Dogs/how_to_train_dogs_and_cats_1904.md

How to Train Dogs and Cats

Hints on Shooting and Hunting Game

Life Experience of Frederick H. Erb, Jr.

PRESS OF JERKINGS & GRAM CHICAGO  Copyright 1904 By Frederick H. Eck, Jr.  FRED. ERS. JR.  [API_EMPTY_RESPONSE]  INDEX.

A Dog on Point. ..... 22 Author Will Train Dogs to do Anything. ..... 94 Beagles. ..... 37 Breeders' Times. ..... 27 Chesapeake Bay Dog. ..... 36 Destroying Fleas. ..... 13 Difference Between Pointers and Setters. ..... 15 Dog Catcher. ..... 57 Dogs Feeding. ..... 24 Dog Shows. ..... 34 Dog's Best Friend. ..... 20 Dogs of Different Breeds. ..... 54 Game Protection. ..... 39 Game Protection. ..... 43 Golds. ..... 64 Guy Shy Dogs. ..... 21 Has Handled Over Three Thousand Dogs. ..... 25 Has Lost But Five Dogs. ..... 25 How to Take a Gun Apart. ..... 41 How to Take a Gun Apart. ..... 45 Hunting Wagon. ..... 31 Infallible Remedy For Dizziness. ..... 26 Infallible Remedy for Canker of the Ear. ..... 26 Infallible Remedy for Mange. ..... 26 Jack Smith. ..... 63 Life Experience With Dogs and Game. ..... 7 Loads for Trap Shooting. ..... 45 Model Kennels. ..... 30 Muzzling Dogs. ..... 89 Openers. ..... 66 Pheasant. ..... 45

Points to Remember. ..... 45

5  PRAIRIE CHICKENS 69 QUAIL 64 RABBIT SHOOTING 50 HORSE SHOOTING 19 RETRIEVING WOLF 31 REVOLVER SHOOTING 53 RULES FOR FIELD WORK 12 Dogs on Trial 16 RULES FOR TRAINING DOGS TO RETRIEVE 9 SENDING DOGS ON TRIAL 32 SHIPPING DOGS 25 SHOPPING OFF ROLLER SKATES 88 SKETCH OF AUTHOR'S LIFE 86 Some of Author's Famous Scores 79 SCENES IN THE WEST 37 STOCKING THE STATE WITH GAME 44 TEACHING DOGS TO POINT 14 TEACHING DOGS NOT TO QUARKLE 24 EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER 90 TRAINING GIRLS AND BOYS TO SHOOT 51 TRICK DOGS 38 THE OLD MAN AND OLD PUNTER 19 Two Months Old Shooting 24 UNIVERSAL RECORD OF SUCCESS WITH DISTEMPER 25 WILD TURKEYS 71 WONDERFUL SUCCESS MADE BY AUTHOR 74 WORM MEDICINE 68

6  A LIFE-TIME EXPERIENCE.

After a life-time's experience with dogs of all kinds, in all kinds of held work, at all seasons of the year and under every possible conditions, I have come to the conclusion that the best kind of dogs and game, that will be valuable as well as interesting to the reader.

I have hunted for nearly forty years, from the time when I helped my father furnish guns for the people crossing the plains and journeying to the West. I have hunted in the North, in the Middle States, on the western plains, or away down South, the pleasure and charm of the free, open air life has never been lost.

My life has always been in the field from a youngster, and to the end of my days. I hope to see the hills and prairies, among the game and birds, with my dogs and gun.

Looking back through the years on the many happy days so spent, after having read this book my heart is filled with joy. That by the aid of this book they may learn to know the value and worthiness of a thorough training for the dog that is to be companion as well as helper in the long days of a hunt, and appreciate any facts that will help to preserve his health and usefulness and increase his knowledge and ability.

All lovers of cats will welcome my advice in regard to the care and training of them, and if my rules are followed, none need to fear the ill effects which might result from neglecting their needs. The more serious ones, while the increased intelligence of the pets will make them more repay the careful study of this book.

7  A man standing in a field with two dogs. The man is holding a walking stick and wearing a suit and hat. The dogs are white and appear to be hunting dogs. The text "RETRIEVERS" is written below the image. RETRIEVERS.  HOW TO TRAIN DOGS AND CATS.

Hints on Shooting and Hunting Game.

I find many ups and downs in different dogs of different breeds. Some people will say they have the only breed of dogs. Now, what standpoint they get that from I would like to know. My life's experi- ences have taught me that the best dog is the one that has been trained, so you see that a person's chances are not the best to get a sure one, or a high class field dog, at all times. But you can reverse things by proper training and make fair field dogs out of them by breaking them down into little pieces and putting them back together again. The dead bird first before retrieving it. This will get them interested in their nose work and will give them a good start to use their noses on live birds in the field and to bring them in. Dogs out of them I always keep on a dog at six months old, and then put him at the height of his ambition, and can be taught to do anything a great deal easier than when older, and nine times out of ten he will be ready to go to work with you, and you will never regret having him with you. The best dogs I have ever seen were brought up at that age. Ninety- nine men out of one hundred that own dogs do nothing but feed them well and keep them in a cellar or a closed yard for a year, then ask someone to take them out and show them off. They are dead meat the minute he is put in the box for shipment until the handler gets him. Now, what does the handler do? The only thing for him to do is to pet and try to make friends with him. No success; let him loose and see how he acts. He is not going to come to you, but it is against a hard proposition. But, if the owner would get off his pug at six months to the handler, or take the pup out walking so he would get used to it, he would be a great deal better. A dog that has been around horses at one and two years old making world records! They are not shut up in a box-stall and not let out, but are given plenty of good exercise and are petted, and this is the way dogs ought to be treated. When taking a young dog into the field let him go about as he pleases, but first few times let him know that he must hunt to hunt and not be afraid of you, and get an idea of what you want him to do. Then, when you want him to settle down for work, so you won't have

9  to whip him, or take any of his high ambition out of him, let him drag a chain, say about three feet long, and if he don't cut his ground up to suit you, hang two chains on him. Now, don't try to do this in one day, but take from ten days to two weeks; then put him on birds. You will see he will run fast and hold his birds, and will not jar them. Let him drag a chain, and hold him so that he gets excited yourself, but let the dog get excited and anxious and you watch him. Some of the best dogs that ever lived will make many mistakes in their first attempt at this game, but they will learn to be easy to overcome by your watching him. Read this book over carefully and pick out the best points that will help you work your dog. I have worked over three thousand dogs and traveled many miles over the country to show how dogs worked that I broke by the rules of this book.

If you have a wild dog, hang a chain on him. Get a window weight about a foot long and snap a four foot chain in the hole in the window pane. The dog will run after the window weight until he gets at the dog's front feet, so that there will be no danger of his getting fast in anything. A week or ten days of this will make a different dog out of him. Keep the chain and weight on him until he minds you, but do not scold him too much. When he begins to mind you, praise him, and when he understands, he will stop running away or chasing chickens, and will be obedient to the voice or whistle. At first, when the chain is finally taken off, he will not go out far, but encourage him a little, and give him some food. Then when you begin to whistle at the same time you train him to mind your whistle, or the movements of your hand to right or left, you will find that you will not have to call him or frighten the farmers with the game by loud noises.

Nine hundred dollars was paid for a dog that did not get away from them more than fifty to one hundred yards.

To have success in hunting you must keep your dog under control. If you run a dog through a wide field fast do not let your hand get excited; most hunters are apt to let their dog be fast; don't hunt fast, but every little while stop and let your dog locate you; but with the slow dog, follow him. If you want to go to the left or right of your dog, turn your head in that direction and move your hand, which is a signal to go to the left or right. If you have a fast dog, hang a couple of chains on him and let him drag

10  them for a while till he gets to understand your signals, and when you have him under good command, take your chains off of him and you will be able to work the fast dog just as well as the slow one. I would advise you to train your dog to hunt with his nose first, and also teach a dog to quarter his ground up nicely. He will also pay all attention to you when you speak to him or blow the whistle, as he is on his guard, thinking if he does not mind you that you will put the dog down. When you want to take him out hunting, take him and put a hang a chain on him until he does mind you. You will see some dogs coax and come in and stay around you and bark for you to take the chains off, so they can go out and do as they please; but don't pay any attention to them, for they are only trying to get away from you, and he sees you will not take the chain off. If your dog is broken by my system to make a perfect retriever out of him before you go into the field, he will not be a good dog.

Teach your dog to have confidence in himself. I always teach a dog to retrieve first and to be obedient. I always say "Hold," and then "Go fetch dead." When he comes in with what he was sent after I say "Fetch," and then "Come." This makes him obey me at once. Always stand still and let your dog do the hunting, and retrieve the dead bird or bundle right up to you. Then, after I have him a nice retriever, I put him at the words "Charge" or "Drop." That means "Let's go hunting." He must have confidence in me to charge and stay there and you move back a few feet at a time; then say, "Come boy," moving the hand at the same time; moving the hand comes handy when your dog is a long way off, and you want him to go back again. If he does not come back, then say "Come boy," if you desire your dog to go to the left or right; when you want your dog to come in from the field, blow your whistle two or three times in succession. Now, you have him under good control and ready to go in.

If he don't get right out to hunt, don't say anything to him, and don't pet him: just go along and let him alone and he will go out him-self. If he does not like it, then give him a little trouble; it would be a good idea to have him go along with you and take his dog.

Now, when your dog goes out to hunt, and will stay out, put him on game, and if he does not go out of it, give him a little trouble to keep him out, as now he is interested in the game. Then, if he chases, hang the chain on him a few times and he will quit it.

11  New you are ready to shoot. Try and kill a bird once in a while, and say, "Go, hunt dead," or "Fetch," also moving the hand, as you have the dog under good control. Always say, "Charge!" when you shoot or the birds fluthe. It is better for you a few times, when your dog passes by, that you say "Charge" before you shoot, so that the gun off in the air, and you can then see what had tricks your dog has and catch him in the act. When you have your dog under good con- trol, he won't need any watching, and then you can enjoy shooting and hunting.

To teach a dog to follow, or what is called "heed." Tie him to the hind end of a wagon with a loose chain and drive slowly a few days and say "Heed." If he wants to go by the wheel, tap him back with your hand, and then always say "Heed," and then take him by the chain away from the wagon a little distance, and then say, "Go," or "Hunt him up." By moving the hand, also, after a few times this way, all you will have to do then is to get out of the buggy and let him follow you. Then tie him to the wheel again, and again as afoot, and then you will have a dog that when you blow your whistle will come in and heed to the buggy as well as afoot and go at the same time.

