The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-29
ENFORCING aAME LAWS.
Good Resuits IN Pike County The Tot
Hunters Revenge.

MILFORD, Pa, June 25.-Thore ls probably
no other place OF its slse In the country where
there are 80 many valuable blooded hunting
dogs owned az In Milford. THE lie owing to tho
fact that somo OF tho best sportsmen in the
country live here and because Pike County
abounds In game. Notwithstanding this fact
the county never had a game protective society
until two years ago. Pot hunters swarmed in
the woods. and the game laws were a dead letter
Partridge haunts were strung with murderous
snares Deer wero killed by scores when tho
snow was covered with n crust over which It
was impossible for the animals 10 run. Trout
streams were drained OF theirsinmates by eel
wers and nets Tho pot hunter and pot nsh-
erman like death. had all seasons for their own.
The result OF a long series OF years OF such
treatment of the famous game and fish pre-
serves OF Pike County was that both were be-
coming rapidly depopulated. few seasons
OF poor trout fishing and deer partridge. and
woodcock hunting. finally awoko tho true
sportsmen OF the county TO the peril OF the
situation. They formed n protective associa:
the association drafted epecial game law for
Pike County. Its most important provision was
ySrs OF eeyy nea Sp S we p
authorized to be- exacted for any infraction OF
the law. The passage OF this law eallod forth
expressions OF the bitterest resentment from
those who had held undisputed sway with
hound. buckshot gun. and snare In tho woods OF
PIKE County from time lmnlemOf1nl. rome OF mo
most desperate backwoodemen declared their
intention to chnse and shoot deer whenever they
chose and to shoot any game constable or agent
| with what they seemed TO consider vested
| right. Threats OF vengeance were openly made
by opponents Of the game law against all who
| had In any way been instrumental In placing II
| on the statute books. Some months ago nearly
every member OF the game association Ia Mil
| ford awoke ono morning to find each valuable
| and favorlte bird dog killed by poison. Dead
| dogs lay In almost every street. In every in
game law. 40 deer hound was found among
them. No clue 20 the perpetrators OF the act OF
sufficient posi,iyeness e warrant legal pro-
In the local election Of 1878 the repeal OF tho
| Game law became ono OF the leading Issues.
Every candidate for the legislature, and there
we're five OF them that year who desired the
votes OF tho anti Game-law men was obliged to
pledge himself TO vote for a repeal ~ elected.
| nuence Of members OF the Game Association.
they believing that he would not use any effort
| menced In Pike County One Of his first acts In
Harrisburg was 10 Introduce bill for the re-
| peal.
Tho association also found itself hampered
| by the administers OF the law. Two notorious
| pot hunters were arrested last winter. charged
| with pursuing deer with dogs" contrary TO
| the statute. Their dogs we're captured while
chasing the deer. and the men were seen stand
witness swore that tho accused men had So
| licited him to accompany them on deer hunt
on the day in question. The association be-
example. But the Justice OF the Peace came to
the rescue. He construed the wording OF the
| law" pr rsung deer with dogs ito mean that
the owners Of the dogs must themselves be run
| ming af,er tho deer with the dogs otherwise
they were not pursuing deer with dogs" He
| discha eyed the prisoners.
| The Legislature OF Pennsylvania did one sem
| sible thing. however. IL refused to respond to
the petition OF irresponsible parties. aud the
pro ectiye law is still on the statute book. The
res alt OF the law and determined enforcement
| OF IL Is felt already. There has never been a
/ hfdfar trOutinQ than the Dreaelt. Tlo
woods are full OF young partridge, Deer siRns
| are once more appearing where they have not
| been seen for years II IL the opinion OF all ex-
1 perienced hunters tina. after the three-year
prohibitory law expires deer will DO as plenty as
| they were twenty i've years ago.
The minus OF the Pot hunters Is still felt In
preaching It's season. A week or 30 ago threats
| were made by certain anti Game law parties
In NJ ord that II they couldn't hunt deer with
doee they knew OF some others whose dogs
| wouldn't stand over woodcock this summer
| Since. some OF the finest bred dogs In town have
been poisoned. among them County Clerk
| Westbrook's Frank and J, J. Bymans Joe both
| dogs well known to New York sportsmen.