St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-02-09

natural history of Vermont
"It should be observed, however.
that the partial or total disappearance
of many of the smaller birds and land
animals is to be ascribed in no small
degree to the wanton cruelty of youth,
which finds pleasure in the torture
and death of innocent and defence
less creatures. and to the mistaken
prejudice which often ascribes mis-
chievous propensities to particular
birds. quadrupeds, and reptiles that
in reality, by the destruction of vast
numbers Of noMous insects. much
more than compensate the little in
jury they infiict upon the crops"
He then concludes that with re-
spect to land animals we must be COD
tent to accept nature in the shorn and
crippled condition to which human
progress has reduced her."
Though the art of fish culture was
then in its infancy. he foresaw the
possibilities of replenishing the waters
with fish. but he little realized that
the birds so valuable to agriculture
would in a large measure be restored
and that some species of game, then
almost extinct in Vermont, would
through the fostering care of man be
restored to their primeval abundance.
Game Very Plenty.
Have you ever known the par
tridges to be so abundant as during
the past two years? Is there another
state which in proportion to its area
can show such a deer crop as was
harvested this past open season of
eighteen days?
We have the New York Commits
sioner's word for it that no block of
less than 10000 square miles in the
Empire State yielded as many as 6.036
deer during any Is days of the past
open season in that state.
During seasons when 1T was lawfui
to kill bucks only, an average weight
of $50 lbs. each was regarded as con-
sentative, but the killing of does and
fawns cut down the average weight
to 1875 lbs.
Reduced to pounds the deer crop
then amounts to over 100000 lbs. of
venison or more than 2 lbs. for each
man, woman and child in the state
At the beef price of &c per pound, it
means $67, 500 worth of venison.
1 have not spoken boastfully of the
large deer crop-it is probably the
largest ever to be recorded in Vermont
unless the legislature adopts a policy
of extermination-bu it demonstrates
what can be accomplished in breeding
deer and it partially answers those
who say that the game laws are not
enforced,
May Establish killing Zones.
The legalizing of the killing of does
for one season was expedient. Agri-
culture is of first importance in YER
mont and the efforts of horticulturists
to establish large orchards here must
not be discouraged. Most of you are
doubtless familiar with the depreda-
lions of deer in young orchards 1t
may be deemed by the legislature ex-
pedient to authorize the commissioner
to establish zones in the vicinity of
newly planted orchards where deer
hunting will be permitted under prop
er restrictions at other periods than
the regular open seasons. Without
legislative action the law for next
season permits the killing of bucks
only and, as the bucks must have
horns at least three inches long, fawns
of both sexes are protected.
probably one-sixth of the entire
male population over Is years of age
annually devotes one or more days to
the pursuit of deer. The aesthetic
side of craftsmanship is too often lack
ing in this sort of sport. Deer hunt
ers are not necessarily sportsmen.
Many of them are after the meat only.
Some of them would go after a herd
of cattle in a back pasture with the
same zeal if they could obtain a license
to shoot and take home a fat COW or
steer. If such men could market the
deer outside the state the temptation
to kill more than the limit would be
too much for some of them. This,
briefly speaking, is the reason for the