400 
FOREST AND STREAM 
March 29, 1913 
Deer in Connecticut. 
Packer, Conn., March 10. — Editor Forest 
and Stream: The local papers report a hear¬ 
ing the past week before the committee on fish 
and game of our Legislature as to changes in 
the law on deer. 
Headlines in one paper read: ‘‘Deer Had 
No Friends; Open Season Wanted.” When 1 
came to the State to make my home six years 
since, the law protected them until 1911. When 
the Legislature was in session two years ago, I 
urged that law be changed to permit the killing 
of bucks only for a short season each fall, but 
full protection was extended for another six 
years in spite of the many protests from farmers 
and orchardists, as well as petitions from those 
who desired privilege of killing bucks. 
There was little semblance of agreement 
among those who were heard as to what the 
law should do, except that killing should be per¬ 
mitted. Some of the sportsmen asked for a 
season of only a few days, with a limit of one 
buck to each hunter. Others wanted a longer 
season and larger limit. Some of the farmers 
wanted it lawful to kill at all seasons, with no 
limit as to number or regulations as to weapon. 
Advocates of the rifle and shotgun each 
were strongly in favor of their own choice of 
hunting arms, some wanting rifles barred be¬ 
cause of the danger in so thickly populated a 
State as Connecticut, while those who wished to 
use rifles urged the cruelty and inhumanity of 
wounding so many deer with shotguns, to die 
days later after great suffering and yield no 
benefit to the killer. 
Every one seemed' to agree that great dam¬ 
age was being done all over the State to farmers 
and fruit growers by the deer. Mr. Davis, one 
of our game commissioners, said he would hesi¬ 
tate a long time before prosecuting a man who 
killed a deer on his own land, even if it were 
not doing damage to crops. Fie believed a deer 
could have but one object in being on the land, 
to eat something. He claimed the deer were 
doing so much damage, and the claims were be¬ 
coming so heavy, the State could not continue 
to pay them. I cannot agree with him in this 
after my six years’ farming and gardening 
where deer are plentiful. They do eat some of 
my clover and fallen apples, but the pleasure 
of seeing them alone far more than repays any 
damage they have ever done. Many farmers 
take the same view, while others have a preju¬ 
dice against sportsmen, and object to anything 
that will give them pleasure. Deer walk through 
my gardens and fields often doing absolutely no 
damage. I have followed their tracks through 
my sweet corn from time it was a few inches 
high to full grown, and have never found where 
a single blade or ear was bitten. Once I saw 
where a few bites were taken among the lima 
beans, and again some sunflower leaves were 
eaten, but no damage was done in either case. 
Buckwheat is often damaged badly if left long 
in the field, and deer are charged with eating 
fruit trees. They walk under my apple trees 
summer and winter, and I have never seen where 
one twig was eaten. Much of the complaint is 
from farmers who ‘‘don’t like a sportsman no¬ 
how.” 
I believe a large measure of protection should 
continue. I would favor killing bucks only, and 
only those with branching horns; no spikes. Per¬ 
mit only one deer to a hunter, and make resident 
license not less than five dollars, thus keeping 
many irresponsible and inexperienced hunters 
from the , woods, and saving many deer and 
human lives. Possibly those who hunt on their 
own land only should be exempt from this tax. 
Non-residents should pay ten or fifteen dollars, 
our State being so convenient to New York city. 
Providence, Boston, Worcester, Springfield and 
other large cities. The revenue from these 
licenses could be used toward paying damages 
sustained by farmers and fruit growers. 
Non-resident licenses in other States where 
deer may be killed are not to be had for a song. 
In Maine it is $15; in New York. $20, and in 
Michigan, $25. The nearness of our State to 
New York city in particular should bring many 
deer hunters to our woodlands, and by next fall 
there should be an abundance of deer for all 
who wished to hunt. In going across two fields 
to a neighbor’s a few days since, I saw the 
tracks where fifteen deer had crossed my path 
within the past twenty-four hours. 
It will be most unfortunate if those who 
wish all protection removed should secure the 
legislation they are working for. Every earnest 
game protector in Connecticut should write the 
representatives from his district urging that 
proper protection still be given to our deer. All 
who can should be present if another hearing is 
had on the question. E. P. Robinson. 
Massachusetts Fish and Game League. 
