Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-07-22
C0RRESPONDENeE.
FOR THE PROJECTION OF THE GAME OF


| FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE GAME OF
s.l Ia. ,TENNESSEE.-NO. 4. ss--- H.lasI
In my last l went to show something of the hab-
its Of fish, which viii open to the mind of any,
view of the instruments Of destruction, and also
what will have to be done for protection. - .r,
The migrating fish, as we have before stated, move
twice in the year, viz: Spring and Fall. They as
cend in the spring for the purpose of spawning and
raising their young and return in the fall of the
year or at the approach of cold weather, to spend
the winter in deeper water Some kinds ascend a
considerable distance, while others only go up to
the first fat bar, or little neck or pool of water
suited to their purpose though all of the migrating
class move enough TO expose themselves to the dan
gers of the fish trap, as they are called, which is
the first instrument of destruction that we shah take
in hand ....., I...r,
The fish trap has no doubt done more to either
destroy or drive out the fish from all broad shallow
streams in State than anything else, particular
ly the migratory kind. Take the French Broad as
instance. 1t is one of the most beautiful streams
in the world and every way suitable for raising fish
in great quantities. II is too shallow, clear and
broad for senes and the hook and gig would only be
able thin them out enough to make them thrive
But you will find fish trap every half mile almost
and such has been the effect of these traps that the
fish almost entirely destroyed or driven out so
that when you ask some dweller on the banks of
that beautiful stream with regard to the fish, he an
swers 'there ant none here s'theyre all gone, !"
and the French Broad is not solitary case, many
other streams are nearly in like condition.
The fish traps often SO constructed as to catch the
fish, both as they ascend and descend, and you will
find them completely adapted to the purpose that
at proper stage of water every fish that attempts
to pass is caught. .... ... ~.
II will be found from an examination of the char
acer Of this destroyer, that it is perfect mOnopO
ly." man finds suitable place on the creek or
river the case may be- where he puts in his trap
and at takes possession of all the fish in the
stream for miles above and below least to the
next suitable place for trap. If there any
thing like supply of fish ia thestream, he catches
them in great waste, and in many instances where
there is no.extensive market near, no use can be
made of them The owner of the trap watches it
for few nights, until his family is supplied, and
then further attention is paid to it, and the fish
come filing up in the trap by the hundred, to lie
there and rot, or be devonred by muskrats, minks,
raekoOns and lizards. 1t is truly distressing to
look at one of these traps around which are to be
found bushels of bones, where large and fine fish
have been left to be devoured as above stated, or
decay, and in many instances you will find that the
muskrats, minks and other animals have become so
attached to the trap that the himself gets no
fish unless he sets upon the trap and watches it. for
he is no sooner out of sight than these animals are
watching for him and are at the traps eating and
devouring the fish and they become SO Troublesome
that the at last gives up the trap and leaves
it to the muskrats minks aunts snakes and lizards.
The effect of the fish trap is first to surei the owner
for day two with fish, till al are disguised with
cat drums, buffalo and red horse, but sti the des
roysr is in the stream and the destruction is going
on for weeks until fish enough is destroyed to have
supplied county for month. This is a reckless,
cruel, and think wicked waste of the bounty of a
gracious God to our common humanity, and ought
not to be allowed.
The tendencies of these traps are first to prevent
the fish from ascending in the spring to such local.
ties as are suitable for raising purposes. They
either caught by traps arrested by the dams and
should the water rise high enough for them to pass
over in the spring they will be of them in the
fall. 1t often happens that before the object for
which the fish ascends is accomplished, viz: the
spawning and watching the spawn until Matched the
waters become so low that they cannot descend, !
and they are forced to take shelter in some deep |
pool of water in the neigborhood of their spawn,
but in the fall at the first little rise in the stream
all move at down the stream for deep WATER as
their winter quarters; then it is that wholesale
Slaughter is made by these traps. 81. !
Now after stopping long enough to look at this |
subject little in its true light will any one think
for moment that he ought to put such destroyer
in stream. If he entertains very different views
from the writer. / enjoy mess of fish OCCASION
ally, but owe it to my children, my neighbors and
my country, not to drive out or destroy all the fish
from our streams. This is only one of many modes |
OF destruction which will in due time be brought to
notice 5' .'''-. A LOVER OF NATURE.