The Republican., 1900-12-20
Game of Garrett in Years Past.

Game of Garrett in Years Past.
To the Editor of The Republican.
The game or hunting season is now
near its close, January 1st (coming.)
However, by the Act of 1900, Chap. 81,
coons, offers, minks and muskrats
cannot be killed or trapped except
between the 1st day of January and
April in each year.
Prior to this Act there was no law
to prevent the taking of these ami
mails at any time of the year. The
object or reason of this law does not
clearly appear.
Game legislation for Western Mary
land commenced at very early
period. The first Act for the preser-
vation of the Breed of Wild Deer"
was passed in 1889, the year Allegany
county was authorized by the Legis-
lature. This Act was followed by the
Supporting Act of 1895. Since then
numerous laws have been enacted for
the protection or preservation of deer
and other game, great and small, for
Allegany and Garrett counties. These
laws for a time protected and saved
the deer and other favored game. On
the other hand the Legislature, as
early as 1927, Oh. 112, passed an Act
for the destruction of wolves, bear,
panthers and other noxious animals"
in Allegany county. Large bounties
were given for the destruction of these
animals as the enemies or destroyers
of useful game and domestic animals,
such as sheep, young cattle and hogs
Old Allegany paid large sums of
money in long past years on
this account. The receipts of one old
hunter for a single year was over
500, but these ''noXiousn animals
have all been DESTROYED or driven
away not later than 40 years ago. 1t
appears to be reliable fact that the
last panther in what is now Garrett
county was killed by John Wilhelm
(still living in 1852 1t was shot from
large tree near which it had killed
and secreted deer, which it feasted
upon from day to day as appetite
called it thither. An old hunter, long
since deceased, is authority for the
assertion that the remaining wolves
not killed or trapped by hunters were
driven away from this section of the
State by the iron rails of the B. & o.
r. r. He insisted that a wolf would
not cross a railroad track, fearing
iron in all forms, particularly when
in the form of a trap set for it's cap
ture.
The time was when large game was
very abundant in Western Maryland,
especially in old Allegany county, in
Guiding elk and buffalo. These two
species disappeared over 100 years
ago or more. Old Christian Garlitz,
who was a noted hunter of large
game, claimed he killed the last elk
in the county and that he frequently
found old elk horns in the woods.
Buffalos were once numerous in the
regions named. Buffalo Marsh and
Buffalo Run were so named because
of these animals frequenting those
places. Just across the State line in
Somerset county, Pa, they still have
Elk Lick township and Elk Lick
creek for the same reason. Deer in
early times in what is now Garrett
county were very plentiful and it did
not require an expert rifleman in all
cases to shoot them. Some hunters
in a single season killed as many as
thirty or over. Indeed, hunting
was the occupation and chief source
of living of a number of persons.
Deer and bear meat would be salted,
cured and put away for winter use.
But after the great Civil war was over
the veteran soldiers came home with
their large experience in the use of
the long range rifle for the destruc-
tion of human life. These guns were
turned upon the harmless deer and
by degrees they have almost, if not
entirely, exterminated these beautiful
creatures.
notwithstanding the disappear
ance or scarcity of game west of Cum
berland, deer and other choice game