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subjected ; that the deer are driven out of localities which they would otherwise 

 inhabit ; that much loss of life is caused by the chasing of does heavy with 

 young, and that the almost invariable method of killing dog-chased deer is by 

 shooting them through the head whilst in the water, a procedure which is 

 neither sportsmanslike nor clever. 



Those, on the other hand, who believe in the use of dogs, assert that the still 

 hunter's bullet too often wounds without killing the deer, allowing the animal to 

 escape and die in agony in lonely places where it can never be lound, and where 

 the flesh is never recovered to be eaten. They assert further that the still-hunter 

 does more damage single-handed, and kills more deer than any party of hunters 

 could possibly do. 



These sides of the question were so strongly put before your Commissioners, 

 and your Commissioners themselves were so evenly divided in their opinion of 

 the merits of the case that, after long and careful consideration, they have 

 decided to recommend — 



1st. That the present open season from 15th October to 20th November be 

 shortened five days, so as to be from loth October to 15th November. 



2nd. That the hunting of deer with hounds shall only be lawful from ] st to 

 ] 5th November inclusive in each and every year. 



This, if adopted, will, it is thought, be found highly beneficial, inasmuch as 

 it will shorten' considerably the present open season, thus affording a better 

 chance to the deer ; besides which the hunting of deer with hounds will stop with 

 the end of the season. 



Your Commissioners find that the illegal killing of deer is practised by all 

 classes of the communit\', and the laws regulating the number of animals to be 

 killed each season by each hunter and which is popularly known as the •' party 

 clause " is entirely and utterly disregarded. By sub-dividing iuto smaller par- 

 ties, and by joining more than one party in a season, sportsmen are enabled easily 

 to avoid the law in question and many more deer are therefore killed than the 

 law allows. 



Your Commissioners recommend therefore that the " party clause " be 

 abolished and that instead thereof, sportsmen be allowed to kill two deer each per 

 season, and no more. 



With regard to the shooting of deer in Ontario by foreign sportsmen, your 

 Commissioners have found a very strong feeling against allowing the continu- 

 ance of this practice, nor is this feeling unreasonable, when it is borne in mind 

 that the deer are annually becoming scarcer, and that there is a danger that few 

 may be left in the near future to supply the wants of the home market. 



On the other hand it must be remembered that foreign sportsmen put much 

 money into circulation and very materially help the residents and business men 

 in sporting localities, and your Commissioners have therefore to recommend that 

 if it is not thought wise to entirely prohibit foreigners from killing deer in the 

 Province, a permit should be obtained and a fee paid for the privilege. 



Your Commissioners also unanimously and very strongly recommend that 

 all dogs found running deer out of season should be allowed to be killed at sight 



Your Commissioners are of opinion that the wanton slaughter of deer could 

 be very largely curtailed by the appointment of an efficient force of Game War- 

 dens. At present the enforcement of the law is not the particular duty of any 



