March 2, 1907 .1 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
335 
selfish motives, sitting on the river bank with 
guns in their hands, waiting to shoot the de¬ 
spoilers of their homes and happiness. These 
people will gladly furnish evidence as to how 
their homes were flooded by the continual 
raising of those dams without authority of law. 
More than 100,000 trees have been killed after 
the same fashion without authority of the law.” 
Here we have both sides as to conditions at 
Indian Lake, of those who favor men who 
would destroy the Adirondack forests and of 
those whose homes have been destroyed by the 
paper trust. 
Governor Hughes was asked if Mr. Whip¬ 
ple’s attitude represented in any way the views 
of the State Administration, and replied, “Mr. 
Whipple's statement voices exclusively his own 
personal views.” 
It is well known that other State officials are 
also in favor of giving the lumbermen, mill- 
owners and water power seekers what they 
want in way of legislation, together with a 
free hand to destroy the forests and pleasant 
waterways of the Adirondack's. It remains, 
however, to be seen how many of them will 
vote for the constitutional amendment and 
thus put themselves fully on record as against 
their constituents and the State. They op¬ 
posed the gift of Glen Iris at Portage Fails, 
made by William P. Letchworth to the State, 
because some one wanted the immense un¬ 
developed water power there, but only five 
senators dared vote against its acceptance, 
and it is now the property of the State. 
It is also an open secret that interests be¬ 
hind this proposal to amend the State consti¬ 
tution have a large fund in hand, said to be 
$200,000, with more to come if needed, that the 
Forestry Water Storage and Manufacturing 
Association has paid a $10,000 fee to one firm 
of so-called attorneys in New York city for 
their help at Albany; that the larger papers are 
to be misled as far as possible; that the 
press bureau at Albany will do what it can to 
influence public opinion in favor of the con- 
cerrent resolution, and that State officials are 
giving the lumbermen, mill owners and water 
power seekers information for making up mis¬ 
leading circular letters and so-called news 
items. 
Let all good citizens, especially sportsmen, 
do what they can to help defeat this measure, 
which is intended to make the way clear for 
future legislation, which will forever destroy 
the forests and make a desolate wilderness of 
the Adirondack Mountains. Petitions signed 
by well-known influential citizens and politi¬ 
cians of good character should be sent from 
each assembly district to the assemblymen 
and senators representing them, asking these 
representatives to vote against the passage of 
this resolution and to work for its defeat. 
An appeal should be made from all sections 
to Governor Hughes, asking him to turn light 
on the whole Adirondack situation; that he 
make an investigation of the Forest, Fish and 
Game Department the first of his promised 
probings: that he ask the Legislature for 
authority to appoint a committee made up of 
lawyers from private life to investigate the 
whole subject of the State interests in the 
Adirondack*, in order to let the people under¬ 
stand just why the lumbermen, mill owners 
and water power seekers are so persistently 
trying to have our State constitution changed 
and all protection which it gives the Adiron¬ 
dack forests wiped out and the mountains and 
timber given over to them, for destruction aiid 
to the great and irreparable harm to the State 
and all its citizens. 
Clarence L. Parker, 
A Wise Move. 
The members of the Mankato, Minn., Gun 
Club recently held a meeting and discussed the 
ouestion of a petition to the Legislature to change 
the law on shooting the muskrat, so that the 
waterfowl will not be disturbed during their 
breeding season. What the gun club desires is 
that tlmre shall be shooting of rats from March 
| 15, to Nov. 1. 
Ducking in Washington. 
Seattle, Wash., Feb. 16. —Editor Forest and 
Stream: Comparatively little duck shooting has 
been done on the preserves along the shores of 
Puget Sound during the past ten days. Frequent 
rains, bringing high water, have had something 
to do with the loss of interest, but many of the 
sportsmen have had their fill and are ready to 
put away their guns until the grouse season 
opens next fall. 
The duck season closes with the end of this 
month. From that time to April 1 fishing tackle is 
overhauled, and trips planned. Indications are 
that stream fishing will be late this year. Much 
snow in the mountains, followed by rains will 
give swollen rivers. Lake fishing will come first, 
and if the trout make for warmer water, having 
been driven out of the mountain streams, good 
sport should be had. 
Joe Schlumpf received a report last week from 
George Forrest, who is in charge of the hunt¬ 
ing preserve owned by Mr. Schlumpf and A. H. 
Anderson, to the effect that a large band of 
elk had been seen in the Olympic Mountains. 
They were sighted a short time after the severe 
cold spell, and were evidently hunting for warmer 
quarters in the foothills. So far as is known 
no effort was made to molest them. 
Sportsmen, who are interested in the preser¬ 
vation of elk in the Olympic peninsula, were 
glad to hear that the superintendent of the Qui- 
nault reservation had instructed the Indians 
under his charge not to hunt the most majestic 
of the deer family. This is simply carrying out 
the letter of the State law and has the approval 
of the Department of the Interior of the U. S. 
Seattle, Wash., Feb. 23.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: That ideal conditions do not always 
bring feathers to the guns of the hunters was 
conclusively proved during the snow and wind¬ 
storm of a few days past. As Joe Schlumpf 
expressed it, “The birds had left the lower 
sound.” There were only a few bands of 
widgeon, an occasional teal, or butterball, and 
with the coming of night a brief flurry of 
mallards. The birds that were on the marshes 
were well acquainted with the surroundings. 
Decoys had little or no effect on them. Of 
course, the moon had something to do with 
decreasing the day flight, but the open water 
did not show the usual flocks that float about, 
waiting for the chance to feed when the gun¬ 
ners are in bed, or sitting around the fireplace 
telling stories. 
