The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-01
VERMONTs DEER SEASON.
n Vigorous Attack on the Law Permitting the
KilInG or the Animals.

RUTLAND, VT, Oct. 3O.-The deer season in
Vermont closes tomorrow night. It has been
the first open season the State has had for
twenty-five years, and in all probability there
will be but one more, that Of next year. for an
equally long period. A vigorous attack has
boen begun on the law permitting the slaughter
Of the animals, and is likely to result in the
repeal of tho act at next fall 8 session OF tho Leg
~islature. Just why tho law was passed has never
been discovered by the sportsmen of the State.
but it seems reasonable now to suppose that it
was an experiment sanctioned at the request Of
the farmers. Tho experiment has not proved a
success.
Several interesting things have become known
during the past month. One Is that there are
not 30 many deer in tho State as was claimed
by those who advocated a law allowing an open
season. 1t WAS urged upon the Legislators who
passed the law that Vermont would DO the best
hunting ground in the East, and that the sports
men who would flock hither would prove 4 prof.
liable source Of revenue to the State. The first
argument has been disproved by the unexpect-
eddy small number OF deer killed during the
month. Some OF the animals were killed in the
first week, but since then few hunters have met
with any success. Vermont has no extensive
forests except in tho northeastern corner, and 1t
is probable that many of the native deer have
fled beyond her borders, most Of them no donbt:
seems to have been proved that Vermont can
never become an ideal deer hunting ground.
The most important factor in starting a war
on the open season law has bAen the brutal
slaughter of "cosset," or domesticated deer.
As n result of immunity from the pursuit of
hunters for twenty-five years, many OF the ami
mails had become as tame as cattle, and some
were even tho pets of farmers families. These
deer were shot down by hundreds with as little
conjunction as any others, and the feelings of
true sportsmen received IA severe shock. A
buck shot near Montpelier on the first day of
the month was the pet Of n farmer living ncar by,
and was so tame that 1t would take salt or cab
bage leaves from his hand. Othcr instances are
related where deer were tied in barns before tho
first day OF the month. waiting for the advent
OF the sportsman" Such occurrences were very
distastcful to the people of the State at large,
and especially to the public'spiritcd men who
had been at considerable trouble and expense
to restock the forests of Vermont with deer.
Among the incidents of tho open season have
been tho killing OF several cows, mistaken for
nobler game, and the accidental shooting OF
John Harbour at Glastonbury on the eve OF the
first day OF the month. The identity OF the per.
son who did the shooting has mover been learned.
Among tho deer shot was a curiosity In tho
shape OF n doe with horns six inches long. Al.
though the law allows only bucks to be killed, II
defines IA buck as q deer with horns, so that tho
man who killed the doc could not be prosecuted.
Another curiosity was n buck, plainly a very
old one, which had both OF its ears slit. 1t is
supposed to be one of the deer brought from
D%annemora twenty-five years ago and turned
lOoAa here.