1 
174 
forest and stream. 
[July 31, 
Deer in New England. 
Bennington, Vt., July 19.—Editor Forest and 
Stream: One of the great problems facing the 
people of Vermont to-day is: What shall we do 
with our deer? This is really a question to 
demand the best thought of our ablest men. 
The deer question, like Banquo s ghost, wi not 
down at our bidding. In many places the great 
herds have become an actual menace to farm¬ 
ing communities, and the complaints of the 
farmers cannot be quietly ignored. 1 he last 
Legislature passed a bill making it lawful to 
kill either buck or doe during the open season. 
I am still convinced this was a provident meas¬ 
ure, although at the time the sportsmen were 
up in arms and petitioned the Governor to-veto 
the bill, but he signed it nevertheless. Many 
sportsmen did not understand the issue, nor the 
argument of their opponents; also they would 
not listen to facts, nor believe that the con¬ 
ditions existed that were made plain to the 
members of the Legislature. They know it is 
true —after thirty years of protecting the doe 
that the merest tyro can go out and shoot a 
cosset doe or yearling, and that to some extent 
compelling the hunter to see that the deer has 
horns will save human life in the woods. 
Our open season, though of only six days 
duration, comes at a time when the bucks are 
wildest—just preceding rutting time—and is an¬ 
other measure of unconscious protection. Last 
year, owing to its postponement on account ot 
forest fires, the open season came on at the 
height of the rut—when bucks are boldest—and 
as a result over 2,000 bucks were reported 
taken. Some thought that a great thinning out, 
and yet we now see more deer than ever be¬ 
fore. People of all classes are opposed to a 
slaughter of our beautiful deer, and few will 
listen to any argument the other way. But the. 
farmers in the Legislature, who had heard so 
many complaints by their neighbors of the 
damage done to crops by the deer were for the 
measure to kill does, and, being in the ma¬ 
jority, they pressed hard and got it on the 
statute books. . 
Before writing more, let me go into a little 
history. In his biennial report of 1906, Com¬ 
missioner Thomas said: 
“Previous to 1878 to see a deer in Vermont 
was certainly a rarity, and if one was seen, it 
was of so much importance it was published by 
the press throughout the State. On April 27. 
1878, a herd of ten deer, and on the 5th of 
May following three more, and about the same 
date four more were liberated in Rutland and 
Bennington counties. The first ten were pur¬ 
chased from the keepers of the New York State 
prison at Dannemora. Seven were purchased 
from other sources or donated.” 
Tyenty-one public-spirited men of Rutland 
and Bennington counties provided the ways 
and means for this stocking of deer in Vermont. 
There you have the origin of the present great 
number in this State. The increase has been 
almost beyond belief. Vermont has not only 
been stocked to its capacity, but we have stocked 
Massachusetts, some of the western counties ot 
New Hampshire and the eastern counties of 
New York. To those who doubt this assertion. 
I beg to inquire: Where did the deer come 
from which now inhabit Berkshire county, 
Massachusetts, and the eastern parts of Wash¬ 
ington and Rensselaer counties, New York? 
Surely they did not spring from the soil, nor 
drop from the clouds! They certainly wandered 
into those sections from Vermont, and in the 
Berkshires of Massachusetts the number is in¬ 
creasing at a surprising rate. I believe, that- 
taking it acre for acre, Vermont has more deer 
than any State in the Union. They are as com¬ 
mon as crows, and we often hear of deer be¬ 
ing seen on the streets in different towns. 
What is happening to these deer? They are 
now semi-domesticated, and if present con¬ 
ditions should continue they would soon become 
almost wholly domesticated. To understand 
this one must remember that Vermont is a 
comparatively small State and consists for the 
most part of little farm places on the mountain¬ 
sides. One cannot travel very far into a wilder¬ 
ness without coming on to small mountain 
farms and habitations. Any direction you go 
this will occur. This means we have no great 
expanse of wild land, like Maine or Northern 
New York, on which there is room and feed for 
thousands of deer. Here, when deer reach a 
certain number in their increase, they overrun 
the farms. We have always protected the does, 
with the result that these same does remain 011 
or near the farms from year to year and reai 
their young there, and the first solid food ot 
which these fawns partake is the farmer’s pro¬ 
duce, such as peas, beans, beet or turnip tops, 
potatoes, buckwheat, young oats, or new seeded 
clover. Naturally they like this and grow fat on 
so succulent a diet. They linger on the farms 
until late in the fall, when all crops are 
harvested and cold weather has arrived. Then 
they seek the woods where they manage to pull 
through the winter on almost any browsing diet 
they can obtain. In the spring they are quick to 
return to the farms and again spend the sum¬ 
mer there. As one generation of deer suc¬ 
ceeds another, each in turn becomes more ac¬ 
customed to man and his ways, and fear him 
less, hence are becoming as tame as cattle—with 
whom they feed and associate continually. 
