1875 
11 
Quail in California- 
West Meriden, March 20. 
Editor op Rod and Gun: 
I never wrote a piece for a paper in my life, and don't know as I 
can, but if bunting and shooting are all that is necessary to make a 
man accomplished to write for a bportiog paper, I ought to get up 
something that will go, as 1 have hunted more or less for the last 
twenty-five years and was in the Rocky Mountains long before the 
Pacific Railroad was surveyed, killing all kinds of game that inhab 
its that country, and that was so plentiful at that time. I believ 
I have killed nearly all kinds of game that swims or flies between 
the two oceans. If I could write as well as some that write for your 
valuable paper, I could write a large book of my own experience 
The only thing that set me up to write this piece, was reading in 
your last issue, a piece beaded, ‘‘Protect the American Quail," by 
"Kecapper." In speaking of the quail of California, he aays,‘‘judgia 
by what naturalists tali us, there are two varieties of plumed quail 
there, that will never show sport for tbe sportsman, on account of 
their treeing up." Now I take It tlfat these two varieties are wbut 
are generally called Mountain and Valley quail. It is my opinion 
that tbe Mountain quail never will show much sport for the sports 
man, for you can never find them outside of the timber coontry, but 
tbe Valley quail can be found in as good open shooting as a man 
ever need wish for, and where there is no chance fur them to tree in 
such localities. They are as gamey a bird as ever a man could draw 
a bead on; there is no bird in tbe world that will lay better for a dog 
I have seen them with nothing but their heads and part of their 
body under a single leaf, and have caught them many a time with 
my hands Itom under a dog's nose. 
I remember of shooting with a friend one day, both shooting over 
one dog— for it was all we bad that was fit to w'ork, although we had 
three, two of them was lagged oat with hard hunting. My friend 
worked tbe dog, and part the time I shot with him and part the time 
I shot alone, making points for myself; we had got into topic good 
shooting; I started quite a ntmber of birds that separated from tbe 
main bevy, flew across some low ground aud went down. I marked 
down several that went Into some matted down brush. I crossed 
over, got on top of tbe brush. Jumped and stamped — not a bird 
could I start. I told my friend to come over with the dog and help 
me out of it; soon as the dog came to the brush heap, he came to a 
point, and at the w ord "Put 'em up," he brought out a snort that 
drove np two, then one or two more steps, and another point, so on 
we got eight or ten birds oat of that brush heap with the dog, that 1 
could not put up by stamping on. 
These birds inhabit countries where there is low brush that can be 
shotover handy, as prairie grass; where the largest bevies are to be 
found are near some deep canyon, and It requires an experienced 
band to make them lay outside of those places. I have started 
bevies of as many as two tbout^and at one time and did not get a bird. 
'Again, I have seen them lay three hours or more, and bad as hot 
shooting as a man could ask for. I was once shooting with a friend 
in the bluffs that He between Tomalus hay and Pattaluma, We 
started a large bevy that lay well; we shot about eighty birds and 
concluded we wonld get more by letting them rest awhile; also, give 
our doge a rest. I Cook my horse, rode seven miles to a town and 
back, found my companion asleep, awoke him by kicking ap two 
quail near him, making a doable shot killing both. We then took 
our dogs, went to work again, killing in all out of one bevy one 
hundred and fifty odd that day. I have bagged thirteen hundred of 
those birds in one month; that was some ten years ago, bat think 
there is splendid shooting there now. I believe there is more real 
aport for the sportsman In California, than any other slate; Che lay 
of the land, roughness of tbe country, etc., is so much different 
than in most parts of the United States, it is and always will be 
hard to exterminate the game. Reap George. 
To "Boone,” Greeting. 
Poughkeepsie, March 25. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
Through you I wish to shake hands with " Boone " for his article 
in the lest Sportsman, under the heading of ‘‘ Sporting Scenes," 
etc. 
If correBpondeats would generally adopt his suggestions in their 
letters for the public, it would go a great way towards removing the 
prejudice that exists in many minds in relation to field sports, camp- 
Ing-oiit, and the use of the gun and rod, as means of restoration fur 
the sedentary and the overworked of whatever calling. Profanity, 
whisky drinking, smoking, etc., have no necessary connection with 
the boat, gun or rod, and should no more be indulged in. in eeaeons 
of recreation, than while we are engaged in our regular vocation. 
In fact, they are worse than useless in the former, whatever use 
they may have in home life. 
