2 8 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan, 14, 1899. 
Maine Game in Boston Markets. 
Boston. 1899.— For a long time it has been perfectly 
well understood by persons interested in the matter that 
an unusually large quantity of venison was being received 
in Boston. Venison may be legally sold here in the win- 
ter season, though illegally killed in Maine and shipped 
out of that State contrary to law. Jan. i the close time 
begins on Maine deer, and the penalties are heavy for 
having in possesbion. whether in t!•a^^it or otherwise. 
Shipments of game are forbidden by the statutes of that 
State, though the hunter returning may bring out his one 
moose, one caribou and two deer in a season; properly 
tagged and marked with his own name, but not otherwise. 
It is a punishable offense to bring game out of Maine for 
another. These non-transportation laws Averc designed to 
prevent deer and other game from getting onto the Boston 
and other markets. But early in September last year— 
the open season does not begin till Oct. i on deer, and not 
till the I5t]i of that month on moose — deer began to come 
into the markets here, and by the last of the month T had 
noted more than twenty carcasses of venison. The sales- 
men did not deny to me that it came from Maine. Before 
the 15th of October at le'a.st one moose had been in this 
market, known to have come from Maine. Ever since 
these periods venLson has been a drug here. Tuesday, 
Dec. 6, I counted twelve fresh arrivals of deer in and 
about Quincy and Faneuil Hall markets, and on North 
and South Market streets. Part of this venison was in 
a clump of saddles, in a way that it could not have come 
through with sportsmen. A day or two before a couple 
of Maine guides, from Aroostook county, landed here with 
at least a moose and two deer apiece. People whom tliey 
have guided this fall say that they had three moose. They 
sold their venison for barely enough money to pay their 
expenses. I am told that they are registered guides, and 
if the Maine Commissioners desire their names, they can 
have them. 
Last winter, in the midst of the Maine close season, 
deer were coming into the markets here in quantities far 
exceeding any previous winter since the non-transportation 
law went into effect. They come to commission houses 
and are sold by these houses. Later returns are made to. 
the shippers or owners, after deducting commissions for 
selling, freight, etc. The Maine Fish and Game Commis- 
sioners, when here attending the Sportsmen's Exhibition 
in March, were apprised of what was going on, and im- 
inediately Messrs. Stanley and Oak began investigating 
;he matter, and they then unearthed a system or systems 
of underground railroad, big game shipping business, very 
cleverly planned, and sufficiently intricate to greatly in- 
terest them, or anybody else, even not interested in game 
protection. 
They first called personally on some of the principal 
receivers of this venison. They found them gentlemen, 
and really somewhat interested in the preservation of 
game in Maine. They have also the word of honor of 
some of the principal receivers of this game, prominent 
in their business, that they will do all in their power to 
break up the practice of shipping game out of Maine in 
close season; ever3rthing that they can honorably do that 
is consistent with business principles. They express them- 
selves emphatically that they much prefer nice, fat veni- 
son in season to the stuff that was then coming — ".A.11 
hair and bones." as one of them expressed the case at that 
time. 
The shippers of this venison out of Maine, illegally, may 
rest assured that the commissioners of their State are get- 
ting "on to" their methods, and that they are nearer to 
detection than they may be aware of. If suddenly they 
are called upon at any time to settle for their illegal ship- 
ments, by officers in their own State, they need not blame 
the Forest and Stream for not having given them fair 
■warning. 
Thirty saddles of deer were reteived in Boston. A'larch 
ig. None were addressed to a firm dealing in game, but 
to shoe dealers, dry goods dealers, druggists— friends of 
the dealers in game. Once in this State the game comes to 
the dealers here, from these friends — legally — and they see 
no way but to sell it. Invoices will come a few days later, 
through similar channels, but not niailed s.t the post-office 
where the shipper lives. 
Indeed, so well planned is the "underground railroad" 
for shipping Maine big game in close time that not even 
the checks of the firms selling it are made out to the 
name of the shipper, but the checks are "swapped" 
around till traces of that sort are covered. In 
some cases the "shippers are .so cautious that they do 
not permit the firms selling the illegal venison to address 
them by mail, lest the firm name on envelopes should lead 
to detection. Checks in payment are not to be sent in 
the envelopes of commission men; the -State of Maine 
backwoods postmasters being pretty sharp, 
Provision men tell the Maine Commissioners that some 
years winter venison is fairly good, but last year it was 
extremely poor. The remarkably deep snows in the big 
game country prevented the animals from getting food. 
