86 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
{Feb. 4, 1899. 
ei!n)loyment of such men in the form of a new organization, so 
that neighbors who have stood shoulder to shoulder for years may 
be permitted to stand shoulder to shoulder again on the 
field of battle. They should not be scattered through various 
commands, with their special abilities for such service lost, or to 
a great degree effaced by being mingled with others unac- 
customed to such service. 
"I hope that these experiences may lead our State Government 
to grant to northern New York at least one separate company 
composed of guides and foresters from among your organization 
who desire to drill and acquaint themselves with military methods, 
and also provide for even smaller tmits of military organization 
tmder the control of non-commissioned officers in villages and 
hamlets, so that the elementary training necessary to the soldier 
may be kept up in your midst, and the cry not raised that such 
men, with such strength and with such skill with the rifle 'lack 
knowledge of tactics and discipline,' and that, should occa- 
sion ever again arise, you may be enabled to form the regi- 
ments which you desire, and show what you can accomplish. 
"'Turning from these questions, which now belong to history, 
to your present and immediate interests in the protection of the 
forests and the pre'servation of the fish and game, I do not find 
any new suggestions to offer in addition to those made in former 
years. Portunatcly under the recent State administration, the 
extent of our State forests has .been increased, and numerous 
areas of land hitherto held as preserves and private property are 
now thrown open to the public. While this policy has been 
adopted at a very late date, as compared with the period at which 
I first made these recoriimendations in reports to the Legisla- 
ture of om- State, yet it is satisfactory to have these steps taken 
at all, and it is to 'be hoped that still larger area of i)rivate lands 
may be acquired by the State in the near future, within the forest 
preserve, without great expense. 
"In the matter of game laws, important amendments have been 
proposed in the present Legislature which will excite your keenest 
interest. But as these measures have not yet been reported from 
the committee in charge, it may be premature to discuss them at 
this time. 
"You will I know pardon me it I again urge upon your at- 
tention the importance of preserving to the greatest extent possible 
all the varieties of wild animal life existing in our forests, as 
these are among the chiefest attractions which bring people fi-om 
great distances into this State. While skillful marksmanship re- 
quires of the rifleman constant practice, it is believed that this 
practice can be had upon inanimate objects, movable targets, or 
projectiles thrown from traps; and it -is greatly to be hoped that 
the slaughter of harmless beasts and beautiful birds may to a 
large extent be prevented. 
"The guides and foresters ought to be the true preservers 
of the game of the wilderness which they love; for upon the 
•existence of this ver>' game depends very largely the business 
of the country and the prosperity of those inhabitants — not by 
taking the lives of these harmless creatures when they are not 
needed for food or for their peltry— but by preserving them, so 
that the student of natural history, the traveler, and all those 
who are attracted by the charm of the woods and waters, the 
mountains and forests, may find them to be exactly as described, 
abounding in wild game and beautiful in their rich and abundant 
animal life, as they are great and glorious in their magnificent 
forest. 
"Wishing you one and all prosperity and happiness, and re- 
gretting that my duties here will not permit me to be present, I 
remain, very truly yours, "Verplanck Colvin." 
The Rev. H. Ward Denys, of New York, was then 
introditced. Mr. Denys told of some very interesting ex- 
periences of his with friends in Switzerland, and how on 
two occasions he was lost on the Alps, and would un- 
doubtedly have perished had it not been for the guides 
whicli were in the party, and from which he had strayed. 
He explained how important the occupation of a guide 
is, and how essential that they should know the country 
well, and should always bear such a character that tou- 
rists and sportsmen might feel perfect safety in placing 
themselves under their protection. He said he was glad 
to learn that among the objects of the association were 
the protection and preservation of the beautiful forests, 
the fish and the game, as upon these depends unquestion- 
ably not only the livelihood of the residents of the Adi- 
rondacks, but also the lives of thousands of persons from 
all over the world, annually. He was particularly pleased 
that they also advocated the promotion of temperance 
among members of the association. Mr. Denys spoke 
twenty minutes, and was several times heartily applauded. 
Following Mr. Denys was Prof. J. E. Weld, who spoke 
in a facetious manner, telling funny experiences of his 
own when in the woods, producing much merriment. 
