Jan. so, 1887.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



BOB 



THE MAINE GAME LAW. 



THE poacher dies hard, especially if he has the hotel 

 and summer resort interest to back him. This was 

 I)robablv never more forcibly illustrated than it is likely 

 to be before the Maine Legislature this winter. That 

 body is now in fall working order and a majority of its 

 members are probably partially aware of the importance 

 of the measures they will have in hand — important to the 

 sportsmen of the counUy. They will be called upon both 

 to strengthen the laws for the protection of fish and game 

 in by far the most important Eastern State in which fish and 

 gaine are left, and at a single sweep to wipe cut the whole 

 list of such laws. Bo it said, to the shame of any civiUzed 

 State in the Union, a petition for the wholesale abolition of 

 these laws is actually in circulation. It is hacked up by the 

 notion that a wicked murder has grown out of the action 

 of two "free sons of the soil" attempting to assert their 

 rights and to take, "by whatsoever means they saw fit," 

 that which belonged to them as much as to any other men 

 or class of men in the State; that the so-styled Fish and 

 Game Commission has sided with the stranger and the 

 visitor from abroad against the people of the State: and 

 for tins reason the petitioners would pray that the 

 Commission be abolished. Such nonsense will hardly be 

 granted a second thought in that Legislature, but it shows 

 that the Commission has ignorance and jealousy to con- 

 tend with, as well as the desire to kill out of season. But 

 the Committee on Fisheries and Game is understood to 

 be friendly to the Commission and to their work, almost 

 to a man. The recommendations of the Governor in his 

 message were that 



"The laws for the preservation and increase of fish and game hi 

 the State shonld he rigidly enforced, and if necessarj-, additional 

 provisions should be enacted. * * * The laA\ s already enacted 

 are valuahle and beneficent in their eifeet. * * * T!ie opposition 

 to these laws and the determination to violate tnom led to a 

 dcplorahle crime in the county of Washington, in November last, 

 "bnt I trust such an occm-rence will stimulate and not disc'ourage 

 the cnf orccmoat of the law. * * It is important to have a 

 proper pul)Uc sentiment on tliis question. Tliose who oppose these 

 laws, and insist on fishing and hunting in unlawful ways, are as 

 those woitld be wiio, with a famine impending, should insist on 

 devouring the seed corn. Unless tliese laws he rigidly maintained 

 there is danger that we shall ultimately have no fish in our wateis 

 and no game in oxrr forests." 



But the Governor has met some opposition by reason of 

 these views— some opposition from the element in that 

 State that desires to kill when and how it pleases, regard- 

 less of consequences. They claim that he is on the side 

 of the Commission altogether. This is wickedness that is 

 remarkably pleasing to us all who believe in fish and 

 game protection. Would that there were more Governors 

 of States just like him. 



The hotel interest is more likely to get some show of 

 • attention on this fish and game subject before the Maine 

 Legislature than almost any other. This is because it 

 wiU be represented by such as profess to be reasonable 

 men, and in a number of cases men of some wealth and 

 influence. They will come before the committee of the 

 Legislature professing gxeat friendship for the game and 

 fish laws, a.nd before they get through it will appear that 

 they are friendly in just so far as the laws do not pretend 

 to prohibit their guests from hunting and fishing at any 

 and all seasons. One noted hotel man, located at the 

 entrance to one of Maine's best lake regions, with logic 

 more or less profound, suggests that "the laws be so 

 amended as to prevent discrimination against the people 

 of the State, and thereby lessen the liability of the recur- 

 rence of bloody encounters like the one in Washington 



county last fall. Yes, Mr, (the FoBEgT AND Stream 



ought to give his name, that everybody might know his 

 principles), make a law that people shall stay at home, 

 lest they be robbed and murdered if they presume to 

 leave their own doors. Then this sotmd reasoner, with 

 views of his own, would have the game and fish laws so 

 amended as to indttce a large influx of sportsmen and 

 visitors, while tending to increase the game and fish in 

 qtiestion, and at the same time cause the growth of good 

 f eeUng between the people of the State and the sportsmen 

 from the outside. Was there ever anything more logi- 

 cal and reasonable? Make our laws come to such a 

 nattn-e that police ofiicers and sherifi^s shall be the bosom 

 friends of thieves and mtirderers, and at the same time 

 so fix the statutes that there shall be property enough 

 around loose for the thieves to steal and feeble old men 

 and women enough around for them to murder, and then 

 make it so that all the time there shall be an increase of 

 property, and, best of all, a plenty of peace and harmony. 

