688 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Nov. 29, 1913. 
Published Weekly by the 
Forest and Stream Publishing Company 
Chas. A. Hazen, President 
W. G. Beecroft, Secretary. Charlfs L. Wise, Treasurer. 
22 Thames Street, New York. 
CORRESPONDRNCE:- Forest and Stream is the 
recognized medium of entertainment, instruction and informa¬ 
tion between American sportsmen. The editors invite com¬ 
munications on the subjects to which its pages are devoted, but, 
of course, are not responsible for the views of correspondents. 
Anonymous communications cannot be regarded. 
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THE OBJECT OF THIS JOURNAL 
will be to studiously promote a healthful interest 
in outdoor recreation, and to cultivate a refined 
taste lor natural objects. 
—Forest and Stream, Aug. 14, 1873. 
A Higher Standard 
Have the sportsmen of to-day reached a 
higher and better sportsmanship than that of 
their predecessors of a few generations ago? At 
best, the question can have but a speculative an¬ 
swer. So far as one can judge, the ethical stand¬ 
ards and practices of the present are more com¬ 
monly advocated and observed than they were. 
But we must fairly consider the conditions of the 
times, past and present, in their relation to the 
evolution of sportsmanship. At a period which 
is so recent that it is within the knowledge of a 
majority of men still living, game large and small 
was in such abundance everywhere that it was 
comparatively easy for any one to gratify his de¬ 
sire either for sport or slaughter. The number 
of sportsmen and pot-hunters was relatively a 
very small number compared to the amount of 
game. The quantity of game now is very small 
as compared to the quantity then. Conditions 
thus have greatly changed. There is not the op¬ 
portunity now for such slaughter as obtained in 
the past, even if there were the inclination for it. 
since there is a scantiness of material. 
In justice to the sportsman of the past it is 
a pleasure to believe that there were then men 
whose ideas of sportsmanship were as good and 
true as are the best ideas of the present day; men 
who fearlessly denounced slaughter for slaugh¬ 
ter’s sake, and who diligently sought to establish 
the ethics of a higher sportsmanship. However 
much good there was in the*theory of sport at 
that time in practice it largely resulted in destruc¬ 
tion. So merciless was the pursuit that some spe¬ 
cies were practically exterminated, others were 
exterminated in such sections of country as were 
not obstructive to their pursuit, while others were 
greatly reduced in numbers. The quantity killed 
was at that time commonly accepted as the test 
of success. 
That there has been a general evolution and 
transformation in sportsmanship there is much in 
evidence to show. The adoption of game laws by 
all the states and the strong public opinion 
against large bags are proof of a conservative in¬ 
terest. The boastful and bloody era has become 
greatly modified. Killing and quantity are not of 
themselves considered as being all of sport. 
While the present time is not free from the 
depredations of the game butcher, the better and 
more refined pleasures of the sport are more gen¬ 
erally understood and practiced. Men go into the 
wilds equipped with a camera to photograph wild 
animals in their native haunts. Others take canoe 
trips on the waters of the wilderness. Camp-life, 
which in olden times was a necessary incident of 
killing game, too rude and rough to be considered 
as a means to a healthful outing, is now adopted 
as one of the most popular forms of outing, 
whether for fishing or shooting. In old times the 
killing was the sport. Now, the manner of pur¬ 
suit and killing are considered. The modern 
sportsman pursues under certain restrictions 
whereby the skill of the hunter is pitted against 
the native wariness and fleetness of the game. It 
is intelligence and skill against wildness and cun¬ 
ning. The killing is but an incident of the real 
enjoyment. The beautiful and the wholesome 
have succeeded that which was mostly savage. 
There is far less of the wanton slaughter of a 
few years ago, when deer were left to rot in the 
woods and fish on the bank. 
Probably many causes have contributed to a 
better order of things. Opportunities to kill are 
less, and the youth of the present day are being 
better taught in the higher ethics of sport with 
gun and rod, than were the youth of the past. A 
better and greater variety of sportsmen’s litera¬ 
ture is available to teach good lessons of sports¬ 
manship. A more thorough teaching of the youth 
of this country in the ethics is certain to result in 
a more cultured class of sportsmen. When men 
learn sportsmanship by experimenting or by bad 
teaching, it is sure to be learned imperfectly. A 
certain training and instinct are quite as neces¬ 
sary to make the genuine sportsman as to make 
the gentleman; therefore, do not neglect the edu¬ 
cation of youth in these essential accomplish¬ 
ments. 
