The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20
sM UsGLING DEER OUr OF MAINE.
A Profitable Business Created bv the Game
Lnws and Boston's Needs.

A Profitable BuelneHp Created by the GnnnO
Lnws and Boston's Needs.
NoRCRoss, Me-, Dec. 1S.-The close watch
which the Game CommIssioners have kept upon
tho big game that pass through Bangor has
raised the price Of venison to almost fabulous
figures In the Boston markets and made II prof
liable for poor men who never did much travel
ling to 30 to Boston by rail for the purpose Of
marketing carcassos slain In the Maine woods.
During the week following THANKSGIVING deer
Weighing from $50 to 200 pounds could be bought
here at So u carcass or So for two. At the same
time hotel keepers and restaurateurs of Boston
were paying from $50 to $40 for every good
sized deer they could get. The result has been
that several respectable market men have been
caught trying to smuRgle venison out OF the
State, and a number of untravelied Maine citl-
selling deer.
The Maine game laws allow q resident of an
other State to come here and XIII one moose.
one caribou, and two deer and take them home.
provided the bodies are duly tagged with the
name and residence OF the owner. As q man
can 20 from here to Boston by rail for so. and
return by boat to Bangor for $3.50; and as the
express charges and incidentals will not exceed
$40 for the round trip, carrying deer to market
is found to be u profitable way OF getting a liv-
ing. A man can buy two deer here for So. take
them to Boston that night, sell them for $50
the next day, and return by boat the fol-
lowing night at a total cost not exceed
ing S"5 for the round trip, leaving him a
Having made one purchase on the line Of the
Bangor and Aroostook ruud, he tries HE Maine
Central next time under another name, and
again comes back with more cash in his pocket.
Though the practice is fraught with danger to II
nerN9ns or ,nlEati.c man. an old traveller who
trouble in making three trips during open sea-
son. II is reported that u party OF young. men
from Bangor have been engaged in his business
since early in October. ami that they have al
ready earned 80 much money that none OF them
feels the need of going into the logging woods
Heforr this season quarters of deer, moose,
a Mo carbon C rvos were we're se'1 A. out from N isSnsor by
The bodies from the hunters who brought them
IN. Local consumers purchased as much AS
they wanted. and the rest was hacked In gunny
sacks aud headed up in sugar barrels for the
Bost"n commission houses, \ few apples. po-
tatoes, or other products Of Name farms we're
thrown on top of the meat as bind. and when
the head was nailed in nohoav thought Of in
vestigating below the surface. In this way
thousands of carcasses were shipped to Boston
every season. Though a large amount OF venison
want ,.6 6y d train sat as frs,En1 most most! I OF II
with lumber at the saw mills. Until this year
the local marketmen had things their own way.
and had little trouble in fnoling the wardens,
Last September Commissioned Carleton ap.
pointed two nonresident wardens to LOOK out
have these men been that the mRrketinen don't
like them at all, A few mornings ngo q dray
OtUt NlLuu was uTlNtn lnlD lNt h1HInt
Central freight ward. VIII e the teamSter was
unloading the warden cauie along and captured
the whoIc load consisting of nearly 1000 pounds
of venison. Though the meat must have cost
the man VINO shipped II about 500 he has never
made a complaint.
Though the wardens have practically put a
stop 10 the sending OF game by rail as freight,
they still find much troub bic in deR ing With the
captains or lumber coasters, some OF whom are
always glad to make an extra dollar. either by
bringing liquors 10 Bangor or taking vcni~ou to
Boston. Last Der II Calais game warden
captured $50 deer carcas-e> On board u
schooner that Wa about TO sail for Boston. As
the fines mounted up into the thousands. the
case was taken into the law courts. where IL
still waits for a decision. II Is an easy matter
for n dealer to smuVgle u few carCa>ses On board
a loaded schooner after dark. The next
day the vessel Is out of the river, and
In another day the venison la on sale in the Bos-
ton markets. Several plans for puttink u stop
to these illegal shipments have beer proposed.
Commissioners Carleton fayors "a law to COM
pei all guides 10 take ont licenses and give
bonds before they are allowed 10 take parties
into the woods: aud in case they are found vio-
lating any OF the game lawSthcir licenses are to
be revoked, and the men are TO be disqualified
for serving a. guides for = period of ten years.
1t has been suggested that IA SIM ar restriction
should he ilaced upon the narketmen. Then,
II any one is detected in shipping ga" g out %
the State, he Is to he prohibited from dealing In
game OF any Kind. The matter will come be-
fore the LEGISLATURE this winter.