Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-14
STATE HOUSE.
Hearings on Petitions Ordered BY the
Railroad Commissioners.
Chairman Carleton Says People Wish Close
Time on Deer. December IS.

and game commission, returned ,ruasd,r
morning. from weeks trip tbronan
eastern Maine in search of poachers. 10
went hrst to Vanceboro where he left the
line of railroad and then struck acro..
country to the great lakes in Washington
county. de saw ghe man he was after.
and after dsposing of the mans dog le,
the man go. as there was no case against
him only that he. is under suspicion.
What are the conditions in Washino-
ton county now,' asked the Journal re-
porter.
Washington county is not nearly G,
pad in the way of poachng as it was
iast year, answered Mr.. Carleton. s.'rhe
pfice as You Know had Il bad reputation
last year, ana 1t was said the people
down That way rather favored the poaeh-
efs and would not assist us. hut with
warden service and other methods of
work that we have brought to bear # e
not nearly SO bad as ii was"
1t will be remembered that only las,
year this section of the country was said
to be one of the greatest resorts for Tho
poacher for any place in the State of
Maine. There were said to be men who
oid nothing the year around but kill deer
IN every manner and snare partridges
for the market. They would send their
Ill gotten game to Boston on the schoon-
ers, so the officers had very hard work 70
get at them. Mr. Carleton says that the
conditions are getting somewhat better.
however.
You may say said Mr.. Carleton.
that there is strong feeling all over the
State that the close time on deer should
go on December Is, and many think it
Should so on earlier, say by the first of
the month. Perhaps it would be good
plan. SO many advise it,
Mr.. Carleton did not say that the COM
mittee in charge of the revision of the
laws would advise it, but he did not init
mate that he would oppose anything of
the sort.
The bucks are shedding their antlers
very fast now,' said Mr. Carleton. The
weather has been exceedingly cold for the
past few days and that is what causes
the antlers to drop off. | should say that
all the bucks will be bald headed by the
18th of this month. Here is an antler
that l brought home as a souvenir" and
he went to Il corner of his office where
NHNiS was Il dIlIeT Strapped TO MS
snow shoes and rifle. Il saw this antler
when 1t fell off the bucks head I was
CHASING him and one moment | saw both
the antlers. The next moment the buck
dashed into view and at the same time l
saw this antler so through the air l
would have given five dollar note to
have killed that animal with the one ant
Ter left on his head, as curiosity for my
museum
Speaking of the shedding of antiers"
remarked the reporter, you know there
has been a great deal of talk about what
becomes of the antlers as they are never
seen by hunters in the spring. 1t is a
mystery what becomes of them to some
people. What is your idea of the ma
ter?"
THE work of nature is what destroys
the horn answered the commissioner.
THE winds. rain. sun and snow are all
agents in its destruction. Then they are
eaten by the mice and the squirrels. BY
the time the hunter gets about there are
none to be seem
During the week that Commissioner
Carleton has been away from his office.
many things have arrived for the State
museum. Chief among these things is a
bevy of cartridges artistically mounted
| upon a board about three feet square,
| built up to initiate the ground with
bushes Srowin~ from it, There are seven
| or eight birds in the lot. This is the pres
ent to the museum from Tax1dermist
| Walter S. Kinds of Portland. Mr.. Kinds
has also contributed a family of looms
and bevy of quail \ pair of pond
larks and weasel are two of the other
/ Contributions Mr.. Carleton shot mar
ten while upon his trip that is being
mounted by TaXldermist Dill of Gardiner.
One of the features of the State NIL
scum. this winter. is to be a large wild
cat, the largest ever killed in Maine that
| is the property of w. 3. Shaw of Green
Vile Mr.. Shaw only loans this for the
session but the commissioners have
strong hopes that Mr.. Shaw will present
| it to the museum another spring.
Commissioner Stanley has added a large
card to the case of sporting supplies on
which are samples of the work of his fish
ing gear mandatory. There are both
trout and bass flies, Stanley smelt and
patent Stanley spinner
| Upon the petition of the municipal OIL