The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1913-10-06
DEER PLENTIFUL
SEASON NEARS
State Wide Open Season Policy
In Massachusetts,.
MANY HUNTERS EXPECTED.

Animals About a. A~pprosohsbIs n
Cows In a Pasture-sportsmsn's Car
nIvsl Expeeted-Huntsrs Must Be-
cure Licenses and Report TO Game
Warden Every Time . Deer 10 Killed.
Springfield, Mass.-The state wide
open season for deer In the week be-
ginning Nov. II win be a notable
hunters carnival. Deer have been rig
idly protected I'm Massachusetts, and
the FIRST open season, three years ago,
was restricted TO the five western coun-
ties In spite Of three open seasons
deer are now more numerous In the
hin towns than ut the time OF the Rev.
%olutionary war. Ia which period they
were unprotected. Farmers complaints
OF the depredatlons of deer were deity
turned to advantage by hunters as an
argument for a state wide open sea-
son, which will be given a trial this
fall.
The greater part OF the 10000 or
more deer I'm the state are I'm the FIVE
western counties, but I'm the open sea-
son, when the woods and hills resound
with the report OF firearms, the fright
ened animals fee eastward In droves.
This year the fight OF the deer, unless
IL be over the borders Of another state,
win not avail. and 1t is expected that
the slaughter will be much greater
than last year, when about 1000 deer
were killed.
The aw requires that all hunters
shall be licensed and that n report
shall be made to the fish and game
commission OF every deer killed. The
penalty is so severe that the pro
visions are generally observed.
Notwithstanding that deer In parts
OF Massachusetts, are almost as ap-
~proachable as cows In a pasture. and
In many towns by the exercise OF a
little patience they can be prevailed
upon 10 eat from ones hand, the open
season has a fascination for thousands
OF hunters. In Springfield alone lest
year more than one thousand hunters
licenses were issued. This year a
small army OF hunters from Boston
and other cities I'm the eastern part OF
the state will participate, not 10 men
ton New York and Philadelphia hunt
ers, n majority of whom are stock
brokers. Game wardens are OF the
opinion that there will be a hunter for
nearly every deer, and that when the
1914 Legislature convenes the surplus
deer population will be the least OF its
troubles.
Tho principal restrictions of the open
season are that no hunter shall kill
more than n deer, that the meat shall
not be resold. that there shall be no
resort either to traps or salt ticks and
that no weapon other than a shotgun
shall be used. To minimize the danger
which attends the presence OF 20 many
hunters In the woods a special statute
has been passed which prohibits hunt
ing for birds or quadrupeds with rifles.
pistols or revolvers during the open
season for deer. In former years a
large number OF deer hunters have used
rifles. and IL detected would insist that
they were bird OF rabbit hunting and
that the deer vas killed accidentally.
The new law eliminates this excuse.
Candor compels the statement that
deer hunters are guilty In too many
instances OF unseemly depredations,
and the utter disregard OF the rights
OF others by a comparatively few hunt
ers has led TO the posting OF thousands
OF acres OF land by indignant farmers.
Some idea OF the increase In the
number Of deer In Massachusetts, may
be gained from the damages which
the state has been called upon to pay
TO farmers. As II is unlawful to kill
deer except under great ~provocation.
the state has found It necessary to
compensate farmers for damage to
orchards. gardens and growing crops.
In 1903 the state paid x237 to settle
deer damage claims. In 1908 the
amount had risen to $3.50. Last year
Massachusetts farmers collected $16.-
600 for the d~epredations or deer.