August 7, 1875, 
‘J I i 
Sport that is Not Sport. 
Rt siivii.i.K, 111., Jvily li. 
Editor ItoD .^nd Guk : 
Please accept iny thaiik.s for your arliele on “ Killing 
Insectivorous Birds.” 1 hope it will do a great deal of 
good here. There is one point, however, which I think 
you have omitted, namely, the killing of birds for slufl- 
ing. Should not this be allowed V If not, how are we 
to get collections ? Also, should not the law permit 
the killing of doves at certain seasons of the year, the 
same as it does other species of pigeons ? At present 
they forbid it at any time, but my opinion is that they 
are at least .'ie;nf-game birds, and should be counted as 
such. They atlbrd excellent wing practice, and the 
flesh, it is well known, is very fine, fully equal to the 
snipe. I write, however, seeking information from 
other sportsmen, and do not wish to be considered bar- 
barous or cruel ; and if they can give good reasons for 
not hunting them, I will cheerfully withdraw my 
opinion. 
!Mr. Editor, can not you give us an article on the 
proper manner of killing game birds ? Some of the 
sportsmen (?) around here need something to convince 
them that slaughter is not sport. “ Badger ” is not alone 
in having good shots around him, as we also have some 
excellent shots here! I have heard one biag that he 
killed nearly twice as many quail as I did, was not gone 
half as long, had no dog, and last, but not least, killed 
them all at a few shots, by tracking them through the 
snow, and finding them huddled together on the ground. 
See what a saving of ammunition ; while he could kill 
from five to ten at a shot, I could only kill one (and 
sometimes even less !) But which had the most true 
sport, and which was really the best day’s hunt ? There 
are akso men here w'ho aie “going to kill some pheas 
ants this fall if they can get a dog that will tree them.” 
Now, what can we do to change the ideas of these 
[)Ot hunters, who butcher them thus, partly because 
they' cannot shoot on the wing, and partly because it is 
their idea of sport? Arrow. 
PL.X'rrsMOUTii, Nfeh., .July 21. 
Editor Rod .xnd Gi n: 
We have a very' good club here, .some good shots, 
and guns, but none better than my No. 10 Parker. 
Have lot.-i of gra.sshoppcrs now, and a very bad outlook 
for crops; y'et we hope that they' will picss over us. The 
air is full of them to-day', flying we.st, as thick as y'ou 
ever saw bees when swarming. The pftispect for sport 
this fall is good ; a great many chickens came in from 
the West la.st fall, and have .stopped with us this .sum- 
mer, and we anticipate better shooting than we had last 
fall. Quails nearly all froze last winter; very few left. 
H. .]. S. 
From Miiiuesola. 
Albert I^ea, Minnesota, .Tuly 18. 
Editor Rod .xnd Gun: 
The time again draws nigh when ye jolly sportsman 
will don his shooting-coat and high boots, shoulder his 
breech-loader, and, with his never-forgotten dog, start 
out to shoot prairie chickens, as the boys say they are 
“ nearly ripe.’ In about five weeks the close sea.son is 
over (Aug. 1,5) and shooting commences. The supply 
of birds is greater this year than it has been for several 
years. Ducks that hatched here are nearly large enough 
to fly, and by' the 1st prox. we shall be able to go down 
the lake and bring back a boat load of young mallards, 
teal, etc. The dogs are in good condition, and plenty 
of them, for a wonder, as they were not poisoned last 
winter as is generally the ease. For several years past 
a fiend in human shape has put out poison and killed 
otf most of the dogs. Their plan was to put strichnia 
into Bologna sausage, and place it in the street in front 
of the place whose owners had bird dogs. A year ago 
last winter several children got hold of some of the 
poisoned sau.sage, but were all di.scovered before they 
had eaten of it. People were naturally indignant, and 
I am pretty sure that the perpetrators of the outrage 
would have fared badly if they had been discovered. 
Capt. White lost a valuable black setter, and Fobis 
Brothers a pointer, by poison several weeks ago. This 
happens with them every year. Some scoundrel has a 
spite ag:iinst these men and takes that way for revenge. 
It is too bad, as they are a.s good men as ever looked 
over the breech of a gun. 
Pickerel fishing has been unusually good here. Three 
years ago we had none, owing to the gill nets that 
our foreign population was wont to decorate our 
streams. We got on our ear about it, and endeavored 
to get evidence to convict the lawless fellows, but could 
not, and so organized a boat crew to suiipress the nets. 
Every week we would explore all the creeks, rivers and 
the lakes, and when we found a net it usually came up 
to town and was destroyed. The remedy' was question- 
able, I admit, hut it worked like a charm, and now we 
have as fine pickerel fishing as you could wish. 
The Stale Fi.sh Coinndssioner, Dr. Day, deiiositcd 
several thousainl salmon fry in our lakes last spring. 
Whether they will amount to anything in our land- 
locked waters or not is a (piestion that time alone will 
solve. I have doubts. 
