150 
FOREST AND STREAM 
her Attention to It. She then picked It up aud save It me, saving me the 
trouble of dismounting. 
1 had one dog lu England who always accompanied me when trout 
Ashing: he nsed 10 take charge of my basket, currying It from point to 
point; and If my line got caught In anything In the water that ho could 
bring ont, he would do so. 
There are a great many different strains of these dogs, some of which 
are very faulty; so. before taking the tronble to train one, I should 
advise anyone to make sure that his pup Is Intelligent, tendor-monthed, 
mute, and has a flrtt-clu s nose. Ibex. 
DOG FARES. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Dog fane on Pa. Central. Philadelphia to Pittsburg, are SI '0 each; on 
the three lines between Pittsburg and St. Louis, 51 50 for each dog, or 
from Philadelphia to 9t Louis, the regular fare for one dog Is $6. On 
roads west of St. Lonls the fare averaged the same. 
The care given the dogs by baggage masters, feeding, watorlng, Iraus- } 
ferring to other roiul* in the night, and other necessary attention, was 1 
excellent and ill that could lie desired. Wo were fastidiously particular ! 
as to the proper care of our dogs, and through all the various baggage J 
men's hands which they passed there was nothing to except to, hut I 
everything to commend. C. S. B. j 
The gentleman to whom we arc indebted for the above 
information, Mr. C. S. Boutcher, lias prepared for private 
circulation a little book entitled “Notes of a Western 
Hunting Trip,” being an amusing and exceedingly interest- 
ing account of a hunting expedition in Missouri, Kansas, 
and the Indian Territory in the Winter of 1874. The illus- 
trations are unique and remind us somewhat of poor 
Squibob’s attempts, but the information contained in the 
book is very valuable to sportsmen meditating trips in the 
same direction. 
§‘H>l c ‘ ,n(l §»»• 
GAME IN SEASON FOR APRIL. 
Snipe, Docks and Wild Fowl. 
[Under the head of “Game, and Pun in Seal'll" we can only speci- 
fy In general 'erm* [he several carle 'it*, because 'Jus laws of Stales vary 
to mucJi that were we to attempt to particularize we could do no lest 
than publish those entire tectum* that relate to the kinds of name in 
guss/lnn. Thu would rei/uire a great amount of our space.. In desig- 
nating game we are guided by the laws of nature, u/sm which all legis- 
lation is founded, and our readers would do well to provide themselves 
with the. law* of their respective States for constant reference. Otherwise, 
our attempt* to assist them will only create confusion A 
Game in Market. — Every week reduces the variety ex- 
posed for sale, and the assortment on the stalls is of the 
most meagre description. Ducks have ceased to come from 
Southern waters, and the canvas backs, red beads, etc., on 
sale are refrigerated birds. Brant are in better condition 
than any variety now received, and sell for $1 75@$2 per 
pair. Widgeon, broad bills, etc., are being received from 
the East end of Long Island in largo ^quantities, but are in 
very poor condition; they sell for 75 cents to $1 per pair. 
Geese are also killed in large quantities in the same locality ; 
price $1 50 each. English snipe from the West are 
coming In freely, but New Jersey and Maryland are 
supplying few birds; the former bring $3@$3 50 per do/., 
and the latter $4(f«$4 50. Plover $1. Wild pigeons are 
worth $1 25(&$1 50 per do/.., and, as the nesting season soon 
begins, but few more will be received. 
—A now Game Protective Club is now being formed in 
Washington City by the most respectable citizens, who 
will wield an influence that will ensure the enforcement 
of the present laws or Becure the passage of new ones, if 
necessary. Violation of law is more imprudent aud reck 
less iu the District of Columbia than most anywhere else. 
— According to the Dallas (Texas) Herald, Mr. Iledgeman 
Brown recently killed “two hundred and fifteen rico birds" 
at a single shot. lie fired one barrel of his gun only, which 
was loaded with flue bird shot. We wonder if the gun 
was one of the one and three quarter inch bores used by 
market shooters on the Potomac ? 
— On the 14th of January, 1875, a sportsman’s club was 
formed at Ferrisburgb, Vermont, the chief object of which 
is the enforcement of our game and fish laws. There is 
a broad field for missionary work in this line there, and the 
club hopes to accomplished some good. 
