FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 303 



outside such limits. In some cases, to secure greater accurac)-, reports were obtained 

 from different persons in the same district, and these returns were carefully compared 

 and inquired into. 



The total number Icilled in 1896 as thus reported is 5,247. If the proposed law 

 prohibiting jacking and hounding is enacted, the number killed each year will 

 not exceed 1,200, the greater part of which will be killed in August and earl\- 

 September, when the weather is warm enough for the deer to come down to the 

 water at evening to feed. After that, in October, the sportsmen will have to depend 

 on still hunting, in which only the expert hunter will be successful. 



It is highly important that the number killed each year should be ascertained 

 accurately, and by some method which will preclude any criticism of the figures. To 

 this end, some law should be enacted compelling every person who kills a deer to 

 report it to this Department, together with full information as to the date, locality, 

 and sex. The weight, if known, should also be included in the report. Failure to 

 report a deer that is killed should constitute a misdemeanor, with a proper penalty 

 attached. The accurate and undoubted information thus obtained would form a 

 valuable basis for legislation regulating the hunting of this class of game. 



We append here, also, the statistics showing the e.xact numlier of carcasses shipped 

 by the express companies during the open season of 1896, and the number shipped 

 from each railway station. From these reports it appears that 849 entire bodies were 

 transported from the woods, and that in addition to these there were 139 saddles or 

 parts of bodies and 100 buck heads. The largest shipments were made from North 

 Creek (149), Beaver River (Si) and P'ulton Chain (73). In publishing these figures of 

 the transportation companies, the Commission desires to acknowledge the valuable 

 courtesies extended by i\Ir. John L. VanValkenburg, superintendent of the American 

 Express Company, and Mr T. M. Smith, superintendent of the National Express 

 Company. 



The number thus shipped out of the woods may seem entirely disproportionate to 

 the number reported as killed ; but the reasons for this are fully set forth in our report 

 of last year. Of the 899 deer killed in St. Lawrence Count}', only 61 were shipped 

 out by rail. 



It may be interesting to note, in connection with these matters, the number of 

 deer killed in other States. Through lack of accurate statistics, we are unable to give 

 the figures, except for the State of Maine. From the annual report of the Commis- 

 sioners of Inland Fisheries and Game of that State, it appears that 8,947 deer were 

 killed in the season of 1896; also, 250 nToose, 239 caribou, and 160 bears. The 

 published statements of the railroads in Maine show that the shipments of venison, or 

 number of carcasses, by rail bear about the same proportion to the total number killed 



