242 TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



instance in point is the work done last summer in the lower New York 

 bay. Through the courtesy of Police Commissioner Theodore Bingham, 

 of New York city, police patrol boat No. 4 was put at the disposal of the 

 Department, in a week's time a number of arrests were made and an effect- 

 ive stop put to the incursions of menhadden fishermen, who had been 

 netting fish in New York waters. 



The winter killing of deer for supplying lumber camps with meat has 

 become a thing of the past as far as any wholesale violation is concerned. 

 Some irresponsible jobbers undoubtedly still encourage the practice in a 

 small way, but the larger camps are very careful to comply with the law, 

 and in a number of instances the men are not permitted to have guns in 

 camp during the close season. Throughout the winter months these 

 camps are frequently visited by the protectors in whose territory they 

 are situated. 



The summer killing of deer, while at present a much more difficult 

 matter to control, is confined to sporadic instances, and is not a serious 

 menace to the supply. Successful violation of the hounding law is much 

 less common than formerly, and will soon cease to figure to any considerable 

 extent, as the danger of detection has increased, and there is also a grow- 

 ing local sentiment in favor of the law. The Department has taken in hand 

 the matter of the removal of all hounds from the limits of the Adirondack 

 park. 



While deer have undoubtedly increased in numbers in many locali- 

 ties owing to better protection afforded during the close season, there arc 

 other localities where there has been no such increase. It is significant 

 that these latter points are chiefly in the heart of the deer country. The 

 ratio between the numbers of the hunters and the deer is constantly chang- 

 ing at the expense of the deer. Though the open season of 1906 was a 

 month shorter than in 1905, more deer were killed by almost 10 per cent., 

 judging from the record of shipments. There were more deer shipped in 

 1906 than in any year since the commission has kept a record of shipments 

 and 40 per cent, more in 1906 than in 1904. 



The increase in the number of hunters was very noticeable at the 

 railroad stations in the deer country last fall. By far the larger num- 

 ber went into the woods in November, and it is common report in many 



