The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-01-07
Expect Many Deer

| WOUuSJOWH, IN. J.-r 1uSuluB LOuCn
es were given last week to the many
hunting camps in Cape May, Atlantic
and Cumberland counties and every.
thing seems ready for the opening OF
the deer season this week. Wednes-
day will find hundreds of men flock.
ing to the timber in all sections
through the district where the deer
shooting is carried on. What the kill
will amount to this season is a ques-
ton. In some of the loctlities the
deer are reported to be more plentiful
than in year, while in other sections
few are being seen. Old hunters are
rather inclined to the belief that the
stories of depredations to farm lands
by the deer in the spring and summer
were pretty well exaggerated and that
when it comes to counting heads hunt
ers will be lucky if they equal the kill
of a year ago. This is the eleventh
hour opinion of men who have stalked
the deer country season after season
and are presumably as well versed in
the meaning of preseason signs as it
is possible for men to become.
There is another side of the picture,
however, an dior those who will en-
joy the deer hunt more if enlivened by
vivid expectations all they have to do
is to listen intently and they will go
forth freighting about as much of that
commodity as they can accommodate.
From Atlantic Ciunty comes reports
that deer abound even in sections
where in the past they have been rare
ly seen. Similar reports are heard
from certain sections in Burlington
county Then those circulating from
Cape May County bases would sug-
gest that the kill there will be some
thing phenomenal Just who is re-
sponsible for these reports is uncer-
tain. There is a feeling, however,
that they eminate from farming CEN
tiers where the desire exists to concen-
trate in the vicinity as many hunters
as possible that the clean out of deer
may be made as complete as possible.
Deer Disposed to Be Lazy
A final source of information which
should be reloable is the game warden
and from what they are giving out it
now looks like normal seaon with
such advantages in favor of slightly
| increased kill as come from weather
conditions and the fact that the deer
are in exceptionally good condition
and rather disposed to be lazy. All
those who have had an opportunity of
observing their condition agree on one
thing-they never were fatter than
this season.
That is not all together an advan.
tage, however, and will prove quite the
reverse should the mild weather con-
tinue through the shooting season.
The nit will become necessary to rush
fresh meat to storage and that will
mean breaking up camp organizations
| more or less.
In many sections scouts will be afoot
until the middle of the week. Scores
of men have been employed to bring in
last minute information as to the guam
tity of deer. Incidentally this has an
effect on the game. The presence of
numerous men in the timber wakes
up the deer. But deer are keen OBJ
servers. When men are seen passing
through the timber and their disap-
pearance ends the episode less impor-
lance is attached to them by the deer.
| 1t is kind of tanning" stunt which
will make early shooting easier. Many
of the older hunters do not approve of
the plan and refuse to contribute to
the hire of the runners. Those who
do they call 200 hounters."
So far as conditions in the woods
are concerned they are accepted as
being as favorable to the hunters as
they possibly could be. The ground
has been well soaged for days. Winds
have stripped the smaller trees of the
LEAKAGE they were carrying ten days
ago. The underbrush is thick, it is
true, but much of it has been beaten
down. With all there is still sufficient
food available to keep the deer from
making long pilgrimages. OF course
all of these conditions can be changed
almost over night. A few days of
freezing weather and the ground will
have hardened There will be no sap
in twigs that now bend noiselessly
underfoot The remaining food supply
will shorten up and the deer will take
to trailing in search of fresh supplies
1t will mean more activity all round
Many hunters are hoping that such