40 - THE EEPOKT UPON Xo. 14 



Deer seem to be more plentiful, he has seen several himself this summer, 

 bears also have not been so numerous for years as they have been this season. 

 They have been doing considerable damage to the farmers sheep; some very large 

 ones were caught, quite a few during the summer, when their fur was useless. 



Muskrats are very plentiful, and a few beaver have been reported, some on 

 Bently and Bird's Creeks and along the York Branch of the Eiver, where a few 

 otter have also been seen. 



Some moose were seen round Baptiste Lake. 



On the whole he thinks the settlers are taking a keener interest in protecting 

 the game as very few complaints have been made. 



Overseer J. A. Moore, of Trenton, reports that game and fish have been very 

 scarce in the Bay of Quinte and all the adjoining waters this present season, and 

 he would recommend that fry, especially bass, be deposited therein in order to 

 replete the same. Tourists were quite numerous in his district during the present 

 season. The professional fishermen had not very successful catches this year; the 

 spring season being very short, and the weather during the early autumn so warm 

 the fish did not appear to be running. 



Ducks have been very plentiful in some of the waters in his neighborhood but 

 have been unmercifully slaughtered by what are known as pot hunters, comprising 

 retired farmers, retired business men and professionals who hunt for the market. 

 Under the present regulations, which allow shooting from monitors, these pot 

 hunters use very large flocks of decoys, making it almost impossible for the ordinary 

 person to obtain any game whatever; the result is that the sport has been left 

 almost entirely to these gentry, who have slaughtered and shipped great numbers. 

 This state of affairs is very annoying to the people at large and if continued for a 

 few years more there will be no ducks in this vicinity, but they will be shot or 

 driven away. He would recommend strongly, and he states that he is supported 

 by all the people, except the pot hunters, in his district that the sale of ducks be 

 prohibited, and also that shooting from monitors, which in reality is a sunken punt, 

 be prohibited, and that the distance from the shore or natural blind where decoys 

 may be set be decreased to sixty yards. These regulations, if enforced, would give 

 the fowl a chance and not drive them from the waters or subject them to such a 

 slaughter as at present. 



Partridges have been scarce, probably owing to the great number of forest 

 fires in the Hastings District, which apparently destroyed a large number of them. 

 He would consider it most advisable that a close season be again declared for a 

 period of three years ; also that a limit of not more than fifteen birds to each gun 

 during the season be allowed, and that the season be shortened from the 15th 

 October to the 1st November, or from 1st November to the 15th. Black 

 squirrels have been very plentiful in this district, but there is great difficulty in 

 preventing them from being shot owing to the fact that hunters are able to shoot 

 partridge during part of the closed season for squirrels, and the report is that a 

 great many have been shot by partridge hunters, but he has been unable to obtain 

 any direct evidence of the fact. He would, therefore, recommend that the season 

 for black squirrels be changed to the same as partridge and that both be made from 

 the 15th October to the 1st November. 



Overseer J. W. Morton, of St. Ola, reports that the fishing has not been very 

 good this summer. Trout and bass which are the principal fish were very scarce. 

 Not many angling permits were sold this season. 



