
656 



FORES EVAN DS TREAN, 

[Oct. 26, 1907 



camp, when they found caribou and got five good 
heads. The trip proved to be very hard. They 
had four men with them most of the time, but 
with all the help were obliged to assist in pack- 
ing over the barrens. It rained constantly for 
eighteen days, the effect being most discourag- 
ing. On getting back to the coast Oct. 2, they 
were told that eight parties had come back from 
the Grand Lake country without a single head. 
This news made them fee ; better, - they began 
to realize how fortunate they had been. 
HACKLE. 

Oregon Game. 
SAN Francisco, Cal., Oct. 
and Stream: I thought you might 
the inclosed clipping, taken from the editorial 
page of the Portland Oregonian of Oct. 3: 
“Throughout the State the Denny pheasants 
are falling before the guns of the hunters, not 
y hundreds, but by thousands and tens of thou- 
sands. This annual slaughter, even though it 
is limited to two months, cannot fail to make 
Serious inroads on the flocks, and in a very short 
time we shall again be obliged to restrict the 
Forest 
like to see 
7.—Editor 
killing of these birds entirely. In yesterday’s 
Oregonian a Skamokawa correspondent  pre- 
sented some very interesting views on the game 
question. He expressed the belief that our 
pheasants and grouse are too tame, and recom- 
mended importation of some hardier and more 
cunning members of the grouse family from Nor- 
way and Sweden. He mentioned three birds of 
the pheasant family, weighing respectively seven 
to ten pounds and three to four pounds, and the 
third somewhat smaller, and mentions as their 
merits that they are quite wild, hardy and in- 
crease quite rapidly. 
‘The mere thought of a pheasant weighing 



ten pounds and wilder than any of the family 
now known in the country, is sufficient to stir 
the blood of all true sportsmen, and, with the 
experience with the Denny pheasants as a criter- 
ion, there should not be much difficulty in secur- 
ing a supply of these wonderful birds from 
across the Atlantic. But it should not be for- 
gotten that no matter how hardy or how wild 
game may be, if it is hunted as relentlessly as 
practically all American game has been hunted, 
it is only a question of time when it will be 
exterminated. What is needed is more stringent 
laws and _ stricter enforcement of those already 
on the statute books. From nearly all parts of 
the valley have come reports of early slaughter 
of the Denny pheasants by farmers’ boys who 
did not care to wait until the close season ended, 
and there are also reports of some bags well in 
xcess of the limit allowed by law. 
“In the fate of our big game we have an ex- 
cellent illustration of what is awaiting the birds. 
Most of the present generation can remember 
when elk and deer were quite plentiful in all 
parts of the State, while out in Central Oregon 
antelope were frequently encountered. To-day 
the elk in this State are practically extinct, so 
far as known. there being but two or three small 
bands remaining, and these, even in the brief 
season which is again permitted for killing, are 
being hunted so persistently that the date of their 
final extinction is near at hand. Cows and bulls 
alike fall before the bullets of the hunters, al- 
though the killing of the former is infinitely 
worse for the perpetuation of the species than 
the killing of the males, and should be prohibited 
at all times 
“The practice of killing deer for the hides 
seems to have been discontinued, but there is 
still a fearful slaughter of these animals. The 
deer and also the elk suffer not only from the 
hunters, but also from the cougars, and an in- 
crease in the bounty on these game destroyers 
would undoubtedly have some effect in main- 
taining the supplv of bio game. Oregon has 
become famons all over the world as a sports- 
man’s paradise, but we cannot hope to retain 
& 
this reputation unless our hunters are less prodi- 
gal in their needless waste of wild animal life.” 

All the 
Canada, 
game laze 
revised to 
Game 
's of the United States and 
date and now in force, are 
Laws in Brief. See adv. 
given in the 

Virginia Quail Shooting. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
After a chat last spring, the parting shot from 
friend J. struck home. It was, “Will write you 
when an opening comes to put in a week or 
two with me shooting quail in Virginia.” Not 
getting word as soon as expected—thinking 
other friends would remain the season through 
—I helped plan and carry out a hunt on the 
St. Regis. Three fruitless days convinced us 
of the fact that berry-pickers and deer hunters 
are poor neighbors, bringing disappointment to 
the later arrivals. Coming home and finding 
no southern news yet, I 
this time.” Leaving Lackawaxen behind a 
rattling team, we came to grief ten miles away 
from our destination. Henry, the driver, 
weighs 240, the scribe 200, and George some 
and the one hundred too many shells out 
of the one hundred and five in our  valises 
wanted to be avenged, so the new fangled 
spiral spring broke. Henry had promised his 
best girl a ride that Sabbath afternoon in the 
self same conveyance, therefore I say it served 
him right to compel his patrons to foot the rest 
of the way, while he led his steeds before a 
sorry propped-up “turn-in.” He acted like a 
little man, though, bringing in the cartridges 
that night, so as not to leave us short of am- 
munition, we having only filled our pockets 
with some of the cartridges when our ways led 
asunder, 
said, “It’s Pike county 
less, 
A fine four-pronged buck wanted to come 
past my stand, but a very considerate outsider 
stopped him not two hundred yards from where 
he would be most certain to have given some 
one the shakes. Case, one of our guides 
wanted to take the buck anyhow, but better 
counsel prevailed. The party only containing 
two paying members, rock bottom was speedily 
reached and faces once more turned home- 
ward. The ounce bullet out of a muzzle- 
loading shotgun not having done too much 
damage, nice steaks and roasts were enjoyed 
by iriends Head and hide were done up 
rown to convince those to come of the prowess 
of their ancestors. 
There was a letter from friend J., and it was 
yosted from a section where the little brown 
veauties hold forth. Besides the invitation, it 
contained a pardonable side message to mutual 
friend Peter that sixteen of the swift darters had 
aid tribute to Lad’s points in a short outing 
hat morning. Who can stand such talk, even 
though more than the allotted time had already 
een loafed away for that season’s vacation? 
So, penning an acceptance, fine day dog 
and gun, and the fellow behind it, left for “below 
he snow line.” Far-seeing J. had timed me to 
arrive at the house about 6 A. M. on a Mon- 
day morning. It was half past four when the 
brakeman called out the station, where the 
Maggage master put gun and valise before the 
open side door to be easily reached from the 
outside, and good-bye was said. Best ac- 
comodations for man and beast at the hotel, a 
wide-awake dusky runner shouted, at the same 
time trving to relieve me of part of my luggage, 
but J. had written a wagon would be at the 
station, so directly another fifteenth amendment 
took hold of my arm, saying, “I wants you.” 
Knowing right well what that meant, I was 
easily led captive, and we soon put miles behind 
us, arriving at the house in time to bid the 
rising generation a good morning. After in- 
troductions, breakfast was served, pipes lit and 
9 o'clock awaited, so as not to tire the tender- 
foot too much. 
Looking over the kennels, we found 
sweet belton with an interesting family of eight 
fine, six-week-old puppies, as also a second sea- 
son dog and gyp; then Lass of Kent, a pointer, 
and last came Lad of Kent and Rock, pointer 
one 