He mentioned the fact that in traveling through the for- 
est in company with his guide and rifle he had been en- 
abled to fully regain his health, furnished him much sport, 
and hadn't hurt much of anything. His happy, cordial 
manner pleased the large party of woodsmen, and they 
cheered him frequently. 
The Rev. H, D. Corkran, of Delaware, was next in- 
troduced, and talked in a particularly interesting style. 
He compared this mountainous country with the Dela- 
ware territory, and felt that the guides were indeed 
blessed in being permitted in this glorious country, amid 
such healthful surroundings and grand scenery. He said 
his fishing experiences had taken place principally upon 
the ocean, and contrasted the sport there with that of the 
Adirondacks. The crowd evidently enjoyed his remarks 
exceedingly and applauded him warmly. 
The secretary's report, calling attention to some vital 
matters, was then read, and was as follows: 
"Mr. President, Gentlemen of the Association: In 
making my annual report, I regret to state that during 
the past year there has been a decided falling off in the 
list of active members, owing principally to the fact that 
a separate guides' association has been formed in the 
Fulton Chain district on the John Brown's tract, in Her- 
kimer county. The men there felt that they were too 
far from the head office, and did not receive the benefits 
shared by other members in other parts of the Adiron- 
dacks. I am fully convinced that this is an error in 
judgment, and sincerely believe that the greatest good 
to the greatest number can be obtained only by all the 
guides of the Adirondacks working in unison. By so do- 
ing, we men of the North Woods also become better ac- 
quainted with one another, and much unfriendly oppo- 
sition and strife are thus likely to be avoided. I there- 
fore strongly recommend that every really good guide 
of the Adirondacks be urged to come into the association 
and to join with us in our endeavor to preserve the woods 
and water, the game and fish of the Adirondacks, and 
to protect the tourist and sportsman against the mipo- 
sition of unworthy and incompetent men, who falsely call 
themselves guides. 
"There was a balance of $259.06 m the treasury at the 
last annual meeting, and we have received from fees 
and dues during the past year $251. The total expense 
of the year has been $282,01, the most of which has been 
for advertising and printing. I believe thatjeach dollar 
spent in judicious advertising is of far greater benefit to 
the members of the association than $2 lying idle in the 
treasury, and I would favor placing advertisements which 
shall contain the names and addresses of all the active 
members in several first-class sporting publications the 
coming year. . 
"Through our advertising I have received many letters 
from important parties asking for association guides, and 
in every instance the guides employed have given satis- 
faction. 
"Each guide and associate member should bear in mind 
that he is in honor bound to assist members of the asso- 
ciation to employment in preference to oersons who are 
not members. This is a matter about which there has been 
some criticism, and, according to our by-laws, any mem- 
ber who violates this rule lays himself liable to expul- 
sion. 
"In conclusion, I wish to urge upon the association, for 
the good of the organization in general and each mem- 
ber in particular, the absolute necessity for doing away 
with all petty local jealousies and contentions, and the 
need of a united and combined etiort on the part of our 
members in carrying out the objects for which this asso- 
ciation was formed. By accepting cheerfully at all times 
the decisions of the majority, and by united and har- 
monious action on the part of every officer and member. 
A SCOTTISH STAG. 
the workings of this organization may be made to be felt 
in the Legislature at Albany, and throughout the coun- 
try, and prove of special value to the Adirondacks region, 
and particularly to the members of the Adirondack 
Guides' Association. Respectfully submitted, 
"Fred M. Sheldon, Secretary." 
After the banquet, which took place in the parlors be- 
low, the guides and foresters again assembled in the 
main hall, and the election of officers for the ensuing 
year was held. Jonathan J. Broome, of New York City, 
was elected honorary president; E. E. Sumner, president; 
Fred M. Sheldon, secretary; Oatman A. Covill, treas- 
urer, and Frank Vosburgh, James Stanton, S. B. Kathan, 
Douglas Martin, Warren Cole, John Hinkson, Wesley 
Wood, Lucius Trim, Webster Partlow and E. j. Chase, 
vice-presidents. The next annual meeting will be held on 
the evening of the third Wednesday in January, 1900. 
