The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-27
BIG GAM B.
Hunters From
w Orcester
HAVE PLENTY OF 1T.
Action Necessary For Pre-
servation Of Partridge.

cartridges have been woefully scarce
for the past two weeks, and sportsmen
who would like to see good bird shoot
ing in Worcester county for the next
ten or twenty years have begun to
think-think deeply. Last year the
stock was shot down dangerously
close, and if the present scarcity of
birds is to be taken as a standard to
judge from, there are very few birds
now in the woods to breed for next
year, and there is yet another month.
and over, during which birds may be
shot. Of course there are croakers
who insist that there are as many birds
now as there were ten years ago. and
that there We're as many this year as
last; but in most every case it will be
found that these men are the ones who
make the biggest scores, men who are
crack Shots and spend most of their
time during the hunting season in the
covers. They know where to go for
birds, how to hunt them, and as long
as there are any birds at all they are
pretty sure to get them. But the great
majority of hunters are those who get
a day occasionally during the season.
Men who are not crack shots. and do
not feel heart broken if they do not get
q dozen birds in a days shooting. Nev-
ertheless, these men like to start a few
birds when they go out. The beauties
OF the woods are all right, and an
empty game pocket is not Objectionable
II the hunter comes in from a trip
af1eld conscious that he has had good
sport To do this he must find some
birds. If there are no birds he feels
that a walk through Elm park would
have been just as enjoyable.
The startling way in which birds
have disappeared in Worcester county
for the past three years demonstrates
to all fair-minded sportsmen the fact
that unless something is done, part
ridges will be exterminated. There are
not quail enough, and probably never
will be. to amount to much. First of
all, to preserve the birds there ought
to be- a close season on them in Massa-
chusetts, or the central counties of the
state, for two years at least. 1t is very
improbable that such a decisive meas
ure will be taken. If this cannot be
brought about, the season certainly
should close December 1st December
is a bad month for the birds. Feed is
scarce, the weather disagreeable, and
the birds are found in places where
they are easily killed They hug to
small pines in the semi-open, and lay
closely for the dog. Great numbers of
hens are killed during this month, and
in consequence the possibility of in
erase is cut down. And, lastly.
another law that ought to be passed is
one prohibiting any one hunter from
killing more than &c. 40 or so birds in
a season. To be sure. Jnere are plenty
of hunters who would be able to get
around it, but it would do good, and
to some extent put an end to the market
shooting, which has come to be so
general. Few sportsmen, nowadays,
eat or give away the birds they shoot
The birds bring good money and the
general practice has come to sell them,
and thereby reap a revenue to pay for
time and expense expended in securing
them.
There is no reason why Worcester
county covers should not offer fine sport
to lovers of the gun and dog, if
little wise legislation was brought into
play, and supplemented by the hearty
Cooperation of all hunters who desire
to have all find pleasure and recrea-
ton in the field.
Herbert F. Roper, H. F. A. LANCE
and Oscar R. England promised their
friends some stories worth telling be-
fore leaving on their trip to Maine, and
incidentally venison, and now that
they have returned they are fulfilling
the promise Six handsome deer and
three caribou were the material and
visible results of the trip, but in addi-
ton there were many rare experiences.
The party went in at Norcross and
proceeded via North Twin, Pemadum-
T,Ir ,tNo Tue ,1rD ID
Powers camps, which are a. model of
comfort and luxury After a short
stay they proceeded across the lake to
another camp nearer the game re-
gions, where headquarters were made.
In short time, few days, the party
had killed it's full allowance of deer, H.
T. a. Lange downing the first quarry
and Mr.. Roper soon following. Then
larger game was sought Messrs. Eng
land and Roper started with their
guides on a moose hunting trip around
Mt. Katahdin. On the second day out
eight moose We're started from one
yard, not to mention several smaller
lots, but none We're secured Several
shots were fired at long range, but
without result There was a crust on
the snow, which made noise as the
hunters travelled, making it impossible
to get at close range. One large bull
was followed for two days, the hunters
camping on his track at night, but they
were unable to oVertake him, and at
last gave up the chase While getting
breakfast one morning a big bull was
seen to cross the river not twenty
yards from camp, but he was gone be
fore any one fully realized what had
happened. Later the whole party ran
into herd of 10 caribou and killed one.
The frightened animals kept circling
about the hunters until two more lay
dead upon the snow. The whole herd
could have been killed easily. Later a
herd of six was seen. On the way
home the party found Ambajijus lake
frozen and was obliged to return and
go down Millinocket stream to Mill
nocket station, where the game was
shipped to Worcester and later shown
to an admiring group of friends at Mr..
Lange's home at Grant square. 1t was
pronounced by all the finest lot of game
brought into Worcester by any party
this fall. Just now the critters are
in cold storage. Later they will be cut
up and make the friends of the hunters
glad. The sportsmen are all old hands
at the business. They are already
planning for trip next fall and will go
down then after moose, and big moose
at that. Mr.. Roper shot a Marlin,
5000, and comes back a strong be-
lever in the small bore, soft-nosed
bullet as big game killer.
Leonard w. Gates, assistant cashier
for the State Mutual Life Assurance
Co, who returned last week from Fred
Henderson's camps, on Head Pond, is
enthusiastic over that district, and be-
lieves the Maine woods have no more
royal host within their borders than
Mr. Henderson. Mr.. Gates says deer
may be found in the vicinity Of the
camp in positive abundance, and he
could easily have killed twenty
1t was Mr.. Gates first trip to the
woods, and to say that he is delighted
with the eYnaI.ienca ie aYnrasair1fr Il