Expecting lots of shooting, we look for a great manv 
Eastern sportsmen in to kill our chickens. They w ill 
find good accommodation and a warm welcome. We 
had Busby, of the Ttnf, Field and Farm, here last 
year, 'and hope that some one from the Rod .vnd 
Gun, will give us a call this year. 5Ve will give him 
lots of fun and plenty' to eat if he will come out. 
Srorts.man. 
The Fifth Brigade, Second Divksion, X. G. S. N. Y., 
held a practice shoot on .inly ■!(>. The Thirteenth, 
Fourteenth, Fifteenth and Seventy-eighth W'ere reiue 
sented; ranges were 100, .500, 000 and 400 yards. The 
shooting was indilferent, and the lack of discipline con- 
siderable.. 
Wilmington, N. C. — The grand competition of the 
season of the two rifle teams took place yesterday after- 
noon at our North Carolina Creedinoor, located across 
the river. There was some “tall” shotiting done on 
the occasion. Both teams were in full harness, and 
they' pulled with a vengeance lor the bolt of sheeting, 
making the sport conseijueutly fine. T'arn No. 2 
gained the advantage over Team No. 1 on the occasion. 
Mr. Edmund Lilly, of the former organization, coming 
off the w inner of the holt of sheeting by a score of 118 
out of a possible 180. — Wilmington Star. 
CRiacDMOOR. — Four companies from the Eleventh, 
one company from the Sixth, two companies from the 
Eighty-fourth, and two from the Ninety-sixth regiment, 
N. G. S. N. Y., were out on Itlonday last for ball prac- 
tice. These troops belong to the Second Brigade, First 
Division. 'I'hey got to the Creedmoor depot at a 
quarter after ten o’clock, but the weather was so severe 
that it was found imiiracticable to shoot , and the men 
being unprovided with railroad accommodation, had to 
march back to New Vork. . 
The largest trout ever known to be caught in Lake 
flurou or anywhere else, was taken near Kiueardine on 
Tuesday last; the fish weighed 74 lbs. 
Young Shad in millions are announced as having ap- 
peared on the Canada side of Lake Ontario. They arc 
the fruit of Seth Green’s work in slocking the waters 
on the American side. 
The increasing interest in rifle shooting can be w it- 
nessed eveiy day and evening at Conlin’s rifle and pistol 
gallery at 930 Broadway. On Wednesday' the policemen 
of the Twinty-ninth precinct had a practice match 
there, each firing six shots at a Wimbledon target w ith 
a Remington rifle. The scores made were not in time 
for this issue. 
Mr. B. W. .Tenkins’ imported pointer bitch Julep 
whelped eigiit pups, July 29, by imported Sancho. 
Saucho has won several prizes in England, and won first 
prizes both at Watertown and Mineola, the only places 
he was shown in this country. He is a grandson of the 
celebrated Hamlet, one of the greatest dogs ever 
whelped in England. He is by Walker’s Dan, out of 
Fanhead’s Juno out of Belle, by' Hamlet. Julep’s pedi- 
gree is; Sire, Trojan by Sancho, out of a daughter of 
Floss, by Majo.'’. The Sancho sire of Trojan is by the 
celebrated Sancho, No. 1,004 K. C. S. B. Dam, Be.ss 
by Trim (out of Daisy by old Rector), out of Flora. 
Such dogs are valuable additions to our national stock. 
They are having rare sport fishing for pickerel at the 
large pond on Quinnipias River in Wallingford, Conn.; 
on the line of the New York, New Haven and Hartford 
Railway, and only five minute.s’ walk from the station. 
The fish are very plenty, and large catches have been 
made . 
The Rev. H. W. Beecher delivers the inaugural 
address at the New' England Agricultural and New 
Hampshire State fairs, which is held in 5Ianchester, 
N. H., S^t. ”, 8, 9 and 10. Dr. A. Rowe is to read the 
paper on canine affairs. The bench show of dogs will 
be the 8th and 9lh. 
Lincoln, 111. . July 29. — On occasion of the races 
held here, .several jiigeon matches were announced, the 
first match consisting of the following gentlemen: C. 
M. Kmipp, champion of the Lincoln shooting clnlqGeo. 
Hunter .and Geo. Parker, of the same club; R. G. Hall, 
.1. Berry anil T. Watts, of Delavan; W. E. Wadams 
amlR. V. Baker, of Decatur; T. W. Pelton and P. W. 
Bently, of Bloomington, and J. Holden, of Ellsworth, 
III. Ten birds were up. Knapp, Watts, Baker and 
Bently, tied on ten; Wadams and Pelton on nine; Hol- 
den and Hunter on eight. On shooting oft Knapp and 
Watts lied again on five. On the second trial Knapp 
got four and Watts three. Knapp took the first jnize, 
^35. Wadams and Pelton tied on five for ^le second 
shooting oft. Wtvdams look the second prize, $30, 
scoring five to Felton's three. Holden and Hunter shot 
oft’ the tie for the third prize, $23, Hunter getting five 
to Holden’s two. Parker gut the fourth money, .$20, on 
seven birds. Taking this score all through, it is the best 
ever made in central Illinois. 
