FOREST AND STREAM, 
123 
DUCKING ON THE POTOMAC. 
MORE GUN TESTS. 
W ABniNGTos C'rrr, March 19. 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
It has been sometime since I mote to yon. and write now to let you ' 
know what we have beea doing In the way of sport. The Potomac has 
been frozen twice to Its month, an event I think that has seldom if ever 
happened before. During the Inst freeze I went to Acquta Creek with a 
gentlemen, ns 1 was informed that a good hole In the lco was open and 
that ducks were in abundance We reached there about two o'clock 
and found nbont two acres of water containing about two thousand 
ducks, most of them being canvass backs, with a few red uccks, black 
hoods and dippers. This was a eight that I have often wished for. and 
could hardly contain myself nt the thought that I was going to have 
shooting that could only happen ouoc or twice In a lifetime, where the 
prospects were so good and the ducks so numerous, for, while witnessing 
this sight, and in less than llfteon minutes after our aVrlval. or, to use 
the fashionable phrase, after the first sight of the Big Bonanza, we saw 
come In and alight two flocks of canvass bucks containing about fifty 
ducks each. About this time the owner of the .farm came and said he 
hod good shooting about four days previous, ana the ducks hud not been 
disturbed since then, and we ought to have all the shooting that mortals 
could wish. lie then took us to his boat, a small sloop, and showed us 
about 110 pair of ducks, most of them being canvass bocks. Some of 
these ducks waighed over seven pounds per pair, but I also noticed that 
some few were very poor, and supposed them to have been cripples. 
Well, we launched our boat, containing fifty decoys, two Scott breech 
loaders, two pairs of blankets, and two sheets and two pillows of hay. 
Yon, no doubt, will want to know what has blankets, sheets nnd pillows 
to do with duck shooting. Well, let me say to yonr readers that to shoot 
ducks from a hole In the Ice the best way to do Is to put your decoys out 
a* n proper distance In the water, make yonr bod on the Ice and then 
cover yourself with a sheet, and by this means the ducks will not see 
you, as you look like a hummock of ice, with which the river Is filled 
at every freeze. The pillow raises yonr head, so that jou will not 
have to make any movement, (until you raise to shoot ) Well, a* soon 
as we launched the boat all the ducks, except one small hunch of about 
forty, took to wing nnd went up and down the river. The stnnll bunch 
we managed to get a shot at nnd picked up six; hnt, I regret to sny, that 
not one pair weighed over five pounds, and wc had some that did not 
weigh a pound and a haif a piece. Wc then made our beds, put 
oat our decoys and had barely laid down when we had n dart and 
killed three, and we continued to shoot until In about un hour's time wo 
thought it time to gather what we hud shot and to get the cripples. Wc 
picked up about thirty, and I do not suppose all of them put together 
would have weighed over forty pounds at the most, nnd instead of shoot- 
ing ducks we had been shooting feathers. To continue to shoot under 
such circumstances would have been cruel, so we went home with sad 
steps with the only consolation that we had enough feathers to make 
pillows for the spare room, and now, Mr, Editor, If It Is ever your luck 
to visit us, nnd wc hope you will, you cun count upon It as a certainty 
that you will rest your heud on these blasted hopes of ours, but you can 
also rest nssured that all the lucks that we will have you shoot will be 
fat. The ducks wc had been shooting were nil cripples evidently, or 
they would have gone further South as soon ns the freeze had fnirly set 
In, as this hole at Acquin Creek was the only one I could learn of. This 
was the first time I ever shot over a hole In the Ice, and I can now see 
(hat It Is the kiug of the ways of shoollng ducks, nnd you will always 
get good ducks, provided you go and cut a hole ns soon as the freeze 
takes place, and not go when I did, after the river had been frozen for 
three weeks, but my excuse Is, thnt I started the next day after I was 
notified. 
