Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-11-05

county raised several hundred dollars
bought deer, and liberated II animals on
the mountains east of Rutland. Neces-
Sary legislation was secured. and with a
penalty OF 500 for shooting Il deer not
many hunters dared break the law and
the result was that the deer multiplied
50 rapidly that an open season was made
the first year that deer could be lawfully
shot being in 1893, when deer with nOrns
could be slain during October. In that
year l3l animals were shot, according to
the report received by the fish and game
com nissioners, and in the following year
70. Inc law was changed again 81 as to
allow hunting for bucks only in the last
ten days of October. Under this provision
deer have continued to increase, and last
year it was known that over 400 bucks
We're slain in the ten days. This year
there has beer an influx of hundreds of
/ hunters to Vermont from other States.
! 1t is known that over go sportsmen have
gone from Brattleborc up the Brdttle-
| boro & Whitehall railroad and On Il srgle
| train which pulled into Ludlow last week
| 40 rifles Were counted. and the conductor
stated that there were 81 hunters aboard
/ hound for the region around Ludlow.
| rho success of the hunters this year APP
Iears likely to greatly surpass the record
| Of last year. Eore in Wlndham county,
! whore a Iecr was seldom seen a few
| Years ago, at least ~ have been shot to
| date and reports Of more deer taken
| than ever heforo come from nearly all
/ sections of the State. What this hunt
ing means to the State from pecuniarY
standpoint is an inlarnitc problem, but
| the sport is furnished to our own people
| who like it, and those who come from out
side the State while in quest If deer
| Evidently the time has come vixen Yer
mont can follow the lead of Maine and re-
1urc license at a sZeable fee for Tho
! ont GiI IVh ~
| n measure would be a valuable source OF
revenue to the State and would give the
home residents 4 better opportunity for
hunting than with froe-for-an entry as
at present. Deer have become so uuIrcr-
Gus that the next legislature will he called
upon for some modification of the re-
strictive laws, but whatever is done tht
law ought not to he changed so as tc
check the multiplication of deer which is
now going on so rapidly. \ wise policy
will make deer hunting not only sport
but an assured money producing indus
try of the first class
One Of olr contemporaries argued thai
high license in place of prohibition woult
make Vermont a park for summer visit
ors. and others have devoted extended
space showing the need OF more anC
better hotels for attracting people frou
outside. There is, however. nothing Xix,
developing our fish and game resource.
There are thousands of men who viii
travel long distances put up with incon
vonieuco= and SPEND money literally o
they can but feel that they have fai
81. zee e. return home with a deer, OF
with a 3 to pound trout or salmon.
We can bring a few Of our lakes and pond
up to the standard of Caspian lake, o.
the lakes in Averill, and can have dee
roaming more numorously over our hill
there will be no question about men will
money to drop coming here for vacations
We ought to find an object lesson in tn
| investment of few hundred dollars b,
the Rutland sportsmen less than 20 year
ago. That investment has been repai
more than thousand fold already an
there is more to come. And the possible
} ties in the DEVELOPMENT OF our fishing in
, tercsts are far greater than anythiui
|, which hunting can ever afford.
+ The Phoenix would like to see on
solons at Montpelier tackle this subiec
e on broad and generous lines with not les
, than $2j, 900 a year available for our ifs
; and game .missioners. 1t is a goo
thing to have hunters. fishermen an
other visitors attracted to Vermont t
spend their money, but the primary an
essential thing is to have our woods am
fields and streams made attractive t
our own boys and girls, and men and VIC
men. which is their native right.
ENFORCE THE LAW
G'rom the Barre Telegram)
State Fish and Game Commissioner /
, c. Thomas says that 40 does have bee
shot in Vermont during the past week.
Is probably fact that at least one ha
of these were shot by hunters who blaze
away with their elephant rifles before the
, knew what they We're shooting at. Jus
for lesson we hope that every ofendt
will be dealt with as the law directs
, | is surprising that there have not been a
many men as there have been does ki!le
in this way.
SALtITARY LESSONS DEMANDED.
(From the Barre Times)
A lnmentable feature OF this open SOC
, son Is that IT leads to so much lawlessnes
in shooting does and fawns. A good de;
of this is undoubtedly accidental, but thu
, fact does not render the offender any II
less culpable. A few salutary lessons
nrng the offenders ought to teach thel
to use "A little common sense when they G
into the woods
AS TO CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
(From the Spirit of the Age)
Vermont needs one or two good oil,
fashioned hangings and this epidemic ,
Itt..tt Ia