The way to start a dog in the water--not too cold water--is for you to wade in small sloughs or ponds and lead the dog a few times and he will find out that it will be fun and will take to it in fine style. Then take him into a pond or lake where he can swim in deep water where he has to swim. Don't throw your dog in as if I would spoil him; and don't try to have him go too far out in the water where he has to swim, the first time or two; and then when he does swim, he will learn it. In this accord, he will go and fetch anything out of the water you send him after.

Under my system of training, when the dog points, I go up to him easily. I am not afraid of him. I pick up his tail and pick him up by the tail. This teaches him not to be afraid; and then I look around for a while, and then walk in on the birds and always flush the birds myself, unless it is in a place I cannot see to shoot. Then I order my dog to go in and get them up, as we have to do in woodcock shooting. When I want to shoot I use the word "Charge," or "Drop," or "Go fetch," or "Hunt dead."

Remember to stand still and let your dog go "hunt dead" and

12  fetch it to you. If you see he can not find it, then go and help him. Sometimes a dog's nose gets off, and he can not smell anything, or he is probably overheated, or has not the best nose, and by helping him he will go a long ways toward making a perfect dog of him and will encourage him to do his work better.

Always keep your dog out of the way of your dog's flanks or wherever they can rub him. Always keep your dog out of a cold draught while riding; always feed the dog well. Judge a dog by yourself and treat him accordingly.

To teach the dog to jump in the wagon: Have the dog go a riding a few times, so he will like it, lifting him in a few times. Then he will try to get in himself, but assist him in half way, so the dog will have to be done at all himself, and in a few times he will get in at the word "Jump." Train your dog to jump and don't get mad and grunt and kick. Take it out on yourself.

To keep a dog from barking, under my system of training, go out and sit down with your back against a tree or fence, put your neck and snap it a couple of times in the snare whenever he is tied or not and leave it on him, and a few strappings will break him of this; and always say Charge or whistle when he forks.

If the dog is sick, take him up on his chin let him lean on his chin and snap it once or twice around his neck, so that when he goes to dig it will get tangled up in his feet, and he will soon quit.

Any of the dog foods now on the market will do to feed a dog, as they are made up to suit dogs' needs. Keep them in good shape.

Always keep your dog clean and in a clean kennel. If your dog has fleas, take him away from the kennel to the woods or fields, and use this mixture:

MIXTURE FOR FLEAS

Put one gallon of coal oil in a jug; then two pounds of com- mon meal; mix them in a basin on the stove, and then pour in the water with the coal oil until it is full. Saturate the dog with this pounce with the mixture and soak your dog from head to foot, and he will run around and drop the fleas. It will take all the old or dead hair off the dog's coat; so cut it off again with new growth. Always take your dog away from the place where applying the mixture. By doing this a few times you will get rid of the fleas from your friend. You

13  can never destroy bees around a kennel except by burning them up, and as bees breed every 12 to 20 days, the warmer the weather the quicker, they accumulate very rapidly. But by taking your dog away from the kennel when you apply the mixture, you will soon get rid of them even around your kennel, as thus prevent their multiplying Apply the mixture once a week and about half a mile from the kennel. You can also used to wash your dog if you do not want to, as it will not hurt him.

To teach your dog to honer another dog when pointing: If your dog is not trained to point, you must train him to point. The poor don't undertake to lick him into a back, as nine dogs out of ten are made coward in this way; it must be natural for them to back.

Let your dog drag a chain to the collar, the heavier the better. There is no need to make him chase his own scent and hunt better and do it on his own accord. After a week or ten days you will have this all done. If the dog is a fast and wild one, put double chains on him; if he is slow and lazy, put only one. If two and two drag each other, then take a strap and tan his jacket good, and he will soon quit chasing. If your dog chases name chickens, hang the chain on him; there is nothing like letting a dog break himself off all his bad habits. I will take the worst chewer and in ten days break him. Anyhow, I don't believe in training anything all the time at a dog.

POINT WORK

"What is his point work?" is the first question asked nine times out of ten by amateurs and people who have never seen a dog point.

There are two different ways by which dogs find game to point—by wind scent and by ground scent.

The ground scent points are made at long distance by dogs that hunt with a high head, and they go like the wind without a stop.

The ground scent points are made at shorter distances and the dog runs with his nose close to the ground, like a hound trailing coon or rabbit.

While you are hunting there may be a day when the birds don't move much, and there is no wind blowing. If, then, you have a high-headed dog depending on the wind scent, he will lose out against the dog that is nosing the ground all the time as the birds don't have to

14  POINT WORK.

move much for him to smell them, and so he gets into many likely places that the high-headed dog passes. Under most conditions of time and weather, this is a good plan for the amateur who goes out but once or twice a year to kill game over.

Very few dogs make a point alike. The reason probably is that they do not catch the scent the same way, and so the points are not quite the same. In the case of the dogs, they move differently. There is a certain amount which the nose must have, and it can stiffen out, and the direction of the scent seems to determine the position of the tail.

With all dogs' tails are a guide to them. To prove this, watch a dog while swimming and see if he does not use his tail to guide him. If a dog that cannot swim be put in shallow water, he will only splash with his head and take him into deeper water, put one hand under his breast and with the other hold his tail up, and then give him a little push with the hand on the breast and let go of the tail at the same time, and you will see him start swimming with a moving tail. The moving of the front feet and the tail floats him and pulls him along.

Many men, even writers of books, think that a pointer is an easier dog to train and care for than a setter. To one who knows how, it is

15  no more trouble to handle a setter than a pointer, for the field. The question is merely one of choice, as the care and training are practically the same. If a dog is wanted for the water, the setter is the better dog on account of his coat. Never cut a setter's coat, as it makes it rough, and the smooth-coated dog is better suited for work with a large toothed comb. Keep your dogs free from lice and fleas. The lice are bred in the dust and the lice come from pigeon lofts or chicken houses. Always pick the wood ticks out of your dogs' or cats' coats.

If your dog or cat hurts himself, always put him. Use toilet water in a pet's bath, to perfume his coat. Keep a clean kennel box, and keep the kennel pared clean. All-ways keep the litter fresh, because it is hard to use as needed. If the ken-nel yard is dirty, wet it first and then will it be fresh in the morning. Keep your dog close at night and don't let him bark. Go out to him if he does and bring him home again. He will learn to stop and not to bark when he hears a few times, using the word "Chase" and blow the whistle. He will soon learn to stop and if he begins again, start after him with the straw, saying "Charge," and he will understand and be quiet.

When your dogs or cats have fits or spasms, are poor and thin, and you can't fatten them; when their hair looks rough and falls out, and they have a dry, hot nose, and their eyes look badly, treat them for worms.

WORM MEDICINE.

Have a pill made from one and a half grains of powdered arnica put into the ground meal of wheat flour, and give the pill on an empty stomach, after twelve hours' fast. Open the dog's mouth and push the pill down the throat with the finger. Follow this in two hours with one teaspoonful of castor oil, if for a small dog or cat; one half a tablespoonful of oil every two quidelines. Two hours after giving the oil, feed a little soft food, such as bread and gravy. Any druggist can make the pill.

TEACHING A DOG TO POINT.

It is not an easy thing to teach a dog to point. In the first place, a many dogs do not get a good scent, and many times there is no chance to find game to work the dog upon.

I have found it easy to make a dog point no matter how young he

16  TEACHING A DOG TO POINT.

was, by breaking him to retrieve first; then when sending him after the dead bird, I would call "Hold," just as soon as I saw him making scent on the bird, and it always won a point.

When I first take a dog to the field and find a flock of birds, I do not start him off with any command, but let the dog interested and he will begin to point right and left. Then I walk up to the dog and say, "Hold," and pet him, and from that time on I will have no more trouble.

If a dog offers to stand tame chickens on the road or in the yard, encourage him by petting him. It will soon teach him that you expect him to stand or point. Of course, a great many think that standing by the side of a dog is enough to make him point. This shows the good qualities of the dog and that he has lots of game sense. When he scents the birds in the field he will be that much steadier and make a nicer point than a green dog that knows nothing about point-

17  TEACHING A DOG TO POINT.

By breaking a dog to retrieve, by my system, he will always point his dead bird before he retrieves it.

When you begin this point work he sate and go where you will find birds. Don't get excited when he points or flashes, but just blow the whistle, which means to wait until you come to him; keep cool and talk to him, saying "Steady" and "Hold." Have a whistle put in your pocket, and when you want to start, take it out of it and understand why you blow it and what it means. If your dog is fresh and unused to exercise, and is off like a shot as soon as freed, hang a chain on him and he will soon settle down and behave himself. Let him run around a little, then say "Come," and bring him up. "Move to the right," or left, "Charge;" or lie down. "Come heel," walk close to you, "Heel to the wagon." "Jump in the wagon," by name, and out the same way. Commence on a dog while young to work him in the field, or anywhere else, and the less words and noise you make in breaking him the better for both you and him.

18  A man and two dogs standing in a field. RETRIEVING A BIRD.

When you kill game, let your dog go and retrieve the dead, while you stand still, and let him fetch it to you. When he brings in the bird, take it from his mouth with your hand, and then take the bird from his mouth, and don't forget to pet him.

The accompanying illustration shows a two-months-old puppy, which has been broken with my training device to retrieve. He has just made

A small dog running on its hind legs. TWO MONTHS OLD POINTER RETRIEVING.

a retrieve about four hundred yards away in the timber, and when about twenty-five yards away was ordered to stop by saying "Charge," and raising a hand. He does not offer to drop the bird, but waits

19  the word of command. This is only one of the thousands of dogs I have broken with my device, and I stand ready to go to any part of the world to show how easy it is to make fine retrievers of dogs from two months old and upwards, for use on land or water.

A man holding a dog's collar while the dog sits on the ground.

MOUTHING A BIRD.

When a dog mouths a bird, after he picks it up, and starts to come to you mouthing it, follow these rules : Take a strap about a foot long, and calling your dog up to you, strap him across the nose two or three times.

50  Do this several times a day, at home, till he dodges the strap. Always hold him by the collar. After this send him out for the training sack and when he picks it up say "Hold," and walk toward him with your hand on his collar. He will feel that you are in you and will know that he will get strapped across the nose. Repeat this several times, then take a dead bird and throw it out, give him the same lesson he had with the sack, and if he offers to mouth the ball at all, strike him.

