Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-04-05

but the proper officers 10 execute
the laws suffer little ct the prgu-
dice that wOull excite against
us as individuals IN the attempt
70 moralize orr everyday neigh
bors and associates.
Speaking concerning the CUES
ton considerable discussed-the
open season of n month or two.
] believe there should be a short
open season. open only 10 the
bona fde citizens of the State,
and restricted as 10 them. A short
open season, open 10 the world,
wouid result in cXtcrmirating
every deer from Essex County in
two years Judging from my
knowledge OF the manner IN which
the deer are now slaughtered by
q few foreign pothuntcrs scat
tered along the New Hampshire
side of the Connecticut river from
Lancaster to StcwartstOwu.
Another reason why the open
season should exclude others
than citizens IS that we make
these laws to protect this game
and Cheertully tax ourselves TO
enforce the law; and these deer
are enclosed within the State
boundary, hence, morally, they
are our property, and my prop
rtv, exactly as my sheep and
cattle are my property Iustsotar
as my money is investedin them.
Consequently if a foreigner de
sires 10 hunt my deer-our deer
in the open season let him buy
an interest in them and seal the
trade with cold cash exactly as
he would do if he desired to hunt
my sheep in my farm yard. Ii
cense the foreign hunters.
will not deny that we occa-
sionally hunt and kill a deer;
naturally we would. But the
bulk ofthe deer killed in Essex
county are killed by the citizens
of New Hampshire, who, assoon
as they are upon the Connect
cut river are wholly beyond the
operation of our laws, while il q
citizen of this State, here where
most every day in the summer
season we see deer, yields to the
temptation and kills a deer he
becomes couscientiously at least,
an outlaw until the ma tier wears
from his mind by friction with
the other events OF life, ii nc sue
cessfully hides the crime.
VIII the Game Commissioners
make one decisive effort al some
thing to protect these deer be
sides an apology? / cannot help
/ them. / dare not My duty to
myself and family requires ] do
not. My Vermont neighbors are
situated alike with me, and their
interests are identical with mine.
We are not 'laWlcss, - nor shall
we cooperate and yet we are
Ichahng under the following facts:
"A dozen OF less of our New
Hampshire neighbors have killed
and eaten we suppose, more than
/ thirty Vermont deer the present
last fall and winter. Eleven Yer
mont deer, perhaps more, were
! dragged across my farm last
week into New Hampshire by
New Hampshire parties. A deer
in my garden week before last
that ! did not dare or desire to
modest was killed and carried in
to New Hampshire by New
Hampshire parties an hourlatcr.
a taXpaying Vermont neigh
Dor of mine, whose mind is chas-
ing a phantom shingle mill, and
whose farm is assessed for So
I or 800 has been with his family
many times hungry this winter
/ when he could have secured meat
if he had dared to kill some Of
the deer that have been dragged
by his door into New Hampshire
by New Hampshire parties. One
fine would sweep his all. Most
OF my Vermont neigAbors and
myself have not tasted venisor
f for years, and we feel it almost {
crime to banker for it under the
present system ofgamelaws, anc
the fact that only Vermonters Sc
} far have suffered from the at
tempts at prosecution.
A. F. WILLARD.
; brunswick. ". March 30 1909