LETTERS FROM SPORTSMEN 
Our Paper. 
Long Prairie, Mixx., June 26. 
Editor Rod axd Grx : 
Ranking next to a good day’s sport in the field, I be- 
lieve the perusal of the Rod a>-d Gux each week gives 
me more genuine satisfaction and enjoyment than auy- 
tliing else in that line. The ideas of “Cobb” in your 
issue of .June 12, suit me to a dot and express my opin- 
ion of what a gentleman’s sporting paper should be ex- 
actly; and such I find The Rod axd Gci< to be. Per- 
haps I should say sportsman’s paper instead of sporting 
paper as more nearly expressing my meaning. For in- 
stance, I find full rulas and descriptions of how to make 
out a betting book in a late number of a sporting paper 
whose name would certainly seem to imply objects and 
aims of a totally different character, and I am proud 
and pleased that I have never as yet found anything in 
The Rod a>'d Gun but legitimate matter, and such as 
Its title would imply it contained. 
I was very much interested in Dr. Coues’ article 
“Concerning Pocket Gophers.” I have been tormented 
with the little rascals so much that anything pertaining 
to them was eagerly read, and his idea that if there wa.' 
anything more ugly than a gopher it was some pictures 
of gophers, seems to me to be rather hard on the pic- 
tures. I am happy to think that I am one ahead of the 
Doctor in one respect, and that is that I have been so 
lucky as to see some three or four gophers “on their na- 
tive heath,” but in all cases it was just at dusk and the\ 
were coming up to empty their pouches, and in those 
few cases they generally had strong reasons for remain- 
ing above and not returning to the “regions below;” in 
fact, I was always (with one exception, I believe) 
watching for them with a shot-gun, and the conse- 
quence was that the)’ ceased dining on my vegetables. 
J. 
Leading. 
Bellefoxtaine, O., June 28. 
Editor Rod and Grs; 
“Royal” of Montreal, complains of the leading of hi, 
gun, he says in the latter part of his communication, 
that he wipes out his gun with greasy buckskin. If he 
will be careful to wash his gun with soap and soft 
water, so as Xo remove the grease before using it, he 
will have no trouble. The grease in the barrels com- 
bined with the burnt powder will make a hard seal 
ment, like lead, but harder to remove than either grease 
or lead. The emery powder he used would have re- 
moved the sediment without the mercurial ointment. 
John J. Palmer. 
Ex-Gunmaker. 
iMoxTELLO, Wis , July 7. 
Editor Rod .\sd Gux; 
From your 'ssue of July 3, I notice that the “Ex- 
Gunmaker” makes reply to my letter of the J2th ult. 
The reason alleged by him for using a 20-lb. muzzle- 
loader in competition with a 10-lh. breech-loading rifle 
is an ingenious one. Really, “Ex-Gunmaker,” if yon 
could not prjcure a 20-lb. Remington, possibly you 
might have procured a 10-lb. muzzle-loader, is it is far 
easier to find a rifle of medium size than one of ex- 
tremely large or small weight. By judicious advertis- 
ing, a gun of 10 lbs. weight can be found, even if “a 
20-il>. Remington” cannot In regard to my former 
statement, that weight (other things being equal) has all 
to do in long range shooting, I of course meant at the 
extreme long distances, such as 1000 j’ards, and up- 
wards, and I still persist (“Ex-Gunmaker” to the con- 
trary notwithstanding) that the statement is correct. 
You chronicle the fact of Mr. Lewis with a 30-lb. rifle, 
killing a turkey at the distance of one mile. If 
weight makes no difference in long range shooting, let 
Mr. Lewis try this feat with an 8 or IC-lb. rifle of his 
own or any other make, and, provided he can do as 
well, will admit your argument. However, you con- 
tradict yourself here, “Ex-Gunmaker,” by allowing 
in your first that a Sharps rifle is good at short range, 
but worthless, i. e. not reliable, at such distances as 800^ 
900 and 1000 yards. When you have reversed your 
plan and reported as you propose to do, we will find a 
far different result. The msinnation that 1 know noth- 
ing of what I write, falls very lightly on me; but allow- 
ing that I am not a “crack .shot” it will not change the 
facts. I agree to abide by the decision of “bnup Shot,” 
J. H. Batty, “Nick,” “Off-Hand,” or any rifleman of 
well-known reputation. Will these gentlemen give the 
verdict, as I have delivered the charge and will abide 
by the result? Do you accept these terms, “Ex-Gun- 
maker,” or will you protest the proceedings? 
