The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-05
1rA1NE,s HoM1c1DA1 HUNrBRs.
Tssir eTswinE Last or eunshst weunas ss'

Thsir Growing Last or eunshst wsunds spa
Deaths.
MnTNocKET, Me-. Nov. A.-One of the three
months OF open season which the Maine law al
lows Is finished. In that time the 20, 900 visit
ing hunters have killed 25 moose, 10 caribou,
10 bears, and nearly 1000 deer. In hunting for
these animals Ave hunters and three guides
have been drowned, six hunters have been shot
dead, and fvo guides and three hunters have
been wounded more or less seriously. Most OF
those who wero drowned perished because they
ventured out in canoes in stormy weather In
spite OF protests from their guides. There are
always shooting accidents carly in the season
before the leaves fall. but this year men have
been killed or wounded every week in October.
and though the dociduous trees have been
stripped of leaves for two weeks the shooting OF
hunters goos on as briskly as ever. 30 frequent
have these accidents become that two ply
sicians OF sporting and surgical inclinationn
have quit tow practice and moved their ofices
to the woods, where thoy are on hand for an
emergency call.
Experts in mental disorders who have studied
q large number of cases in Maine think that the
shooting mania which takes hold Of novices In
tho Maine woods is q form of insanity and
cd. The unintentionsa homicide is not a Drank or
aged & man, Who IS SOs credited With having : good
share of sound sense-a good citizen ano
q careful fnancier. He talks wisely upon the
folly and danger Of indiscriminato shooting,
giving advice which II followed would remove
all apprehensions of danger: He dwSlls upon
this subject to tho exclusion or all others
while around the camp fire, and then goes out
and shoots the first man no sees; Anotnor
is that hunters who are poor marksmen, who
couldn't hit tho side Of a barn at twenty rods,
at once become expert shots, when they see g
man in. the woods. bringing him down et W
the mania hypothesis look for su,perindgcipg
| causes they And all they want. Most OF the
visitors are busy men. who have wrested VEGA
tions from labor at no little worry and sacrlnce.
regard every minute as precious and to be do
voted to getting game, Now add 70 these Wor-
RIGS the change of diet and scenery, the exer-
| else, the hard beds. the long trips. and the con-
slant expectancy of finding game. and 1t 10 no
wonder that their nerves become unsettled.
| Every day that passes without sight or game
increases the mental tension. Finally the hunt.
eris converted into q person without control OF
desire in life is to get a deer, and who secs IN
every moving object a target for his aim. he
shoots because he has to shoot. and the same
spirit which impels him to kill makes good his
Several laws which sought to do away, with
promiscuous shooting have been proposed and
debated more or less seriously before the Maine
Legislature. but the knowledge Of having killed
enough for most men, and no enactment hal
stood the test of more than two seasons. INT
doctors who stand for the insanity theory
advise all nervous and overworked mon TO stay
must 60, they should leave their rifles at homo
Ben York's remedy Ia to shoot tho mad huntc
before he gets a chance to commit murder
Meantime the number of fatalities 10 growinI