The Ice left the river about two week9 ago, and now, in front of the 
city, the river is alive with docks by the thousand. Plenty of good 
shooting has been had, but now the ducks hnvo become wild, nnd it Is 
almost impossible to get within two hundred yards of them, and tticy 
have been decoyed so often that It is useless to set oat decoys. I regret 
to say that the scanty game laws that we have are a nullity, us they are 
never enforced; but I trust that before unother year passes wc will have 
snch Congressional action taken that no one will dnre to violate them nut 
once. 
I only learned yesterday thnt a party had shot about forty woodcock a 
few days ago, which were sold to a dealer for forty cents a piece, and 
this dealer sells them to the various foreign legations in this city. I 
should say that the woodcocks are at present laying, so you con imagine 
what our game prospects will be in the future unless these pot hunters 
are visited with the law, and not only this, but all who have birds In their 
possession out of season. Can yon not. In onr distress, send to Congress 
again from your city the Hon. R. B. RooseveltJ He is not only an honor 
to your city, but Is a friend to this city. 
Snipe made their appearance about ten days ago, hut becoming cold 
again they have ceased their flight. The various fishing shores have 
commenced operations, and in u week's time we will be sending you 
plenty of our Potomac shud. Duke. 
Blacksburg, Montgomery Co., Va., I 
March 22, 1876. ) 
Editor Forest and Stream :— 
Although upon the summit of the AHcghanies, nearly 4,000 feet above 
the level of the sea, we havo very good snipe Bhootinghere. Lust Spring 
I bagged one afternoon thirty-five snipe and one blue wing within 
three quarters of a mile of the town. The birds are in fine condition, 
do not breed hero and are therefore in season. On Saturday— day before 
yesterday — l took (ny gun to look in some marshy spots on the funn be- 
longing to Virginia Agricultural College to see whether snipe were arriv- 
ing here yet. I found five and bagged them all. At one point near a large 
apring I flushed two birds and killed them both with one barrel us they 
were crossing each other in tneir flight. My hat would have covert d 
them both as they fell; distance, fifty-one yards. To-day I was out again; 
saw eleven birds nnd killed nine. I flushed three birds In a ditch. 
They all strung ont in a line skimming along the water; I fired ut the 
leading bird and killed both It and the one next to and some six or eight 
feet behind it. The third fellow darted aside at the report of the gun 
and got behind a thorn bush, and when he came again In view was ap- 
parently out of shot, but I flted at him and brought him down quite 
dead; distance, eighty yurd*. I have shot snipe for twenty years, and 
killed many hundreds of them, but never before killed two with one 
bBtrel. I am now shooting a Clarke .t Sneider No. 10 gun : length of 
barrel, thirty inches; weight, eight and a half pounds; brass shell; three 
drachms No. 2 Hazard powder; ten ounces No. 8 (very inferior) Wythe- 
villeshol. In the Summer of 1808, about 10th of July, near Warren- 
ton, Va., I killed three woodcock with two bnrrels. I was on horseback 
when the dog came suddenly to a point, just In front of the horse. Dis- 
mounting quickly, just as my foot touched the ground I Mushed five 
woodcock, which seemed to scatter In all directions among the maple 
sapling. I quickly brought down one with my first barrel, atid turning 
to look for the others, I saw two of them about to pass between two 
post oaks growiRg from the same stump. From my position they were 
exactly In hue some thirty or forty feet apart, the leading bird flying six 
or eight inches higher than the other. I, of coarse, fired at the leader 
and killed both bird#. Doubtless other sportsmen have made snch shots 
at these birds, bnt I never Knew of its being done. I would like to say a 
word of the Clarke & Sselder gnn Before I ordered a gun I examined 
the guns of all the best makers known to the public. I considered the 
Sneider patent breech action the safest, most durable and convenient in 
use. The barrels of my gun are of my own selection, best English 
twist, which I consider the best material for barrels. I have shot many 
guns of various patterns made by the best maker* the world has known 
For all sorts of shooting I consider the Clarke & Sneider I am now using 
the best gnn I ever shot or «tw. With best wishes. 
