528 
April 26, 1913 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Sixteen or Twenty. 
BY THEODORE GORDON. 
Twenty-bores are extremely popular at pres¬ 
ent, and one sometimes hears that they will kill 
ducks at longer ranges than the old reliable 12- 
gauge. There is something very attractive about 
these little guns, and when anything is in fash¬ 
ion, it is in fashion with all its feet. We would 
all like to try everything that comes out, but 
only the man with well-lined pockets can afford 
to own a battery of guns. The average indi¬ 
vidual has to center his affections upon one shot¬ 
gun, and his opportunities for shooting are 
limited. He expects this weapon to answer for 
all feathered game and wishes to carry no un¬ 
necessary weight, yet we do not think that many 
sportsmen can rest satisfied with an excessively 
light weapon. 
If one intends to order a 20-gauge cham¬ 
bered for three-inch shells, I fancy that he would 
do well to handle a good 16-bore of about six 
and a half pounds’ weight before doing so. One 
must have weight if he uses heavy charges of 
powder for wildfowl or grouse, and it seems 
to me that six and a half pounds is sufficiently 
light for any double gun. Some men do good 
work with short-barreled 20-bores weighing about 
five and a quarter pounds, but I am confident 
that the great majority will do better if they 
add at least one pound to this weight. Many of 
the best shots at the traps and in the field are 
using barrels thirty to thirty-four inches in 
length, and find their shooting improved owing 
to better alignment and sure pointing qualities, 
and long barrels do not go with feather-weight 
guns. 
If we can have but one gun I sincerely be¬ 
lieve that the old 16-gauge will be found most 
satisfactory for the average man. It will shoot 
well with reduced charges if one is in pursuit 
of woodcock, quail and snipe down even to one- 
half ounce of shot for rail birds, and seven- 
eighths ounce is sufficient with a full charge of 
powder behind it. The difference between a 
three-inch 20-gauge cartridge and a regular 16- 
bore shell in the matter of convenience is, I 
think, in favor of the latter. If at any time you 
wish to burn a little more powder and throw a 
few more shot, you can do so with the sixteen. 
It is a good plan to consult two of our best 
gunmakers and get their ideas after informing 
them that you expect to have but one gun. De¬ 
scribe also the shooting you prefer and expect 
to do. We have- had one featherweight full- 
choke and always wished it was a bit heavier. 
So much depends upon balance and the “feel” 
of a gun in the hand. If soft, one will be very 
tired at the end of the day, no matter how light 
the gun may be, and in the long run the one- 
gun man will have more comfort and satisfac¬ 
tion with a well-proportioned six and a half to 
seven-pound weapon than with a featherweight 
of any gauge. I should say barrels not shorter 
than twenty-eight inches and not longer than 
thirty-two inches for either bore. Bag limits in 
addition to game that has become wild allow but 
a few shots per day, and these are often diffi¬ 
cult ones at long range and fast flying birds. 
We have to be very quick, but steady and sure 
to make good. Often we are content if we 
have one or two ruffed grouse or a couple of 
ducks after a hard fag. A good 16-bore is not 
to be sneezed at when entered at trapshooting, 
and with a full charge of shot may be depended 
upon to smash clay birds with great regularity. 
In fact, it seems to be the best gun for the 
greatest number who wish for light weight, con¬ 
venient ammunition and all around effectiveness. 
Hunting in California. 
BY GOLDEN GATE. 
The Lagunitas Rod and Gun Club recently 
held a formal house-warming of the new club 
house on Mount Tamalpais, this being attended 
by the members and a number of invited guests. 
At this meeting it was decided to hold a varmint 
hunt some time in April in an effort to clear 
the club’s preserves of bobcats, ’coons, skunks 
and other small animals that have been increas¬ 
ing in numbers so rapidly of late. A number 
of hunting dogs are being purchased by the 
members of the organization, and it is antici¬ 
pated that fully one hundred nimrods will assist 
in the hunt. 