Don. Verplanck Celvin gi es very strong testimany on this point 
in his valuable Report to the New York State Legislature, of his 
survey and exploration of tlie Adirondack wilderness. He says no 
intoxicating liqnors were used, or allowed to be taken into the 
woods by any of the party, not even the guides; and to this he at- 
tribntes. in a large measure, the success of the exploration, as well 
as freedom from difilcultics among tbe men. 
If stimulants were ever needed by any party It was by Mr. Col- 
vin's. If a party chooses to take a flask of whitky or brandy, no 
one need object; but if on their return, they brag of the bottle more 
than of their success as hunters or fishermen, it is gl(<rying in their 
shame and renders it quite evident they went fur a carouse, and not 
for recreation. I s'.t such a high value upon the "Woods and 
Water," as builders up of worn humanity, that it grieves di« to sea 
80 many kept at home becuti.'^e they think dissipation the usual at- 
tendant on camp life, and are not willing to pay for muscle with liak 
of morals. After an experience of many yeai ^i in *• field and flood," 
I am certain that neither whisky, tobacco nor any other stimulant 
Ms required to have a "good time" while camping out: and that 
those who use them do so because they like them, and to that I 
make complaint; only don’t think it smart to tell of it, especially 
in *' our paper." 
I trust "Boone " will keep his pen in use, for such writers owe a 
debt to the young men of our country not to be paid in greenbacks 
or gold. Should circumstances take me into the region of " Boone's" 
home. I shall try to shake hands with him in person; till then, ray 
best regards. J, H, R, i 
The Sparrows- 
Smithsonian, Washington, March 25. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
The above subject has pcen the recent theme of so many able 
pens than mine that I tremble at the thought of entering tbe lists 
against men armed with the weapons possessed by Rrs. Cones and 
Brewer. From the former I have nothing to fear as I write in sup 
port of his side of tbe argument. From tbe latter, however, I hav 
reason to expect an attack, not that this article is intended as 
challenge to that eminent Ornithologist, but because it touches very 
forcibly tbe strongest point of his defence cf the characters of hi 
English favorites. In reading over the controversy it appears to me 
that Dr. Brewer’s argument tests upon tbe assertion that the Intro 
duction of the English sparrows Into this country does not interfere 
in the least with the rights and privileges of our native birds. Be 
coming interested in tbe argument arising from this assertion, 
have taken every opportunity of observing tbe birds in and. about 
the parks of Washington and vicinity, but could discover nothing 
that would enable me to arriv€ at any definite conclusion until a few 
days ago. I am unable to say whether or not my inability to make 
any discovery rested on the fact that I saw verv few small birds, ex 
cept the English sparrows, although I rather think it did; they 
seemed to hav^e undisputed possession of every available locality 
within and about the city. But to return to my discovery. I was 
pa^^slng through the grounds of the Smithsonian Institute, that re 
sort of all birds, dead or alive, when my attention was arrested by 
slight splashing of water somewhere near me. Looking around, I 
discovered a song sparrow enjoying a comfortable and perfectly 
harmless bath in a little pool of stagnant water, near a small bush 
He looked very happy and was evidently enjoying himself to tbe 
fullest extent, when a sharp twittering caused him to raise his head 
and listen. There upon the bush close overhead, sat a rtpresenta 
live of a nation which since the memorable days of 1776 has been 
more or less inclined to be je ilcus of the privileges of the Ameri- 
cans. The combat soon commenced. The song sparrow was un 
willing to give up his refreshing bath, and the English sparrow, 
though not standing in absolute need of a wash, considered 
himself unclean for the sake of argument, and descending from his 
elevated position, " boldly waded in." For a few moments the bat 
tic raged with equal violence on both sides, but the spectators, con 
aisting, with the exception of myself, entirely of sparrows of the 
British race, becoming interested, the bffair soon assumed an nne 
Qual aspect. The little American saw his ca#e thoroughly, and con 
sidering " discretion the better part of valor," beat a gallant retreat 
covered with wounds and glory. The last I saw of him he w’as 
wending his aerial way toward the unfinished monument of the 
noble George Washington, pursued by a score of his opponents 
There is an an old saying that ‘*to see is to believe" and baying 
seen I am fully convinced of the fact that our little birds will enjoy 
DO rest while the English sparrow continues to increase and multi 
ply among them as It is now doing. S. M. K. 
