FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



THEY KILLED A COW MOOSE. 



Dover, Me. 



Editor Recreation: Your magazine is 

 as interesting as ever; and that is saying 

 enough. I came from Moosehead lake not 

 long ago. The large game is as plentiful 

 there as ever. Saw more moose this sum- 

 mer than ever before. Deer are about the 

 same as usual; and that is enough. A year 

 ago I spent some time in Northern Wis- 

 consin, in that part of the state which they 

 claim has the best hunting; but the large 

 game is so scarce there as to seem to me to 

 offer no hunting at all. It is very scarce, 

 compared with Moosehead. 



In all this vicinity the ruffed grouse seem 

 to have nearly disappeared, for the season. 

 I cannot account for it. Have talked with 

 some men who have been about the woods 

 all summer and who say they have not seen 

 a single specimen. No doubt one reason is 

 the great number of foxes. At Moosehead 

 lake foxes might almost be said to swarm. 

 To see 5 in a clearing, at one time, is noth- 

 ing strange. Not only do these kill small 

 game, but some of the best guides are con- 

 fident they kill very young deer. And think 

 of it! At our last legislature there was an 

 effort made to protect the rascals. 



I have talked with a large number of in- 

 telligent sportsmen and guides, and there 

 seems a consensus of opinion that there 

 should be a bounty on reynard. There may 

 be an effort to enact that opinion at our 

 next legislature. 



No doubt the buzz of the " moose case " 

 has reached your editorial sanctum. I re- 

 fer to the case where 2 young men, from 

 out the state, shot a cow moose, up beyond 

 Chesuncook lake; or report is to that ef- 

 fect. With us it is much more than " town 

 talk." It is state talk. At present there is 

 in the minds of most people, great fear that 

 there may be an abortion of justice. 



As you know, the penalty for killing a 

 moose, in close time, has lately been 

 changed from a fine to imprisonment. That 

 was done so that wealthy men, from out the 

 state, who would not stop at a fine, but who 

 would fear imprisonment, should not 

 slaughter the moose. It was expressly in- 

 tended to meet the rich class. The very 

 first case under the new law was one of that 

 class — the wealthy — if report be true. 



At or about the time of the preliminary 

 hearing of the case, it is said, one of our 

 high officers had an interview with the 

 father of one of the young men who is 

 charged with the killing of the aforesaid 

 moose. Soon after an article appeared in 

 many of our papers in which this officer 

 stated, over his signature, that he would 

 rather resign his position than see the law 

 executed, in this case. 



It may be that great injustice has been 

 done the officer, ii 50 an adequate explana- 

 tion would be ROOd for himself, the law, 

 and the public. It is to be hoped the sequel 

 may prove a sufficient explanation. It" it 

 does come, let that be as widely scattered 

 and believed as has the accusation; but if 

 no such explanation comes, he could re- 

 sign, " by and with the advice and consent " 

 of the people; and that is putting it mildly. 



I say this, not in order to in any way in- 

 jure the game commissioner, but that the 

 public, elsewhere, may know what the pub- 

 lic, here in the immediate vicinity, thinks 

 of this case. I hope that the affair may be 

 cleared up, to the vindication of the posi- 

 tion of the officer. Personally I shall be 

 only too glad to assist, in any reasonable 

 way to do that. But there is an immense 

 amount of public opinion abroad, on this 

 question. I have yet to hear more than 2 — 

 from a large number — speak of the case 

 without demanding a reason for the of- 

 ficer's lack of action. 



It now appears there is danger that those 

 who are accused of a violation of the law 

 may go free without a trial, or imprison- 

 ment, or fine; even without so much as the 

 forfeit of bail; as they say that the bail was 

 " straw." 



Our faithful county attorney proposes to 

 take steps for a requisition, so that a fair 

 trial may yet be had; for those charged 

 with the violation are no longer within the 

 limits of this state. We wait for the end. 



What a difference of opinion there is as 

 to the killing quality of the new 30 calibre 

 nitro rifle cartridge. This difference of 

 opinion is expressed not only in print, but 

 in private interviews. I am anxiously wait- 

 ing to have that question settled. 



H. B. Tilden. 



HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO KILL ALL 

 THE GAME? 



New Haven, Conn. 



Editor Recreation: It amuses me to 

 read your editorials, under various hunting 

 and fishing notes, regarding excessive bags 

 of game and fish. Of the hard knocks you 

 give (deservedly) some of the contributors, 

 the one under the heading, " What consti- 

 tutes a reasonable bag? " is especially good. 



While I am glad game can be found in 

 such quantities as to allow of such bags, it 

 strikes me the make-up of a man who will 

 allow himself to kill game in such quan- 

 tities, is largely selfishness. 



What is the motive that takes a true 

 sportsman into the woods or fields? Is it 

 merely a desire to kill? Not at all. It is a 

 love of nature. Why then should we abuse 

 this privilege? Let us remember there are 