 His town shotdd send that man to the Legislature for one 

 term and then to the insane asylum. 



This hotelkeeper would have the open season for moose, 

 deer and caribou "extended back," as he puts it, so as to 

 include both September and August, since these are the 

 best months in all the year for the visiting sportsmen. 

 He might have added, and consequently that is the way 

 to build up a hotel business. Then he would have the 

 fish laws so amended as to allow each sportsman to send 

 to his friends 201bs. , or less, of the 501bs, he is allowed 

 to take along with himself when he goes home. Our 

 reasoner thinks so much is due to people who pay into 

 the State $100 per head for large game and $10 per pound 

 for trout. Then he puts in, probably with an aside, that 

 no better advertisement of Maine as "the sportsman's par- 

 adise" could be- cu'culated than these specimens of giant 

 fish and game. True! True! Too ti-ue! It is a wonder 

 that nobody ever thought of this before! But how about 



the Boston marketman, Mr. (again I am tempted to 



tell your name, but you wotild gain a little notoriety in 

 that way, and that stuts you and is a help to the hotel 

 business), if every sportsman is allowed to send out 201bs. 

 of trouc, wouldn't every marketman in Boston have 

 friends a plenty in the ti-out regions? Wouldn't the 

 marketmen get all the trout and salmon they desked out 

 of Maine under such a law? Every sportsman could send 

 out 201bs. of trout! In the name of all that is reason- 

 able, how many sportsmen, even in the best Avaters that 

 Maine boasts, obtain 201bs. of trout? Such a law would 

 be just as good as no law at all for the prevention of 

 market fishing and hunting. In the words of Commis- 

 sioner Still well: "An absolute non-transportation law is 

 all that can ever save Maine her fish and game!" 



This is an important winter to the State of Maine, as 

 Well as to the entire fish and game interest of the cotmlry. 

 If her laws axe strengthened with stronger penalties, so 

 that the good work in the preservation of her fish and 

 game, so admirably begun, can go on: if a sufficient sum 

 3f money is appropriated so that these laws may be enforced , 

 according to the recommendations of a sensible Grovernor 

 and a Commission that has attracted the attention of the 



world, then Maine becomes the trtie sportsman's paradise, 

 more in reality than on the cover of a guide book. But 

 the non-hounding law of New York was broken down 

 last winter, and if any of the strong f eatm-es of the Maine 

 game laws are to share the same fate this witxier, then the 

 hope of the sportsmen, beyond a year or two at the long- 

 est, is done. Under such circumstances, my kit of fishing 

 tackle is for sale for a song. My sliotgtm and rifle will be 

 good for old iron. It might cost me a few sly tears to 

 part with them, but if the market-htmter and the poacher 

 is to conquer, then let the plumes I wore with so much 

 pleastu-e, btit which would no longer be of the least nee in 

 the world, pass oitt of my siglit. Under such circiun- 

 stances the Forest and Stream, that\ve have all enjoyed 

 so much, would be a tiseless publication, except as a 

 record of what has been done, for there wotild be no game 

 to hunt or fish to take; and to read its pages, once bright 

 and cheering, would cause a pang, a twinge of soitow. 



