58 
FOREST AND STREAM 
@<nt(c and 0 nn. 
GAME IN SEASON FOR MARCH. 
Snipe, Duck* mid Wild Fowl. 
I Under the head of "(Him*, ana fun in .Stas' n" me can inly ejirct- 
fuin aenrral term* (ht itveral varU'Ue, It can at 'he law* of Slant rary 
*o much dial wire we to attempt U> particularly we coula do no /<-<» 
than inMleh Hunt entire eecllone I hat rtlule to the Kind * of game in 
aiieellnn. Thl* would require a great amount of our 1" deng- 
niitinij gome we art guided In/ the law* of nature, u/Km which all lea!*- 
In/loii l« founded, nml our reailer* would do well to provide the meet ret 
with the law * of their ret/tcflne State* for coiwtanl reference. (JlherwUe, 
our attempt* to a*n*t them will onlv create ronfuMon. I 
Gamk in Market.— The commencement of the close 
season for quail and grouse has reduced the variety of 
game in market, and added to lire price of such descrip- 
tions ns remain. The first English snipe of the season 
have been received and are selling at $4 50(j'£$o 00 per dozen. 
Plover are worth the sume, and the little bay snipe and 
Canada bunting 75c@$l 00. Wild turkeys 30 cents per 
pound; canvas back duck $2@2 50 per pair; red beads 
$1 25@$l 50; milliards 75c@$l 00; widgeon 62c@75 cents; 
brant $t 50<®$2 00; wild geese *1 00@$l 50 each. Rab- 
bita 60c@75 cents; liarcs the same; squirrels 0c@10 cents 
each. Antelope 25c@30 cents per pound. 
—Sea fowl along the New England const are suffering for 
food in consequence of the frozen bays and estuaries cut 
ting off their supply of food, which they obtain in shallow 
water. Sportsmen say that ducks are so poor as to be al- 
most worthless. 
—Plenty of ducks are reported now on the Potomac and 
Chesapeake Waters. Several New York sportsmen have 
gone to Havre do Grace, Md. 
—The slaughter of great numbers of deer is reported 
from the country around Calais, Me. 
—Cariboo have become a favorite game in Nova Scotia, 
since the killing of moose is prohibited. A large number 
huve been taken the past season. The flesh is not con- 
sidered as eatiblc ns moose meat. 
—Three seals wero killed in Jamaica Bay, Long Island, 
during the late cold weather. One of them was shot on 
the ice by Alonzo Smith neap the Occanus Club House, and 
weighed 187 pounds. 
—The South Side Sportsmen’s Club, of Long Island, have 
elected the following officers for the ensuing year:— Presi- 
dent, John K. Hackclt; Vice President, Charles Banks; 
Secretary, Samuel Shaw; Treasurer, William M. Johnson; 
Counsel, John E. Devlin; Executive Committee, Samuel 
Shaw, E. S. Slalkuecht, Joseph Allen and Win. M Fliess. 
—A sportsmen’s club has been formed at Yonkers, this 
Slnte, and the following gentlemen have been elected of- 
ficers':— President, the Hon. Joseph Mnslin ; Vice President, 
I)r. Charles W. Torry; Secretary, J. II. Keeler; Treasurer, 
II. A. Sims; Counsel, A. J. Prime; Executive Committee, 
Edwin L Thomas, Joseph Reeve and Joseph O’Brien. 
Pennsylvania, Hamburg, Feb. nth.—' The destruction of 
rabbits in this section of Berks county was unusually great 
this season, but the law forbidding their destruction has 
been enforced since the 5th of the present month. * The 
great fall ol snow, and the intense cold weather during the 
present Winter, here, is almost unparalleled in the history 
of old Berks, and the destruction of young trees from the 
effects of rabbits peeling the bark, is a great drawback to 
pomology, many of the best trees being oftentimes entirely 
ruined from this source. These carnivorous quadrupeds 
intuit with no mercy from the hands of our sportsmen. 
That partridges arc again nearly exterminated in this sec- 
tion, is a fact which causes us much displeasure. The 
laws should have been enforced to the utmost extent, in 
which case we doubt whether we would be in the present 
lamentable predicament. English sparrows arc abundant 
in this town, nud afford the citizens continual gratification 
and amusement. Game of all descriptions, with the ex- 
ception of this herein noted, is senree, and for genuine 
sport we select the deer hunting grounds of Centre county, 
also in this State, where our desires are usually fulfilled. 
