Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-07
FISH AND GAME.
Meeting Maine Sportsman's
Fish and Game Association.
Report Of Col. E. c. harrington, Sec
rotary and Treasurer.
Chairman Carleton Pays Eloquent
Tribute to Late P. o. vickcry.

s The question of endorsing the plan
to secure the enactment of a law by
| the incoming Legislature imposing Il
| tax upon non-residentS who desire to
| hunt for big game in this State was
| fully discussed at the meeting of the
Maine Sportsmens Fish and Game As
ISOLATION at it's meeting, today. In the
absence of Hon. !. X. Stetson, who was
| to presiden, Charles A. Judkins of Kin
| go, occupied the chair. E. c. Harrington
made his report as secretary and treas
! urer and Chairman Carleton delivered
an eloquent tribute to the memory of
the late Hon. p o. Vickery, former
president of the association.
Secretary E. c. Harrington made his
annual report in part, as follows:
con January 7th, 1902, there were 42S
members enrolled. since which date 16
new members have been added, fou1
have Withdrawn and six have died,
leaving the present membership 434.
ut has been painful duty to
record the deaths of the following
members, Hon. j. W. Wakefield OF
Bath. J. M. Colby of Gardiner, ]. M.
Hon. S. j. Chadbourne and Hon. P. o.
Vickery of Augusta the president OF
the association. Most of these MEM
hers were active and always Interested
in matters pertaining to the advance
ment of fish and game interests. Mr..
Chadbourne was one of the first to
Join the association in 1893. He was a.
charter member and his death has
touched tender chord in the hearts of
his associates and mutual friends.
1.-The death of our president. Mr..
Vickery, was a loss almost irreparable-
He was not only "a vigorous and con-
slant worker for the general and ma
terial advancement of the fish and
game interests of Maine but was
liberal supporter, always giving
literally for very many things which
improved and enhanced the supply of
fish and protection. He was a large
hearted man and once your friend his
loyalty never faltered. Even his clos
est friends never knew how freely was
his benevolence bestowed or how many
acts of charity were done for the needy
and suffering.
"'The annual outing of the associa-
ton at Kineo in July last proved
very enjoyable occasion. The annual
meeting in Bangor, last January, was
successful in every respect. The gen
eral subject under discussion was the
question of establishing a license fee
for hunters. The opinion was I'M
mistakahiy in favor of a license for
hunters the feeling being at that time
favorable for a fee for non-residents
only Since that meeting the matter
has been generally discussed by sport
ing and other papers and by IN
dividuals, this discussion covering al
most every state in the Union. In
fact it became live question at home
and abroad and today is the living
game issue before our people. That it
will come in some form before the
Legislature is expected. So far
as 1 am able to get at the opinion of
the members of the association it is
largely in favor of hunting tax upon
nonresident sportsmen and con-
siderable sentiment in favor of includ-
| ing resident hunters with a moderate
fee as compared with that for nom
residents
| Colonel Harrington quotes from the
| fish and game report as to game
killed this year, and says:
| NO one believes that the annual in
crease of moose and deer equals those
killed The resident and nonresident
hunters are annually increasing and
we are beginning to see the end of our
great resources in game. The reasons
are obvious. The increase of hunters
| has compelled them to penetrate
deeper and deeper into our forests i'll
quest of game and they have been aid
ed by increased facilities by railroad
construction into the depths of the
wilderness. One sportsman told me
recentIy that in the fall of 1901, he
found in more remote place evidences
of moose and deer and this fall, after
q most arduous trip, suffering great
! hardshiDs. he reached the desired
| locality only to find that hardly a sign
of moose or deer except some bones
which were left from the slaughter in
the winter of 1902. The safe breeding
places of our game is thing of the
past, and today there is no place in our
vast preserves where our game is left
in peace or safety from the hunters
rifle.
There is no question but we have
not only reached the divide" but have
passed over it and the scale is tipping
| toward humiliation of the game of
Maine. This game belongs to Maine as
| much as the cow, morse or sheep be-
longs to its owner and no man not
citizen of the state has any right in it
nor any right to exact terms
| of its disposal. Still one would
think from the position of some
persons from other states that Maine
was in duty bound to provide at it's
own expense the game we own, for the
whole world.
In the spirit of good fellowship and
with the hopes of indirect benefit the
State gratuitously extended this privi-
lece which has been grossly abused,
and while not a few sportsmen from
other states appreciate by strictly con-
forming to our laws the kindness of the
State the larger number show an utter
disregard of our laws, killing our game
whenever and wherever they think it
can be done without detection. 1t is a
comfort to know that all the better
| class of sportsmen from other states