Then take him to the field and send him after a bird and repeat the lesson, if needful; but after a few days you will never have any more trouble with him on that score. The great secret in training a dog is to put him under command and not have him afraid of you.

BREAKING GUN SHY DOGS.

Gun-shy dogs and bird-shy dogs are not so easily broken. My success in breaking them is due to my getting them interested in their own natural way. It is natural for a dog to like to carry and fetch. Under my system of training, I always teach them to retrieve first. As soon as I have a dog retrieving a bird of any kind in my yard I

21  have his confidence and have him interested in bird work and there is then no fear of his not going after the birds. When he will do this, you are ready to go into the field with him. Work him several days in the field without shooting a gun. You will soon see that he will shoot when you call him, but not when you throw a shot, because then he knows you shoot, so that he can go and retrieve it for you. You will soon see how easy it is to break him by my system. It is a great waste of time and bad for the dog to start him, as so many do, by shooting at him and then trying to get him to retrieve. He does not know what to do with the gun. There is no sense in that.

While breaking a dog under my system of retrieving, using the rules found in my book, which accompanies the training device, no time will be lost, and the dog will advance rapidly and surely.

TWO MONTHS OLD SETTER

The illustration of a two and a half-month-old full blooded setter pup, broken by the use of my training device, and which is seen retrieving a prairie chicken, shows the pup handling himself on game in the field like an old dog with a life experience on game. Commence with a dog that has given up all interest in retrieving.

Many times working a dog in the field, grow careless about the position in which to hold the gun when shooting over a point, and so the need is felt of showing how to hold it to avoid all danger of accident. The dog is not to be held low down in the field it is open. In shooting over points in the brush or corn fields, carry the gun high, as it is easier to handle and there will be no danger of it hitting anything. All accidents happen by holding the gun down low. Either

22  A man holding a rifle with a dog on a leash behind him. The man appears to be in a field or open area.

ADVANCING ON GAME.

it catches in some obstruction, or, as the gun is raised, while swinging around quickly, the finger slips and another "accidental discharge" is added to the list of casualties. Many a good dog has been killed in

A group of dogs gathered around a pile of dead animals. A man stands nearby, observing the scene.

FEEDING TIMID DOGS.

29  this way. Never go through a fence with the gun loaded, or set it down, if only for a minute, with the load in it, but take the load out.

Feeding a bunch of dogs together is an excellent way to teach them to behave themselves when they are alone. It is also a good way to break timid dogs who have had gentlemen from all parts of the world at my home, and after watching me feed as many as eighty-four dogs at a time, without a growl, or a bit of noise from one of them, have it at once become a habit with them to eat quietly when I am feeding. If a dog is timid and will not eat with the others at first, do not make the

GIVING A DOG MEDICINE. 21  mistake of humouring him, but let him alone. He may not eat for a day or two, but he will soon get over that when he gets hungry and will be the first at the feed and will rapidly overcome his timidity.

After the dogs become used to eating together, begin to feed them on chains, one at a time, and they will soon understand that they are to be fed by the same person. Always use the word "Charge" and always mean just what you say.

Accustom the dogs to the sound of the whistle as a signal that you are going to feed them and they will soon be as well behaved as any other dog.

I find that table scraps, cooked meats and dog biscuits are the best all-around food for all kinds of dogs. Corn meal and much green stuff is bad for them, as it puts them in bad condition, either to swell up or go to sleep. Kennel, with earth will contain those to eat kinds of dirty stuff.

Many diseases that many dogs have can be cured by contact with a dog. I have seen him the same as you would like to be treated. Take care of him; don't stick him off out of the way in some old box or cold place and then wonder why he does not get well. Watch him, that he does not get tired of lying on one side and help him turn over once in a while.

Bear in mind that a dog swears just like a person. Now, if you keep your dog in a cold kennel he will draw his head towards his flanks when he goes to sleep, and his hard breathing will make him sweat profusely. To cure this, take a little medicine following this, oil his front and hind flanks with the medicine given on page 26, and so ward off much sickness and disease. Keep the dog in a dry place all day long, and every night put him down. I have handled over three thousand dogs and have only lost five, which remarkable record I attribute to my medicine and to my good nursing.

SHIPPING DOGS. In shipping dogs, great care should be taken, as there is much liability to danger and sickness. Whether a puppy or a grown dog, he should always be put in a tight box, with open slats on top, and an air hole in each end. The bottom of the box must be clean, with plenty of room, so that the dog can stand up and move about. Have plenty of bedding in the box and a water can in one corner of it.

25  close up to the top. Put two cross pieces on the bottom, so that the dog will be up off of the floor; then bore a few holes in the bottom, under the watering can, so that any water split from the can will leak out and not wet the bedding. Always put a handle on each end of the box, so that the dog may have a hold of it. A long wire or a draft can go through the box, to avoid the danger of the dog lying in it and so taking cold. In shipping a dog a long distance, put plenty of dog biscuits in the box and always give a light feed before you ship him.

An offensive breath in either dog or cat is often caused by a bad condition of the kidneys. Procure a small bottle of "Harlem Oil," costing ten cents, from any drugstore. For a small cat or dog, give two drops every night, for larger dogs, eight in ten nights. Be- pest once or twice a week. Harlem Oil is also a fine remedy for matted eyes.

Directress run Ust.—Drop one drop in each eye twice a day, morning and evening.

INFALLIBLE REMEDY FOR DISTEMPER.

The following medicine is one which I value very highly and con- sider the chief cause of my wonderful success in keeping my dogs strong and healthy:

Parangram: One quart of raw linseed oil, One half pint oil of tar, One pound of sulphur. Mix these ingredients together and use as directed.

For Distemper.—Rub the medicine well into the dog's flanks and between his legs and he will lick it off. Do this once a week. If he is a growing dog, give a large spoonful every other day; small dogs and cats in all cases.

For A Bad Case of Mange.—Rub the oil all over him twice a week. For A Bad Cough.—Give a teaspoonful after coughing. For Cancer of the Ear.—Drop ten drops in each ear twice a day. If the ear is very bad, drop a teaspoonful of oil, which can be easily done with a teaspoonful of oil dropped upon the sore ear, raising the flap of the ear and pouring the medicine in. The medi- cine will then run in easily and reach the sore places. Bandage the

20  EXTRACTING A BONE FROM A DOG'S THROAT.

Sometimes a dog will get a bone or other obstruction in his throat and choke. Call for a hroom handle and while keeping the dog on his feet, hold the handle with your left hand and the bone with your right hand, wide open by pushing the handle well back across the dog's mouth. Now reach over the handle and pull the bone out. But never try to push the obstruction down. You can clean or even pull his teeth the same way.

If a dog refuses to take his medicine without fighting, give it to him in this way, whether it be pill or liquid.

It is easy to set the broken limb of a dog. I have set many a one. One time I had a dog jumping over a fence, fell into a ditch on the other side. I was two miles from home and all alone, but I set the limb right then and there.

27  SETTING A BROKEN LIMB.

The first thing to do is to draw the leg into a natural position. Then take two pieces of light beard, one-eighth of an inch thick and about the width of the dog's leg; have the boards full long, wrap them with cotton and over this draw a strip of cloth about two inches wide, and then cover the whole with a bandage of cloth. Draw the strip tight, wrap it tightly around the splints about a dozen times and tie firmly. Change the bandage every few days, as the leg will swell more or less, and the bandage will become loose, which must be prevented by keeping it kept tight and firm.

**For a Dog with a Broken Hip or Shoulder.—Put him in a small place so that he cannot turn around and so lie on the broken part. There is no use in trying to keep a bandage on a broken hip or shoulder without making the dog lie down. Have two or three places for the dog to lie in, so that he will have a dry place at all times. Have a wall built about three or four feet high, so that he cannot climb out, for he will get very tired of lying in this place for five or six weeks; but the quieter he is the sooner he will get well.

28  To change a dog with a broken limb or a sick dog from one place to another, pick him up by taking hold of him at the center of his hips or back and at the back of his neck; give him food and pain when you can, and keep him down on his side till he gets better. If he seems cross, muzzle him while setting the limb and pet him; give him anything he wants to eat, so that he will gain strength.

A man kneeling down next to a dog, holding its muzzle. MUZZLING A DOG.

It is cruel to keep a muzzle on a dog and useless, too. There is not a single good reason why a dog should be so tortured. No wonder he gets cross. It makes me tired to hear so much about mad dogs. What makes 29  A dog have fits is worms, that work either on the brain or the stomach, and so cause the fits and frothing at the mouth. Then some one runs and takes the dog to a mud. If he were left alone he would lie still and after a while go away and die off of poverty. But he is ter- mented till he gets well. He should be treated for worms and given my medicine. This will cure him.

A MODEL KENNEL.

A thoroughly sanitary kennel should be raised three feet off the ground. Through the summer months the space under the flooring should be filled with sawdust or straw, which will keep the kennel cool and clean. This will also prevent any odor. In the winter time this space should be banked up to keep the floors warm. In this way the dogs are well cared for throughout the entire year. Never use a disinfectant in the kennel, as it may poison the dogs and make them sick. If he is troubled with fleas, take him away from the kennel and use my flea mixture; if he has the distemper, use my distemper medicine.

30  HUNTING WAGON.

There is nothing nicer than to have a hunting wagon to carry your dog or whether you have two or twenty. It is easy to make a crate to set one wagon bed on top of another, with two inches apart, and so made that the dogs cannot stand up in it; then they will not quarrel or make dirt of any kind. Have the crate made with a double deck, the top rounding and covered with a good oil cloth, thoroughly waterproofed.

A MODEL HUNTING WAGON.

The second deck will permit a free circulation of air, and so keep the dogs cool, and can be used to store the guns and hunting outfit and the feed for the dogs. In stormy weather the old cloth covering can be removed, and the dogs can lie down under the cover to keep dry and warm. There should always be plenty of clean straw for them to lie on. Have a hinge door made at the rear, that is, a door that can be raised or dropped, and have the dogs get in that way. Always carry a five-gallon jug of water in warm weather, as the dogs need water

31  often, and don't fail to make room for it. Carry feed as well. In this way your dogs will be safely carried, they will not bather any one on the road and will be fresh to hunt when game is reached. This is the way to have to enjoy it, regardless of weather.

