Jan. 30, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
87 
MAINE GAME AND FISH. 
[From the report of the Commissioners of Inland Fisheries 
and Game for the year 1896.] 
Moose. 
It would seem from the best information obtainable 
that more moose have been killed this year than in any 
one year for a great many years previously, notwith- 
standing the fact that no cow or calf moose can be legally 
taken. This is due mainly to the largely increased num- 
bers who have hunted them. 
We are convinced that in order to preserve the moose 
from extinction more stringent laws for their protection 
should be enacted. 
The visiting sportsmen, or hunters from out of the 
Sbate, come to us in ever-increasing numbers. Skilled 
guides are employed, a tent is pitched or camp erected in 
their very home, and weeks — and sometimes months — 
devoted to their capture by one hunting party, and it is 
not therefore surprising that with this Vast outlay of 
money and time devoted to their capture, the bulls 
are becoming increasingly scarce. 
Nor are these efforts confined to the close season. 
Hundreds and hundreds of hunters visit the haunts of the 
moose in August and September, and during the "calling 
period," kill their game, hide it till October, and then 
bring out the head alone, leaving the carcass to decay in 
the forest. Any law calculated to remedy this state of 
affairs will have the hearty approval of the commission- 
ers. 
The rich poacher cares nothing for a fine, so long as he 
can secure a good head, and August and September are 
very favorable months for their operations. Our forests 
are so vast that no system of wardenship could be ar- 
ranged to successfully stop summer killing. The law 
should step in and do it. Complaint was made and a 
warrant issued for one of this class of poachers in October 
last, and a requisition for his arrest and return to Maine 
was asked for of his Excellency, Gov. Henry B. Cleaves, 
on the Governor of Massachusetts, to which State he had 
gone after killing a moose in September. This procedure 
had never before been triqi in the history of the enforce- 
ment of the game laws. His Excellency, Gov. Cleaves, 
without hesitation granted the requisition, and it was 
duly honored by the acting Governor of Massachusetts; 
thereby the poacher was brought before our courts for 
trial, plead guilty and paid the usual fine — $100 and 
costs. This object lesson has taught the rich poacher 
from other States that he is not safe from arrest and trial 
even though he may escape arrest while within our bor- 
ders, and it is believed will have a very wholesome effect. 
A leading manufacturer in Pennsylvania writes: "I 
have spent $500 in hunting for moose legally in your 
I State and have not seen one yet." And this man is only 
I one in many hundreds who have done likewise, and so 
r long as we have moose in our forests people in large 
numbers will come to hunt them lawfully, spending their 
money freely, and to prevent unlawful killing nothing 
should be left undone that we can do. 
Large as the State of Maine is, extensive as our forests 
are, as much game as we have, our State is not big 
enough, our forests are not extensive enough, we have 
not and cannot have game enough for seventy-five mil- 
lions of people. 
Every railroad running our way, every steamboat line 
running our way, every newspaper in the State, and 
many out of it, every hotel, hunting camp, and nearly 
every guide, have been for years and years advertising 
the great opportunity to shoot moose, caribou and deer 
in our State, and the ease with which this could be done. 
The photograph of every moose killed is taken and sent 
all over the country; expositions are yearly held in New 
York advertising this in the same way, and the result 
is that each year sees a very great increase of hunters 
over the preceding year, so that this year at least 35 per 
cent, naore came than ever before, and if the weather 
had beeti favorable for hunting there would not have been 
a bull moose left in Maine suitable or fit to kill, 
We have been giving three months in the year in which 
to kill our game, and, with the enormous amount of ad 
vertising which is being done and has been done, the 
result is that there is no boy now but what dreams of the 
time when be can kill his moose. Something must be 
done, or else in a very short time not a moose will re- 
main; there will be only the echo of his last "call" to re- 
mind us of his former existence. ' 
Caribou and Deer. 
There is no question but that at least 10,000 deer have 
been killed in Maine during the year 1896,. quite a propor- 
tion of them by our own citizens. This is not merely 
guess work, but based on actual count of the numbers 
transported by the common carriers, and records kept by 
various sporting proprietors scattered over the State. 
