Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-02
WINTER ON A BIG-GAME PRE-.
SERVE.

of this rapidly increasing
herd is. OF course, n matter of national
Importance; and the most important cf-
fort being made ut tho present time in
the interest Of American big game Is
the effort directed towards the permanent
preservation of this and the few remain
ing herds OF buffalo, by the federal
government.
But there are many other wild crca-
lures In Corbin Park which need more
or less attention drung the winter
There arc elk and deer and wild boar
by hundreds, ana moose. nobody knows
how many, since they usually remain
deep In the woods, and show themselves
only at rare intervals. Next to the buff
falocs. the wild boar are the first ami
mails requiring the attention of the
superintendent In the spring. summer
and autumn, these vigorous creatures
get their own living chiefly by roofing
in the ground. but when the earth is
forzcn hard as iron. and covered with
snow besides roofing is out Of the ques.
ti"n. Tho boar are fed upon whole corn.
which, in the fan * stored away in old
deserted houses and barns. or in huge
fc"d-boXcS made on purpose, in different
sections of the forest Each of these sec
tions is in charge cf Il man whose bust
ness it * too 500 that all the game in
his territory have food enough to keep
them in good coalition. First of oil. he
selects ono or more places for feeding
grounds. and there h. scaticrs his corn.
i:ut wild boar ar" shy creatures, and ii
Is the mans duty to sec to it that all
the boar in his section are regularly visit
ing the feeding grounds. lie must tramp
over hill and dale, ana through the dense
woodland. and learn where the different
colonies of boar are nesting. Then he
must show them the way 10 the feed
ing grounds by laying trials of corn.
sometimes for Il mile or more. leading to
one Of the spots which is To be Il wood
ter In some cases this trial has to he
laid over and over again before the man
is sure that all The boar are visiting the
| fecding-ground. Afterwards, he feeds
them every other day. making his trips
on snow SHOES, Of course. since tn" deep
snow usually makes it impossible To
travel in tho forest without them.
Tho alternate days are spent III feed
ing the elk and door and moose. The
natural food for these creatures in winter
trees and shrubs. AZ most of the suit
bic twigs within reach of Tho animals
hay. already been eaten, it is necessary
10 cut brows. especially for them. Thi,
work j.. now done under tn" supervision
Of a forester. who secs that 10 valuable
trees are cut for This purpose. Indeed in
order to save tho trees, the elk arc oftcn
fed ON hay. which is scored in diit"rnt
\ iii - ted ~
it i. needed \ few nights ago. | came
upon "a band Of fifty elk in the moon
! light. quietly feeding on hay in the de-
serted BARNARD of what had once been
IL thriving farm.
AS ] said before, the moose are not
often seen. though their great tracks
leading to and from piles of freshly
cut browse. arc frequently seen. Not
long ago, man who was working In
the forest had still more striking cvi'
dcnce of their presence. In tho course
of his wandcrings he came upon a fal
lien tree, the top of which barred hi'
path. lie WAS an agile fellow. and. leap
ing over it. he landed almost on the bach
of hull moose, which leaped to its fec
land charged him on the instant.
lie needed no further incentive t.
after tree in his efforts To escape th'
warth OF lis mighty adversary, who's
rest has had unwttingly broken. !
was half an hour before he finally sue
ccedcd in escaping by strategy. and, il
spite of the low temperature, he VIA
pcrspiring form every pore.
With the exception of the boar. IN
animals are usually fed early in III
foil
lalbcit they are rough customers whel
wounded or corncred) and unless extreme
~ 7>~ugry do not like to approach tn
; feeding grounds until dusk. Then it i
. that their food is scattered, for if it wa
put out earlier the deer would pick
up before the arrival of the boars. Usual
ly. after the wild hogs have returned I
their rests under the spruces, there i
more or loss corn TO be seen upon tn
feeding ground and bright and early ncx
morning this is picked up by httl
army al birds, chief among which ar
! the ruftlcd grouse and blue jays.
, One of the most important matter
+ which engage the attention of the III
, perintendcnt OF the Hue Mountain For
est during tho Writer. is the inspcctio
I OF the fence which incloses the grea
,
This fence is eight and IL half feet high
( and is made chiefly of stout wire. stretch
cd taut on posts set twelve feet apar
q In addition to the wire, there Is hcav
: netting reaching to the height of 81
y feet. and also stretched upon the post
u As matter of fact. this fence seldor
= breaks under any strain whieh Is pu
a upon It, but as its breaking Is among III
] possibilities, and might entail very seriou
= loss. II must he inspected at frequent IN
n tervals especially in winter. After ever
Q storm, and often during the storm itscl
z men are sent out to 'walk' this fence
\ each man being required to inspect Civ
n en- section of It, Simple as TINS duty Il
h 1t is not unattended by danger. II II ma
s should fall and break leg or stun Mn
= self, miles from any dwelling, the a'
s cident would mean almost certain deat
where the temperature is apt To be an,
o where from twenty to nifty degrees belo
= zero. and where the wind can search II
i one In the depths of the thickest ci"ti
Il Ing. And this is why an anxious vii
= will sometimes call one up ON the tell
J. phone. to find out If anything mas nee
n or her ''man". and why, IL II man
d out beyond the time when nc sh"nl
Q have been homo, there are dozen read
3 to do their snowshocs and got out To II
Y what keeps him.
= "Whcn mon arc mon. they feel for me
" VIII" de- the work ~ men
ERNEST HAROLD HA'NEs