Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-12-01
Maine Game and Protective Association.
Office of the President.

OIncc OF the HfeslueHt-
Pennington. Me-, Nov. Goth, 1894
Editors of the Kennebec Journal
find a widespread misapprehcnsion exist
ing throughout the State as to the aims
and objects of our association, and l de-
sire to call the attention of your readers to
what was purposed by the founders of the
Maine Game and Protective Association,
and thus clear away this misapprehen-
sion. A study of the game features of our
State show to the careful observer that
with the exception of woodcock and the
ruffed grouse, better known as the par
fridge, Maine has no game birds of any
Importance. As careful study of other
countries, and even sections of our own
country, having climatic and Topographic
cal conditions similar to that of our State
show that noble game birds populate wood
and hill, and vale, and live and thrive under
conditions precisely similar to what we
could afford them in Maine. A look into
history shows that the same birds have
been successfully taken from the coun
tries where they are numerous, and trans
planted to other lands where they were
then unknown but where climatic and
other conditions We're similar, and that
whole countries have thus been populated
with them.
A number of gentlemen taking these
matters into careful consideration at my
suggestion, banded themselves together
into an association known as the Maine
Game and Protective Association, whose
object was to be the introduction into our
State of such hardy game birds as could
live and do well in our rigorous Maine
climate. The announcement of the forma-
ton of the association, and the work which
it was intended it should do met with
hearty approval all over the State, and
the association now numbers many of our
most prominent citizens. 1t is the object
of the association to introduce into the
State the pinnated and sharp tailed grouse
of the Northwest, and the black game
and unparalleled of Norway and Sweden.
The latter two birds live and brood in a
climate identical to our own, and in
country so similar to Maine that in
traversing it's forests and hillsides Maine
man would easily believe that he was
home again in his native State. The
bushes, trees, and berries are the same as
ours, and the clear, quick running brooks
are precisely like our own. The black
game reaches an average weight of four
pounds while the capercailzie weighs
from ten to twelve pounds and even lar
ger, approaching the size of the wild tur-
key in America.
Both the pinnated and sharp tailed
grouse as well as the black game and the
capercailzie, belong to the same family
as does our partridge, and are equally
good as game bird With the limited
private means at the disposal of the asso-
citation experiments have been made with
all these birds that have proven beyond the
shadow of doubt that their propagation
is perfectly feasible in our State, and that
in reasonably short time the most san
guine hopes of the association may be real
lied With small expenditure of money
by the State it will be possible for the for
ests Of Maine to TEEN as quickly with
these noble game birds as they do now
with our partridge.
To that end the association intends to
ask of the coming Maine Legislature an
appropriation of five thousand dollars
for the purchase ard propagation of the
above described game birds for proper
laws for the protection of the game after
it is obtained and liberated and for the
establishment of the office of the foreign
game bird commissioner.
, 1t is by no means alone for the benefit
of sportsmen that this is asked. These
game birds are as fine food product as any
game bird in the world. There is nothing
of the rank taste to any one of them that
so often characterizes game, but they
have the flavor of the incest chicken and
turkey meat. The addition of such q
great amount of game of that character as
a food product to the material interests of
the State will in short time alone vastly
more than repay the State for the small
appropriation asked for now. But the
great harvest to be reaped will come from
the increase in the number of sportsmen
that will be drawn to Maine as a result
of such an addition to its game. Compe
tent authority for the estimate of four
million dollars left in the State this past
season by sportsmen, exists, and is prob
ably far short of the real sum. 1t forms
today the greatest revenue to the State, and
with the smallest outlay if any. and any
project to increase that revenue ought to
be received with favor and gratitude by
the people of the State. Such a project
the Maine Game and Protective Associa-
ton presents to. the Legislature of Maine
and that it will sanction it with the APP
prevail l have no doubt.
Very respectfully,
f. G. Gay, President