Deer are now found in each of the sixteen counties of 
the State, and there seems to be no great decrease, not- 
withstanding the great numbers killed. In some locali- 
ties, however, there is a marked decrease owing to the 
fact that but slight, if any, attention has been paid to the 
game laws by residents and non-residents alike. Com- 
plaints have been made in several instances to us by 
farmers that their crops had been destroyed by deer. In 
each case reported to us we have requested to be furnished 
with the exact facts and a statement of the amount of 
damage done. We are convinced that the damage is not 
great, though, doubtless, very annoying. 
From the best information obtainable, from the most 
reliable sources, the caribou is fast disappearing, and will 
very soon be practically extinct, unless a close time, for a 
series of years, is put on them, or more stringent laws 
enacted for their protection. Summer and winter killing 
has accomplished this. Every effort should be made to 
preserve this species of our big game, because of its vast 
importance to our citizens, 
we are aware that this expression of opinion as to cari- 
bou, and possibly deer, is not in accordance with what 
the public has been led to believe from various statements 
from guides and others published in the press of this and 
other States. 
Guiding has become a regular occupation by a large 
number of our people. Three dollars a day and board is 
the regular price paid for their services. At least 1,500 
men are thus employed. Huntmg camps are everywhere 
where fish and game abound: attractive circulars are sent 
broadcast by their proprietors, and an ever increasing 
multitude is attracted to our State. 
Ten thousand, at least, visited the Rangely region this 
year; more than 50,000 souls have come to Maine in 1896 
to fish, to hunt, to enjoy our unparalleled scenery and cli- 
mate in spring, summer and autumn; more than $5,000,- 
000 have been expended by them along our railroads, in 
our hotels, pay for guides, etc. It is an industry Maine 
can ill afford to lose. Business prudence and foresight 
demand that every means in our power be employed to re- 
tain it. This can only be done by propagating our fish 
and protecting our game. The Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Game is one of the greatest and most im- 
portant departments in the State. It takes the whole 
time and attention of at least two members of the Board. 
The correspondence connected with the office is some- 
thing enormous, coming from all sections of the Union. 
A clerk should be provided for the Board, as well as an 
office, and most liberal appropriations made to successfully 
carry on the work of our fish hatcheries and adequately 
protect our game. Only in this way can we hope to pre- 
serve our game from utter extinction and continue to 
reap these rich harvests. 
Wardens. 
There are forty-eight commissioned inland fish and 
game wardens in the State, all under bond for the faith- 
ful discharge of their duties. We have employed, nearly 
constantly, twenty, at an average salary of $3 per day and 
expenses, all that the means at our command would per- 
mit, but this number is entirely inadequate. The vast 
area of our fishing and hunting grounds renders it utterly 
impossible that this number can adequately protect the 
fish and game from the depredations of the poacher. 
More prosecutions for the infractions of the fish and game 
laws have been instituted this year than ever before, and 
more convictions had. Public sentiment is, more and 
more, in favor of a thorough enforcement of the laws. 
As stated, guides receive $3 per day and board in most 
instances; to be a successful warden, especially to protect 
the big game, one must be a thorough woodsman, familiar 
with the woo^s and the hunting regions, and also familiar 
with the methods of poachers. In order to get the best 
we must pay as much, at least, as is paid for guiding. 
This we have been unable to do on account of lack of 
funds, and have consequently been unable to do as much 
as ought- to be done. We have devoted practically our 
entire time to the work during the year. 
Inland Fish. 
We have the pleasure of reporting a larger run of trout 
and salmon this fall than for many years, resulting in our 
securing more eggs for replenishing our waters than ever 
before. Notwithstanding the largely increased number 
of anglers from abroad, as well as those we have at home, 
there seems to be a plenty, if not an increase, left to keep 
our fishing good for years to come. This result seems to 
us to be owing in a great measure, if not entirely, to arti- 
ficial propagation and protection. 
We have visited the spawning grounds of these fish in 
many localities, grounds that we have been familiar with 
for many years, and, from what we saw at Rangeley and 
other places, can see no diminution in numbers on their 
breedmg grounds. 
