The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-10-19
FRANK B. HOWE, Editor and Publisher
Open Season for Doe.


open Season for Doe.
Mr. Howe of Bennington has intro
duced an innocent-looking bill by the
title of Fl, II, relating to the open
season for deer. This merely refers
to the dates, which include the last
week IN October that contains six
working days and prohibits the shoot
ing of deer between sunset and sun
rise. The "joker' comes in the cmis
sion OF the words, with horns and
therefore, Includes doeiin the coutem-
plated slaughter. If this oil were
only amalgamated with H. 2, which
would make the open season extend
over 20 days, the deer question would
soon disappear from public life. II
both bucks and doe were hunted for
20 days the problem of deer damage
would speedily resolve itself INTO a
gleeful jest
Seriously, 1t seeng a pity, now that
Vermont has by severe pains succeed.
ed in establishing a good herd of deer
to take any radical or permanent
steps that would tend to deplete its
numbers The slaughter of doe would
add features of brutality to the annu
al battue that it happily lacks at pres
ent. When we can read such touch
| ing tributes to the wounded buck as
may at any moment be turned off the
pen of any "sentimentalist' who loves
dumb animals, consider the affecting
sort of an agony-column that might be
maintained when the picture of the
stricken doe might be drawn, her eyes
glazed in death and the terrified fawn
dashing away into the forest mother
less.
The Herald is inclined to maintain
its former position and maintain that
the way to increase our deer herds Is
not by killing doe, even though 1t
might last but six days and the law
be repealed by the same legislature
which passed 1t.
Why not let we'll enough alone in
this matter of game legislation ?-Rut-
land Herald.
The sole object of legislation in
Vermont is not to make a deer park
of the state. II It were we might
agree with the Herald. There is also
a sentimental reason against the
slaughter OF deer which appeals to
many and to their credit, but that is
not the entire question.
The fact is that deer have become
so numerous as to be, in many cases
a real nuisance to farmers in the
mountain towns During the past
three months claims aggregating over
$500 have been filed against the state
for damage done by deer and there
is good reason to believe that this
represents but fraction of the actual
damage done. If the deer law is TO
remain as it is at present the state
must be prepared to pay from $4,000
to $4,000 during the next two years
for damage done by deer.
Those familiar with the matter
agree that the damage done by deer
is quite largely by doe which have
been protected until they have gotten
over being very wild and live around
farms and cultivated fields and always
ready to eat buckwheat. beans, cab
bage and other choice farm crops
The farmers are getting sick Of II
and already, as shown by the report
of the fish and game commissioner
are killing of the doe Illegally.
The idea entertained by Mr. Howe
OF Bennington when he introduced
House bill IL was that It would b
best for the legislature to provide fol
an open season for both buck anC
doe for this year. It would result II
killing off a good many Of the hal
domesticated doe and soaring tbs
others back into the woods. Should
It prove too disastrous to the dee
the present legislature could amend
or repeal the law at this session an'
no great harm would be done. l
is not yet too late to do this.
At the worst Il would be only tw'
years before there would be a chance
to change the law and an open seasol
I Of one week a year for two year
, could not possibly be absolutely fata
to the deer either from the farmer
point Of view or from the yie'
, OF the person who loves the deer b,
= cause OF It's beauty and grace and b
/, cause he hates to see one OF the grea
, est attractions OF our hills and mouI
! tains destroyed But the members g
the legislature cannot please bot
sides. Il seems to the Banner tina
, the best they can do is to take th
: middle ground offered by House bi