wTIERE SHED BY S-CARTRIDGE L-MASS. T //?/ 'nsr**-*^* ~f/*c+si^*L Lfrfi panther, $20; lynx, $710; fox, $6,704.10. They also report that deer are undoubtedly on the increase. Ruffed grouse have increased in number, reports for 1895 indi- cating that they are more plentiful than for many pre- vious years. The Mongolian and English pheasant have been introduced, the former thriving quite well. Black- game and capercailzie are about being introduced. VIRGINIA IRGINIA has an area of 38,348 square miles. The three sections of the state are known as Tide-water, the Piedmont, and the Valley. The Tide-water is made up of a low, sandy plain, inter- spersed with marshes with growth of rank vegetation ; the Piedmont is first undulat- ing, then hilly, and finally mountainous ; the Valley lies between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghany ridge, and is a very attractive country, consisting of elevated, fer- tile valleys. The furred game consists of deer, black bear, lynx, opossum, beaver, raccoon, mink, otter, muskrat, squir- rel, rabbit, and some other small fur-bearing animals. Of the feathered game there are turkey, ruffed grouse, or pheasant as it is called in this state, quail or bob-white, woodcock, rail, and snipe ; and nearly all the shore-birds, migratory ducks, and geese during the season. Wild turkey are plentiful, and are increasing, it is said, as they are not hunted much in some parts of the state owing to the hard work required and the wari- ness of the bird. Wild turkey can be found at Ravens- worth on the line of the Southern Railway, twelve miles from Alexandria, and in the oak woods near the Big Dike. In upper Tide-water wild turkey are abundant; also on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge. The sea- son is from November I to January 15. Quail or bob-white are becoming scarce in many American Game 273 localities, owing to severe winters. At Springfield sta- tion in Fairfax county, about ten miles from Alexan- dria, good shooting is generally to be found. Sports- men feel certain that quail will increase with favorable weather and fair protection. The legislature of Virginia recently passed a law protecting these birds for the period of two years, and sportsmen intend to aid in increasing the supply by liberating live birds which they succeed in getting from North Carolina. Ruffed grouse or pheasant is the scarcest of game- birds. Good shooting could be had several years ago at Ravensworth, but the birds there are now almost exterminated. Wilson's snipe are migratory. The first flight from the south arrive here about March 1st. They do not breed in this section, but are plentiful in the marshes and wet meadows around Alexandria and Washington from the middle of March to the first of May. Some of the places where good snipe shooting may be had are Eastern branch, outside of Washing- ton, D. C. ; Danigerficld marsh, between Washington, D. C., and Alexandria ; also in the marshes on Great and Little Hunting creeks in Fairfax county. Good snipe shooting may be had in April. Snipe arrive from the north about October I, and remain about three weeks, but are not nearly as plentiful as in the spring. Woodcock arrive from the south about the first of March, and breed in the state quite freely. Great num bers of these birds may be found in Fairfax county, about six miles from Alexandria, at a place the sports- men call " the double ditches;" also at Woodbridge on the line of the Alexandria & Fredericksburg Rail- road, about twenty miles from Alexandria. On the 274 Where to Hunt main line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad one may find good woodcock covers. Leave the train at Branchville, and hunt up the stream to Beltsville, a distance of about five miles. Fine shooting may be had at either place from July to September, except in an exceedingly dry season. Good shooting may be had at "the big dike," two and a half miles from Alex- andria, on the line of the Washington & Mt. Vernon electric Railway. In the last two summer months sportsmen can get good shooting at flight-birds from the north at Franconia, Accotinck, and Lorton stations, on the line of the Alexandria & Fredericks- burg Railroad. The distances from Alexandria to these stations arc seven, eleven, and fifteen miles respectively. From the middle of October to the mid- dle of September the shooting is good. After that time the birds have all migrated south. It is thought woodcock are not decreasing. They were more plenti- ful in 1895 tnan f r a number of years. Good duck shooting can be had on the Potomac, near Washington, from October to April. From all reports duck are decreasing very rapidly. Canvasback, blue-bill, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, butter- ball, mallard, redhead, whistler, and wood-duck are found ; there are a few swan and geese. A few wood- duck breed in Virginia. Sora-rail arrive in the marshes about the middle of August, and are very plentiful. It is no unusual thing to bag seventy to eighty birds on one trip of two hours' shooting. Several years ago a sportsman succeeded in bagging 1 1 5 rail in three hours' shooting, in the big marsh two miles from Alexandria. These birds mi- American Game 275 grate at the coming of the first frost. Some of the marshes where good shooting can be had in September are Eastern