The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03
NOW FOR vERMONT DEER.
LUTs OF THEM WAITING TO BE sHoT
THIS MONTH.

ihA "ONAbs
Ths Yirst Open season the State mas mao for
Twenty Years and the Big Game 40 Album
dnnt That Protective Laws Have Been Ro-
Taxed e save Crops from Their RavaEes.
BELLOWS FALLS, VT. Oct. 2.-Aftor twenty
years of protection Vermont will have an open
season for deer during October. In response to
the demand OF farmers, who commended that much
damage had been done to growing crops in diff
ferent parts Of tho State, and because of the
strength OF this demand, the open season was
granted Eve years before 1t was intended orig.
inally and against the united protest ofhunters
and sportsmen in every county, back of whom
stood the State Fish and Game League and tho
State Fish and Game Commission.
When the law was passed twenty years ago
prohibiting tho killing of deer in Vermont for
twenty-five years, there were few deer In the
State. Occasionally two or three wero seen,
but moro than n century Of constant hunting
had almost annihilated tho kind and few re-
naming ones had plunged into depths of the
great forests along the ranges of tho Green
Mountains and OF the northeastern part of tho
State. In those days a hunter who killed a
deor was regarded as a hero by his less fortu-
nate associates, and a man who killed two or
more in q season was looked upon with awe
akin to.that excited by the President or a New
York Alderman.
Frightened away from their natural haunts
and reduced to a handful tho deer fed to tho
Businesses of the forests, and there remained.
But the State Fish and Game League took up
their cause and secured a law protecting them
for twenty-five years. Wealthy men pur-
chased pairs and set them at liberty in different
parts of the State. Game clubs secured mail
herds and did the same. After the constant
worry ceased those left in the State came out
of tho woods and breeding began, until no bet
ter place for deer hunting exists in the northern
portion of the United States than can be found
in Vermont this fall.
There will be no slaughter. Tho law was
framed with tho special intention of preventing
indiscriminate killing. Only full-grown bucks
with antlers may be taken, and then only by
shooting with q rifle. No dogs, jacks. or salt
ticks are allowed, and the law will be rigidly
enforced, without consideration Of persons or
circumstances. 1t finds its bitterest opponents
in residents of the State, who look upon deer as
30 much wild meat, to be converted into per-
sonal property in any manner desired. Poach-
ing has been q common practice Of these peo-
pie for the last twenty years. and violations Of
the law are expected from them now. 1t is a
fact worthy Of notice that whenever. a poacher
that would convict him.. even when guilt was
conclusively established. There Is q tacit
this poachins, to assist one another.
The same thing has been true Of the at
cry laws, which prohibit taking trout in pro-
tected or stocked waters. In most instances
even against ptiG"t"" absolut taS R tneontrov ePt k'i tes..
IN ilm SoSnec tic ov Sit6 the 'f Illegal al 1 Riili as P o9 dess
the State Fish and Game League and the state
appointment Of trusty wardens, who Impair
italy enforce the law and do their utmost to
bring offenders to Justice.
John W. Titcomb, President of the League,
Is isin Suht In giiSw for the s statement that NO offender adid
Mr.. Titcomb, conviction cannot be secured
in one county by reason of local Indifference or
viii be asked and the case |" foiioWeed u up until until
conviction is secured. 1t would have been
for Imprisonment or fine, or both. in the discre:
ton OF the Court, but a term in the House Of
Of failure to pay may have the same effect.
1t takes 800 days to work out q 500 fine, and
addition viii bring the total Imprisonment up
t to a year ,a Gd in each sff S case ia and mt that ti Is perhaps p IA IS spda
acters from undertaking any poaching.""
,.: As q rule, residents Of the State are thinking
nsn o. Outside !aS s''F& To the q New Hsh YoaEs sHa the sp3@E sl.
mont hun hunting In s,,gs1 grounds N Is. oesr o9Pp9rtun1tissles
s ness. P SH,x nj !n0i att 81 + In A aaieP. Cheap M'la and
easy transit by rail, will enable men Of small
W @eahs IN l1 thu ahn'G Ses e S season OF Of H the ,R sPe at e e. eS%t
paratively small expense. Railroad com
R%SRRiisss f Moa a1fshsinS sh nat senson s1 sn5 sSs t to the
will trayerse the finest deer grounds in the
s sna the The es sisheds nEs s0 ssn for Ti 8 we the or W RSEs;
Mountains a day Or so and put. in the rest o.
We Vermont %sek an aro shS asf fhs h ieadsts OF n Of ths con,
lecticut River, where deer abound.
Unquestionably the best part Of the State is
hdonia and Orleans. In Essex, particularly, all
HE conditions n 1don Are favoratie to e the proPsaga,
been increased by accessions from the Maine
and anen New so hamb Isa w0o th.r where successive oS sSny;e
native haunts. The Connecticut River is hero
reduced to small streams and passage through
The yVnnna has hAnn mazda nnlv nna and aNv
have been seen frequently thereabouts, and, in
the Green Mountain forests, ,,unmolested by
ofssnatlye;born deer: Toereaeh the Essex ce1n.
y grounds Has the hunter SHOULD 60 oyer the New
Maine Up the Connecticut Valley 70 st; Johns
tain train at Wells River, Vt. From there to
90 take him to 4 island sd0f Po alds' the hei largest lpsey % Village Ss
n Essex county. situated on the Grand Trunk
Essex county forests, and:all points in tho coun-
ty are easily reached by team or on foot. 1t is a
green trees, whose needles lie often knee deep
impenetrabie these forests are iiIlepd iAv With deer,
and the hunter who doesn't succeed in securing
the two animals permitted by law will be the
There are no guides such as are found in the
take a hunter to a place where ho is certain to
find one or more deer: The hunter must ex.
Cib ho " JuuBluCHI- IL Will ID ncCebSuTy
for hunting parties in many cases to carry their
own packs for lack of suitable or willing men
to accompany them on their excursions into
the forests depths. and it is safe to assume
that more than one party will get mixed ON the
points of compass before returning to civiliza-
ton.
There are numerous small villages which
can be made headquarters all through the
country. easily acce .sible by team, but all at u
distance from the railroad. Stages can BIO
utilized for conveyance, but travellers must
not expect extensively upholstered carriages
or asphalt pavelnents. The stages are relics
OF the coaches OF nifty years ago and the roads
barely paths in some cases. And yet the
bracing air, the clear sky, and the brilliancy
beautiful. will amply compensate for many
OF the ~discomforts and inconvenience The
forests are principally spruce and fir, with u
liberal sprinklins OF hemlock. There are
enough dcciduous trees. on the mountain sides
to cause the slopes TO burst into blazcs OF in
describablc glory when the Frost King touches
them with his magic fingers.
Caledonia county is less densely forestcd than
Essex, but, the Woodlands are principally on
low, rounded hills which are ideal lurking
places for deer. Other game will he found also.