Yonrs, Ac., E, 
_ _ Montreal, March 13 th. 1875 . 
Editor Foiucst and bTnr.An: - 
I have been amusing tnjrrelf the p»»t week testing the comparative 
ehootlng power* of several of my own and friends' gun*. One of m.v 
shooting chums brought up a Parker gun froiA Uo»ton lost month, and 
we teoted it against two *f my Gibb* guns and a W. mid C. Scott, alto 
nWebley. The result clearly proved the Parker to be an uncommonly 
good hard -hooting gun. giving above an average pattern, with first cl*** 
penetration. The Parker weight was nine pound*, tho two Gibb'* each 
eight pounds, and nil three ten bore; the Scott was twelve bore, eight 
pounds two ounces weight The result of the trial may he summed tip 
thus:— The Parker would give an equal pattern to the longer Glhhs, nnd 
take half n drachm to a drachm more powder; tho shorter Gibbs Just 
bent tho Scott, and thnt was all. 1 did not try to get such patterns a* you 
too nowaday* In the Ftritt; hnt wishing to know how tho guns would 
perform on ducks used heavy charge* of powder . To test tho quc-tlon 
of shells, I used metal 10 A. ‘s, and Ely’* paper; nl«o, paper cartridge* 
turned in or reamed, and paper creased, lit the Parker the best pattern* 
were made by the ordinary Ely shall, end* turned In. In the Gibb's guns 
by the creased cartridges. For convenience of handling, and neatness 
combined with clenullnoss, 1 must certainly throw my vote In favor of 
tho paper shell. Tho metal ones are nndoubtcdly much easier reloaded, 
hut are more bulky. Of course, they have an Immense advantage in 
cheapness, bnt to men who may not use over one or two thousand shells 
in the year Ely's brown, nt $10 a thousand, are Infinitely more conve 
nient to handle. I was much pleased with the performance of tho Par 
ker, nnd, though I have a good many guns, have ordered one ns n second 
gan for decoy shooting and long shot*. I notice thnt. like all guns on 
that principle of boring, It has n tendency to lead; but that I* a trilling 
objection when a wire brush 19 to be had. I enclose the scores. All nt 
target thirty inch circle, forty yards:— 
Parker, 10 bore, 9 pounds weight, 
30 Inch barrel, 
Gibbs, 10 bore. 8 pounds weight, 80 
Inch barrel, 
Metal shells, 4 dcm*.,R oz. 1 
IOI 
Paper shells, 4 drachms, R 
191 
Walker Parker & Co. o'- 
i)7 
ounce shot— turned In. 
No. 8 shot, English. | 
152 
108 
Average 
.107.00 
Average 
108 33 
Paper shells, 4 drachms, R 1 
121 
Paper shells, 4 drnrhms, R 
114 
ounce shot— turned In. r 
150 
ounce shot— creased. 
98 
j 
127 
132 
Average 
. 134.60 
Average 
114.00 
Paper shell*. 4 drnrhms. 11 1 
80 
Paper eliellOJ drachms, R 
133 
ouuce shot— creased, V 
HH 
ounce shot— turned in. 
153 
1 
153 
III 
Average 
.11!) 
Average 
l:i.*33 
Grand foul !?!, , 
I.t'81 
Grand total 
. 1 non 
Grand average 
.120.33 
Grand nverogo 
118.38 
W. & C. Scott, 12 bore, 8 pounds 2 
Gibbs, 10 bore, 8 pounds weight, 211 
ounce weight, 30 inch barrel. 
Inch barrel. 
Paper shells, 4 drachms, R i 
90 
Paper shells, 4 drachms, R 
100 
ounce shut — turned in. , 
101 
ounce *hot— turned In. 
