1914 GAME AND FISHEKIES. 25 



The fishermen report that there are not quite as many fish as there were last 

 year, but this he can quite understand, as there are so many fishermen near the. 

 international line fishing with trap nets who are continually catching all kinds of 

 small fish, and it does not give the fishermen in his district much chance; and 

 there is so much poaching done at night near Detour. He has confiscated a' few 

 of the nets belonging -to these law-breakers, but nothing to the number used by 

 them, he feels that he needs a better equipment to cope with them. 



More tourists visited this district than u.sual. 



He thinks it would be an improvement if the deer season opened on the loth 

 instead of the 1st November, as the farmers are busy getting out roots and plough- 

 ing, and many deer are wounded, and there is no snow to track them. 



There is much more work to be done than a few years ago, and he hopes next 

 year to be able to devote more of liis time to the work and obtain better results. 



Overseer Herbert Edwards, uf Nairn Centre, reports, that the fishing was not 

 good this season, there being only nine tourists visiting there during the summer. 



There were plenty of deer last November, and the hunting was good ; every one 

 went away very pleased with their sport. Muskrats and mink are very plentiful 

 and beaver are increasing. Partridges are very numerous but ducks are scarce. 



The Game laws have been well observed in his district, but on the outskirts 

 of his division he has made three convictions. One for shooting partridges 

 illegally, and two for illegal trapping. Ht finds that it is necessary to keep a 

 sharp watch on the boundary of his division as there are a lot of deer there. 



There are a number of hunters already in the district, and there is every 

 indication of a good hunting season. 



Overseer V. J. Jewell, of Batchawana Bay, reports, that he found the fisher- 

 men in his district on Lake Superior a most law abiding people in eveiy particular, 

 and he has not had any reason to complain of the non-fulfilment of the laws. 



He thinks the law might be amended in one respect, i.e., fishermen are not 

 allowed to retain fish under 1^ lbs. dressed, and he finds that during the season 

 he has had to reject from one to two Imndred of such fish every day as they would 

 not come up to the requirements of the law, and the major portion of the same 

 would weigh 22 or 2.3 oz. He advises that this be looked into as it is such a serious 

 matter and one that should be placed very strongly before the Department. The 

 fishermen have to depend solely upon the Dominion Fish Co., for an outlet for 

 their fish market, from whom they get the very best treatment, and this is one of 

 the stipulations laid down, and the fishermen have to abide by the same. 



Fishing has been about the same as it was last year. Speckled trout and bass 

 fishing has been very satisfactory during the past season. 



Another matter of vital importance which has come to his notice is the ])ro- 

 tection of red deer from the wolves, which are their greatest enemies, and he does not 

 tliink that the deer are sufficiently protected from them. It is his opinion that the 

 bounty on wolves should be $25 for each one killed. If this were the case he feels 

 confident that there are a number of people who would make a business of extermin- 

 ating these animals. He is satisfied that there are ten red deer killed by the wolves 

 for every one killed by the hunter who has procured a license for same. It is a 

 common occurrence for the fishermen to report that they have seen the bones of a 

 deer on the beach, or else a pack of wolves run a fawn down and devour it before 

 tlioy could get to shore to give any assistance. He feels sure that, with the 