Dealers vvould much prefer good fat animals in open 
season, such as they could keep in cold storage, 
but they cannot prevent foolish shippers from send- 
ing in that which is undesirable. They are aware 
that every poor and undesirable deer or moose 
killed takes away one chance or even more of their getting 
good ones. They say that they are obliged to sell un- 
desirable goods that come to them, for the reason that 
others will if they do not, and trade will be lost. They 
are obliged to take the "bitter with the sweet." The ship- 
pers have been repeatedly advised that the market is being 
greatly harmed by the poor stuff creating the impression 
that venison is always poor. 
The Commissioners found that the methods of the ship- 
pers are peculiar and well planned. They rarely ship by 
the same conveyance more than once at a time. Schoon- 
ers bring in an invoice; the next one will come by 
steamer; then another by rail. They pack in many vari- 
eties of ways. Frequently the saddles are hid in the mid- 
dle of barrels of vegetables, with holes in the he^ids or 
staves, showing the vegetables plainly. 
Sometimes the venison is in the middle of boxes of 
other meats, such as mutton, lamb, or veal. Then egg 
eases are employed, with even a few eggs that show from 
the outside. Every possible means is employed to get the 
veniscm out of Maine. This is not pleasing to most of 
the dealers in game here, and they would gladly give in- 
formation that would lead to the detection of shippers, but 
for the fact that they consider it dishonorable to give away 
business transactions. They say— some of the best of 
them—that they will gladly join vi'ith others in adopting 
some means to stop the illegal shipping of venison out 
of Maine; in creating sentiment that shall lead to the 
stopping of the business altogether. 
Later last_ spring it seems that "something was given 
away or let drop," lor Warden French captured a lot of 
venison in the hands of shippers, in the neighborhood of 
Wesley, Washington county, and traced the shipment of 
fifteen saddles of venison to Boston March 12, which cor- 
responds with the receipt of about the same number of 
saddles received here a few days after; and conceriiing 
which the Maine Commissioners were soon after in- 
formed. The same warden then discovered the shipment 
of about thirty saddles to Boston March 19, Avhich will 
account for the same number of saddles received in Bos- 
ton a few days after, mentioned above, and concerning 
which the Commissioners had information as noted above. 
Some good work was put in last spring by the Maine 
game wardens in stopping this terrible shipment of game 
to Boston, but this fall, even before the open season on 
deer, the shipment began again, as noted above. I can- 
not learn that any special elTort has been made this fall 
to stop the shipment. The business has grown this fall 
with rapid strides. As I have already stated in the For- 
est AND Strkam, Boston markets have been ornamented 
with Maine deer all the fall, and a good many moose have 
been here. I have taken pains to write the Commis- 
sioners of at least one moose case, and laid out a plan of 
detection of the shipper which seemed to me feasible. I 
have not yet learned that the shipper has been detected. 
At one time in November every store or market window 
in Boston of any pretensions had one or two deer 
strung up in it, as an attraction. I then stated that 1,000 
deer would not more than cover the number on sale in 
Boston. Since that time not as many deer have been in 
sight, for they have been put into refrigerators. Still a 
great many are to be seen. The last days of December I 
counted one day thirteen fresh arrivals of deer and deer 
saddles in front of one store in Faneuil Hall market, all 
plainly Maine deer, some of them the largest bucks I have 
ever seen. In one case the brother of a certain salesman 
in a house here shipped from Maine two very handsome 
bucks to that house, and they were sold at lz cents a 
pound whole, when venison was generally bringing but 
10 cents. I know of two Boston sportsmen who could not 
get away for a deer hunt in Maine this fall, but each has 
had a deer in cold .storage, from which he could cut as de- 
.sired. They tell me that the deer were sent them by 
friends. In one case I am sure that the friend is a reg- 
istered guide, for the receiver of the deer told me so, but 
declined to give me his name or address. Why should 
he give away such a friend? 
