190 



RECOMMENDATIONS OF COMMISSIONERS. 



DEER. 



Your Commissioners tind that the deer, whilst still found in comparatively 

 large numbers in some portions of the Province are not nearly so plentiful as 

 they were some years ago. 



This is easil}' accounted for, the clearing up of the land, the improvements 

 in modern fire-arms, the ravages of wolves, and the ceaseless and indiscriminate 

 slaughter in and out of season, appear to have well nigh exterminated this noble 

 animal. The extent to which yard-hunting and crust-hunting is practised is 

 incredible ; not only are the bucks killed for food purposes, but small fawns and 

 does heavy with young are remorselessly butchered, either out of pure brutality 

 or for the sake of the almost valueless skin. 



It is generally admitted, that to distinguish between a buck and a doe, or a 

 doe and a fawn, when the animal is running at full speed, and a momentary 

 glimpse is only obtained, is a difhcult matter, but your Commissioners desire to 

 impress upon all true sportsmen the nece.s.sity of sparing the smaller and weaker 

 animals as far as possible, even if the sacrifice should cause them the lo.ss of 

 a shot. 



In some counties in the Province the deer are almost extinct, and your Com- 

 missioners recommend that deer killing be entirely prohibited for a period of five 

 years in the counties south and west of the northern boundaries of the counties 

 of Bruce, Grey and Simcoe, as far north as the Severn River and the eastefn 

 boundary of Ontario. 



The use of hounds for the purpose of hunting deer has proved one of the 

 most vexatious questions presented for the consideration of your Commissioners, 

 and although the answers of the witnesses examined in regard to this subject, 

 show a large preponderance in favour of the use of dogs, it must be remembered, 

 as before pointed out, that many of the answers were given solely from selfish 

 motives, and are wanting therefore in weight and accuracy. 



It was also evident to your ('ommissioners during the course of their in- 

 quiries, that those hunters who have been accustomed to hunt with dogs and 

 favour that mode, made a special endeavour to have their view of the case pre- 

 sented to your Commissioners, whilst those who objected to the use of 

 liounds contented themselves for the most part with making individual protests, 

 or by addressing letters privately to the different members of the Commission. 



Your Commissioners are themselves evenly divided in opinion on this (|ues- 

 tion, five being of opinion that dog hunting is neither injurious to the deer nor 

 the cause of extermination, whilst the other five are of opinion that to the use 

 of dogs is principally attributable the steadily growing scarcity, as well as the 

 awful slaughter of the deer. 



The still hunters who disapprove of the use of dogs assert that deer chased 

 by dogs are rendered unfit for human food after the long chases to which they are 



