Thursday, August 11, 2011

Animal Bounties

Yes, you heard right. I have twelve Claim, Affidavit and Certificate for Payment of Bounty documents in my office. They prove that at least one coy dog, three porcupines and fourteen bobcats were killed in the Town of Greenwich between 1956 and 1971. These "animal bounties" were paid to residents when they brought in proof of kill to their local town clerk. After the paperwork was filled out & signed, it was submitted to the county for payment.
Attached to the twelve bounty claims are copies of two resolutions; one dated March 12, 1948, & the other February 27, 1970. They say, basically, the same thing, except the price on the head, or rather the rattle, of a rattlesnake rose from $3.00 in 1948 to $5.00 in 1970 & foxes were no longer a nuisance because their previous bounty of $3.00 was revoked in 1970. Bobcats, bay lynx, & wolf or coy dog were fetching a hefty bounty of $25.00 in both 1948 & 1970. Porcupines were a paltry $0.50 each!
How did bounty hunter prove his kill? If you don't want to know, stop reading here.

bobcats, bay lynx, wolf, coy dog, fox- complete carcass
porcupine- the tail
rattlesnakes- "the rattles including at least three inches of the skinned tail with all the rattles unremoved [sic]"

Mr. Gillis of East Greenwich requested $50 for bobcats killed 1959

Town Clerk Elizabeth Wilson approved it

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