After all, for the risk the shippers run in getting veni- 
son out of Maine illegally — subjecting themselves to a fine 
of $40 for every deer shipned. and imprisonment for ship- 
ping moose — ^they get a ridiculously small return. The 
winter venison sold here last year at 8 to 9 cents pef 
pound; and one day four saddles sold at 5 cents. The sad- 
dles did not average better than /olbs. weight, and hence 
the value of the deer sold in the market here was irom 
$3-50 to $6. Deducting freight and carting, certainly not 
less than $1 each, and commission for selling and other 
expenses, at least 50 cents each, and the shipper got from 
$2.50 to $4 for his illegal transaction. This fall he tnay 
have been getting more for his deer, but only a trifle 
more, and certainly not enough to pay him for the risk he 
runs of detection and punishment. To the city sports- 
man his proceedings look exceedingly fooHsh. It costs 
the hunter who goes to Maine from $35 to $50, or even 
much more, for the d eer he kills, to say nothing about the 
unsuccessful ones. All this money is dropped in the State 
and with the transportation companies. It frequently 
costs from $200 to $300 to secure a moose in Maine, 
and I know of men who have paid more than .$r,ooo try- 
ing to secure a moose there, and yet have not succeeded. 
This money goes to benefit the people of the State. For 
the big game of the State to be seriously endangered by 
market hunting that is almost worthless to everybody con- 
cerned seems very unwise. Two years more of such 
crust hunting and forwarding of deer to this market, fol- 
lowed by the treinendous shipments here that have been 
detailed above, will put the deer of Maine into a rapidly 
declining quantity. 
Will the present Maine Legislature take means to stop 
this market shipment of deer? Or is there law enough 
already, and will they lake means to enforce the law? 
The Commissioners are perfectly well aware of tlie ship- 
ment I have described, and yet I see by their report that 
they have expended but $8,000 for the protection of game 
and the ejiforceinent of the game laws, while they have 
spent nearly $30,000 for the propagation and protection of 
fish. Whether this expenditure covers one or two years 
I am not aware, since the Legislature of that State con- 
venes biennially. I have no interest in the matter beyond 
the desire to see the big game of Maine protected as it 
should be protected, and I will gladly render the Commis- 
sioners or the present Legislature any assistance in my 
power. All}'' facts I have are at their service. 
Boston, Jan. 9. — -The Maine Legislature has assembled 
in biennial session, and appearances indicate that the 
tinkering of the game laws will be the most interesting 
matter to come before that body. It seems altogether 
likely that a tax will be put ttpon non-resident sportsmen 
in some form or other. One of the fish and game com- 
missioners at least is in favor of it. Governor Powers is 
pronouncedly in favor of such a tax, if we may judge by 
the tone of his inaugural. .Treating upon the subject of 
fisheries and game, he said, after expatiating upon the 
beauties of the State, and the thousands who annually 
come to enjoy them: 
Doubtless other and turtlier legislation will be sought in refer- 
ence to this matter, in respect to which_ the Commissioners will 
more fully inform yon, but m any legislation which you may deem 
it proper to enact I hope you will bear constantly in mind the 
desirability, so far as possible, of compelling- those who enjoy the 
privileges and pleasures of these fishing and hunting grounds, to 
so contribute io the expense of tnaintaining them as to relieve 
the taxpayers and the State in the near future from any further 
large appropriations for their benefit and support, and make 
this industry, if I may be permitted to call it by that name, self- 
EUstaining. 
That the guide law is a .success there can. be no doubt 
in the mind of the Governor of Maine. He say> ; 
The guide law, so called, against which, 'in SSftie section.^, when 
It was first enacted, there were some very strong protests and 
clamor, .has been found, after due trial, to be of great vahie in 
preserving the game, preventing fires, and furnishing- strangers 
and sportsmen who come from other States with competent and 
elhcient guides, and all classes now interested recognize that the 
enactment of this law was a wise step in the right direction. 
The Governor also takes occasion to remark : 
T F" vigorous and also economical management of the 
Inland Fish and Game Commissioners, who have so very generally 
and effectively enforced the laws for the preservation of fish and 
game, and prevented illegal hunting and fishing in close time, and 
m prohibited and protected sections of the State, thereby putting 
an end to the indiscriminate slaughter of game at any and all 
tunes, once so prevalent, the quantity of game is very rapidly in- 
creasing, and poaching is fast becoming a thing of the past. 
Comment on this latter paragraph is unnecessary. As 
for the guide law, sportsmen who have employed regis- 
tered guides can speak. As for the taxing of non-resident 
sportsmen, the Legislature will do well to take into con- 
sideration that more than half of the big game killed— 
more than half the fish caught— the past season is set 
down to the credit of resident sportsmen, to say nothing 
of the vast amount of which there is no record.' The re- 
turns from registered guides show that these guides 
have guided nearly twice as many residents of the State 
as non-residents. The great number of resident hunters 
and fishermen whom no man has guided must be remem- 
bered. Non-residents spend fully ten times the amount of 
money per man in Maine that residents do. To unjustly 
tax them tnay not help the hotel and camp people, and it is 
possible that the railroads may have samething to say. 
