286 
FOREST AND STREAM 
May, 1918 
FOREST MI STREAM 
FORTY-SEVENTH YEAR 
FOUNDERS OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETY 
GOVERNING BOARD: 
GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL, New York, N. Y. 
CARL E. AKELEY, American Museum of Natural History, New York 
FRANK 8. DAGGETT, Museum of Science, Los Angeles, Cal. 
EDMUND HELLER, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. 
C. HART MERRIAM, Biological Survey, Washington, D, C. 
WILFRED H. OSGOOD, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Ill. 
JOHN M. PHILLIPS, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
CHARLES SHELDON, Washington, D. C. 
GEORGE SHIRAS, 3rd, Washington, D. C. 
WILLIAM BRUETTE, Editor 
TOM WOOD. Manager 
Nine East Fortieth Street, New York City 
THE OBJECT OF THIS JOURNAL IVILL BE TO 
studiously promote a healthful interest in outdoor recrea¬ 
tion, and a refined taste for natural objects. Aug. 14, 1873 
CONNECTICUT DEER 
A FEW years ago, as the result of a long, close sea- 
son, there were several thousand deer in the 
state of Connecticut. These deer were beautiful 
objects of the landscape, often seen; and their fre¬ 
quent appearance gave great pleasure to visitors and 
to residents. 
Farmers generally agreed that they did no harm , 
whatever to the crops, though in a few places it was 
declared that they damaged young fruit trees by nip¬ 
ping off the terminal shoots. A few people also said 
that by pasturing on it they injured the growing rye 
in winter and spring, statements which were ridiculed 
by farmers and were recognized as mere pretexts de¬ 
vised by those who wanted some excuse to kill the 
deer. The result of all the talk was that finally the 
Connecticut legislature passed a law permitting any 
land-owner to destroy with a shot-gun, on his own 
land, deer which were injuring his crops. 
This action removed any protection whatever for 
the deer, and turned these animals over to the mercies 
of the more thoughtless and worthless part of the 
population. Deer were hunted everywhere by everyone, 
and by all methods. They were stalked and run with 
dogs, and most of them have been slaughtered. The 
number left in the state is very small. 
When the Connecticut legislature passed this deer 
law it must have known that the result would be the 
extermination of the deer. If its members did not 
know this they were deplorably lacking in experience 
and common sense. The legislature of the state has 
practically wiped out the deer. Was this done inten¬ 
tionally or through ignorance? 
It is true enough that nature and what we call 
economic improvement do not go together. It is true 
enough, perhaps, that the deer did destroy an occa¬ 
sional fruit tree. On the other hand, they gave a very 
great amount of pleasure to the farmers and to all 
country dwellers in the state, and most people felt that 
this pleasure more than compensated for the slight 
damage that they did. 
It is reported that since October, 1916—seventeen 
months—there have been killed in Connecticut 2975 
deer, something more than 300,000 pounds of wild 
meat, 150 tons, worth approximately $75,000—wasted 
within the past year and a half. Is this good economy 
—in these times? Every nature lover in Connecticut, 
and practically every farmer, would like to see the 
deer protected again. One wonders whether they 
will be. 
If the Connecticut legislature should now put a close 
season on the deer, it is possible that in ten or a dozen 
years they might increase to something like their num¬ 
bers of a few years ago; but will this be done? We 
fear not. 
AN EXCELLENT APPOINTMENT 
'THE recent appointment of Mr. Warwick S. Car- 
A penter as secretary of the Conservation commis¬ 
sion of New York gives further evidence of the de¬ 
termination of the conservation commissioner of this 
state to take cognizance of nothing but efficiency in 
the running of his department. 
It was a fortunate day for New York when Mr. 
George D. Pratt, a business man of wide experience, 
accepted the office of conservation commissioner. The 
activities of this department have been in accord 
with the ideals of the best sportsmanship of the state 
and country, and the example that has been set is 
bound to have an effect on sport that will go beyond 
the boundaries of the Empire State. 
Mr. Carpenter has been with the conservation com¬ 
mission since Mr. Pratt assumed charge, and his 
official title has been “confidential secretary to the 
commissioner.” As a matter of fact, he has been Mr. 
Pratt’s right hand man and has initiated and developed 
a large number of activities of the greatest practical 
use to the conservation movement. Mr. Carpenter is 
a tireless worker of wide experience in the daily news¬ 
paper and magazine world, which has been of great 
service in his present occupation. Since coming to 
the commission he has learned the art of moving pic¬ 
ture photography and has filmed most of the more im¬ 
portant activities of the commission. These films 
have done a splendid educational work among the 
farmers and sportsmen of the state. 
He has won the right to the position that he now 
occupies, and he enters upon his new position with 
the best wishes of everyone who wants to see more 
game in the state of New York. 
The appointment of Mr. Clinton G. Abbott, the well- 
known lecturer on birds, to the place vacated by Mr. 
Carpenter, is one that finds equal approbation among 
sportsmen and conservationists. No man in this coun¬ 
try has produced a more interesting series of still life 
pictures of birds than Mr. Abbott. As a lecturer he 
is both charming and convincing. The conservation 
commission is to be congratulated in securing the 
services of one so splendidly adapted by talent and ex¬ 
perience for forwarding the conservation movement. 
NESTING TIME IN THE BATTLE ZONE 
(ANE of the interesting minor effects of the war in 
France and Flanders has been found in the bearing 
it has had upon bird life. In the vast devastated regions, 
and in the back areas, where the killing of game is a mil¬ 
itary crime, the partridges have increased in abnormal 
numbers. They have become extraordinarily tame, and 
on big stretches it is almost impossible to differentiate be¬ 
tween the different coveys. This superabundance of 
