March ig, 1898.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
226 
they seem to be ventriloquists, one hoot seems to be 
in front of you, another behind you, another to the right 
and another to the left. T have spent an hour tryitig to 
find the bird in the tree after I have located him. At 
last, when your neck aches from looking so long up into' 
the tree tops, you spy the rascal sitting like a log a 
hundred feet Up in the tre^ and so hidden that only a 
part of his body is visible. Ah, now comes an anxious 
moment. You have had so much work to find your 
bird that j^ou do not wish to miss him, so you take good 
careful aim and fire, and perhaps away goes your bird. 
He was so high iip and so hidden that no shot had 
touched the fatal spot. It was pitiful to see the look 
on my companion's face wheii such a fate befell us, as it 
did more than once. 
"But we will suppose that we have been more fortu- 
nate this time and the bird falls. Then perhaps the tree 
stood on the edge of the cliff, and down your bird goes 
hundreds of feet and there is half an hour's climb to re- 
cover him. You can generally find him' by the trail of 
feathers he leaves behind him. I leave you to imagine 
the feelings of satisfaction when at last you feel the plimip 
fellow in your hand, and, oh! what a satisfaction it is 
to drop him in your bag. 
"It is now not so hard to get your next bird; you 
are up where he is, and in ten or fifteen minutes you are 
at his tree and with good luck may have him in the bag 
in ten miiiutes more. But grouse hunting is all work, 
hard and dangerous work, and a very small bag is con- 
sidered a good day's hunting. 
"After we got through with the grouse we went after 
ptarmigan. This is another of the grouse family, in size 
about half way between a pigeon and a prairie chicken. 
Tie turns white in winter and brown in summer. He is 
very pretty and looks like a little bantam rooster witli 
his head and tail up, and a hollow with the tips of his 
wings stuck down nearly to the ground. He lives up 
in the snow, and never comes as low as the tixes. 
"Of course there is the labor and danger of the climb 
to get him, as in the case of tlie grouse, but he is not 
hard to find, and is so unsonhisticated that you can easily 
get near enough to shoot. In fact at times he is so tame' 
that he may be killed with a stick, and is called the fool 
l:)ird. We only got five for a day's hunting, but in the 
fall some ha.ve got eighty or a hundred. Tuesday we 
shot four bald-headed eagles, and to-day we have been 
fishing and got two small strings of salmon trout. A man 
brought in a hundred, but we cannot spare the time 
to go so far and stay away so long. We have to be 
home, so our bags are small, but we enjoy the outing 
very much. This place is the hunter's paradise. There 
are deer, bears and goats, but the largest quadruped I 
have shot is a porcupine." 
Incidents of a Fox Hunt. 
One day in February I drove across the bay to Cur- 
tain Island, seven and' a half miles distant, to tiy the 
foxes there and on the marshes, where during the past 
forty years I have spent some of my happiest days in 
the pursuit of game. On my arrival there snow was 
falling fast, and the wind rose; still I was after foxes, 
and must at least look for signs at the lee side of the 
island. This I did, and in a few minutes detected the 
trail of a fox leading up wind in the direction of a 
neighboring island. The storm by this time had in- 
creased, so deciding to retrace my steps, I had barely 
turned when I observed a fox coming down wind at a 
lively gallop, lumbermen haidng started him. I dropped 
to position behind a tree; the fox came on, and when 
he was at about 40yds. I fired a .shot; but he still ran 
on, and thinking he was fatally wounded I followed 
in hot pursuit, but soon lost his tracks in the blinding 
storm and abandoned the chase. Then, intending to 
resume the search the following day, I returned home 
feeling vexed with myself for not making a better shot. 
The storm, however, continued for another day, mak- 
ing the roads almost impassable; so I deferred the trip 
till the following week. ■ But ray mind reached out 
thither. I wanted to recover the fox, and mentally was 
offering a dollar "just to know" where the cunning fel- 
low had hidden. This to me would be ample reward. 
On the following Saturday the wind veered to the west, 
and blowing a gale, sent the snow, which had recentbr 
fallen, into innumerable banks, leaving the ice bare be- 
tween them. Going to the "spy window" in the gable 
of the barn, I scanned the shore and marsh critically, 
and among the many objects revealed, such as pieces of 
driftwood and bunches of decayed grass and seaweed, 
there lay the fox on a patch of blue ice on the marsh, 
stretched at full length with head to the east. I then 
called Arthur, and to test his sight handed him the 
glass; and although he discovered several objects, still 
he did not locate the fox until I had given him the 
exact direction. Considering the distance — seven and 
a half miles — and the glass being a common one, costing 
only $6, the discovery was something remarkable. 