Seaver a. Miller. 
Protection of Deer in the Adirondacks 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In the discussions of the ways and means of protecting 
the Adirondack deer, which I have read in your columns, 
no mention has been made of what appears to me to be 
the chief reason why the game is not more abundant. 
A great deal has been written in condemnation of night 
hunting and hounding, and columns in praise of still- 
hunting have been set before your readers. Everybody 
seems to be oblivious of the fact that the slaughter which 
is productive of the greatest evil is that which is carried 
on by Tom, Dick and Harry, every year during June 
and July. During those mtpiiths the deer are not more 
wild than the domestic sheep in pasture, and they fall 
an easy prey to the small boy with a rifle, as well as to 
the gray-headed villain who ought to know better. At 
that season the deer may be killed by any one, whether 
he be skilled or unskilled in the hunter's art, by daylight 
or by jack-light. And the small boy, and the French 
Canadian, and some Adirondack guides, turn out day 
after day and night after night to destroy every deer that 
they can hit with a rifle ball or a charge of buckshot. 
Deer ought to be abundant in the Adirondacks, but 
they will never be abundant so long as this early slaugh- 
ter goes on unchecked, no matter what laws may be 
passed to control the operations of the sportsman, who 
comes late in the year. 
The existing laws are openly defied. Either the game 
wardens are too few in number, or they are neglectful 
of their duty. Their approach is announced hours before 
they arrive, and everyone is ready to receive them when 
they come. Much idle talk threatening the lives of the 
wardens has been indulged in from time to time. But 
there is no doubt in my mind that determined and 
courageous men could enforce the law easily. A few 
arrests and convictions, and a tolerably close watch upon 
the country, would soon put an end to nearly all illegal 
hunting. Bu: 1 am not very confident that the object 
may even be i^ttained by means of game wardens ap- 
pointed from ttie inhabitants of the woods. 
The people think they would be wiling to enforce a 
just game law. During an experience of twelve consecu- 
tive years, I have not known a season in the Adiron- 
dacks in which the law was respected or enforced. The 
temptation to kill deer, in or out of season, is too strong 
for those people; and even though they know that de- 
struction of the game supply means a harder winter for 
themselves and their families,, many men, whose chief 
revenue comes from guiding, will kill deer recklessly, 
and encourage others to do the same. Since the present 
law was passed, the inhabitants of the Adirondacks ap- 
pear to have lost th'ei-r, power of reasoning when protection 
of deer is under consideration. In evidence of which 
stands the fact that everybody seems possessed to wan- 
tonly destroy every deer in the woods. Men who had 
not hunted for years have made war upon the game be- 
cause they were angered by the game law. Such a state 
of mind is not rational, of course; but that it exists any 
one may discover in a few minutes' Gottversation with 
any of the inhabitants of the woods. 
I, for one, do not believe that the solution of the prob- 
lem lies in still further restricting the sportsman. Early 
hunting and night hunting should be stopped with an 
iron hand. Hunting from Sept. i until Nov. i, with or 
without dogs, ought to be permitted. It is foolish to 
suppose that one can still-hunt on the track during Sep- 
tember and early October, in the Adirondack forests. 
For my part, I do not see anything disgraceful in hound- 
ing the deer. I enjoy the working of the dogs. I like 
to hear the race over hill and through valley. It seems to 
me sportsmanlike to pit the instinct of the hound against 
that of the deer; and the result is always interesting. 
You, who have hunted the deer much with hounds, 
know that the advantage is largely in favor of the deer. 
The great majority of them escape. And when the deer 
does come in sight of the watcher on the lake shore, it is 
not always easy, or even possible, to kill the game. 
Those who have not tried the trick do not know how dit- 
ficult it may be.. If you are hunting on a shallow river, 
the game must be killed, as a rule, w^hile it is on the run. 
No one will deny tliat it is sportsmanlike to kill a run- 
ning deer with a rifle ball. To many of my friends the 
hounds are the principal feature of the chase. Naturally, 
every hunter is pleased with a shot that brings down a 
noble buck. But what is the chief topic of conversation 
at the camp, morning, noon and night? It is the story 
of the dogs, always the exploits of the dogs. And do you 
not think it a pity to remove forever from the hunter's 
camp the old hound dog, whose sagacity has served to 
charm away many a happy hour in the forest? I do. 