Good readers of the FOREST and Stream, I am not in 

 the least disheartened, but it distresses me to hear men 

 reason as above. That men will bo so selfish and short- 

 sighted concerning that which is detu-est to us all. That 

 a few dollars in the hotel business should make a man see 

 black for white and wliite for black. That the desire of 

 being considered a finished sportsman should make a man 

 so earnest to send a few pounds of fish out to his friends, 

 that never, imder the best of conditions, can reacli that 

 friend in shape to be appreciated. That the love of killmg 

 something should make the August tourists wilhng to 

 shoot the doe with suckhng fawns. That even the Presi- 

 dent of the United States should consent to have a deer 

 driven into the water by dogs, in order that he might in 

 that way shoot that which he never could in any other 

 way hope to cope with. But the chances for fish and 

 game in Maine were never better, in s]3ite of all the 

 damnable proclivities of human nature, some of tlie best 

 of legislation is bound to gi-ow out of the agitation of the 

 subject this winter. Then, seeing the good restdts, other 

 States will follow, if they wake up before it is too late. 



Special. 



SWAN ISLAND. 



THE Swan Island grotmds are perhaps the best duck 

 shooting preserve in North Carolina, if not in the 

 world. The preserve is located on the easterly side of 

 Cm'rituck Sound, between the sound and the ocean. It 

 is several miles in extent, and has an area of about 6,000 

 acres of marsh and shoal lands. Through this vast extent 

 of marsh run countless little creeks and bayous, in which 

 grow a profusion of the succulent widgeon grass and 

 wild celery, the nattrral food of the different kinds of wild 

 ducks with which the place abounds. The club hotise is 

 situated tipon Swan Island, w^hich contains about forty 

 acres of arable land. The soil is very productive, requir- 

 ing no fertilizer to produce a large yield of any and aU 

 Idnds of the cereals and vegetables to which the climate 

 is adapted. The club hottse and the houses for the use of 

 the tenant who tills the farm and takes care of the property 

 in the summer season and the buildings occupied by the 

 employees in winter, together with the numerous boat, 

 decoy and game houses and other outbuildings, form quite 

 a settlement. The building are plain and tmassuming, 

 and are liainted in Newjaort brown, olive green and Eng- 

 lish red. The club house jjroper is on a slight eminence, 

 with law^l sloping to the water's edge, and on Sitndays, 

 when everything is quiet, ducks, geese and swans in great 

 numbers feed contentedly in the little bay in front of the 

 house, within easy range" from the broad piazzas. The 

 view fi-om the house at such times presents a picture 

 which once seen is never forgotten. The principal reason 

 why the Swan Island club grounds are so much better 

 shooting grounds than others in Cmxituck is because the 

 club o\vn the shoals and landunder water which stirround 

 their marshes, and consequently are enabled more effec- 

 tually 10 protect them from the incursions of trespassers. 



Ctmittick Sound and its estuaries are the natural and 

 favorite winter resort of most of the different species of 

 wildfowl, and with careful legislation to afford them 

 proper protection, it would continue to remam so for a 

 good many years to come. The different clubs and the 

 native gamners should work together (for their interests 

 in this matter are identical) to secure the passage and 

 rigid enforcement of proper protective game laws which 

 would be mutually beneficial. And this shotild be done 

 at once, or I fear that in the near futtu-e club men as well 

 as natives will have to solace themselves with the sad 

 refrain, "It might have been." The club people stand 

 ready at any and all times to aid the natives in promoting 

 any scheme tending to the better protection of the bh-ds — 

 for better protection means more sport for the club 

 people and more money for the native gunners. The 

 resident gunners should be more than -willing; they ought 

 to be extremely anxiotts to co-operate with the clubs in 

 securing the passage of healthy and proper protective 

 laws, for the reason that the club people confine them- 

 selves strictly and almost exclusively to marsh shooting, 

 and consequently kill comparatively few of the most 

 valuable species of birds, such as canvasback, redhead, 

 etc. ; but leave them for the profit and emohiment of the 

 native or resident gunners. 



The club men at all times wish to, and do show a proper 

 regard and respect for the rights and privileges of the 

 natives, and in return they claim reciprocal treatment. 



