The Republican journal., 1903-10-01
OUR HUNTING SEASON.
Belief That Tax on Non-Residents Will
Do Good.
Icorrespondence Boston TranscrIptl

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ICorrespondence Boston Transcript
The opening of the hunting season IN
Maine this year is of special slgnlfl-
cance. owing to the fact that the new
law which imposes a tax Of $15 upon
all nonresident hunters goes into effect
for the first time. Maine needed such
a law. and the clashing which resulted
before the passage was due to the fact
that there was a difference of opinion
as to the form it should take. Names
appropriation for the use of the Com
mission of Inland Fisheries and Game,
s25. 600, is barely sufficient to look after
the propagation, to say nothing OF furn.
ishing needed warden service; and all
those who are familiar with northern
Maine realize that the future OF the
State as a resort for sportsmen is de-
pendent mainly upon the protection OF
the big game.
The money to furnish this protection
was not forthcoming from any other
source. A hunters tax was a necessity,
and it mattered little in what form 1t
came. The new law may keep out a
certain class of visitors, and it IS to be
hoped that it will; but the number kept
ont by the small fee will include very
few of the desirable class, for true
sporstmen must recognize the fact that
the State has right to ask those who
eniov it's sport to contribute towards
it's maintenance. Maine is not leader
in this movement. Other States have
long before taken the same attitude,
The real question to be considered is
not one of immediate but future re-
suits. 1t seems possible to protect the
fish and game of Maine SO that they
will provide sport for all time, and this
is what the new law proposes to 90, or,
rather. what the large percentage OF
those who were in favor OF 1t nope 10
have it do. Names need of protection
is recognized by all who are famlllar
with wilderness conditions. Not only
does the State need protection against
many of its residents and along the
Canadian border, but in the past some
of her visitors have been of class that
needed constant watching. wholesale
slaughter of moose and deer has gone
on year after year, not only IN the sum-
mer, but the winter, and with the same
force of wardens at its disposal the
commission has been practically pow
erless to make perceptible headway
against all this.
The discoveries of the two new war
dens, recently assigned to the Canadian
border, in anticipation OF the revenue
expected from the new tax, are not
surprising to those who know What mas
been taking place there, and the hndlng
of the remains of twenty-five moose IN
one place, is only one OF the many SIM
liar evidences that may be brought 10
light in many sections, to SHOW Wnat
hmm hoe WrnnDhf
Pete Fontaine, the notorious poacher,
who was shot last year by game warden
Templeton, is, by his own admission,
only one of several of his class, and it
is definitely known that Fontaine sold
thirteen moose to one lumber camp for
meat. in a single winter. 1t is difficult
to make those unfamiliar with the con-
ditions believe all this, but the fact re-
mains. and with better understanding
of the enormity of this poaching the
need of warden service is not only being
realized but demanded, not only by the
best class of visitors, but by those who
have the future of the State under con-
sideration as well.
The statement that the new law will
drive sportsmen elsewhere is, generally
speaking. in error, for Maine stands
alone in many important particulars.
No section, first of all, furnishes such
excellent deer hunting, and none can
compare with it as resort tor the
canoe tourist and camper. The wilder
derness section of the State is net
work of lakes and streams, its camping
grounds are ideal, and it has peculiar
wild and beautiful charm that is all Its
own. which will hold its admirers captive
as long as its fish and game hold ont,
tax or no tax. The important phase the
new law puts upon the situation is a
real responsibility for the Fish and
Game Commissioners, a responsibility
that they have not assumed in the past
1t now depends upon them, and results
will be looked for; results which have
not been achieved heretofore, because
of lack of funds.' Not only has the
commission a responsibility, but the
guides, residents and visitors share one
as well, and cooperation will do much
towards bringing about the needed re-
suits.
Maine has failed in the past to realize
that she needed most of all protection
against herself. She has looked afar
off for poachers when they were close
at hand: she has attributed much kill
ing to visitors when it has been done by
residents; she has, at times, been hyster-
ical on game law agitation, but in all
fairness, it must be admitted that she
has been sadly handicapped by the atti-
tude of a greater portion of the State,
which believes that game protection and
game appropriations are all nonsense,
simply because the particular section
in which these people live can see no
direct benefit from it.
As plain business proposition, how
ever, the fish and game OF Maine are
among it's greatest industries. There
is nothing sectional about them. Over
thousand guides derive living from
them, and hundreds of hotels and sport
ing camps are dependent upon the same
source for revenue. In addition to all
this there are supply dealers and hun
dreds, if not thousands, of other people
who seldom see dollar that does not
come directly or indirectly from visi-
tors. And last, and best of all, is the
income the railroads derive and the ser
vice it is possible to give all sections of
the State because of it.
Maine as whole is coming to realize
this more and more, and the time is not
: far distant when she will aim to give
visitors everything that she can within
reason. The nonresident tax should
not be considered an additional bar to
liberties of visitors, but necessary
act, and if the State uses the money
thus obtained wisely it will prove one
of the greatest protective steps that