Dec. 6, 1913. 
FOREST AND STREAM 
715 
Among European Shooters 
By E. G. B. FITZHAMON. Our European Correspondent 
M ATTERS of great interest to American 
trap shooters and to the gun and am¬ 
munition trade of the United States are 
imminent at Monte Carlo, where the pigeon 
shooting season has been moved forward by gen¬ 
eral request; and where a conference or con¬ 
gress of sportsmen and of trade representatives 
is to be held from Dec. 8 to 13. 
This congress of shooters and shooting in¬ 
terests is expected to be quite out of the ordi¬ 
nary. Also two extra prizes of considerable 
value are added by the management to the pigeon 
shooting, for which the total of added money is 
close upon $40,000. 
Already migration has begun from Paris to 
the Riviera, the land of flowers and gambling, 
where cold winds are forgotten and the snow 
perches high on the mountains while visitors 
bask in the sun or stroll along the matchless ter¬ 
race. 
The great question with those that shoot at 
Monte Carlo always has been that of powder and 
cartridges, for the French Government vigorous¬ 
ly protects its monopoly for smokeless powder 
and it has grown much wiser since that day some 
years ago when a laureate of the Grand Prix 
brought with him a deal box, zinc lined, contain¬ 
ing the powder with which he loaded his cart¬ 
ridges. 
Challenged at the French Customs, he was 
compelled to open the box; and, upon being- 
asked what it contained, he ran his fingers 
through the powder—it was almost unknown at 
that time—and replied, “Seed for the garden of 
Madame Blanc.” He got away with it, too; part¬ 
ly, perhaps, because Madame Blanc was the wife 
of the famous Francois Blanc that rescued Monte 
Carlo and its now celebrated Casino from debt 
and oblivion fifty years ago. 
So greatly have shooters visiting Monte Car¬ 
lo been annoyed by the Customs’ formalities to 
which they have been subjected, that a vast 
amount of smuggling from the Italian frontier 
has been induced. 
The outcome, so I am informed by Parisian 
sportsmen, is that powerful influence is being 
Boston, Mass., Nov. 24.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: In Mr. Simpson’s yarn about “Big Bull 
Moose,” in your fine No. 21, he mentions taking 
bear in traps, steel traps, of course, being meant. 
I note with sorrow that, as, curiously enough, in 
almost every case of stories of bear-trapping, not 
a word is said about the cruelty of the game. 
And yet all these writers must know the facts 
in the case: that in all instances, without excep¬ 
tion, the animal is tortured more or less before 
it is killed or gets away by breaking the trap or 
tearing or gnawing its foot out of it. In most 
cases the bear struggles in agony and panic for 
several days, and the appearance of most of 
them show that they have even bitten themselves 
in their frenzy, dug up the ground, climbed trees, 
and exhibited many other too clear signs of fran¬ 
tic suffering. I very respectfully submit that, 
even if a man wants “to have a big black bear 
rug on my library floor,” as Mr. Simpson puts 
it, he should think it over a little before being 
brought to bear privately upon the French Gov¬ 
ernment to permit, under certain conditions, the 
importation of cartridges from the United States, 
England and Europe should the management of 
Monte Carlo be able to give a satisfactory guar¬ 
antee that the permission would not be abused. 
This matter will come up for discussion at 
the congress to be held from Dec. 8 to 13, which 
will be attended by representatives of the lead¬ 
ing European makers of sporting cartridges, man¬ 
ufacturers of gunpowders and gun-makers. 
The congress will be accompanied by an ex¬ 
hibition of arms and appliances pertaining to the 
sport of shooting. Doubtless it will include the 
latest ideas in traps, clay pigeons and other sport¬ 
ing adjuncts and appliances that may be in de¬ 
mand by the ladies patronizing the shooting 
ground in the vicinity of the golf course at Mont 
Agel. The exhibits will find welcome in the 
Condamine, free of charge, in the covered courts 
reserved for the lawn tennis tournaments and 
subsequent motor-boat exhibition. 
Time was when almost every gun-maker of 
repute was a visitor at Monte Carlo during the 
shooting season, and it is anticipated that a re¬ 
vival of interest may be brought about by the 
congress to be held next month. At any rate 
the congress may be productive of developments 
that in due time will enable cartridge makers and 
powder manufacturers from abroad to import 
their latest productions through an agreement 
with the French Government for the Monte Carlo 
shooting season. 