The game laws of North Carolina, so far as they relate to 

 duck shooting, are a "delusion and a snare," and prac- 

 tically amount to nothing, as they allow ducks to be shot 

 at all seasons for "domestic consumption." The result of 

 this very convenient lirovision is, that early in the season, 

 when the weather is warm and birds will not bear ship- 

 ment, thousands of them are wantonly slaughtered and 

 thrown away. The laws of New York and of most of 

 the other States provide a heavy penalty for Idlling, or 

 having in possession after the same has been killed, any 

 duck, goose, brant, etc., between certain dates. The 

 restilt is that during the operation of this "stav law" 

 ducks are not killed. A code of this kind is what is 

 needed in North Carolina to-day, and were it enacted 

 and .enforced the people would have cause to bless the 

 day of its accomplishmeitt. 



^The Swan Island Club is a syndicate of gentlemen from 

 New York and Boston, formed for the purpose of shoot- 

 ing game purely for pleasure. They give away all the 

 game kdled except what is consumed at the club. Of 

 the oi-iginal syndicate who formed the organization two 

 have since died, Henry Gtiild, President of the People's 

 National Bank of Boston, and D. L. Suydam, of New 

 York, a gentleman of the old school and one of the 



pioneer sportsmen of Currituck. The present members 

 of the club arc named below. The president is Wm* 

 Sohier, of Boston, lawyer by profession, an old habitu6 

 of Ctm-ituck. Wm. Miaot, Sr., lawyer, of Boston, al- 

 though past the meridian of life, is an enthusiastic sports- 

 man. Wm. Minot, Jr., a lawyer of Boston; by a careful 

 study of the habits of the different kinds of game birds 

 and a kiUling way he has of holding his gun, he is en- 

 abled to show plethoric bags. James C. Carter, President 

 of the Bar Association of New York; .John M. Forbes, of 

 Boston, well known as a successful raikoad man, and is 

 tlie owner of several fast yachts. Col. Wm. H. Forbes, 

 President of the Bell Telephone Co. Dr. Wm. S. Bigelow, 

 of Boston, is now in Japan holding ofiicial position under 

 that government, but retains his interest and membership 

 in. the chib and occasionally runs over from the Antipodes 

 to spend a few weeks at Swan Island and enjoy his 

 favorite pastime of duck shooting. Dudley L. Pickman, 

 of Boston, besides his interest in the Swan Island Cltib, is 

 the owner of an island of several hundred ^cres between 

 Cm-rituck Sound and Back Bay, part of aa hich is heavily 

 timbered; and he intends to stock it with deer, quail and 

 pheasants, and make it into a shooting preserve. WU- 

 hard S. Peele, of Boston. Dr. John Bryant, of Boston, a 

 retired physiciari, owner of yacht Shadow, and one of the 

 syndicate that built the Puritan. Moses Williams, a 

 lawyer of Boston, of eminent ability and a very enthus- 

 iastic sportsman. Dr. Arthtu* Cabot, of Boston. James 

 Norris, New York, a lawyer. Chas. E. Perkins, Piesi- 

 dent of the C. B. & Q. E. li. A. H. Penny. 



DEAD RIVER REGION. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Have just returned from a short trip to the Dead Eiver 

 region, (Chain of Ponds) Maine, to the territory to be 

 operated by the Megantic Fish and Game Cltib, where in 

 company with a friend we spent the week between 

 Christmas and New Years. 



I have never before seen such numerous signs of game. 

 Deer are increasing wonderfully. In walking from Ar- 

 nold Pond to Crosby Pond, a deer had laid over night 

 since the last snow (four days before). We did not have 

 the pleasure of shooting any, although we started several, 

 on account of the snow being too deep, with a crust, 

 which made it too noisy for still-htmting. 



