1875 
107 
California Quail. 
San Francisco, Cal., April 13. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
In your issue of the 3d inst., I obserre a communication from a 
correspondent signing himself “Deaf George,” giving his experi- 
ences with California qnail, and also replying to some remarks 
made on this bird by “Recapper.’* one of your regular contributors. 
I aaw and read the letter of “ Recapper,” and intended replying to 
that portion of it which belied our truly game little bird, but have 
failed to do so until this moment, but the letter of “Deaf George.** 
brings me out. lam afraid that the naturalist whom“Recappur” has 
been studying, has not been much of an observer of the habits of 
California quail; perhaps has never seen one ia its native country, 
or he never could have written what he has about H, for I can almost 
fully corroborate all that “Deaf George.’* states has been his experi- 
ence with them . I never have had, however, any such experience as 
he relates, when he and his friend killed eighty birds out of a Urge 
bevy they started, then left them for some hours and returned to 
same locality and bevy, still finding them so aumerous as to kill 
seventy more of them. I have never had in eighteen years practice 
in California quail shooting, such an adventure as this, but in the 
very same locality spoken of by “Deaf George,” Tomales Bay and 
the ravines leading from it inland, I have shot in company with a 
friend, Tom£.. recognized as the very best quail shot m this Slate, 
(and I will add I think, the best in theU. S.) one hundred and thirty 
birds, all single and double shots, over dogs, pointing almost every 
minute and shooting them all inside of five boars. This was some 
six or seven years ago, when birds were in thousands, and we used 
muzzle-loaders as there was scarcely a breech-loader that I knew of 
in San Francisco at the time. If “Recapper’s” naturalist, or “Re- 
capper” himself had only been present on this occasion, either or 
both would have been perfectly satisfied that California qnail do lie 
to the dog, yes; and some laid so close, that one of our dogs, an o.d 
slut called “Biscay” caught either two or three quail alive and un- 
harmed. I do not deny Chat California quail will tree, for they often 
do, and are very difficult to find and fiush when they take to trees, 
but generally speaking, and especially in open country, with plenty 
of low brush and weeds lor cover, they take to them naturally and 
no man can wish for finer sport or better shooting than they afford. 
To my mind, there is no such difficult bird to kill on the wing as a 
California quail, and I have shot almost every variety of game that 
this country and Great Britain and Ireland produces, and such seems 
to be the opinion of every sportsman I have met in this State, who 
has bad similar experience to my own. 
If “Recapper” or any other sportsman should find their way to 
California, the coming Fall, 1 thiuk I can put them in the way of 
some excellent quail-shooting, and convince them if they are at all 
skeptical, that our pretty little plumed bird is thoroughly game, lies 
well to the dog, and will test their best shooting abilities to bring 
doum and bag. I trust, sir, that I have not taken up too much 
space in your very excellent paper, but justice to our California 
bird of whom we are all so proud, has urged me to slate the facts, 
the results of a long and thorough experience, J. K. O. 
Snioe Hunt in the Fire Prairie- 
Kansas City, AIo., April 34. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
When yon were with ns (two weeks since) we were making pre- 
parations for a enipe hnnl, but tlie cold, bad weather postponed it 
for ui, and I promised I would send you an account of it when it 
took place. We were te start at 4 o’clock a. m. (that’s rather earlier 
than most of na are in the habit of riaingj, however, we were all 
there and in our wagons ready to start at precisely ten minutes af- 
ter four, to ride eisleen miles to the snipe ground. The roads were 
splendid, and the ride in the morning air was delightful. We had 
some little amusement on the way with one baulky horse in our 
team, he would go up all the hills on the run, and if we tried to 
make him walk he would stop just at the top of the hill: and then 
try to back the wagon down the hill. We soon learned his game 
and let him run all the way up the hdl, and for fear he would stop, 
let him run part of the way down. We arrived on the ground in two 
hours and ton minutes, so the team was not so bad after all. All 
got ont and get on onr rubber boots, etc., preparatory to a wade 
through mud and water after the snipe. The weather, however, 
failed. As we started from the wagons with our gnus and 
dogs it began to rain, and the wind came up cold from the 
north. We did not go far before the guns began to crack, and for 
an hour I was reminded of a skirmish line in the army, 'I'hc snipe 
were quite [plentiful, but very wild and poor. I don’t think they 
could have been on the ground more than twenty-four lioiirs. Wv 
kept them moving pretty lively, as breech-loaders don't give them 
much rest. When we got back to the wagons about 11 o'clock for 
lunch and counted up, we had 2b9 snipe, about 40 plover, and 1.5 duck ; 
this we thought a pretty fair morning's shoot, the weather and 
wind taken into consideration. There were nine in the party, six 
breech-loaders and three muzzle-loaders (I mean guns, not im-u). 
