Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-13
SAYS DEER EAT WEEDS NOT RYE
Citehfield County Artist Claims He
Has Proofs--criticises Deer Law.

Walter King Stone, artist, who has
made close study of the habits OF
deer and other animals that roam
Litchf1eld hills when state laws per-
NIT, discusses both deer and law as
follows:
81 have made a rather careful study
OF deer and their food for years in
geological collections, and for the last
1--WE years here in Connecticut with
deer IN the wild state. Anyone who
will take the trouble to follow deer
when there is snow on the ground and
VIII carefully observe his browsing will
find the following foods in the order
OF his liking for them: Prostate yew,
sometimes called ground hemlock Che
can eat every scrap. of that he can
get1, sumae berries, frozen apples,
hemlock twigs, arbor vitae, twigs of
several deciduous trees and shrubs,
including apple. This last is his only
serious destructive taste However,
the protection which one is obliged
to give to young trees against rabbits
could be carried higher and give pro-
lection against the deer Deer are
fond of apples and will travel miles
to some apple tree to get the frozen
fruit. They are also fond of buck
wheat But to show how exaggerated
are the reports of damage I will re-
late an experiment of mine
I placed a peck Of apples in q. pile
at the edge of my garden and three
deer came out Of the woods and ate
apples for little over half an hour.
They then left quietly, for they were
not disturbed or frightened On ex-
amining the apples found that less
than half peck had been eaten.
though the deer had eaten steadily ali
mine was with a field of young rye
In Rye Every Evening.
II saw them feeding in the field of
about two acres every evening for
about q week. At the end of that time
the owner of the field and went over
the whole field. following their tracks.
put could md no trace of their hav-
ing eaten the rye. The explanation is
that they had bsen eating weeds, IF
you viii notice the food they like
hemlock, ground yew, sumac berries
all have a sour or acrid taste. Deer
VIII leave field Of grass and eat the
weeds among the grass. and have
observed this where deer are in cap
tivity.
81 realize that the deer should be
kept down in number, but this could
be done by framing a law making it
unlawful Tor a man to shoot anything
but buck with ant1ers. This would
protect the deer enough to insure the
race from determination. One metal
tag, with number corresponding with
the number OF his license, should be
given to each. man who takes out a
license. This should be attached to the
carcass of the deer Immediately after
1t Was shot, so there would be little
chance to evade the law. This law
would also protect the hunters, for il
man was Obliged to see his quarry
plainly enough to see whether or not
he had antlers. he also could see
whether he was shooting a deer or a
man.
II the papers are perused during
the open season for deer, 1t will be
0nd hat frnr
York and New Jersey Is about as dan
gerous for the hunter and the inno-
cent bystander as for the deer.
Short Sighted Law.
1.-The legislation Is very short sighted
| In another way. Many outsiders from
the cities are coming into the rural
districts Of Connecticut, bringing mon-
| ey. building homes and SO adding
wealth to the state. Few come to farm
| 1t compared with those who are at
| traeted by our hills, lakes and streams
One OF the greatest attractions Of
Litehfield county Il can testify, for ]
was one who was iured from the city,
was the deer. Il say was advisedly )
You tell man that deer actually come
| into his doeryard II he lives in Con-
necticut and It Is q big lure to the
cramped city dweller who must travel
across town in a crowded trolley OF
subway to see q few creatures in
4 feel that I would not have come
| but for the deer. The deer are like
our hills and lakes, q beautiful natu-
raj feature. and we should hesitate to
extermfnate them as we would hesitate
| (were It possible) to remove our hills
| to make more farming land or drain
Twin lakes to raise celery.
/ 'sBut We are IN a fair way to exter-
inmate them. Last winter the hill
back Of Twin lakes harbored at least
eight and yesterday tramped the
whole hin over ana aid not ana sim
ne track