CHANGES IN THE FISH AND GAME LAWS.

It is pretty generally admitted that Maine has the best code of game laws of any in existence, and many states and other countries are rapidly patterning after them. After the people have familiarized themselves with them we do not deem it wise to make frequent changes, "tinkering the laws" should be avoided as much as possible.

We do not think it would be deemed expedient to make any radical changes at present. Some few changes of minor importance are needed and some clerical errors should be corrected. Without venturing an opinion upon proposed changes we submit herewith a few of the very many suggestions for amendments to these laws we have received.

LICENSE FEE FOR HUNTERS.

"I understand that you are somewhat cramped for funds, and that it is impossible for you in consequence to have adequate warden service. I, for one, would favor a license for everyone hunting deer or moose, the whole to be expended in the protection of game. I know that this matter has been agitated to some extent and that there are divers opinions in regard to it.

“I should prefer to pay a license fee and feel that I had a fair chance of securing game of good growth or none at all, which indications point to at the present time. I was born and bred in the good old State of Maine and have never lost my interest in the State or its affairs."

Another writes: "The deer population of the woods is variously estimated at from 50,000 to 100,000. There are from 125,000 to 150,000 voters. No citizen of Maine can take even one deer without taking more than his exact share. When he takes two he greatly exceeds it. Why should he not purchase the excess by a method of license? There is nothing unfair to any citizen of Maine requiring him to pay for what he takes of the property belonging to the corporation, as it has been decided by the courts that all wild game in the State belongs to the citizens thereof not pro rata to them individually, but to all in their corporate capacity. No one citizen, therefore, has any

more right to help himself to any portion, than he has to put his hand into the State treasury and extract a few dollars as his share. Last year about 4.000 deer were taken out the State (estimated) by about the same number of non-resident sportsmen, an average of one each, many had none. Call it one-third.

Then one-third must have had two. If the law had limited all to one, probably some of the unlucky hunters would have had given them some of the surplus killed by those who were more fortunate. It might have reduced the legal shipment one thousand. It is not the shipments that need to be watched as much as the killing. What is needed is a corps of wardens who shall visit every fishing and hunting and every lumbering camp in the State, both in close and open time, irregularly, but frequently. Hold every camp proprietor, guide and foreman personally responsible for violations of law by employees, guests or patrons -such responsibility to be avoided only by promptly reporting each and every offender. Present laws are ample, if the Commissioners only had the means with which to enforce them. Additional restrictions would be of no use without money, unnecessary with it. I am an advocate of a license fee for all who hunt in Maine, the money to be used exclusively for the protection of game."

SAMPLE LETTERS FROM GUIDES:

"Commissioners of Inland Fisheries and Game:

"GENTLEMEN: The lumber camps in this section ought to be watched more closely because they are certainly supplying their camps with more venison than the law allows. This is all done in open season in the following manner: Each crew or camp contains from one to a dozen rifles. The men owning the rifles are furnished with ammunition to kill all they can for camp use and the crew being banded together claim whatever each man kills over the number allowed by law. I do not think that the large concerns do much of this but it is the smaller ones, jobbers and contractors. It is a well known fact that there were 52 deer killed and brought into lumber camp which was sit

uated at

lake. Now about these 52 deer,—when I first heard the story I would not believe it, but since then from remarks made by men who worked there I have been obliged to believe that the story is true.

"One day during the past summer I heard several lumbermen talking about the number of deer that were shot at this camp. One of the men commenced to brag about this crew killing 52 deer,--said he worked there and knew it. As I was quite close to them I said, 'You don't mean to say that every man in the crew killed his deer,'-and this is his answer: 'No, but we had ten or twelve good shots in camp,-they all killed their two and whatever they killed over that were claimed by some of the crew.' I then asked him if he was well acquainted with the men who did the shooting, but he became suspicious and would not say another word.”

"To the Honorable Commissioners:

"GENTLEMEN: I see there is some talk of repealing the September law, thus depriving the cause of several thousands of dollars of revenue received from sale of licenses. I would respectfully suggest that a large amount might be raised each year by increasing the fee for guides' registration. As a guide I think first class licenses should be $10 a year; second class licenses $5.00; this would give the cause some $15,000 a year. Think of the good work that could be done by such an amount. I, myself, am willing to pay $10 for a license, especially if you will weed out a lot of poor men who are now in the business,— disreputable men, I mean.

"I think guiding noble, honorable,-a profession equal to that of a soldier, and it should be made impossible for unworthy men. to engage in the business."

From another guide: "We ought to have a law to grant five deer to each logging camp of five men or more. If there are 50 or more men in a crew and then all kill a deer it is cutting off our deer very fast."

From another guide: "To the Commissioners of Inland Fisheries and Game,-Gentlemen: There have been a great many hunters coming to the woods in November in this region from Indiana and other western states, and they come and go into the woods and camp without any guides and do as they are a mind to. They are good hunters and kill everything they come to and take home the best and leave the rest in the woods. There is a party of 19 up here now that will take out two deer