Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-07
Fish and Game

1911 anu SdIHS
A hearing on the proposed act for
the registration Of resident hunters
through the payment of a small Ii
cense fee furnished considerable ex-
cltement in the House chamber Tues
day afternoon. The bill was supported
by representatives of the Inland Fish
and Game Commission, the game war
dcns and the Maine Sportsmen's Fish
and Game Association. 1t was opposed
by several speakers from all sections
OF the State. representing no organized
interest. The remarks made by the op-
ponents of the bill were frequently ap-
plauded by the interested audience in
the hall of Representatives.
The bill advertised for hearing today
was one drawn up by the commission,
providing registration license fee for
resident hunters of $1.15. But another
bill, introduced by Rep. Clason of Lis
bon, providing for a. registration of
resident fishermen as we'll as hunters,
with a fee of $1.00, was discussed at
the same time.
The proponents of the measures
were given an hour in opening. the OPP
ponents an hour and quarter and the
Chairman Harry B. Austin of the In
land Fish & Game Commission open
cd in favor of the bill. He said the
commissioners We're unanimous that
some form of resident hunters regis
tration is necessary, but it does not
make any difference to the commits
sioners personally whether any revenue
is derived from the registration or not.
nationality of such measure, he said,
since the supreme court has decided
that the game of a State belongs to
! the citizens of that state. who may
make such regulations as they see fit.
Hunting conditions in Maine have
been greatly changed, he said. by the
advent of the automobile. Because so
many people can dodge into the State
and out by automobile it is now abso-
lutely impossible to locate the nom
resident hunters, as formerly, for the
enforcement of the nonresident hunt
ers' license law.
If some way could be provided, of
distinguishing resident hunters from
non resident hunters and aliens, as by
registration of all hunters, it was be-
| leved there would be an increase in
income from non resident hunting Ii
censes of 20 per cent, which would
mean an increase of about $4,000 an
nually. Another difficulty of the pres
ent system is that it is impossible to
detect aliens who are hunting in our
State without any right, and who con-
stitute menace to the animal and
bird life of the State.
The registration of resident hunters.
he said, would furnish means for just
this identification.
The bill as drawn by the commits
sion would also aid in keeping track
of the value Of the game in and to the
State by providing for annual reports
to the commission of the amount of
game taken.
No class of people should be more
interested in the passage of hunt
ers' registration law. he declared. than
the farmers. Live game on a farmers
property is a resource. At present ir-
responsible hunters from nearby city
can visit his place in an afternoon, kill
the game and damage his property,
without his being able to know who
| they are. The farmer would be much
better protected to have hunters reg
| ulated In Massachusetts the resident
hunters registration law is backed by
the farmers. Maryland. Delaware,
North Carolina and Maine are now the
only states which do not have such
! laws.
The commission bill provides for a
license fee of $115, of which Is cents
is retained by the town clerk issuing
! the license and the rest goes to the
| 60, ha Of
commission. If the percentage of resi-
| dent hunters in Maine is the same as
in other states it is estimated that the
commission would get from registra-
ticn of residents $4,000 year, which
plus the nonresident registration fees
would give them an income of $4,000
year and relieve the State of that
much taxation, and every cent OF it
would come from the people who are
killing or trying to kill game instead
of from the taxpayers.
! There is probably no department Of
the State SO severely criticised as the
| fish and game department., said Mr..
Austin, because it has such difficulty
| in enforcing the laws. Given this adj
| ditional means of enforcement the
commission believes it can do more in
| one year to protect the game OF the
State than in five years without it,
| NJ. c. Morrill, of Gray spoke in favor
Of the bill from the point Of view of
warden, telling from his own expert
ences the value the registration of res
ident hunters would be in enforcing the
game laws, particularly against auto
mobile hunters from outside the State
claiming to be residents. He said also
that a resident hunters license law
combined with the nonresident hunt
ers' licenses would go long ways to-
wards supporting the fish and game de-
| partment.
Rep Clason Of Lisbon spoke in favor
| of another bill introduced by himself
along the same lines as the one pro.
posed by the commission, but applying
also to resident fishermen. This pro.
vides a fee of 81. all to be turned over
to the state, and IS per cent. to be used