Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-28
STATE HOUSE.
A Change in the Present Moose
Law May Be Advised.
Lending sportsmen Think Penalty Should Pa
Discretionary wnh Judge.

Hsid theh regular monthly meatino !,
their Office Friday evening. Thare NC
nothing, outside of the regular ro,.;,
business transacted. One of the MAT
tiers That came to the notice of ~,
commissioners was that of the li,,;na
of the calf moose by Harry Lishness of
this city, 1t is claimed that the moose
is a calf, and upon this Mr.. L,shnoss
was arrested in Bangor racant,v a,a
sentenced to Jail for two months. unon
winch sentence he appealed.
The commissioners went RI E,,,,ar,,
grocery store, Friday afternoon ana
looked at the animal as it was hanging
there. and each pronounced if ca,f
moose.
IN the iirst place they say yearling
moose has horns that can be seen nv
any hunter. while this animal has NJ
horns. There are several other tests
that they know, that prove in their
own minds and in those of other man
VINO are acquainted with woodcraft.
that the animal is calf about eight
months old. The animal will he
mounted by Homer Dill. the Gardiner
taxidermist. and there those interested
in the case can see for themselves the
age of the moose Another way nv
which a person can tell about the age
is to count the number of back teeth
Eof the animal. If it is year old there
will be six back teeth on each side. but
if it is but calf there will be but four.
No one has yet looked at the teeth in
the animal in question.
Mr.. Lishness brought the animal
from the woods, being, so it is thought,
perfectly sincere in his belief that the
animal was a yearling, and conse-
quently old enough to be free from<the
law. He was so informed by his guide.
who pronounced it a yearling, even
before Mr.. Lishness shot the animal.
The commissioners are inclined to be
Wa fNhiShl with wi. AlSIlHcSS IL they
find everything as he states. They
will probably see the guide and ascer-
tain what he has to say about it, that
justice may be done Mr.. Lishness.
This is a case where it seems that
the registered guide did not know his
business, and in consequence got Mr..
Lishness into trouble. The commits
sioners do not claim that all their
guides are infallible, but they do claim
they are more so than last year.
Greater care has been used, this year,
in registering than last, and many APP
plications have been refused.
In case it is found that Mr.. Lishness
has stated the matter just as it is and
the guide is found to be at fault. the
case will be an illustration of what the
committee who have in charge the
changing of the fish and game laws at
the coming session of the Legislature,
| wish to show. They will advise the
| passing of a law that will place the
punishment of the different classes of
poachers discretionary with the judges.
who sentence them. At present IL d
man is found guilty of shooting COW
or a calf moose, whether he be man
ignorant of the laws or of hunting, the
victim of an inefficient guide. or mem
Der of the worst class of poachers, all
are served alike, and the judge has
| nothing to do but to give them Jail
sentence. The commissioners and the
leading sportsmen of the State believe
there. should be some distinction naoe
| in the cases