44 FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



sibility of the person ma}- be, for the reason that the offender cannot 

 be found. 



It has suggested itself that a law could be framed which might to 

 some extent remedy this difficulty ; viz. : That every person going 

 into the woods should leave with an officer, at a station appointed 

 for that purpose, his name and permanent address, as well as the 

 route which he proposes to take and the place, if any, where he 

 intends to locate while in the woods. This might, at first, appear 

 to be impracticable, but if such a law would not be unconstitutional, 

 it need not be difficult to put in operation. Take for instance the 

 North East Carry at the head of Moosehead Lake, which is a 

 thoroughfare for hundreds of tourists who each year take their canoes 

 down the Penobscot and through the various branches of that river. 

 An officer stationed at this point would have no difficulty in enforc- 

 ing the law. It would be the same at the various other points of 

 departure throughout the State, nearly all of which are well known. 

 These officers should be paid by the State and as their services 

 would be required only a few months in the year the expense would 

 not be great. 



The constitutionality of such a law is a question which the proper 

 authorities could decide, but as it is well known that nearly every 

 one of these travellers is going to make his temporary abode upon 

 private property without the consent of the owner it appears as if 

 some waj' might be devised to locate him in the event of his destroj'- 

 ing valuable property. It is believed that there have been instances 

 of hunters setting fires for the purpose of starting a young growth 

 and making a feeding ground, to assist them in still-hunting deer. 

 Such vandalism can only be prevented by great vigilance. 



The question of giving licenses to efficient and trustworthy men 

 as guides is worthy of consideration. 