branch, a four-mile run between Washing- ton and Alexandria; marshes on Great and Little Hunting creek ; Big marsh, two miles from Alexandria, in Fairfax county. These birds are shot out of a light skiff, which is poled through the wild oats on high water. There seems to be no decrease in the number of these birds. In Accomac county there is generally to be found turkey, quail, duck, and brant shooting. The bay-bird shooting, in August and September, is generally very fine. Good deer shooting is usually found in the neighborhood of Alleghany. In the neighborhood of West Point, in King William county, there is a variety of game, mainly feathered, consisting of turkey, snipe, and duck. Virginia beach is a famous place for shore-bird shooting. The seasons for birds at that place are : Yellowlegs, plover, willet, and all kinds of bay-birds, commence to fly about July 20, and continue until October I ; duck shooting com- mences on October 10 and continues until March 10. Surry, in the same county, is on the south bank of the James. Good deer and turkey shooting has been secured in that vicinity during the past few years, Duck shooting is good at this place in cold weather. Deer and other game have been quite plentiful re- cently in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in James City county. Fox, hare, opossum, and raccoon are plentiful from the top of the Blue Ridge into Tide-water. Bear are found in the Dismal Swamp, in the wooded heights of the Blue Ridge and its foot-hills, and in the Appalachian heights. WASHINGTON ASHINGTON contains an area of 69,994 square miles. Its surface is generally mountainous. A branch of the Rocky Mountains makes up its eastern boundary; the Coast Range extends through the northwestern portion ; and the Cascade Range runs through the state, north to south. Washington possesses much game, including the grizzly and the black and brown bear, the bighorn, Rocky Mountain goat, elk, deer of the black-tailed and Virginia varieties, cougar, lynx, otter, badger, fisher, marten, mink, rabbit, squirrel, and other small furred animals ; grouse of several varieties, including the blue, ruffed, pinnated or prairie-hen (in eastern Washington), quail of different kinds, sage-hen (in eastern Washing- ton), ptarmigan, duck, swan, geese, and other aquatic birds, and dove of several varieties. Duck and geese shooting has not been as good of late as formerly. Geese are mostly shot in eastern Washington. They do not remain here long, but pass on to Oregon and California. Mallard, wood-duck, and green-winged teal breed here. A very few blue-winged teal are shot. Quail shooting is likely to improve, as they have enjoyed five years' protection or close sea- son, and are growing more numerous. A favorite place on Puget sound for California quail is Whidby island. Some California mountain quail are shot, but they are American Game 279 exceedingly scarce. Pigeon shooting is rather poor, but at times affords good sport, bags of fifty and sixty being made on the grain fields in the spring. Snipe shooting is best in April when they come north ; it is poor in winter. Grouse shooting has also been decreas- ing. Wild pigeon seem to frequent the coast lands, and dove the eastern part. The state is divided into eastern and western Wash- ington by the Cascade Mountains. Ptarmigan are found, but not in very large numbers, in all northern mountainous counties. Ruffed and blue grouse are most plentiful in western Washington, the latter fre- quenting rather hilly districts ; but fairly good sport is had around the Sound cities. Duck and goose shooting is generally good in the western part of the state ; the various mud flats at the mouths of rivers entering Puget sound are favorite sporting resorts, including Skagit flats at the mouth of Skagit river; the Stillaquamish flats at Stanwood, at the mouth of Stillaquamish river, eight miles south of Skagit; Swinomish slough and Nesqually, all on Puget Sound flats. Whidby island is also a good point for shooting. These points afford good snipe and pigeon shooting when the grain has just been planted in the spring, but not after it is up a few inches. Pigeon are shot on the fields inside the dikes. There is no shoot- ing of pheasant except on Protection island, which is private property. Crab creek in Lincoln county is a good point for the sportsman to visit. Moses lake near this place is some thirty miles in length, but only about half a mile wide. There is excellent duck shooting in these waters, and large furred game is found near by. WEST VIRGINIA HE state of West Virginia has an area of 23,000 square miles. A large portion of the country is mountainous, and the moun- tains are quite fertile. The valleys are also fertile, and the generally mild climate makes the state favorable for some varie- ties of game. In some parts of this state game laws are woefully disregarded, and this has nearly exterminated the game ; there are, too, occa- sional severe winters, which prove disastrous to the quail or bob-white, generally known in this state as partridge. At the present time a strong effort is being made to protect this favorite game-bird, which no doubt will restore some of the depleted covers. The furred game of West Virginia is mainly deer, bear, a few lynx, rabbit, squirrel, mink, and muskrat. The principal