A black and white photograph of three men standing in a field. The man in the center is holding a dog by its collar. The man on the left is wearing a suit and hat, while the man on the right is wearing a suit and a bowler hat.

SENDING A DOG ON TRIAL.

My advice is often asked in regard to sending dogs on trial. Don't do it. A handler can handle a dog on game without trouble, while a stranger might not be able to do anything with him. One great reason for sending a dog on trial is that he may become a lonely place, perhaps for days, until he is ready to go out hunting, to try the dog.

The dog should be given time and opportunity to become acquainted before being tested; then he should be taken where there is game to be worked on. There is no use in having a dog shipped to a person who knows little or nothing about dogs, or who goes out hunting but once or twice a year. And another thing, no dog can work unless given game to work on. The occasional hunter has lots to learn about

32  dogs; how to handle them and what to expect of them in the field. It is fully to want to have a green dog trained by one month, as many require, this demand accounts for the many failures in training by unscrupulous handlers, who promise what they know they cannot perform, for the sake of getting the work other more conscientious handlers have refused. If a dog is well trained, let him be well trained, to retrieve, to point, to mind gun or whistle, and be under good command at all times, and he will show up a good nose and learn to handle it on game. The dog must be taught to take care of many things to take into consideration—continued wet weather, cold, etc., possibly the dog may get sick or lame, it may be too hot to work the dog, or too windy or bad for game, and all these things take time. The dog must be taught to go down with the handler, one-half down when the dog is received, the balance of the dog is broken perfectly, and is ready to show on game. Many delay the first payment for a month or two and then order the dog broken down again and promise a check on receipt of the dog. This they do, expecting to get a well broken dog on the cheap plan.

A handler will not do much with a dog till he gets his first pay- ment made according to contract, unless he knows with whom he is dealing. Again, they will order the dog home by express C. O. D., and then go out and try to persuade the express company to give him up. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes not for the handler in making his claim good. Under my system, I get the dog to veternise and understand what I am going to do with him. The work of the second month in the field comes easy to him and the dog shows up in great shape. It takes time for the handler to learn how good the dog's nose is and what he is going to be good for.

August 1st or 2nd May is the best time to send a dog to the hand- ler. Then the weather is generally fine and there is little sickness among dogs.

Of course, the handler will keep his dogs in a good kennel, dry and clean, but if the dog has been kept in the house, the change will be less sudden than in colder weather. Keeping a dog too warm, much

33  washing in either cold or hot water, and the excitement and exposure that always attend dog shows, are some of the chief causes of sickness among dogs.

When handler sends word that a dog is perfectly broken and ready to go home, either go to the handler's home or pay him to bring the dog to you and so see for yourself just how he is to be handled. It will be money well spent and will not only be very pleasant, but will help you in the future handling of your dog.

PUTTING A DOG IN SHAPE FOR A DOG SHOW.

When it is desired to put a dog in shape for a dog show, many points must be considered. One of the first is the condition of his coat. Instead of washing him in water and so rendering him liable to sickness, rub him thoroughly with the following mixture:

MIXTURE—One pound best vaseline, one pint olive oil. Mix well.

34  Rub thoroughly into the hair and leave on for a couple of hours. With a good-brush work the oil well into the coat, back and forth, and after the hair is well loosened by the hand brushing, comb it carefully with a coarse comb. When well combed, take a soft towel, well warmed, and rub the hair till it is fine and dry. Repeat this once a week until the dog shows no improvement in the dog's looks. While at the show, rub the oil on each night and leave it to brushing, combing and polishing it in the morning.

PUTTING A DOG IN SHAPE FOR A DOG SHOW.

35  CHESAPEAKE BAY DOGS.

Chesapeake Bay dogs are probably the best and most widely known of water dogs. They are as much at home in the water as an otter, and no matter how cold the water is, or how much ice is running, will go anywhere for dead game and retrieve it to you. They will dive

A Chesapeake Bay dog retrieving a dead bird.

CHESAPEAKE BAY DOG.

after a crippled duck, no matter how deep he goes. They are fine dogs to locate a dead bird at a distance, either on land or water, and never lose a bird when sent out after it. They have a keen scent and are great hunters anywhere you put them.

38  I have handled a great many of them and have always made fine re- trievers out of them. They can be broken very easily by the use of my training device. They are of a more or less timid disposition and must be given kind treatment. They are easily put under com- mand of the whistle, will work to the motion of the hand, right or left, obey all commands and secure all game killed.

A black and white illustration of two beagles running. BEAGLES.

The king of rabbit dogs is the beagle. Small, alert, wonderfully clever, always wide awake and ready for fun or work, a beagle is a constant source of pleasure to either child or man. He is easily trained in the art of starting and killing a rabbit with a shot or a rush dog. The first thing to teach your beagle is to mind either the shot or whistle. Then take a horn to use as a signal, when going out hunting. Always start out when you blow the horn, and if the dog is any- where within a mile of the house, he will soon come upon a rush and on the full cry. In beginning to work him for rabbits, drag a piece of rabbit's tail line on the ground, and let him follow it. Then put it on a stick two feet off the ground, so that he will have to use his nose on the wind scent, and he will be quick to catch either the ground or wind scent. Always change the location of the lesson, when drag- ging the meat and increase the distance as rapidly as possible. As soon as he is well under command, get him on rabbits in the

37  field, and when he chases one, encourage him to bark. If he is a barker or "singer" he will keep at it while chasing. If he fails to bark, train him to bark by holding him on anything around the house and he will soon begin to "sing."

When he starts a rabbit, stand still and he will either chase the rabbit or run off. If you want him to stop, take a stick and show him that you are doing all you can to help him. If he is too fast and drives the rabbit out of the country, hang a chain over his head so that it will cut his speed down, but take the chain off when he gets tired.

If a rabbit is started right off on a dead chase, he will soon hole up in some corner of the country, so train the dog to let the rabbit run slow and make circles, and then drive him back into the corner and drive the game around to you.

I always teach my hounds to retrieve a rabbit and when they make a catch I praise them dead. This encourages them to hunt for more game. I use the same rules as for pointers and setters.

TRICK DOGS.

It is not hard to teach small dogs to perform all manner of tricks. They are always ready to play and a little spare time now and then is

38  all that is needed. Ten minutes, four or five times a day, will be enough to teach many amusing tricks and the dog will do it all goodly. The first thing to teach him is to speak when called to him.

Take, for instance, a small old yellow puppy. The first thing to teach him is to speak when spoken to. Until he does this, keep him out of the house.

Begin by bringing him and always feed him out of the hand. In this way he will have to look up when being fed and will learn to carry a high head. When feeding him, raise the hand a little with each bit fed until he has confidence enough to rise on his hind feet. To teach him to speak, call him by name and say "Speak," when he does that, say "Speak," which he will soon learn to do. As soon as he speaks once, give him a bit of meat. Keep this up with him for several days and he will learn to speak at the mention of your name.

Now, when you want him he can be trained to come in the house. Bring him into the part you intend to keep him in. Begin in the morning, after he has been fed from the hand. After he has eaten, say to him "Speak," and let your voice be heard in the room where he is once we bring him down door and call him by name and he will soon call. Call him several times while the door is closed, and say to him "Speak," and he will soon understand what you want of him.

Then take a stick and show it to him, saying "Come," and then call him to speak, which will mean that he wants to go into the house. If he don't speak, close the door and leave him out until he does speak, but keep calling his name. When you give him a new lesson take care that you do not make any mistakes in teaching him. It is worth doing is worth doing well. The dog will do his best under standing and obey. Be clear in giving the directions always.

To teach him to sit up: Take him and set him up against the wall on a chair or table, and tell him "Sit." He will get up and put his hind legs down on the floor and sit down. After several lessons in this way, you will have him so that he will not be afraid to sit up alone. Repay him for this by giving in the form of meat, or some other reward for sitting on his tricks.

Next bring him down from the wall, corner, or seat and say to him "Sit up," and nine times out of ten he will run and sit up against the wall, but let this go. Call him out kindly, and have him sit up away from the wall or corner; if he insists on going back, call him out and assist him as at first. He will soon be able to sit up alone.

39  To teach him to jump: Take a small stick from two to three inches long, and put it on a couple of blocks; say six inches high, and have him jump over it. By holding a bit of meat in your hand he will jump, but be careful not to have the stick high at first, or he will be afraid to try. Encourage him to jump higher and he soon will be able to do so.

To teach him to lie down or roll over: This is a great thing to teach a dog. Take both hands and lay the dog down on his back and then roll him from one side to the other. Do this several times and tell him "Roll over" when you want him to do so. Now, say to him, "Roll over," and he will lie down and try to do it. If he fails, praise him, as he will soon learn what you want of him.

To teach him to sit up in a chair: Here is where his jumping will come in handy. When you want him to "Jump," and when he jumps in the chair, tell him to sit up; if he shows any fear, assist him. Give him a bit of meat and he will not mind being so far from the floor. Now, put him in a rocking chair and gently rock it. Give him a bit of meat and he will sit up.

To teach a dog to find a hidden article: To do this, a dog must be broken to retrieve or carry, and this can be learned by the use of the Ehrb Patent Training Device. After he has been taught to retrieve for things that are thrown at him, take some bones or meat on it, put it down some few feet away and say to the dog, "Go fetch," "Go fetch," and when he brings it to you, say "Sit up," and give him a bit of meat for his work and pet him. Then take the handlerchief and hide it; then go back and see if you can find the bone. "Go find it and bring," and he will go in and out, as if the perfume gives him the scent. After he finds this a few times, put the handlerchief under the table or behind a door, and see if he will find it and retrieve the can and bring the handlerchief to you. Later, let him sit up in a chair and, while you say "Charge," or lie still, step back a few feet, having him lie perfectly quiet. Now, hide the handlerchief and give him his food.

To teach him to walk on his hind feet: Say "Sit up," and have a bit of meat or something to eat it with, and coax him forward a little at a time, till he makes a step or two towards you. Give him the meat and pet him and let him try again. When he has learned this, try to have him walk on his front feet.

40  To teach him to walk on his front feet: Lay a bit of meat on the floor, three or four feet apart, and hold him back from going to get it. Take it of both his front feet and raise them so that he can walk on his front feet and push him gently by his hind feet towards the meat. Go slowly, so as not to overbalance him, and he will try to help himself for the sake of the meat. As soon as he reaches the meat, please let him have it. Increase the distance and say, "Up," which he will soon learn.