Massachusetts Game L*ws- 
Salem, Mass., March 29. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
In your issue of March 27th, yon have an editorial on the hearin: 
before the "Committee on Agriculture " in relation to the petition 
of John Boydeu and others for a change of the game laws of Massa- 
chusetts, in which article you say: " From the first. It was piain 
from whence the opposition came (i. e. to a change of the laws) viz., 
the dealers in game and a certain clique who wish to indulge in early 
spring shooting;" and still farther on in the article you say: 
Credit is due Mr. Denton for making the best of the case, consid 
ering what he had to work upon bul the argument was ‘ too thin.' ' 
I was present at the meeting as one of tbe remonstrants to any 
change and judging from that meeting, both as regards numbers and 
expression of opinion, a very large majority were in favor of the 
present Game laws. And if there was present any clique ^ was 
the person** petitioning for a change. The present law' was the re- 
sult of much inquiry into the wishes of all classes, sportsmen, mar 
ket gunners, and game dealers, all of whom, I presume, have some 
rights which the others are bound to respect, and it was by mutual 
concession the final result, i. e. the present law's, was arrived at, A 
law which has been more respected by all classes than any we have 
had In Massachusetts. A law which all Masses will support and 
sustain, and I speak of this from personal knowledge, to-wit; du 
ring the la^t year I have been interested and engaged in sending the 
enclosed "extraqlsfrom the game laws of Massachusetts," published 
by the " Society for the protection of Useful Birds," both by mail, 
by town authorities, and by Chiefs of Police, I have a list of over 
sixty names comprising the large malority of Sportsmen around this 
county, and have been brought in contact with them, and I have yet 
to hear but one exprcBBion, i. e.: " It's the best game law we have 
ever had; 1 shall not break it, and shall use my best efforts to pre- 
vent others." The expression in this county. I believe, is but the 
echo of the expression of the Sportsmen of this Slate, and if a vote 
of Sportsmen could be taken oyer the State, I have no doubt it would 
be nearly unanimous for the present law. One objection urged 
against summer cock shooting w'as that a good many other birds 
were shot under cover of woodcock. I wish simply to say that I 
think sportsmen being deprived by the new law' from the u^e of the 
gun from January 1, to September 1, w'ould bo more apt to kill 
quail after September 1. and they would be a much more shootable 
bird then than in July. tVrtainly you must admit that the tempta 
lion, owing to the bird being larger, is In the new law. 
Supposing we don't have any summer shooting. Who gels the 
woodcock raised about henj? Certainly we do not. Perhaps 8om< 
of the Springfield or Worcester sportsmen have discovered that 
Westward the flight of woodcock takes its way." Now, if those 
gentlemen up in Hampden and Worcester counties wish to increase 
the woodcock, they must have laws passed prohibiting the cutting 
dowTi of alders, birch, etc., the draining of swamps or meadows, 
and aiTCi-t the tide of emigration westward, for yon very well know 
that the woodcock follow civilization. They must also decrease the 
number of gunners by some law , As an instance of what farm im* 
provemerl will do, I will relate the following which has come under 
my own observation. On a farm in this neighborhood tweiify-five 
ears ago, forty ct>ck have been flushed in a day; non you niighi 
possibly find one brood. Was tbe.reasuD^uUtliis summer sbuotlug? 
No. The spirit of Improvenient has cut off acres of alders, birches, 4 
etc., drained more acres of swamps, and although it has benefitted 
the farm, it has been death to the cock. What little spring snipe 
shooting and (around here we get no fall) we do get serves to give 
the dogs a gallop after their ‘winter of discontent,' and in these days 
ol high priced animals some little cousideratiou should be shown 
to them, and their pleasure should be consulted. Who docs not de- 
light to see his dog go quartering at full gallop a snipe meadow, 
how easily, if comuiiiting a fault we can observe and correct it; 
how splendidly we ran tone him down after that long winter’s rest? 
One dog that 1 owned seemed fully to revel in spring snipe shoot- 
ing, and really never enjoyed any other sport quite us w ell. So for 
the sake of our dogs, do not take from them the few days of snipe 
shooting they so enjoy aud add to their winter-rest another long 
spell of indolence and forgetfulness of what they have learned. 
The brant question seemed to afford some disagreement, and it 
leaked out that some of the petitioners were fond of brant shooting, 
bul did not go plover shooting; therefore they wanted the brant un- 
protected and the plover protected. Pure disinterestedness thu:; do 
youthinksu? Does that look " too thin ’’? VN as that tbe work of 
a c ique? On the question of quail, 1 think from October 15 to De- 
cember 15, time enough and late enough. If on October 15 a brood 
*8 too small it is left to grow’; market gunners don’t wish them to sell 
if too small: gentlemen sportsmen do not wish to shoot them. 
Quail have increased about here within fifteen years owing to their 
being brought from the South and put out; one gentleman putting 
out one year, two hundred or more, and having done more to in- 
erease the sport around here than any one sportsman, although sev- 
eral have added their miles. He with all |ihe rest of us is strongly 
in favor of the law as it is at present, well knowing that if tbe new 
law was passed it would be about as well observed as the liquor law 
of this State has been the last few years. 
