The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-01
IT ENDS.
OF BIC
Game Season
IN MAINE WOODS.
A Review Of Years Work
Written by an Expert.

state of Maine ended last night with A
record of moose and deer killed exceed
ing that of any previous year. Figures
furnished by station agents of the sew
eral railroad lines piercing the hunting
sections show something like 1914 moose.
1900 deer and IS caribou have been kill
ed by visiting sportsmen, as against 1870
moose, 2940 deer and rs caribou in 1897.
An increase is noted in moose and deer.
while caribou have fallen off, as thew
did in 1897. 1t is conceded by every one
that deer are rapidly increasing in all
parts of the state, while caribou are
certainly becoming more scarce. and bid
fair to disappear for good from Maine
woods and barrens, unless favored by
CONTINUOUS close time. The moose
question is an open one, and the most
important that faces the fish and game
commissioners and the state legislature.
The fact that more moose have been
Killed In the state this fall may not be
accepted as evidence that the monarch
OF the Maine woods is increasing in
numbers. Rather that more sportsmen
nave sought and succeeded, for it is not
questioned that the army of hunters to
go into the woods since October came
in is all out of proportion to any rea-
sonable increase of moose. And this
drain upon the supply of Names no
olest game, which has increased stead
ly for the past four years. in spite of
the change in the moose law and the
allurements of provincial hunting, has
raised the question, VIII the supply
meet the demand?
The question, wAch is obviously of
moment, has been before the public
during the entire year, and has been
discussed in the press and by interested
and well informed persons in public
meetings. And opinion is divided Ii
is natural that registered guides and
proprietors of hotels and camps should
claim that moose are not losing ground.
and yet few from these classes eX-
press the wish that moose might be pvo-
tected for a term of five years. The
fish and same commissioners are non
committal but are putting forth every
effort to find out the opinions of all who
are in a position to know anything
about the matter. The legislature meets
before many weeks, and the bull moose
Will come in for a generous share of at
tention, and the chances are even that
| spOrtsmen will have to run over into
| the provinces for few years if they
wish to hunt moose. The moose law,
| which now provides a Jail penalty not
| be amended to admit the option of a
| heavy fine.
The deer problem has changed since
the legislature gave it consideration.
| Then it was how to protect the animal
now it is how to protect the man, for
! deer have become 50 numerous all over
the northern parts of the state that
| they are rapidly becoming a pest. Com
plants from outlying farmers that it
is impossible to protect their crops and
comply with the game laws, and pros
pective bills for damages against the
state have caused the commissioners to
act, and relief is proposed in law that
| will permit sportsmen, accompanied by
| registered guides, to kill deer during
close season for food purposes. 1t is
| further suggested that the sportsman
purchase a permit from a game warden
to cost, say, five dollars This innova-
ton has been given to the public and
| no serious opposition has appeared
against it
| Next to the moose law. the guides bill
is most prominently in the mind of the
sportsman. year ago the air was
filled with talk of a repeal of that very
generally unpopular bill at the next
| legislature. But twelve months have
brought about a change in sentiment,
and while great majority of guides
| dlsllke the law today just as heartily
as they did then, there is practically no
outward show of opposition, nor will
any develop at Augusta The guides
| ,c.o,a W 1dI' C"llStoh law mas
aItho,,sNt, 49, ailu tlleS HlusC pear II,
The outlook for caribou is discourage
ing. AS stated above, the animal is aD-
parently becoming extinct. Fifty odd
| were killed this fall in Aroostook and
Northern P1scataquis counties, but they
W pooi SpecliiIeIs' me animal has
~ pSeli hillsu OIL that IL should be so
scalce' Cia hunters claim its migra-
80 totS h@olle are responsible; that the
iier os--1 4e CARIBOU travel in herds-are
F,,rt AZ 't,1 inle MI New Brunswick, or
LulVnei away IN Nova Scotia barrens,
ana VIII come back some day. 1t is also
sSiu tnat the supply of Juniper moss,
VI "llcn tne CARIBOU is fond, has given
OUT ana mat this favorite species of
game Is SoJournlng for the nOnce where
hunters are scarce and Juniper moss is
e pienty. however all this may be- the
Iact remains that caribou in Maine are
scarce and small, and what is one to
40 ABOUT IT!
! Wmle everybody is talking big
| game, the f1shing interests of the state
are by no means being overlooked, and
since the first of October last upward
OF l0O,O0O fry have been liberated in
Pola ana lake, Rangeley has always
| been looked upon as the Mecca of an
anglery, jus as Moosehead and Aroos-
took are the happy hunting grounds
where devotees of the repeating rifle
congregate. But time and the energy
OF the commissioners are bringing
about change and it will not be long
pefore Rangeley will have to look to
her laurels, for there are lakes in the
eastern and northern sections If ti,o
state where lurk salmon and square
tails is gamey as ever bent a rod i'm
north Franklin. Moosehead, the largest