a very 
and setter, the ones drawn for that day’s per- 
formance. 
They needed no coaxing. and out they slinped, 
like eels from a bucket. After getting the 
word, they went like bullets and kept that speed 
np to quitting time, late in the afternoon. 
Starting, they gave us the first point and back 
within two minutes. byt it took the twa that 
followed them a good deal longer to get within 




shooting distance. 

Lad seemed petrified, si 
we saw him last; no visible signs of life, exc 
the open eyes, the nose in that taking sa 
way, turned up, as if receiving the aroma out 
the upper strata, keeping as rigid as marl 
even while Rock made one or two lightning-] 














































































































































casts to hold the running bevy. 
Dozens similar and even more impos 
stands and backs were made, then again it 
vidually picking up singles in the dryest 
leaf cover, showing the very best of noses. 1 
greenhorn’s entreaties to the others to look 
the dogs must have bothered them consid 
ably, as only twenty birds rewarded the fai 
ful friends’ points. 
But meat was not our object. An hono: 
friend in the party, who made Lad his espec| 
favorite, recorded for a two-months’ sojot| 
with brother J. 437 kills to Lad’s points. N) 
day, Hunter and Bob were given the chat 
to work. Snow began to fall on the mountai 
and soon compelled us to wend our way hon| 
ward. From then on the blizzard set in a 
kept piling it up for nearly two days, and wk 
the roads were reasonably clear, I turned 3) 
face homeward to avoid possible freshets. 
M 

Opening of California Duck Season 
SAN Francisco, Cal., Oct. 12—Editor For 
and Stream: Oct. 1, the opening day of 1 
California duck season, took between one a 
two thousand men from San Francisco to 1| 
marshes about the bay. For two days prece 
ing the opening, all the trains bound for poi 
near the Suisun, Sonoma and Alvarado mars! 
were from one to three hours late, owing 
the crowds of hunters and their equipment. ( 
the opening day, as well as since, many lir| 
bags (35 being now the limit) were brought | 
Altogether the opening week was satisfacto'| 
though a strong northwest wind caused t| 
ducks to fly unusually high and spoiled the sp¢| 
very largely in some localities. The hunte| 
from the East Bay resorts seem to have the b¢ 
of the season thus far, most of the limit bags co) 
ing from the fresh-water baited ponds of t 
Alameda marshes. Reports from the Suis 
preserves are not up to the mark of past se 
sons; the wind in this section having kept t 
birds high during the first few days. At t 
Alviso marshes near San Jose, the shooting w 
good, though the percentage of limit bags w 
rather low. On the Sacramento River the shox 
ing was about up to the average. Along t 
overflow lands of the San Joaquin the shooti 
was unusually fine. From all sections come r 
ports of the abundance of mallards and t 
scarcity of teal. Sprigs were out in fair nu1 
bers, but many hunters secured the limit ¢ 
mallards alone. 
The principal shooting 
Suisun marshes are: The 
acres; Harriman’s, 1,100 
1,300 acres; Maskey’s, 350:acres; Ibis, 280 acre]. 
Allegre, 220 acres; “Bill” Richards, 2) 
Harvey’s, 200 acres. On the Sonon 
Oana the leading clubs operating are: T| 
Alameda Sportsmen’s, Shellville, Wingo, Fai 
ville, Bassio, Lincoln, Honker, Black Point. 
Advices from Los Angeles show that the sel 
son opened in Southern California with u 
usually good bags of ducks. All the club mer| 
bers were out in force and the abundance | 
water and favorable weather gave many sout 
ern hunters the limit. The clubs where tl 
most active work was done were: The Olympi 
Bolsa Chica, Chico Land and Water Compan 
Green Wing, Golden West, Sunset, Blue Win 
San Pedro Lomita. Alamitos. Pasadena, Recre 
tion, Del Rey and Westminster. 
The closing days of the California deer se 
son, which ended on Sept. 30, were marked 1 
a number of good kills. Reports are not in y 
in many cases, as hunters are still out huntir 
doves or waiting for the quail season to ope 
on Oct. 15. In the Sierra Nevada Mountai 
deer have been especially plentiful and hunte 
in many cases secured the season limit of tw 
bucks. In the Coast Range the shooting hi 
been unusually poor, though strangely enoug 
several of the largest deer of the season, ; 
preserves on t] 
Teal Club with 7 
acres; Joyce Islan| 
Roos 



