The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-08-30
THE RED DEER

The upper peninsula could reap grea
profit from the deer with proper laws
for their preservation and rigid on
forcement of such acts The deer ha'
now better cover and better food thar
ever before in this region. II was moi
80 long ago that there were no deer
in this peninsula. Their coming was
told about by many of the old settlers
of this northern country. The lum
bering IN the upper peninsula started
a great crop of new things that deer
are fond of The cutting of pine was
followed by many great fires and
throughout these burned over areas
dense growth OF wild cherry, poplar
and tender shrubbery have followed,
making a much better hiding place for
the animals. as well as better feeding
grounds, than the original forests
Clover and timothy have sprung mp
and spread from the old lumber roads
until il is general and affords much
food for the deer. Salt is more plen.
tiful. TO.
In the early spring the deer feed on
the tender shoots later on the grasses
and when these have dried up so as
TO become tough. lily pads and other
water vegetation is popular. ii is this
food the deer are now enjoying. The
''slashings' In the woods are sought
in the fall for soft shoots later the
ground hemlock is popular, and IN the
dead OF winter the deer seek the cedar
swamps, browsing on the twigs TO be
found, and getting very poor before
the snow goes
The deer would increase IL given a
tair chance. as their natural food is
increasing steadily ard the second
growth woods afford them much
better hiding place than the old for
ests.
The annual slaughter of the animals
makes sad holes in their numbers.
The change in the law taking effect
the 10th of next November and permit.
some but 1t would have been better
had the law given permission for only
one deer and that a buck. this 70 be
observed for term of years or so long
as needed TO permit reasonable multi.
pication of the deer fanny.
Wolves get some deer. but great
number are illegally shot at salt ticks
during the summer season and this
isn't exclusively done by the poor
homesteader either. The crack of
rifles in the dusk of evening, and early
morning IL not uncommon in thou
sand places In the upper peninsula and
snining' deer still goes on frequen
tly There are many people who 70.
sent the army who come here annually
TO kill deer protected and fattened ON
upper peninsula lands They feel that
the deer are fast being slaughtered
from the face of the earth, and they
argue that they may as well get their
deer early as il will not be so long te-
fore this beautiful game will be very
rare in this region So deer are being
killed from mid summer right through
late winter, and il IS this steady kill.
ing that aids much in making the
fall limiting moor
The deer are going fast The army
of hunters annually grows larger, com.
ing from All over Michigan and near
by states, and they hunt perastently.
in packs, driving deer out Of cover by
blowing Of horns and ringing Of bells
and other such unsportmenliKe meth.
DDS. The law ism observed excepting
in few localities and the deer steadily
grow less IN number When. like the
carrier pigeon. they are All gone, we
will spend lot Of money trying TO
find pair Tor breeding purposes
It's a pity. and a shame