J. H. Woodward. 
New York City 
Maryland Association. 
Baltimore, Md., Jan. 2^.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
1 herewith send you a clipping from the Baltimore Sun 
of this date, giving an account of the annual meeting of 
the Game Association held last night. You will note 
from the report that our Association is prosperous and 
active. The game warden reports that about 300 arrests 
were made by his deputies through the State during 
the past year, and that he has secured convictions in 
about 97 per cent, of the cases. 
Geo. Dobbin Penniman^ 
President of the Maryland State Game and Fish Pro- 
tective Association. 
The annual meeting and election of oificers of the 
Maryland Game and Fish Protective Association was 
held last night at the CarroUton Hotel, President George 
Dobbin Penniman presiding. Considering the inclem- 
ency of the weather, the meeting was well attended. The 
oificers made their annual reports; resolutions were 
passed thanking Governor Lloyd Lowndes for his co- 
operation in the work of the Association, commending 
Senator Hoar for his bill to forbid the importation of 
the feathers of song birds, and a number of interesting 
matters were discussed by the members. 
President Penaiman's Address. 
Mr. George Dobbin Penniman, the president of the 
Association, in calling the meeting to order said the 
meeting marked the close of the fourth year of the As- 
sociation, which is prosperous and holds its own in mem- 
bership. He referred to the labors of the first three 
months of the year, when its officers were endeavoi4ng 
to obtain the passage of the- general fish and game bill. 
The fish bill passed the Senate, but failed by one day in 
passing the House. It was killed with many other bills 
by the quarrel over police reorganization and other polit- 
ical measures. The effect of the free discussion of the 
bill in the Legislature was of great value, said President 
Penniman, as many of the suggestions contained in it 
were passed as local measures. 
Referring to the game bill, he said: "It has made it 
unlawful to sell game in Baltimore during the closed 
season, even if the game was killed outside of the State. 
The Maryland birds are not now, therefore, illegally 
killed by market gunners and smuggled into the city to 
be sold as foreign-killed birds. The act has made it un- 
lawful to use big gtms anywhere in Maryland waters, to 
shoot ducks at night, to wilfully disturb ducks on their 
feeding grounds, to hunt rabbits with ferrets, to destroy 
pheasants and other game birds with poison, and it also 
protects insectivorous birds. It properly divides the 
State into districts, giving to the counties in each dis- 
trict similar closed seasons, and I have no doubt that at 
the next session of the Legislature many of the counties 
now out will accept the seasons given by the bill and will 
put themselves fully under its provisions." 
Mr. Penniman referred to the loss the Association had 
suffered in the death of Dr. George W. Massamore, the 
late assistant game warden, who was so zealous in game 
protection, and fish propagation. 
After statiing that the Association owes much to 
State's Attorney Dufiy, who has prosecuted all game 
cases vigorously, Mr. Penniman said he liad every reason 
to feel sure that the constitutionality of the law will be 
sustained. He commended Game Warden Gilbert and 
the work of the fish commissioners, and said: "Mr. 
George^ who has charge of the Druid Hill Park hatchery, 
has trebled the number of young trout annually dis- 
tributed through the trout streams of the State. This 
Association has procured many thousands of trout from 
him, and has placed them in tire streams near Baltimore. 
Several million of young perch have been placed in Back, 
Middle and Gunpowder rivers. Mr. George has begun 
the artificial propagation of black bass at the park, and 
if the experiment is successful the rivers of the State 
will soon furnish good bass fishing." 
Warden Gilbert's Report. 
State Game Warden R. H. Gilbert reviewed the work 
of himself and his deputies during the year. He stated 
that there vikr& now 220 deputy game wardens in the 
State actively engaged in enforcing the game laws, and 
that their enforcement had been much more rigid and the 
results more gratifying than ever before. He reported 
also that upward of 300 arrests for violations of the 
game laws had been made in the last year, and that 97 