The traveling being heavy and the day far spent, I 
decided that the fox would be safe till Monday. How- 
ever, to my surprise, on Sunday night another storm be- 
gan, and continued with unabated fury till the following 
Tuesday, thus again covering the fox. The case now 
looked critical, and called for prompt and speedy ac- 
tion. Lumbermen pass over and in the vicinity of the 
marsh almost daily; "sports" also go there occasion- 
ally; then, too, the pelt of this particular fox had 
greatly enhanced in value. From $2, the outside mar- 
ket value, I had it up to $5, and couldn't stand the strain 
much longer. 
On Wednesday afternoon I started for the island and 
arrived there in two hours. Leaving the horse in com- 
fortable quarters, I at once took my bearings, and pro- 
ceeding down the marsh, had gone only a short dis- 
tance when, to my utter dismay, the footprints of pe- 
destrians were painfully visible, leading in the direction 
where I had originally located the fox. This was rather 
discouraging, and partially losing my temper I solilo- 
quized: "The fox is a goner. Yes, those vagrants have 
stolen him — mean, contemptible sneaks; I'd give some- 
thing to know them; they'll fabricate a plausible story 
and exhibit the trophy as a result of their own skill." 
However, following their tracks to a point where the 
fox should be lying, I took a survey of the surroundings, 
and Great Cssar! there, within 8ft. of where I stood. 
w^as the tip of an ear protruding throtlgh the snow. 
Never was a fox more highly prized than when I pulled 
him out of the snow. Those were happy moments, and 
I breathed calmly. But reflecting on the past — of my 
willful and malicious charges, which may have been 
against good and honest toilers who, to shorten their 
journey, had passed that way — not to steal foxes, but to 
pursue their honest calling — I felt an apology was due; 
but to whom I could not say. Then I said: "Forgive 
me." I was entitled to the trophy, and now possess it; 
and as I gaze with admiration on the beautiful skin be- 
fore me, measuring sSin. from tip to tip, I say: "Poor 
Reynard! You served your day and lost your life; be 
at rept!" " A. E. Holland. 
PiyNCIi^EpWAED's ISL.ANO. 
Maine Game Conditions. 
E'dilor Forest mi Siream: 
Your correspondent Special takes issue with my state- 
ment that very little Illegal killing is being done in 
Maine, and speaks of deer being oifered for sale in 
Boston which he claims to know come from Maine. He 
fails to show any proof except his OAvn belief. If he 
really saw deer being carted from a schooner, and is in- 
terested to prevent illegal shipment, why could he not 
spend the time to get the name of the schooner, so that 
our Commissioners could have some proof, and stop 
such shipments? It worrld not have taken so long as 
to write an article. I do not claim that there is no 
illegal killing, but I do claim that there is much less 
than many newspapers report. I believe that the Com- 
missioners and wardens know fully as much about 
Maine matters as a man in Boston who has talked with 
a man "from Maine woods, where the snow is 5ft. deep 
on a level." 
One who knew anything about deer would know that 
visiting logging roads to pick up hay is no sign of a 
''struggle for existence." Where deer are not hunted 
they will always visit the roads, even when the snow is 
only a few inches deep, to pick up the scattered hay, 
and will often barely get out of the roads to let the 
teams pass. I have known hunters to kill more deer 
by walking up and down the roads than they could by 
still-hunting. 
The facts are, the snow is deep — from 5 to 8ft. in 
many localities. In some places deer have been having 
hard work to travel around. In all the lower part of the 
State the crust has been so hard that not only deer could 
walk on it, but heavily loaded teams could haul full loads 
on the crust without breaking it. This was done here 
this week. Over a large part of the State a deer could 
only be taken by chasing with dogs in the middle of the 
day. 
Some people have written stories of the great .slaugh- 
ter of the game; and papers like the Lcwiston Journal 
have printed them, and people who know little of game 
have believed them; but this does not make it so. The 
plain truth is, the thing has been greatly exaggerated. 
Next summer you will see accounts of deer being count- 
ed by the score, just as you did last year. 
Special wonders why I speak of Washington county. 