To teach him to catch his tail: Tie a piece of red ribbon, not more than two or three inches long, on the end of his tail, and lift him gently up by the neck. When he sees this, he will run after it and say to him, "Catch it!" and he will go around like a whirlwind and enjoy it. When he will do this, take off the ribbon and say, "Catch your tail." Then repeat this, until he will go around till you are tired of him and he will think it very fun.

To teach him to walk a rope or pole: Take a board a foot wide, and place between two chairs, so that it is about three feet from the floor; see that it is firm, and put a little meat on one end of it. The wolf will jump up on it and walk back and forth with him until he is not afraid; then put him down and tell him to jump up on the chair, and show him a bit of meat. Lay it on the board where he can reach it easily. He will be anxious to eat it, but so anxious for the meat that he will walk out on the board and he can soon be coaxed over it easily. When he is perfectly at ease on the board, take one a little narrower and keep reducing the width until he cannot walk on it.

Now, you are ready for the rope or pole. When he can walk the rope easily, raise the rope a little at a time, until it is as high as you want it from the floor, and if it is changed gradually, he will not seem to mind it.

If it is any distance from the floor, build a little runway of boards, with little strips across them for him to walk up and down on.

To show what kindness will do, train him to believe that picture of a retreating wolf is really a wild animal and is looked upon as dangerous. The cause of this is hunger and he will fight for something to eat every time. On the other hand, if treated kindly, as you would treat any other animal, the wolf can be taught to do almost anything—to retrieve, pull a sleigh, or small wagon, or

43  many of the tricks a dog can do. But this can only be done by kind treatment, plenty of petting him, by feeding him with his own food, and by giving him all the attention he requires.

There are some dogs that are too wild for any other disposition, and are quarrelsome and always ready to fight. They will hold spite and call names as surely as human beings. A dog's memory is remarkable. He can be trained to do almost anything; to carry valuables, run ex- tremely fast, to fetch things, to hunt, to guard门户, and his fidelity make him worthy of the title of "Friend of man." Be good to your dog and he will repay you.

Don't be cruel in training him. Never put a spiked collar on him nor keep him in a cage; do not pinch his ears, or you will make him sore; don't tie him to a tree and leave him.

Under my system all this is useless, and a dog can be trained in the parlor if you wish, or in the kennel with the other dogs. The sooner you commence on a young dog the better, and the easier it will be to train him.

A black and white photograph of a wolf. RETRIEVING WOLF. 42  GAME PROTECTION. Had the game laws that are being made now been made fifteen years ago there would not be the scarcity of game that is now found in most states. Some of the states have laws, but the greater number of them there is no adequate protection afforded to the game, and the consequence is that it is killed for market and shipped from state to state, and whole localities are thus cleared of game in a few seasons. Spring shooting should be stopped, and not a gun fired until after the hatching season is over and the young birds large enough to take care of themselves. Thousands of birds die each year, because parent birds are killed or maimed, and the laws cannot be made too stringent in this respect. So long as one man is at liberty to shoot and destroy a fine flock of little birds, he will feel that they, too, might as well have the game as he, and it is hard on one man to see whole game protection to see his neighbor come home with big bag, while he has kept the law and stayed at home.

A POT HUNTER. Market hunters will shoot any bird, young or old, and most of the woodcocks put on the market are nothing but quail, doves, or even blackbirds. Quail cannot survive a severe winter, but die of exposure and starvation. This could be avoided by providing grain for them and in- 43  ducing the farmers to feed them. A few dozen birds purchased, if needful, by private subscription, and sold loose in each county, would be a state well stocked with game.

In the same way the migratory birds are slaughtered, while too young to take care of themselves, and all true sportmen will help in every way the enforcement of the laws that will protect the game and at the same time increase the pleasure and excitement of hunting.

HINTS ON SHOOTING. There are many things to learn in order to become a good shot. First of all, be sure to get a good gun and have it fitted to you by the dealer. Have the drop and stock best suited to you; don't go according to what some one else uses. The best average drop of stock is two inches. This will give a good sight line when shooting from front trigger pull. This will make a good fit with tight clothes on; with loose clothes use a rubber heel. The heel may also be used to make the stock a little more comfortable. Necessary men out of ten shoot better than those who do not. If the load is too heavy, or their clothes are too heavy or tight.

A twelve gauge gun of about eight pounds weight is the best for field shooting. Always use a good powder and use chilled shot as much as possible-quarters inch shell.

Let the right barrel be a modified choke that will make a good pattern at thirty yards, and have the left barrel full choke. This will be necessary because the right barrel will make a pat- tern of eighteen inches to a three-foot circle from twenty feet to forty-five yards. The finer the shot the larger the circle.

Never shoot a heavy load that blocks and makes the trigger stick. If the gun is not properly fitted, or if much powder in the load, or because the gun is not held properly, and so instead of holding the gun firmly against the shoulder, the hunter is "shooting off the muscle." This is much more common than is imagined, as few who shoot with guns know how to hold them correctly, but it is nevertheless true that many a hunter finds his right arm tender for days after a day's shooting.

Often the stock of the gun is too long, and if there is any tendency

44  on the part of the gun to kick, a dealer in guns should at once be con- sulted and the fault located.

For target shooting by amateurs, the best load is No. 7 to No. 7½ shot with one and a quarter ounces of shot. Always load smokeless powder by grains. There are many kinds of powder loads and they will run from 24 to 30 grains per ounce.

For your pleasure, use No. 6 to No. 7 shot, as the amateur will not shoot as quickly as an expert, and the larger shot will give a better killing chance than the finer shot, at a long distance. Use the same judgment about the powder as for the above.

TAKING A GUN APART.

Have your dealer show you how to take your gun apart and put it together; how to let the hammers down and how to cock it. I am here to tell you that I am an amateur who did not know how to put his own gun together.

Learn how to clean and oil your gun and always carry some good oil and a gum rod with you when going hunting.

Always keep your gun in a case when not in use, and do not go around a field with a loaded gun. Never get over a fence with the loads in your gun, nor carry it across your arm when doing so. When in the field or in company, keep your gun pointed well up to the sky while hunting.

To have success in the field with game, take plenty of time and move your gun along with the bird and pull as you move. Don't stop your gun until you have killed a bird; keep moving and it must miss you. Don't get in a hurry while shooting such birds as quail, snipe, woodcock and young chickens, as nine out of ten are killed under twenty yards. Keep a level head, use common sense and move the gun, then with a good retriever you will be sure of a few day's sport. If you shoot right handed, extend the left hand well forward on

45  the gun barrel; in case you are left handed, reverse, but in either case, grip the gun tightly with your hand, so that it will not move easily.

To be a good shot, always follow what you shoot, be it to the right or left, up or down. If you are not careful you will stop your movement, and then you will miss your bird. This is a hard fact, while the very fact that you did not kill it is proof that you stopped your gun. Move your gun with the bird and you will make a dead shot every time.

For a bird flying straight away, cover full. For birds of any kind that rise as they fly, raise at the same time you pull.

For birds flying low, follow low, and keep the gun moving as you pull.

In all these cases hold the gun about six inches ahead of the bird and pull while moving the gun, so that the bird will fly into your load. In other words, when you see the bird rise, say a foot and a half. Many may think that this is holding too low on a bird, but the success of the shot is proof of its value.

For a person who has had no experience, it will save time and money to get a target trap to practice with before wasting powder in

A man holding a shotgun. STYLE OF HOLDING GUN TWENTY YEARS AGO. 46  the field. Set it firmly and stand close to it to begin with, moving back gradually as you become able to hit the targets. Keep your gun moving with the target, and aim low, as the gun will lift at the moment of shooting. Twenty years ago the trap shooter held his gun below the elbow until the bird was on the wing. Some wonder- ful scores were made at this style of shooting.

STYLE OF HOLDING GUN AT PRESENT TIME.

At the present day he holds his gun to his shoulder, ready for the "bird" to be thrown from the trap.

If you wish to learn the art of firearms, begin your practice with a rifle, size 20, which will be cheaper and easier to learn with. If you are near the water, take a board two feet long and six inches wide, and put a tin can in the center of it. Tie a rope thirty or forty feet long around the can, and throw it into the water so that it will come up some one draw it along the surface slowly while you stand some twenty or thirty feet away, and try to follow the object with your gun. When you think you can follow, shoot at the can; even if you miss, the water will show where you have missed. This is a good way to get a good allowance and see how fast you will have to move your gun to hit the can.

When you can hit every time, have a can tossed up in the air six or eight feet at first and try to hit it. Have the can thrown up easily

47  and steadily and not by jerks, and aim low, but keep the gun moving. If you are not near any water, tie a can to a long string and have it pulled along the ground, slowly at first, then faster and faster as you improve. Shoot at it sideways, crosswise and every way you can think of to give you practice and accustom you to all kinds of shooting. If you have little time for field work or are so situated that you have no opportunity to practice out of doors, try shooting on roller skates. This will try your nerve and teach you to have self-possession.

A woman holding a rifle, standing on roller skates. SHOOTING OFF ROLLER SKATES.

48  SHOOTING WHILE SEATED.

and poise. If you have a long hall in your house or a good cellar, you can have all the practice you want at very little trouble or expense. By hanging a piece of heavy canvas, ten feet square, from a couple of screws driven into the wall about six feet from the wall, so that the canvas will not swing back and hit the wall and letting it swing freely from the bottom, you can shoot thousands of shot cartridges

49  TEACHING A BOY TO SHOOT.

50  at it and not pierce it. The shot will roll off the loose canvas and fall harmlessly on the floor.

Pin small paper targets on the canvas and you will have as fine a target as you want. But be careful not to hang the canvas near a door or window, unless it is kept locked from your side, and so avoid accidents.

Stand fifteen or twenty feet away from the target, increasing the distance as much as possible as you grow proficient. When you can hit the lips of paper, hang a small can, a rubber ball, bits of coal, any other object that you can get at hand. Then take a weather screw eye in the ceiling, about three feet in front of the loose canvas. Now, you have a fine swinging target and one hard to hit.

Practice all kinds of fancy shots, over the head, crosswise, back to shoulders, etc., and using a mirror, while skating back and forth, and many others.

If children were trained from an early age to handle and use for firearms they would be fewest accidents. It is ignoble and the notion of it that makes boys learn to go in a game if it is loaded.

If they were used to handling one they would never do such a senseless thing.

