The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-11-27
Maine cartridges Apparently Still
Numerous

In response to an inquiry as to
what the Department of Inland Fish
cries and Game had learned about the
disease which was reported in some
newspapers, and by a few hunters, as
apparently working havoc among the
partridge (ruffed grouse) of Maine in
some sections, the press representa-
tive was informed by the chief clerk
that as yet the department has been
unable to secure any authentic in
formation showing that the grouse of
Maine have been or are affected by
any disease. Wherever it has been
reported to the department that dead
birds were being found, the commits
sioner promptly forwarded to the
warden of the district special instruc-
tons to secure one or more specimens
Of the supposed diseased birds, if
available, the warden being equipped
with the necessary shipping permit
authorizing the transportation of the
birds to the department for scientific
investigation Thus far NOT A
SINGLE SPECIMEN has been receiV--
ed at the department office at the
state house.
+NoihNlON0 ltDDIlS lldNt Dtttl IT,
ceiyed from wardens in all parts of
the state, the general opinion being
expressed therein that while birds
were apparently scarce early in the
season 1t is now believed that this
suspected scarcity WAS due to climatic
conditions, the exceptionally dry sea
son which has prevailed during the
past TWO months. 1t is admitted that
birds have not been found in their
usual haunts and that the hunting was
poor the early part of the season. but
the birds We're found to be quite
numerous in the moist places. One
warden i'll upper Somerset county has
reported that while on a recent trip
through his district while he did not
see quite as many birds as conditions
earlier in the season promised. the
birds that he has seen have all been
in fine condition, fat, healthy speci-
mems. II must be realized that it
has been so very dry and noisy in the
woods that game has been able to
hear the approaching hunters a long
distance away and naturally, under
such conditions, birds have hidden
themselves from the hunter.
Every party of returning hunters
from northern Maine which has called
at the Department of Inland Fisheries
and Game during the past ten days
or two weeks has unanimously re-
ported that they were of the opinion
that no disease exists among the
cartridges of Maine. that their appar-
ent scarcity in October was in Conse-
quence of the warm dry season. Birds
are now reported by wardenS and
hunters as plentiful in nearly all re-
giOns. This statement is borne not by
the bulletins published in today's pa
pers by the various railroads of the
state which report partridge plenti-
full in practically all sections of
Maine.
Maine is not the only state where
Il scarcity of partridges has been re-
ported. Similar conditions, accord
ing to the newspapers. have existed
in Massachusetts and other states
Many Maine BpOrtsmen noted with
interest an interview with Mr. Vinton
w. Mason f/Cambridge, Mass, bird
hunter Of note, which appeared in
recent of the Boston Globe. After
commenting in detail upon existing
conditions, Mr.. Mason concluded his
interview with the statement that
The birds were simply not in their
regular haunts. that with the coming
of heavy rain and cold weather,
they will appear in goodly numbers.
This opinion of this bird hunter who
is well known to the leading sports
men of Maine. is being borne out by
reports coming to the Fish and Game
Department at Augusta, almost daily.