Springfield, Mass., Flarch 15 .—Editor Forest 
and Stream: A State-wide association of fisher¬ 
men and hunters was organized in Worcester 
at Hotel Pleasant on Thursday, the 13th instant, 
under the name of The Massachusetts Fish and 
Game League. Two members of the fish and 
game commission and several of their deputies 
were present with others, representing nearly 
every county in the State, there being about 
seventy-five. The purpose of the association 
is outlined in the discussion and in the plat¬ 
form which the league adopted, and is the 
propagation and protection of the fish and game. 
Among those present were Dr. George W. 
Field, of Sharon, chairman of the Fish and 
Game Commission; George H. Graham, Spring- 
field. member of the commission; Samuel D. 
Sherwood, John B. Smith. Henry L. Bowles; 
Dr. W. A. Smith, Arthur C. Merritt, E. A. 
Woodward, J. B. Crabtree, James H. Ripley, 
Frank S. Eaton, all of Springfield; O. S. Stull, 
of I^ongmeadow; Dr. F. H. Saunders, president 
of the Westfield Fox Club; J. H. Jones, of the 
Westfield Shooting .Association; V. F. Skiff, of 
the Westfield Anglers’ Club; J. W. Hager, of 
the Dalton Rod and Gun Club; G. B. Bos- 
worth, president of the East Hampton Fish and 
Game Association; C. F. Brevear, of Leo¬ 
minster; Dr. E. F. Lincoln, president of the 
Leominster Fish and Game Association; E. F. 
Strong, president of the Lee Sportsman’s As¬ 
sociation; F. E. H. Sheldon, of Chicopee; W. 
S. Holt, of Lowell; E. H. Rivenburg, of 
Chester; W. D. Moshier, of Hopkinton, presi¬ 
dent of the Brampton Gun Club; George W. 
Stevenson, Gilbertsville, president of the Lake¬ 
side Fish and Gun Club; George H. Chapin, 
Brookfield; • Lyndon H. Coleman, secretary of 
the Pittsfield Anglers’ Club; A. T. Mitten, Am¬ 
herst ; H. I. I'ilton, of Boston, representing the 
National Sportsman; Salem D. Charles, of Bos¬ 
ton, president of the Massachusetts Fish and 
Game Protective Association; T. J. O’Brien, of 
the Milford Fox Hunters’ Club; N. J. Hardy, 
of Arlington, president of the Middlesex Sports¬ 
man’s Association; Walter E. Horton. East 
Providence; Albert C. Green, Seekonk; Leander 
F. Herrick, J. W. Barney, Ernest Russell, Chet- 
wood Smith, Frederick Bucklin (editor of the 
Worcester Gazette), all of Worcester. The 
meeting was called to order by William C. 
-Adams, of Boston. 
Samuel D. Sherwood, of Springfield, was 
chosen temporary chairman, and C. A. Mc- 
Lellan, of Brocton, temporary secretary. A 
motion made by Dr. Saunders, of Westfield, 
that a State league be formed and those present 
be enrolled as charter members was carried. A 
committee, consisting of Charles A. McLellan, 
of Brocton; Arthur C. Merritt, of Springfield; 
Dr. E. F. Lincoln, of Leominster; James W. 
Hager, of Dalton, and A. C. Spencer, of 
Beverly, together with George H. Graham and 
John B. Burnham as advisory members, was ap¬ 
pointed to draft by-laws, constitution, etc. The 
committee reported as follows: 
The name of this Association will be the 
AJassachusetts Fish and Game League. The 
membership fee for annual membership shall be 
fifty cents, for donating membership $5, and for 
life membership $25. The object of this As¬ 
sociation is to increase the supply of fish and 
game and song and insectivorous birds in this 
commonwealth. 
The Treasurer, Secretary and Legislative 
Agent will be paid officials. 
The annual meeting will be the first Mon¬ 
day in December at a place tO' be designated 
by the Board of Governors. The platform re¬ 
ported was as follows: 
The Massachusetts Fish and Game League 
is the result of a conviction on the part of the 
fishermen and hunters in this commonwealth 
that the propagation and protection of fish and 
game will be most efficiently and permanently 
advanced if all persons interested proceed to 
that end in an orderly manner and through the 
agency of a State-wide association. The mem¬ 
bers of the League believe that every person 
who is interested in fishing and hunting or in 