—The "Sank County Sportsman’s Club" of Wisconsin, 
was organized at Baraboo last month. It will encourage 
legitimate sport and protect game. Its ofllcers are R. M. 
Strong, President; Win. P. Barrett, Vice President; Muir 
Pointou, Secretary; Geo. Mertens, Treasurer. 
—The Huutcrs' Club of Lexington, Ky., was organized 
in 1870, and comprised originally twelve members, but a 
abort time since the number of members was increased to 
fifteen. Besides the usual contests in field spoils, the club 
has quarterly matches at the traps, iu April, July, October 
and December. The club has, since ils organization, been 
matched in contests at the traps with the Frankfort Club, 
which it beat; and in a home and home match with the 
Nimrod Club of Bourbon, of which the Hunters’ Club 
won the match at Lexington, and lost that at Paris. It 
also beat the Woodford Club in a match at gyros. 
New Jersey.— Kinsey's Ashley House, liainegat Inlet, 
April 10 .— Ducks are leaving fast and wlmt remain are 
wild. Brant still thick, .Joe Prcdmore killed nineteen on 
Monday; Theodore Predmore eighteen same day. Quite a 
number of geese here yet, but scarcely a day passes that 
wc do not see more or less Hocks take their long flight to 
the northward. In about ten duys more aud there will be 
nothing left but cripples. B. 
Massachusetts — Salem, Aprils. — Yesterday being “Fast 
Day," of course we bad to try the snipe, and I have the 
pleasure of informing you of the first and only bird taken 
this season thus fur by our “highly esteemed colored 
brother,” Chas. Fuller. For the benefit of those who shoot 
at Newbuivport, I would say the grounds are not yet in 
shooting order. Woodcock are along but not numerous. 
More anoa from “Teal.” 
Esse* Co., April 10.— Streams open and ice breaking up in 
the lakes and ponds. Numerous detached flocks of wild 
ducks passing over, low down, and manifesting an inclina- 
tion to alight. Wild geese have been in the Essex ponds; 
don't know of any being shot. 
Illinois. — Duck shooting on the Calumet is unusually 
good just now, and large numbers nf sportsmen are en- 
camped about the lakes, as well as along the Illinois River. 
Large bags are frequently made by the more skillful shots, 
but the game is extremely shy . — Chicago Field. 
Wisconsin , Barabpo, April 6 . — Pigeons are flying here 
and good bags have been mnde. R- M. S. 
—A reliable gentleman of this city ha3 hauded us the 
following abstract of ten days’ shooting at Bayou Teclie, 
Irish Bend, St. Mary’s Parish, Louisiana, and vouches for 
its accuracy: — 
ABSTRACT rn<>M GAME BOOK OF TUB SNlPEnT, NOVEMBER SHOOTING* 
1814, ONE GUN . 
Date 
English 
Snipe. 
Part- 
ridges, 
(Quail.) 
Wood- 
cock. 
Mores, 
Wood 
ducks. 
Total 
Ueud. 
November 14 
November 17 
November 19 
November 21 
November 2-1 
November 25 
November 17 1.. 
November 80....... 
Total, eight dnys. 
i 
4 
5 
.... 
"i‘ 
1 
.... 
139 
115 
208 
220 
228 
801 
208 
256 
1.662 
e 
1 
1 
2 
1,675 
December 1 
116 
■ 
3 
119 
December 16 
102 
5 
.... 
.... 
107 
Total, twodavs.. . 
218 
6 
.... 
3 
226 
Total, ten days. . . 
1.880 
14 
1 
1 
Iii aavon seasons, 410 days' shooting, 24,169 snipe (1,088 other kinds), 
25,267 head. 
— A pigeon shooting contest of unusual interest aud 
under peculiar conditions as to rules came off on Wednes- 
day last at Dexter’s, the grounds of the Long Island Shoot- 
ing Club, near East New York, L. I. The event was a 
match between Miles L. Johnson, of Robinsville. N. J., 
and Dr. B. W. Talbot, a veterinary surgeon, of this city, 
fifty birds each, thirty yards rise, sixty yards boundary, 1 J 
oz. shot, five traps, and $250 a side. Iu addition, it was 
stipulated that the gun should be held below the clbovy 
until the bird was on the wing, both barrels allowed; that 
each should find, trap and handle for the other, and that, 
instead of alternating the firing, ten birds should be shot at 
in succession. Each used ten bore guns, made by W. & C. 
