The Portland daily press., 1884-12-19

Annual RepOrt of the Maine Oommis.
siOners.


The fish and game commissioners in their annual
report say that the object aimed at BY the egisa-
ture has been attaiaed in most marked increase in
the game of the State. and an equally marked de.
crease in its ezportaton though to entirely guard
ones own house when a neighbor State allows laws
to be enacted to encourage theft by bribes of pur
chase Of stolen property, is difficult. Maine has 80
framed her own laws to project her sister States
to game that is not indigenous to her own soil
Prairie fowl and quail can And market here DOR
ing the close time of those birds their re- pective
breeding places or states. But black sa mon reek-
ing with slime. that an Indians dog would reject,
were cut up aud offered for sale in Qaincy Market
Boston, in October, time when it would have been
seized and destroyed in Maine and the offender pun
ished.
On the subject of the impor ance of the preserya-
tion OF the fish and game of Maize, the report
says;
Maine is spoken Of as being the only future hope
OF the lover OF fell sports; oaly protected field
where the destr ructOn that has made drsolate the
Western plains and nov threatens the goyernment
reserve o Yellowstone park, bids fair, by the en-
fOrcement OF our timely laws, to be checked Ii
has even been suggested that the United Sta. es
government give her aid in preserving Maine as an
attractive home and refuge for our native wild
game and fishes
1t may be added that there is a strong desire
among the lovers OF forest sports that govern
msnt take some measures Ia this direction as re-
CARDS the importance of the summer rtsort inter-
ests In that State, reputable local journal sug-
gests that 1t amounts TO some S30O00O per week IN
the season.
On the subject of salmon the report shows that
over 229,O salmon eggs ere distributed to be
Matched in the various waters of this state IN 1854
Regarding trout, the report adds:
such protection a. we have been able TO afford
has led to 1ncrease Of our stock and lessea ed ex
portation to Boston mark Is. The bO-pDund Jaw OF
the last legislature and allowing transportations
captured them, has proved :of great benefit to the
state. The fame of the two great angling centres
Moosehead and the AndEoscoggin lakes now re-
quire the protection of new laws to prevent their
being depleted by the mOnstrous number otshsher-
men from the whole Union, indee from every
quarter OF the globe. Our open for catching
trout extends too far into the spawning season. As
1T approaches the fsh begin to crowd up into Ger.
tain streams, and are sauSht when in semi
stupid state lhere are streams 10 winch the young
Try resort, away from the danger Of the larger
fishes that feed on them. These should be protect
ed from being aDgled on az any time. The Sacca-
ten and Misery rivers. at Moosehead, should bo
closed for at least Ave years. The outlet of Moose
head Lake should also be protected for distance to
be decided upon, and staked out from the first day
OF September until the following May. No fishing
should be allowed any time on the outlet OF
Rangeley lake, from the dam the outlet to line
running direclly aeross the stream at its point OF
junction with the Kennebago, and The same law
should be extended over the Ken ebago stream.
These two streams should DO held sacred as nurse.
res OF that splendid breed Of monster brook trout
10 which the world has yet shown no equal, We al
ask protective laws from Sept. to all the spawn
ing grounds below the respective dams between the
On the subject of game, the report sets forth a
steady increase. This bas arisen as much from the
sanctuary afforded by the enforcement of the law
against the use OF dogs in hunting from the nat
urSl increase by breeding Many hundred head OF
game have undoubtedly migrated into the State
simply for the shelter it has afforded from contiu-
ua hunting and 'undii g. Even if all the moose
caribou and deer could be confined to the Douuda-
res OF the State by impossible BARRIERS the 81 upe
effect OF bounding would affect their fecundity.
1hesnon exportation laws kept not far fri m 600
deer from the Boston and New YORK markets dur
ing the winter Of lSs3S4 or at least such was the
number received at those points the previous win
ter Maine owns all the game of the State and
has the right 10 dictate the terms upon which the
same may be killed, and the extent Of the title to
the property wheu killed. II the game of Maine Is
to be preserved that her citizens may indulge in
their favorite pasime, no future exportaton Of it
must be permitted
In regard TO making September an opea month
the commissioners speak out emphatically: .Our
venison is no done nu sing in September, ard still
comes down TO the water in usually hot and dry
autumn. The real object sought is changs that
will permit moose calling when IL is as fair and
noble and sportsmaDlike as to SPEAR fish on their
spawning beds. 1t is also equally sought for the
noble sport of shuiug or jack hunting the wIetched
deer in the water. No! no change tberel"
To the poachef's cry of wolf, the commissioners
have respondei by the offer of a double county tor
every VOLTS scalp. No claims have been presented.