Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-12-16
l1nrtG obocco Uimes
PORT TOBACCO o:
FRIDAY Morning, December is, 1881
Is Game Protected!

EudlclOuS laws limiting lue tiho VI A's
killing and placing other wholesome re-
st Aupon its destruction, has been gen.
orally recognized in the legislation OF the
different States. Now that the biennial
session of our Legislature is so rapidly
approaching, the nature of the protection
in that regard afforded by the existing le-
gisation of Maryland, and more especial
ly such as is applicable to this county, is
very proper subject of inquiry.
The protection of game, to be adequate
and complete, should be directed t. sew
-eral common means of its improper des-
truction. These are: first, the killing by
any person whatsoever within certain pre-
scribed periods, including the period Of
incubation and the raising Of young; sec
ond. the depredations, during the season,
of hunters from the cities who make it
business to kill game for the city markets
and all other trespassers; third, the 1va-
ges of birds of prey. Protective legisla-
ton should be directed to each Ct tAsss
three points. In the laws Of Maryland so
far as applicable to this county, we have
legislation intended to meet the first two
of these mischiefs, and we formerly had a
law addressed also to the last, but, through
the i'll directed zeal of some misguided re-
former, this law was repealed. The ex-
listing law upon the subject Of the prohi-
bition of the killing of game by al per
sons in prescribed periods is the act OF
1878, CHI. AGO, and provides as follows:
mo person shall shoot or IN any man
ner catch, kill or have in possession any
partridge between the twenty fourth day
of December, said day included, and the
first day of November next ensuing, IN
each and every year; nor any woodcock.
between the first day of February and the
fifteenth day of June; nor any pheasant,
between the first day of January, said day
included, and the fifteenth day of August ;
nor any rabbit, between the fifteenth day
of January and the fifteenth day OF Octo-
tober nor shall any person. trap or DIES
troy or modest the eggs or nests OF any OF
the said birds at any time"
In another section the act imposes fine
of not more than $40 for violation ofany
Of its provisions, and provides for the i'm
prisonment of the offender in Jail in de-
fault of the payment of his fine. This law
appears to be adequate and sufficient IN
every respect, except that it is difficult to
see the necessity of prohibiting the killing
of cartridges after October 18th as in 9th
er counties where they have local laws
Our birds are always fully grown at that
time, and the best time for hunting is dur
ing the month of October. We wou d
suggest an amendment to this law to that
effect, or a local law making such provi-
sion.
Upon the second point, or that of pro-
tecting land owners against the depreda-
lions of poachers, we also have some sta
tutory provision. This is the old act OF
1928, CHI. Z, and is as follows:
sEvery person who shall, upon any pre-
tense whatever, come to hunt with gun or
dog upon the lands of another, without
leave or license from the owner or posses
sor thereof first had and obtained, shall,
the party grieved the sum OF i've dollars,
to be recocered before justice Of the peace IN
the name of the State"
This is the only protection we have a
gainst the poachers from the cities who
carry wholesale destruction into our game.
This act is manifestly inadequate in not
providing some means of compelling the
payment of the fine imposed, either by
Imprisonment in default, as in the act first
quoted, or by the confscation of the gun
etc., of the trespasser, as is provided in
other counties in this State. None of these
poachers from the city are pecrniarily re-
sponsible, consequently the law provides
no practical remedy whatever againsi
them, and is to all intents and purposes
so far as they are concerned dead letter.
Let US by all means have proper amend
ment of this law during the coming SEES
sion of the Legislature.
Upon the third point, or that of protect
ing game from birds of prey, we have
spoken at length heretofore. The only
way of doing this is by offering bounty
for the destruction of such birds. Hawks
are 1.-THE chief birds that prey upon our
game in this section, and bounty was
formerly placed upon hawks by our legis-
lature, but as we have said was repealed
This law should be re-enacted. There
appears to be general demand for its re-
enactment throughout the State The a.
farming increase of hawks since the re-
peal of the act is noticed everywhere, and
there is little doubt that the Legislature
will be induced to re- enact such law at
the approaching session. Whether it will
be proper to make the bounty fifty cents
as before, or whether lower sum should
be fixed, will be for the Legislature to de-
termine, but the bounty should be revived
This law, while its effect will be to great
ly protect game, will not be by any means
limited in its usefulness to that purpose
and will, therefore, not be open to the OBJ
lection of imposing a general tax for the
benefit of game hunters. This law will
afford also most necessary protection to
domestic fowls, and will in this way com
mend itself to the approval of all. In fact
the protectisn of domestic fowls was the
primary object of the io-mer law on the
subject. 1t is 20 be hoped therefore, that
judicious legislation upon this important
measure may be placed upon the statute
books during the coming session.
The Trial Of Guiteau.
The trial of the assassin Guiteau still
drags its sow length along, but the indi