Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-11-25
agricultural.
Certain Ufld Animals of Maine.

from q CONVERSATION WIN Mt. MShiel
Hardy, of Brewer, who has been prac-
teal hunter Of 10 little skill, and is now
engaged in an extensive trade in lurs and
skins from the forests of Maine and New
Brunswick. Tie Is probably bottcd fitted
10 make these estimates than any other
man living. Blu; rs his Information did
not extend TO that part Of the State west
of the kenncbec valley, the estimates
must be underStoolto be exclusive 10 that
region.
Moose are getting scarcery year by year,
and will certainly be extcrminated unless
the law regulating their capture Is en-
forced. They are now Killed mostly on
the head waters of the AroOS,ook, Ale
cash and PCnobseot rivers Year before
last probably $50 were killed in the State :;
last year not more than 80; the average
for the last six years not over 100.
Carbon, Qhe reindeer of the NORTH,
were few years ago so very scarce that
only sixor eish, were killed yearly in
Maine. But within the last ten years
they have become plcnlier; 50 were kill
ell las. year and the same number The
wear previous The caribou Ia in the
habit OF rowing for long distances in
herds but their migrations arc without
much method Having come TO Us from
over the border. they are liable to leave
us agaiu.
Deer. Some - wears ago, u. Ilill bot
ont several parties who were engaged ia
buying far. and skins in Bangor, and in
this way collected GOO deer skins. all
Killed and brought into Bangor in one
season Five years ago, probably 1000
were Killed; Hardy himself shipped 2oo
in one lot. This was aa unusual Weld,
ana was owing 90 - deep snow lha; pat
the poor creatures AT The mercy of the
hunters, Tie ',i,owiug year there was
deep snow again, AMI about 1000 were
killed. Since then the average yearly
catch ct deer has mol been more than %.
During the last two years there hail been
ljgb, sua,t, aud deer aIc Increasing,
HolrcS are substantially extinct. Not
ono skin has been broush, iu!o Bangor
for five years They used to be plenty.
For. The principal varieties are The
red, cross-grcy and woods grey. Bu;
these cross and vary in singular man
ner. Sometimes fifteen or twenty varie-
ties are tough, In single season. Mr..
Handy once bought a !oX-skin OF cream
color with malta ears and fee, and an
other Of chocolate color Only one sill
Ser.srcy fox has Hardy seen within IKE
Yeas, and that came lrom ToJiluc, in
New Brunswick The Inst that hc bought
and knew to toe killed ia Maine, were six
from Burnt Coal Island. near Mt Desert,
some Is years AGO The mos, of the
Ga,a colo,cL foxes ,ha,a leo are Ola the
sea coast. Tie y.y,1 ,va wears ago may
be pat "a, $3.50 Las, ycar DO, mo,e thar
half So many.
i,tr Or Lml-c1rj,r. Average catch
100 Rapidly decreasing, fortunately.
70, they destroy much. They ol,pliuej
paily rabbits, and par..,-c>, but oncncr
tcai miUS and o.ber Valuable fur from
traps, and do certainly sometimes Ill!
deer.
H'dIcat is mostly found ON the sea
shogc,whcgc they au good many sheep,
and abou. 5Oarc caught In "a year. These
two species arc called iulihereu,ly. bob
cat.
Beers aye taken TO thr extent Of abou,
200 year They migrate to long dis
taucc>. bu, The misrations are involved
in mystery Large drovc> are known to
traye. towards the east, Jul not westerly
although Of course, they must in some
WAY &c, back TO lag west.
Elero1us are everywhere; Goo ot S00is
q guess at tie total annual yield
Eeartrs are growing p.eniicr One
hundred skins i the average catch ia the
State, lut two years ago Hardy alone
bought POO. They are mostly caught on
the heatlvalcr> ol The ArooS,ook and s..
Johu'> river, There ATE some on the
WeS, Branch OF the Tcuoh>cot. and or
two localities on the East Byauch They
are prosecuted by the otter which kills
thei- Young. They al! bc pleulier, be,
cause On account OF the low price OF their
fur they are not much hunted now.
Ni2krat This poor dcleu>eless crca-
ture is prosecuted by everything. vet IS
the most abundant OF all The tur-heariug
animals $1,000 Of them are probably
killed in the State in year Hardy him
self sometimes buys SEQ or ,OOJ They
are more plenty in settled parts OF the
State than in the wilderness. because
predatory quadyascds and birds, par,iou
larry owls, are less numerous in the
former.
otter yield POO year. Don't vary
much. They are plcnlier around the
settlements than in The woods Otter
are much on the move, going lrom water
to water by The nearest route, even over
hills.
Biack-cat yield about 200 skins year
Last year Hardy himself had 10.
Sable yielded last year. SAY 1900 skins
They are mostly Of light color. Tic
darker ones are tho most ya'ual,la No.