The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-12-06
F[|EvES MAINE HAS
| MORE GAME
biting Season Success
ful in Many Ways
missioner of Inland Fisheries and
Game Parsons Tells of
Conditions

commissioner of Inland Fisheries
Game Willis E. Parsons in COM
,ane Friday on the hunting season
,sb closed at midnight Friday night
a that It had been most successful
more ways than one.
yThere have been plenty of hunt
> continued Commissioner Par
y although possibly not as many
y have been taken as last year"
Srhe fall has been dry one, with
few rains. The first few weeks
the season it was especially noisy
tbe woods. The hunting of ruffed
mise the first two weeks in October
,ip the deer gun shy, driving them
i from the highway and from the
.merous automobile roads in the big
oods.
asome of the hunters have had to go
aek from the highway several miles.
ne nonresident hunter in particu-
Il who had two fine buck, told me
kat instead of finding his game near
N road the same as last year, he
In TO go back five miles, but there
bund plenty of deer. He has been
Inning to Maine for many seasons
hi thinks that there is more game
|ow than at any time for 10 years.
From all reports | believe that
here is more game now than for
|ume wears. Deer shift their feed
he grounds and often bobcats drive
hem into other sections, but back in
he deep forests, in spite of Canada
INK and bobcats, the deer are in
reasing. This statement is not only
pnfrmed by the wardens, but in my
bservation as I hava4 traversed the
Drthern wilderness on my inspection
|urs during the summer months.
NO BIG FOREST FIRES
THE season has been successful
! regard to forest fires. Hunters
Id tourists will remember that Oct
Der was especially dry and yet there
Iere no big fires the same as last
sar. 1t is possible that more care
Ias shown in extinguishing camp
res and the smoking Of cigarettes.
is true that very few if any fires
lis past season could be laid to the
inter
"The placing of a ban on hunting
st year by the governors proclama-
on no doubt had a good effect this
'ason, as it broughtAto mind what
light happen again VT the hunters
ere not careful. There is little to
! feared from the nonresident with
Is experienced guide, but from the
DViee who thinks that Hs fire is out
hen it is left to smouf1fer for days
nj then to be famed into a raging
srst fire by the first wind that
bws.
THE new law SHORTENING the sea-
n by cutting out the first two weeks
October saved a waste of deer,
Itch was formerly deplorable. More
IN one-half the game Killed dur
the first two weeks in October
season was spoiled and many
r were left in the woods because
ne unfit to bring out, one party
ng Is deer.
Again, not as many men have been
taken for a deer and fatally shot
In former years. Last year more
a were killed during the first 10
S of October than during the en-
J season this year.
II has not been as good wood
k shooting this season as in some
er years. although partridge, or
led grouse, have been taken in
'at numbers. 1t is claimed that
s splendid game bird furnished
re real sport for the hunters dur
, the first two weeks of October
5 year than ever before, men and
men alike enjoying the sport
Maine is fortunate in having such
birds and good deer. 1t is the
autiful Virginia deer and a hard
ed and improved specimen. Raised
the Maine woods for generations
ere our rugged winters only allow
iuryival of the fittest. Maine deer
We become satisfying trophy for
most exacting. nimrods, and the
ring of the doe and the hunting of
antlered buck manly sort of the
y best.
! regard the new law shortening
open season on deer a great sue
IS and have heard but little objec-
q to it from camp owners. In
le believe, all will agree that
shortening of the open season
YES the game and possibly will do
sy with the necessity of cutting the
ota to one deer as advocated by
my last year, although one deer
sht to be enough for any real
'rtsman. The shortening of the
sn season certainly saves human
!, and if one less hunter is shot, /
is one of the most salutary laws
n enacted by a Maine Legislature.