Pehe Nixon. 
Lauge Sale ok Fur.— A resident of Adams, Jefferson 
county, Now York, bus just sold his Fall collection of furs 
to a house in Loipsic, Germany, it consisting of 00,000 
muskrats, 3,000 pounds beaver, 2,000 marten, 250 fisher- 
amounting to about $35,000. It weighed over six tons. 
These goods were all bought within two months by Ibis 
man and his brother, principally in Canada. Many of the 
goods were brought out by his traders from beyond white 
civilization. He lias also sold to different parties in New 
York for home consumption ot her skins, such as minks, 
clc., in value about $20,000 worth. 
Missouri, St. Louie, Feb. 22.— Pin tail ducks, the first to 
come northward, are reported in the marshes opposite the 
city. This morning a heavy south wind lias set in, a sure 
sign of increasing temperature and good duck shooting in 
a few days. Snipe shooting this Spring will be some two 
weeks later, but good generally, as all the snipe grounds 
are covered with water. Ad. Paul. 
Kansas, Ddphoe, Feb. 22.— Our Winter still continues 
very severe, and unless grouse return in the Spring we shall 
he sadly in need of game birds. I found them (grouse) 
frozen in their beds quite often, and the few that attempted 
to winter in this section arc sadly less, in consequence of 
cold and starvation. Along our creeks, during the Fall, 
coveys of quail could be flu-hed every 100 yards, but re- 
cently in the course of a two miles stroll I found only one 
brood of eight, and it is very doubtful if they survive the 
Winter. G. H. B. 
—We printed last week the results of some vory interest- 
ing experiments, and shall give others from time to time. 
These practical tests are what we must rely upon for testi- 
mony. Comparative merits of different guus can be 
Judged of in this way to a very great extent . We append 
herewith some results obtained here by a well known ex- 
pert, in experimenting with muzzle and breech loading 
guns. 
We may state here that we havo several very valuable 
communications awaiting publication in our issue of March 
New York, February 26, 1875. 
Brin-on FonBHT and Stream:— j . . 
The other day 1 tested the comparative merit* of muzzle nnd breecn 
louden", using a fine 10 bore of each kind. The mmole loadtu shot a* 
fur mid ns strongly with two drachm* of powder a* the C. F. B. L. with 
four drachm* of same powder-d* or., of shot lu each rasO-and placed 
os ninny shot In the paper target. Thl* quite disappointed me and npset 
my previous notion* on the subject. Some of the distance* to ihe target 
were 135 yards, nnd the shot struck with micli force ns to flatten on n 
stone wall behind the target. Was nut (III* a great distance for n shot 
gun to carry V 
I shot over a hard frozen Held of mow nnd wn* thereby enabled to 
truce the distance lo which the wads nnd wire cartridges were carried I 
would recommend this mode of shooting over enow where practicable, 
us the experimenter 1* thereby enabled to see and toko notice of wlmt 
becomes Of the different ports of his chnrge as they be scattered over the 
white surface. Yours. Manhattan. 
Dittmak’s Wood Powder.— So much inquiry is being 
made as to the value of this new explosive, that a com- 
mittee of four gentlemen have very kindly volunteered to 
make for us a series of thorough experimental tests, that 
the results thereof may be given to the readers of Forest 
and Stream. We have supplied them with a can of the 
powder and some brass and paper ammunition, and await 
their report with some impatience, but with full confidence 
in the qualities and desirability of the powder. One ob- 
jection, we fear, to its use, will be its peculiar color and ap- 
pearance, which so resembles sawdust as to render its use 
and handling dangerous, even by tlic most thoughtful; 
while ignorant and careless people will be more likely than 
not lo throw a handful of it into the fire. It ought lo be 
dyed black. 
We append herewith some results obtained by a A\ a.slt- 
ington correspondent who lias kindly favored us therewith. 
His testimony is reliable, and therefore valuable:— 
Washington, D. C., February 35, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I first tried different charges, In order to see what would be*t suit my 
gun, m No 12 Scott* Son breech loader.) and found that your corres 
political, who first gave Ills experience, evidently dul not use a sufficient 
charge. 
