The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-01-30
Maxey Writes Letter.
Gives Valuable Information Concern.
Ing Matters Pertaining to Game
Law Movements.

In reply to letter received from
prominent members of the Portage
Lake Rod and Gun Club, Representa-
tive Maxey gives some valuable infor-
nation pertaining to the game laws and
the conditions under which the upper
peninsula will have to act in the near
future.
His letter in part is as follows:
I'VE have a majority of the game
committee from the upper peninsula so
there is no excuse for not making a
law that will suit our boys. So far l
find the people down here in favor of
reducing it to one deer.
''The thing notice which will hurt
our country the most in the future is
that the sportsmen living down in this
country have asked the legislature to
cut out most of the counties in the
lower peninsula and close the season
for killing deer. One bill just present
ed closes about ten counties. You can
plainly see from this what you are go
ing to be up against in the future in the
upper peninsula. With closed season
down here the northern woods will be
swarmed with hunters. 1t is question
in my mind if you won't have to ask for
closed season for a part of your
counties"
Much opposition to the argument ia
vorinp limiting the slaughter of deer to
antlered animals is manifested here. 1t
is believed the law should limit the
number killed to one for each hunter
without reference to sex. Otherwise
many deer would be killed and left ly-
ing in the woods by hunters who didn't
know they had antlers or not when they
shot.
AS Baraga county has been the Nee
ca for hunters from the various coun-
ties in the upper peninsula and espec-
tally SO for those from the lower penin-
sula, we feel that some immediate ac-
ton should be taken toward the "clos-
ing down" act in this county at once,
for unless such is done, it is plainly ev-
ident that Mr.. Maxey's prediction will
sooner or later be sad reality.
To Baraga county people, this would
in certain sense seem severe, as many
are they who can neither afford to go
to other communities in search ofgame
or be without the benefits derived from
the privilege of hunting deer, but when
it is considered on the other hand, that
fewer deer were killed during the past
year by local hunters than there were
by those from outside, it would seem
wise and profitable plan.
The lower peninsula hunter, and the
hunters from surrounding counties, are
a detriment in more ways than one.
First, they take their licenses out in
the county in which they reside, and
hunt in Baraga county, they come with
a carload of provisions and supplies, the
benefit given to their local merchants,
not those of Baraga county, while in
the woods they are, as usual thing,
careless and reckless in the use of fire.
arms, and their regard for game which
is prohibited is so slight that they
make themselves doubly obnoxious.
On the whole, with the outlook now
at hand for the big percentage Of
hunters from ten closed counties, along
with the many now under the ban, in
the lower peninsula, heading toward
the upper peninsula and especially Bar
aga county, we deem it proper time to
urge upon the citizens of the county
the Importance of this subject, and
trust that they will profit by "the
handwriting on the wall"
Mr.. Maxey is inclined to favor bill
protecting the deer throughout the year
in that part of Baraga county north of
the South Shore railroad tracks, and we
are informed that general endorse
nelt of the citizens would be given on
such law.