Special. 
Congress and the Birds. 
Office of Official Reporters of Debates, House of 
Representatives, U. S., Washington, D. C, Jan. 7.— Editor 
Forest and Stream: In the Senate to-day Mr. Hoar 
secured the passage of the substitute for the House bill to 
extend the powers of the Fish Commission over birds. 
It consolidates with the House bill the measure pro- 
hibiting the importation or sale of ornamental feathers, 
etc. The following were the Senate proceedings in de- 
tail : 
Game and Song Birds. 
Mr. Hoar: 1 ask leave to report back from the com- 
mittee on the judiciary the bill (.H. R. 3589) to extend the 
powers and duties of the Commission of Fish and Fish- 
eries to include game birds and other wild birds useful 
to man, which was referred to the committee the other 
day. I wish to amend it by passing the Senate bill and 
send it into conference. It will take, I suppose, but a 
single moment. I will state, in order that the Senate may 
understand it, that the Senate passed, after some discus'- 
.sion and with a unanimous vote, I think, with one excep- 
tion, an act for the protection of song birds. The House 
has now passed an act to extend the powers and duties 
of the Fish Commission to include game birds and other 
wild birds, simply giving them a general jurisdiction over 
the matter, and in order to get the Senate bill taken up 
in the other branch it is now necessary to put it as an 
amendment on this bill. So I ask that the Senate bill 
which we passed be substituted for the House bill, and 
that it be sent into conference. I move to amend the bill 
by striking out all after the enacting clause, and in.serting 
the text of the bill (S. 4124) for the protection of song 
birds,_which passed the Senate at the last session. 
Mr. Bacon : I am in sympathj^ with the desire of the 
Senator from Massachusetts that the bill which has al- 
ready passed the Senate shall become a law, but I do not 
understand that in order to accomplish that purpose it is 
necessary to strike out the House hill after the enacting 
clause. Why does the Senator object to the bill which 
has passed the House? It seems to me it might be a very 
desirable measure. 
Mr. Hoar: I do not object to it, 1 would as lief have 
it done the other way, by adding the Senate bill ^ as an 
amendment. I think that is better. 
Mr. Bacon ; I very much prefer that course. 
Mr. Ploar: I move, then, the Senate bill as an addition 
to the House bill. 
The President pro tempore : The Senator from Massa- 
chusetts offers an amendment to the bill, which will be 
read. 
The Secretary: It is proposed to add the following as 
additional sections : 
Sec. — . That the importation into the United States of 
birds, feathers, or parts of birds for ornamental purposes 
be, and the same is hereby prohibited: Provided, how- 
ever, That nothing herein contained shall be construed as 
prohibiting the importation of birds for museums, zoologi- 
cal gardens or scientific collections, or the importation of 
living birds or of feathers taken from living birds without 
injury to the bird. The Secretary of the Treasury is' 
hereby authorized to make regulations for carrying into 
effect the provisions of this section. . 
Sec. — . That the transportation of birds, feathers, or 
parts of birds, to be used or sold, from any State or Terri- 
tory of the United States to or through any other State 
or Territory of the United States is hereby prohibited. 
AVhoever shall violate the provisions of this section shall, 
upon conviction in the district where the offense shall have 
been committed, be punished for each such offense by a 
fine of $50. 
Sec, — . That the sale, keeping, or offering for sale, 
within any Territory of the United States, or within the 
District of Colvmibia, of birds, feathers, or parts of birds 
for ornamental purposes, except such as are excepted in 
the first section of this act, be, and the same is hereby 
prohibited. Whoever shall violate the provisions of this 
section shall, upon conviction, be punished for each offense 
by a fine of $50. 
Mr. Hoar : In line 8, section 3, where it reads "such as 
are excepted in the first section of tliis act," it should read 
"the preceding sections." 
The President pro tempore: The amendment to the 
amendment will be stated. 
The Secretary: In .section 3, Hue 8, strike out "first" 
and insert "preceding," and strike out "section" and in- 
sert "sections," 
The amendment to the amendment was agreed to. 