Begin to teach a child when he is seven years old. Give him a small air gun and show him how to hold and sight it and impress upon him that he cannot have it if he is at all careless with it. Never let him practice alone until he is old enough to have good judgment and discretion. Never let him play with it. Teach him that it is not a plaything, but a weapon to be proud of if he can handle it well.

Teach him to stand straight and shoot with both eyes open, from the first. Make him care for his own gun and keep it clean and well oiled.

It is well to have the gun a little heavy at the start so that it will not kick and frighten him, as nothing spoils one's shooting like nervousness.

Never leave the load in the gun, and never, never let it be pointed at any one.

Give a child a single target to begin with and let him stand not more than ten feet away so that he will hit it frequently; this will encourage him to try and hit every time.

51  A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD HUNTER. 60  As he advances in his work, give him swinging objects to practice on, cans tied on the end of a long fish pole and swung gently back and forth, bits of coal thrown in the air, and on a straight line about ten feet above the ground. This will give him fine practice for field shooting.

A black-and-white photograph of a man holding a revolver, with a target in the background.

REVOLVER SHOOTING.

Revolver shooting is not hard to learn. Be sure to get a revolver that fits your hand and that does not pull too hard, or it will cause you to shoot high. Either load your own shells or have them loaded for you, so as to avoid as much as possible the shock of your revolver. A very heavy load will make the best gun "bounce."

Practice holding the revolver in either hand, using the left more than the right. In this way you will be able to have a decided advantage over one able to use both hands, and will enable you to quick and accurate work.

Always stand erect and steady and keep both eyes open. The two illustrations represent the positions for holding the revolver before and at the moment of firing. Draw the revolver up on a line with the eye, with the arm moving easily but firmly, level the revolver with a little drop to the center and you will make a true shot.

53  A small, black and white dog with a long tail, standing on its hind legs. SPANIEL.

There are many different breeds of dogs that are used as pets or watchdogs.

The spaniels, water, cocker and others are cheerful, friendly and obedient, good watchdogs and can be trained to make good retrievers by my system of training. They can also be taught to do all manner of tricks.

The terriers, large and small, can be easily trained, but it must be by kindness alone. Whip a terrier but once, and he will never forgive nor fear you again.

The collie is the farmer's dog par excellence, watchful, faithful, very intelligent and gentle as a kitten.

It is natural for him to protect stock and he will soon learn to count whatever comes his way. He can be depended upon to "Go get cow" and bring them home.

Greyhounds are good courting dogs. They are very swift and will pick up a jack rabbit on a dead run. They hunt by sight, but can be trained to retrieve by shooting rabbits in their cover and sending them in to bring them to you, and when so trained they prove to have good nose.

54  Mastiffs and great danes are smooth coated dogs, large and pow- erful.

The St. Bernard is shaggy, but all three resemble one another in many respects. They are naturally pleasant and peaceable and are fine watchdogs.

They can be trained to be very savage, but this should be done by a savage man (not by members of the family).

Put the dog to be trained in a shed and let the strange boy or boys pound on the walls with sticks or stones and call to him and later let them enter the shed and poke their sticks at him.

This will make him very angry and vicious, and he will soon lunge at his tormentors, growl and show his teeth. Be very sure to have both chain and staple very secure and strong, as the dog would not hesitate to spring at his tormentors.

No cramp or rubber will ever trouble the family where such a dog lives.

Feed these dogs cooked meats and many raw eggs, to prevent indi- gestion. Avoid corn meal, much bread and gravy and fond with flour in it, no meat broth, no milk, no sugar, no tea or coffee.

All of these breeds can be taught to do all manner of tricks and to retrieve by following my instructions.

55  CATS.

Cats are great pets in many homes. This is right, for what is nicer than a well behaved, affectionate cat?

They can be trained to do all manner of tricks by following the same rules I have given for training trick dogs, and many pleasant hours can be spent with them in this way.

If I ever go into the show business, I will have about one hundred cats of different breeds and teach them to do some wonderful tricks.

A black and white photograph of two kittens sitting on a table.

CATS.

To keep a cat sound and healthy, feed it milk and raw eggs, and this will also make a good mouser of it, as it will have to hunt for whatever meat it wants.

Use an Erb collar on it, as you would on a dog and it will neither leave home nor fight, nor will it have any unnecessary sickness from the swelling of its neck.

Cats fight by biting and scratching, and a cat will not risk a second encounter with a cat protected by an Erb collar.

56  SQUIRRELS.

Almost every one who has ever used a gun has gone out sometime in his life after squirrels. If the hunter goes out in June he will find the young fellows in the woods, and they will be easy to shoot, and have little trouble in finding them. All he will have to do will be to hunt for nut trees, hickory especially, and the squirrels will surely be there getting their winter supply of nuts and they will get the best ones too, for they are. There can be found near berry patches as well, for they are great berry eaters.

The best time to kill the squirrels is early in the morning or late in the afternoon. In the morning they are active and go about their business until the middle of the day they stretch themselves out on a broad limb of a tree and go to sleep. Many a squirrel is killed while asleep, being found by the sun shining on his tail or the wind blowing it back and forth.

A good squirrel dog is a great dog to have. He can trail the squirrel through the woods and to the tree he has gone up, and if properly broken, will bark for you to come as a signal that he has a squirrel.

57  treed. He will keep barking or howling and so attract the squirrel's attention and give you a chance to approach the tree without the squirrel seeing you. Go as slowly as you can walk and keep about ten to twenty feet away, making very little noise. You will soon see the squirrel by watching the limbs move and so locate him; he will move frequently from one limb to another.

To teach a dog to be a good squirrel dog, take him out about the first of May, while the squirrels are small, as then you will find them playing in the trees. Let him follow them up and down the branches and bend over. On these they learn to jump and climb before they under- take to be active on large trees. When you have found a squirrel, move along with your dog and show him where the squirrel is. The best thing to do is to make the squirrel run away, which is not easy to do as it will be small. When he falls on the ground he will get up and run to another tree and your dog at first will only bark and not offer to touch the squirrel. After a few lessons in this way he will get out of his fear and begin to chase the squirrel. When he does, as soon as he strikes a scent he will bark for you to come to him, as he will have the squirrel tied. With a good dog you will be able to get squirrels when you want them, but it is not easy for dogs they are hard to get. You can train almost any kind of a dog and make a good squirrel dog out of him if you teach him in this way.

I always have my dogs retrieve them the same as they do birds or rabbits, as they think it more sport to hunt them if they know they will get the game in their mouths, as this is their pride and glory.

58  RABBITS.

Rabbits can be found almost anywhere in the country and require no especial skill to kill. A good rabbit dog will keep one busy, and the beagle is easily the prime favorite for rabbit hunting.

When you have a good shot at a rabbit, you must get him on the run before he can turn and bite you like the other, and if you stop your gun off he will go. Always shoot at a rabbit as on a bird.

It is good practice to let a few shots escape you by simply holding on the trigger without shooting and so test your ability to follow.

Many will boast of a long shot, when if they had stepped the distance it would surprise them to see how close they were to the rabbit.

DUCKS AND GEESE.

Ducks and geese are so wary that a great deal of judgment is required to shoot them. Open shooting is impossible, and they can only be shot from blinds and over decoys. Blinds either on land or water, are built in various fashions, absolute concealment being the chief re- quirement.

The best time to shoot them is when they are flying to and from their feeding grounds.

50  A man in a suit holding a shotgun stands next to a dog that is sniffing the ground. The background shows a wooden fence with vertical slats. CHESAPEAKE RETRIEVING A DEAD DUCK.

60  A duck standing in grass. DUCK.

A good retriever is necessary to get the dead or wounded birds, and as the birds will weigh from two and a half to three pounds, a dog with a large and strong mouth is needed to be able to bring a bird without dragging it on the ground. Either a retriever or a large dog or a water spaniel should be used, as the dog will be in and out of the water constantly. 61  A goose standing on a grassy patch. BRANT.

The Chesapeake is the better dog, for he has a large mouth, is strong, has a heavy coat, is at home in the water, can push through drifts, slough grass or deep mud and does not care how cold the water is.

For large ducks use No. 4 to No. 6 shot, for teal and the small ducks use No. 7 to No. 8, for goose and brant from No. 2 to No. 3. In all of these use not less than an ounce and a quarter of shot.

62  JACK SNipe.

There is much excitement in snipe shooting. Jack snipe live in the open prairie swamp lands, and as there is little cover, the dog has no chance to point them. They do not lie still but fly into the air or woodcock, and have to be hunted with much judgment and discretion.

Hunt them down wind and so get the advantage of a close quartering shot, as they rise against the wind; then after a flight of twenty-five yards, they turn and go with the wind.

63  They live in wet places and bore for worms the same as the wood-cock do. Don't let your dog hunt, but stay "Heel" until ordered to "Go fetch dead." When you kill, stand still and after loading your gun, send the dog to the spot where he killed, and let him be birds scattered about that may rise and give you several shots, that you may have a chance with should you follow the dog for your first bird. Snipe will not move so wildly for a dog as they do when a man flies them. They will run a short distance and then pass without moving, and so give you a chance to flush him after the dog has gone on to retrieve his dead bird. The best load for snipe is No. 9 shot.

GOLDEN PLOVER. Golden plover travel in large flocks and follow the jack snipe on their northern flight. They live on the prairie, in plowed fields and on grassy meadows.

They are of a golden color with black breasts. They feed early in the morning and late in the afternoon, taking flight moon ten in the morning to the watering places and returning and feeding at night.

Work your dog as for snipe, as when you shoot, it is flock shooting and you are liable to knock down eight or ten of them. The minute the wounded birds strike the ground they will run fast and far, seatt- ing up their heads and flapping their wings.

Here is where a good retriever is necessary, as he will overtake each bird and bring it to you. Keep sending him out as fast as he brings back his dead bird.

The flock will be running round in a circle after being shot at to look for the crippled birds, so stand still and wait and you will get a second chance at them.

The best load for plover is No. 9 shot.

QUAIL. Quails are known and hunted in all parts of the world. They are very game and will stand still of any dog. They are found in all kinds of cover, preferring, however, the edges of fences and brush and the low wooded ponds.

64  Quail.

Noise has little effect on them, and they will often lie so close that you can almost kick them up.

Ninety-nine men out of a hundred do not want a dog that ranges more than a hundred yards, but quarters close and hunts in the most promising places.

