The sun., 1878-11-09
DEER KILLING IN THE ADIRoNDA oKs.

An Adirondack guide, whose home Is In
the heart OF that famous wilderness. calls pub
lie attention to tho slaughter Of deer that is
gonR on this fall MS II does every fall. by run
ming them to water with dogs. There are moro
than six hundred lakes in the great north
woods. and he says that upon each Of at least
four hundred OF them there is n hunters camp.
These butchers are not tourists or pleasure
seekers, but guides and hotel keepers and vag-
abonds from the settlements. who hunt the deer
for its skin and It's flesh. both Of which find
ready sale. Their methods are unsportsman-
like and brutal A deer pursued by dog seel.r
the water that 1t may throw the dog from the
scent. Very little sagacity on the part OF a
woodsman is required to tell where n deer will
make the plunge to swim to the opposite shore.
He conceals himself In his boat. and his attend
ant lets loose tho dogs. The deer runs from
one pursuer directly toward the one In waiting.
and once in the water strikes out into the
lake. The man In the boat waits until the game
is well clear Of the land and then darts after II.
1t is no task to overtake the deer. ANY able
bodied man can do 40 in very short time in
an ordinary skin. He rows to the deer and
shoots II ? Oh mol to do so must be a waste Of
ammunition-he knocks the helpless creature
on the head with club. You will find club
In every hunters boat just rs sure as you will
find a double barrelled gun loaded with buck
shot. The day OF rifles and Of n sportsmanlike
use OF them in deer shooting is ended In the
Adirondacks.
This Adirondack guide thinks that two hun
dred deer are killed daily In the wilderness in
the months OF October and November. He
knows Of parties that have killed eight and ten
In a day By dogginR them TO water. and any one
who has lived on the edge Of the woods knows
el
and sleigh load. not only in the months named.
but throughout the winter. Hundreds are
killed by men on snow shoes who skim over
the snew crust which. while strong enough to
bear them with their wide-surfaced shoes. is
not strong enough to prevent the deer from cut
ting through ard 1oundering helplessly when
pursued. Hundreds too are killed by parties
who visit the woods in July and August. It Is
then that the game seeks the ponds to enjoy the
cool water and escape from flies; and man
has discovered that by use OF a rejecting light
and by keeping absolute silence. a boat may be
padded to within few feet OF the deer. and the
fatal charge OF buckshot fred at IT,
For short time in the spring OF the year the
Adirondack deer is free from pursuers but for
the rest OF II there is no cessation OF hunting
II onc-half OF the guides estimate is true TAX
ing the entire year into consideration. it Is
lAlt suppOsllOn that thlrty thousand deer are
killed annually in northern New York The
guides themselves say that the number is nearer
nity thousand. OF fthese probably not five thou
sand are Killed without violation Of law for 1t
is not lawful TO chase them with dogs. or to kill
them in midwinter. spring, or summer The
law is n dead letter; the hunter is his own
master; the laws officers do not prosecute. The
writer oithis article has seen tho Judge OF the
county in which he was cHmped start off on q
sultry July night to shoot deer. and has seen
hiIn return and proudly point to his game
The hundreds Of true spor,smen in New York
State know whether the deer Of the Adirondacks
are worth preserving. No part Of the continent
seems better adapted 10 them. They hold out
astonshngly. considering how they are slaugh-
tcred: yet 1t Is plain that unless this slaughter
is checked they must soon bo exterminated
II the existing laws were enforced for five
years. deer would be very plenty. for unmo-
Tested they increase with great rapdity. The
plan OF occupying certain tracts MS a deer pre-
serve has helped 10 add 10 their number
Being under the control Of clubs. 1t is not per-
mittcl 10 shoot within the limits. The expert
ment is worthy ~ further trial. But the most
feasible plan is in some manner 10 compel an
observance OF existing laws-laws which were
thoughtfully prepared. and which are adequate
II enforced.