The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-01-02

Views ON the subDecs-Argumsus In
Favor Of the Preservatton OF
Game.

The following ideas We clip from
correspondence to the Saginaw Repub
lican because We think some OF tn
suggestions are good:
1 thought would take the opportu
nifty Of writing few lines in your pa
per in regard to the enforcement Of th'
game laws of the United States. 1t IL
Disgrace to see how they are govern
ed by our leading sportsmen in thii
country to-day. A distinctive trait oi
the true sportsmen is that OF game pro
lection through the hunting season,
Sportsmen of this type, future genera.
tions of the fraternity, have TO thank
for the game, which would but FOL
their protective case, soon become an
initiated. State associations for the
protection of fish and game are at the
present day doing a work which will
show its fullest glory long after the
present generation has passed away.
In England. in population nearly
equal 10 the United States, and an area
of miles but little il any larger than
one of our States, the game is to all
appearances as plenty as century ago.
This most astonishing difference be-
tween the condition of England and
the United States shows most tonclu-
sively that it is not the population or
extent of territory that controls the
abundance or scarcity of game: on the
contrary civilization has actually had
the effect of increasing the supply OF
small game instead of the reverse, pro-
vided due caution is used as TO the
time and mode in which it Is captured.
England, by its strict laws and the
penalty enforced for diJobeying them.
has now abundance of both game and
fish; while the United States, though
even now perhaps the finest and most
excellent OF game resorts, has yet
shown snch marked decrease in num-
bers in the last few years, that the
most hopeful can but look with fear as
TO the result. Pot-huntipg, shooting
for the market, and the reckless, wan
ton slaughter by these self-styled
sportsmen has caused n most terrible
reduction in the number of bison, deer
and elk, the noblest of our four footed
game, not the thousands of buffalo
that but decade since dotted our
Western plains with herds where to-
day q few struggling bands are to be
found. The barbarous custom OF hunt
ing these majestic animals for days In
succession with the most improved and
deadly weapons shows the most heath
enish waste, leaving the carcasses to
decay upon the green sward or form a
repast for the prowling coyote and
bnzzard. have cited but q common
case, and year after year these annual
forays are kept mp, and in all proba-
bility will be until the species are ex-
terminated. Is il a wonder that before
such ruthless slaughter even the almost
countless number OF buffalo must soon
succumb. or that the ILdians (who. to
their credit be it said, kill only enough
to supply their wsnts,) seeing their
chief food supply so rapidly decreasing
look upon the white man and hunters
as aggressors who must be fought down
at all hazards. As it is In q more or
less degree with grouse. quail and
woodoocks. Birds are trapped in sea-
son and out OF season, in their moult-
ing period as we'll as when in fair con-
dition. until happily sportsmen are be.
coming fully aroused and determined
to enforce the laws to the let.srr. .-------.-
Local spoEtiSS Cubs can. if really in
eariest. do q great deal OF good in this
matter. il the members will not allow
their dread of creating ill-feeling pre-.
venting them from doing justice. MOI
is this all; sportsmen themselves are
too desirous OF acquiring fame as crack
shots, to heed the true and most gen.
tlemanlike mode Of shooting game. II
should be a test OF merit to shoot all
winged game on the wing. and all ami
mails either by stalking them or cours.
ing, which latter sport, though moi
pursued in this country, would prove
a source OF much amusement. The
rarest, true sportsmen. think far more
of their game, and shooting their bucks
in real scientific style than to the sc.
curing by the msrket-gunner's method
large bag Of game.