362 



RECREATION. 



with perfect freedom irom decay until the 

 season closes, and this is a temptation for 

 a large party to kill their allotted number, 

 whether individually or by party.' The na- 

 tives will take what they need for winter 

 use anyhow; but thete is a double tempta- 

 tion in the opportunity to shoot for visitors. 



In August the conditions are much dif- 

 ferent, as anyone who has still hunted in 

 that month can testify. Most people in the 

 woods at that season are there chiefly for 

 rest, recreation, and escape from city heat. 

 If they are at liberty to hunt it adds zest 

 to their recreation and their vacation does 

 them all the more good; but, more often 

 than otherwise, the hunter's sole reward is 

 a glimpse of a white flag seen for an in- 

 stant and then lost in the leafy labvrmth. 

 It does him good, however, and the deer 

 no harm. 



When you wish to get a man's candid 

 opinion in regard to a game law it must 

 not be, in many cases, when he knows it 

 is for the press. You must catch him off 

 his guard. I have made a point of 

 talking with sportsmen in this section 

 and without exception they agree that 

 the November shooting is the greatest 

 menace to the deer supply and should be 

 abolished. They acknowledge that were it 

 cut off many a man would have to go with- 

 out shooting a deer, but they would have 

 the same chance as the rest. Men who 

 must have a deer driven up under their 

 noses to be shot should not be taken into 

 consideration in measures aiming at the 

 protection of such animals. 



It is amusing to consider the pleas made 

 to legislators in regard to the game laws,, 

 Here is one sample : A man went to Mr. 

 Babcock, our assemblyman, and urged him 

 to work for a law permitting hounding. 

 He said the deer were becoming so tame 

 they were working out into the open coun- 

 try and farmers were killing them. If 

 hounding were allowed they would be 

 driven back into the woods where sports- 

 men could get them. 



What nonsense ! As though farmers 

 were not entitled to shoot game in season. 

 In fact, they practically hold the key to 

 the whole situation and it is only by 

 their courtesy that most of us poor mor- 

 tals are given the freedom of the woods 

 at all. 



I do not wish to be understood as ad- 

 vocating a return to August shooting; but 

 I do say that if it is not allowed, then 

 justice and protection alike demand that 

 the last 15 days be taken from the open 

 season. Furthermore I honestly believe 

 that with the latter change made, the 15 

 days could again be allowed to advantage 

 in August. More sportsmen would be 

 given a chance, the law would be better 

 respected, and with the non-hounding and 

 jacking provision fairly well enforced, I 

 believe deer would multiply as never be- 

 fore. I do not say this from any selfish 

 motive. I always have at least 5 days of 

 the open season at my disposal and have 

 never seen the time yet when I could not 

 kill 2 deer in that period in broad daylight, 

 if I set out to do so. 



THE SCREECH OWL. 



JOHN HOWARD, M. D. 



What sound is this that's heard amid the But when the day awakes all rosy bright, 



night, And scans the earth now in its glory 



Like some lost soul far wandered from drest 



its rest? The owl his weird cry then doth quick 



'Tis but the owl that, leaving its snug arrest, 



nest, For evil sounds, like deeds, distrust the 



Flies slowly forth to shriek its note of light, 

 fright. 



What means thy plaint that echoes through 

 the vale? 

 What message bringest thou, ill-omened 



bird? 

 Save for thy wail no other sound is heard 

 To mar the quiet of the evening pale. 



So human is that agonizing call, 



It seems a soul despairing in its fall. 



