Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-11
TAXING HUNTERS.
Ideas Of Sportsmen Here and
Elsewhere a Subject.
Hon. H. M. Heath Against, Hon. A.
N. Spear for License.
Nom Residents Only to Pay to Hunt
Big Game. A

sue of his pa per. Maine Woods, pub
lished several communications from
sportsmen in this and other states on
the proposition to impose Il license Zee
upon nonresident hunters for big
game in Maine. The letters follow:
| The state association has been good
enough for several years. to make me
! its consulting attorney. AS matter
of duty and with a great personal in
tereSt in hunting. J have taken some
pains to study our legislatio | agree
| with you that more money is needed
for patrol service and believe that it
should he raised by the state itself. !
am opposed to the idea of taxing non
resident hunters to provide the nee
essary cash. We have pushed the re-
strictive features of the fish and game
law to it's limit. | believe the PROPOSE
ton will arouse so much opposition as
to injure the entire body of law. Non
resident hunters who are wealthy can
afford to pay the tax but most of our
travel of this character comes from
people of moderate means. | am con-
WINGED that it will reduce the amount
of travel | dislike the tendency of
the times to cater SO much to the rich
that come within our borders and to
forget that this country is largely
made up of people of moderate means.
II. NJ. Heath, Augusta
Ny views arc well nown upon the
subject We must have more money to
protect our game. 1t cant be raised
by taxation. The only way is Ia tax
the hunters. Do this by imposing
reasonable tax upon on-residcnts.-A.
M. Spear. Gardiner.
AS regards the taxing of non-resi-
dent sportsmen who annually visit
Maine. | do not think it would be just
to tax the fishermen. AS for the hunt
ers. small tax might be justifiable on
the ground of absolute necessity of
raising money. However. | think in
many cases this would give the hunter
the idea that he can shoot more indis-
criminately ! do believe. however.
that the legislature should pass q
strict law forbidding the taking into
the Maine woods of firearms in the
shape of rifles or shotguns during the
close season. Firearms are certainly
not needed for protection as there is
nothing in the forest but what can be
easily frightened with club.-P. G.
Wiggin. Boston Mass.
AS 2 resident hunter | have no
objections to paving Il reasonable Ii
cense. Don't make it SO large that it
will shut out us chaps that consolidate
all their vacation into two or three
weeks trip in October and November,
and who are willing to pay for what
they have and at fair price. ] have
nothing but praise. for the treatment
that have received in Maine from
camps, guides. etc. and hope to spend
my vacations in the woods for many
years it is an expensive trip for
many of us who are not overstocked
with cash to make, and especially if
you take in your wife. But that is
another story."-C. II. True5dell. Kill
ingly. Conn.
I I think a small tax on each deer and
moose brought out of the state would
not be 4 burden to the hunter and
would mean a considerable sum to
the state, judging from the numbers
shipped out in previous years. A deer
certainly costs o nonresident hunter
enough already, as each one of mine
have cost me over $50 apiece, but as
said before, a small tax would be a
burden to no one.--L. ". Gates, Wor-
cester, Mass.
In answer to your query would say
am most decidedly in favor of taxing
nonresident hunters and am at a loss
to understand why it has not been
done heretofore. All good game states
charge n license and there Is no rea-
son why the state of Maine should be
exempt-"Old Sport Philadelphia.
Penn.
You ask for opinions IS to taxing
non resident hunters. | am not in ia
yor of it. | would suggest. limit one
deer only to be taken out and perhaps
one deer in camp. stop the wholesale
killing by lumber camps and resident
salt barrels" Prohibit . guide from
killing for his man. Make the honest
guide q game warden. without pay eX-
ccpt his license. | have visited the
woods o number of years. and am sorry
to say that some residents and guides
need more watching than the non
resident. Killing for market. which
means ton men and twenty deer and
moro in camp. is not SpOrtsmanlike.-
". T. Muchmorc, East Hampton, l.. !.
| do not think non residents should
he taxed for hunting in Maine, but
should pay two or three dollars for
each deer and ten or fifteen dollars for
each moose shot and taken out of the
state. which he willingly would do if
successful In securing the game. A
hunter spending two TO four weeks in
the state at considerable necessary ex-
pense. and not securing any game,
would think the tax unjust. AS you
know. many go there ito shoot game
with the camera, yet carry their rife
and occasionally shoot deer. / ques-
ton if as many of these people would
ca into the state il q strfr tax wars
levied upon them.--W. w. Blain, Bos-
ton. Mass.
one marked cause of poor fishing in
! Maine is that no system of restocking
PONDS and rivers is carried out as it
should be. Pot hunters are allowed to
,aki,l game and fish and no one stops
them. Restrictions should be placed on
the kind of tackle used and the use of
the single hook should become fac
/ tor. Laws should stop fishing through
the ice, except perhaps in ponds where
there are large numbers of pickerel.
Transplanted trout should be raised in
Maine waters. do not hunt so cannot
Judge regarding this subject. Maine
shouId offer better inducements.
are WILLING 70 Sppnd t,,ui1ey