Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-07

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deer than five years ago. and I want
to take this occasion to sound a
j warning note to all. Unless better
protection is afforded by the CO.
operation of sportsmen. guides. fire
wardens as we'll as game wardens, in
fact all law abiding citizens. it will be
but a short time before il becomes
necessary to place a close time upon
deer the same as moose, or the open
time be materially shortened.
The game receipts too IT the past
season bear out this assertion. 1t is
true there have been less hunters in
the woods on account of present con-
ditions, but that fact does not account
wholly for the decrease in the num-
Der received at shipping points dur
ing the season just closed.
Partridge and Ruffed Grouse.
1T was thought early in the year
that it might be necessary To place
continuous close time on partridge in
order to prevent their becoming ex-
tinct We had several bad seasons
for Matching and rearing young birds
prior to last year and the winter Of
1918 was extremely severe, making
their natural enemies more rGvenous,
il possible, and many covers were en-
tirely destroyed
Last spring, however was good
Matching season and this splendid
game bird appeared in large numbers
in many sections, especially in the big
woods away from automobile hunters.
and it is not now regarded pecessar:
to have a general or continuous close
time, although it might be preferable
in some localities.
Bob Cats.
That bob cats. loupscrvier and
Canada lynx are among the worst
natural enemies of both partridge and
deer is admitted. and it Las been
suggested that the bounty should be
increased on these vicious animals to
an amount sufficient to make it an
object to hunt them.
with q continuous close time on
moose. the bear is the only large
game beside the deer in the Maine
woods. and shooting bears is now re-
garded by many as better sport than
stalking the moose.
move the bounty from bears and add
the whole. or a part of it. 10 the bob
cat bounty. will be matter for the
Legislature to determine. nut more
| inducement should certainly be held
out for the determination Of the des-
tructive bob cat.
Our Maine Guides.
~ has been the good fortune Of
the commissioner to meet many
guides in the Maine woods as we'll as
in the walks of civilization. and he
believes that as a class there are no
better men or moro loyal citizens than
those who follow the honorable and
fascinating calling of the Maine
guide.
Familiar with our wilderness,
traversing with ease our trackless
forests. shooting the rapids, gliding at
will upon our beautiful lakes, or
camping upon the mountainside far
from civilization. thoroughly versed
in woodcraft and the haunts Of our
wild animals, he lives close to nature,
yet often in intimate relation with
and caring for the comfort and lives
OF the great. the representatives Of
the big. throbbing world outside. gov
errors. senators, judges of the su-
!! preme court. or the business men and
prince OF industry: and the intelligent
representatives of such 4 calling are
not going to sec their livelihood lost
and the States interest violated by
the wilful slaughter of our game by
the poacher without protest.
The future of our game IS largely
in the hands of the honest guides.
and the commissioner seeks their
hearty cooperation with the wardens
of the State.
Beaver.
Beaver are becoming quite plenti-
full and in some sections so numerous
as to be doing Actual, substantial
damage to land owners. and the COM
| missioner has found it necessary to
declare an open season on a few
tracts OF land after careful invcstiga-
ton by some game wardens detailed
for that purpose.
Beaver always do more or less
damage and the ordinary work by
them of flowing small tracts and cut :
ting wood on the shores to procure the
bark for food should not be COM
planned of by the owner of the land.
and seldom it, The inalienahla right
TO nsh. hunt and trap under such con-
dltions and restrictions as are i'm
posed by the State so long as one
,, does not trespass on cultivated lands
! carries with it the right to have tho
animals preserved in their usual
Gr
that nave existed from time i'm
memorial. and certainly the state has
the right to the natural growth and
increase of the beaver in it's wild
state. properly protected, if not doing
unusual damage.
1T is not the purpose, however. "a
allow them to do unreasonable dam
age and they are now getting So
pientilul that the commissioner be-
lleveS that 1t might be we'll to omen
up quite number of townships in
several counties for the trapping of
these animals
The license fee for training ;s
only five dollars. which is not enough
ior trapping beaver as plentiful as
they now arc in some localities. 4
Sooo beaver skin is worth SIS and
often more.
The license fee should not be less
than $25 for trapping beaver. Other
animals, the fur Of which is valuable.
II Is true. are trapped on a five dollar
license fee. but they are not as
. plentiful as the beaver would be in
any territory that open season was
! declared on"