Right, ‘Colossus”! — I Lave recovered from.the som- 
nolent effect produced by reading that “sporting paper” 
and share the feelings you have for it. Many thanks, 
“Colossus,” for your opinion of “Fred’s” articles. 
Though I merit but a small share of your praise, due 
credit will be given for the balance, and in the mean 
time give the “pot-hunters” their just deserts for the 
unsporlsman- like practice of unlawful shooting. Fred. 
Ditto, Ditto. 
West Medford, Mass., July 5. 
Editor Rod .axd Gux: 
;Most of your correspondents are either instructive or 
amusing, but yon have one who, never instructive, has 
ceased to be amusing. His flights of fancy have a 
slight resemblance to the veracious (?) and entertaining 
tales of the justly celebrated Baron Munchausen, but in 
one very important particular the similitude ceases. 
The gentle Baron was as famous for his courtesy as for 
his— for politeness’ sake, we will say imagination; but 
your correspondent exhibits a total lack of this very es- 
sential qualit)’. We are told of a wonderful rifle, a del- 
icate little rifle of twenty pounds’ weight, of such mar- 
velous powers that the only proper addition to the story 
seems to be that all the turkeys in the neighborhood of 
a mile or two, like Crockett’s crow, “give it up’’ at 
once As for the other toy of thirty pounds, it would 
seem, to the unprejudiced mind, to be a most conven- 
ient weapon ; one might take a perch on the Rocky 
^Mountains, and make pot shots around the world. AVe 
all knew that the Maynard was worthless, the Reming- 
ton unreliable, the Sharps of no e-special value, and re- 
garding the last two, anv’ skeptics are no doubt con- 
vinced since the result of the American-Irish match was 
telegraphed. Again, 'all of your correspondents who 
venture to differ with this Knight of the Long Bow, 
are “sot upon incontinent,” and those who venture to 
make statements which his limited mental capacity 
does not enable him to comprehend are liars. In the 
course of a varied professional life, I have seen many 
forms of mental disease; in some, the sufferers were un- 
conscious of their unfortunate condition, and of this 
kind none are more deserving of pity than those terrible 
fellows who “go off at half-cock,” and I assure you that 
the neighbors of this particular victim of Socordia have 
my most profound sympathy. The Sir Oracles of this 
age are apt to forget that their own little sphere does 
not include all the thinking and practical portion of hu- 
mai.ity. Indeed, dogmatism merges so insidiously into 
disetise, that it is often hard to draw the dividing line. 
It is possible for one not a gunsmith to have a knowl- 
edge of guns and their manufacture, their powers and 
improvements; applied science is such a idra acts 
among gunsmiths in general that th^ most important 
improvements have not been discovered by this class 
and nothing as a rule, but sheer necessity, forces them 
out of the grooves in which sometimes, generation after 
generation of them move. AVitness their hostility to the 
adoption of the breech-loader; the tenacity with wbic'n, 
even now some of them cling to the dangerous and 
inconvenient muzzle-loader, and the willful blindness 
which even now prevents them from seeing anj- 
merit in guns not their own. “TIamburg,” who was 
only mildly sarcastic was accused of want of courtes)’, 
“Fred” of ignorance; another unfortunate wight is 
called a “braggirt,” and I am treated to a double dose; 
am “lust)’,” and my statements so roughly doubted as 
to be akin to insult, the more so that his attack was en- 
tirely gratuitous and uncalled for. Mr. Dittmar is not 
onlj’ a gentleman of culture, of more than ordinary sci- 
entific attainments, but incapable of falseboo 1, and his 
statement to me, that the Ma 3 ’nard rifle, I both saw and 
handled, had been fired over five thousand times, with 
over-charges, without injury to any part, can be relied 
upon as being nothing but the simple truth. His train- 
ing as an artillery officer in the Prussian service, and as 
superintendent of the government powder manufactory 
at the Fortress of Spandau, entitles his opinion as to 
the relative merits of various kinds of gunpowder to 
the highc^o lespect. 
In conei .-ion, let me suggest that the que'-'ion of ve- 
racity doR- not well become your corresponJeut, and 
commend to his profound con-^ideration t-.e c id proverb 
regarding “those who live in glass houses.” 
XIedicus. 
Slaughter Sport. 
Eeitor Rod axd Gux : 
Hudson, Alich., July 6. 
“The fiec exchange of opinion among sportsmen in 
all parts of the country is a matter of great interest and 
importance. Discussion is the best way to promot* 
and discuss the interests of all true sportsmen." 
