1875 
203 
Notes from Iowa. 
Foxda, I a., Jl’XI 12. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
Tbinkius it may not be uninteresting to some of yonr many 
readers to know how we “get along” in these wilds of the ‘‘Hawk- 
eye” State, I pen you these few lines for their benefit. 
To begin with, the nish is over for this period, until grouse shoot- 
ing shall commence; abont all I do now at sporting is to practice on 
some few curlew and gray plover that stay with ns here .until about 
Sept. Ist, when they go south with their young, but just before they 
leave they furnish shooting surpassed only by grouse, which are so 
abundant at that time. But there is comparatively little shooting 
now', even at curlew, on account of their being setting and poor in 
qnality; even if a person wished to kill nesting birds, that will 
answer very well for the “pot hunter.” But I do not care to do 
anything of the kind. I am sure. And what true devotee of the Rod 
and Gun would? Some of your eastern friends wonld do well to 
pay us a visit in September, and help ns harvest our grouse, ducks, 
gee»'e, cranes and deer! all full-grown and rolling fat; what more 
could the sportsman ask for, than abundance of the best kinds of 
game, and in the best possible condition? And there is such hosts 
that no man can count, if he wanted to, and no amount of hunt- 
ers can make scarce. Next time our editor takes wing for the 
west, he should bring his friends, (some, at least, for the more the 
merrier) with dogs and guns, and alight (figuratively speaking) 225 
miles due west of Dubuque, and they wHl receive a welcome such 
as only one sportsman can give another. I maybe prejadiced 
when I say that the Old llawkcye has no better hunting than in this 
vicinity, but it is my carucst belief. 
I received Capt. Bogardus’ book a short time since, but have not 
read enough of it to give it a very close criticism; what I have read 
has the true ring in it, that only lifelong experience can give. I 
find a great many useful hints such as one finds only iu the works 
of one who knows how it is himself, and i elates his experience in 
the true American off hand m inner so different from many of our 
Euglish writers iu the same field, most of whom lake too many 
words to say the li'tlc, in order to make quite a largo book, and the 
latter object is generally accomplished without any great trouble. 
I sec many notices in your columns of men who have tried the Ditt- 
inar Powder. My trials of it give results corresponding to those ob- 
tiincd from the experiments of others, viz., that it is about twice as 
strong as black powder, leaves no residoiim of any account, and two 
or three charges of it will actually clean a gun after shooting black 
powder. The only trouble 1 observed w.as that it was rather too 
quick, having a tendency to make the shot scatter. But I fear 
I have already taken up too much of your spaoe, so more anon. 
Abe. 
Jury-ngqed- 
Hartford, Conn., June 14. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
The exigencies of every phase of life often call for the exercise of 
ingenuity in substituting for temporary use such material as may be 
at hand, in place of the instruments usually used, but for the time 
out of reach. Such occasions often occur in the woods. The 
hunter and angler is called upon to use make-shifts almost daily. 
Often far removed from his base of supplies and “traveling light” he 
wishes for what he has not, and if each of your readers would but 
recall and record for the benefit of others some of the expedients 
resorted to by guide or Indian, by professionals or amatenr.%a fund 
ot u.H'ful information not uninteresring, might resulL Acting n^on 
my own suggestion-, 1 submit my owu experience in improvising a 
fly rod from material that would make Orvis, Conroy or other pro- 
fessionals “larf.” Ithappenu d this wise: I was a-nid the forests 
of Maine, and with gun iu hand had strjyed fur from camp up one of 
the many ‘'Bear” rivers that abound in that State. So far as suc- 
cess in finding use for my gun on the stream its name should have 
been spelled like an adjective, for itf was “bare” enough, so far as 
f ir or feather was cone* rncU. At last, hot, tired and disgasted, I 
reached a part of the river wlurc rapids were intersperstd with 
pools flecked w ith foam, and every “sled-tongue” made by the swilt 
currents as they slid iiilo the more quiet pools glistened and flashed 
w itli the inci’ssaiU leaps of big, lusty fellows that, 
tlirew the spray with a piovoking carelessness and vigor I wanted 
Iheiu— I w'anied them “bad,” or rather, I w anted the sport of trying 
their gamcsoineness. Around lyy hat was an old and w'ell-worn 
leader left in its place after a spring campaign; worn aud frayed, it 
was very evidently in no condition to cope with the strain of land- 
ing a two-ponnd tront, *'tiH armsi<\" three dilapidated but ap- 
proved flies dangled from length like the battle-flags and guidons 
of a decimated regiment, and amid the numerous pockets of my 
sporting coat I found about forty feet of well-rotted line. With an 
“Orvis rod” and smoothly running reel, the old line leaders and 
flies could, with a ste.ady hand, have been barely trusted in an en- 
counter with the average of the fish I coveted, though ever and 
anon a “break” occurred that showed a tail so broad as to indicate 
that the best of tackle would be tested thoroughly. 
