Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-01
Annual Report Of Maine
Commissioners.
Less Deer Taken This Year
Than In 1906.
Small Bird Shooting In State Prac.
tIoaIIy a Failure.

James w. Bracket Oh Philips siAu
Hon. Edgar E. Ring of Orono. filed
with the Governor and Council Tues
day, states that the small bird Shoot
ing has been practically a failure. the
past year in most sections of the
State, while the supply of ducks seems
to have been quite up to the average.
The report further says:
There have been TO indications of
the return to the State of caribou. So
far as reported but one has been seen
IN the State this season. The moose
seem to be holding their own, possibly
increasing. The COW moose should
increase Of course, inasmuch as it is
unlawful to kill one Of them at any
time. The number of moose illegally
killed during the year is 81. 1t is
claimed that several of these were
shot, not by design but by mistake.
lii some instances we are convinced
that this is So The total number of
moose legally killed, as near as we can
get al it. is 303. This number, with 81
reported Illegally killed makes the total
Of 1856 killed this year.
There have been less number of
deer taken this year than We're taken
last year. 1t is undoubtedly true that
in various localities they have been
more plentiful than for years, but tax
ing the State as whole they are less
in numbers than for several years.
Many reasons are advanced why this
is so. most or all of them good ones in
a way, such as the scarcity of food
hard severe winter, migration like
the caribou wildcats, lynx, bears and
foxes destroying them,' etc, etc.
Possibly all of these have to certain
extent contributed. Taking into con-
sideration the number of moose known
to have been illegally slaughtered, is 1t
not fair to presume that as many deer
proportionally have likewise been il
legally slaughtered? If this is so,
then the number illegally killed has
been large.
1.-The carrying of firearms into the
woods in close season by campers,
tourists, workmen in the woods, fisher
men and others, we are convinced is a
prolific source of slaughter of deer in
close season. From the best avail
able sources We estimate that about
$1,000 deer have been killed this yelr
legally and illegally. There are those
VINO insist that there are as many
more deer now than ever in the State
but Optimism as President Roose-
Welt said in his late message to the
Congress. lis good characteristic, but
if carried to an excess it becomes fool
ishness.' One half of the guides re-
port less deer than last year. 191 re-
porting them mere plentiful and $50
about the same.
I'VE have endeavored to study the
situation and the conditions with care,
and shall endeavor to do so during TIE
coming year, in order to be able, if
possible, to present the situation in it's
, true light to the next Legislature.
I'VE are convinced that the law
enacted by the last Legislature, re-
During unnaturalized residents, who
had not resided in the State two years
prior to it's enactment, and do not pay
any taxes on real and personal
property, is step in the right direc-
ton for better bird ard game protec-
ton. We are convinced that this law
! and its rigid enforcement has worked
well and is a good law, as has the la "
| limiting the number of deer to six in
number in one season to a lumber
| camp. Twenty guns have been seized
| under the resident alien law, and will
be sold at auction, as provided by law,
Jan. 7. at Bangor.
Returns show that 1883 residents
! and % non-residehts have been
registered as guides during the year
Their reports show that they guided
14.063 different persons and were
employed S4.37s days at $3.50 per day,
average price per day and board,
would amount to s295,3S3.
| Two hundred and twenty-three
have been licensed to hunt and trap
, the fur bearing animals on the wild
| lands of the State We have reports
from los of these. which show the
following list of wild aniplals capt,1r-
ed: Sable. $50: fisher, 296; mink, 2S6:
! foxes, 319, weasels, 27S; otter. 49,:
raccoons, 80: skunks, II; bears, 40;
lynx and wildcats. 10; ermine, II;
! muskrats, CSC.
We have issued licenses to 131
persons. or partnerships. to keep
places of resort for fishermen or
hunters. They report that they have
entertained $4,000 different guests
They report having consumed 800 deer.
purchasing 104 Of this number One
hundred and ten have been licensed to
purchase deer skins. They report that
they have purchased 1854 skins. a
falling off from last year of about 5000
skins Thirty-nine marketmen have
been licensed to retail deer meat, who
report that they have sold 234 deer to
their local customers. Twenty-six
taXidermists and three to take birds,
their nests and eggs, for scientific
purposes. have been granted licenses.
We have issued 3SS licenses to nom
residents to hunt prior to October first.
Ninety of these paid $40 additional,
after October first, and We're issued
licenses to hunt after October first
We have issued 1913 additional
licenses to hunt to residents after
October first. This is a falling off of
As from last year. The total receipts
from licenses and fines are a little
over $4,000. An itemized list Of ex-
penditures accompanies the report.
The good results from planting fish
from the hatcheries are plainly evident
in more than a thousand lakes, ponds
and streams. Only in this way can a
supply Of fish be kept in our waters.