W W Derby 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 o 0 1— 8 
Charleo Flrch 110110,111— s 
W Tracy 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 o i o— 3 
Jake Giaham 1 10 0 111110—7 
Tim Lynch 1 oiliiiooi— 7 
Smith u 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1—6 
C Lynch 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ow — 6 
" Ross Thompson oiooooovii— 4 
G W Hayward o ooooo 1 oi 1—3 
Ties on ten. 
Graham 1 l 1 0 1—4 J&reckl 1 1 l l 0-4 
Graham 1 1 1 1 1-6 Jareckl I 1 1 1 1-6 
Graham 1 1 0 l 1—4 Jareckl l l 1 l 1-6 
Snifk. 
