The Republican journal., 1909-01-07
their farms, Of vegetables, poultry. eggS

0lAACs al lO way NelA tl1A6 NC uOllC 81 Cx.
fectually, so surely, as to keep up good
ter can only be done through the opera
ton of the fish hatcheries and feeding
stations.
For every dollar appropriated by the
legislature to carry on the work of rails
ing fish more than $500 is expended by
the tourists, among our people. Our
success in attracting the fisherman, the
summer visitor, the tourist, is the marvel
of the country and other countries, and
many are the enquiries received at our
Office as to how this is accomplished, and
great efforts are made by other States,
and the country adjacent to ours, to
obtain a share in our truly wonderful
prosperity in this direction.
Licenses were issued during the year
as follows: To resident guides, 2,096; to
nonresident guides, %; to sporting camp
proprietors, 1870; to taxidermists, 10; to
hunters and trappers Of fur-bearing ami
mails, 200; to dealers in skins of wild
animals, $780,"
The recommendation of Forest Com
missioner Ring for law to regulate the
taking of firearms into the woods in close
season, as well as to stop gunners from
hunting in severe drouth, is approved.
THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS.
The Importance of song and insectivor-
GUS birds to agriculture is fully comment
ed upon, and the great slaughter of rob-
ms during the winter in the south depre
Gated. The suggestion is made that Con-
gress should enact laws protecting inter
state flight birds,
An increase in cartridges is noted, and
a uniform open time on ducks is strongly
urged, and the use of motor boats in
hunting them condemned. That the law
prohibiting the feeding or ''bedding" Of
ducks be repealed, as we'll as the law pro-
tecting looms, is recommended.
Sunday Hunting" comes in for an ex-
tended notice, and it is urged that the
law be either repealed, making that day
close time on game and birds, or else have
a law making it unlawful to have guns in
possession outside ones dwelling on that
day.
The illegal slaughter of game has been
great; one hundred and twenty-three
moose, mostly cows and calves-were il
legally butchered.
One hundred and twenty prosecutions
were instituted and So, 900 in fines collect
ed. Thirty three guns were seized and
they will be sold at auction January 5th
at the State House. Thirty-two regular
and 124 local wardens constitute the
warden force.
Moose show a slight decrease. Of deer
the commissioners say:
''The winter of 1907 and 1908 was ex-
ceptionally favorable to the large herds
of deer still to be found in our northern
forests. None died on account of the
cold, or starved on account of the failure
to secure feed. 1t was most remark
able winter for the safe wintering of
game and game birds. The deer in the
spring were apparently in as good condi-
ton as in the fall. The spring months
were warm and dry, exceedingly favor
able for the safety of the lambs. The
result has been that undoubtedly there
was raised larger herd of young deer,
lambs, than for many years.
HEARTLEss HUNTERS.
''This is, to some extent proven, from
the exceptionally large number of fawn
deer killed during the hunting season, so
noticeable was this that stronger pro-
test than has appeared heretofore is
made against the law that permits the
killing of fawns during the hunting sea-
son.
'It is indeed sickening sight to see a
dead fawn that will not exceed IS pounds
in weight at the transportation office
labelled with the tag from nonresident
hunters license that the State has sold
for shipment to Boston, New York, Phil
adelphia or even to Chicago. At one sta
October, seven fawn deer, none Of which
would weigh over IS pounds, were thus
labelled.
&c foy. {ho ri h. H.
whether this sort of slaughter should be
permitted to continue longer under the
sanction of the law. There appears to
be growing public sentiment that this
sort Of thing should be prohibited by law.
Deer are what may be termed semi-do-
mesticated wild animals. They hang
around, to a considerable extent, civil
ization; they invade gardens, orchards,
moving fields, grain fields and potato
fields, doing to these more or less dam
age The law enacted by the legislature
of 1905, giving to the farmer the lawful
right to shoot deer when found doing
actual substantial damage to his growing
cultivated crops, appears to have been
taken advantage Of to a considerable ex-
tent.
"We have received reports of the kill
ing of 40 deer from this cause this year.
One man, A. M. Currier of Seven Islands,
on the'St. John River, reports killing IA
deer for this cause. Undoubtedly others
have been killed of which we have no re-
ports.
"The other provision Of this law allow
ing compensation to farmers for damage
the deer do, is, we think, quite generally
taken advantage of. The aggregate Of
the damages asked for or demanded
amounts to 81, 531. so, with five other
claims in which no specific amount of
damage was named.
GAS to the quantity of deer-their
numbers as compared with recent years
opinions differ greatly, even among
some having apparently equal opportuni-
ties and information upon which to base
an opinion, as for instance the guides who
guide hunting parties.
Certain it is that many more of our
people go a-hunting from year to year.
1t is estimated that from one-third to
one-half more Of the people Of the State
hunted big game last season than ever
before in a single year. The dull times
-workmen out Of employment-acc
for much of this. Whatever opinion one
may have as to the real facts as to the
increase or decrease in our herds of deer,
all are agreed that the greatest care
should be exercised by all and by law
making power to protect them, to pre-
vent their practical extinction Or ORE t1v