GOVERNMENT BONUS ON DEER SKINS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20736, 22 December 1932, Page 9

GOVERNMENT BONUS ON DEER SKINS.

TO THE EDITOB 01? THE T&tSS. Sir, —Having listened to Captain I'erex's advice as to the living to be made shooting deer for the skins, I, like many others, find that they are sadder and wiser men. We were advised how to skin a deer, and how skins were to be dried, and having dono bo to tho best of our ability out in the back-country, find out that when skins are sent to the depot a big reduction is made for trimming, for which a charge i is made. So after carrying skins out of all sorts of places in the back-coun-try, and roughing it, and paying for ammunition, food,- and fares out-back, there is not much left. I wonder if Captain Yerex would be inclined to go oat as an example, and actually show us how much he can make—not camping at a station, homestead, but genuinely going as light as he can with camp outfit, procured with a limited amount of cash. Many men I know have left tho City rather than be uncertain of work, and gone out-back deer shooting. Their funds have been just enough to get them to their destination and give them a start, and they had hopes of hanging on and existing, when advice was sent that the Department was not buying any more skins —and this after issuing notices that there was a great future market for skins, and asking men to help to destroy the deer. One thing is certain; before long the deer question is going to be more serious than ihe rabbit pest. Then we may be able to make a living without lectures being given, shooting for destruction only. In the meantime we shall have once again to swell the ranks of the unemployed, through being led astray. I might mention that the majority of men out are fully experienced shooters, and know how to rough it out-back. They did not go out to learn the game, but were able to start off straight away, working long hours, travelling high country, roughing it in all weathers, to find out that a lecture in town is quite a different story from going out and trying to make a living on the advice of that lecture. —Yours, CtC '' LED ASTEAY. December 20th, 1932.