Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-02-13
COMMISSIONER THOMAS REPLIES
TO MR.. PREBLE.

To the Editor of the Free Press:
| note the letter Of G.. II. Prcbc in
recent date of the Free Press, disagree
ing with the commissioner in regard TO
the scarcity of Ruffcd Grouse, our COM
mon partridge. Mr.. Prebc is not the only
ono who does not agree with the com
missioner on this subject.
/ simply expressed conditions from my
| view point We all know that birds haN"
numerous enemies. which Mr.. Prehlo
mentions Go back twenty, thirty or
fifty years. and such noXious vcrmin as
| fox, coon, mink, skunk, weasel squirrel
rats cats and dogs were much more
| plentiful than at the present time, with
| the exception. perhaps, Of cats and dogs
! In those days gone By our forests were
we'll stocked with partridge and other
! game birds Vermont seldom escapes
| genuine winter, with severe storms,
frequently rain. followed by cold, frecz-
| ing weather. However, the loss OF part
ridge from weather conditions is not as
serious as from vcrmin and predaceous
| birds Our common partridge Is
a native bird of our northern
states and throughout the Canadian
provinces, and are able to withstand in
element conditions. The Increase or
! population. the clearing Of forests and
,ho ircre.se of FIRE arms and hunters
including tho other things mentioned,
have upset natures balance, ana birds
arc becoming moro scarce from year TO
year. II is the same with prant, ducks
and geese. though probably not 50
marked as the decrease in upland and
| shore birds
Mr.. Preble mentions that he meyer saw
n man hunting partridge with a dog in
| the fifteen wears he was N Vermont. If
Mr.. Preblc thinks that statement To be
true he saw very few partridge hunters.
| Nine ont of ten partridge hunters IN
Vermont hunt with some KIND oi a
dog The sportsman gets no pleasure
hunting game birds without either
good setter or pointer, and takes MS
game on the wing. The po'-hunter uses
other methods. He uses dog that VIII
fush covey and If freed Will stay ana
bark until the pot hunter gets N ms
| work
In 1905 there were sold in Vermont l.No
| sporting arms. all quick-hre guns FEARS
ago when our game birds were PLENTIFUL
the ordinary muzzle loading gun was
used. Even il this back number was
used to-day it would not save our game
birds from extinction. The combined
conditions mentioned seem to b" the
natural trend Legislative acts. such as
exist. will not prevent eXtermna'lon'
| A closed season (Which is not agreeahie)
| II strictly enforced, would 10 a certain
extent, palliate present conditions
The whole subject in the protection oil
our FISH and game lies within the power
of the people: principle OF PRIDE ana
education OF the people recognizing that
nearly all species Of birds are the asri-
culturalst's best friends. whenever inc
farmers. as we'll as others re"i'~o nav
it is for their interest to better project
our fish and game, that they are a vaiu-
able asset of the state, then we nave
reached the point where public sentiment
is master OF the situation. Wild turkey
carrier pigeons, cure" anu o'"'' va
could mention did not be'om" cx'ihc'
through the natural habits OF N"rnin ana
weather conditions. The man with the
lgun and the Sharing and netting or theS'
birds has been the principal FACTOR IL
determination
The federal government our Hu"""o
socictc5 and game protective orSa"'""'
tons are cognizant of these lacts' III
Millions Of carrier pigeons Wer" rooSuhe
in the immediate vicinity everyone was
out with his gun and thousands OF par
rcls of these birds were Shipped t'
chicago and other eastern cities. To-day