We finished our lunch, smoked our cigars and then started for home, 
where we arriveo in due season without accident. Osr baulky 
horse did not bother us any when headed for home. I thiuk the 
cold, had weather has made the snipe later than usual in this coun- 
try and look for good shooting here in about a week, if the weather 
proves good. We have a cold fall rain on hand now, and a fire is 
very comfortable indeed, K S. J. 
Varieties. 
Tnion, Me., April 25. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
I see there seems to be a difference of opinion in regard to ani- 
mals gnawing off their feet. G. T. Ridlon says “I have never known 
of one instance, where an animal gnawe<l off a leg above a trap.” 1 
have, in a number of instances; muskrats will, almost invariably 
do It, If they arc allowed to get on shore with the trap, and I have 
seen it done, or caught them in the act, as many as seven times, to 
my remembrance, and I read of an instance of a mink kept in a 
show window, by some means had his leg broken, and after a care- 
ful inspection of the woundad member, deliberately proceeded to 
amputate it with his teeth, without giving any evidence of its giving 
him any pain. “ Sportsman” in a lite number says: *‘lf he waa to 
sug’^eat any change in “ our paper,” it would be a little more paper 
andjuk and/ more scrip, instead of reducing fhe price, in which I 
agree. Geese and ducks have been scattering here this spring, so I 
have turned my attention to muskrats, and as they are worth 35 cts. 
have combined pleasure with profit, besides making some big shots 
with my “Parker,” in one instance, killing two rats at above 60 yds., 
and in another one, at above 65 yards, killing all of them dead!— 
which is soiueihing extra, as they die hard. I use a heavy charge 
for a 12 bore gun though in order to do it, 3 1-2 drs. powder, 1 1-4 
oz. No. 5 shot. Speaking of powder, I am using some made by 
D. H. BUbee, which I say is as good as the best— it certainly is the 
cleanest I ever saw. I have no inlcrest, personally, in making this 
statement, except the interest of the friends of the Rod and Gun, 
which I honestly believe to bo for your interest, to test the powder 
I have named. “ il. C. C. Gardner, Me.,” wishes to “know when 
there is a close time for pickerel, in Maine.” I am happy to say 
there is none; better that there was a bounty on them, as they will 
destroy more trout, and other fish, that are much better than they 
are, than the whole pickerel tribe is worth, lie complains of the 
white pereh exterminating trout, but says nothing against the pick- 
erel; lot the white perch alone, and fight the pickerel, I say, but the 
greatest “trout exterminaior,” that I know of is the common blue 
heron, and all of that species of birds, and I make a point of shoot- 
ing all that *'nm athwart my hawse.” I have shot them in the act 
of catching trout, and on dissecting them, found their paunch (they 
are all paunch) full of largo trout. “ II. C, C.” complains of the 
pickerel getting exterminated in his vicinity; il I were him I should 
be glad of it, but they can’t be exterminated here, ulchongU they are 
killed every way imaginable, shot, caught, and speared; the last is 
the only sport to be had with them, to my mind, with a good light 
and spear, and some one to push the boat over the meadow, you can 
enjoy yourself two or three hours of the evening quite well if there 
is no moon; but when you come to eat them, they are too coarse 
grained and dry to suit me, not to be compared to the white perch 
I like the new name of your paper very much. Fish-Spear. 
J- W Long at Home. 
Boston, Mass , May 3, 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
On Friday last I arrived home from the West, safe and sound, af- 
ter an absence of nearly eight months, the greater part of which 
time has been employed in the pursuit of ducks. Have had, of 
course, all kinds of luck and plenty of cold weather. Ducks, tak- 
ing the season through, have been quite plentiful; that is to say, 
where they could find water; for in many places on the prairie s, 
where in ordinary seasons a person might make quite a bag, this 
last fall because of the severe drought scarcely any could be found; 
but this, of course, made the shooting along the water courses all 
the better, aud there large numbers wore killed; one fellow (my 
partner, this spriug; killing alone, over three thousand, the larger 
portion mallards. This spring there has also been an abundance 
of duck, and almost everywhere, for There has been plenty of water 
though the weather has been so cold the season was unusuallj' late. 
BluebilU were fully as plenty where I was located as I ever saw 
anywhere before; it being an easy matter for a good shot to kill 
over one hundred and fifty any day during the first week in April, 
but the market was so poor and prices so low that few were killed, 
the market hunters paying their attention to the more profitable va- 
rieties, canvas-backs, red-heads and mallards, bui these were hunted 
so coatinually that it soon became a hard matter to make much of 
a bag, especially of the first-named, as they are ducks that “learn 
the ropes” very quick. Snipe, too, were exceedingly abundant in 
favorable places aud quite large. Counts were made oveu by nov- 
ices in shooting. 
