Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-12-03
0oots One Buck Lac


most certainly is not going to kill
an unsuspecting fellow hunter in
mistake for game. This alone
would justify the law as it stands,
but only a small percentage of
those who go after deer waits to
make sure just what it is that he
thinks is a deer. One accident
this season in our own community.
A fellow fired at one of his own
party, thinking that the white
part Of his rubber boot, as he
lifted his foot over a wind-fall, was
a flag. | never stopped a deer by
shooting at his flag, did you?
If we are to have any deer left
we certainly must close the season
until such laws can be discussed
and passed that will give the deer
chance and impose a heavy pen
atty for the crowds who go into
camp to stay until every one in
the party gets his buck. | know
Of one party where two fellows
furnished each of the twelve hun
ters" with a buck to take home.
Maybe this is right, but | Know of
no outdoor sport where such a
generous spirit is displayed.
Of course we cannot see the way
to stop the "stay-at-home" from
getting his tag and license and
awaiting a wire from his favorite
guide to come up and bring his
wife and her brother, for he has
three fine bucks for them to take
home. Bring the big car, for we
have three passengers" the tele-
gram reads. Snow comes and they
are obliged to return by rail,
which is all legal for they have in
their possession the licenses tags
and return tickets but have never
seen a deer in the woods, dead or
alive.
These are some of the phases of
this situation that only large or
ganization like the Izaak Walton
League can help the legislature
solve.
] wonder if we had the deer sea
son later in the month, with a
greater possibility of snow, if it
would help? Yes, / am sure that
it would, both in lessening the
number of automobiles which fig
ure so disastrously in carrying
away unlawful game and in de
creasing the numbers of hunters
who come into the woods during
the deer season. Those who have
not driven our highways or trails
and logging roads would be amazed
at the number of so-called hunters
who stick to the open, well-trav-
eled routes andtake no chances by
going into the swamps and hard
wood and brush to start them
up" One day during this last
hunting season, while driving
twenty miles on one Of these main
highways, ! passed thirty-four
men and boys with rifles, waiting
for the experienced hunter to
drive the deer out.
| heard an old timer say that he
thought it should be made COM
pulsory, after getting the license,
to register in through the county
clerk of the county where the
hunter expects to hunt and to re-
gister out again when he has his
buck or when he has decided to
leave without one.
Our Conservation Commission,
] know, is deeply iterested in the
future of the last big game left,
but is powerless with its present
appropriation to do more than is
being done. But in the meantime
the One Buck OUTLAW goes on
killing everything that looms up
and doesn't give a whoop" for
anybody. | honestly believe that
not one in ten of the deer shot are
reported to our Conservation Com
mission, leaving all efforts fruit
less in keeping any sort of an ac-
curate record as to how the law
really works out.
The fact that there are any deer
at all shows that the One Buck
Law is working out but let's have
a closed season until we can make
laws whereby it will be more diff
cult to get a license, and if the
laws are broken the penalty will
be severe enough to keep the
hunter out of the woods for some
time