Then and there I learned to improvise a rod that 1 have since re- 
produced often, and as often been rewarded. This is how I did it. 
Hunting up and down the stream, I soon found a straight sapling of 
horn-beam, about eight feet long and abont one-half inch at the 
bntt, tapering to a very small size at the other extremity, and 
rather thickly studded with branches and tw'igH, trimming it not too 
closely. I cut a slot in tlic side of the pole. I next improvised a 
reel by cutting a piece in thi** fashion. One side of this fitted 
the slot in the pole, while the other edge scived to reel 
up the line. Winding my own line npoii this, I fixed It 
to the rod, then I passed the line through notches on the 
stub, with loop strings around the pole for rings, and finally making 
a top ring by making a small wedge and passing through this tip 
rieg ray line aud attaching to it my old le.Hder with its dilapidited 
flics. I was now equipped for action. Not such an equipment as 
could be desired, it is true. It was no “fifty-dollar” Niirris rod, nor 
had I a forly-dollar reel such as I saw last week at Abbey & Im- 
bries'. Fifty cents would h.ave bought me out at the moment; two 
honrs after ten dollars could not purchase my old stick. Doubt- 
iugly I made my first cast witli about fifCocu feet of line, carefully^ 
unwindiog from my “reel” (by band) more line. I uol out about 
thirty feet of linew’hen with a snap like a steel trap a three-quarter 
pound trout struck my stretched Hy, and after a contest of ten min- 
utes lay gasping on a rock, captive in “one straight heat.” Gain- 
ing confidence by success and practice in the use of my tools, I 
went for those trout in dead earnest, and in.onc hour I had a dozen 
of them safely landed withont mishap, the largest perhaps a pound 
in weight. Excitedly I continued plying the “old stick,” when just 
about to give it up, with a swash as if someone had agitated a 
“water pail” under the current, a two-poundvr settled upon my fly 
and almost settled my whole “apparatus” too, but recovering my 
self-possession quickly, I grimly resolved to land him if it were a 
possible thing to do. At it we went. Mr. Trout was evidently as 
determined to thwart me as I was to capture him. Repeatedly did 
my line get out its fall length all over the pool, and down into the 
next went my opponent, and after him I went through the water 
wai^t-deep, and colder than the ‘ past winter*' — if that is any com- 
parison — but I conquered at last. Twenty minutes, or hours, 1 
could hardly say which, saw me triumphant, but my rod was 
rather necdftil of repairs, still it had some service left in it. Fifteen 
fish weighing thirteen pounds was not a bad return for the ingenuity 
bred in me by necessity. Since then I have often resorted to the 
same expedient and gained thereby, and presuming that some of 
your readers will say “Next,” I close my Notes. 
What Dittmar Says Himself. 
Neponset, Mass., Juxe 5. 
Editor Rtio and Gun: 
I am yery thankful to you for opening your columns so freely to 
communications about my powder. It is not ouly that it makes it 
more known, but I learn myself from it, and if anything is said 
against it, 1 try to improve. I am making a much slower powder 
lately, as many found it loo quick. I could make it always slow 
•nongh, but the quicker kind suits my own guns best. The slower 
kind gives a much better pattern at 40yards; but I thinkthe quicker 
kind kills at a greater distance, although it is naider ou the gun. 1 
see often the question made if my powder can be made of uniform 
strength? This I cau do better than I could with black powder, 
and when the latest slower kiud of my powder is liked best, I will 
stick to it and give it always uniform. The rifle powder, which is 
very different from the slow powder, I think will suit everyone, as 
I am using it in almost every kind of rifle in existence, nnd doing 
well with it. It caunol be used very well for shot except in 16 and 
smaller bores. Carl Dittaiar. 
Foulinq of Guns- 
Franklin, Pa., June 16. 
Editor Rod and Gun: 
If Eureka had used his muzzle-loader at the same time with the 
same quality of powder, he would have experienced the same diffi- 
culty. The temperature has a marked influence in the fouling ol 
the barrels. A sporting friend at oue time fired several shots in 
close succession, on the evening of the last day of the old year, set- 
ting his gun aside until next d‘»y, when he observed that the powder 
burnt produced a sediment which adhered so close to the barrels 
that it was very diftitult to remove. Now’ this seems a queer phe- 
nomena in cold weather. In the mouth of iJepteniber, and very 
w'arm, while out on a squirrel hunt, two of our party happened 
upon a place where tiny were very plenty. We kept shooting as 
fa>t as we could load our muzzle-loaders. After shooting quite a 
while wc discovered that our gun* wouli not do good wark, so wc 
sat down ami let the squirrels have their own way. Having no 
cleaning device with us we were obliged to return to our stopping 
place. After examining our guns we found that the powder burnt 
the sediment solid on the barrels; that it r«tjuired the jag to remove 
it. This may account for some calling it leading. The oue gun 
was a ffue laminated steel, the other common iron barrels. Both 
ssed the same kind of powder. Since we have our breech-loaders, 
we take our field cleaners with us, and as soon as the gun shows 
•Igns of being foul, we draw' through the barrels the pocket string 
wiper a few times. It is good policy at any lime to do this before 
the sediment thoroughly dries on the interior of the barrels. The 
powder that produces a sediment of a lubricating nature is the kind 
to be prcftrrid. This cau be ascertained by careful experiineuls. 
