Feb. 13, 1909.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
245 
DEER IN M.-\SS.\CHUSETTS. 
Any one can see by reports from nearly all 
parts of the State that deer are becoming num¬ 
erous, and it is time that the State law-makers 
should take some action to reduce their nurn- 
bers and still mit exterminate them. There is 
plenty of room for many thousands of deer to 
live here and not be a great nuisance, but when 
they get so numerous that herds of from ten 
to twenty and even more can be seen, it is time 
the inhabitants were getting some benefit from 
them as a food product. There are localities 
where they are doing considerable damage, 
particularly to young fruit trees, and it is a 
difficult matter to adjust the damage so done. 
If they destroy trees that have been set out 
two or three years, there is the time taken to 
prepare the land, the cost of stock, plus freight 
or express, and the delay in fruiting. It is an 
expensive matter to fence against them, as a 
fence seven or eight feet high would be neces¬ 
sary, and that would not always be sufficient. 
No doubt there is considerable damage done 
to farm crops that is done bj' other animals and 
laid to deer. Several cases of that nature have 
come under my notice. For instance. I was 
called upon to go with one of the select men 
to estimate the damage said to be done by deer, 
to a certain melon, beet and squash field. The 
deer had visited the melon patch and eaten 
into several melons, but we found only where 
two had passed through the beet field, and I 
doubt if they could have found the beets if they 
had been hunting for them, on account of 
weeds. There had been no deer in the field of 
squashes, but the woodchucks had left telltale 
teeth marks on some of them. I think the man 
got an award of $5, which might be divided as 
follows: Damage to melons, $2; to deer tracks 
in beet field and pasture, $3. I could cite other 
instances, but enough. I believe farmers should 
get full damages done by deer, but not by their 
own calves and sheep. 
I have talked with many farmers and others 
in regard to an open season on deer and they 
seem to be nearly all agreed that there should 
be an open season of from six to ten days, be¬ 
ginning about Nov. I, 1909, giving us a chance 
to kill one buck with visible horns, and allow 
the use of rifles, as to be restricted to the use 
of shotguns is extreme cruelty, as many can 
testify to in southern New Hampshire; and by 
protecting deer without horns you protect 
human life. Occasionally a person will get 
killed or wounded by the accidental discharge 
of a gun. but there is no excuse for mistaking 
a man for a deer as long as one has to look 
for antlers. It might be wise to make a short 
open season on all deer once in four or five 
years to keep them in reasonable check.— 
Springfield Republican. 
THE COLONEL’S AIDE. 
A' shepherd dog belonging to Louis Dean 
went to his master's home the other day, closely 
followed by a mangy-looking cur that he 
seemed to be very fond of, and when Dean fed his 
Colonel, he noticed that he divided his supper 
with his companion. ■ and continued to do so 
for several days. The other day Dean was 
moving a band of cattle, assisted by his dog, 
when he noticed that Colonel seemed quite 
anxious to give his protege a few points on 
“long ears,” and accordingly sent him around 
to stop the cattle from entering a cross street. 
The new dog did his work well, and for a time 
seemed to be getting along nicely, but the cattle 
acting badly he became excited and ran into 
the band, barking, putting Dean and Colonel to 
much trouble, when the faithful old brute’s 
patience became exhausted he caught the cur 
by the neck, and. after giving him a good shak¬ 
ing up, pulled him to an irrigating ditch, and 
held him under water until he was nearly 
drowned. After his chastisement the new dog 
behaved well, and promises to become one of 
the best stock dogs in the State. Colonel has 
exclusive charge of his friend, and continues to 
feed him regularly, and when driving stock he 
seems to direct every movement of his “helper.” 
—Reno (Nev.) Gazette. 
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