On the question of grouse, i. e., prairie ehickens, I think there are 
two sides. It certainly seems to me that the farmer on w hose lauds 
they are raised has as much interest and right to any profit as the 
market gunner or the sportsman w ho shoots lor pleabun-; and I 
would never deprive the farmer of his share of the fun or profit. In 
conclusion I would sav that whetever of influence 1 or my friends 
can exert will be against any change in even one section of tbe law 
as it now stands; having no private ends to serve, but doing it for the 
best interests of the large majority. The result to my mind is certain 
that there will be no change m the Mass. Game Law s. So mote it 
be, is theeamest wish of “ Dry Land." 
Woodcuck In July. , 
Cedarville, O., March 24. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
I wish to say a word about shooting w’oodcock in July. We have 
heard a great deal of talk about half-grown birds; birds slow of 
flight and easy to kill; and birds unfit to use, either because too 
young or spoiled from tbe heat of the weather; and all I’ve got to 
say is that no man talks that way who does not have access to 
grounds which i'urnish fall shooting. I have hunted woodcock in 
July for more than twenty years, — bunted them then because there 
was no place in the vicinity that supplied them in tbe fall— and 
rarely. If ever, met with a bird but half-grown. I should think that 
three-quarters and upward would be a fair estimate of their size; 
and that is not too small to be good eating. Do sportsmen who 
hunt quail in October and November refrain from shooting such as 
416 not fully grown, or if they unintentionally kill one of that kind, 
do they discard it as unfit to be eaten ? And because they sometimes 
find quail not over one-fourth grow'n in November, do they urge a 
law to prohibit the killing of them until December or January? As 
to tbe spoiling of birds, I do not think that 1 ever lost one, and if I 
did it was my own fault. Any sportsman ought to know enough to 
preserve his game for a reasonable length of time, or to quit before 
the day Is ended if he cannot do otherwise. Moreover, can he not 
have some choice of days even in July? It may be necessary to 
shorten the time for shooting woodcock, to sustain or increase their 
numbers; but let no man ask me to make all tbe sacrifice. 1 should 
rather suggest to prohibit shooting in the fall; which would on- 
ioubtedly increase the number of birds. And yet I am willing to 
be fair and cut off a portion of both seasons. It might also be well 
or sportsmen to practice a little self-restraint, and limit themselves 
in the number of birds killed, or the number of days on w h^ch they 
hunt. 
There is an absurdity in the fish law of Ohio, that should be reme- 
died, and not introduced into any other law. It prohibits the shoot- 
ing of fish at all seasons. So few' are capable of this method, that fish 
nterests suffer more in almost every other way. It requires more 
•kill than with a rifle to kill game, and if a person finds more enjoy- 
ment in shooting his fish than in taking them w ith a hook, why not ? 
Of conrsehe should be prohibited while the fish are on their beds, as 
no means whatever of twking them at that time ought to be tolerated. 
I do not think it too strong a use of languagt to characterize their 
capture in any way, at that season, as the most infernal source of 
destruction to which they are subject. In this and many portions of 
oar State, the black bass is the only fish, to me, worthy of a thought ; 
and yet in our shallow, rocky streams, very few of them, while on 
their beds, escape aapture by some device or other; but more partic- 
ularly the hook and line. Think of the millions of eggs destroyed 
by eneb a practice, and the absurdity of a law' w'lthont a clo.-e season 
will be more fully apparent. We should at least have protect ion for 
the black bass during their spawning season. Buckeye. 
1 
Pot Hunter 
New’ York, March 25. 
Editor Hod and Gun: 
The woods in tbe neighborhood of IlDbokeu arc infested with 
numerous pot-hunters, who are out daily in pursuit of w oodcocks. 
They boant even, they would kill a bird if they saw him sitting on 
nest. The game keepers do not do their duty at all; they are 
afraid of interfering with the mischievous rascals on account of a 
possible loss of a few pennies, that would not be spent in their gro 
ceries, etc. My business is so pressing' that I have no time to join a 
lub for the protection of (;ainc and that I even do not know 
whether there exi-i any in Jersey Should some association feel 
inclined to take tbe matbT in hand, I am willing to give information 
that may pofi.-ihly lead to the punishment of the offenders. One 
>odcock had been killed already in the wo- ds of Seacjiucu>, Ber- 
en Co., the latter part of February, and a few cocks are brou;:ht to 
West Hoboken almost daily, Old Smeedy. 