Here is a report from a warden in the Bangor Com- 
mercial of March 10: 
"Game Warden French returned Saturday afternoon 
from a snowshoe tramp in the game regions of Wash- 
ington county. He visited Danforth, Forest, Waite, 
Topsfield, and went up the east branch of the St. Croix, 
but found only a few signs where deer had been killed, 
in Dyer township, and even these were old. While in 
Waite township Warden French saw a big bull moose 
come out of the woods into a farm yard and hang 
around all day, evidently knowing that it was 'perfectly 
safe while the warden remained. Warden French says 
the crust will easily hold a deer, and even the moose 
referred to had little difficulty in making his way over it." 
Perhaps the warden does not know the situation as 
well, as Special. I also inclose the reply of Mr. Carle- 
ton to a long, blood-curdling account of the great 
slaughter, where names and dates were given. He writes : 
"I wish to -say that there is very slight foundation, if 
any at all, for the statements contained in that article. I 
have received this week so far 131 letters from every sec- 
tion of the State, by far the greater number from guides. 
From among this very large number I select a sample,- 
which is fairly representative of them all. The , writer 
is a well-known guide, a gentleman of ability and char- 
acter, and an observing and respected citizen, and lives 
in a town in the near vicinity of Kingman, where Major 
Lowe, the guide, resides, who knows so mttch for the 
papers alone about poaching: 
March 5.— Mr. L. T. Carleton, Augusta, Me.— Deaf Sir: Your 
favor of the 2d d^ily received and contents noted. In regard to 
our big game, they need the protection of everyone who is inter- 
ested in the affair, and it should interest every man iii this State, 
whether he is a hunter or guide, or whatever occupation he fol- 
lows. I can truly say that the majority of hunters and guides in 
this town are beginning to understand that fact, and where ten 
deer were slaughtered on the crust or deep snows a few years 
ago, very few are killed now— in fact, I do not know of a s'ingle 
deer that has been killed this winter in close time by any man in 
this town. Five years ago there were, I should say, fifty deer 
-killed in close time by men that would not be hired to do such 
a thing now. I am acquainted with every man for miles around 
here, and I know that there is as little poaching done in this 
town as any town you can find that has as many hunters as we 
have, and I for one will do all I can to help protect our game 
at all times, both in open season and in close time. The crust 
is so strong now since we had the big hailstorm that it will hold 
a man to walk through the woods without snowshoes— in fact, it 
will almost hold a team of horses where the growth is open- 
so the deer are pretty safe until we have some warm weather 
1 was talkmg with one of our guides last night, and he said that 
if we could_ have the privilege of using dogs in October he 
would be willing to help stop killing game in close time but 
as It IS now he should not trouble himself much about protection, 
but this IS only one man out of many that are of that disposition. 
"I received under date of March 7 a letter from a very 
estmiable gentleman whom I happen to know, a mem- 
ber of the G. A. R. from Molnnkiis, one of the places 
in which this Lewiston correspondent portrays deer be- 
ing slaughtered by scores. Lie and his son keep a sport- 
ing house, and say they employ five guides; and if there 
was any indication of poaching they would know it 
for they are doing all they can to protect the game." 
Perhaps Mr. Carleton, after receiving 131 letters does 
not know as much as Special. I leave this for' your 
readers to judge. As for myself, I do not usually rush 
into print unless T can back up my statements. 
M, Hardy. 
Boston, March 14. — It has been decided that iio requi- 
sition will be asked to bring the boy moose shooters back 
to Maine for trial, and in that respect Commissioner 
Carleton has been victorious OA^er those who desired to 
sec the law enforced equally for all. Under date 
of March 2 the Maine Fish and Game Com- 
missioners have issued another appeal to the reg- 
istered guides to do all in their power to pro- 
tect the game during the present deep snows. 
They have sent out 1,000 letters this time. The form of 
the letter sets forth that the worst is to come, for as 
soon as the crusts form the hunters can easily get over 
the snow, whde the moose, caribou and deer will be' 
more helpless than before, since it requires a crust un- 
usually strong to support the sharp-footed game. The 
circular winds up with a most urgent appeal: "Now let 
us all work together as we have never worked before. 
You know the Commissioners have not funds to hire 
sufhcient wardens. Promptly let us know of any poach- 
ing—confidentially if you wish. Let us make a long pull, 
a strong pull, and a pull together. Arc you with us for 
the work?" 
