Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-25
COmm'r Parsons
Expects the Fishing
OF This Year Will
Equal That of 1923

Hon. Willis Z. Parsons of Dover
FoXcroft, commissioner of inland
fisheries and game. in an interview
Thursday declared that fish and
game conditions are as good as
could be expected and he anticipated
good season for sportsmen.
1.-The game wintered well, deer are
reported in good shape and there
were no heavy rains with hard
crust to prevent the ruffed grouse
from protecting themselves" con-
tinued Commissioner Parsons.
with Il good Matching season there
should be plenty of birds this next
hunting season.
In relation to fishing this season.
everything possible has been done to
keep the lakes and streams of the
from the poacher. There is no reason
why there should not be is good fish
ing this. year as last year. Last sea-
son good reports came to the depart
ment from sebago, Belgrade, Rangeley,
Grand Lake stream. Moosehead lake.
Sebec lake, Green lake and the Fish
Riven chain of lakes-in fact, nearly
all the waters of the State.
THE ice is not wholly out of our in
land waters except in the southern and
middle counties. but good catches are
reported already from many of them.
LAS is we'll known. Sebago lake in
Cumberland county, Grand Lake stream
in Washington county and the Fish
River chain of lakes in northern Aroos-
took county are protected by fish
screens of iron and cement so that
fishing should steadily improve for
some years to come.
Last year the fish taken for spawn
ing purposes in all these waters were
exceptionally fine and showed an aver
age in size above some of the former
years. 1t is believed they will average
larger as they rise to the fly this sea-
son.
In few days the lakes to the north
will be free from ice and then an OPP
portunity will be had to compare con-
ditions with the southern counties.
speaking of game conditions, one
deplorable condition existed last win
ter extending clear up to the spring
months. and that is the chasing of
deer by dogs in the middle and south
ern sections of the State. Owners of
dogs, emboldened by the backward step
taken by the last Legislature which
repealed the clause allowing any per-
son to kill dog found chasing deer.
have permitted their dogs to run at
large in the woods in greater numbers
tman for many years. Many complaints
have been made of the chasing of deer
and even killing in some localities by
dogs.
ut may be that much of the trouble
has arisen from the lack of snow in
the more southern part of the State
and that dogs and deer both have had
better opportunity to roam about than
usual. but the owner of any dog should
see to it that his dog is not permitted
to run at large. 1t not only spoiIs the
dog. but terrorizes every wild creature
in that section. There are not wardens
enough to protect all parts of the
State at the same time. and all inter-
ested in the preservation of game
should cooperate to that end.
"It is hoped that conditions may be
remedied by the next Legislature so
that deer will not be slaughtered in
this way by dogs-certainiy not to the
extent that they have been the past
winter.
ut may be that deer are Increasing
in the southern part of the State. but
not TO the extent to account for all the
slaughter by dogs"