The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-09-20
Thou Shalt Not XIII
fBY z. T. Patient

|
little red stocked, muzzle-loading
shotgun. My preceding boyhood
possessions had been nothing more
| than handed down Jack knives
That gun in those days probably did
not cost over two-fifty; there is moth
ing like it now at any price. Such
a weapon would be scorned by any
present day boy as much as a bicy-
Gle with a solid tire or a wooden
pillow. To me. however, it was a joy
and pride. | was the envy of the
| few boys who lived in my neighbor-
hood. | think my father had many
misgivings about that gun. He did,
at least, one wise thing. He insist
ed that | earn the money to buy my
ammunition. In the little country
| town where ! then lived and with my
| few years and meagre experience, the
limit thus set was very wholesome.
l could get, now and then, a nickle
for doing an errand, driving a COW to
pasture, etc, but at the best my war
chest did not fill rapidly. | yearned
to fire my new possession. at all
hours of The day and night, for the
sake of the glorious noise ii produced,
but | was forced into a better observ-
| ance of the rights OF others through
lack of powder and caps | likewise
was ambitious for target practice and
| to hunt all sorts of game from a
cbiekadee TO moose, but had to be
very guarded in these activities for
the same reason. economical
somewhat by borrowing a bullet mold
| and p9gtinp hullatc 70
percussion caps, however, and pow
der and shot could not be thus home
made.
In what hunting did l was a per-
feet little savage. | do not think
There had been any considerable
amount of instruction At that time
as to the value of birds or az 10
their rights from a humane stand
point. | blazed away at most every
thing alive to the extent of my ability
to provide supplies. My conscience
troubles me to this day about that
wanton destruction and [ am glad of
it. | rejoice that lack of powder
and shot kept my murderous tenden-
cies within comparatively reasonable
bounds. AS it was, | wantonly des-
troyed little birds of which | then did
not know the name, and many a
harmless squirrel and chipmunk.
Even untaught, l would have supposed
my boyish heart could have been
more tender and merciful.
Later on, of course, when | was
able to provide ammunition more lib
orally, | acquired some sense and
only hunted for what might properly
be called game. Partridge were
very plentiful had not been hunted
much, and were easily taken. Fox,
racoons, deer, moose and caribou
roamed the woods in considerable
numbers but l was never successful
in bagging this larger game. 1t has
been years now since | have taken a
gun in my hand with murderous pur-
pose. There has come a sharp re-
action from my feeling and my con-
duct of early years. | doubt if l
could shoot at a deer any more than
l could at human being. have
often seen these beautiful harmless
creatures in the highways or in the
edge of wood. The thought of
sending leaden missive crashing in
to them fills me with horror and
dread. | shall never attempt any
thing of the kind. Killing one out
right is not the worst possibility
Doubtless more often the poor ami
NAL is wounded and gets away to
suffer through days or weeks and
, finally perish by starvation
Man has assumed the right to reg
ulate the status of every animal on
earth This right has been persist
| 2nt1N 1icDl1fpd
tartan yet | have grave doubts as to
the justification Of taking life except
in self defence An African traveller
would of course shoot down a lion
to save his own life. No doubt we
are justified in discriminating bed
| bugs or flies for much the same rea-
son. There is marked difference
between that sort of thing and des-
troying a partridge. a deer or a sheep.
OF the justice and eXpediency of
the latter | do not presume to give
final judgment. Will simply say
that very little venison would be eat
en- if those who liked it waited for
me to do the hunting.
Economic necessity, which is the
| final arbitor in all great movements,
has come to the rescue. Federal
laws for the protection of bird life
are splendidly enforced l am very
sure our bird population has in
creased greatly; to my pleasure and
no doubt, immensely to the advantage
of all Many of them in late years
show as little fear as barnyard fowl !
This is very pleasant and is reward
enough for the care and protection
our Legislators have bestowed upon |
them.
Birds do not seem to like the deep
woods. Those who have travelled !
in dense forests will recall how in /
frequently they have seen a bird at |
any great distance from human hab- !
itation Nevertheless they are pre-
valent along the borders of the for |
est and now and then one may be
seen or heard far back in the tall
timber
Most of us roam the woods in /
queer way. We go chattering along |
with our companions. or progress |