Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-30
DEER SHOOTING.
The Open Season for 1899 Will
Commence, Monday.
The Influx of Hunters Will Begin
Today ard Continue Sunday.
A Brief Resume OF the laws--The Septembe
Shooting Laws Success.

1t is terrible thing for the con-
sciences Of the hunters that October |
should come on Sunday. this year 1t
is bad thing for good observance Of
the law, too, for the game laws of the
State of Maine say that no one shall
Kill deer between the 18th day of De-
cember and the list day of the follow
ing October. After that they have the
privilege of shooting two OF the ami
mails. But, understand, Sunday is
close time to both fishing and shooting
in Maine
The question was being argued, Fri
day, on the possibility of the laws be-
ing broken, tomorrow, and the general
opinion of several very well posted
sportsmen is that in northern Maine
some of the hunters who are on the
scene will forget the day OF the week
when they look at the calendar and
finding il is October list, they will start
out and shoot few animals all of
which Will be reported to their friends
as having been shot after the open
season was on, probably early Mon
day morning
Tomorrow Sunday papers of the
metropolis OF New England. ana to a
certain extent in the Sunday papers OF
New York will devote much space to
| the opening of the game season in
Maine. Chairman Carleton has been
| the recipient Of many visitors Of late,
many Of them being representatives Of
| the above named papers who have
come TO get something out Of him for
| the opening season.
| What could he say? There was but
! one thing to say, ana that was the
| facts as they are known to exist in
| Maine, that this promises TO excel all
| the big seasons, even though every
| other year in the past has eXCelled the
one previous to ii. He could tell them
of the fish and game laws as they We're
| passed by the last Legislature, and he
could give them copy Of the laws to
study and make up their stories for
the special article, to fill up a. page or
more of the papers, with the assistance
Of the pictures SO dear to the heart uf
the sportsman.
He could tell them that he thought
the September shooting law had justi-
fled itself in the eyes Of its friends ana
all, and that there is, today. more
game in the woods than at any other
time since the protection has been in
force. He could say that deer are
plenty, that moose are showing up
Wei, but that caribou are not much
different than Of the past few years.
This animal though under the great
est protection, has BY many been given
up as bad job, ana no dependence
placed upon him to draw the crowds,
II - IL. "A
exist i'll Maine.
And about these caribou the sports
men must learn the change in this law
as in the many other passed by the
last Legislature. 1t is unlawful to
shoot 4 caribou for term of six years
from October i, 1899. This, it is hoped
will act for the benefit Of the caribou
in Maine, and at the end Of the time,
in case there are no more caribou in
Maine il can be safely assumed that
the theory Of some Of the sportsmen
that the caribou is emigratng can be
accepted as true. But the greater
number Of people believe with the pro-
lection Of six years Will result in an
increase in the animals as protection
has done for the moose.
SO remember. We sportsmen who
have not studied the law, that the
Journal gives YOU fair warning not to
look too long on the caribou lest your
respect for law and order may be
overcome by the desire Of possession.
ana you Will lay yourself liable to a
fine Of $1,000 or imprisonment for four
months in jail. The stake is too great
to play for. ana unless you are morally
sure you won't be caught, don't DO il.
il might also be well right here to
say that the abrogation Of Sunday
north Of the settled portions of Maine
was not made. IT was talked over. last
! year, at the meeting Of the Maine
Sportsmcn's Association that advice be
| given the Legislature to have open
| time north Of the settled portions Of the
| State, some line being decided upon.
! but some Of the Augusta members as
usual stood up for Sunday. and it was
not advised But for Augusta and her
| good members Of the association, the
| open season might be on tomorrow
and the Sabbath day broken into pieces
smaller than the finest powder that
viii be used. as explosives.
The scenes at the stations in Boston
and MI the large cities. Saturday night
ana Sunday. Will b. interesting as the
sportsmen begin their exodus from the
cities for the Maine woods. There Will
be bankers. brokers, clerks. and men
of all trades. men Of all sizes. and men
of al descriptions; men well dressed,
men poorly dressed and men dressed in
The most outlardish fashion, men
dressed for summer. and men dressed
for winter: grotesqueness itself VIII pe
narsonified in some Of them. They VIII
carry their bundles for the week Or
more in the Maine woods. ana prop
ably every man Of them could ST Gown
land write a book on preparations lor
hunting trip or what TO take ana VT!
70 take it, 1t is also possible lIilt
every man could give g dlnereiit iist
from what his neighbors gives anu
everyone would be as near flsn' a. III
other, according to the IDEAS = =
IL