1912 GAME AND FISHEEIES. 79 



Overseer James Myers, of Orchard, reports : Eisli about tbe same as last year. 

 All used at home, none sold that he is aware of. 



No abuses, except some hounds running deer in West Luther last winter. 

 He tried to locate the dogs or their owners, but failed to do so. Close seasons fairly- 

 well observed ; one party he found with mink skins out of season. 



No violations of the Fisheries Act. 



No sawdust or refuse put in the water that he is aware of. 



One fish way in fair repair. 



He has his district fairly well posted with the latest fish and game notices. 



Deer more plentiful. 



He seized three deer and one rat skin out of season; had the party before the 

 Justice of the Peace; sent the skins to the Department, and reported tlie case. 



Overseer J. R. McAllister, of Gore's Landing, reports: Fish were very plenti- 

 ful in the marsh last April and May. During spawning season the law was well 

 observed, although he got four spears the last week in April. He saw no nets, 

 although he often hears reports that netting is going on in the Otonabee Tiiver. 

 Fishing has been very good. On the lltli October, in the afternoon, he was fisli- 

 iiig for maskinonge, and had seven strikes and landed four nice lunge before five 

 o'clock in the evening. There have been a great many large ones taken this fall — 

 one close to Idlewild, weighing 31 pounds, and several 20 and 25 pounds. 



Muskrats were very scarce this year. He thinks the open season is too long, 

 and that it should be from the 15th March to May 1st, as a muskrat pelt is not 

 prime until the month of April. 



He never saw more wild ducks than there were in Rice Lake last April, and 

 tlie Game Law is very well observed, as he has not heard of a duck being killed in 

 the spring for a number of years; but he has been told very lately that the Indains 

 of Hiawatha have been killing ducks illegally on the rice beds down the lake near 

 ICeene. 



Black squirrels are quite plentiful, and grouse more so than they have been 

 for years. 



Overseer John McFarlane, of Keene, reports that the fishing has been good on 

 Kice Lake this season, better than in previous years, owing to the scarcity of wild 

 rice, which is due partly to dry, hot weather, and partly to high water, the lake 

 being high since early in June. The water was lower the end of May than at any 

 other time this season, which is due to some work being done to the new locks at 

 Hastings, the result is that new fishing grounds were opened up, as there was clear 

 water where there used to be large rice beds. 



The Fish Laws were well observed this season, there being hardly any illegal 

 fishing done. The farmers living along the shore are anxious to see the law 

 kept; they do not break the law themselves, and they don't want to see others break 

 it, and would soon make complaint if there was much of it done. 



The mill owners were also careful as to rubbish or sawdust, there being very 

 little sawdust in the river. 



Great care should be taken to keep the water up on the lake early in the 

 season to give the spawn a chance to hatch and let the young fry get out to clear 

 water. This season the water was let down at a very bad time, but it may be kept 

 11 J) better now, as the work is done at Hastings. 



Tliere were quite a few ducks when the season opened, but in two or three 

 days they all left on account of so many hunters, but as it got later on in the fall 

 they got to be plentiful again. 



