Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-14
PROTECTION WORKING WONDERS.
A New York Attorney Writes Of Mains's Fish
and Game.

Many interesting letters are received al
the department OF fish and game, regard
ing the great attractions of the State.
but the letter that shows the greatest
amount Of love for the State and her at
fractions was received this week from
Rowland Fox one of the leading attor-
ncys Of New York City. In the letter he
gives his opinion about the increase or
decrease of the number Of the different
classes of game of the State, and the rea-
sons.
Herewith II the letter:
New York. Jan. 10th, 1899.
Hon. l.. r. Carleton:
Ny Dear Sir: | have received your cir
cuiar enclosing blank relating to protec-
ton Of game and fish in Maine. / answer
the circular with much pleasure and
would have done so sooner except for
very good reasons.
| have most affectionatc interest in
the State Of Maine | think ! may VEN
country as We'll as anybody. and like it
better than anybody else. Last summer.
for the third time. went UP the North
Branch 10 St Johns Pond Bakers Bog
to me a. she never had before. ] sat in
the bow of my canoe. moving in the sol
tude and il had padded into the better
world there would have been nothing
strange about my experience.
| can readily give you my convictions
and am very glad TO have an opportunity
TO do so.
] have many times said the two impor-
tant enemies of the game and fish are the
lumbermen and the hide hunters.
| am happy to say that the hide hunter
is much less important than he was a
few years ago. His favorite field of OPP
erations was formerly the Baker Lake
Brook. ! have no doubt at all that the
Canadian statute relating TO the sale of
mooses hides and other influences have
so embarrassed him that the wretch has
pretty nearly disappeared.
l went out to look for moose on the
Baker stream one evening last summer
three bulls. two of them very large
saw an old bull moose on Baker Bog dur
ing the afternoon n day or two before
Two years before. in the same country.
there was nothing of this kind. In brief.
| am satisfied that the hide hunter is no
longer an important factor and that the
moose are doing very well. All they ever
needed was half chance. and they are
now having the whole of chance
But the other source of death and de-
struction to game and fish think con-
Bog country or back of Haymock lake,
where few years ago you saw plenty of
caribou. and whatever your diligence you
will come away with nothing to remem-
Der except a few signs The explanation
you will find without difficulty If YOU
will look where the lumber camps of Il
bou was slaughtered mercilessly when
ever and wherever they were found.
Whether or not the State of Maine stood
by and permitted it you are better able
TO say than ] am. But ] know that the
caribou has been practically eXtermi-
mated. | cannot trust myself to write
about the matter. think that the State
of Maine will hereafter be compelled to
| do without the most beautiful and inter-
esting animal which the Lord gave her
to take care. of. Let us hope that am
| 1,trf do -Hx,.x
, there can be any correction now.
| In regard to the indiscriminate shoot
ing of game during the summer months.
| | think a wholesome restraint is demand
| ed, but | think that the stories which
have been circulated at the hotels and
places on the borders of the woods have
been greatly exaggerated. am sure
that the guides as class about Moose
! head have protected the game for years
and have done much to create the right
| feeling on that subject.
| The deer in the back country are GER
tainly too numerous for their own COM
| fort. Two years ago Baker Bog and Alb
| pads the animals feeding by eating the
stems below the surface of the water.
| Last summer we counted on st. Johns
Pond within stretch of about a guar,
| ter of mile. twenty-seven deer. and
during the day we counted one hundred
and six.
| ! do not mean to intimate that there is
not enough food for the deer, but / am
| sure that there is none too much and
that there are plenty and to spare for the
| sportsman with conscience. And there
are few Sportsmen without consciences.
| Permit me to refer for a moment tn the
subject of fish. Vast numbers of large
trout are taken by the lumbermen
through the ice. ! am not sure that this
can be corrected and it may not be of
| essential Importance. But last summer l
| had the pleasure of fishing over in the
| Musquacook country where no lumber
men had put in sinker. My boy and
| myself tiShed two evenings from about
| six until it was too dark to see our flies
1 taking fish which averaged about two
pounds as fast as we, could land them.
Out of those we caught we saved three.
putting the others back. and il you will
| take a friend and go up and catch what
we caught you will be able to see as fine
a catch of square tailed aristocrats as
ever delighted the heart of a good fisher
man with an honest conscience.
] have written at very considerably
| length without saying what | would
am sure that the reasonable protection of
! the game of Maine is very important and
l am equally sure that one of the best
ways to protect it is to protect the sports
men. am sure that the Moosehead
guides are as a class all right. ! think
they are men of unusual character. 1
could name n dozen of them who are
| what the world calls heroes. The game
of Maine and the character of the State
of Maine are safe in their hands.
And the sportsman who goes into your
noble woods has the right spirit and can
be trusted to read and observe the great
law which Nature reveals in her soil
| tudes.
| If may be pardoned for saying it, It is
| most require to be watched and corrected.
/ wish very much that l might have the
pleasure of talking with you. although
am not sure that l could add to what
| Permit me to conclude by saying, "God
I, bless the woods of Maine"
Yours. very truly.