The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-07
- MOOSE ANTLERS SCARCE.
Few Old Bulls Seen in the Maine
 Woods Nowadays.

Norcross, Me.-The licensed guides and owners of sporting camps in the Maine woods believe the outlook for plentiful supply of blg game when the open sea- son begins on October 1 is very good
 It Is conceded that the number of deer in the Maine woods has diminished under the heavy shooting which has been prac- ticed for the last two years though there are still enough of them to furnish good sport to the visitors and to supply all hunters with their legal allowance of two deer in the season. Owing to the great slaughter of last year the deer are more shy than ever before and have moved back from the railroads and routes of travel so the hunters will have to go further into tho woods and spend more time in securing what they want
 Though the game commissioners have spent $15,000 more than the average in hiring wardens to protect the game, and though last winter was very mild and favorable, there are few deer in the woods south of Mount Kataldin. Farm CTS who have complained about deer eating tneir oats and other growing crops during close time in . former years have presented few bills Z r the state to pay the past summer hlch indicates that the deer have movq on beyond the areas of plowed ground.
 Back in the vol Us, and at the head
 
 to be had for the hunting
 In spite of rigid protection under heavy penalties, moose are disappearing from the woods of Maine The big animals should be out and roaming through the hardwood timberands as early at Angus. 70, by which time the annoying flies have disappeared, but woodsmcn and prospec- tors who have been cruising for more than two weeks have not reported any as yet
 Every indication goes to show that tho gigantic old moose. which were abundant in Maine ten years ago. and which were sought diligently on account of their huge antlers, have ceased to exist in the state Those which remain are of the younger brood, three or four years of age, and while they furnish sweet and tender steaks their antlers are small and of no value.
 For, more than two years the hunters and naturalists who have sought antiers with wide spread have abandoned the hunting grounds of Maine and New Bruns- wick and gone to Alaska
 There are hundreds perhaps thousa nds of healthy young bull moose along the banks of Allagash stream, though the re- zion Is so remote from car lnes and ths journey by canoe demands so much time that few ordinary hunters care to mako the outlay. The time when a New York hunter could leave for Maine on Sunday night and return from Maine in a week bearing a moose of his own shooting has gone by.
 Except in remote woods cartridges are scarce and shy. though they are reported as plentiful as they were last year. Bears continue to surprise and madden remote farmers by coming out and stealing pigs from fenced enclosures. and staying sheep in pastures and by stealing apples from orchards close to dwelling houses.
 Though the value of q bears pelt has doubled since the birth of the new cen tury, Bruin still risks his coat and his life with as much abandon as he did for merly
 No caribou or caribou tracks have been seen fin Maine for more than seven years. It may be that these animals will never return unless they are introduced from Canada by some wealthy game associa- tion. The long close time on caribou which the Maine legislature granted six years ago came too late to do any good.