Another sweepstakes was made between Knapp, 
Baker, Hunter, 5Vadams, Bently, Pelton, Holden Par- 
ker and Friend, of the Lincoln Club; J. Young, of this 
place, W. Longnecker, of Mt. Pulaski, and C. Cald- 
well, of Decatur. Knapp, Wadams, Bently, Caldwell, 
5'oung and Longnecker, tied. In shooting oft, Wad- 
ams took the first prize. Baker, Hunter and Friend, 
tied, and in shooting off Hunter got the seeoml prize. 
Pelton, Holden and Parker shot oft for the third, it 
being taken by the latter. 
On an inside match, Knapp defeated Hunter, killing 
five against four out of five. W. Larison, of the Lin- 
coln Club, defeated Caldwell, killing six to five out of 
eight. H. Sherman, of the Lincoln Club, and Caldwell, 
shot at four birds and tied on three. Being out of birds 
the match was drawn. 
The Lincoln Club challenge any club of five in the 
Stale. They shoot with the Champion Club next Wed- 
nesday, that being the first day' of the races. They have 
ordered birds from Chicago. 
P 1 ..XTTSMOUTH, Neb. — There was a shuol on July 21 
at the Fair Grounds. The day was line, the birds 
Strong, and the sport exceedingly lively, ’\lalch be- 
tween S. M. Chapman and ' Wm. Aguew, and three 
others on a side; ten single and five double birds; New 
York rules to govern; 21 yards rise, 80 yards Ijoundary. 
Capt. L. D. Bennett, Referee; G. S. Smith, Scorer. 
A.'new 1111111111 10 11 11 11 ll-lS 
Ui.ld) i-'.| 1110 111111 II 11 10 01 11-10 
Strei-'ht 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1.0 1 11 01 10 11 10—14 
Cunuiiigbam 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 iV) 1 10 10 11 00 II -TJ 
Total Ot 
C'liaoman 1111111111 11 10 OO 10 Il-li! 
Liviug-tou 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 11 00 1 0 00 wr- « 
Joues 110 1111111 10 11 (Kl 11 10— l.i 
Neville 1110 1110 10 lu 00 ifl 11 00—10 
Total ^9 
Henry J. Strkioht. 
The Troy 'Hmes .•iiiya: •' While a short (listiuioe from the rily yes- 
terday we heanl robins cliirping in the leafy top of a tall elm. .X 
large cat from a neighboring house stimd under the tree gazing aloft 
and watching the feathered songsters as they flitted hither and thith- 
er. Iter eye was eager and gamey, and she evidently longed for some 
tender bird's meat. The robins, it uppe.ars. had a nest of young one.", 
and the mother bird, observing tlie crouching attitude of tlie Cat far 
below, was filled with anxiety for the safety of her little ones. She 
set up a loud chattering cry. and for a moment both [larent birds flew 
about the nest wildly and noisily. Finally, tliey swept down straight 
toward the cat. their tintiering wings and impetuosity driving her 
away on a run. A.s she neared the gateway of a house and was 
almut to enter, one of the robiiw swooped down and gave the cat a 
sharp clip on tlie back with its beak. The cal rushed into the door- 
way. and up the robins rose and sought the nest of the brood. ' 
Reaoeh.- 1. Ilird shot by -X. circled round for five or ten minutes, 
fell w ithin bounds, w as picked up by a litthi gtrl. given to her father, 
liy him given to .X. who handed same to referees; bird dead. .Xfler 
bird was shot, and before it fell, three shots was tired from the score 
and scorer had marked bird missed. No doubt atioiil the bird tieiiig 
the one shot at tiy .X. Should .X lose the bird* 2. Bird shot lit 011 
omnibus, frightened up tiy the crowd, and caught near the score liy 
party shooting, given to shooter and by him to referees: birrl shot 
through the body. Wliat should be the ruling* :i. Does it make any 
dilTerencc by whom the bird is caught witliin bounds, if bird is shot 
and bleeding* t. Double birds sprung from trap, one shot, fithers lit 
on gronnd close to trap. Was shooter entitled to two more liirds* 
Ass.— .Xs we do not know your rules it is ditlicnit to decide. 1. Re- 
ferees should have not allowed another bird shot until this was de- 
cided. In'our opinion .X •hould not lo.se the bird if gathen-d w ithin 
time allowed by ndes. 2. Shooter not resi>onsible for actions of the 
crowd; we should score it a dead bird. 3. Yes. the bird should be 
gathered by the shooter or some man named by him. and no one else; 
but if the bird flies into a crowd and some man picks it up. the 
shooter should not be held responsible. 4. Yes. if he didn't use the 
‘econd ban*et. 