The only drawback iu Ihe use of the Dittmar powder will be dlfllcully 
in measuring uniform charges, owing to its extreme lightness. 
One clinrgc was carefully measnred and deposited In a saucer, then 
covered with water uud placed near n stove overnight; by which means 
the water was evaporated, leaving the powder of a somewhat darker ap- 
pearance. 
This charge was afterwards fired, and to my surprise, the result showed 
no pcrcuptablc difference in its shooling qualities. 
I am so well pleased with Ihe result of my experiments that I Intend 
using the Dittmur powder exclusively In the future. 
PIGEON SHOOTING. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
In the New York Time* for January 31st, 1875. there Is an article en- 
titled "A Duy with Mr, Bcrgh,” which was well written and interesting, 
but l cannot agree to the last lines, which are as follows:— 
••Between the huger antique brutality nnd a more modern dandy 
SSS'mi Mjt. posUIMben- 
counters, next dog fights, then cock fights, nnd lastly pigeon shooting." 
The writer of the above should have added, "And we do hear of people 
so lost ns to Invent articles to slaughter creatures who huve human blood 
In their veins (nnd therefore must he relatives) by tho thousand." It, 
would not be necessary for him to add that these "relatives of oars" are 
known by various names, such ns "pest*," ‘Torments," Ac., and some- 
times us "tothundor with t hese mosquitos." 
Now. surely, this gentleman has no right to compare gladiatorial, 
bull, dog, nnd cock fights with pigeon shooting. If all the wounded 
MnL arc killed immediately (and 1 suppose such is the case) there can be 
no harm In it 1 think. The writer of the above did not specify what 
kind of pigeon shooting lie meant, but of course it was trap shooting. 
Now, 1 will compare this method with others tlrat I have seen. It is un- 
usual for two hundred birds to he shot nt In one match, and suppose 
one hundred and fifty arc killed nnd wounded, there Is the end of it. 
This Full I saw two men trapping pigeons in a buckwheat field; they 
had I lie pigeons under n lurge net, while they caught others with smaller 
ones, 1 did not stop to watch them, but came back soon and found them 
twisting the necks of tho birds and putting them In bags and throwing 
the lmgs In a wagon. I coaid see numbers fluttering on tho ground, and 
could sec ami hear others moving nnd uttering feeble cries In the bags 
that were full. "Why don't yon kill the birds?" said I. "Wehnvc’nt 
got time; we've got sixty dozen, nnd we can’t bother with them, besides 
they will bo deud by the lime they get to Baltimore," snid cue of the 
men. 
I have been to pigeon roosts where nil night I could hear the wound- 
ed birds fluttering and making most piteous noises, nnd where I could 
not walk three steps without either stepping on a wounded bird or else 
hear them slowly and painfully get ont of my way. Let the reader who 
has never been lo a roost read Fcnintore Cooper's "Chuin bearer," or 
•■Pioneers," until one gets sick at heart at Buell cruelly; but it is useless 
to talk to tlte scores of men nnd hoys who go to these slaughters. I know 
two men who killed 220 birds in one night, and the next day went over 
the same ground and found 87 more, most of whom were wounded and 
still alive. 
Which is the worst of these? Surely trap shooting is the height of 
humanity compared with the others. It is certainly more laudable for 
sportsmen to wish to kill their game scientifically, l ban to he like a gun- 
ner whom n friend of mine advised to shoot chain shot when he wanted 
to hit anything. I heard a man say a short time ago that he once saw 
eighteen quail under a log nnd killed all nt one shot before they could 
scatter. No sportsman would do that, for It is not only cruel but is not 
sportsmanlike, bat the saute man who would not do this would shoot at 
trap pigeons. If the wounded birds are not killed nt once, then It can 
be said to be a cruelty. Still, os Pope says:— 
Tls with our judgments ns our watches, none 
Go just alike, but each believes his own.” 
Allbohanv. 
LOADING GUNS. 
Port Richmond, February 23, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The regular shoot of the Association enme off on the 23d inst., on Die 
farm of Mr. Win. M. Crane, when a number of mutches and sweeps 
were decided, in which over four hundred birds were used, uud which 
drew together some five or six hondred people. I give herewith a few of 
the scores made:— 
Match nt ten birds each. $50 in the parse. 