Vour papers were all received, though somewhat irregularly, ow- 
ing to my frequent change of residence. (I hope you won't imagine 
the changes were made to avoid paying board) but when I had the 
iucllnatiou (it did sometimes seize me) to write something for you 
as I promised, the opportunity would be wanting or something 
else would prevent. “You know how it is yourself” iu camp: there 
is almost always something to be done, and writing materials are 
never handy; so I kept putting off the job, and though 1 com- 
menced to write two or three times, I never finished any tiring ready 
to send. Now* that I am at home again 1 hope to hare mote spare 
time aud will endeavor to redeem my promise to you. J. W. Long. 
Spring Snipe Shooting— Gun Targets. 
CLAUKsviLiE, Tznn., April 39. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
i alioiildered my "an yesterday for a sliort tram]) in the meadows 
jnet outside of the city, to see whether I could i>ick up some eatable 
bird.s for a sick friend, but without any hope of flushiu" snipe, 
which I supposed had left us some ten day.-^ since. To my turprise, 
as T ueared a low, marshy place where I had hairqed my hasi, snipe 
previously, my pointer, ’'Uasli," came to a stand, and a couple of 
snipe got up ahont fifteen paces oil. I killed both, and had the 
pleasure of bagging four and a half couple before the field was ex- 
hausted. 1 mention this because the date seems to me quite late fitr 
snipe to linger llii.s far south. They cainc iu on Kehriiary 37, and 
have given ns some good shooting this seasoit. Last year, April 5 
And now that the National Association getting iindcr-wny, and 
general laws for game preservation are to be advocated, allow me to 
say a word on Spring Snipe Sbuotiiig, to whicli some sportsmen ob- 
ject, ou the score of destruction of game. In this State aud several 
others with which 1 am acquainted, the spring is the only time that 
the snipe stop with us. To gel uny snipe at all then, we must shoot 
them in March and .\pril, during their northern migration. It would 
>ot be reasonable to demand that half (perhaps a greater propor- 
tion) of the sportsmen of the land should give up snipe shouting en- 
tirely, in order that the rest may enjoy the sport. But again; Ido 
not understand how the killing of a snipe in these mouths, any 
where south of the Oliio, can injure the next year's crop more than 
the killing of the same bird in the fall or winter. I deny that there 
is any greater destmetien in the one ease lliaii in the other. The 
birds arc still migrating: they have not yet paired off, and the pro- 
cess of nidification is not interfered with in anyway. It the birds 
would remain here and rear their young, tiien I should say, by all 
means do no: shoot them. Wherever they slop for the p.urpusc of 
laying aud rearing a brood, they should he protected by the most 
striugentlaws. And this would not deprive sporLsmen of that re- 
gion of a aharo in tlio sport, for they would have their opportunity 
Whet} the young birijs were grown, J believe it pi p-iie of the snip^ 
as of the woodcock, that the young birds, when grown, afford good 
sport, where they are raised; and I believe all true sportsmen now 
admit that summer woodcock shooting is a pot-hunterish and bar- 
barous custom. All that we claim, Mr. Editor, is that w'e have 
onr share of the fun in its proper season, and if it should be found 
that the snipe are being killed off too fast, the sportsmen of Tenn- 
eseco will he ready at any time to join their brethren of the other 
Ststes in entire cessation from the spo.'t until the birds can recuper- 
ate sufficiently. 
A few words about targets. I am eorry that my suggestions heve 
not called forth a more general expression of opinions, for I think 
it quite important that American gunners shonld have some fixed 
and uniform standard for comparing results. I tnink perhaps, that 
my friend. Papa Botle, has the right of it about the target ; it should 
be a circle of 30-inch diameter at 40 yards, especially since that is 
the English standard. For a similar reason— conformity to English 
standard— I claim Tatham's No. 7 shot as best, because I am in- 
formed that this approximates most clossly to the English No. 6. I 
hope The Editor will inform ns on this point. Well! we are 
agreed then that the target shall be a circle of 30 inches diametar, 
distance, 40 yards; shot. No. 7 Tatham (‘391 to oz ) or St. Lonis (299 
tooz.): the result to be given in the percentage which strike the 
circle, and the number of pellets, also, if desired. Aa for penetra- 
tion, I think we shall still have to use the coarsest wrapping paper, 
until some kind is available ou wliic i all can unite. The Almanaca 
suggested by Papa Botte would cost too much, I am afraid, as a good 
many would be needed. There seems to be a great diversity of 
opinion on the question of paper and metal shells. I wonld suggest 
that bad shooting with cither kind might be dne to the fact, that the 
shell does not completely fill the chamber. In this case the arrange- 
ment of the load would be dislocated in paseing thrtfiigh the vacant 
space. I should suppose that the metal shell and the paper when 
opened, should exactly fit the chamber up to the shoulder. In or- 
dering a gnn, I should h -.ve the chamber cut ont of the same length 
as Eley’s paper cartridge, and metal shells made of same length as 
paper I find that paper shells shoot equally aa well as 
metal in every respect, and give much less recoil, with no trouble to 
preserve them and bring home, or to cap and uncap, and they leave 
less dirt in the gun, probably on account of the smaller wad, which 
does not heat the gun as mnch as the larger. After a sufficient trial 
of the different kinds of metal shells, I shall give in my experience, 
as I find that to be the thing I most desire to get from others. 
