The Portland daily press., 1888-09-08
THE HAPPY HUNTING SEASON,
Portland Sportsmen Try Their Luck
In Favorlte Haunts.
And are Disappointed In the Result
Of the First Cunning.
Deer Among the Lily Pads Of New
Hampshire Lakes.

ANU ""AsiHb ooaSOhf WHICH began the nrSt
of this month, did not open so auspiciously
for Portland sportsmen as they had reason
to expect it would. Owing to the heavy rain
last Saturday, very few gunners ventured TO
try their luck in the haunts and covers OF
the coveted woodcock, partridge and golden
plover, yet, nevertheless. they longed TO be
off, and IL Is said that more than one Of our
veteran sportsmen. who have been accus-
toned to try their guns on the first Of Sep
tember anxiously, not to say impatiently,
watched the weather during the rainy hours
Oh Saturday forenoon. in anticipation Of some
signs that would seem 10 indicate the ap-
proaeh OF fair weather. Again and again
tney took from Its accustomed resting place
the trusty fowling piece, examined its bright
clean tubes, and reluctantly replaced Il
again, as no opportunity requiring It's use
presented itself.
The rain ceased falling Saturday after
noon, and, unable to walt longer, some Of
our apOrtsmen availed themselves Of the op-
portunity to try their luck in the game COW
ers Of the suburbs. Among them were A. /.
Randall and DR.. Cummings. who went to
Cape Elizabeth; John Peterson and II. G
Thornton, who visited Scarboro; and j. A.
Farrell and Frank Stanorth, who also sought
the famous hunting grounds Of the last mem
TONED place. 1t was a disagreeable day for
cunning, owing to the heavy rain that had
fallen during the forenoon, and the amount
OF game bagged was not large. Monday,
however, Messrs. Peterson and Thornton
once more visited the haunts Of the coveted
game at Scarboro; Luther Redlon went 10
the quiet woods Of Buxton; Monday and
Tuesday, Messrs. Farrell and Stanorth con-
tinued to gun at Scarboro; Charles Libby
and ID. Avery went to the historic town Of
Gorham, and made its forests, that long had
been undisturbed by other than the sound Of
passing partridge or woodcoek, echo with
the sharp report Of their we'll aimed guns.
Charles Hemenway resorted to the woods OF
Saco on Monday, and Charles Jordan went
to WATERFORD the same day, and to Baldwin
the day following. w. +. Todd and Frank
Merrill went to WATERFORD on Tuesday,
Charles Newell tried his luck in Deering
Thursday; James III. Fitzgerald went to the
fayorite Scarboro hunting grounds Monday;
Joseph N. Martin also visited the woods Of
the suburbs, and T. Is. Davis found a place
on the line Of the Grand Trunk railroad
Messrs. Peterson and Thornton got a good
string Of marsh birds at Scarboro, and Of the
others, none Of whom had remarkable luck,
j. N. Martin. T. B. Davis, Luther Redlon,
Charles Jordan. Charles Hemenway and j.
A. Farrell bagged the most birds.
.Woodcock are not reported to be very
plenty. 1t is thought. however, that they
will show up later, because now. In the
opinion Of one experienced sportsman, the
birds have not done moulting, and for that
reason seclude themselves. The flight Of
summer yellow legs is well by, and winters.
grass birds, brown backs. golden plover,
snipe and duck are just commencing to put
In an appearance.
1t Is really about a month too early for
good cunning, as grouse are not now more
than two-thirds grown. Portland sportsmen
are waiting for October shooting, when they
expect very happy season. They prefer to
wait until the frost has killed the weeds and
the ripened leaves have fallen from the
trees, carpetlng the woods. The happy
hunting season comes then, and our SPORTS
men know how to take advantage Of II.
Some OF them will go to the more remote
larger game abounds. Reports from these
sections are to the effect that both deer and
bear are numerous this year. This is, In
deed, good news.
nDOus IVY hunuIeu years ago, deer were
very plentiful In what Is now known as ''the
New England States" There were not
many wild animals to trouble them, and they
r0amed the forest In conscious security.
The Indians found a plentiful supply Of
food. rs the hard winters of those times and
the great depth OF snow enabled them easily
10 walk them down." but the iOy of the
red men was soon turned into weeping; for
the wolves swept down from the north. and
in two years deer were almost unknown.
Some had swum TO the various islands along
the coast, and thus a remnant was saved.
The wolves, finding their supply Of food cut
of. as what they could procure from the
farm yard was very limited, left for the far
north. again to feast upon the reindeer. Lit
tie by little the deer increased till 1910, when
the wolves again came in boards from the
north and Overran the whole Of Maine, Yer
mont and parts Of other States. Many who
are now living can remember how abundant
deer were at that time. Thousands roamed
the forests and In many places the very earth
was literally pl0wed by their sharp hOofs.
Deep paths were cut over and around hills
and mountains, and many of them can be
seen al the present day. They we're every
where present, and they often damaged
the crops of the farmers materially. But
their day OF prosperity was soon 10 be over
Tor In few years their bl00d-thirsty perse-
cutors had so nearly annihilated them that
u was nothing strange to travel all day In the
deep forest and see no signs OF deer The
wolves stopped above two years longer and
many Thousand OF sheep and young cattle
were destroyed by them.
On their departure the deer began to in
crease; but the country had become more
p0pulOus, and the love Of hunting was on the
Increase. People from other States came
with improved firearms, and whatw with hounds
and rifles, the deer again became very scarce;
consequently the deer meat was In great Dc.
mand, which contributed to their destruc-
tion. Various laws were passed for their
protection; but not till the law Of two years
ago was the wholesale slaughter checked;
and the results are plainly visible, for from
every quarter comes the report that this noble
animal has again taken possession Of its long
foTsaken haunts.
In New Hampshire, as well as In Maine,
they are reported to be plenty. In the vicin-
ity OF Big Diamond and Little Diamond lakes,
near Colebr0ok, sportsmen report having
been tantallzed by daily seeing deer standing
among the lily pads along the shore. The
veteran guide Noycs says that deer were
never so plenty In New Hampshire as this
year, and prophesies great sport for the
hunter when the close season expires on the
first of October