Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-11-10
THE DEER SLAUGHTER CD


the columns, yes pages, of editorial
comment on the question by the Yer
mont press, by writer's who apparent
ly know very little of the practical
working out of the various open sea-
son laws, the Monitor feels that what
ever it might say will be equally use
less, surely as harmless and probably
as far from the truth certainly not
further) as most of the rest of the dis
cussion.
The matter has been dealt with
from the sentimental, aesthetic, cold
blooded, economic, humanitarian and
several other sides, but thus far the
common sense side of the question has
received but little consideration. The
editor doesn't wish to infer that he can
present this side either, but wishes
to shoot off a few rambling notions
and observations gathered at first !
hand, in the woods, with a gun, dur
ing three different seasons, with sue
cess and without. His observations
are of course as seen in Orleans coun
ty where the labour of his hunting ex-
perience has been spent, but condi.
tions are not probably vastly different
In other sections.
Some paper has asked, "What is to
become of the motherless fawns?"
Why dear contemporary, what be-
came of them last year? and the
years before that? In the first place
it is the rare exception and not the
rule that fawns are so young not to
be able to take care of themselves
after the last of October. We are told
that deer mate in November and De-
cember and the young are born in May
and June and that at the age of three
or four months at the most are capa-
BILE of taking care of themselves
There are probably rare exceptions.
The Monitor has said the young fawn
would get along this year as they have
done in the past. Now let US explain.
In the town in which the writer hunt
ed last year there were reported five
deer killed but the writer himself ran
across one doe carcass, game warden
told him of finding one and one other
was reported from reliable sources,
two others were also said to have
been found. We cannot prove that
only five doe were killed but it was
generally believed and talked that
five would be low estimate, but that
as many doe were killed as buck.
This year five deer were killed and
reported, three does and two bucks and
it is believed that was all. Which,
pray, was the most conducive of
game perpetuation and honesty?
What was true in this town will, the
writer believes, hold true to a larger
would like to admit.
The Monitor does not believe these
reports going the rounds of the press
stating that from 5000 to 10000 have
been killed. but in the event tha
number is officially reported we be
lieve the number actually killed il
not greater than last year, when doe
were not reported. Many familie
and some whole communities are sal,
to live on venison the year roun
and people in position to know thinl
there are as many deer killed out O
season as there are in. What W
want in relation to this deer seaso
is what we want in other matter
throughout Vermont and that is er
forced laws. But we will not bav
enforced laws here as elsewhere unit
the people demand it.
1t does not seem entirely consistel
IN the state to deprive man, who h;
paid for the privilege to hunt, fro
hunting on posted land which may CO
slst OF nearly the entire state, esp
clally IS this true of nonresident wi
has paid dearly for the privilec
Neither does it seem consistent
some men, who claim great dana,
from deer and have received mon
from the state for damages, to 90
their land. That is pretty near Ii
raising hedgehogs for the bountie
After all wouldn't it be about as W.
to give the hunters a month in viii
to get one deer of any description 8
cept fawn, and from the revenue
the licenses pay wardens enough
they could afford to see that the ]
was enforced. This would prevent
great rush and so called danger
"open week., and would not the w,
er believes, mean the killing of m
deer than now.
If some of the editors who reel
columns of stuff about the terri
doe slaughter" would shoulder a
and travel so miles, more or less, d
ing the week and not even get 81
of ono of these innocenfs there un