New-York tribune., 1919-04-13
Saving Our Last Deer


One of the perennial efforts to make
hunting easy, and thereby to exterminate
the last remaining big game of New
York, is seen in the bill to repeal the
present buck law protecting our white
tail deer Instead of permitting a hunter
to kill two bucks, it would permit him
to kill two deer, either bucks or does.
This sounds innocent enough. But it
would mean the herds of Whitehall deer
would go the way Of elk and moose and
our woods would be cleared once for all.
The scientific fact is that white tail
deer are polygamous. There is abun-
dant evidence of this. In an interesting
pamphlet by Warwick S. Carpenter,
Secretary of New York's Conservation
Commission, there is cited the hunters
familiar strategy, when a doe is OBJ
served running through the woods, of
watching for her to back track in search
of the buck that is likely to come along.
(The startled doe metaphor of humans,
wherein the female runs away only to
look over her shoulder, is thus based on
sound natural history) The experts
are all agreed on this question of deer
polygamy. And it's significance is clear.
Bucks may be killed on large scale
without endangering a herd. One buck
to four does is considered ample.
At present there are about $4,000 deer
in New York, of which 10000 are in the
Eastern Adirondack Division. Of these
more than third are estimated to be
bucks This is based on careful obser-
vations by the states game protectors.
Now, not less than $4,000 men hunted
deer in the state in 1917, and the total
deer killed were about 10000 That
means a great many disappointed hunt
ers. But obviously you cannot crafty
the ambitions of $4,000 hunters out of
herd of $4,000 and have the herd
survive. In fact, the present kill of
10000 bucks out of an estimated total
of 10000 bucks is the utmost toll the
herd can stand; and if the law were
changed and the killing of does per-
mitted the present toll would soon ex-
terminate the herd. That is the expe-
rlence of other states, and the fact dis
plays the very great merit of the buck
law. 1t permits a maximum of hunting
and yet preserves the herd. In Vermont,
where the law has been in force for
many years, it has been found necessary
to provide open seasons for does from
time to time, so rapidly do the herds
respond to the protection of the buck
law.
The United States Biological Survey
has prepared an interesting table show
ing how this law works. 1t assumes a
herd of "a bucks and "a does at the
start, and shows the relative effect, year
by year for ten years Of, first, absolute
protection; second, killing SO per cent
of horned bucks; and, third, killing SO
per cent of bucks and does. At the end
of ten years the first system would pro-
duce total breeding stock of 3,12O
deer, and the second system 2,344 deer.
whereas the third would exterminate
the herd entirely.
The buck law saves not only the deer
but the hunters as we'll If you are sure
that an animal has three-inch horn
before you shoot you are not likely to
take pot shot at man. When $4,000
hunters go forth after $4,000 deer it
might be expected that there would be
trouble. AS the news records every year,
there is. In the six years prior to the
passage of the buck law in this state
the number of men killed in mistake
for deer was fourteen In the four
years after the law took effect seven
were killed. Other states show even
greater conservation of human life.
The Conservation Commission is do
ing an admirable work and we hope that
it's advice will be taken on this impor-
tant point. It certainly will unless the
Legislature is resolved to wipe out the
last deer the state can boast.