I hear that when next year’s prize rifle shoot¬ 
ing at Bisley opens in July two important changes 
will be found by competitors. The central of 24 
inches diameter is to be reintroduced for match 
rifle competition only, with a scoring value of 
six points. In army or navy rifle competitions 
the bull’s-eye at 500-yds. will be reduced from 18 
to 16 inches in diameter. 
During a recent gale a whale more than 80 
feet in length—over all, as yachtsmen say—has 
been driven ashore on the French coast near 
Brest, Some whale? 
Paris, Nov. 17. 
willing to put a poor dumb animal to the torture, 
and what a torture! in order to indulge his aes¬ 
thetic soul. If a sportsman cannot shoot a bear 
in the open, or take it in a deadfall, he should 
renounce it. 
Bears are frequently shot by leaving meat, 
either deer, moose or other kinds shot in the 
woods, or some brought from the settlement for 
the purpose. This attracts the bears, especially 
when it gets a trifle high. Five were shot in 
this manner in my district of Nova Scotia this 
autumn. 
But not alone do I find the taking of bears in 
steel traps a cruelly wrong thing, but any other 
animals. I believe that the use of steel traps 
should be prohibited by law. There is indeed a 
way to use traps that predicates the minimum 
suffering, for example near water with the slid- 
ing-pole, so that the victim is immediately 
drowned; but it is impossible to make and en¬ 
force any law that has exceptions of that kind 
in it, as they would be abused, so that a full pro¬ 
hibition should be made by the state legislatures. 
I am not speaking in any holier-than-thou 
manner. I am an old woodsman and I have 
trapped a whole lot, much more than my con¬ 
science cares to admit. But there came a time 
when I stopped to think, when I was candid, or 
strong enough not to allow the “fun” of the thing 
(nice word for causing agony!) and the pecun¬ 
iary gain to blind me to the cold facts. Then I 
gave up trapping with steel traps, and now I 
have become a rapid, fanatical opponent of the 
cruel art. 
And I am sure that anyone, any gentleman 
at least, who could see what I have seen—the 
proofs that mink and rats and bears have suf¬ 
fered for days and then died in agony—I am 
positive that he would be on my side forever. 
And what forsooth is trapping carried on 
for? In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred 
merely to pander to vanity, for only that one 
case exists where fur is necessary. Furs, as 
worn in cities and mostly in the country, too, are 
totally unnecessary. I wonder how many ladies 
with soft hearts know that the beautiful pelts 
they are wearing, are, nine times in ten, the re¬ 
sult of torture? 
Furthermore, the deadfall is a pretty good 
trap. If the trappers must trap, let them do as 
the Indians had to, use deadfalls. Most regions 
are overtrapped as it is; the use of the deadfall 
would give the disappearing animals a normal 
chance. 
Come, all ye who are real sportsmen, ye good 
moose-hunters and salmon-fishermen and crack 
shots at the traps and in the field, let us all stand 
on the side of the right, and, without being in 
the slightest degree sentimental, work hard for 
the abolishment of the steel trap! 
Edward Breck. 
Please mention “Forest and Stream.” 
Forest and Stream is a logical advertising 
medium for reaching readers who can afford 
expensive luxuries. 
The confidence of _ its readers is the most 
valuable asset that any magazine can offer its 
advertisers. 
Do you notice how Forest and Stream’s 
advertising keeps increasing? Advertisers must 
appreciate it. 
In fishing use the right bait; in advertis¬ 
ing your merchandise, use the right magazine. 
Use Forest and Stream. 
An advertiser may be spending a large sum, 
but not necessarily doing all the business he 
is capable of, or doing it on the most profit¬ 
able basis. 
A magazine that is popular with its readers 
cannot fail to bring good returns to its ad¬ 
vertisers. 
The sooner you get after our readers, Mr. 
Advertiser, the quicker you will get business. 
Send advertising copy to-day. 
Take no backward steps in your business. 
The sticker wins. Plan for future business, and 
have the courage to advertise for it. 
How will the public know who you are, 
where you are, and what you have to offer, if 
you do not advertise? 
The right medium makes advertising inex¬ 
pensive and profitable. 
Make an effort to cultivate business. Peo¬ 
ple are always looking for bargains; advertise 
and let them know this is the time to get them. 
Look ahead and advertise for future returns. 
Now is the time to advertise. 
A good time to talk to sportsmen of course 
is during the summer months. 
If you are not a subscriber to Forest and 
Stream, we should be delighted to enroll your 
name. 
Advertising serves trade—extends business 
—creates good will. 
Steel Traps: A Cruel Abomination 