The rapid extermination of quail on the 
lands of the Spring Valley Water Company in 
San Mateo county, where hunting is not allowed, 
recently led to an investigation of the causes, 
and it was found that the property was badly 
infested with predatory animals. Traps were set 
and during one night sixteen ’coons, ten wild¬ 
cats and twelve skunks were taken. Twelve 
trappers have been employed by the water com¬ 
pany, and these will hunt in the hills until the 
varmints are exterminated. 
The movement that is on foot to make a 
game reserve out of Mount Tamalpais where 
wild life might breed unmolested is meeting 
with strong opposition from gun clubs and the 
owners of the mountain. These threaten to re¬ 
taliate by closing their property to the public. 
The present outlook is that but few of the 
game bills introduced in the State Legislature 
will be given serious consideration. The non¬ 
sale bill has a good chance of becoming a law, 
but this is not in its original form. It has been 
amended to permit the sale of wild geese and 
all kinds of rabbits. 
In Tete Jaune Country. 
West Newton, Ind., April 15. — Editor 
Forest and Stream: In case any of your readers 
should be contemplating a trip this year to the 
Mount Robson and Tete Jaune Cache country 
and should ask for advice concerning guides, you 
could not do better than to recommend J. W. 
Beattie and Adolph Anderson, care of Hood’s 
Store, Tete Jaune Cache. Anderson was with 
me a couple of years ago on a trip to the 
Brazeau region, and he has since been trapping 
and prospecting in the Fraser country. Beattie 
at that time was the hunter for the Pacific Pass 
Coal Company, and I was with him for some 
time. In a rather wide experience with such 
men I have met none that I liked as well or that 
had as good a knowledge of their business. They 
now have a good outfit of horses and can care 
for any party, large or small, at reasonable rates. 
Furthermore, they know the country, are good 
hunters, and will work their heads off to get 
game. I had hoped to take a trip with them 
this fall myself, but a literary undertaking will 
prevent. I shall be glad to correspond with any¬ 
one who is contemplating such a trip. 
Paul L. Haworth. 
500 Song Birds Imported. 
With the arrivel of 500 song birds of for¬ 
eign birth in Detroit, the first steps have been 
taken in the unique experiment of transplant¬ 
ing foreign songsters into this country. Among 
the arrivals were 161 linnets, 15 brilliant yellow- 
hammers, 60 greenfinches, 13 bullfinches, 22 black¬ 
birds, 6 bluejays, 54 chaffinches and 15 redpolls. 
The birds were brought over at the order 
of Henry Ford, prominently known as “savior 
of birds.” 
Game Warden Daniel, taking one guess, said 
“these birds will rapidly become acclimated, and 
although I do not think that the birds will leave 
the Ford farm just yet, they will multiply and 
migrate in the course of time.” 
Bird Lime. 
Hanover, Pa., April 19 . — Editor Forest and 
Stream: John Preston True can make an ex¬ 
cellent bird lime from plain linseed oil by boil¬ 
ing it down until it becomes thick and gummy. 
Can be used on twigs, foot rests of bird houses, 
etc. J. A. Melsheimer. 
New York City, April 21. — Editor Forest 
and Stream: If your subscriber will get a copy 
of the Scientific American Cyclopedia of For¬ 
mulas, 1911, at the Public Library in Boston, he 
will find on page 25 two receipts. I believe bird 
lime can be bought at M. A. McAllester Co., 
65 Cortlandt street. New York. H. H. Walker. 
New York City, April 15.— Editor Forest 
and Stream: In your issue of April 19 a sub¬ 
scriber in the cultured city would like to get 
some bird lime. This article is made from the 
bark of the holly tree, and is made in England 
by distillation where that evergreen is quite com¬ 
mon. It is used to catch gold finches and other 
song birds that are found there in great num¬ 
bers. He can buy it from William A. McDonald, 
2781 Broadway, New York city. A very good 
substitute can be made from a distillation of 
turpentine, but that is a ticklish business. A 
more convenient way would be to obtain it 
from the manufacturers of adhesive plaster, or 
those people that make the sticky fly paper. 
William Simpson. 