Scott & Sons, of London. The birds were good, and the 
“gun below the elbow” business bothered both incu. The 
following is a summary : 
Dexter’s— Grounds of the Lono Island Shooting 
Club, near East New York, L. I., April 7, 1875— Pigeon 
Shooting.— Match of $500, play or pay, under the Long 
Island rules, with special provisions, fifty birds each, thirty 
yards rise, 60 yards boundary, li oz- shot, five traps, gun 
to be below the elbow until bird is on the wing, both 
barrels allowed, find traps and liaudlc for the other, and tun 
birds to be shot iu succession. 
Miles L. Johnson (B.)— 0 1 0* 0 1 0 0 1 1} 1, 1| 0 0 0* 
Oil If 1 0, 1 1 0 0* 1 1 If If 1 0, 0 1 0* 1 0 If 0 0 1 
0 , 1 0 1 0 0 1 If 1 0 If. Total, 50; killed, 27; missed, 
23. 
„ B. W. Talbot (B).-l 0 0* 0 1 1 0 If H If, 0 1 If 0 1 
1 0* If o 0*, 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1, 1 0 0* 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 
0 *. 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0. Total, 50; killed, 25; missed, 25. 
Time of shooting— Three hours and fifty miuutes. 
Judge for Johnson — Ira A. Paine. 
Judge for Talbot— Walter Ireland. 
Referee— Mr. Parks. 
• Fell dead ont of bounds 
t Killed with secon d barrel. ^ ^ ^ 
Louisville, Ky., April 9, 1675. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The shooting match came off yesterday at Greenland Race Course ac 
cording to programme, between Capt. Burton Bray, of Bowling Green, 
and Col. L. C. South, of Frankfort, 100 single birds, S'00 to the best 
shot. The wind was blowing a stiff breeze, but with all that a very good 
score was made by the victor. At the seventieth round Cnpt. Bray 
threw up the sponge, the score standing: Bray, missed £0, killed 14; South, 
missed 6, killed ti» The match seems to have been for the champion 
ship between the two localities, mid will hardly be considered ns deci 
sive, inasmuch as Cnpt. Bray had liurdly recovered from a term of ill- 
ness, thereby being nimble to meet the expectations of Ills friends us a 
good shot, and had taken the prize against Col. South on two occasions 
before this, but I don’t belleVe any one con get away with Col. South 
without a desperate effort. B. 

SUMMER WOODCOCK SHOOTING. 
Portland, Me., March 25, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
I see by your paper of Juuuary 23 that 1 have at least done one service 
to sportsmen by iny answer to “Check Cord,” viz.: 1 have stirred up 
“Sanez” to give his views to the public, aud (although differing from 
him) am glad of It, for 1 know him to be a keen lover of gun, dog mul 
rod. 1 am still “open to conviction” on the woodcock question, but do 
not think “Sanez" quite sane when he advocates “a general close time 
on game birds for New England from January 1 to October 1;" and 1 
think his words convey more than he tncuns, and that "Sanez” himself 
will own he does not wish to debar himself and friends the pleasure of 
an August day's sport on old Scarborough marsh among the yellow 
shanks, dowltchcrs, golden and upland plover. Wc have each had many 
a good day's sport there in the three months preceding October, aud lie, 
at least, has made too uiauy enviable bugs to wish now to forswear those 
days forever. 
