JOHN W.G. DUNN Hunter, Fisherman, Photographer, Writer and Nature Lover DIARY OF MOOSEHEAD LAKE TRIP AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 1889 MMN Item Number: 5657 Date of Creation: 1889 Description: John Dunn diary of trip to Moosehead lake region of Maine: August and September of 1889 Educational Use only www.maine Memory.net Copyright 2001 Page 1
Dunn diary from 1889 Moosehead Lake trip Inside Cover: Moosehead Lake. 1889. Guides. Henry Tremblay John F. Hildreth Sunday. August 4. Paddle on Lake in morning. (Walked to Lazy Tom up to dam and back to Grant Place road. Saw 1 grouse. Saw 4 ducks in Evening. Clear in morning clouded up at 2 P.M. Cool. Wind N.W. Page 2
Monday August 5. Left Roach Pond House 8.45 got to camp at 11. Saw a yearling doe below Intervale Brook and 2 black ducks and a flock of young ones (Sheldrakes) 32 and one wood duck. Wind N.W. in morning changed to S.E at noon & began to rain at 12.30. Had dinner at 12.30. Went up south inlet. Left camp at 5.15 P.M. got to Roach River at 7 P.M. rained all way down wind changed N.W. Cool. Tuesday August 6 Left Roach Pond house 7.45 took clear & cool wind NW 1 3/4 hours to get to camp. Left camp at 10 for dinner(?) at Pleasant River took two hours to get there. Saw a flock of 4 black ducks and a fish hawk coming down the lake. Saw 4 wood ducks in biggest 1/4 lb Pleasant River. Caught 4 trout below dam before dinner. Had dinner at 1.15 P.M. Fished in Lyford Pond on way down no fish. Henry went to Penobscot Ponds at Roudals(?) Camp Page 3
Wednesday. Aug. 7 Went up the lake after Breakfast saw a 4 year old buck. Would weigh about 150 lbs. Rained all morning, sun came out at 11.30 staid for 2 hours. Wind N.E. change to N.W. C.B.D. saw 16 black ducks at Intervale Brook. Had showers with a good deal of wind all afternoon. C.B.D. fished in lake. Cool all day. Thursday. Aug 8. Had breakfast at 6.30. went down after mail. Saw 6 wood ducks in lagoons(?) near Roach River on way down. Saw 3 black ducks on way up. Cloudy with sun at times wind N.W. C.B.D. caught 9 trout in South Inlet & saw a doe in North Inlet. Fished in South Inlet after dinner caught 20(?), CBD caught 11 averaged 1/4 lb. Saw a wood duck. Cloudy with sun out at times. Cool. N.W. wind. Page 4
Friday. Aug. 9 Had breakfast at 6 AM. C.B.D. went down to Roach River. Saw 3 deer. Went up North Inlet saw 3 black ducks and 2 blue herons. Saw a deer near camp on way back. C.B.D. caught 8 trout in South Inlet. averaged 1/4 pound. Cloudy all day. Cool. Wind in all directions. Rained in evening. Dinner broiled ham. Broiled V(?) steak. Boiled Onions. Fried potatoes. Stewed tomatoes. Hot Bread. Tea. Pears. Saturday. Aug.10. Paddled down to Intervale B. Saw 2 ducks. Caught 2 fish averaged 1/4 lb. On way back saw 3 blue herons. Shot one. C.B.D. caught 7 trout in South B. averaged 1/2 lb. Started from camp at 1.45 got to Roach river at 4 P.M. Saw one wood duck. Cloudy all day. Showers with thunder at noon. wind in all directions. Page 5
Aug 11 Sunday. Went down to big pool on Roach River. Afterwards went out on Pond saw two ducks, shot one duck. CBD saw 1 old squa and Saw a doe and 2 others. Caught 6 trout in logan near House averaged 1/4 lb. Saw a fish hawk. Walked to Farm Brook after dinner, then to Lazy Farm Brook. Clowdy and windy all day, cold. Wind N.W. August 12. Monday Left Roach River at 8 am. Got to Grant Place at 12.30. Got to camp ground at 3. Fished in Bear Brook for two hours. Caught 15, biggest 1 3/4 lb. Smallest 3/4 lb. rest averaged 1 1/4 lb C.B.D.(?), 1 1/2lb. 1/2lb. 1lb. Clear in morning, showers began at 12.30 & lasted all afternoon & night. Cold. Thermometer at 8 A.M. 50. Wind N.W. Page 6
Tuesday. Aug 13. Fished in Bear Brook in morning caught 10 trout, biggest 1 1/2 smallest 1lb. rest over 1 1/4 lb. C.B.D 30 trout, biggest 1 1/4. 1/2. 7/8 lb. saw a black duck & 2 blue herons fished in Bear Brook in evenings caught 13, biggest 1 1/4, smallest 3/4, C.B.D 8 1 1/4 1/2 Walked to Grant Farm after dinner saw a flock of grouse, shot one Clear at times, cloudy at times. Cool wind, N.W., Had frost with a little ice at night CBD saw six deer Wednesday. Aug. 14 Went up to head of Ragged Lake, saw a doe, would weigh about 175 lbs. on an island half the way up. C.B.D. caught 4 trout on way up averaged 1/3 lb. saw a fish hawk & about 14 loons. 9 of them in one flock. C.B.D caught 9 trout coming home, biggest 1 3/4 lb rest averaged 3/4 lb. Cloudy all day, began to rain at 5 P.M. wind N.W. changed to S. at noon. cool. Page 7
Aug. 15 Thursday C.B.D fished in Bear Brook, 9 trout, averaged 1lb. caught 3 trout, averaged 1 lb. fished in Bear Brook after dinner caught 9. fish, biggest 1 3/4 lb. smallest 1 lb. C.B.D saw 2 deer. Cloudy & showery all day. wind S.E. cool. Aug 16 Friday Fished in Bear Brook after breakfast caught 3 trout, largest 1 3/4 lb. rest averaged 3/4 lb. saw a dipper duck. C.B.D went down to Ragged Lake. caught 5 trout, two 1 1/2 lb. each, three 1 1/4 each. Saw a doe. Left Bear Brook at 3 P.M. got to Roach River at 6 P.M. Cloudy all day, began to rain hard after leaving Grant Place. S.E. wind(?) Page 8