The landlocked salmon have thrived and multiplied 
wonderfully in many new lakes and ponds where they 
have been introduced within the last ten years — in some 
of these so much so that we have been able to procure a 
goodly number of eggs from these fish. They grow very 
fast, and in good waters, with plenty of feed, very large — 
in some cases attaining a growth of ISlbs. in six years. 
We believe they are to be the coming and favorite mland 
fish in Maine. They are now caught more or less, and in- 
creasing year by year, in nearly all our large lakes and 
ponds. There are hundreds of ponds in Maine adapted to 
these fish which we are stocking as fast as our limited 
means will allow. They will live in warmer water than 
the trout and thrive with the pickerel, but the lakes to be 
successful should contain deep, pure water. 
We have no doubt that in many of our lakes there is a lack 
of suitable food, more especially for the young fry, also 
affecting their growth as they advance in life. We be- 
lieve many of the newly hatched fish starve for lack of 
suitable food. Those that do survive are apt to be stunted 
and do not grow to be handsome fish. The smelt hatches 
at about the time the young salmon begin to feed, and is 
so small they readily swallow him. They are as eager 
after them as a cat after a mouse. We have dipped them 
in a pail of water, turned them in our hatching troughs 
with young salmon. They would hunt them till they 
caught the last one. 
It is a well-known fact that the amount of fish you can 
raise in a pond depends on the food supply. The same 
rule applies to fish as to the number of cattle you can raise 
in your pastures, depending entirely on the crop of grass 
you make grow. This is of vital importance, and can in 
a great measure be improved by the introduction of the 
fresh- water smelt. 
Every lake and pond should be stocked. We shall do it 
so far as we are able, but it is too large a job for us with- 
out help. It can be done very easily by collecting the 
eggs in the brooks when they run up in the spring to 
spawn. They adhere to the grass, moss, sticks and stones 
by thousands. They can be packed in damp moss or 
sphagnum and carried to the waters needed, and placed in 
the running waters of some tributary near the pond or 
lake. They will hatch in a few days and the job is done. 
We would suggest that any person interested in the fish- 
ing in any pond or lake see that it is stocked with smelts 
the coming spring. They spawn in the spring about the 
time the ice goes out. We shall do this so far as we are 
able, but without help it would take us several years, as 
there are only a few days in spring this can be done. 
The run of salmon at Sebago this fall was the largest 
we have ever known, not only in numbers, but in size of 
the fish. 
Black Game and Capercailzie. 
The above-named birds, known to the Swedish language 
as "orre" and "tjader," are said to be very fine game 
birds— very fine for table use, and particularly adapted to 
the climate of the State. 
After consulting with our Swedish friends, and also 
with Hon. W. W. Thomas, Jr., whose long residence in 
Sweden had given him opportunity to study the habits of 
these birds, we decided to import a few of each variety 
and liberate them in the forests. Accordingly, in the fall 
of 1895 three males and four females of each kind were 
ordered. They were shipped early in February of this 
year, but thre& of the larger iind— the capercailde-^ 
failed to arrive. 
Whether they died on the passage and were thrown 
overboard, or were lost in some other way, we have never 
been able to learn. We simply know that we received 
but two pairs of that variety. The others came as 
ordered, and the eleven birds, all apparently strong and 
healthy, were liberated on the last day of S'ebruary in the 
forest in the northern part of New Sweden. 
That a part of the black game has survived is certain, 
for they have been seen or heard repeatedly — once very 
recently. One young bil-d of this season's hatching has 
also been seen, showing that they have bredj which leads 
us to believe that the introduction of these birds can be 
made a success. 
Of the capercailzie we can say but little, as their habits 
of going into the deep forest has doubtless been the rea- 
son for their never having been seen, excepting in one 
instance, about two weeks after they were liberated. 
The people of the Swedish colony were very much interest- 
ed in the success of the experiment, and voluntarily or- 
ganized a system of police surveillance to protect them. 
They also carried grain for food into the woods and dis- 
tributed it near the place where the birds were freed. 
The birds evidently appreciated the kindness, for tracks in 
the snow showed that they came back for it. 
It was intended to repeat the experiment of importing 
and liberating a few of these birds again this fall or win- 
ter, but welearn through correspondence thatsome of our 
sister States are anxious to try the same experiment, and 
have been enough more active than we to be able to 
"corner the market," and none can be bought. Perhaps 
it is just as well, however; another season will demon- 
strate more conclusively whether or not our climate is 
suitable for them. 