“Sunez" says, first: "I think we should flud hotter sport and more 
birds if let alone until tho first of October;” and secondly, “and one 
day's sport on a mellow Autumn day Is worth more than a mouth of 
Summer shooting." As to ••firstly," 1 think you ure. wrong, “Sanez,” 
but us to “secondly,'' I second you most heartily, us to the pleasure, but 
answer me honestly, O, “Sanez!" when do we, poor fellows away “down 
East" here in Mulne, get the most of those poetically '•mellow Autumn 
days?" Is It not in September? aud although a few come now and then 
In October, are thoy not like angel visits, few and Tar between? Now, 
there are two ways of looking at this question of the proper close time 
for woodcock: First, lookiug at it us a resident of Maine and shooting 
woodcock in Maine, or not at all, St appears to me in this light: if the 
close time is Juuuary 1 to October 1, as ‘ Sanez" suggests, I must keep, 
pay tax or feed uiul trniu my dog during a whole year for the privilege of 
using him three weeks The first few times 1 must sacrifice my sport to 
iny dog, us bis yeur** abstinence will have rendered him wild aud ex- 
cited. The balance of the three weeks— after my dog has steadied down 
to honest work— I cuu enjoy and make the most of, provided 1 have 
nothing else to do, But suppose there i» som? other good sportsman 
here beside "Sanez" and myself, who cannot devoto so much of Oct- 
ober ns murks the stay of woodcock with ns, (say three weeks.) to seek- 
ing and shooting them, and suppose his business affairs are such that at 
the most ho can only spare ono day ont of a week for his gun and dog, 
how fares it with him? Why, he will get three days woodcock shooting 
per annum, (lor on average years woodcock shooting is over here by 
October 21st.) and those three days that this poor unfortunate does get 
are barely enough — not enough to get bis dog well broken into his work. 
Secondly, looking at what Is best for both game and sportsmen through- 
out the whole continent opens up a wider field for discussion and more 
mom for doubt. Speaking ‘-firstly," It would !»• answer enough to 
"Snnez's” proposition to say that the Atlantic Slates almost unanimously 
have fixed the close time on woodcock about the same ns our own, viz. : 
January 1 to July 4, and uniformity is worth more at this stage of our 
game laws and of public sentiment than conformity to all the actual re- 
quirements of the gnmotobc protected. But speaking "secondly,'' j 
am in some doubt whether or no wc, in Maine and Northern New Eng- 
land, ought not to sacrifice our woodcock shooting -brief ns It is— for 
the benefit of onr neighbors und the country at large, and might be in- 
clined to snv "yea." did I believe it would be of avail, Perhaps the time 
is coming, and I believe II is, when the people of this whole country will 
realize the value aud Importance of game, anil of ro ‘pectins and olincrv- 
Ine nil laws for its protection; yet, I know too well, as do all who arc in- 
terested in this matter, that that time has not conic as yet, aud Hint wc 
must teach people the importance of and necessity for strict game lows 
before they arc enacted, in order to have them avail much. Commence 
with close times too short rather than too long, lest yon rouse a feeling 
of opposition and thereby defeat ull laws on the subject. A moderate 
law, well enforced and having the sympathy of the whole community, is 
a thousand times hotter than a law so stringent ns to become unpopular 
and difficult of enforcement, holding out bribes to poachers by prohibit, 
lug the shooting of game out of breeding season and when fit for the 
table. 
The fact Is, legislation can do much, bnt not everything in this matter 
of protecting the denizens of our fields, forests and streams, audit ran 
do most and best by following tho laws of nature as to close lime, by 
prohibiting the killing of fnr, tin or feather during its breeding season, 
each according toils own season, and not go beyond that. Do not at- 
tempt to draw the lines too closely to try and regulate to n day the least 
possible time within which this or that game may be killed, bur rather to 
leave all the liberty to the sportsman that comports with safely to the 
game, and above all, do not attempt to prohibit the killing of game iu 
lawful sportsmanlike manner when the game is fit for the table nnddu 
good condition, ns by so doing you arc templing and provoking violations 
of the law and endangering the life of the law itself, or will at least find 
that public sentiment not supporting it, the law will become a dead 
letter, and the doors will be re-opened to general license and slaughter . 
The time may come when some of our game birds’ arc threatened with 
total extinction; then, and not until then, will it he well to extend tho 
close times beyond their iintnial limits, bnt, meanwhile, let every sports- 
man In onr fair land do what in him lies to awaken the whole people to 
the Iinporlance of having und obeying game laws. Organize associa- 
tions In every town and State, and establish on a sound basis an associa- 
tion to harmonize all laws, that onr birds may be protected from their 
Floridu feeding grounds to their Northern breeding places. 
Mac. 
BIG GUNS ON THE POTOMAC. 