I have been obliged to mix two kinds of powder together to get the 
desired effect. ilt. 
Trout Fishing in Miss. 
Sardib, Miss., June 13. 
Editor Rod and Gi-n: 
Having f ad aoine very interesting notes on fishing in yonr col- 
iiinns, I was inspired to try my hand in tlie same way (liest of all 
sjiorts). A few days ajo, in company with my friend and neighbor 
Miller, we boarded the freight train for Batesville, Miss , which is 10 
miles below here; arriving there at 12.30 r M., we repaired to the 
office of onr friend, .J. C. Kyle, attorney-at-law, whose hospitality 
cannot be iiirpai-scd, where we robed ourselves iu onr fishing clothes 
and at 1,50 r. m., we started -on foot for the lakes, which are one and 
a half miles distant. W.e passed through tlie old town of Pannia, 
which was once the County seat of this county; things looked quite 
dreary, not more than half-a-dozen families living here now, when 
two years ago the popnlatlon was 1.500. The court house was sold 
some time ago for $1,000 when the original cost was S30,ii00. After 
taking a look at thiiig.s on Panola wc wended our way lo Ronnd 
lake, which is on the opposite of Tallahatchie river from Panola, 
when we reached the lake we could see the fish jumping up as much 
as to say, -‘put your hook in and wc will go for it.” We were not 
well supplied with bait, as we were hiiriied from home and did not 
have time to prepare bait, etc., and being amateur flsliermen, we 
only used such implements as in onr hoy days; Miller succeeded 
in getting his hook in watjr first, and in less than two minutes, I 
saw him pulling, and his eyes sparkling with delight, aud liebold 
when he succeeded in landing ills nrize, we found it to be a fine 
trout weighing three pounds. We fished about two hours and suc- 
ceeded in capturing twelve fine fellows, ll.ad we been prepared for 
trout we could have caught a fine string. We have fine fishing here 
from April to November. Panola, Miss., is the place to stop at, to 
enjoy good fishing, and if you don’t get many fish bites, 1 will guar- 
antee the mosquitoes will not let you go away aud say you never got 
a bite. More anon. Subscuidbr. 
WESTEBfj ITEMS. 
I BY OUR OWN CORREfiPONDENTS.] 
MiLWAUKEB.—It 18 now the hi^jh tide of the year for aportemm • 
Up till the 4th of June it had been so cold that the thought of 
camping out took all the relish off a prospective fishing excursion. 
On the advent of the first warm days the Winneconne Club of 
Shawano sent oat invitations, and yesterday the first camping party 
for trouting started out. It consisted of Hon, A. L. Smith, Hon, 
Philetus Sawyer, ex-member of Congreee, E. C. Goff, N, C. Morgan 
of the Waverly House at Appleton, Charles Turner of Omaha, T. 
B. Reid of the Mena^ha Rev. Myron Reed of Milwaukee, 
John Roberts of the Nation Hotel at Mcnasha, and a number of 
others, together with the entire club named. They propose to re- 
main in the woods as long as they retain an appetite for the sport. 
The mo.«it fruitful place in the State for rock bass this year has been 
at the foot of Lake Winnebago, in the neighborhood of Neeiiah and 
Menasha. A friend, a few days ago, captured 80 pounds of them 
there in two hours, and from the early days of epring, visitors from 
long distances have frequented the lake for the sake of the sport. 
The next place of importance for bass fishing is Pewankee. The 
yield from its waters has been exceptionally good and fl-hing par- 
ties unusually numerous. The meeting of the State ^ha^p5^hoolers‘ 
Association takes place in July at Sheboygan. The Milwaukee 
Sharpshooters will send a delegation and put up a valuable prize to 
be contended for iu connection with the prizes offered by the Slate 
Association. 