In the morning and evening the birds will work out to the center

65  of corn fields and stubble, and then will hunt low places to settle on until the next feeding time. Never order the dog to run in and flush the flock, but walk in and flush it yourself and then they will not be so wild. The best load for quail is No. 9 shot.

PHEASANT. Pheasants, or partridges, as they are commonly called, live in the thickest of the woods, so that it is hard to hunt or get them without

05  a good dog. They live on wild berries and wild grapes and are among the choicest of table birds.

They lie very close in heavy cover and where a dog cannot hunt fast and are very hard to shoot on the wing, as they continually dodge amongst trees.

In hunting them, have your dog go slow and keep close to you. He will work best on ground scent. Teach him to hold his point and let you select your location before you order him to flush.

To prevent the bird from being frightened by the noise of the gun, the curiosity of the bird will prove its destruction. Instead of trying to escape, the bird will settle on an adjacent tree to find the meaning of the strange noise, and if there is danger of missing a wing shot, the bird can be shot sitting still.

After the bird is killed, he is very hard to find, as in color he resembles the leaves in the fall, and a good retriever is necessary if the birds are to be found.

To make a decoy for pheasants bark, tie a piece of red cloth on a long string and then throw it over a limb of a tree in such a manner that it can be jerked up and down. As it flutters amongst the leaves kiss the dog on to bark, and teach him to bark every time it moves.

The best load for pheasants is No. 9 shot.

47  A woodcock with its young on the ground. WOODCOCK.

The woodcock is one of the hardest game birds to hunt. He weighs from four to six and a half ounces, is of a golden color, with a large head and an ear that you could stick a lead pencil into. He is a sharp fellow, knows when you are after him, and is very tricky. He lives in timber swamps and about springy places the year around.

When he wishes to find food, he walks along in wet places and turns the right side of his head to the ground and listen to any noise which he may hear from under the surface of the ground. When he locates it he turns his head to the side again to make sure, and then pokes his bill down into the earth and a half inch deep into the ground and works it, making a sound like boring a hole in a board. When he gets started, he holds his bill in the ground, drawing his body close, then flutters his wings, which helps him to drive his bill down. He stands still a minute, and then proceeds to pull out a worm; this is the common fish which he hunts.

A good way to hunt woodcock is to hang a couple of bells on your 68  dog's neck and send him in after the birds; as long as you hear the bells you will know he has found nothing, but when the bells stop, be sure the dog is on the point. Woodcock shooting is all snap, that is, hit or miss, and the only way to tell whether you have hit or missed is to see if the cover is so thick.

Here is where a nice retriever comes handy, for find the birds and retrieve them from under the kind of brush and heavy cover, and bring them to hand. When you shoot, order your dog to "Go hunt dead"; if you killed, he will bring it sure. If you don't kill, just keep a sharp lookout behind you and you will not fail to see the same bird again, even if of different sex. The woodcock is a bird that is shy when shot at. This deceives the amateur, for few would think of looking for him in the same place the second time, but the experienced woodcock hunter is aware of the bird's tricks and will wait and try for him again.

The best load for woodcock is No. 9 or No. 10 shot.

A woodcock in flight. PRAIRIE CHICKEN

The prairie chicken or bird that has been hunted until in many states it is nearly exterminated. While these birds are very easy to kill, as they don't seem to have much sense of danger. They are found in the short stubble or grass and can be found very easily, as their scent is so strong that a dog can readily scent them. When they get up after being shot at, they don't fly far and if you don't find them,

60  go away and wait awhile and they will soon come back and hunt their mother. If you have killed her, it is a sure thing you will get the whole flock, as they haven't sense enough to take care of themselves. They are very fond of the dog and will run after him, and I have killed many a one by calling it up to me while lying down in the grass.

During this time, that is, from August 1 to October 1, you can kick them up and with a good dog go to pasture, and all open shooting.

But after October 1, they are very shy. The older ones will not run, they will fly a mile at a time and none but the expert hunter can hope to have any success with them. The young flock of birds have to be hunted on the quirt and always down wind. When two men are hunt- ing, they must hunt by signs with the hands to go either to the right or left, for speak one loud word and goodby hunter. With the wind at your back, you can make a good shot. A good dog is needed that is well trained and under good command to "start" the bird and go out till ordered to get the dead and retrieve it.

For pheasant, woodcock, quail, snipe and young prairie chickens use No. 9 or No. 10 shot. For pheasants, woodcock or corn, as it must be quick shooting in the close cover and the small shot will make a big circle and will not tear the birds to pieces as the larger shot under these conditions would. In the open, where there will be more time for a shot and consequently a longer range, use No. 7 or No. 8.

70  WILD TURKEYS.

A flock of wild turkeys is a great sight. They are easy birds to trap and kill. They can be baited into any trap with corn, and can be shot at night on their roosts. They can be called with a turkey caller right to the hunter, and if they get into a trap, have not sense enough to get out. The best load for turkeys is No. 2 to No. 3 shot. In going out for turkeys before the snow is on the ground, a good dog will stand a turkey the same as he will a quail and will trail him for miles. When the dog goes slowly and cautiously and does not frequently pause, the turkey will follow him very quietly and avoid all dry twigs, for a turkey seems to know what a gun is. When he discovers you, he will start off snickling to warn the rest of the flock.

71  POINT WORK.

If your dog is trained to obey the motions of the hand, he will scatter the flock in all directions and make them light on the trees by barking at them.

When the snow is on the ground, track them, and the length of the tracks will determine whether the birds are going fast or slow. If slow, the tracks will be from six inches to a foot apart, showing that the birds are loafing or feeding.

But when the tracks are from eighteen to thirty inches apart it is a sign that they are going fast, and you must follow them over locality to another. In this case do not follow the trades, but circle out a quarter to a half a mile and cross their tracks and then make another circle according to the direction in which they are then going. By continuing to do in this way they will lessen their speed and be easily overtaken. When close to them, send the dog out and let him bark at them; then call them to you by making a terse, calmer tone and they will be readily killed.

72  GROUP OF GAME BIRDS.

This group of birds represents pheasants, quail, prairie chickens and grouse, all of which are well known in the middle and western states, and also in most of the eastern states.

73  A FEW TRAINING DEVICE TESTIMONIALS. (American Field, Chicago, Ill., Oct. 15, 1903)

Fred Erb, Jr., has covered a lot of territory this fall giving exhibi- tions of how to train a dog to retrieve from land and water with the use of his devices, which are very simple, and, in the hands of a humane person, effective. Kindness toward dumb animals, which cannot under- stand reasoning, is one of the most important things in training them. A patient, kindly disposed person can teach a dog to do most anything, where a person of opposite temperament would fail.

Mr. Erb, Jr.

Some time ago I got one of your training devices, and I tell you it is all O. K. I broke three dogs, and as soon as I get some more breaks I will have no trouble at all with my dogs and their owners.

I read in the American Field that you taught shooting. Do you have a book on shooting, or does a man have to come where you are? If you could give instructions on shooting, I would like to know your price for such a book. That is what I want. I am just beginning to take you as a true friend. I am just beginning to shoot a little bit; but it doesn't take me long to get a dog to retrieve. That is the best of all things I ever heard of.

When you send me pictures you give me $1 am willing to pay for. Tell me, if you can, how to make a dog drop to shot-wing. I want your advice and nobody else's, as I think you are the king of them all, on dog work especially.

Now write and tell me immediately, as I want to know at the ear- liest date. I remain,

Yours truly,

Peter Wetteran.

(Box 752) Grass Valley, Nevada Co., California

74  Mr. Fred Erb, Jr., LaFayette, Ind. April 3, 1903.

My Dear Fred--Now that our show is over I feel as though we should not let the opportunity go by of offering you, in behalf of the Bench Show Committee of the Chicago Kennel Club, our sincere thanks for the pleasure had in witnessing the exhibitions which you gave us at the recent National Dog Show held at the First Regiment Armory, 616th street and Michigan avenue, Chicago.

The work you do is certainly very interesting and demonstrates what can be done with a dog. The spectators at our show were very much pleased with your performance and all complimented us on having had the opportunity of seeing same.

We sincerely trust that you will be successful in working up a nice business in this line, for you certainly are deserving of it. At any time we may call upon you to give us any information regarding it.

Thanking you again for your kindness and renewal of old friendship between the writer and yourself, I beg to remain,

Yours very truly, H. J. CASSADY. Sec'y Chicago Kennel Club.

(The Enquirer, Cincinnati, O., Nov. 4, 1898 at the Cincinnati Club Grounds.)

One of the features of the day's sport was the work of the three retrieving dogs--Deuce, Jack and Pen. The dogs are wonders, and their work was applauded as much as that of the shooters.

(From the Sportsman, St. Louis, Mo., March 7, 1902)

Fred Erb, Jr., came to St. Louis last Saturday for the purpose of giving an exhibition of his skill in training dogs. He told me that he had been making dogs retrieve, that is, bring game in after some is killed or, in fact, fetch anything that a dog can pick up and carry.

Mr. Erb at one time was well known in trap shooting circles in St. Louis, but he has not been there for many years ago; there are yet many of the older shooters who shot with him living here, and they came to see him and renew their old acquaintance; same time were much interested in what he had to show them in the way of a device for training dogs.

75  The club room of the Sportman was filled to overflowing, and as parties came at different times of the day, there were several exhibitions given during the day. Mr. Erb had two dogs, one partly trained and the other just being initiated.

He explained that he had trained over 1,000 dogs and had never qualified on any dog by any of his methods and cow the dog. He starts by getting acquainted with the dog and gaining his confidence, then continues by being kind all through his succeeding les- sons. Once he has a dog under control, he will train him every day. All marveled at the control he had over the dogs, one being a ten months pointer which picked up a dead bird nicely, being his first effort. During the past seventeen years Mr. Erb has lived at La Fay- ette, Ind., where he has been engaged in the manufacture of guns. So successful have been his methods that one of the best known game shots, and men of leisure, in the state of Wisconsin, offered him $500 for his system of training. This Mr. Erb refused, and though said party was disappointed Mr. Erb's home, he never caught on, as the train- ing was done under cover.

Since Mr. Erb has patented his devices he has sold this gentleman set and now he may be without it for some time for $100. He will hereafter give exhibitions in various parts of the country and will give these exhibitions at points not too remote from his home, and when once understood every dog owner will readily see that it will be a pleasure to raise and train his own dog. Mr. Erb has attended many large tournaments and has won many prizes for dead birds and wounded birds was favorably commented upon by agents of the Humane Society. These devices are advertised in our business columns.