The presumption is that the duck shooting 
for the present season, which closes this month, 
reached its high-water mark about three 
weeks ago. Then all the preserves produced 
good shooting, because the weather was cold, 
the water was rough, and all the birds came 
driving in, eager to get any kind of food. They 
cropped the natural food growth very close 
to the roots. The few sacks of wheat that are 
thrown out on the preserves are not enough 
to hold the migratory bands, and they have 
evidently sought other fields. When it is re¬ 
called that ducks fly faster than express trains 
move over the best ballasted track, a journey 
to the California marshes does not cut much 
of a figure to the squawkers. 
George L’Abbe, accompanied by Ray Had¬ 
ley, was at his preserve near Dungeness. Re¬ 
turning on the Rosalie Monday morning, he 
said that he had seen fewer ducks than at 
any other time this year. A trip to Gray’s 
marsh with Joe Schlumpf is a prize package 
to any one who loves outdoor life, and the 
swish of wings. Mr. Schlumpf and A. H. An¬ 
derson recently purchased the property, which 
includes 476 acres. The marsh forms only a 
small part of the ranch, which has much fine 
Douglas fir, a fairly good number of cleared 
acres, a fine orchard, two houses and sufficient 
barn room for a good-sized herd of stock. The 
house, which is used for a hunting lodge, con¬ 
tains three good-sized rooms, each of which is 
carpeted and comfortably furnished. It is Mr. 
Anderson’s intention to build a bungalow, which 
will be lighted with electricity and supplied 
with running water. 
The marsh lies between the hunting lodge 
and the salt water. It is triangular in form, 
the widest part being along the straits, from 
which the ducks fly in to feed, or get out of 
the way of storms. A stream of pure water 
enters the marsh at the upper end from the 
heavy timber. It is augmented by springs and 
flows in an irregular course to the salt w r ater. 
Where the slough forks the blinds are located, 
and here the shooting is best, although some¬ 
times it is excellent at the edge of the woods, 
as the ducks have a habit of dropping in there 
to feed and rest. If one does not care to stay 
in the blinds he may tramp around, jumping 
up jacksnipe and trying his skill at solving 
their irregular flight. 
Mr. Anderson and Mr. Schlumpf have placed 
George Forrest, a practical farmer, in charge 
of the ranch. Jle meets them at Port Wil¬ 
liams, and after a drive of about two miles 
through evergreen aisles, the beauties of which 
are indescribable, the lodge is reached. The 
hunters eat at the farmhouse, and such appe¬ 
tites they do develop. Todd Brehm, who was 
the guest of Mr. Schlumpf last week, said he 
was ashamed of himself, but that if Mrs. For¬ 
rest insisted on tempting him with such pal¬ 
atable food, the larder must suffer the con¬ 
sequences. 
Shooting does not commence until about 
10 o’clock in the morning, and, except when 
things are extremely dull, guns are not fired 
after 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Mr. Ander¬ 
son and Mr. Schlumpf think that it is better to 
give the birds full scope at both ends of the 
day, and take the intermediate flight. Only 
twice a week is hunting permitted. 
Leaving Seattle on the Rosalie at midnight, 
the hunters arrive at Port Williams about 
7130 o’clock in the morning, and by the time 
they reach the ranch and get ready it is pretty 
near 10 o’clock. Before they are in the blinds 
Danny and Percy Forrest, sons of the keeper, 
have everything ready for the sport. They are 
as manly little fellows as one will encounter in 
a long travel. 
Mr. Schlumpf is a very fine duck shot, and 
although he uses a 16-gauge gun, he can kill 
his birds as far and as clean as any one with 
a larger bore. It is as easy for him to make 
a double as it is for the average shooter to get 
a single. Ordinarilv Mr. Schlumpf likes to 
have the birds come in close, as this lessens 
the danger of cripples getting away. But Todd 
Brehm says that when Joe has to reach out 
for them he is Johnny on the Spot. Joe is 
the best Dutch comedian in Seattle, and when 
the flight is slow, he keeps his companions 
laughing with his anecdotes. 
Some time ago Lou Smith and Charlie Beck- 
ingham were out with Mr. Schlumpf for a 
hunt. Beck thought he had an easy one and 
muffed it. “What’s the trouble?” yelled the 
host. “Too fur,” replied the disconsolate 
shooter. Since that time, “too fur” is a stock 
phrase on the marsh for any one who mis¬ 
judges distance. When the sport is good, 
lunch is brought to the blinds from the house. 
It is luxury and no mistake, but that is the way 
Mr. Anderson and Mr. Schlumpf take their 
outings, and they are determined to have 
things to suit them. 
In his hunting trips, the constant companion 
of Mr. Schlumpf is “Casey, an Irish water- 
spaniel. Casey is a very dignified chap, and 
goes about his work of retrieving without the 
slightest exhibition of excitement. If a flock 
of widgeon are coming over, he sits like a 
stone image, and no matter how many fall to 
the crack of the gun, he never moves until 
ordered into the water. No matter how wet, 
he never goes near a stove, but he does enjoy 
a bath and rub down with alcohol and witch- 
hazel. The last time Casey was out, snow fell 
thick and fast, adhering to his feet until they 
looked like big balls. He did not know what 
to make of it. and would walk around like a 
school boy just learning to navigate with 
stilts. Slowly and very carefully he stalked 
back to the lodge, and when the snow-shoes 
had been snaked off he gave a sigh of relief 
that was almost human, Portus Baxter. 