Saturday. Aug 17. Went out on Pond in morning. Saw 3 wood ducks. Rained after dinner & all evening. wind N.W. cool. 1889 Largest Largest number caught in one day Total Sunday. Aug. 18 Paddled on Pond in morning saw 2 wood & 16 black duck. went back of house after dinner. saw a flock of grouse. Shot 7. wind N.W. cool. Clear all day C.B. Dunn J.W.G. Dunn Saw 17 deer. 1 3/4 lb. 1 3/4 lb. 2 ducks.(?) 38 23 122 67 Total. 189 Page 9
Mr. Hardy. Geary s - Blooming gone? Sunday. Sept 1 Walked over to Hatching House in Breeding Park with Mr. B. & son to see fish fed. Saw grouse & a deer tracks. Went over to Beaver Lake after lunch Saw woodcock & grouse tracks Warm all day & clear. Wind S.E Page 10
Road down to Falls path & back Monday. Sept. 2. Road(?) down to falls path and back Went down to Waddel Falls & out to Milford Turn Pike and down run on S. side of Pike put up 3 coveys. had 2 shots. shot one grouse. After lunch went over on Garey road as far as Mount cleary put up 2 coveys & had 2 shots. Took a swim after lunch. Clear & hot all day. Wind S.E. Tuesday. Sept 3. Went out on Giles and tried the outlet. Saw no birds. after lunch went out to ice house & up to Club Road. saw no birds. Went after lunch) over on Geary s road to Mont(?) clearing. then up wood road to Park fence, through park then back of Barn, dogs put up 3 birds Clear & hot all day. Wind S. Page 11
Wednesday. Sept. 4 Went down Geary road then across Shohols (?), put up one covey near first clearing got two shots. After lunch went back of Barn, put up one covey. Got two shots. Shot one grouse. (with Mrs. Smith) went down to Blooming Grove Meadows. Saw 2 wood ducks. Mr. Smith shot one. Clear and hot all day. Wind S. Thursday Sept. 5 Went down Geary s road and along breeding park fence to Shook House, then down to Sholo and up to Downey s. Saw 2 birds shot one (with Smith) near Downey s. Had lunch at at Downey s. Went up state Fisheed in Giles in road and back to Main road, (one shot) put up one covey. Then drove home. walked back of barn. Clear, with clouds at times, warm.(?) Wind S.E. afternoon caught 1 bass Page 12
Friday. Sept. 6. Went up to Geary s, then by Willet s road, (had one shot) put up one covey. Then down Hatton s(?) and up Gun Stock road and then by back(?) house to the Club House. put up 2 wood ducks on Sholon(?) Creek Shot one. Started to rain after lunch. Misty in morning. wind S.E. changed to N.W. after lunch. Had one shot) Saturday. Sept.7 Rained in morning. At 12, I walked over to Geary s(?) and Mount place. put up 2 single birds & a covey of 7. got one shot. Afternoon went down to bath house then up to pike and down gunstock road and back the other wy to bath house. put up 3 covey s & 3 single grouse & one rabbit (big) Showery and warm all day. (had one shot) Wind N.E. Page 13
Tuesday. Sept. 10. Before Breakfast went down to little bridge. & down by white elephant put up one covey (4) After breakfast went through Breeding Park & Shore(?) House, then down to the Shola, by Geary s swamp road. Then to Geary s house by Park Fence road, beat down through geary s woods & willets road & house by gray (?) road. Put up 4 birds in park & 3 in S (?) House run. Had one shot. Mr. Hardy had one. Afterwards drove down to Milford Turnpike and beat around there. No birds Wind N.E. cool hard all day. Wednesday. Sept. 11 After breakfast beat around little bridge. Then down by White Elephant, Hattorns Swamp, Gunstock Road, Willet s and Geary s Road. Did not see a bird. Showery all morning. Rained all afternoon. Wind N.E. Thursday. Sept 12. Rain all day. Wind N.E. Page 14
Friday. Sept 13. Rain all day. Wind East.. Saturday. Sept 14. After breakfast walked to Geary s, Mont Place Hattorn s Pieces(?), Gunstock road & by White Elephant. Put up 2 coveys, on Geary s road. got 2 shots. Shot one grouse. Mr. Hardy shot one. Put up a covey of (6) in Mont Place, Mr. hardy shot one. Put up a buck(?) in swamp. After lunch drove down to Milford Turnpike, walked up by falls, and clearing above Falls, then over bridge & back to club house. Put up a covey of 6 near falls. & a woodcock. Foggy in morning clear & cloudy in afternoon. Wind S.E. Page 15
Sunday. Sept. 15 After Breakfast went down to Geary Road to Mont clearing, then up Breeding park fence road. Put up 2 single birds and one covey of 10. Then up to Shook house, and down to Geary s swamp. put up 3 single birds and on way back to Gearys. put up 3 single. birds. Showered all morning. Grouse Ducks Woodcock Total number put up Total number shot at Number Killed 85 17 5 5 2 1 1 0 0 Page 16