(American Field, Feb. 7, 1923, Chicago, Ill.)

An exhibition of teaching a dog to retrieve was given in the Ameri- can Field's club room last week by Fred Erb, of La Fayette, Ind., by the use of his devices advertised in our business columns, wherein he challenged a man who claimed to be a master retriever to retrieve land or water. Kindness is the first requisite. Mr. Erb had two dogs, one fully trained, the other green. He did not use force. He had four simple devices—just completed his set—and the dogs took kindly to his training.—At first most of the dogs were afraid that his command must be obeyed by placing a slight choke device then he produced

76  a cord-wound stick, mounted on crossrees, and after a few attempts the dog picked it up and brought it to him; then he threw a small filled sack to a distance, and the dog soon understood that it was to be thrown at the bird. He would then run after the bird, retrieve it a distance, and the dog retrieved it nicely. The untrained dog was tractable in a short time. A dozen sportmen were in the office at the time and were much impressed at the quickness of perception of the dog and his ability to retrieve birds of various sizes. Mr. Erb's dogs have been seen at many trap shoots, and it has been the subject of comment how perfectly the dogs were trained to retrieve. The training in each instance was accomplished by Mr. Erb himself, who is well versed in our business- columns. Mr. Erb stands ready to give an exhibition within any rea- sonable distance of his home of how to train a dog to retrieve, if a num- ber of sportsmen will assemble to witness the work.

(American Field, Nov. 14, 1903, Chicago, Ill.)

I am a regular subscriber to the American Field and I consider it the best paper of its kind I ever saw. I am a great lover of the gun and have hunted with guns since I could learn to shoot at the trap or in the field, nor did I think I could have found a better gun, but I am now pleased to say that I am on the right road to do both. About two months ago I met Fred Erb, of this city, and I employed him to teach me how to handle a gun. He taught me so well that I "caught on" very quickly, and am now shooting both in the field and at the trap and doing pretty good work. I also own four dogs, two old ones and two puppies, which I am training under Mr. Erb's in- struction. It takes about three years to train a dog, but a young man has a natural love for gun and dog and wants to become a shooter he can do without spending four or five years learning. First, let him subscribe for the American Field and read it every week from the first issue until he is ready to start training his dog. Then teach him how to handle a gun and where to hold on a bird in order to kill it and he will be surprised to see how easy it is to become a very good shot.

La Fayette, Ind.

B. W. PRICE

77  FRED. ERS. JR., WINNER OF AMERICAN FIELD CUP.

78  SOME OF THE AUTHOR'S FAMOUS SCORES.

ERB-BOGARDUS. (American Field, March 20, 1880.)

This match, which was for a purse of $500, was shot at St. Joseph, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 1880. The conditions of the match were: To shoot at 100 pigeons each, one and one-quarter ounce of shot, Hurlingham rules, Erb to stand at twenty-eight and Bogardus at thirty yards, with a ten-minute interval between shots. The pigeons were by Scott & Son, five drams orange lightning No. 7 powder, No. 9 shot in his first and No. 7 shot in his second barrel. Erb used a gun of similar make but different size than Bogardus's. Bogardus was supplied with four and one-half drams Hazard powder (sea-shooting, ducking size), and Chicago No. six (6) shot in both his first and second barrel. That Mr. Erb, who is only nineteen years old, should beaten the acknowledged champion by ten birds will no doubt be a surprise to many.

The following is the official score of the match:

Captain A. H. Bogardus. Thirty yards:	111111111111111111111111
Fred Erb. Twenty-eight yards:	12345678901234567890

Weather, cold and windy; the wind blowing from the right to the left across the traps. Time of shoot, three hours, five minutes. Paul Francke, referee. B. F. Buzard, scorer.

79  ERB-MITCHELL. (American Field, June 4, 1885.)

Editor Chicago Field.

Saturday, May 28, the match between Fred Erb, Jr., of St. Joseph, Mo., and John T. Mitchell, of Richmond, Va., was shot at the Compton Park Base Ball Grounds, St. Louis, Mo. The stakes were $300, and the match was at 100 wild pigeons, five ground traps, five yards and one pole.

Captain West acted as judge for Captain Mitchell, Mr. G. Hass further in a similar capacity for Mr. Erb, and Mr. Babcock filled the position of referee. The birds were contrary to anticipation, a very tame lot, and made but little efforts at flying.

At shooting time of the first round considered birds the contestants were at evenings, having killed forty-five each. From that time on Erb improved, while Mitchell fell off until he was hopelessly in the rear.

The score:

Erb	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-	Total	$55
Mitchell	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Editor American Field.

August 8, at Chicillicothe, Mo., Mr. Fred Erb, Jr., of St. Joseph, Mo., and Mr. John Bennett, of Linneen, Mo., shot a match at fifty pairs of double birds each, trap and handle for each other, for $300 a side. The shooting was very fine, especially on the part of Mr. Erb, who won easily. The following are the scores:

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Bennett

Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Erb Mitchell Mitchell Mitchell Mitchell	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-	-3-
Total $45.
$45.

11	10
11	10
11	10
11	10
10	00

Wonderful Exhibition. (American Field, July 11, 1853.)

LaFayette, Ind.--Mr. Fred Erb, Jr., shot an exhibition here on June 20 with rifle and shotgun, which was witnessed by Hibernians at the Lafayette Fair Grounds, which was witnessed by over 10,000 people. Mr. Erb was not in the best of condition to shoot, owing to the acci- dents which befell him on April 2, but he did make his right wrist white with the blood of his own hands. Since then he has been unable to use the gun. Mr. Erb gave us some of his work. A Colt's light- ning rule and broke .38 balls out of .30 thrown in the air, hitting all the balls except one. He also shot a .38 ball through a window that could be done with a rifle. Mr. Erb then stepped up to the table and broke 6 clay pigeons out of .100, in which he broke two straight with a Colt's twelve bore, weighing seven and half-pounds each. Mr. Erb is one of the quickest shots that ever went to a trap, and shot one barrel, .18 yards three, eight. Will Berry was scorer, and Dr. Cole, man referee.

ERB-BOGARDUS. (American Field, Chicago, Ill., Jan. 14, 1858.)

LaFayette, Ind.

Editor American Field. The Erb-Bogardus match, so long talked of, took place here Jan. 4 at o'clock p.m. The shooting at all ten birds each, Hurting- house's new side cap. Bogardus used a Colt's twelve-bore; Scott & Sons gun weighing seven pounds fourteen ounces, and shot four drums of Wood powder in the right barrel and four drums of black powder in the left barrel, using No. 7 and No. 8 shot. Mr. Erb used a lighter twelve-bore; Bogardus used a Colt's twelve-bore loaded with .35 drams of King's Quick Shot powder in both barrels and No. 7 shot. The weather was cloudy, with the wind blowing across the traps. A stronger lot of birds could not have been had, as every bird

51  went when the trap was sprung. There was a large crowd in attend- ance and a good many visitors. There was very little betting. Captain Bogardus lost seven birds dead out of bounds and retired after shooting at 93 birds. Mr. Erb lost six dead out of bounds, which would have given him 99 out of 100, and the nineteenth bird he shot at then was the first one that had been killed by a live bird. Captain Bo- gardus gave Mr. Erb the credit of making the best run ever made by any man in the world. Captain Bogardus says he is the quickest shot man ever known. Captain Bogardus used his second barrel three times, while Mr. Erb used his first barrel four times, and both barrels were fired in eleven minutes. Mr. Ed Vors, of Crawfordsville, acted as referee. Mr. Wesley E. Wells, president of the Lafayette Gun Club, and Albert Miller, president of the Crawfordsville Gun Club, acted as judges. Dr. Smith, of Lafayette, was the game warden who kept a record of all shots at every ten birds shot at. The traps were drawn by dice. Captain Bogardus pulled for Mr. Erb and Mr. Erb pulled for Captain Bogardus.

Owing to the fact that Captain Bogardus received no money for his services, it was withdrawn that was to take place at the Acme feathered targets on January 5. Captain Bogardus made many friends while in La- Fayette.

Following are the scores:

ERB AGAINST BIRDS

(American Field, April ?, ?88.)

Editor American Field.

The dates of Mr. Fred Erb's shoot were changed from April ?, ?, ?, ? and ? to March ?, ?7 and ?8. Mr. Erb shot at ?

82  targets on each of the first two days and 100 on the third day. The underpowered bucked Elk to break 672 out of a possible 500. His score was a greater surprise to all than was expected, as part of the time there was a drizzling rain falling. He used his twelve-bore Lefever gun on the first 300 targets, sixteen yards rise, and his new ten-bore Lefever on the last 200 targets, standing eighteen yards from the traps. He shot his best target at 100 yards, "distant" from the trap, which was too high. The Standard targets, of Cleveland, were also used, and they are fine targets to shoot at, as they break up very fine. I think 60 out of 500 very good. Three traps, National rules, were the conditions.

Following is the schedule:

Capt A H Bogardus	0	S	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Fred J Jr.		S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Capt A H Bogardus Fred J Jr. S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S

Fred Erb, Jr.	Monday, March 26
	100
	96
Fred Erb, Jr.	Thursday, March 27
	97
	89
Fred Erb, Jr.	Wednesday, March 28
	88

ERB-GRAHAM. (American Field, May 5, 1888, at Louisville, Ky.)

The National rules governed throughout, except those for wire fence to guard the ground. The ground was level, with the extremely close boundary, made the shooting the hardest ever done, and score made under the conditions was a magnificent one. It was exactly seventeen yards and twenty-two inches from the two outside traps to the center of the bowstring line was a circle and all birds to count as dead had to go to the ground and be gathered within the circle.  boundary. If a bird crossed the line at all, in the air or on the ground, before it had been gathered in, it was counted as lost.

Mr. G. Graham was chosen as trap-passer. Mr. J. M. Barbeau referee, and E. A. Antler, official, were also appointed to these Mr. J. C. Levi acted as scorer for Graham and Mr. A. C. Courtney for Erb. The contestants were to shoot alternately at one bird, each aiming both barrels if required. Erb used a seven and one-half pound Leffert and Graham a nine and one-half pound Erb. Each man used two ounces of powder and one and one-eighth ounces of shot.

Following is the score in detail for the first match:

Erb	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Graham	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0