The Republican journal., 1898-01-20
Maine Fish and Game.


Report of the State Commissioners of Inland
Fisheries and Game.
The commissioners say in their annual
report, just presented to the Governor,
that never before in the history of the
State have inland fish and game interests
been SO much discussed by the people and
press as during the year just closed. The
law for the protection of fish and game
have always been difficult of enforcement
and those charged with their enforcement
have never escaped severe criticism.
1t is a fact, however, that there has
been less violation of the game laws this
year than ever before since fish and game
became abundant.
The State has four well equipped hatch
cries and feeding stations, viz, at Eide S
Falls, Caribou, Auburn and Monmouth
At Auburn a cottage has been built
during The year for residence for the
superintendent and a Matching house
erected at Caribou, and new dams have
been built at these places.
Two hundred and thirty five thousand
trout We're raised four hundred and fifty
thousand land locked salmon; and one
hundred and forty-six thousand Pen
obscot river salmon, which were plante
in one hundred and twenty-one differe MT
bodies of water in the State, besides sew
eral hundred thousand trout and salmon
were raised and planted by private enter
prise, the State having furnished the eggs
for Matching.
The catch of fish, land locked salmon,
white perch, pickerel and black bass, has
been exceptionally large. The guides re-
port that the fishermen they guided have
fho,,
salmon. The outlook for future fishing
was never SO good in recent years as to-
day.
The law for the registration of guides
has worked we'll, and is held in great
favor by the commissioners and Ia re
majority of the guides and true sports
men; thirteen hundred and sixteen guides
have been registered since the law went
into effect July 1st
From the annual report of the guides
the following facts appear:
Total number of days guides have been
employed, 81, 91S.
At IS. 90 per day the usual price, woulc
amount to s155, 754. 90 paid in wages to
the guides; so, 600. 90 has been paid to
the taNidermists of the State.
Number of residents Quilted ..........3 3S-
Number of non-residents guided. l.;
Total number of moose killed. .......... 25t
Total number of caribou killed. ......... 23t
Total mum Der of deer killed ........... S94I
Total number of bear killed. ............ lit
Non residents who have employed
guides have spent in the State at eas
two million dollars.
Residents of the State who employed
guides expended at least one hundred anC
seventy five thousand dollars
This is a matter for congratulate tina
more than three thousand of our OWL
citizens have preferred to spend their va
cation and money in the State instead OF
in other States or countries.
The guides report their other occupa-
ton besides guiding as follows:
Three hundred farmers, 30 woodsmen
express agent, l engineer. game war
dens, IS hunters, l harness maker, l host
ler, 3 hotel proprietors, : jack at all
trades, ? jewellers, "A lumberers, 9 mer-
chants, Ii millmen, , mechanical engi
neers, pension attorney, painters,
professional loafer, postal clerk, ~ river
drivers, 2 reporters, 10 surveyors, spool
makers, ? students, ) gum pickers,
steamboat proprietors, 10 taxidermists,
teamsters, p trappers, ! trial justice,
farmer and postmaster, l bushwhacker
l bottoming chairs, I blacksmiths, mer-
chants.
One thousand and nineteen, G019) wer
born in this State Three have died-twt
by drowning.
The youngest is fourteen years of age
and the oldest seventy eight, who has
been guide for more than half century
They are registered from fourteen 0
the sixteen counties as follows:
Two Androscoggin, 173 Aroostook, Il
Cumberland, It's Franklin, IL Hancock
Is kennebec, l Knox, - Oxford, $40 Pc
robscot, 270 Piscataquis, 1876 Somerset,
Waldo, los Washington, 2 York, IL Lake
Megantic Association guides.
! Ia the several fatal shootings of persons
while hunting no registered guide ha
been connected. Five have been caught
poaching, and one surrendered his cert
tcate.
The commissioners have held MONTH,
meeting at the State House and have
attended forty-one hearings on petition
of taxpayers to close certain lakes, pond
and streams.
| From the foregoing abstract it will b
/ seen that Maine has a marvellous industry
ia her inland fish and game, which SHOULD
/ be we'll cared for.