Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-01-15

+,r. for a law whereby all hunters are
70 be registered. I am not particoial
DC IN the amount Of the fee, put l am
n.rticular that all who carry gun
have in their possession license tiia'
will nrotect him and the state alike
and be a menace to law breakers.
In these DAYS of the automobiles TINS
law is more necessary than ever anu
tends to stop the poacher from out Oh
tho state. and some from within. II
seems to me that there are so many
reasons why we should have this law
and so few why we should not nave IT,
that It should be given a trial. Most
hunters seem to be of the same opln-
ion. and 1 am continually asked 10
urge the passage of this law. l nave
never met a warden who did not Ia
| vor it. and it has the Endorsement OF
the commissioners. This being the case
let our association try again ana again
if necessary. Once on the statute
| books and you will find It popular
| feel certain. Only seven states DO not
have such law and all the Canadian
provinces have it. We are one of the
| seven. and if we wait much longer we
may be alone.
We want to say that the people are
| awake to the fact that fish and game
| are a big asset to our State; that the
interest in this association is greater
than ever; that we are doing good
work in the interests Of the State and
are putting our shoulder to the wheel
| to help the cause along. This associa-
! ton is growing in numbers and useful
ness. 1t is a work of love, and l hope
our mistakes if we make them, will be
laid to our enthusiasm for the cause.
| I wish to thank this association for
| the loyal support given to it's officers on
| all occasions.
ROBERT ]. HODGSON, Pres.
As if he had said the word CO." a
number started the discussion Immediate
ly after the president finished HIS report.
Considerable time was given to the dis
cussion Of game bird propagation in
Maine and it was made to appear that
the pheasant can live happily in south
ern Maine at least and that quail can
exc out an existence in York county as
we'll. Many advocated an attempt at the
Introduction of these game birds through
out Maine. but those better versed in the
| possibly live through the rigors of
northern or even central Maine winter.
Chairman Harry B. Austin of the depart
| ment of fish and game announced that
! Curator James is winterng about 30
pheasants with which the department
! is experimenting. The wardens led the
discussion on warden service and took up
| with the slogan of the association which
| Pres. Hodgson stated: More money,
| more wardens, more game" The wardens
as a whole said they thought lumber OPP
orators do not employ men to shoot down
! deer for their lumber camps and it is
! generally forbidden by the big operators
! that their men kill deer or any other
/ game Illegally. it was stated, however
4 that small operators often use more than
/ the season limit of six deer to a lumber
! camp. Warden Wood of Greenville ad-
vocated a law prohibiting the use of any
! deer in the lumber camps as the only
! regulation which would be effective and
one which would not result in any injus-
! tice or hardship to the lumbermen, as
! SIX deer are hardly to be reckoned in
the great amount of meat which is con-
sumed weekly in the camps. Former
Senator NJ. c. Morrill, of Gray said he
was chief warden of Cumberland county
because he was the only warden in the
county and had to be chief if anyone was
chief. He and the many who followed
him advocated a bigger warden service
and number insisted that the warden
/ should be put upon Il civil service basis
i the State is ever to have eincient game
protection. The discussion upon the res
ident hunters registration indicated that
practically everyone present favored it,
and Pres. Hodgson declared that the as
sociation should bend every effort to ac-
complishing the passage of the act by
the next Legislature
A. ii. Dinsmore of Vermont delivered
a popular and scientific lecture combined
at the close of the afternoon discussion
He used lantern slides. many of which
were very beautiful showing hatcheries
in the West and scenes in and about the
regions where the hatcherfes are located
and the grand scenes of the West where
in fish and game abound.
DR.. Heber Bishop. who delivered the
afternoon lecture last year, was present
and just before the stereopticon lecture
he exhibited two very remarkable speci-
mems of rainbow trout, mounted with
great skill. The trout were taken from
his pond in Industry and were of Virginia
parentage.