1*8 
J 
78 
00 
Average 
. .1*1 00 
Average 
IK) 
Paper shells, 3J drachms, I 
80 
Paper ►hells, 3J drachms, 
139 
R ounce ohot— turned lit. > 
120 
R ounce shot— turned In. 
101 
51 
Average 
. 100.33 
Avenue 
. 103 
Grand total 
. . . 570 
Grand total . . 
.585 
Grand average — .... ... 
... 114 
Grand uvurage 
Paper shells, 4 drachms, R 
ounce shot— creased. 
Average 
..117 00 
00 
nr. 
109 
1)0.00 
Charges very exact, and all loaded by myself. Guns shot by Mr. Me 
Dougall, of Montreal Rifle Club, and myself. Royal. 
LAWS GOVERNING DUCK SHOOTING. 
Central New York, March 18, 1875, 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I notice in the report of the proceedings In your paper of tho last 
meeting of the Now York Association for the Protection of Game, n pe- 
tition from Long Island sportsmen to make the close season for ducks 
from May 1st to October 20ili. I infer that the petition Is Intended to 
apply only to Long island. Elsewhere throughout tills Slate 1 11111 In- 
clined to think that the law, as It now is In regard to duck shooting, Is 
generally satisfactory, and any alteration extending the close season 
would be objectionable. 
Comparatively few of the water fowl that eross this State In their mi- 
gratory flight atop In the Interior. Therefore, excepting on the northern 
border, nnd 011 tho Long Island coast, ducks are seldom plenty; not nu- 
merous enough elsewhere to hunt auceessfnlly with decoys, A few bluo 
wing teal nnd black ducks, the moat numerous of the kinds found in thin 
locality, begin to arrive about the let of September. Before tho middle 
of October the leal have gone further eonth, nnd the frost having lopped 
the wild rice, the black clucks— naturally llio wildest of all the duck kind 
—thereafter are not easily approached within the reach of allot guns. 
Coots, shell drake*, and other open water ducks arrive later hut do not 
tarry long here, leaving as aoou uo allot ut a few times. After the 2Uth of 
Oct. the weather in this latitude for the remainder of the Fall 11 larger 
part of the time is too windy and unpleasant to hunt ducks, except 
where decoys cun be used to advantage. The lust half of the Fall months 
being the best on Lung Island for duck shootlug, probably this proposed 
amendment rimy not, therefore, be much opposed, bnt here It. would find 
none in fuvor of It. Those who framed our present game laws evidently 
knew what was beat. 
I have been a resident of tills Stutu several years, am much of a sports- 
man, and my opinion Is thnt, in this locality nt least, no amendments to 
our present law in regard to ducks are necessary or desired. 1 am not 
In favor of Summer woodcock shooting. An amendment extending the 
close season for woodcock to September 1st I think would meet with 
little opposition. Shooting ducks in this State in the Spring I do not 
consider more objcciiouablo thuu to shoot them In March iu tile more fa- 
vored localities where they are more numerous, nud hunted more than 
half the year. Ducks arc so wild in the Spring that hut few are killed, 
excepiiug when decoys are used. Oi^ the riverain this State decoys lire 
of little use, and duck* ate hunted principally by "creeping" on them, 
us it Is called, in a small boat, which is very dlfilcull to do Iu the Spring, 
excepting among floating ice. Probably more waterfowl are killed on 
Long Island in the Spring than in all the rest of the State. Geese are 
very seldom shot on our interior waters. Yours truly, 
A. HUDSONIAN, Sit. 
SNOW SHOEING. 
