St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-11-23
falling off in the supply, both of fish and

falling off in the supply, both of fish and
of game.
do not think it is possible to increase
the supply of game by any artificial
means; furred and feathered game must
stand or fall on its own opportunities.
And taking fish and both classes of game
together, can see no better, and GER
tainly no more economical method of
preservation and increase than to allow
each class better opportunities and
more of them.
First, as to fish. shall speak only of
trout, as | am not sufficiently familiar
with bass to give an intelligent opinion
| would earnestly recommend increasing
the limit of size from six inches to nine
inches. Every trout should have at
least one opportunity to try to pro-
pagate his species. The trout that is
Just under the legal limit of six inches on
the thirty-frst of August, when the
season closes, is practically, and in nine
cases out OF ten entirely, worthless as
breeder Most of them are immature
and incapable; those which are capable
produce but few eggs, and the result is
almost nothing. These same trout are
of legal size next May, when the season
opens, and are legally killed, and have
never had a chance to try for themselves
to do what we so much wish to see ac-
complished, namely, the restocking of
our brooks.
The trout of just under nine inches in
length that is put back into the water
on the last day of the season is mature
fish of suitable age and size to make its
efforts of some avail during the same
season. Neither is it any considerable
hardship to anyone to make the limit
nine inches; and what there is of hard
ship would only last one or at most two
years, for the number of nine-inchers
would then be nearly equal to the num-
Der of six-inchers now and afford much
more sport to the angler, to say nothing
of the vastly greater value as food. |
am firmly of the opinion that no one
enactment would do so much for the
trout brooks of the state as such as one
as have suggested, but | would go
further; would shorten the open
season at least one month, making the
open season commence on the first of
June and close August thirty-6rst, or
commence May first and close July
thirty-frst, it is not very material
which. But three months fishing is all
the brooks of Vermont will stand at the
present time.
| would also recommend shorter
season for birds. 1t is not possible to fix
limit oil size, or age, for them, nor is it
possible, so far as is now known, to in
crease the supply by artificial means; we
must depend upon the birds themselves,
and they will surely disappoint us unless
we give them better chance. | would
advise making the open season on both
woodcock and grouse commonly called
partridges) commence on the first of
October instead of September fifteenth
as now, and shortening the season by at
least fifteen days at the other end. |
know that many people will take excep-
tions to this, especially as to woodcock.
| have it said by sportsmen living near
the north line of the state, that their
woodcock had all migrated before the
fifteenth of September even. think this
is a mistake; the birds have simply
changed their grounds; they have lett
the cold, wet swamps, finding themselves
more comfortable among the ferns and
white birch saplings on warm sunny
hillsides during the day, returning to the
lower grounds for food at night. have
shot these birds every season, probably,
for forty years; and my record shows
that the very best shooting has been the
last ten days in October; and the best
bag / ever made in this state was on the
fifth of November, while l have killed
them, one bird at least, as late as
December fifth. My observation has
been that they do not leave a locality
till they are forced to go by weather so
cold as to make boring impossible for
them, or till they are driven out by over
pursuit; and in this last case, that they
will be found within a mile or two if the
sportsman knows where to look for
them and has thoroughly good dog.
Now to conclude where began. The
whole question is in NUTSHELL you
must increase the supply or decrease the
demand. Ifyou put water into barrel
through an inch pipe and draw it, with
no stoppage, through two inch pipe,
your barrel will soon be empty.
Yours respectfully,
VIM. Y. w. RIPLEY.
After the dinner a short business
meeting was held to vote in new
members, whose names appearin the
liSt wit h the others pre viouSlv oiven