GAME AS A XATIOXAL RESOURCE. 39 



The hunting season was originally open during the whole month of 

 October, but after the first year was. shortened to the last 10 days in 

 the month. From 1905 to 1910, inclusive, the season was further 

 shortened to the last 6 days in October, except in 1908, when it was 

 postponed until the second week in November on account of the 

 drought and consequent danger from forest fires. In 1911 the season 

 was lengthened and made later to include the 10 days from November 

 15 to 25. In 1913 it was again lengthened, this time to the last 3 

 weeks in November; in 1915 the opening date was again postponed 

 to November 15 ; in 1917 the season was 9 days, November 10-20 ; 

 and finally in 1919 it was made the first full week in December. In 

 all the changes an increasing effort is apparent on the part of those 

 in favor of hunting to kill more and more deer, either by lengthening 

 the season or shifting it to the most favorable dates, and occasionally 

 by taking advantage of local prejudice due to damage done by deer, 

 to gain temporarily the privilege of killing does. In 1919 the legis- 

 lature authorized the fish and game commissioner on application of 

 the owner to establish orchard zones around commercial orchards of 

 10 acres or more where deer could be killed at any time. During the 

 first year nine such zones were established and the number of deer 

 killed was 49. 



Three other examples deserve mention in this connection, although 

 the restocking has been done by natural rather than by artificial 

 means. In Pennsylvania, through a judicious system of protection, 

 deer have increased rapidly, and in addition to the native stock con- 

 siderable numbers have been liberated for restocking preserves and 

 counties where deer had become scarce. Some of the animals were 

 obtained from local preserves and others were imported from north- 

 ern Michigan. In Massachusetts deer have repopulated the State 

 to such an extent that an open season of six days has been provided 

 for several } T ears. When the season was first opened in 1910, 1,281 

 deer were killed ; during the same year the number killed on account 

 of damage to crops or for other causes was 598, making a total of 

 1.879 killed during the year. • In Nova Scotia deer have increased 

 remarkably in recent years. They were not originally native in the 

 Province, but have spread eastward from New Brunswick. Appar- 

 ently the first deer was killed in December, 1886. Soon after a con- 

 tinuous close season was placed on the species, and when the season 

 was first opened in 1916, 151 bucks were killed. 



RESTOCKING WITH ELK. 



The most successful experiments in restocking areas with big- 

 game have been the transfers of elk from the Yellowstone National 

 Park and Jackson Hole. Wyo., to various points in the United States. 