Six caiiboti were killed there the week before, a few 

 days before the last rain and snow storm. The snow 

 varied in depth from one foot on the mountains, to two 

 feet in the valleys; and miless the club commence opera- 

 tions at once there will be a great slaughter of deer and 

 moose dm-iug the crust-hunting season, as this season 

 will be a disastrous one on account of the deep snow al- 

 ready. A habitant told me I had come a cottj>Ie of 

 montlis too early, and if I would come out in March he 

 would take me vvhere I could kill a dozen deer every day, 

 with an axe. This is the place where the 27001bs. of 

 hindquarters of venison was taken out and shipped via 

 Kingtield, Me., in April, 1885, and despite this great 

 drain the deer are actually mcreasing. 



We experienced 38 below zero, and were obliged to 

 discard caribou steaks for bacon, beans and molasses in 

 order to supply sufficient caloric to withstand the severe 

 cold. Lumbermen stated that it was the cgldest snap 

 they had had in the region fcr six years. 



We had some fishing through the ice for lake trout in 

 Lake Megantic with tolerable success, but it was worth 

 your life to stay outside the "kiosh" over ten minutes. 

 One poor misguided Sahno fontinalis of one and a half 

 pounds weight, forgetting that it was against the laws 

 to be caught in the Province of Quebec before January 

 1st (the law being off his relative, the lake trout or land- 

 locked salmon on December 1st) took our bait and was 

 Ia,nded; as it lacked just two days of the open season for 

 his land, we were forced to confiscate him and bring him 

 to a warmer chmate. Heber Bishop. 

 Boston, Jan. 5. 



VIRGINIA GAME NOTES. 



LEXINGTON, Va., Jan. 11.— Otu* shooting season for 

 all kinds of game approaches its end, the closed 

 season for game in this cotmty beginning on Jan. 15 of 

 each year and terminating Oct. 15. The game law of 

 Vh-ginia is an anomalous abortion. Some of the cotmties 

 in the State have no game law whatever, being exempt 

 by special act of Legislatm-e; others have a closed season 

 ranging from different dates to different dates, and others, 

 of which this county is one, being subject to the law men- 

 tioned above. Why our sapient lawmakers cannot, in 

 their wisdom, frame a law which will apply to all, is a 

 matter far beyond the comprehension of yotir correspond- 

 ent. 



As the season has advanced and the snow and sleet 

 cover the earth, numbers of our sportsmen have been 

 detained by the cold and wind from pm'suing the sport 

 and the bhds have had some respite. 



Some bags have been made, however, generally small, 

 a few fair and fewer large. Last week one of our spoits- 

 men bagged a white quail. Your correspondent has not 

 seen it, but from a description of it by the person who 

 stuffed the buxl, it boems to be perfectly white, with the 

 exception of a few small bluish spots upon the larger wing 

 feathers. This, I learn from the "oldest inhabitants," is 

 the second white qtiaU bagged in this cotmty within the 

 last half centmy. 



Some weeks ago this section was visited by a deep 

 snow, and the pot-htmters took advantage of it to mtu-der 

 (no other word will cover the ground) hundreds of quail. 

 I leam that in an adjacent town two hundred were 

 offered for sale in a single day, by men who did not and 

 had never owned a dog. The case was the same with us, 

 thotigh not so many are slain. Surely some legislative 

 action should be taken to prevent this wholesale massacre. 



It affords me pleasm-e to indorse most heartily the 

 position taken by yotu' paper '5\ith regard to the recent 

 field trials. No matter what motive may actuate the 

 owner of a dog in such matters, the judges should see that 

 each dog has a fail- and equal chance. T. M. S. 



Province of Quebec Fish and Game Club.— Mont- 

 real, Jan, 13.— The officers for 1887 are: President, F. 

 H. Rintoul; Vice-president, Selkkk Cross; Secretary-Treas- 

 m-er, J. Nelson; Committee, H. W. Atwater, G. fi. G<)od- 

 acre, G. Ahern, H. R. ives, H. Stearns, James Slessor, 

 H. R. King, Dr. Brainard, E. Mackay, A. N. Shewan, 

 W. A, Parker, L. Huot, L. A. Boyer, S. H. Matthews. 



