Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-17
NAMES HUNTING.
CONTINUED from page j.

| requested to be furnished with the ex-
act facts and statement Of amount Of
damage done. We are convinced tina.
the damage is not great thcu~h n
| many cases doubtless annoying.
Caribou are fast disappearing be-
! yond question, and will soon become
| practically extinct, unless a close time
! for a number years be imposed. or
more stringent laws enacted for their
protection. Summer and winter kill
ing has accomplished this.
We recently saw what purported to
be an estimate of the number of moose.
deer and caribou in the State by a
famous guide and hunter, Jock Darl-
irg. He is reported to have estimated
$50. 900 deer: Il, 600 moose; and 10 900
caribou as being in the State.
AT the present time twenty-five per
cent. of this number of each would. in
our opinion be much nearer the truth.
Guiding has become a regular occu-
patton by large number of our peo-
pie Three dollars Il day and board is
the regular price for their services
Hunting camps abound, and are we'll
advertised.
Ten thousand. at least visited the
Rangeley region this year; more than
80 900 people have come to Maine in
1896 to fish, hunt and to enjoy the I'M
parelleled scenery and climate. More
than s. 900, 900 have been expended by
them along our railroads, in our hotels,
etc. 1t is an industry Maine can i'll
afford 10 lose. It's retention can be
obtained only ny its protection: the
I,ropa cation Of fish and game.
There has been a larger run of trout
and salmon this fall than for many
years. resulting in our securing more
eggs for replenishine our waters than
plenty. if not an increase left to keep
our fishing food for years To come.
This is IL result of artificial propaga-
ton ana protection.
The land locked salmon have multi
piled wonderfully in many new lakes
and ponds, where they have been in
troduced in the last 10 years.
There are Ak commissioned inland
fish and game wardens in the State.
all under bond for the faithful dis
charge Of their duties.
W.
20 at an average salary Of two dollars
per day and expenses. all that the
means at our command would permit,
but this number is entirely inadequate.
The vast area of our fishing and
hunting grounds renders it utterly i'm
possible that this number can ade-
quately protect the fish and game
from the depredations of the poacher.
More prosecutions for the infractions
OF the fish and game laws have been
Instituted this year than ever before,
and more convictions had, Public sem
timent is. more and more. in favor Of
a thorough enforcement of the laws.
As stated, guides receive So per day
and board, in most instances. To he q
successful warden, especially To pro-
tect the big game one must be a thor
ough woodsman. familiar with the
woods. and the hunting regions ana
also familiar with the methods of
poachers. In order to get the best.W
must pay as much at least as is paid
for guiding. This. We have been un-
able to do, an account of lack of funds
and have consequently been unable to
do as much as ought to he done. We
have devoted practically our entire
time to the work, during the year.
We have no doubt but there is a lack
Of suitable food for trout and salmon
in some of the ponds. We believe the
newly Matched fish starve for lack Of
suitable food. Fresh water smelt
makes a good food.
The run at Sebago this fall was the
largest we have ever known. We sue
ceeded in securing about 100000 eggs.
We also had a fine run of brook trout
at the same Weir securing over 100000
eggs. For several years past we have
been sending trout eggs to Sebago to
b., Matched and turned into the lake.
We have no doubt the large run of
trout into Crooked river this fall was
the direct result of these eggs.
The run of trout this season in our
large lakes like Rangeley and Moose
head has been much beyond the aver
age. These fish have run large and
beautiful and have been well protected.
We believe that the artificial method
of propagation is far ahead of the nat
ural means. as the many dangers to
which the eggs are subject destroy
them. or the small fish before they
reach the stage of maturity.
The chief danger is before the egg is
Matched. 1t fortunately is easy to rem
edy. Artificial incubation enables us
to avoid nearly all these dangers-?5
per cent. of the eggs can be fertiliZed
- per cent. can be Matched by proper
care, and brought up to the feeding
point by keeping them in their hatch
ing boxes away from the enemies that
devour them, if left in the open
streams. To get the best results we
should so a step farther and feed
them until October, a period of five
months. They will then attain a
growth of three inches, and be able to
forage and care for themselves
For fish hatcheries. the commission
ers have purchased 40 acres of land in
Monmouth, at a cost of $500, near Lake