DAYS AFIELD.-II. 
A FEiBND rang me up on the telephone this morning 
and said: "Why didn't you tell the truth about those 
dogs?" 
"I did." 
"You failed to describe a good thing they did and pol- 
ished up the bad." 
"Did I? How will this do? The next afternoon we 
took Rab out with a good dog and found seven coveys: I 
one; Rab four, which he pointed; the good dog two, which 
he flushed. The Professor shot thirteen birds, and I—" 
"What rot!" 
Central here informed me that 880 Franklin had 
rung off. 
It was the last afternoon of our hunt, and we wanted 
some birds. Ben, Sr., and Donald have been saved for it. 
Lot me say here, parenthetically, men but seldom shoot 
over a better pair. No puppies these; one full-aged and 
wise, the other just coming into his prime — fresh, eager, 
fast, and yet steady — evenly matched, independent, good 
noses. We shall see some birds this afternoon. Professor, 
if there are any. 
Ben takes up over the hill; Donald goes around, and 
both are skirting the woods. That stop must have 
strained your back, Ben, as you were going as fast as a 
dog could go, side to us. Now you are rigid, with head 
toward the woods and tail toward me. I saw it; there 
was but one motion to stop, and yet your momentum has 
turned you around. Donald comes on, and at 50yds. sees 
that he is beaten and stops with a look of resignation. I 
almost fancy he says to himself, "You have me this time, 
old man, but look out." 
No flushmg, and away go the birds as we walk in; most 
of them cross the ravine and settle in the woods on the 
opposite hillside. 
After reloading our guns we go toward the corner of 
the fence, when Ben shows signs of game. "Look out, 
Ben." Donald comes with a rush which almost upsets 
the older dog, cuts a circle, leaps the fence and comes to a 
snappy point in the sedge. This covey makes for the 
same place to which the other has gone, and we are 
anticipating something to do when we get over there. 
It is a pretty piece of woodland in which to shoot— tall 
oaks, a few pines and cedars and but little underbrush. 
Donald goes as though he intended to drive every bird 
out of the woods in two minutes (one if possible), but he 
has no such intention. He loves to hunt in curves and 
circles and to come to his point from a full gallop. Sober 
Ben knows what ia in the air, or rather among the leaves, 
and goes at it a little more cautiously. 
"Point, George." 
Sure enough, Ben has one just in the edge of the 
laurels. "Go ahead, I have a bird of my own over here." 
Donald has stopped. Further up the hill, and the ball is 
open. 
"Get behind a tree. Squire Green; shot will fly around 
here rather promiscuously, and I dislike to look out for 
more than one man," 
It's "Whoa," "Bang," "Missed" or "Fetch" until the 
guns are hot. 
It's a question whether Ben, Sr., with that quick- 
stealing, snake-like movement of his, will find more than 
Donald, with his rapiJ gallop, quick turns and sudden 
stops. No mistakes (by the dogs) now ; birds are every- 
where. That is a pretty piece, as the Professor, stopping 
for breath, orders Ben to fetch, and he comes to a full 
point within a yard of the dead bird, 
"Professor, there is a live one there." 
Sure enough, and Ben has two to retrieve. 
"Donald, what have you?" 
A pair, and to me a lucky accident, to the birds a 
calamity He brings the first, has secured the second and 
is coming toward me, stops and points with the dead bird 
in his mouth. 
"Good fellow." 
He knows how badly I shoot and seems more than 
anxious to do his part to help out the bag. 
It is just as easy to tell which dog found the next odvey 
as it is to tell who shot the single bird that fell, as five or 
six quail go whirring over the pine tops. Certain it ia 
that Ben was perhaps two feet nearer the birds. It is 
equally certain that both dogs saw the fall, as the poor 
little thing came tumbling out of the bunch of feathers 
that were left floating in the air, and apparently each dog 
thought it was his bird— and Ben, Sr., gets it. 
We feel too much elated to correct this little break 
very seriously; secretly, I am afraid that Donald is vow 
ing "that next time if that old chap gets in ahead of 
me he will be smart." 
