The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-02-22
Saturday February %, 1919.
FISH AND GAME BILLS

. .
These are the bills to make the legal +
length of brook trout FIVE instead of
six inches, to legalize shooting of
does as we'll as bucks during the
open deer season and to grant a
bounty of $12 on black bears.
Even in Bennington county, the
section which probably affords the
best brook trout fishing In the entire
state, there will besa wide difference |
Of opinion on the advisability of re-
ducing the legal, length from six to
five inches. The proposed change in I
the law limits a days catch to five !
pounds and not more than thirty.five
Individual fish. There are brooks in
all sections Of the state from which 1t
Is possible to secure a good catch of
five-ineh fish but In which there are
few trout OF the present legal length.
Many fishermen argue that a small
trout once hooked Is In nearly all
cases fatally injured and that 1t is
better TO convert these fingerings in
to food than to return them to the
water to die.
These are the main arguments in
favor of changing the law. The
claim that trout caught with hook
and line are doomed is not, however.
an absolutely correct one. Years ago
before there was any six-inch law
persons owning private ponds
stocked them with wild trout caugnt
id the streams and the fish lived and
thrived. Trout have been reared in
watering throughs and springs for
years and these fish found their way
out OF their native element by the
hook and line route. Over against all
arguments for reduction in the
legal length is the assertion of lsh
culturists that hve.inch trout has
not had an Of )ortunity to reproduce
ttse,f In Sic opinion of many fish
ermer argument should be slf-
fcent. Ii the fish and game depart
ment is to continue spending the
money raised from the sportsmen
through the license fees in the stock
ing Of the streams the stock fish
should have an opportunity to per
.petuate themselves before they are
caught. Otherwise the trout might
Just as we'll be, caught out OF the
ponds at the hatcheries.
A ten day open season for bucks
and doe, as Is proposed in the meas.
ure introduced by Representative
Bleeper OF Barnard, will probably
arouse more discussion than any
other bill THAT comes to the hands of
the FISH and game committee. II will
be contended that there are too
many deer in the state and that the
animals cause more damage to crops
than they are worth, that an open
season for both sexes Will tend to
keep the deer within endurable limits
and afford better hunting Some of
the hunters viii oppose the change,
as many Of them do not care to kill
the doe, but the greater opposition
will come from people who, do not
hunt at all but who desire to see the
deer preserved for sentimental rea.
sons and who fear that the removal
OF restrictions VIII result in exter.
mination.
Hunters ID and around Bennington
tho men who tramp the woods for
sport and not for profit, will, It is be-
lieved, be almost unanimous in
thoir opposition to the bear bounty
They we're, Instrumental in having
the bounty act repealed number OF
years ago and Since that time the
bear haye increased to such an ex
tent that Nbar hunting" is becoming
an established feature of the outdoor
program. Several have been shot in
the county during the past few
months and the lucky hunters declare
that the sport Is far superior to deer
hunting. Mounted deer heads arc
now fairly common throughout the
state but the hunter who can claim
that he shot his own bearskin rug Is
notceably "ohesty' whom telling how
he. did It. He isiin a limited class and
knows g.. Bears have been known &c
resent being shot. Sometimes, too
they don't run away after belne
slightly wounded. The bear killer
has the privilege of throwing his
imagination on to the loose PULLEY
and weaving tale that can't be re
futed. If a deer hunter were Il
describe how he was chased out of O
swamp by fierce buck and how his
life was spared because the last shot
in the rifles magazine reached vita
spot he would be given the merry
"ha ha," But the bear hunter Il
protected by the ancient history oil
hls-game and can romance TO his
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