Cumberland Co., N. S., March 17, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
To "Tramp, Va.,” who Inquires about enow shoes, I will say; I can 
teach him to walk with ease and speed in one hour, so that he can (if 
mude of the right stutl) march thirty miles, carrying from fifteen to 
thirty pounds of dunnage, every day In the week, and do It with more 
ease than he can twenty-fivo miles on tho best road In hi* State. Of 
course tnis means good snow shoeing, and no matter how hsd. one con 
moke fifteen miles per day. In Summer tramping my lira ha feel It most, 
hut in W inter, on "aliocs,'' with about the some load ulway*. the slioiil 
dvrs tire from the constant strain of tho lugging, but not Uic limbs. Wo 
account for it in this way: The strlda I* more uniform, no twitching of 
the ancli-s, springy and clastic under the foot, and mo»t ol all, the very 
long steps, the average among experts in timber land* being thirty-six 
loehes, and ofteu forty-five and forty-eight. The shoe* are not unwieldy, 
pnly weighing from three to five pound* per pair, nor I* it required to 
spread tho feet far apart, ns would seem, for In walking they pats one 
ovorihe other. If "Tramp" was only down h*re among tho moose with 
the quantity of snow wo havo. where you can run one down In half on 
hour, he would certainly think that they ore a good Institution; hut thnuks 
to the law that now protect* them, they are not much moloilcd, But. 
ALLKuur.XY CtTT, Pa., March 23, 1871. 
Editor Forest and Stream 
A shooting match among.! soma 
noon, the Sid. for n puree of 
Scoring as follows :~ 
amateur* took plnco yerienUr after • 
Each man shooting at 15 bird* each. 
F. Schlottor 
Dr. Kuochler 
Killed 
1 0 1 1 1 I n l | t 0 I <1 ( 1-10 
" 1 t u I I 0 1 0 l 0 0 0 '. 7 
.1 Wiland 
H. sti mb 
Wylund'a side beat by a bird* 
17 
lOlllotllllll 1— 
1 0 0 0 0 1 i 1 0 1 n 1 0 1 t— 8 
W. A F. 
Korron Forest and Stream: 
Clinton, III , March with, 1876. 
A shooting match took place hero to day between four of our amateur 
shot, nt twenty-five snow birds each, Burroughs and Boyd against Lewis 
nnd Llsonby. for a purso of |50; Iho latter to shoot at eighteen yards 
rl*e, and the former nt twenty-three yard*, eighty yards boundary. Tho 
snow was very deep, wind blowing quite hard, nnd thermometer stand- 
ing nt 14 * below zero. Notwithstanding these disadvantage*, s inrgo 
crowd was In attendance. Tho score wo* tin follows. - 
?oy<i niiooiiioiiiiioiioioiiot 1-17 
Lewi* 1 1 11 II 0 1 1 1 I 0 1 t 1 1 I 0 0 1 0 I 1 1 1 ) -pi 
Burroughs .1 1 1 0 I 1 0 I 11 0 I 1 0 I I I l I (I 1 0 I I ft — IK 
Llsonby . 0100001 1000 0 000. '01 I I 101 l 1-10 
A* will bo aeon, Burroughs nud Boyd killed tho most birds. Lewis ami 
Llsonby challenged them to shoot another match, aamo ns above, at leu 
bird* each, for tin oyster supper for tho party, which was accepted by Bur- 
roughs nud Boyd with the following result : — 
Boyd 0 110 110 111-71 Low I* . 001 10101 1 1-7 
Burroughs. 10 1 1 10 0 1 1 l — 7 1 Llsonby 1 1 0 l 0 0 '. 1 l l— 7 
Scorer nml referee, L. K, Malian, Judges, Thomas Bradtluld and S 
Shrlvar. 
We think till* was 11 very good score, ns none of the uliovo participants 
over shot a snow bird from a trap before . F, M. lluiinouoni. 
Pout Richmond, 8. 1,, March 90, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream: - 
A match nt snow birds cnmunfT on the farm of Mr. Oortlnndt Pnlmor, 
Jr,, Just buck of onr village, ou the 2 VI lust., biStveon tliroo members of 
the association nnd Mr. Clinton Chichester, of Danbury, Conn., for a 
purse of twenty-five dollars, divided In fir*i and second money. Messrs. 
