The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-06
HERoNS AND GAME FISH.
Names Unwritten Law for tho Protection
of Zig WadinG Birds.


WILLIMASTIC. Mo. Aug. 2.-TrolliHg for sal
mon and bass or exploring the eoves for lilies
and pickercl. the summer vsitorfn Maine often
watches with pleasure the movements Of hts
fellow fisherman. the big blue heron. Stand
ing motioness on one leg in shoal water.
watching for chance 10 spear q frog or min
now with his beak. wadng or flying from point
to point along the shore. or Tapping HE way to
and from the heron g nesting colony IN the trees
OF some impossible swamp. this lone fisherman
is ever picturesque and interesting. II was
with surprise that New York man summer
ing in Maine recently learned that the Board
OF Game and Fish Commissioners Of the State
was unfrendly to the heron and urged his as
sassination on the ground that the bird Is sup
posed sometimes to feed on trout. Two years
ago an order went forth from the Commission
ers that the herons Of the Sebec Lake region
should be accounted outlaws to be killed on
sight by the game wardens and that their
nesting colony on Burden Pond should be
broken up. But the country people OF Maine.
with all their shrewdness in business. have
vein OF sentiment in their nature and they
stand by the old residents of the State
When the order to kill the Sebec herons was
issued the people OF Piscataauls. the great
game and fish county Of the State. raised such
protest that hearing in the matter was had
at Dover and 1t was attended by many repre-
sentative citizens. Their testimony was all In
favor Of the heron. who rendered tho State ex-
oellent service in Kidding the waters OF useless
and Objectionable fish and reptiles. while in
terfering little or not at all with the game fish.
The Commissioners brought evidence to show
that herons had been known to catch trout
TO this allegation the citizens responded that
there wore other features in the attractiyeness
Of the Maine wilderness to DO considered be-
| sides fish that there were many natives and
| land ana waterscapc to which the heron lent
an ever pleasing feature, aud that they did not
| OF hostlities against tho herons, but the Com
! missioners removed their attack in tho next
session OF the Legislature by getting tho
herons included in the list Of birds, like crows
| and hawks, which are exempted in tho game
laws from protection at all seasons. 1t was
| expected that by this move every hit-or-miss
| gunner Of the class which makes life unsafe
IN Maine, in the shooting season would be en-
couraged to blaze away At tn" h"rons., But the
spHrtsmon will not irs at the birds in any sea-
| son. aud the amateurs who travel with guns
| and the ambition TO kill something easy to
shoot have found their experiments in heron
tnuqncT;, s. To Sig, birds isp to ana from
( Burden Point, back Of Itran4y.Gross Mountain.
coyos as unc0ncerncdy as il the Commission
rrs had never ronspircd against their peace
| and no man morStS them.
One OF the guides a master hunter ana Ash;
ernan. when asked about the her9nS and
| whether they really destroy trout, replied.
| We'll. II stands To reason that u heron will
| eat trout rs quick ~ he will any other fish
| that might swim within reach Of his b"ak. But
| whore does he do his ishngt club or frog
| is as good to his taste as rrou-. and he likes
the feel OF tho warm. .till waters Of shallow
pond about his legs better than the cold cur
rent OF the brooks whore the trout
swim. With the big pond trout that
! lie in deep water OF course he has no
| business anyway When he vets his feet
| in running water. which h" sometimes takes a
| notion to do, what does he catch . Trout. II ho
| can. az well rs any other fish that swim his
| way. but the trout he eats are fow compared
| with he clubs aud suckers and cells and water
| snakes that he swallows. which ara great de-
! stroyerS OF trout spawn, Instead OF a draw
| back. the heron IL benefit TO tho game fish
| Let mo tell you what ] once found out
about h"rone taking trout purity Of four OF
| rs were nshinR In the headwaters Of the Piss
catauu- River, and for 1--WE or sH days run
| ming we started up heron every day at some
point or other along the stream We were
| cam ped on. We were not taking many fish
trout seemed scarce that summer in the Pts
catuQus waters and wo laid the cause to the
1 herons, So took my gun out with me one
day and shot the heron that we had seen and
| opaued his craw 70 see what he had been feed
ing on. Inside it | found half a dozen chubs.
| two suckers. a water snake foot long and one
| OF the worst enemies Of trout spawn. and the
three inches long. ! have never killed heron
| since nor let one be killed when my word
| could prevent It,"