The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-11-27

UP, Hunters Are Agreed That II Would be
Best For the Deer and the Hunters.


Best For the Deer and the Hunters.
The Marquette Mining Journal OF
Monday contained an interview with
a number of Marquette county hunters
that nits the nail right on the head in
the matter OF preventing fatalities In
the woods among deer hunters. IL ad-
vocates an open season.
The Marquette men are saying just
what the hunters In this section are
saying. In fact the talk about hore has
been to either get an open seas)n or
change the season for hunting from
November to September. The Mar
quette papers article is as follows;
Speaking OF the shortcomings Of
the present deer laws. several Mar
quette sportsmen expressed themselves
yesterday as Of the opinion that the
annual loss OF life would be greatly re-
duoed and that no more deer would be
killed. II there were an open season all
the year around. That the present
laws have not worked 10 increase the
number of deer In the upper peninsula
and that the short season, bringing a
horde OF hunters into the woods at
once. is taking an immense toll in hn-
man lives each year Is evident to all
who have made anything like care
ful study OF the situation.
" Years ago when It was legal to
kill deer at any time OF tine year. IL
seems TO me that fewer OF the animals
were slaughtered than now,'' said a
prominent Marquette man yesterday.
{" i can remember whsn.comparatively
few local hunters went after deer more
than one or two days In the year at
the most. and when lower peninsula
hnnter' In this locality were practical
ly unknown. There wasn't any talk
about deer being scarce in those days
either and II was rarely indeed that
hunter was shot by another
A." 1t strikes me that the principle
of restricting the slaughter OF deer to
a few days each year is a mistake.
Granting that the shooting could be
restricted 10 that season. it strikes me
that as many IL not more sportsmon go
into the woods during that season tnan
would the whole year round. II there
were no.restriction. The time OF the
deer season Is advertised all over the
country. the railroads offer special
rates 10 the upper peninsula and the
result Is that there are between 3, 900
and 5000 hunters north of-the straits
at the present time. in addition 10 the
resident hunters. What chance do the
deer have. with camp OF men every
few miles in all parts OF the woods,
one hunter chasing them right into
the rifle range OF anotherf
" IL is a good deal the same as an
invitation 70 big party. IL takes
place on certain night-and we know
that II we do not go then there will be
no party 10 20 TO. The result Is that
everybody goes and there is an i'm
ihchNN NAVNNs vi but otutl uhubl ~
people knew they could 90 to that
party ANY night In the year. many
would put IL off from one night to
another. would take little interest in
the affair, and perhaps woulo fail TO
go At all That is Exactly the way u
was with deer hunting few years
ago. Hundreds OF .men are now going
into the woods during the deer season
that never thought OF hunting deer.
when tney conId be hunted any time
and venIron could be had In the butch
er shops almost any day.
We're there an open season. com
paratively few nonresident hunters
would come hers TO hunt. as there
would be no particular time 10 come
and the fact that there were deer here
would not he advertised. Most Of the
deer killed would be killed by resident
hunters and farmers. who hunted be.
cause they wanted meat not merely
for the so-oalled sport OF killing, As
II Is now, there are probably a. many
T(,crf tr,rnd ~, l5,..x. fsg,sr