This has gone on until now something must 
be done. In the past two months I have found 
four fawns abandoned on farmers meadows, 
and in each case the farmer has cared for the 
little one, fed it and did all in his power to save 
and protect it. Did you ever hear of a person 
driving along a country road and seeing a deer 
nursing her young? Such a thing occurred to 
Mrs. Herbert Coleman, of Winhall, in this 
county, and Mrs. Coleman says the old doe 
was not much alarmed, either, by the approach 
of her team. I have never before heard of a 
person seeing a wild deer suckling her young. 
Usually the does hide their young in such a 
careful manner that it is almost impossible to 
find and see them, but here was a doe suckling 
her young along a highway—just as a gentle 
old family cow might do with her calf. Does 
that not look like the full domestication of these 
creatures is only one step away? 
Many good people who are interested in 
these beautiful wards of the State look forward 
with despair and horror to the coming open 
season. It is probable the slaughter will be 
great. It cannot possibly be otherwise—when 
only spotted fawns are immune, and most 
everyone knows there are no spotted fawns in 
October; therefore, any deer can lawfully be 
killed. But the deer must be thinned out to 
save the farms. That is how the farmers \ * 
situation. Four more years like the pas* 
see every farm in Southern Vermont in 
by a herd of deer. The farmers all adm 1 
graceful creatures seem beautiful to the 
one goes out into his garden and find: 
all the growing produce trimmed to the * 
At first they do not mind it, but wh 
discover it is impossible to keep the dec; 
the farmers’ point of view changes andi 
dares the deer a pest. There is somen 
this, too. Wait till it strikes home and : 
soon sentiment changes to resentmen 
sonally, I am very fond of our deer, an 1 
like to see fifty where there is one no 
from many years of personal observat: 
study, I am convinced that Vermont 
support any more deer to the acre than < 
have—unless we stop this policy of do: 
tion and compel the deer to live wholl>i 
wild lands and in great bodily fear 
We have no great tracts of wild lands - 
Adirondacks, on which large herds irt 
refuge without disturbing the farmers. I 
fore, I believe the deer will be comtl 
stand a siege of persecution by man ui 
learn it is a case of survival of the fitt t 
that fittest is a sound and healthy dec 
can find ample food and shelter in ouk 
territory. I am sorry to think of thes-t 
ful creatures in this way, but it is a ; 
question here, and I believe this is n 
future prospects are for deer in \i 
There are two sides to every question ! 
sportsmen must harken to both side, 
they act. So I repeat my question 
What shall we do with our deer? T 1 
of the past five or six years has g' 
changed. Probably, this question will bt 
rarily answered the last week in next ,< 
Harry Chase, 
County.v 
Boston, July 17.—Editor Forest and') 
In view of the recent change in what 1 
for more than a decade the establish 
of Massachusetts in regard to the pro. 
deer, and the extensive slaughter 
therefrom, a brief review of previu 
ditions and the events leading up to if 
tection, for a period of some sixteen c 
well as the causes which have contribiu 
enactment of the farmers’ law of la 
may prove of interest to your readers. 
By a law passed in 1883, the killin 
in Plymouth and Barnstable counties/ 
hibited under a penalty of $100. This j 
resulted from the combined efforts 0: 
residents from Boston and other ci~ 
were very fond of seeing deer now at; 
their drives over the country roads: 
native inhabitants some of whom h; 
taste for good venison, and had n 
prosecution by the local officers, "t 
matter of that sort, were supposed! 
their own business, and thus hold 1- 
With a visiting sportsman who it 
temerity to bring down a buck or do 
was different. For a period of ten 
was the condition in the Cape tow 5 
were at that time the only ones wji 
were wild deer in Massachusetts. j 
may have been considerably reduce- 
hers during that time, there was a c<- 
