The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-12
TRICKS ON oAms WAaDExs,
se-eti-es Peeshers IN MATS. rs... r..-
bat Generally Thex OnIr Fnni 49,

WI
MILFORD. Me-. April ia streak NJ lean
sometimes Rets mixed up with the fstness q,
a Maine game warden's life. For two cen.
turtles the residents have been In the habit n,
getting as much rRine and as many fish as thev
wanted, and getting them by the easiest ,ynv
that came TO hand. ard there are thousands OF
people in Maine to-day who firmly believe thnt
the right to hunt and hsh was conveyed 10
them and the:ss by the Indians who coded the
land to the white settlers. Not only do these
men believe this TO he the case, but further,
they are willing TO fight. and, II need be, com.
init murder in order to maintain the doctrine.
Last fall Game Warden Collins, while travel.
ling In the Chesuncoo< region, was shot and
dangerously wounded because one Morris. who
did the shooting, suspected he was a game war.
den. Morris Is still at large in Maine, and
goes where he will without fear. kno wing that
backwoods sentiment Is with him. and that
several lives would be sacrificed before he
could be arrested.
Though assaults upon ard shooting at game
wardens are not uncommon In Maine. most Of
the law breakers resort TO coarse tricks and
horseplay, and find that a hearty laugh at the
warden's expense is fully as ~servicea blc and
not nearly so dangerous as oren defiance. The
result Is that those on the inside arc psrpetual.
ly RECALLED with tales OF wa rdens who have been
duped by the willy woodsmen.
Late last fall a warden was sent up here 10
get evidence against men who were logging
Gear into the river. Wet deer shot through
the head. and shot at so clole range that the
hair was burned. were going down by train
every day. and men using fictitious names
were sending out cards through the mails
offering to run in deer for So a head. The
gian was worked as follows; Having left his
80 with q third party agreed upon In advance,
the %vtsitink hunter took a canoe and padded
up ana down the river until the dogs Of the
residents had driven In n deer Whap tho Iuntpr
anne forward and did the killing. The owner
OF the dogs then vent to the third party and
the 81 was paid back 10 the man who made the
deposit; 1t was to brenk up this gang that
OF q well-to-do sport from Boston.
Tie put up at the hote, and hired a skilled
hounds Of another hired guide might" he ex.
rected to drive In n deer. when about four
long way from any human habitation. and,
saying ne would go on half a mile and listen
waited until nearly night before he suspected "a
trick. Then he began, to yell and kept it up
that passed by before dark. but the occupants.
hsytnS da been tip5P ,S a. to what was going on
that night he stood shivering over a fire made
OF green wood and i was not until late the
next day that ne was finally rescued, When he
the station and paying his ,6iiI. Immediately re,
iit " b"Ikpi AtIc lt ItpDTltl llHl lHt
stories about chasing, deer with dogs in MI.
ford we're all false. He had been there himself
The fishermen who set nets in Eddington
Pond take a fiendish delight in annoying the
Local so T II. dntv who ~ ii + a GOOD goo , Officer: and t try bnG
offended a few OF his townsmen by capturing
their nets; two s,rangGrs came to his tou;s
so. they had a Job for him. They had just
come down the pond in a boat, and when op-
boats shoot out into the deep water, and had
heard the OCCUPANTS letting down nets. The
shadow Of the hills. so they could not be seen
from the camps. The warden thanked them
fSI is baaf up an me- b%nd as fast en h aii he eI S5lfS. R fhSgfd
ing the place he saw the boats OF which the
men had told HIM. and s,,ullins silently he
The fishermen: finding they we're caught.
lit. and the. warden was .perspir!ai and
when the last tathom OF line was hoiet"d On
board; re Tsve , q a So9,p01ppd st15e whteh the
fooiins the wa warden Ter !" The s" next TT tip pa" that 9tF w%rfS S1
hunts up will come from a man he knows.
YOUNG man from Glenburn took two dogs
Boyd Lake he was Joined by another man.
The day they arrived the dogs started q deer
near the station, and headed II for North
reached @ c i" the sp nS s Mherre P% 3he deer I pi9r ssd'f In.
and were about to kill f.. when a game warden
and his guide shot around Il wo. d-d point in a
canoe. catching the hunters in the act. Smith.
who had his rifle pointed toward the deer.
swept II along the shore. and with two shots
killed both Of his dogs. which were making
ready to enter the water. Then. turning an
Rrily to the warden; he said;
What are, You logging deer for? I'll re-
port you to the Game Commissioners II you
don't get ont OF here Immediately
In vain the warden protested and showed
his commission. Smith was infexible. The
dogs Lad nc, collars and could not he identified.
and a Smith had killed them. the p~resumptive
evidence was all on his side. Tc add to his
vexation. the warden knew his guide to be a
famous poscher. who was taking nav for en-
forcing the law. and would willingly yio-
late Il for a greater reward. The warden
weighed the matter carefully. and went away
without making any arrest.
These and dozens of similar stories are told
by the resident hunters. and laughed over un.
I'll the whole population is Infused with n
mixed spirit OF defiance and mischief which Is
ant TO grow dangerous when aroused. The
reason why more game wardens are not shot
in Maine is that they take good care to keep
away from dangerous localities.