Goor-C Baier. .0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0-4-L. Palmer . 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1—5 
*• ', $5. $3. 
...I 110U0i:i 
0111111111 
Jsh represented by 
Sweep nt ten birds each. *5 entrance-Sii'J 
[eon Barues. . 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 I George Truutes. 
ohu Llsh 0100100011 |Dr. Talbot. 
O* .>11. ..1 rtret mntthv TriililuU NlTnild. RllfllOH fill T<1 I 1 
Wm. Ilousmau. 
Match for $20 a side, noither party having ever shot a bird before; five 
» birds each. 
Llsh !• 0000; tic 1 1 0 killed 8-Anderson. .1* 0 0 00; tie 0 0 1 killed 2 
•Shot within hounds by outsiders. 
Sweep at five birds; $5 entrance; flrst and second money. 
Barnes 1 10 0 1—3 I Dr. Talbot 110 1 1—4 
John Bottling 1 1 i 1 1-5 I 
Bolding first money, $10; Tulbot second money, $5. 
Sweep at five bird* each; $5 entrance, best score taking all the stakes. 
Bnier 1 10 0 1—3 I J. Bokling 0 0 1 1 1—3 
L Bokling 1110 0—3 McCritulisk 0 0 11 0—2 
Palmer.. ... . 111)0-41 Vagts 1 0 1 0 0-2 
Wfferman 0 1 1 1 0 — 3 Raihjeu, ....... 1 1 10 0 3 
Botbjcn 1 1 1 0 0-8 | Vrclund 0 1 1 1 0-3 
Match nt ten birds each; $25 a side. 
V reland 0 110 11110 0-G - Ralhyeu. .. 0 0 1110 111 1-7 
All ihe above were shot under the rules of the Staten Island Shooting 
Association— 21 yards, 80 yards boundary, If ox shot. 
Respectfully, Mortimer. 
Russblvili.e, ICy., February 8, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream :— 
I notice in your issue of January 28th an article relative to loading 
guns, which covers part, but not . II of tho ground. Your correspondent 
"Royal." in laying so much stress upon the government of charges by 
the weight of tlte gun, has lost sight of a much more important consid- 
eration, viz: the calibre. While the recoil of a six nnd a half pound gun, 
10 bore. Is unpleasant, when charged with four drachms of powder, it is 
much more so when the same chnrge is fired from a gnn of like weight 
with a 12 bore. The smaller the bore of (he gnn the less the charge of 
both powdor and shot required, is u general rale, nnd all owners of guns 
should keep this In mind. Of course light guns will not stand ns heavy 
charging ns heavier ones; yet "Royal” will find that one number in the 
bore will more than make up the difference of one pound in the weight. 
“Royal” is certainly correct when he says that overcharging is a foe to 
steady shooting. I remember very distinctly my first day's shooting 
this season, ns an illustration of this. Iliad bought a new gun, and the 
dealer from whom I got it sent mo some shells ready loaded (I use (he 
paper shell) with it, all of which were overcharged. 1 1 xamined the con- 
tents of one before going out. uud thought them too heavily loaded, bat 
with the addition of a few which 1 charged myself in my belt, I started 
ont. Never will I forget that day's shooting and its effects. After ex- 
hausting the stock of shells which I had loaded myself, with pretty fair 
success as to gome, I began on the others. Then came my experience as 
to overcharging, with a vengeance. Two qnails out of three which rose 
before me dnring the entire day were splendidly missed, nnd my shoul- 
der beaten blnck and blue by tho excessive recoil of my gun. I use a 12 
here, seven nnd a hnlf pound gun, nnd charge it for quail or snipe with 
3j drachms of powder and 1 ounce of shot. Were 1 shooting ducks I 
should use ltalf a drachm more of powdor without any increase of tho 
shot. L H. 
SPRING SHOOTING ON LONG ISLAND. 
SUMMER WOODCOCK SHOOTING. 