“If there has been one topic which has been persist- 
ently urged upon all sportsmen, it is that to the duty of 
obserrina the law they should add the kindred obliga- 
tibn ef enforcing its observation on nthers. The very 
eiiitance of sporting a* a pursuit hangs on the preser- 
vation of game and Qsh in such abandance and under 
such conditions as shall furnish to the sportsman the 
means ef continuing the favorite occupation at his 
leisure. *’ — EdiUrud Rod and Gun, April 3. 
1 -The amount of food as furnished hr the fin and 
feather of this country to the people of every class 
makes the consideration of their economic value one of 
much interest. Every sportsman knows that a game 
bird in the true sense, means those birds which certain 
breeds of dogs will naturally follow, not for the purpose 
of obtaining a meal fur themselves, but to gratify their 
instinct in the pursuit of that which affords them pleas- 
ure to follow, and in addition to the above “game’’ must 
be eminently adapted by the quality of its flesh, as food 
for man. In a w’ord we sum up the true game birds, as 
follows. The wild turkey, the grouse family, the quails, 
woodcock and AVilson snipe, all these biids afford 
pleasure and legitimate sport to the dog and gun; but 
there is another class of birds whose flesh is considered 
fine flavored and fit for the table, which in the true 
sense is not game, but as entitled to thi same rights of 
-uffrage as their betters. Of these we have the differ- 
ent species of geese, ducks, plovers, many species of 
»nipes, pigeons, etc. I might say that with the excep- 
tion of the woodcock and AVilson snipe, the true game 
birds are not properly migratory, but generally breed 
n the loc-alit)’ in which they are found, therefore re- 
quire our protection for a longer period than those 
.vhicb are migrator)’ in their habits. Althouuh the 
greater part of the geese, ducks, snipe, and other second 
class game birds breed in the far north, away from the 
haunts of man, and there hatch and rear their thou- 
sands, where is the sportsman who does not look for- 
ward to their flights southward with anticipated pleas- 
ure? The honk! honk! of the wild goose is music to 
nis ears, only likened to the deep baying of the hounds 
when in fu 1 cry, and if it be a good season 
“Files of dacks in streamirg thousands porr, 
At every bend their rising torrent.* roar; 
While o'er the marsh we mark the plovers sweep. 
And, clustering close, their wheeling courses keep.” 
Now, as my friend “Omaha” has seen fit to go forme 
in language quite plain, because 1 raised such serious 
objections to their side hunts, I deem it necessary and 
right that the matter should be thoroughly discussed. 
I do rot wish to do all the talking, however, but hope 
all lovers of the dog and gun, and respecters of game 
and game 1 .ws will “chip in” something which will help 
to better decide whether side hunts are a legitimate 
way of sporting, or that they tend to make and encour- 
age pot-hunting, destroying a vast amount of more 
game than is actually needed, and ullimately ridding 
the country of every species, whether migratory or res- 
idents. AA'e all know’ why it is objectionable to choose 
sides and hunt. It is because the shooters are chosen, 
and something being at stake each one will try his best 
to get the greater number of counts, make good wing 
shots, and those that would not take the advantage of a 
bird, if pluoid in a different position, so eagerly do 
they seek to beat their opponents, that they stoop to a 
raking shot, and possibly the whole covey or flock are 
mercilessly slaughtered. 
There is no real enjoyment in this kind of shooting, 
..nd w’ere it not for the money value of each bird, the 
pot-hunter would soon give up the nefarious business 
of ground-raking and trapping birds, even in season. 
Admitting that geese, duck, snipe, curlew, etc., do 
not breed in Nebraska, as “Omaha” says, and that they 
have not commenced pairing, when the spring slaugh- 
ter commences, does not the killing of every pair lessen 
the fall flight, more than treble. Again, are not birds 
killed in the spring founa ?o be I'oor and ill-flavored? 
The spring snipe is not the fi." -flavorsd bird of Oc- 
' 'her; -pricj' goose A i^t tlie g'.cvr f Novemher, 
■ ,iif f--''* ‘he Ml ■ m o. ,.;nv:. 'oac’ic, the ’at, 
cv !o V; ,j> .'i itv.iuLi. '(Amaha” slicv -.ryfall shoot- 
and’iu.-a Icii nie th- Jiif ih.^' le has dLrov- 
.rtit ! .v(eL poor apuL,:. ''“ .is aiid fa*, y.dcy ones ihat 
fad te his gun in nut-brown October. Had “Omaha” 
be* a^ close observer, he would have noticed in a 
I 
