The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-08
ROD, REEL IND GUN.
Some General Information OF Interest
to portsmen.
(CopuriQht

W
Ccopvri0htl
NEW YORK, March THE outlook, for
anglers and other sportsnen, is more favor.
able for the coming season than for many
years past. This is owing to the exceptional
mildness OF the last and the present winter.
This encouraging prospect is of greater
force in the western states than those Of the
east. In the latter the continuous depletion
Of fish and game, with no corresponding re-
Operative force, are factors which even the
favorable weather conditions have failed
measurably TO supply. Within q brief
peri-d, at the west, enlarged legisla:
tive action, an aroused public senti
ment and general awakening
to the situation have lei to strenuous exer-
tons 10 protect and preserve the game Of
the fields and the fish Of tina streams. The
farmers in particular have now awakened
to the increased revenues which may be de
rived from their lands and waters by close
attention to this subject Agriculturists
have commenced to relinquish hitherto
prevailing notion that 10y protecting and
preserving me they are encouraging q
dangerous enemy TO their growing crops
| They find that comfortable addition may
be made to their incomes by letting the
privileges to kill game to sportsmen, and
that If they care to harvest the feathered
crop themselves they may secure return
| proportionately as sure and remuneratiYe
as they derive from poultry. The same Is
true OF the fish in the streams which flow
through their lands. There is hardly day
that We do not hear OF combinations of
farmers, controlling large extent of ter
ritory, iting for the purpose of reaping
| the benefit OF an increased abundance of
fish and game. The farmers alliance of
Kansas has taken the most advanced hand
| in this direction and is alive to the benefits
| which may accrue from q close attention to
this subject. This action Of the alliance is in
| tended TO put stop to the great destruction,
particularly Of quail, which prevailed uni
versally in Kansas during the close season
of the past year. In Michigan, the grayling
| fishing, which offered the greatest attrac-
| ton to anglers, in the northern portion of
that state, and which was thought to have
| become almost extinct, promises the coming
season to greatly revive, through the cessa-
| ton of logging in most of the streams Chi
| cago anglers are now thoroughly aroused
and united in the determination to protect
the valuable waters Of the state and the
| territory north OF that city. Several strin-
| gent laws are now awaiting the action Of the
| legislature of Illinois for the furtherancs of
| that purpose.
In Washington and Oregon the initiative
| is also being taken to prevent the pollution
1
waste products Of other man ufactories
harmful to piscine life. Indiana is disposed to
! adopt more radical measures for the protec-
! ton OF its fish and game than any other
| state. 1t is questionable, however, whether
there the people generally are willing at
present to carry protection as far as is pro-
| jected. The fact that the press is giving an
enlarged attention to these matters has
been the strongest factor in remedying evils
which, without its assistance, would within
q briet period have brought the west to the
front OF depletion in its fish and game as
that which now prevail at the east.
| English wocdcock ard part i1ges are now
| being sold in the New York market for 81
each. The first are almost as large again as
our sort, while the second are even proper
tionately of greater sizs than our quail.
Even at the hight OF the season native
| woodcock do not bring much less than the
| English bird, while quail at a cost of 81 so
| to So per dozen will not be as cheap, so far
as bulk is concerned, as four English
patridges. With a vastly larger population
to the square mile in England, the abund-
ance of game there is proof that with the
same effort for its protection and propaga-
tion equally valuable results may be at
tanned in the United States
In the past and even to-day the Indians
used a stick upon which to rest the gun
when aiming at large game not in motion.
Although this was more IN vogue in the
| days when the muzzle leaders were exclu-
sively used the custom has not been aban-
donet even in the presence of the breech-
loader. In empl ylng the rest the Indians
assume the military position-kneeling-
while aiming. The stick is about 4 ID feet
long. The Utes, SNAKES, Pawnees ard
Biackfeet in o. der to make a crotch, avail
themselves of two sticks, which offer
| firmer rest.
The introduction Of the nitro-compound
powders has undoubtedly enhanced the
merits Of Shotguns of sixteen and twenty
bore. The first, loaded with two and q
half drains of the chemical product and
one and one-eighth ounces of shot, and the
second with two drains and an ounce of
SHOT, will have little or recoil. Moreover,
great advantages are gained in the use of
these small bores loaded with mira powder,
both in tho lesser weight Of the ammuni~
| ton and of the weapon, freedom from
smoke, hardness of the gun, pood pattern
and penetration, less bodily fatigue, and
| with corresponding &C ,uracy for aim.
| The famous sportsmen of the Teche coun.
| try OF Louisiana use exclusively these very
ght guns They hunt on horseback, and
in shooting hold the weapon at arms length.
A brace OF English snipe frequently falls to
the two barrels
The results of the experiments made at
the Springfield National Armory by
| board of government officers, during the
past few months, indicates that our makers
OF uitro-compound powers are fast overtak-
ing those of Europe.
The rebrownIug of guns may be done by
! sportsmen with ut recourse to q gunsmth,
! For English t. list or steel barrels the fol-
! lowing prepare ion may lie used:
Spirit of nitre l ounce.
| Tincture of steel q dram.
Subimate of mercury "A dram.
| Blue stone d dram.
s IT or rain water Is pint.
For plain iron barrels:
Nitric acid "a CT.
| Spirits of inter Il OF.
Spirits Of wine dram
TIncture of steel dram.
Soft water quart.
| The first is available one week after being
made, the second one month-the longer the
better. Plug the breech and muzzls with
tight-titting soft pine plugs, which must
| project about four Inches, as a base upon
| which the barrel may rest while applying
tie preparation, TO prevent the mixture
! from entering the bore and as a hold for
! the operator, whose fingers must not touch
! the barrels while the work ia in
| progress. FIRST polish with No. so or 100
emery cloth, coated with sperm oil or lard
The last polish may be made with No. 100
! emory cloth. Then wipe clean with dry
:, cotton washer or rags The barrels may
now be covered with a coating of whiting