The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-03
Fish and Game Problems.

ceiye such a letter as that which appear
elsewhere on this page, signed by MI
~. w. Severance of Chester.
Newspapers are inclined to be enthu
siastic over letters which agree will
their views, but, as matter of fact
the really valuable communication il
that which disagrees with them and give,
reasons therefor
Mr. Severance disagrees with some n
terances of the Herald regarding tt,
game laws and their enforcement. ow
ing to his situation. close to the edge
of Windham county and the most dense
| " deer populated region of Vermont, his
lprobems are more or less local and his
grievances must be due to misundcr-
standing. either of the law or its appli-
cation.
The cleanup" act of 1915, which
stands substantially as enacted. provides
as follows:
person may pursue, wouhd or kill ON
land owned or occupied by him deer
which he can prove was in the act of do
ing actual and substantial damage o. in
jury to fruit tree or crop, except graS2;
The person by whom, or under
whose direction a deer is so wounded or
killed shall within six hours, report all
the facts relative to such wounding %
killing, in writing signed by him, to he
nearest fish and game warden in the
county or town in which the deer wa.
so wounded or killed. Such report shall
state the time and place of the wound
ing or killing and the amount OF crop
destroyed by the deer. 4 person who so
kills a deer, shall Immediately properly
dress the carcass and care for the meat
of the same The fish and game warden
who receive notice of such killing or
wounding of deer shall Immediately in
yestigate the case and ii he il salts
fed himself that the deer has been
wounded or killed in accordance with this
section, he shall give to the person by
whom. or under whose direction, feer
has been so wounded or killed, a certiIi-
cate Of his finding in the matter. Slch
certificate will entitle its recipient to
ownership of the carcass.
As to crop damage, that Ii provided
for under another statute, which APP
pears in the revised general laws of 1917 !
and provides for appraisal first by the !
chairman of the board of seleetmen, then |
by the county game warden, then by !
hem both jointly, or, if they cannot !
agree, by introducing third disinter
,sted person, the finding of the majority |
% be forwarded to The fish and game
who, if he approves sawe,
hall certify TO the state auditor 80 The /
lmount may be paid.
Really, there is so much red tape ab)i
his deer damaging business that it is
,ot strange that Mr.. Severance com
a n !
hough tho trainers of the law had tixed
t so that the chances of recovering dam.
ge for injury TO crops or trees would
,e remote. but, if the proof is properly
made, undoubtedly CLAIMS viii be paid
n time
The Herald is frank to admit that the
Ger damage law is not much Of law,
o far as practical relief might 60, and it
quite likely that, when a farmer Il
boots the deer doing damage, ~ claims
he carcass. e. makes claim for dam
&c, that the appraisers would take toto
consideration the value of the larcass as
n offset
As Mr.. Severance says, there is 70
revision for this, but inasmueh as the
ppraisal is up" to the parties named
the law, the farmer is naturally
bliged to abide by their decision.
The cleanup law was enacted to give
re farmer a quicker remedy, and Mr..
everance will remember that the Herald
lvocated such law. in fact, it stated =
rat the right to protect his property ,
rs probably inherent with ownership 1
Id that no court OF final adjudication
ould he likely to hold otherwise.
Windham county has always claimed
peculiar set of fish and game prob v
ms It's sportsmen want TO fish earli- b
than any one else. fhey are insist i,
L on the preservation of deer, and ri
cir influence has been important in !,
'lding back some of the more extreme
en- with the farmers natural view, who ~
mt the deer exterminated. Somewhere u
tween the two lies reason and justice. \
d the Herald believes that little fore Il
aranee and corporation will soon adj \
st matters TO the measurable salts -
rtion of all concerned.-Rutland Her. -
l. n