Washington City, March 29, 1875 
Editor Forest and Stream : — 
In my last letter I illustrated, in the case of woodcock shooting, oin- 
poor prospects in the future for game, (aud I cun now add, for anything 
that has wings or fins, as you will perceive before I finish this letter,) un- 
less wc rise en masse nml hnve Congress, at its next session, to poes a 
stringent game law. To illustrate, I raw in a restaurant window, this 
week, a bunch of birds consisting of blue birds ami red birds Now, 1 
do not snppuse that there is a game law In existence that does not have 
hcn“ penalties for any one shooting these two birds. These birds nrc 
not fit tor food, but are guarded both by the law and by every farmer as 
destroyers of insects and Invie; and in some sections in this vicinity. I 
am happy to say. that any farmer catching any one shooting these birdsr 
especially the latter, would inllict a punishment on the violator, law or 
no law, that he would remember for some time in the future, aud so 
much so that they would avoid his place in the future, though it con- 
mined plenty of game birds. The mnle red bird has a plumage that has 
few If any superiors, und it Is an ornament to any country place to 
have u pair or two of these songsters to dwell in Its vicinity. 
In order to carry out our prospects In regnrd to fish. I need only add that 
I was Informed two days ago by one of the most skillful and successful 
followers of Isaac Walton in this vicinity, that no later than about 
two weeks ago a being having life, and nil the semblance of belonging to 
the human race, went to the vicinity of the Falls, (our great bass fishing 
place.) cat a hole in the ice, nnd as soon us the fish would come to the 
hole to get air he would scoop them up with a small hand net, und by 
Ibis means he seemed about eighty pounds of black bass. Now, it is 
known by everyone that Ibis fish is, at this season of the year, tasteless, 
poor and entirely unfit for food, and yet, for a small sum of money, or 
out or pure cuesedncss, this being is allowed to destroy the ti-li in this 
wanton way. I have not been able to mid out us yet how he di-posed of 
them, but suppose H was In the usual way, viz.: to take them to certain 
dealers in our principal market, who will sell yon, aud deliver aL short 
notice, if he 1ms not them on hand, any bird, no matter what may bo tho 
season of the year, and you can go to one or these dealers in May, and 
purchase quail, (purtrlilge.) or any of the various game birds, provided 
they breed in this vicinity. It Is hard to detect these dealers, as they 
do not have their goods exposed to the public, but know their customers 
and scud them word, so that few but the buyers know of these trans- 
actions. It is needless for us to take any steps, ns our laws are so loose 
nnd the fine so small that it would amount to nothing. Our hope is to 
have Congress at Its next session pass a law Imposing a line for any 
one having in their possession oirds or fish out of season, and to double 
rhe fine nt each and every conviction. I think by this means, and this 
alone, cun we put a stop to the outrages that are not only now commit- 
ted, but encouraged by a cluss of persons who think it something to bo 
proud of to be able to say that they had just h ft a table (in May) where 
they hud quail on toast. I do not exaggerate in the least, and I can tell 
you of plenty of cose* equally as bud. 
I said years ugo, (aud every day i* making stronger my saying,) that 
we have never prospered since the Penitoutiory was abolished In this 
district. 
I learned a few days ago that r party of gentlemen came here from the 
North to enjoy our duck shooting, for which the Potomac bus such n 
high reputation. .They decided to go to Glymout, about eighteen miles 
from here, us ducks, especially canvas backs, are so abundant. Their 
trip from here to there must have raised the highest expectations, for 
the river always contains plenty of ducks. They returned in a short 
time and said there were plenty of ducks, but there were Oroqnd tily- 
mont three deckers with big guns, Hint Is to say, with guns that shoot 
from one to three pounds of shot at a discharge. The fact of one big 
gnu, let alone three, toll* the whole tale, for H Is impossible to shoot 
ducks where one of these guns is in use. You will always find plenty 
of ducks at this place, as the river is three miles wide and two-thirds of 
It Is water from three to ten feet deep, and it is this shallow water that 
contains so much vallisneria. the food of the caucus back. These big 
gunners, lo the early part of the season, when the duck* first come, arc 
able to get good shots during the day, when at one discharge they will 
kill from twenty-live to one hundred und twenty ducks; but soon the 
ducks learn th*dr foe and It is impossible for a bojit to approach them. 
The big gunner has then to shoot Ilium just after sundown, or be/ore 
sunrise iu the morning. To uo this they get between the ducks nnd the 