Johnson and Vineland each shot 11 Moore «t Harris muzzle loader Mr. 
Rathyon, a Greener breech loader, nnd Me. Chichester a Grant breech 
loader. Day light and no wind. Sou summitry. 
Match at 10 snow bird* each, go yards rise, for a purse of $25 Stntou 
Island Association rules to govern 
J. F Ruth yen. ...111111111 1IO. Chlcliustor I 110100101 
C. M. Johnson. 1 l l 1 1 1 1 l l l|c. 8 Vlnolutid.l 1 t 0 0 1 1 0 l l 
Rnlliyon and Johnson divided money. Mortimer 
—An association of aportMinon and others linn been 
formed I 11 Juniuicu, L. 1, having for its objects Hie protec- 
tion of gnmo nnd tho enforcement of the laws relniing to 
hunting and tlahing.wilh tho following olllcera:— I'raaiucnl, 
O. H. Creed; Viec President, John Fleming, Socictury, 
Win. T, Elmendorf; Treasurer, Geo, W. Damon, Ex- 
ecutive Committee— John II. Smphin, Albert Wilkinson, 
John M. Crane, John H. Fosdlck, J nines r. Dnrcy, Win, H. 
Cogswell, nnd Theo, Rogers. It is proposed to have a 
snort rifle range, say 200 yards, for rifle prucllco nnd target 
shooting. Arrnngunionls have boon mude by some of the 
members to stock a number of farms iu this 'vicinity, (sny 
700 or 800 ncrea,) with quail, nnd they to hnvo thecxcluniva 
privilege of shooting over tho grounds, llioso enjoying tho 
privilege to he to Hie expense of Blocking nnd preserving 
Hie same. 
&lic T)oim ;u\d frapf. 
[From our own Correspondent ) 
NOTES FROM KENTUCKY. 
O NE should not come to lliin city without visiting Dm 
Woodburn farm, belonging to A. J. Alexander, Esq., 
tile grent stock raiser of Kentucky. It is situated about 
thirteen miles from hero, on tho Louisville Railroad, nt 
Spring station, in Woodford county. It is under tho able 
management of L. Iiroadliead, E*q , who lias become re 
now nod na tho ne plut ultra of stock breeder#. Mr. Alex- 
ander is spending the Winter in Florida, thereby leaving 
the whole charge of Ids extensive Interest with Mr. Kroad- 
licad. 
The farm contains something In tho neighborhood of 
three thousand acres of the celebrated blue grans land, willt 
hardly an acre unavailable. His stock of horse* numbers 
200 head, among which is found tho famous old thorough- 
bred Lexington, now twenty-live years old, anti as frisky 
as a colt, lie is In excellent trim, and has not looked bet- 
ter for some years. Of the thoroughbred stallions, next 
in order comes Imp. Australian, chestnut, fonled in '58, got 
by West Australian; then Planet, chestnut, by Revenue, 
foaled in '0,5; Asteroid, bay, foaled in '«f, by Lexington, 
and Glen Athol, chestnut, foaled in ’ill), got by Hlnir Athol, 
all of which were alone worth a trip from New York to 
Bee. 
The short horns number seventy, and the Alderney* 
thirty, among which arc some very lino animals, valued at 
from fifteen to forty thousand dollars. His annual sale 
will take place on the 28d of June, when, a* usual, a large 
gathering from ull quarters will lie expected. A greater 
spirit has never been exhibited throughout tho country 
than at present, and it is expected thnt a big rush or raid 
will he made rn Lexington during the sale, not only In 
tliis, but at nil others that take place during th» season, the 
catalogues of which will be forthcoming and published in 
the proper channels in good time. 
The first annual exhibition and tournament of tho Ken- 
tucky State Sportsmen's Association will be held nt Purls 
on Hie 10th, 10th, and 20th of May next, when prizes for 
clan* shooting will be given. A bench show of setters 