Chicago, June 5.--Any^vhe^e in the saburbs^ of the city during 
the past week, one would be forcibly reminded of old war limes, 
picket firing, skirmishing, etc., by the const nt popping going ou 
in almost every direction. Bang to the right! Bang, bang to the 
left! and bang, bang, bang, in front! Don’t be alarmed however, it 
is nothing but pigeons that are getting hart, lots of them though, for 
so low have they been in price and so anxious Lave our shooting 
men been to get practice for Cleveland, that every day lately from 
ten to six shoots have been going on and as a course of training, 
certain of our shots have kept up almost a steady practice at from 
fifty to one hundred birds each per day. I tell you won’t they be 
sold if they should “go out for wool and come back shorn.” Who's 
going? Rather, who is not? If yoa should miss your Chicago 
letter for a w eek er two, you can know’ that yonr correspondent is on 
his way back footing it, and is w’aiting to get home to make a raise 
of postage stamps, etc., so as to continue posting you as to w hat's 
what around here. By the way, the Gnn Club has got some silk 
badges for its members, they are some blue and some black in color, 
too bad if they signify the way the boys will feel and look after it is 
all over. The Eennicott Club had its quarterly shoot for the handi- 
cap medal on the first, and the medal was won by Mr. E. 0. Dow, 
who killed a straight 10 at 25 yards. Abe Kleinman. the holder, at 
31 yards, scored but 6. Mr. Dow' is probably the oldest member of 
the club, in fact one of its organizers, is one of its hardest workers, 
and a good fellow generally. The medal could not have fallen into 
better hands. The Prairies bad their shoot on the 3d, merely a 
“side” shoot with nothing hat glory at stake, but the scores were 
good, a very enjoyable day was spent and some 500 pigeons were 
given a good start on their way to pot pie; but perhaps the richest 
affair of the whole week was the winning of the Gun Club leather 
medal by President Samnel U. Turrill. who was defeated for it by 
-Mr Greeue Smith. Score, Smith 9; Turrill 8 ontof 10. The medal 
is an elegant affair, composed of about two pounds of sole leather, 
and is emblematic of the poorest shooting abilities in the club. Mr. 
Smith won it last fall iu the club shoot, was again defeated for it by 
.Messrs (^uigg, Brice and Martin, but finally got clear of it as above. 
Mr. Turrill has challenged Mr. Martin and the match will probably 
be shot at Cleveland during the tuuriiamcnt. If any of Mr. Tur- 
rill’s friends want to see it. he will be delighted to accommodate 
them. He feels very proud of it. 
Among the private shoots of the week, were tw’o matches, 50 
birds each, between Mr. S. II. Turrill and E. C. Waller. Scores: 
Turrill 47; Waller 43; and Turrill 45, Waller 42. 
If any of Greeno Smith's friends meet him in Cleveland, tell them 
to ask him how his new gun brings down a bird. 
Jllessrs. Decker <& Martin have completed most of their arrange 
merits for their July tournament. The programme \yill be— 
Satarday, July 3 — Prizes §100, $70, $55, $40, $25 and $10, aud a 
leather medal for the poorest score, 
Monday, July 5 — Prizes $100, $70, $60, $40, $.30, Total for the 
two days $600. Class shooting at 10 single birds, entrauce $10. 
The Prairie Club is having rooms fitted up at an expense of over, 
$ 2 , 000 . 
June 12. — Things were pretty lively around here until Wednesday 
when, to many having left for Cleveland, unnsual dullness took 
the place of the former great activity. Our Chicago delegation is 
not so large as at one time it seemed likely to be, several having 
been detained at home on business when it was thought they would 
go, and as yet it has proved too small to win a prize. Won't the 
boys catch it when they come home though. 
Thclllin*is State Association elects its officers on Tuesday, the 
’29th of June. Let us hope officers will be elected who will show a 
little life and activity. Certainly there w'lll unless the general voice 
of the Chicago sportsmen is of no avail, and for the next year we 
may hope for an organization that will do something and accom- 
plish a few of the ends for which it was organized. 
The tie for the second grade prize cup was dee ded on Wednesday 
between Messrs. Ballou and Ennis, the latter winning by a score of 
six to four, out of eleven ; five single and three double birds. 
Good fishing is reported in the Calumet and the adjacent rivers 
for the first time this season. 
CiiirAOT, June, 19.— Well, didn’t I say so! Did I not remark that 
they were generous? Have you not a distinct and vivid recollec- 
tion that I informed yon that they didn’t want anything anyhow ? 
That was not what they went to Cleveland for. O, no. They pre- 
ferred to have the money go wist or south where it is so much more 
needed than here. You doubtless have seen an intelligent, well- 
broken dog detected in the act of w rong-doing, aud noticed his ap- 
pearance. No, they didn't look anything that way when they came 
home; not at all. To the contrary, their appearatce was akin to 
that of— well- say the early martyrs, who sacrificed all for the good 
ofotn^rs; a high, benevolent aspect, a countenance beaming over 
with happiness, aud showing outwardly the inner satisfaction felt 
