The sun., 1896-10-28
NEW PER1Ls FOR HUNTERS.
None OF Them Saro When Bullets Fly -Four
and n Hair Miles.

from tho Chicago Record.
M1NNEApoIls Mimi, Oct. 22.-The deer sea-
son is already open In Wisconsin and deer are
being slaughtered by the hundreds by sports
men now in tho woods. On Nov. tho season
will be open in Minnesota. Owing to the intro
ducton Of the modern. small-calibre. long
range firearms old-time hunters look forward
with apprehension to the accidents that are
likely to occur In the window OF a Minneapo-
lis gun store hangs q harmless-lo ooking little
rife to which is attached the significant placard:
Range four and half miles" That simple
little announcement mean s that many men who
have heretofore spent most of the month OF
November In the woods OF northern Minnesota
newspapers for accounts Of the deaths of un-
happy hunters who have been Killed by these
terrible nuS Of 5hs9 no rss
within q radius OF several miles OF n hunter
armed with one of them has any certain tenure
of life. In Minneapolis, alone, at least dozen
men who haven't missed their annual deer
hunts for several years have given II out that
this year they prefer the quiet OF business to tie
hazards OF deer hunting with such dangerous
weapons in use In the woods.
This is the first year that these rifles have
been used generally in the United States for
hunting purposes and with those who haven't
reflected on the possibilities of their long range
calibre bullets, steel coated, discharged from
these rifles, carry for 500 yards on dead line.
There is no need for al lustRble sights with such
q powerful ride. and for that reason. as we'll as
for their comparative chea apness. they are prov
ing popular. A Minneapolis man who used one
Of these rifles last year say S that he would like
to see law passed forb!dding the use of such
weapons. His change OF heart was orought
about by little experience he had while in the
woods last winter.
He was sitting on a log smoking. waiting for
his wagon to come up with the supplies. when
there came the peculiar moaning sound OF the
small-calibre bullet. 1t struck a tree scarcely
covered ed from % his is surprise when another bullet
passed near his head. The next moment Air
johnson was crouching behind II log. After he
had recovered his equanirnlty he dug the ball
out of the tree and found that II belonged to one
of his own men. He learned from them after
ward that the man was three miles away at the
time the TWO shots were fired.
You may think II Is a laughing matter. said
me pn,n ont few a6s he rs
now being sold in Minneapolis and throughout
the Northwest have the terrible carrying power
use in the armies OF Europe and in the regular
army OF the United States. These rifles are
incased bullet leaves tho muzzle of the rifle
with such terrible velocity that 1t will pene-
" Now, imagine what may happen with II party
of hunters. armed With such rides, distributed
over eomparativeLy small area of wooded
country. Ono OF the hunters may fire at deer,
miss his aim. and the bullet may 60 on and
kill another mem Der of the party two or three
miles away. This is no idle fear such accidents
often occur with the rifles that have been used
in hunting in previous years, and W hich have an
extreme range OF not moro than 900 yards
at may be urged that no rifle bullet can pro-
coed a great distance in IA forest without imbed-
ding itself in tree trunk, but in the slashings.
where deer are often hunted, one can some-
times see nothing butscatterlng trees and small
underbrusb for miles.
Il contend that thero Ia no excuse for the use
of such deadly weapons. In ordinary deer
hunting he is u poor hunter who doesnt stalk
his game within $50 yards. or course in hunt
ing mountain sheep and goa ats the range Is much
longer. But Of what use Is such All extreme
range? A man can't see his game at two or
three miles. and even II he could he couldn't
aim within tifty feet Of IL There is no use for
such weapons except in warfare, and they ought
to be forbidden In hunting"