Bird Conservation 
“Conservation of our birds is growing tre¬ 
mendously. Even women are abandoning use of 
plumage for their hats,” says Colonel Joseph H. 
Acklen, of Nashville, Tenn., one-time member of 
Congress, and recently appointed chief warden of 
the United States to enforce the new migratory 
bird law. 
“We're going to have the co-operation of the 
sportsmen everywhere. This law is going to 
prove the greatest step in the conservation of our 
bird life that has been taken in many years. 
“Everywhere people are beginning to realize 
that we can’t have our birds and kill them, too, 
so I do not anticipate trouble. My work will take 
me all over the country—-South this winter, and 
the spring through the North. In the various 
states I will call on the game wardens and urge 
their co-operation in the enforcement of this law. 
They have, for the most part, indorsed it.” 
Colonel Acklen is going to serve as chief 
warden without pay. 
“I did not collect a salary in the ten years I 
was game warden of Tennessee. In fact, I gave 
up my law practice to do the work. It certainly 
is a wonderful cause, and interesting.” 
Part of the time in Tennessee the state paid 
his expenses, but for several years the railroad 
fare and hotel bills were settled from his own 
pocket. The Government will pay his expenses 
out of the $10,000 appropriation for the enforce¬ 
ment of the law this year. 
Colonel Acklen believes that there is no 
question that the new migratory bird law is con¬ 
stitutional. 
The Big Fish 
It’s the big fish that finds his way into print, 
but for every big one heralded a thousand small¬ 
er ones go to the frying pan unchronicled. If 
there were no fun in fishing except when a big 
fish was captured, the aggregate of disappoint¬ 
ment and disgust would far outweigh the sum 
total of satisfaction found in the average fishing 
of the average fisherman. As it is, one may find 
a day full to overflowing with interest and bright 
memory storing experience, and yet not catch a 
fish worth the weighing. 
Tell It To Us 
Send us a postal card of fishing news or ex¬ 
perience or incident. Our angling columns are 
always open, and their interest depends upon the 
number and diversity of communications which 
appear there. No other journal in -this country 
begins to give the amount and variety of fishing 
literature here printed from week to week. It is 
the ambition of those in conduct of the Forest 
and Stream to increase its value and interest for 
the American angler. 
Advertise It 
Individuals who have bear cubs, or farms 
suitable for preserves, or setter dogs, or sets of 
antlers, or houses to rent, or guns to sell or ex¬ 
changed, are advised that neither the edieors nor 
publishers of this journal do a general commis¬ 
sion business; nor do they “happen to know of 
some friend who might want to invest”; nor can 
they undertake to find customers. Our advertis¬ 
ing columns are always open, and advertising in 
them always pays. 
Montana Notes 
(From our Field Correspondent.) 
Butte, Mont.— It is generally conceded that 
the plan of shipping elk from the Yellowstone 
National Park to various ranges has met with 
success sufficient to warrant its continuance. State 
Game Warden DeHart has received many appli¬ 
cations for elk to re-stock various ranges and 
forests. Deputy Warden Morgan reports that 
the elk which were transported to the ranges of 
Washington and western Montana appear to be 
perfectly satisfied with their new homes. Minne¬ 
sota people are particularly anxious for elk to 
stock the woods of the North Star state. 
The first capture of elk was made two years 
ago. Every winter scores of the elk wander from 
the limits of the Yellowstone park in search of 
food. Many fall prey to hunters and in order to 
prevent their slaughter the game department de¬ 
cided to try the plan of capturing the animals and 
transporting them to different ranges. Accord¬ 
ingly corrals were prepared and quantities of hay 
placed within sight of the roving herds. As soon 
as they were safely inside, the gates were closed 
and the elk were prisoners. About four hundred 
were captured near Gardiner, Mont., at the first 
trial. 
The animals were shipped in specially pre¬ 
pared stock cars so arranged that they could not 
harm each other. But in some cases the elk be¬ 
came so frightened that they crowded into the 
corners of the cars and several were killed. 
When the next shipments are made the elk will 
be transported in cars padded with gunny sacks 
and screened along the sides and ends so that the 
animals cannot see outside the confines of their 
cars. 
Advertising has established a new order of 
things in commerce. It has become a mighty 
power in business progress—a complete yet com¬ 
prehensive transmitter for the distribution and 
selling of merchandise and service. 
