Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-22
NAMES BIG GAME.
A Bangor Glance at The Game and Game Law
Prospects Of The Season.
Bangor News.l

I4umbermen. riverlrivers and tourists
who have lately come down from the
ipriver woods tell different stories
about the big game which they have
seen and concerning which they have
heard reports. While individual testi-
mony differs widely, the majority of
reports are agreed upon several things.
Moose and caribou are rare and shy.
They seem to grow less plentiful every
year. a fact which is no doubt due TO
persistent hunting in open season.
Though moose and caribou are occa-
eionally killed out of season the cases
of violation are not at all common and
grow less frequent every year. The
considerable, yet rigid. enforcement Of
the game laws which the commission
ers have undertaken and carried out
successfully has made the life of the
professional poacher very sad. He
boasts Of what he has done and is GO
ing to do in the line of slaughter; he
tells how easy 1t is to get deer or
moose in close time; he calls the war
dens fools and towards, and he makes
a lot Of verbal warfare which sounds
very brave. He does all of this before
strangers and tenderfeet who have
come to the woods for big game re-
CARELESS of the law. When warden
comes along he covers stanmers and
pleads for mercy, like an unweaned
calf. He never killed q deer; the deer
(which the warden has found dead with
water on its hide and a bullet hole In
its neck. committed suicide, and hna1iy
to prove that he is honest he boldly as
serts that there are no deer IN ms re-
gion; therefore he could not Kill any
The men of this class lived on short
commons for two years, and most OF
aheln have gone out of the business.
Everybody says that deer are unus-
ually plentiful this year. They are in
all parts of Maine, showing themselves
boldly at midday and despoiling the
planted crops in the fieldS until the
farmers are raging mad. Reports of
Illegal killing, while common and
bloody enough to satisfy the readers OF
dime novels, are mostly inventions
gotten up to Vex the Wardens and an
nov the commissioners. No doubt that
a good number of deer have been
logged during the present summer. A
dog running at large is not a reSponsl-
bic animal and does not comprehend
the law against dogging deer While
dogs have been chasing deer in several
parts of Eastern Maine, it is hard work
to prove that they We're put upon the
chase by men. and a community can
hardly be blamed for the voluntary
crimes of a few ours. This question
Of logging deer is hard one to settle.
Those who have visited the sporting
camps in The Maine woods have no
.f4,1,
supports one or more dogs. When the
dogs are hounds. beagles barriers. or
mongels of these breeds. the presump-
ton is that they are kept for the pur-
pose of chasing deer, and thus afford
sport for the patrons of the camps II
is an actual fact that most amy kind Of
a dog viii follow a deer, and the dogs
of the hound kind are not the only
offenders for which the wardens should
be watchful The beautiful curly
coated water spaniel which many men
keep for the purpose of freeing part
tridges, is also a most industrious ami
NAL when following the tracks of deer
or a rabbit. 1t has n sharp, clear voice,
and a steady way of following which
generally ends in success. While it IS
not argued that all or half the Irish
spaniels kept in camps are there to
chase deer lit will be safe to keep these
animals in view when they run
loose in the woods. In fact.
Il dog is an irresponsible animal
that is never safe among game
unless il has been thoroughly trained
and is accompanied by some person To
regulate its conduct. The tendency of
modern legislation is to restrict the
liberty of dogs. Should the logging
of deer increase to an alarming extent
in Maine, u law compelling owners of
dogs to keep them under restraint Will
De demanded. and if the next legisla-
ture has the same temper of the last
one. such a law will receive triumph
ant passage through both houses.
Upon the whole the commissioners
are making n brave effort to stem the
tide of tradition and prejudice which
still prevails in the far backwoods.
They are enforcing the laws much bet
ter than they were ever enforced be-
fore, and they are making good fight
to preserve the fish and game of Maine.
so the great sporting grounds may be
n perpetual source of income and
pleasure to the people of Maine. No
doubt the warden service can be i'm
proved, though il is better now than
ever before. Most of the Wardens who
work on salary under orders from the
commissioners are wide awake and
earnest men. Some of them are rather
too aged for active service in running
down poachers, but their minds are
alert. and their wide knowledge of
mankind makes their services valua-
BILE. The trouble lies in the local war
dens whose duty is to guard certain
streams and ponds near their homes
These men. having friends and enc
mics, are prone to reward the former
and punish the latter more than actual
justice demands. But this cannot be
remedied until the State grants money
enough to keep all the wardens under
salary.
II is too early to predict the result
of the new guide license act for which
Commissioner Carleton made such a
great fight. last winter. The guides
who oppose the bin and who threat
ened TO shoot, burn and destroy have
nearly all come up and taken out Ii
censes as the News said they would
do. To refuse n license and attempt