The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-04-10
Ely Hunters Say Once
Every 2 Years Enough
Brand Absurd Stories of
Deer Migrating for
Lack of Feed.

Ely hunters and sportsmen were
nearly unanimous IN their opposition
to yearly deer season IN a poll Of
local opinion conducted by The Ely
Miner.
Thise who favor an annual season
! do so only if it is limited to five DAYS
and only after thorough investiga-
| ton by the conservation department
deems that there are enough deer to
warrant 1t.
The game and fish committees
of the Minnesota house and SEN
ate sent out bills Tuesday for
annual seasons, recommending their
passage.
The senate's bill is for a fTe-dav
season. In the house the bill is for
one-buck law on odd numbered
years with the season IL DAYS. and q
fuu open season on the even cTce
season would be Nov. 10 to 20 the
Minneapolis Star Journal reports)
Hunters here ridiculed the conten-
ton Of the department of conserva-
ton, as reported by the Associated
Press, that deer herds in the central
and north central section Of the state
were getting out of control and in
vading farms.
Another AP dispatch on the hearing
held Monday night by the house game
and fish committee during which i
was emphasized that the conservation
department was receiving many COM
plants that deer were drifting south
ward from the congested northern
areas in search of food was branded
as absurd by local hunters.
M. j. Kapsch, who in 20 years OF
hunting said he had never found a
veteran hunter who favored an annual
season, declared that not so long ago
1t was claimed that deer never left the
area which they called home" and
now it is commended that they are mi
grating great distances.
A j. BONNER, president of the Ely
Rod and Gun club. reafhrmed the clubs
repeated stand against an annual
season, and said he personally favored
To-day season every two years.
BONNER, along with many other
hunters, opposed a one-buck law, be-
cause too often hunters viii shoot
first and determine the sex OF the
animal afterward.
Harrison Buck" Sletton favored a
yearly season on the basis that il
would hit poaching and would make
legal hunting of deer that are being
killed anyway.
Henry Foltz declared that an annual
season would decrease size OF herds
to the point where maintaining them
selves would be impossible.
He favored opening reserves TO clean
out aged animals. and closing Of other
areas for several years in which hunt
ing had been permitted. He declared
he had knowledge Of deer in refugees
Is years old, and bucks so nearly blind
that they could scarcely run Old does,
he contended, viii not reproduce.
William Burley favored only a BIZ
annual season, as did John A Maier.
and Anton Kun, Jr. Maier was especi-
ally critical of the one-buck law, and
Anton Klun contended that tourists
had as much right 20 find deer alive
in the woods to see as hunters had
to find and shoot them.
Frank Strukel believed that a five
day annual season might be al righ.
if department of conservation figures
on population justified it. Strukel said
that closing certain areas up to three
years to hunting would be good game
management, and he condemned
hunters for not making reports TO
the department so that it could COM
pile figures on deer shot.
John Pete said the opening Of the
season depended entirely upon the
severity Of the winter, and that popu-
lation figures should determine the
season.
William Mills said that a five-day
annual season might be permissible
under certain conditions, but that he
would oppose opening the season next
fall.
Everett EIlefsen said that he would
favor an annual five-day season. or
an annual weekend season of three
days
Ralph Williams was opposed to az,
annual season because of the danger 70
population maintenance