Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1922-12-08
Scarcity OF Game.

Mr.. Editor For the past few days
have noticed articles in the letter column:
Of the press of this State relative to thu
scarcity of rabbits. have been requested
on numerous occasions to explain this con
dition.
During conversation with DR.. Alexan
der Wetmore, Investigator of the United
States Department of Agriculture. Wash.
ington, D. c., on November 18th. requested
to know to what he alluded the scarcity
of rabbits in this State. His reply was to
the effect, that practically every State in
the Union every 6 or s years have the
same trouble we are experiencing at thi
time. due to disease which spreads
among the rabbits during early fall.
The Acts of 1922, Chapter 3Oi, provides
that persons may train or hunt their dogs
without gun between September 10 and
November 8. During the month of Sep.
TENDER we received reports from practi.
cally every county in the State advising
US that rabbits were very plentiful. how
ever, when the hunting season opened
this species of game became very scarce
Personally, allude this scarcity to several
causes:
l. Long drought since September 18TH
which necessitated rabbits seeking water
courses.
2. Possibly disease.
8. Great increase in the fox family and
other vermin.
There are a large number Of persons in
this State who enjoy fox hunting. and il
is almost impossible to secure legislation
to rid the State Of the fox, which every
sportsman knows is very detrimental to
our game supply. During the spring of
1922 friend told me he dug out one fox
den and found young rabbits. and in an
other den he found malard ducks. which
goes to show the fox does not canine his
activities to the fur family alone.
Opening the squirrel season September
LIST gives certain persons good chance to
kill rabbits during their hunt for squirrels
Of course. am aware there are a great
many persons who hunt squirrels. but do
not kill other game on which there is a
closed season. however, there are a great
number of persons who use the open sea
son on squirrels to hunt other game, in.
Guiding rabbits.
Several days ago a letter appeared il
one of the Baltimore papers under date o.
November 22nd. signed &c. J. NJ" Hamil.
ton, advising the purchase of rabbits fo
restocking. For the information of the
public especially the sportsmen. wish t
state that we have contracts placed fol-
the delivery of 5000 cotton tail rabbit,
during the spring Of 1923. therefore. each
county in this State will receive an alIot
ment. During the season of 1922. we haC
contracts placed for cotton tail rabbits
however, due to heavy rate of mortality il
shipping, the broker refused to fill our order
During an inspection trip through thu
counties of Allegany and Garrett. which
counties were stocked last year with tn,
Maine snowshoe hares, during the season
of 1922. was unable to find single per
son who had seen or killed single snow
shoe hare during the open season. there
fore. have come to the conclusion thi
species of game is not suitable for II
covers of this State. also learned II
sportsmen of these two counties reali7
opening the squirrel season September Ii
is detrimental instead of being benefici,
to our game supply.
| certainly will appreciate the favor yer
much if you will publish all or at least tn
most important points Of this letter for tn
benefit of your many readers. for whic
please accept my thanks in advance.
Yours very truly.
E. LEE LECOMPTE,
State Game Warden