Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-10
GAME BURNED.
Many Deer and Moose Perished in
Forest Fires.
Carcasses Have Been Found in Woods
by Guides and Lumbermen.

Augusta people who have been at
Kineo the past few days at the annual
outing of the Sportsman's Fish and
Game Association say that from the
stories which guides and others, who
were there tell, it is evident that a
large amount of game persisted in the
great forest fires which ragged in the
northern portions of the State early In
June. Particularly Is this true in the
section known as the East Branch
country-that is the portion of the
State traversed by the east branch of
the Penobscot river. From all accounts
game of all kinds large and small and
many game birus succumbed to the
fierce flames.
One lumberman, Mr. Howe, stated
that he found in one place, in that sec
ton, the carcasses of two big bull moose
and about a mile distant the remains
of COW moose, while in all he saw
nearly ten deer. Another gentleman
said that at one point in the East
Branch country he found, at the foot Of
a high rocky bluff, the remains of sew
eral deer and moose, as well as that of
a large black bear.
L
tory mentioned, covered an area of be-
tween 25 and 80 miles long and from
three to eight wide and burned flercely
for several days. The general theory
advanced is that the smoke became so
dense and was settled so close to the
ground that the animals could not get
| their hearings and were suffocated, be-
| ing burned after death had occurred.
That applies to those found by MI.
Howe entirely, but for the animals
found at the foot of the bluff the theory
has to be changed slightly. In this
case it is supposed that the same gen.
eral condition existed but that the AMI
mails made race for life, lost their
bearings in the smoke and rushed over
the edge of the bluff before they were
aware of it's presence.
| AS these reports cover but a small
section of the great Maine game country
| # seems but reasonable for the belief
that hundreds of deer and moose per-
ished in the fires, as all of them were IN
| game sections and 1t scarcely seems
possible that these cases were the only
ones in which game was killed.
| To strengthen this theory is the reports
| winch came from INC SeiiiN SN'iiNi >
while the fires were in progress being
brought out of the woods by guides anC
| woodsmcn, to the effect that they sa"
scores of animals of all kinds running
ahead of the flames and making for lakes
ponds and other water ways In their CT
forts to preserve life In these collections
there were rabbits foxes, skunks, hedge
| hogs. squirrels and woodchucks as wei
| as big game. Snakes, too, were numcr'
Gus. All these reports make it the casicl
to believe that there was much game lost
in the fires.
Just what effect this will have on tho
| coming hunting season cannot lat this
time be said but from the great album
dance of game, which all guides and war
dens report, there seems to be little like
| lyhood that it will be serious. On the
contrary it seems, from these reports
that there is an ample supply of big game
i'm the woods of northern Maine to meet
all demands, SO long as it shall be care
fully protected. and that all sportsmer
who come here in October, November an(
December will be almost certain of secur.
ing their quota of deer and, probably
| moose