The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-06-26

A largeIy-attended meeting OF the Execu-
tive. Committee OF the Virginia Fish and
Game Association was held night before last
at the residence OF DR.. 0. A. Crenshaw-
President Charles. t. Palmer in the chair.
This State Association, ii will be remem-
bered, was organized several years ago for
the purpose OF enforcing, rs far rs pos
sible, the State laws for the protec-
ton OF fish and game. 1t now num-
bers several hundred members, and 1t is
conceded on all sides that the work OF the
Association has been very successful, rs Is
already attestcd by the increase IN 1lsh ana
game throughout the State. Not satlshed
with what has lhus far been accomplished,
the Executive Committee are maturing
their plans for a more strict enforcement OF
the laws during the new year upon which
they have lust entered. 1t is purely q WoIk
nf love on their part. and FOR this reason
alone the Association should be fostered
and encouraged.
THE PRESIDENTS ANNUAL REPORT.
The meeting having been organized, Mr..
Charles Il. Palmer rcad his annual report.
rs follows, which was received and adoptcC'
| no the Executive Committee Of the Virginia
Fish and Game Association:
Our annual meeting should have been
held on May the 5th, but the delay was
owing to orr inability to get COPY OF the
fish and game laws passed By the last LcglS-
ioturc. These laws, which are herewith
submitted, have now been in our possession
| only q few days.
! Of the operations OF our Association du-
rinn the mast wear, comparatively Ii tie was
done. There were Il few prosecutions IN
! Gloucester and one in Charles City. 1tllS
small number of prosecutions Is due
| 10 large extent to the conservative
character Of our people, who. generally
spcakin", have only 10 be informed OF tEc
laws TO observe them, and the prosecutions
Of the wear before make the Hl0latorS nave 4
wholesome fear. The county officers are
! generally doing their duties faithfully ana
well. 1t cannot be expected that >neflh
OF q county can be informed o1 every per-
son who may shoot gun OF cast inc ou-
ring close seasons, but when it does come
10 their knowledge believe the partles aIe
dulv prosecuted. There seems to be gen.
cro desire among all classes for game
law vigorously enforced. The masses
! are heartily in accord with our ell
fort. but there is one feature they 90 not
like. alludc to tho "nJ.trappinS" 1ca-
tire. The farmers say-and ! think thouSh
Others WHO are as fully impressed with the
necessity of Gsh and game laws dltier win
mel with great degree OF iustice-that the
Laws operate against them, Whlle IL alio"S
the gunner to tramp over his fields, Killing
and manning all he can, yet the farmer on
whose, land thev are raised, possibly flSht
around the barn or garden, ana Dceh 1cd
through hard winter, Is not allowed TO
take them in 4 way that suits hlm, tnoh@h
hc may need them for sickness or otber
causes. I think Il law allowing narlrldSeS'
and no other bird, TO be. trapped on the
proDliator's lands during The open season,
would strengthen Us vcrT much. IN
most OF the States this is allowed, ano
7 must saw that | think the farmers who
insist on it should be allowed the privilege
Like everything else, il is open to abuse:
INT we would gain so rany friends thai
.. manv who now connive at it under the I'M
Drcssion that Their rights are abridged
would be our most Jealous friends, ano
iirow every obstacIei in the way OF tra2pers
and not allow it OIL their places. AL I'M
onnosition in the last Legislature was 1rou
this feeling, ard on this clause alone.
The changes in the game laws, after nucf
work. have beer few, and generally better
, On partridgcs. in the tidc-Watcr countlcS
. tuc omen season is from November lst Il
February 1st. The rest OF the state re
mains from the 18th October TO January Isl
ON wild waterfowl The law remains the
same. We cannot pass this by without al
attempt 10 better the law. The netting aht
framing of ducks is 4 shame to any com
munitv. While the swivel ana other uluI
dcrous implements ere entirely supprcsseG
training and netting Is in Iul force. l.
should be stopped, by all mcah'. WIG
fowl will use aud feed where they are no
disturbed 10y hunting. and II driven OH VIII
) return: but when disturbed on their r00St
ing grounds they eoW teare the "etJhtor
hood for more congcnial localities, anu thf
nlaces that knew them once will know then
l no more.
In the case of deer. the time has been eX
tended to January 18th, to allow the tradi
, tional Christmas hunt, and the open scasol
commences Il little later. Song-Dirds nav
4 new lease on life for six years. Turkey
and grouse remain the same.
In the fish laws good many chanGe
were made. and our thanks are due 10 on
, indefatigable Fish Commissioner, Colone
. NJ. Mcdonald. who gives (but should not
: his time gratuitously. The close season oil
bass and the saImo family remains the same
Nets ere TO be out OF The water from sun
down Saturday to sunrise Monday. l un
derstand the law to forbid pound ant
purse-nets entirely, but have submitted
> the question to Mr.. Attorney General Field
, and hope for an answer IN few days
> There were some local laws passed, notably
, those applying 10 AccDmac ana Nortnamp
ton counties.
The last Assembly made appropriations
for two hatching-hvuses, which will be O
, inastimable value to the State--one to b'
located on the Atlantic, Mississippi ant
Ohio railroad, for the Salmo families, ant
one. at Tobago bay, for anadromous fishes
There has been some thought By the asso
Citations North OF uniform close season
L. jSuch a thing would make the enforcement
!, of the laws much simpler; bat it viii b'
!. s.npossible. Nature has fixed her laws
while we have louger breeding seasons
strange os il NAV seem, the birds mature
mssch earlier in New York and the IVES
than they do with US. The virginia paft
ridge, for instance, mates in both State
aboat the same. time, yet they are tull.
srows, by October 1st. while with Us the!
are raraly fully grown before October 18th
and ia TideWater November 1st. The sam'
is true rs to grouse and turkeys.
1t is gratifying that, notwithstanding th'
general depression, our Association ha
tgrowp aud i growing not only in usefulness
kind. prompted by Legitimate sport on fielt
or flood, must OF necessity feei The genera
depression, and the fact OF increased mem
bership year by year is the best evidence Of
its usefulness. IL is proposed TO baye ar
abstract OF the lawg printed on cottass and
cony nut up ut every post-office in the
state 1except in the counties Of Lee, Wise,
land Buchanan--these counties being ex-
! "a -. .,.s.oos and ;nhRuSantsl 90 that