The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29
ADIRONDACK POTHUNTERS.
THEIR DEVIOUS WAYS AND HEI
MANY FRIENDS ON JURIES.

THEIR EYE rs WA Us AND THEIR
MANY FRIENDS ON JURIES.
Annual Iucursions lotto the Fine Game
Fields OF the Southern S~ection-Advan.
tnees or Muntins In Their Favorite Re-
sorts - Deer That Nibhie Haystacks.
A man who has passed several successive sea-
SONS with rod and gun in the Adirondacks says
one reason 80 many city sportsmen have poor
success in the woods is that they do not 60 to
the right places to find game.
"As soon as the season opens in the fall" he
said TO a Sun reporter. there is a great rush OF
gunners TO the extreme northern parts OF the
wildern ess, where hundreds or camps are annu-
ally established near the Racquet, Fulton
Chain, and other lakes. The hunters go in from
the railway stations on both sides OF the woods.
and even on the opening day one can hardly
walk a mile in the forest without hearing the
crack of a dozen rifles. Their constant shoot
ing, day after day and season after season. has
made the game very wild, and If 1t were not for
the cleverness Of the guides in sparing big
game. deer would soon become e1termiIated In
that section OF the woods.
Now, the southern lakes are quite as far from
the railway lines as arc those in the northern
part of the woods, and as city sportsmen do not
visit that section, perhaps because 1t ts not
fashionable, even If they are aware Of its adj
vantages. which is doubtful, the pot hunters
Hon. Titus m'G SSeard OF Little ie Fails and some
other residents OF the Mohawk Valley arc
aware OF the tne sport in the southern part OK
variably meeting with great success. but the
total number OF such outside hunters does not
exceed a score.
"Some eight or ten miles south of West Lake.
in the neighborhood OF Oak Mountain. the farm
line commences in what are known as the foot
hills OF the Adirondack. know it to be q fact
that the farmers have been compelled to build
high wire tences around their haystacks to
keep the deer from eating up the winter fodder
OF the cattle. I have personally seen the hoof-
prints. Of scores of deer around those stacks
when have started out in the morning to hunt
have indicated. the region is the pare
disc of the pot hunter, and. unfortunately, his
name is legion. These pot hunters have not the
slightest regard for the game laws. or any other
they become timber thieves, and it is impossible
to convict one Of them. No jury can be
iOpA1 have pot hunter. ' or Timber sAAi thieves
among its members. These men have the!r
River on tie north, Ii is comparatively easy to
ship the game to the market for there are any
R RaI Stations, 10 Sa'if From lpo the ' sou M1GqS side I'D enc Of rs shs
wilderness there are roads direct TO Fort Plain.
St, townsville. or Little Falls. with Dolgeyille
and its railway an occasional favorable medium
by which to connect with the New York Cen;
trail. ,Nentson is usually. shipped dressed and
aud the whole bundle is fastened to a single
tree trunk in such q way as to give II the ap-
pared for shipment. That is one way, but it Is
not uncommon to box an entire carcass IN =
! rhbS- thoc. Nic CHI iSh
balsRIn boughs and moss to keep II fresh.
Two winters ago | happened to be doing
pot hunters were encamped near West Lake. ]
determined to get evidence against them X
pany me on a snowshoe trip into the woods. We
drove 10 stewards Mill. from which point we
day. intending to come back that night. for the
weather was very cold. The lakes were frozen
Sus % Sas we oy. had tho no ff esl IN in our pAt 1ag
across West Lake we found a we'll beaten
woods. About IA mile ny a little valley we came
to a substantial cabin which. although deserted,
contained plenty Of evidence Of having beer, re-
the snow all around. but not n hide nor hair 10
show what kind OF an animal. or animals. had
been slaughtered, We did fUd. however, fur;
Their up the valley. a place. where there had
boen a deer yard. There. also. WAS a lot of
blood. indicating that the slaughter must have
I'VE decided to remain in tho cabin over
night, hoping the campers won!d return, but
they did not, and We were compelled TO hurry
bl9ck because Of lack of provisions. am con-
hdunt. or course. that word was conveyed in
some way To tho pot hunters To warn them OF
our coming. Tho attention of the game war
dens were called to the affair. but nothing ever
came of IT. ] have reason TO Believe, however,
that the men were local hunters and that they
have been doing the same sort OF neiarious
notwithstanding tho pot hunters, though,
as long, ms the great army Of city .portsmen
begin the hunting season in the northern part
Of the wilderness, the subsequent shooting In
the southern part Will be superior to that in any
other section of tho big woOds. There are many
OF tho common black bears in the southern
slope, and have seen some that weighed fully
300 pounds. In fact, | killed one that tipped
lives near the foot OF Oak Nountsin. killed
four blHck bears IL one day last winter. the
first one within a dozen rods OF his house and
the Others all within five miles.
There Is no better bird shooting in this coun-
try than on that part Of the, southern slope in
the town of salisbury. In the northern part Of
Hcrkimer county. WoOdCoCk aud partridge are
very abundant. Along the .tI!l waters of the
bis SpIucs Is q stretch OF aldrrs. twenty miles
In lcngth. This IL full Of wo0dcOck, but tho
shooting Is dlticult because OF tho density OF
the growth. lie only way tu hunt the wood
cock successfully Ii To have u party Of three and
II good dog. One man must go into the Rlders
with the dog, whilO tho others station them
selves OH each SIDE, one somewhat IA ad vance
OF the dog and the Other AN equal distance De-
hind. The man ia the brakes will have littl0
opportunity to shoot. but one OF the other two
VIII DO pretty sure 10 get u shot when u bird
Rises above the bush.
All the country south OF the Canada lakes
70 the Mohawk River is full OF cartridges.
There are great stretches of beech forests and
henilock and spruce patches, with flowing
streams short distances apart. Tho birds ara
fond OF beech nuts, ana when they have fat
tened themselves on tnis sRvOry food, after the
frost opens The burrs, they are in the best pos
sible condition. Fhr wOudcOCk arc migratory,
and 20 sOrtl soon after cold weather sets in.
All the brooks and lakes in that southern
brook trout ! ever SAW came from u little
stream not oECr II mile long, called Porter
Brook. whl"h ompiies into the Big spruce, Ia
the town ui salisbury. The brook Is formed by
Il series ~ springs OF icy cold water that gush
from the bottom Of u meadow. IL IA neither
Wide nor deep. hut there are cOuatless poolA,
ana these are famous for the luscious trout thai
hide IN them. Its existence is almost unknown,
save TO We lew people who live 7tthin htd