Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-23
Bounties on Bobcats
And Other Game Plans

Four matters were considered at the
hearing given by the committee on in
land fisheries and game. Wednesday
afternoon.
Representative Edward NJ. Mason of
|. Raymond appeared on behalf of Will
lam f. Jordan and Ga other residents
of that town who had petitioned To
have Panther pond opened to ice fish
i ing. Mr.. Mason explained that the
pond had been closed in 1909 by a
nonresident who lived 20 miles from
the pond and was there only during
the summer. The representative said
the residents and tax payers thought
they ought to have the right to fish
in the pond. A copy of a letter from
w r. Plummer of Raymond was read
This was IN favor of keeping the
pond closed. In the communication
it was said that certain residents of
the town We're anxious to "catch the
last fish in the pond" Attention was
called to the fact that Sebago lake
which is only a mile away. is open to
| ice fishing. A letter from Frank NJ
Hawkes., selectman of New Gloucester.
in favor of opening the pond was read
Blaine s. Niles. one of the commits
sioners Of inland fisheries and game
appeared before the committee in
support of an act relating to the sale
of fish artificially propagated and
/ maintained and game propagated and
maintained in captivity. He said the
present laws We're complicated and
sometimes conflicting and il was the
desire of the commissioners to get a
simple law through. He read the pro-
posed law which provided that cor
porations or individually might legally
buy fish and game for propagation and
to keep them. Mr.. Viles said a law
similar to this was presented two
years ago, but that it had been vetoed
by the Governor because it was feared
large stretches of territory might be
fenced in for game preserves. This
would not be possible under the law
/ proposed as the game commissioners
could make regulations with the con-
sent of the Governor and council
w. l. Neal of Waldo spoke in favor
! of the law and suggested tagging of
the fish artificially propagated when
they are shipped.
Representative Mooers brought up
the question of parcel post and wanted
| TO know how any one could tell, if
| fish were shipped this way, whether
+. they were or were not tagged.
Considerable interest was manifested
! in the act to amend Chapter 1879 of the
Public Laws of 1909 providing for a
bounty on bob-cat, loup-cervier and
Canada lynx. Representative o. NJ.
Taylor of Topsfield appeared in favor
of this. He said it had been proposed
to increase the present bounty from
81 to s.. He said that hundreds of
fine deer were being killed in Wash
ington county by the bobcats and that
he knew of six or eight being killed
within so rods of his own farm build
lngs last winter Scores had been
killed in seasons past The deer. he
said are driven into the second
growth, there killed and left to rot.
Mr.. Neal brought up the question of
animals being killed on the other side
of the Canadian border and being
brought into Maine for the bounty.
Mr.. Taylor said this could not happen
In Washington county as the officials
there We're on to this game. 1t was
pointed out that the price received for
bob-cat fur was not enough to pro-
! vide an incentive for farmers and
others to hunt them for their skins.
Harry b. Austin of Phillips called
attention to similar conditions in his
own county. but said that prime bob
! cat skins were worth from 81 to "a
! there. Seth F. Clark read records to
| show that in 1912, bobcats had been
! killed to the number of 404 upon which
| bounties had been paid Up to the
| present time, 81 have been paid for
| this year.
No one appeared to speak on the
| petition of A. w. Hart and Is others,
! residents of Lincoln and Magallaway
+, plantations who want Black, Abbott,
| Beaver. Bog. old and Lincoln brooks
IN Lincoln plantation, and Harmon,
Aldridge. Meadow and Big brooks in
/ Parkertown so-called. closed to f1shing.