Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-20
FISH AND GAME.
(Continued from page 81


and who have looked the closest into its
operations.
No forest fire of any consequence can
be traced to a party holding such IL
cense.
All the game wardens pronounce x a
real protector of the forests. TO ailese
that it endangers the forests Is 10 ass ,dn
ii most seriously. our forests are far too
valuable to take any chances with them
in this respect. Fire is easily started IN
the woods by knocking the ashes out OF
n nine. throwing away the stub of a
cigar, scattering brands of a flre, &c., ana
confiagration is under way before one
is aware of IL.
In the woods is another thing; a ,errGr.
an uncomfortable fury, a burning
shame"
During the seasons of SO and 90 Sc
we're drought occurred in Sep.embe~. '-'he
woods We're full of tourists and campers
out. yet less damage resulted from hres
than during any month of similar
drought with possibly two exceptions,
that occurred prior TO the time visitors
began flocking here.
Numerous forest fires occurred curing
September this year, and in no single in
stance fire be traced to a Harty IN
charge of a guide We nave carciu!iy
and thoroughly investigated every fire
TO a party of berry pickers camping
near a bog one of the large Tres seems
traceable: another, a colony of bees was
smoked out and large fire resulted
Locomotives, undoubtedly, caused sew
eraI and TWO of the largest or WdTe
TO stop fires, facetiously expressed,
they say all woods work includ-
ing cruising lands. and especially
camping should be prohibited during sep
TENDER berry picking should be prohlb-
tied unless the pickers live i'll houses
all bird shooting and fishing should be
prohibited; guards should be stationed
with authority TO search all persons en-
tering forest growth and seize all
matches in their possession: .ncendlarle3
should be locked up before the drought
commences; no land should be cleared or
stump fires set unless the wood and
stumps are SO wet they won't burn; rat
road trains should be moved by horse
power and lightning rods placed on an
tall dead trees in the forests. Seriously
these are all sources Of danger to forest
fires.
Assertion is not proof; to assert THAI
this law endangers the for ISIS is TO at
tack il in the most enectual way pos
sible but it is a fact that where the
most licenses were sold there were the
feweSt fires.
If the wild land owners want The law
repealed the commissioners Will not an
tagonzc them. Forest fires are liable to
occur from multitude of causes. and a
registered guide in the woods is a safe
guard against fire at any time. bat If 4
large fire should occur in September from
any cause. there are plenty Nnp would,
proof or no proof, lay it to this law, ANA
il would greatly injure our hunting IN
tereStS
I'VE cannot refrain from saying that We
believe that this law is additional
protection To the forests, and its repeal
would be a mistake. but that shall in
no wise antagOniZe the wishes of the wild
lanG interests in this respect.
ACCIDENTS WHILE HUNTING.
Ten cases of accidental shooting while
hunting have been reported. six of which
resulted fatally. Four Were mistaken for
a deer, one for a white faced bear. one
hunter missed a deer and shot his COM
parton. the others We're purely a"ciden-
tai.
There have been no prosecutions for
these occurrences.
In each case where a person was mis-
taken for deer the shooting was fatal.
The report copies approVingly editorials
from the kennebec Journal and Bangor
neutrality-suspicious. advising a law 20
specially prosecute such cases of SooSS
careleSSnesS.
REGISTERED GUIDES
The law court has declared the. guide
law constitutional in the case of State
Many guides have been convicted Of
gross violations of the game laws. The
report says, in the future no person
will be deemed suitable to act as a
guide" who is not in fact a fish and game
protector
In 1897 guides were employed 1918 days;
in 1898, 63,9Ol; in 1899, 1900 and in 1900,
Sl,225 days; this at $50 per day amounts
to $149,l1.Oo, or $lS1, per year on an
average
They strongly advise guides not to car
ry rifles while hunting, as it is no part
Of their duty to kill game for their en-
plOyer.
THE PARTRIDGE LAW, RETAIL
DEALERS IN DEER, DEER SKINS.
HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS AND
CAMP PROPRIETORS.
In 1859 sale of partridges was prohib-
tied by law. This offended certain mar
ketmen. who refused. in consequence. to
take out a license to retail deer 20 their
local customers. The marketmen had al
ways had a monopoly of the retailing Of
deer. cartridges had become very scarce
and something was necessary to be done
TO prevent their practical eXtermlnation.
No game bird is 50 much sought for.
The report says, that if the sale of
cartridges is to be allowed under any
circumstances that it should be permitted
only under the closest scrutiny possible;
that the person dealing i'll them should
be subject to the supervision of the au-
thoritieS, and only such persons should
be allowed to deal in them who are
friendly to the game laws, Of good re-
pute and have procured a lie Sc there
for. If the sale of partridses is to be
permitted under any circumstances, the
number that can be lawfully killed by a
person in a season should Do restricted
to a comparatively small number. 1t
should be borne in mind that The ton
dency Of all modern Legislation is against
the marketing of game or birds.
censed to deal in deer. one half of them
report selling - deer.
Nine have been licensed to deal in deer
skins; they report having bought G09
skins: average price paid 46c. each.
SiXty-three hunters and trappers. one
half have reported. These reports show
Il bears, 100 martin. 10 widra,s, II fisher
30 foxes, IL skunks, JOS mink, coons, 334
muskrats, and II otter killed by tnem
this year.
one hundred and seven persons have
licensed "a So
enty-tive have reported having pnr.
chased "a deer for consumption At their
camps, and POI being consumed for
food their camps.
There are "a licensed taXidcrm:stS Only
half have reported. They repnrt orc
moose, % moose heads, Il Ter. C.l deer
heads, A bears, 81 foxes, 3 turtles, Il
squirrels. I porcupines, ! wildcat -
coonS mink and 81 birds beng re-
ceiVed for mounting.
Attention is called to the Lacey bill, an
act of Congress, and its provisions are
quoted. This law supplements existing
state laws by prohibiting shipment from
one state to another of game or birds
killed in violation of local game laws, by
Subjecting birds ana game brought into
a state to the same restrictions as those
prescribed for game and birds produced
within the State.
This law is regarded as one of the most
important ones yet enacted in the inter-
eStS of game and bird protection. This