feathered game is wild turkey, grouse, wood- cock, quail, snipe, migratory shore-birds, duck, and geese. Deer remain plentiful in some of the moun- tainous districts. Most of the duck shooting is done on the Potomac river, where their abundance varies with the seasons. Wild turkey are likely to be found between Cherry Run and Green Spring, on the line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Moorefield and Rom- ney are favorite hunting-grounds for local sportsmen ; and Pocahontas, Randolph, and Webster counties, where there are plenty of deer, are also good-hunting grounds. WISCONSIN ISCONSIN'S area is 53,924 square miles. Its surface is undulating ; no portion is mountainous, hilly, or flat. The western portion is more nearly hilly than other parts. There are rolling prairies, covered with luxuriant growths of grass and flowers. In the northern part the soil is of a sandy nature, and the timber growth is heavy ; this portion contains rapid streams. The furred game of Wisconsin consists mainly of bear, deer, moose, caribou, cougar, Canada lynx, red lynx or bob cat, otter, fisher, beaver, mink, marten, fox, timber- or gray wolf, raccoon, muskrat, rabbit, and squirrel, all found in the northwestern part. Deer are plentiful in all the northern and northwestern coun- ties, and bear and wolf in the northern counties. Many fox are found, and coon are abundant in northwestern and southwestern counties. Moose are few, and prob- ably decreasing. Rabbit abound everywhere, but espe- cially in Dunn, Eau Claire, Chippewa, and Barren counties ; and squirrel are on the increase in the north- ern and southwestern counties. The feathered game consists of wild turkey, ruffed grouse, Canadian grouse or spruce-partridge, pinnated grouse, prairie-hen, plover, canvasback, mallard, teal, redhead, wood-duck, and butterball duck, several varic- 284 Where to Hunt ties of the goose family, and ruffed grouse are quite plentiful in all northwestern counties, though not as abundant as formerly. Prairie-hen and other varieties of grouse are fairly plentiful in central and southwest- ern counties. A few bevies of quail may be found in the central and southern counties. Duck frequent all lakes and marshes. Northern duck are quite abundant in the fall on Chain lakes and the marshes near the city of Madison. Duck are decreasing rapidly. Geese are found in the fall on Chain lakes and other inland waters. Snipe are quite plentiful in spring and fall, especially near the Mississippi river bottoms and on the marshes near Eau Claire and Madison. Woodcock are found on Chippewa river bottoms. The best shooting may be had near Alma and on the Mississippi river bot- toms. Many of the good duck-shooting grounds in this state are now controlled by clubs or individuals. The famous Horicon marshes are excellent places for wild fowl, but are controlled by clubs. Deer, bear, and wolf are on the increase in Iron county. Mercer in that county is a good place for hunting. Cable in Bayfield county is a good place for deer. Many are each year brought into Marsh- field in Wood county, which have been killed in thai' neighborhood. Abbotsford in Clark county is a ren- dezvous for many deer hunters, whence they go in dif- ferent directions along the line of the Wisconsin Central Railroad, where there is good deer shooting. WYOMING YOMING has an area of 93,883 square miles. The Rocky Moun- tains cross the state from north- west to southeast, and there arc other ranges, making its general surface bold and mountainous. Much of the country is heavily timbered. The southwestern portion is well watered and very fertile. The principal rivers arc the Yellow- stone, Big Horn, and Powder. In the northwestern corner is the great Yellowstone National Park, part of it being in Montana. The climate is severe in the mountains but mild in the valleys. Among the furred game of Wyoming are grizzly bear, black and brown bear, wapiti or elk, black-tailed and Virginia deer, cougar, lynx of the two varieties, gray or timber-wolf, prairie-wolf or coyote, antelope, bighorn or mountain-sheep, mountain-goat, jack-rabbit, cottontail rabbit, otter, beaver, fisher, marten or sable, and muskrat. Among the feathered game are grouse of several varieties, including the ruffed, sage, pinnated, and blue grouse, besides quail, plover, duck, geese, swan, snipe, plover, and other migratory birds. But little attention is paid to the game-birds on account of the proximity to large game. W T apiti or elk frequent the mountains in warm weather, coming down to the foot-hills and plains 288 Where to Hunt with, the approach of winter. Recently it was esti- mated that no fewer than 10,000 elk came from the mountains and foot-hills to the plains, between Fort Washakie and the head of the Wind river in Wyoming, to escape the deep snows. Bison or buffalo occasion- ally wander from the National Park. Bear of the several kinds, cougar, wolf, elk, and deer are to be found in greater or less abundance in the mountain counties of Wyoming. It is a significant fact that game continues plentiful in this state, especially in the northern part, except where the Indians are allowed to hunt. THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW AN INITIAL FINE" OF 25 CENTS OVERDUE. LD 21-100m-7,'33 YB 10169 4G6880 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY