The Orcas Island Poaching War
Island residents are taking a stand against commercial hunters who are stripping the local deer population bare without contributing to the community.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The inroad of hunters foreign to the island shores, for the purpose of shooting as many deer as possible for market, has raised the wholesome ire of the people of Orcas Island. They say with truth that it is not right nor fair, nor of purpose sportsmanlike, that men who inhabit not these shores should be allowed to spoil the sport of those to whom the land belongs. The island derives no benefit from the incursions of these men, who take away so many head of deer and spend not a cent while doing so. The deer is now a somewhat scarce animal, and the few that remain are necessary for the islanders who like venison. This feeling is not directed against those true hunters who would come here and spend a week or two for love of hunting, but against those who hunt purely for market. Notices will be posted on all the ranches that hunting and trespassing are not allowed on the premises. This will prevent hunting on all the valley and hillside lands, and prosecutions will be certain against all who in the future venture to hunt on forbidden ground. No man who has a grain of fairmindedness within his person will attempt to break through the expressed wishes of a community of people, and those who have not got this grain must run the risk of punishment.
“The island derives no benefit from the incursions of these men, who take away so many head of deer and spend not a cent while doing so.”
Conflicts over land access and the 'fair use' of natural resources remain a hallmark of life in the San Juan Islands. Today's debates over private property rights vs. public access continue to echo this 1883 push to restrict outside commercial exploitation of island wildlife.
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