Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-10-30
4 lesson in Deer Hunting in Vermont.

4 Lesson in Deer Hunting in Vermont.
Tho men who scon at all suggestions of
FISH and game legislation are asked 70
consider for a moment what protective
laws have done in providing deer hunting
in this state. Twenty years ago deer
were extinct IN Vermont. with the excep-
ton Of the small section Of the wild coun-
Try in ESSev county which borders on the
great timber tracts Of New Hampshire
and Canada Sportsmen in Rutland
county raised several hundred dollars.
bought deer and liberated Il animals on
the mountains east OF Rutland Neces-
sary legislation was secured and with a
penalty n 800 for shooting deer not
many hunters dared break the law. and
the result was that the deer multiplied
SO rapidly that an open season Was made.
the FIRST year that deer could b. lawfully
snot being lSsS. when deer with horns
could ~. slain during October. In that
year 13l animals were shot. according TO
the report received by the FISH and game
commissioners. and II the following year
20. The law was changed again 81 as 20
allow hunting for bucks only IN the last
ten days of October. Under this provision
deer have continued 10 increase. and last
year ii was known that over 400 bucks
We're slain IN the ten days This year
there has been An influx " hundreds 1f
hunters To Vermont from other states
II is knoHn that over zoo sportsruen have
gone from Frattleboro UP the Brartle-
boro & whitehall railroad and or a single
train whicn pulled into Ludlow last we.k
40 ri1es We're counted. and the conductor
stated that there wer~ - hunters aboard
bound for the region around Ludlow.
The success II the hunters this year ap-
pears likely To greatly surpasS the record
OF last year Here in Wincham county.
where d deer vas seldom seen a few
years ago. at least 20 have been shot to
date and reports " more deer taken
than ever before come from nearly all
sections oi the state. What this hunt
ing means 10 the state from pecuniary
standpoint = an indefinite problem. but
the sport i furnished To our own people
Who Ike il. and those who come from out
side the state spend thousands % dollars
within the state while in quest of deer
Evidently the time has come when Yer
mont can follow the lead Of Maine and Re-
quire a license At a sizea ble fe- for the
outsiders who come here - hunt. such
a measure would be a valuable source of
revenue 10 the state and would give the
home residents better opportunity for
hunting than with a free-for-au entry as
at present Deer have become - numer-
Gus that the next legislature will - called
upon for some modification of the re-
strictive laws, but whatever j. done the
law ought not 10 he chan ged 81 as 10
check the multiplication Of deer which Is
nov going or 50 rapidly \ wise policy
win make deer hunting not only a sport,
but an assured money producing indus
try Of the first class.
one OF our contemporaries argued that
high license in place Of prohibition would
make Vermont park for summer visit
ors. and others have devoted extended
space TO showing the need OF more and
better hotels for attracting people from
outside There =. however. nothing like
developing our hSh and game resources
TO bring people here 10 spend money
There are thousands Of men who vii
travel long distances. put UP with incon-
veniences and spend money literally il
they can but feel that they have a fair
F. cLaEcr 70 return nome Win z deer oi
with q 3 TO pound trout OF salmon. Il
we can bring a few OF our lakes and pond:
Up to the standard Of Caspian lake, ol
the lakes in Averill, and can have deel
roaming more uumerously over our hill:
there will BE- no question about men witt
money 70 drop coming here for vacations
We ought 10 ind an object lesson in III,
investment Of a few hundred dollars D,
the Rutland sportsmen less than % year
ago. That Investment has been repai'
more than thousand fold already an,
there Is more to come. And the possibil
ties in the development Of our fishing in
terests are far greater than anything
which hunting can ever offer.
The Phoenix would like to see on
solons al Montpelier tackle this subjec
on broad and generous lines with not les
than s25.00O year available for our hsl
and game commissioners 1t is a goo
thing to have hunters, fishermen an
other visitors attracted 10 Vermont I
spend their money, but the primary an
essential thing is 10 have our woods an
fields and streams made attractive I
our own boys ami girls, and men and wo
men. which is their native right