Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-19

A Manifest Need Of Greater Protection for
Ttout and Deer I'm the Pine Tree State.

The interest manifested in the Maine fish
and game laws, and their probable change
during the present session of the legislature
of the State. is very great, not only in Bos
ton, but in all the cities and towns in New
England, and even in New York and Phila.
d, lphia. SAYS the Boston Herald. Some OF
the true sportsmen in Boston, gentlemen
who are greatly interested in the Maine lakes
and forests. have been seen within a few
days. and the general desire appears to be
that the State should have good fish and
game protective laws Several gentlemen are
ready and willing to go TO Augusta, paying
their own expenses, if they can assist the
fish and game committee of the Maine Leg
islature. All agree upon the necessity of a
stronger law fJr the protection of what re
mains of the fish and game once so abun-
dant in New England but, as to the best
methods to be pursued, there is some differ.
ence of opinion. All agree that the whole
sale slaughter of trout such as was carried
on in the spring of 1882, especially, will
soon strip the Maine lakes and streams of a
fish which exists nowhere else in the world
in such perfection.
The worst features to be gotten over by the
loss in this direction are the market fishing
and the wholesale slaughtering of trout by
WHO are III ITutn DOT
hunters of the worst description. Such men
go annually to the Maine lakes-some of them
60 twice a year,-in June and September
and their only anxiety is to catch large
number Of trout. They are only anxious to
get more than their share of the few trout left
in Maine waters. The man who cat ches 100
pounds of trout in season is an unreason-
able pcf-hunter and should be restrained by
law. Such vandalism Is only psrallelcd bv
that of the Indians of the plains who have
nearly succeeded in exterminating the buffalo
for the value Of the hides. 1t is against such
wholesale slaughter that the Ash and game
protective laws must be directed. or the " aters
and woods of Maine will be cleared of tina,
which the sportsmen most desire
howl has been raised against the propo.
sition OF Fish Commissioner Stanley, in his
annual report TO stop the transportation OF
fish and game from Maine. and the Dot.
hunters every where have shown their weak
. oint-their stomschs. Mr. Stanley's only
object in proposing such Law was to st, n
this poaehing and pot hunting: such pot and
market hunting as has robbed the Maine
woods this winter of nearly 500 deer for the
Boston market alone. Mr.. Stanley was cog
infant of these facts when he suggested law
to prevent the transportation of fish and
game beyond the limits of Maine. No man
kaows better than he the need of such a law.
engaged a. he has been, for the past 20 wears
in the propagation and culture of Maine
noble game fish.
But the prevailing opinion among the
sportsmen interviewed is that law to pre-
vent the transportation of game and fish from
Maine would be unconstitutional. Those who
have given the subject long study, however.
are fully confident that Maine can make
law TO limit the quantity of game and fish
taken, even in the open season, and herein
the principal source of power in fi,h aad
game legislation seems to lie. 1t is probable
that something will be done in this State to
discourage the receiving Of game out of sea-
son in other States. The Boston market has
been made the receptacle of nearly 1900 deer
this winter, and other game in proportion.
much Of il to be wa-ted or sold At pri,e
ridicnlOusly low. The extent Of the game
destruction thus far in 1882 SO is beyond
computation. Gentlemen of long experience
are Il the opinion that much Of the ground
gained By some years of partial protection
hxs been lost