Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-01
Report Of the Commits
sioners for 1906.
Deer ant Moose Decreasing.
1900 Deer Killed This Year.
The Il g. Registered Guides Earn.
1885, 900 In 1906.

sioners Ii nland Fisheries and Game
has bee with the Governor as re-
qu!red -tute, and makes very in
terestine 7 ding. tan infringement Of
the ReIJt as follows:
There = raised in the eight fish
hatcher Turing the year 3,061 .109
fish, W ! were planted in 100 ponds
and ls IS. There is a growing senti-
ment 81 etter results would be OBJ
tanned ~ eedinS the fish year long
er aft atching. There are now in
the hat'l RES 2.42o,OOO eggs taken dur
ing til tWnlng season this year, and
this III 'er Will be augmented by
purchHt aid receipts from the L. s.
Fish tN mission. There are also 233,-
600 fish ytched this spring being VIM
tered II he various hatcnerieS
The as been Il marked decrease
in the n mber of deer killed this year
as COZ y red with last. estimated as
fully % e-third. Many theories are
advan' e. as to the cause of this, but
In tEe piniOn OF the Commissioners
too may are being killed. that the
supply Ill not meet the demand of the
const; increase in the number Of
hunte from year to year.
The lost reliable figures obtainable
give - number of deer killed this
year At least $4,000.
Ono : undred and twenty-five licen-
sed = lers in deer skins report 800
deer ii ms purchased. Deer taken out
of tl.' State by the railroads and
ste:i \ bats 5000.
TIL commissioners have paid s1.343.-
50 fo damage done to growing crops
by ~ with some claims still unset
tied.
TIL decrease in the number of
mOo is noticeable: there is record
Of moose illegally slaughtered
TheI are no indications Of any carl
bOu the State.
Tw thousand and eighty -three
guides are registered. They report hav-
ing been employed about 10000 days,
which at $500 day would be $3.50, 900
they earned the past season.
There have been three fatal shooting
accidents where the party was mistak-
en- for a deer, and one where the party
was mistaken for a bear There was
one case of a narty being mistaken
for deer and shot, which did not
prove fatal.
Warden service on the Canadian
two years ago generally. We have in
the State Il reliable and efficient ward
en- force expert woOdsmen, but the ex-
tent of territory to be covered is so
extensive, it is impossible for the pres
ent force to efficiently patrol it.
There seems to be no dimunitiOn in
wocdcock and other game birds; par
tril hn1Iiy1U
woodcock are increasing as we'll as
well as most insectivOrOuS birds.
We have a large number of non-resi-
dent foreigners in our State, who will
kill any kind of wild bird or animal
1T any time. Identification is usuaI.y
| impossible. they have no names. are
known by numbers merely. Firearms
| should not be allowed in their possess
sion. they are a great menace to bird
| life as well as wild life Of all kinds.
There are 122 dealers in deer skins
and the skins of other wild animals:
Il licensed taxidermists; 200 hunters
and trappers Of fur bearing animals
| in the wild lands of the State: 1871
camp proprletors; IS licensed market
| men: one commission has been issued
| this year to take birds, their nests and
| eggs for scientific purposes.
We have attended p hearings on Pc
| titions for rules and regulations regu-
| lating fishing In various lakes, ponds
and streams, and hearings for fish!
| ways
For nonresident hunting licenses for
| the current year we have received
s31.509.31. This amount. together with
S1O,OS1.SS, makes a total of Sal, 591-25
! the amount received from var
| ious local licences, fines etc.
| which has been deposited in the State
| Treasury and is available for game
bird protection next year, as under the
| law it must be used for that purpose
| only, and for clerk hire and the eX~
| penses Of the Commissioners.
| The nonresident hunting license has
! proved decided success as many now
! obviously hunt moose and deer as the
| supply will warrant.
| An itemizzed list of expenditures is
| fled with the report.
| BY virtue of the law. on complaint OF
owners of the land that beaver Were
doing actual damage, we have cause
| 1871 to be taken, and the proceeds fol
tho same were paid into the Treasury
on account of licenses and fines.
|