Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-17
DIGGING Deer Said to Be
a Thing Of the Past,
Not One Case Reported TO
Department This Year.
Statement Blanks For Insurance
Companies to Be Issued.
y STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Nsxt Meeting Of Governor and Coun
ell Tuesday, Dec. 81, at 10 A. M.

practice which has grown to be
consrcuous by its absence in the
Maine woods, said Capt, William T.
pollard. the veteran chief warden of
fbe force employed by the Commission
If Inland Fisheries and Game in the
enforcement of the game laws of the
state. in speaking of the game condi-
tions in the big woods yesterday, and he
then went on to say that in his opinion
tne practice, which in former years was
carried on to an extent that hundreds
Of deer were in this way killed an
ually in violation of the law, was
thing of the past.
II was not more than ten or twelve
wears ago that the practice of hunting
deer with dogs was general in all of
the wild land counties of the State
where deer abound. but with the de-
termined and energetic work which
has been done by the wardens with a
view to killing out the practice it has
gradually grown less until it has now
been practit ally abandoned. OF course
it is possible that dogs will occasional
" 60 into the woods and run deer by
themselves. but not single case has
been brought to notice during the past
season where a man has been detect
ed hunting deer with dogs.
But this condition of affairs has not
been brought about without some
work and oftentimes the hardest kind
of Woodwork that was in some in
stances accompanied by circumstances
which required cool head and
stead handle to handle successfully. as
some Of the pOacherS We're from the
ranks Of the toughest characters to be
found in the Maine wilderness. and who
knew that to be rounded up by the
wardcns meant fine and perhaps i'm
prisOnment for thorn, and the loss of
their dogs. But the work has been
accomplished and the practice of dog
ging deer made so hazardous and I'M
profitable that it is safe to say that
it has now been abandoned altogether
The work of logging deer was carried
Z on with view to securing the ami
4 mails by setting dogs on their trail and
driving them into the water. where
they fell easy victims to the rifles of
the hunters who there lay in wait for
fhem There is no sound of the woods
that q deer so fears as the baying of 4
hound or the barking of a dog, as it
4 ,
terror as does the howl of the wolf,
their mortal enemy. Instinct has bred
| in them the impulse to seek safety in
hight on hearing that sound and that
same instinct has taught them that
their only safety lies in reaching some
pond or stream into which they can
plunge and swim across and thus elude
their pursucrs. and thus they in
Variably seek water when the dogs arc
set after them
great deal Of ingenuity was dis
played by the poachers who used dogs
for hunting deer, and the animals were
Sedom kept at the camps where the
poaoh"rs made their headquarters Hid
1Eg places were constructed for the
dogs at points in the woods remote
from the camps, and here the dogs
Wore concealed except at such times
as they were wanted for the chase.
hounds were mostly used for the work
but any dog that would bark and was
trained for the purpose was successful
lin the hunt.
when the hunt was on one man
would so back into the woods where
Inc dogs were kept. and turn them
loose, while the other man or men in
me gang would take n canoe and go
I out on the pond or stream, and when
.ne deer were driven into the water
'ne slaughter would follow. Close
watch was also kept for the wardcns
ara on the first suspicion of ones ap-
PrHach the dogs would be hustled away
70 the hiding place. 50 that on the ar
iiVal of the warden at the camp moth
hs could be found to Indicate that it
"as other than legitimate hunting
party stopping there. Oftcntimes too.
uogs would be taken into and brought
nun the woods in bags packed under
The wagon seat.
But if those who logged the deer
we're shrewd the wardens were equally
w. and the poachers. with the law
ssainSt them, played a losing game.
many dogs were killed and many mon
we're prosecuted before the practice
vas stopped. 1t was game between
Some of the keencSt witted and most
iearless men in the State on one side,
with the law behind them. and some
equaltS keen witted mon on the other
ont who had behind them the knowl-
edge that they were breaking the law.
and also the fear of the consequences.
and it does not require much figuring
mSee who would win in the long run.
And they have
The insurance department is getting