Green'tort, February 29, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Fowl shooting in Pcconic and Gardiner’s Bays is good in the Fall sea- 
son, but very uncertain and unsatisfactory in the Spring. These bays 
are now scaled up with ice, but a week or two of mtld weather « ill re- 
open thorn. There arc a few coot and old squaws here In the few 
patches of open water, but not sufficient to make good shooting. There 
are some geese und wild fowl round Gardiner's Island and on Montauk 
in Spring, but they do not offer much soort. As the Great Pond, near 
Stratton's, on Montauk, is now open to the influx of lidos, the grass 
there Is destroyed, nnd fowl scarce at all times T think the chances 
would bo better at Osborne's, near Fort Pond, for some geese and duck 
shooting, and I think that place in Summer, say from the middle of July, 
would be good for buy snipe and plover shooting, and later for ducks. 
1 would recommend gunners in Spring to go to Shinnecock Bay, stopping 
at Van Squire's, or at William Foster’s, where they would find the geese 
and broad bills, nnd good accommodations. If they should establish 
themselves at Cuuoe -place on that bay, they would be handy enough to 
the shooting iR the bay, and convenient also to coot shooting in Peconic 
Bay, as the old tavern at Canoe-place stands midway between Peconic 
nnd Shinnecock Bays, and very near to both of them. With a battery In 
Peconic Bay, starting from Canoe-place, there would probably be good 
shooting on any moderate day for coot and old sqoaws and shellbacks. 
The bay snipe shooting in Spring at Shinnecock Bay is sometimes 
good In the month of May. 1 have in former years found good aecom- 
modniion* at very reasonable rates at Josh Corwin's, Tiana, west end of 
Shinnecock Bay, and handy to the beach for bay snipe. But I think the 
sport in Barnegnt Bay is better still for duck and snipe. The gunners 
will find good accommodations at BUI Chadwick’s, and by writing to 
him through Point Pleasant P. O , he will inform when the bay is open 
and the fowl on tho wing. But I have stopped also at Mrs. Ortley’ s, 
which is two mites south of Chadwick’s, nnd I think it a much better lo- 
cation for sport, nnd besides the best points and meadows nclong to her. 
and her price* are very moderate, though the table Is quite inferior to 
to that at Cbadw lek’s. If the fowl are here in any considerable numbers 
In Spring, sufficient to afford sport, 1 will Inform yon of it. Very 
truly yours, Isaac McLellax. 
This matter of regulating Summer woodcock shooting 
is somewhat complicated by tho fact that in several of the 
Western States there is no Fall shooting whatever, and un- 
less the sportsman shoots in Summer he cannot shoot at 
all. The subjoined letter bears upon this subject:— 
Hannibal, Mo., February 3, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
To abolish Summer woodcock shooting may be necessary to save the 
birds from extinction in the Eostorn States; but iu many places in Mis- 
souri and other Western States, to prevent Sammcr shooting would pre- 
vent it altogether, as the birds migrate from their breeding grounds, and 
excepting now and thou a bird, do not return in the Fall. Along the 
Mississippi bottom the birds raise in considerable numbers, and but few 
are killed in the Fall; nnd while the pursuit of them In the Summer re 
quires considerable fortitude to brave the musquitocs and extreme heat, 
it seems to be a kind of connecting link between the seusons for shoot- 
ing. I believe that the close season for grouse in Illinois, Missouri and 
Kansas, ought to be extended to the 20th or 30th of August, and for 
quail until the 15th of October. The open season should be ox tended in 
Illinois to February 1st, nnd Kansas laws should close at that time. I 
trust that this matter will receive earnest attention at the next meeting of 
the National Association. My reasons for extending the close seasons 
arc— first, that now there are many less than half-grown coveys when the 
season opens and they are very easily taken. 2d— thut there are, espe- 
cially in Kansas, thousands of grouse killed that are spoiled by the hot 
weather, and are of 110 benefit to any one. Such killing Is just as use- 
less slaughter as tho killing of buffalo and leaving them to the crows 
and coyotes. Tu the efforts made to save buds killed in the hot 
weather, many are sold that are not fit for the table. I know thut many 
parties go to Kansas and slaughter birds by the hundreds that, with the 
exception of what few they may use, nre thrown away. I think it was 
stated that twenty-four tons of game were ordered thrown into the river 
nt one lime last Fall by tho St. Loots Board of Health. The sportsmen 
m ist take hold of this matter at once, and In en-nest, or their occupation, 
jlke Othello's, will bo gone, JIkiihert* 