I am satisfied that the appeal is no stronger than the 
case actually requires. It is a shame the way the deer 
are coming into the Boston markets — the worst of any 
season since the law forbidding their shipment out of 
Maine was passed. In addition to the venison here that 
I have already told the Forest and Stream about, I 
saw boxes Saturday said to contain the saddles of 
eighteen deer. One box had been opened and five sad- 
dles sold. They brought 8 and 9 cents per pound; "Poor 
and thin, all hair and bones," in the words of the sales- 
man who showed them to me. "It is a shame to kill 
them. They come to us without name. There 
is no marking on the boxes. Nobody knows 
what is in them till we open them." The worst feature 
is that these boxes come by rail, though none of the 
railroads north or east of Boston would have forwarded 
them had their contents been known. The reader must 
remember that the people who receive these deer are 
commission merchants, receiving consignments of poul- 
try, mutton and veal every day, to be sold on commis- 
sion. They do not |)uy outright. Special. 
Under date of March s Commissioner Catleton reports 
of the game situation: 
"As everybody knows, we have an onprecedented depth 
of snow. It is reported by wardens in Franklin county 
to be 7ft. deep, in Somerset, Piscataquis, Penobscot and 
Aroostook counties to be 6rt. deep, and in other coun- 
ties to be from 4 to 6ft. deep. This great depth of snow 
now places the big game entirely at the mercy of whd- 
soevcr is wicked enough to go after it and butcher it. 
Storm has followed storm in such quick succession as 
to cover up the tracks of poachers, making it extremely 
difficulty for our wardens to trace out the guilty parties. 
"The reports from wardens and others in Franklin 
county and in Oxford county would indicate but very 
little, if any, poaching., 
"Reports from the four wardens on the Avhole Canadian 
border indicate no illegal killing. From the vicinity of 
Greenville it would seem that there has been consid- 
erable poaching; the same may be said of Somerset, 
Hancock and Washington counties and southern Aroos- 
took." 
The Long Island Deer Situation. 
Sayville, N. Y.— Editor Forest and Siream: In re- 
gard to the bill before the Legislature at Albany, pro- 
hibiting the hounding of the deer for five years, I have 
to say that this act will provoke the ire not only of the 
sportsman, but also of the farmer. It is proven enough 
that the deer in their present limited habitat, north of 
the South Side country road from Islip to Baj^port, and 
southwest of the Lake Ronkonkoraa toward Central 
Islip, are very numerous. To narrow in the shooting 
of the deer in the open season to still hunting will have 
a bad effect, amounts to nothing, and cannot satisfy 
real sport. The consequences of extending the protec- 
tion of the deer will be their enormous muftiplving and 
m expanding their habitat to places where the game 
has seldom been seen. The depredations on all kinds 
of truck are fearful, and drive the small farmer who es- 
pecially suffers to madness and despondency. Ask for 
instance, the people of Bohemianville how they have to 
suffer despite all precautions by putting up of scarecrows, 
hanging out lanterns, etc, to keep off the deer. Al- 
ready three or four farms west from Bohemianville are 
abandoned on account of the unequal fight. In fact, 
in making such a tremendously onerous game law the 
State as it were expropriates the farmer without givin* 
him any compensation; the State takes the food out 
of the toiler's mouth and gives it to the deer. It is hard 
to understand how the State may enact such a game 
law m view of the rapidly increasing population of Suf- 
tolk county, who have the first claim to be fed. 
Think of the anomaly of keeping and expanding a 
game park (with no fences, the deer running at laro-e) 
in a district no more than about thirty miles distant 
from the gates of Greater New York! Instead of en- 
couraging the planting and growing of vegetables to 
supply the poor with cheap home products, the State 
forgets its duty and goes to breeding wild animals 
The writer tried before the Board of Supervisors at 
Kiverhead to get some compensation for his losses by 
the deer. In reply the board said there is in the game 
law as It stands now no provision to make good to the 
tiller of the soi the loss he has sustained bv the depre- 
dations of the deer. Upon questioning, what would the 
truckers around Mattituck do, seeing their cabbage and 
cau iflower eaten up by the game, the board answered: 
■a^ A^ should start a revolution." Is that equa^- 
nght? On the southwest of Riverhead it is expected that 
the farmer will gracefully succumb to the visits of the 
deer, whereas it is feared that east of Riverhead this 
calamity niight start a revolutionary disturbance. Justice 
therefore demands a provision to compensate the small 
tarmer, for he especially has to suffer because the game 
prefers to prey on small clearings, ready to jump again 
mto the bushes when it scents danger; it seldom enters 
large stretches of cultivated land. Oitt of thirty-six 
young fruit trees in an orchard nineteen were found 
gnawed off or the stems rubbed off with the horns 
A certain Commissioner of the Comnjission fpr Game 