Amateur. 
Good Things to Come- 
Holyoke, Mass., April 23. 
EniTOR Rod and Gun: 
This late cold .spring has spoiled onr fronting. The pot-fisher- 
men have had it all their own way so far, taking them through the 
ire. Poor little speckled, ice-honnd beanties, as hungry as the 
tramps are who take them so. But it seems we have no redress, 
other than relieving onr mind of hard thoughts, and it seems kind 
of natural to hang our complaints on The Rod and Gltj, and 
look for sympathy. 
We have one comfort left ns. The shad have turned their nose 
inland. They cannot take them throngh the ice, and in a few 
weeks we will have all the sport the anglers can desire, at our very 
door steps, might we not hope to hear of better sport in other 
waters this coming season. One more effort, from ye lovers of the 
gentle art, for I am persuaded a little perseverance will make it a 
nniversal American sport. The shad will take any fly you mayoffCf 
them. The most noted flies are. the white miller, brown harkle, 
green drake, and a woodcock wing on green body. Each dressed on 
a No. 1 Warren Limerick fish hook. La.st season a red Ibis dressed 
on a No. 6, Warren Limerick trout hook, proved an excellent lure, 
and a shad hooked with either of the above hooks generally 
found its way to the reel. The artificial minnow No. 3 and 3 was 
a perfect success. The clear silver sided minnow, (something re- 
sembling a young shad' was the most sucressfiil. The gnen aud 
dark hacked minnow, the sliad did not take so free, but a few were 
taken with it. .\lmost every instance the shad were hooked well 
down the throat. One more trial, sportsmen, with a Goodridge 
shad-rod, (made expressly for the purpose) any of the above named 
flies, or artificial minnow. The strongest current at the foot of any 
of the rapids, along sliad w.atcrs and report success through The 
Rod and Gun. Every angler who uses the fly for trout, will find 
good sliad flies in his hook Those who have not an assorted book 
of Hies— will find what they want at Abbey A Inihrie's, Maiden 
Lane. N. Y. 
The Legislature of Massachusetts have amended the fishing laws, 
and allow shad to he taken with rod and line and aiTificiallv liiiited 
hook until .August Ist of each year. Ttios. Cualmkhs. 
Change of Name- 
Plvmouth, Mich., April 27. 
Editor Rod and Oi^n: 
In the u bole cuUlo;;uft of nniues I don’t think one could be found 
more appropriaie than the Rod and Gun. Th« American Sporta- 
inan has done a good work, but the name coTers too much ground, 
aii it now (itaiidK, no miscoiutruction can be placed on the title of 
vour valuable paper. 1 wi.^h you all the succeea you merit, and I 
think every true aport^tnan will accept the change with pleasure. 
One of thu must intercepting features to me is Lettere from i:>port6- 
uieu; when my paper come.s to hand 1 turn to that fage first and am 
sure to find something to interest mu, but 1 am sorry to see the feel- 
ing manifested by some writers iu the contioversy on dogs. We all 
have our opinions and they necessarily differ, so let us have them all 
aud respect them all. 
It has been a very hard winter for game in this Stale, but there are 
.«omv quail aud ruffed grouse wintered through. 1 have been in tbs 
limbered land a uumbur of times this Spring, but have not seen a 
itldck or gray squirrel. I think they must bare pui i.riBcd from cold 
and hunger. 
Snipe shooting has hem poor on account of the recent cold spell 
we have had. Woodcock ha' e arrived in consiuerable numbers aud 
wc hope to have better shooting this season than we bad last, at 
those long billed beauties. The sportsmen in this v'cinity ha ve 
some very fiqe dogs, both pointers and ^‘dters Also, some very 
fine jpms. Av J), 
