Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-10-28
.FAVORS KILLING DOES
County Warden Frost Would Give
Law Further Trial
Thinks FlVe-Ineh Trout Law Would Save
Much Lying and Evsslon-Early Season
Was a Decided Success.

Much Lying and Evaslon-Early Season
Was Decided Success.
In his report to the state fish and game
commissioner County Commissioner Ros-
we'll L. Frost OF Brattleboro makes some
interesting comment on fish and game
and the working of the law in windham
county. The text of Mr.. F'rosts report
Is as follows:
In reply to your request for a report on
the conditions of the fish and game In
Windham county for the year 1909 I
take great pleasure In considering some
Of the things which are of especial i'm
portance in this county. From the re-
ports which have come in to me from
various sections OF the county and from
my personal investigations, believe that
the fish and game laws, in general, are
working in a satisfactory manner and that
few changes are needed at the present
time. The many hunters and fishermen
with whom l have talked appear to be
well satisfied with the present laws. l
will take up the various aspects of the
question under separate heads.
From what I know of conditions In
Windham county, | think the law allow
ing does to be killed should remain in
force one or two seasons more If the
Legislature Of 1910 should make no change
in this provision OF the game laws the
desired end would be gained If there
Suoulu ne Il utuldlu lot Il CndhBe AFTER a
trial OF two seasons more the legislature
of 1912 could make a change which would
become effective that fan. The greater
part of the damage in this section Is done
by the tame" deer does and fawns
mostly. as they do not roam far from the
open land. Although large number OF
does were killed I'm the last open season.
the farmers do not report any noticeable
decrease in the number OF deer seen about
their farms.
Farmers throughout the county are
making well-founded complaints about
the damage done by deer l have in
veStigatod personally many claims for
/ damages and have made awards in ~
cases In no case has the amount Of the
award been more than a small portion OF
the actual loss To the farmers. In one
case, the total destruction OF an orchard
of young trees, | awarded damages of
Sl75. The actual loss to the farmer, TAX
| ing into consideration the setback to the
orchard. was more than SlOuI. Many
! farmers who have suffered heavy losses
! feel that the return from the state is
| inadequate. Apple orchards have suffer
ed the most but buckkheat, oats and
/ garden crops have been damaged eNtcn-
siyely. I know that many cases of small
| damage have not been reported to me as
the greatest award l could make would
| he so small compared to the actual loss
/ The only present remedy is TO erect an
expensive high fence \ material re-
! ducton in the number Of tame" deer
! appears to be the only right solution of
! the problem.
| On the whole deer appear to be about
| as common as they were last year Prob
! ably 500 were killed in the county during
! the year. but the natural increase In the
! spring was large and I doubt II there
| has been an actual decrease OF 10 per
! cent from last year. decrease Of at
| least - per cent is necessary for the pro-
| lection OF the farmers in this county
! Under the present conditions most OF this
| decrease would come from the tame"
| deer
! According 10 the reports OF many bird
| hunters grouse are slightly more common
! than they were in the fail of 1898. but
| they have not been as common as in the
! few years previous to that. Some dis
ease seems to be working havoc with
| them. Many dead birds have been found
| in the woods. All have a yellowish. dis
| eased color. and they appear TO have be
| come dumpsh and settled down to die
| Native woodcock were quite plentiful
during the fan but the flight birds from
the north were scarce, | do not see the
need of any changes I'm the law relating
to game birds, and most OF the hunters
| are of the same opinion.
The trout streams are recovering from
| the effect Of the drought OF 1913. and in
another year the conditions will be about
] norman. l ne drought kllltt the small
! trout in large numbers. especially in tho
! small brooks, but the conditions have
! been favorable since. There has been
little stocking of the brooks during the
year. From experience OF the past few
years, | advocate stocking exclusively
with lingering trout as the trout fry
do not survive in any numbers Stocking
with fngerlings has proved very success
full a number Of brooks which were prac-
ticaly fished out now being fairly well
stocked in this way. Some of the brooks
have been ruined by sawdust. More
stringent regulations should be put in
force to restrain this evil.
There is a general demand that the
limit on trout should be reduced from six
to five inches. Many good trout are
caught between five and six inches long
and the fishermen are disposed to keep
them, or at least to use their discretion
about keeping them. They resort to all
sorts of subterfuges to evade detection.
The aim of the law could be carried out
much better II the limit were made five
inches. Most of the trout between five
and six inches in length which are thrown
back into the brooks do not survive. The
smaller ones rarely get hooked so severe
ly that they are seriously injured. Few
| fishermen care to carry a trout less than
five inches long, but they would like
| legal permission to save the good ones
between five and six inches in length
With a fve-inch law, the work of the
wardens would be much simpler and the
fishermen would be saved much lying and
evasion. Aside from this the fish laws
are satisfactory in this county. The ear
lier fishing season in Windham county
proved a decided success. More fisher
men caught good strings but there were
fewer excessive catches, and more good
trout remained In the brooks at the close
of the season than in any recent year.
In my work as county fish and game
warden, have had the heartest support
and cooperation from the deputy war
dens and, for the most part, from the
fishermen and hunters themselves. The
town officials and court officers have as
sisted me materially in my work, and
1 have found the newspapers very willing
and efficient channels through which to
send warning to the fishermen and hunt
ers OF the county.