| There are laws to protect the deer but | | | | deer dogs and who use them occasionally, |
| some of them are not implemented | | | | but as the penalty is usually death to |
| properly. In Maine it is allowed to take | | | | the dog and a fine to the owner, no man |
| a deer for so that the herds are | | | | who values a dog will use him for this |
| prospered. There are some laws that | | | | purpose. |
| already banned the hunting of these deer | | | | I have watched a few of these dogs in |
| so that their populations are | | | | action and I can see where there would |
| maintained. | | | | be a certain amount of sport in this |
| We had no regular hunter as some of the | | | | type of hunting, if it were legal and if |
| camps had, but one of the men had made a | | | | the dogs were properly trained. |
| salt lick a short distance from camp | | | | Slow-trailing dogs that do not drive the |
| and, as he worked all day, the only time | | | | deer out of the country would seem to be |
| that he could visit the lick was at | | | | the best deer dogs. The deer circle |
| night. I went with him one night when he | | | | ahead of these slow dogs arid the sport |
| killed a deer. We were equipped with a | | | | would be similar to fox hunting. Most |
| miner's acetylene lamp and a .45-90 | | | | every one will admit that fox hunting is |
| rifle. We waited on a platform in a tree | | | | considered a good sport. |
| until a deer showed up and then he shot | | | | I knew of one poacher who owned two dogs |
| the animal. There was no pretense of | | | | that he had trained to hunt deer. They |
| sport in the killing. It was simply the | | | | were very fast dogs and they were |
| killing of an animal for its meat in the | | | | trained to drive deer to the man's house |
| surest and easiest way. Since then I | | | | where he waited to shoot them. This |
| have seen many refinements added to this | | | | man's boys would take the dogs by a |
| type of hunting. The acetylene lamp has | | | | circular route to a point some distance |
| been re placed by the electric | | | | from the house and then turn them loose. |
| spotlight. The tree platform has been | | | | If there was a deer between the dogs and |
| replaced by the mobile, cushioned seat | | | | the man's house, that deer had very |
| of a car and the old .45-90 is only a | | | | little chance of turning back past the |
| relic beside the guns of today. Only the | | | | dogs and it usually ended up hanging in |
| poor bewildered deer is the same as it | | | | the man's shed. He didn't consider this |
| stands in the light, waiting to be | | | | as sport, only an easy way to obtain |
| butchered. | | | | meat for his family and to supplement |
| The use of dogs as an aid to deer | | | | his income during the deer season when |
| hunting, while permitted in some areas, | | | | he sold a few deer to unsuccessful |
| is forbidden in most states. Here in | | | | sportsmen. |
| Maine, the use of dogs has been outlawed | | | | When a hunter goes for hunting, he has |
| for a long time and as a result I have | | | | to use the equipments for his safety. |
| had little experience with this type of | | | | Nowadays the equipments used in hunting |
| hunting. We have a few poachers who have | | | | have so much improvement. |