The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-03-28
FISH AND GAME.

and game. There are such laws in this
state, aud time and again the HERALD has
called attention to them and has urged
upon our people the necessity for and wis
dom in caring for these two cheap and
splendid articles Of food and interstate
commerce. Other journals have persist
emily done the same thing, and yet cunning
to wonderful extent and of the most reck'
less character, and SEEMING 80 on in the var
ious parts of the state, and We never hear OF
prosecutionin the courts undert the statutes
referred to. In fact, what is true OF
Texas is true of most OF the other states
the laws in the premises are dead-letter. 1t
Is to be regretted, indeed, that on this sub
iect there is such an apathy seemingly in
the public mind-that men tn ink so little
and care olittle about n matter of such im-
portance. The fact is such terrible on
saughts have for years in the face of statu-
tory law been made upon the fish ard game
ofthe country that these articles flood have
everywhere become Injuries where they
ought to be the common diet of the poor
| A vigorous enforcement OF the laws would
soon give us this food in such quantities
that it would supplant the use of beef or
por k, the latter of which is the common
reliance Of the masses. and more I'M
healthy meat, particularly in this hot eli
mate, could not easily be found. 1t is pos.
sble by little judlcious labor, however,
to literally blackcn the prairies with
game and fill the streams with
fish, and this would ensure such
reduction in price, at the proper seasons,
that this most delicious and nutritious Of
all human food might be purchased by the
very poorest No question can be made
for a moment as to the adaptability of our
state, its climate and rivers for all kinds
fish and all kinds Of game, and it is posi-
BILE for us to surpass the world in raising
in vast quantities these articles. BY appli-
cation to the fish commissioner or United
States Fish Commission, every man with a
stream or tank or pond can obtain any
quantity of fish desired, and can soon
derive revenue thercfrom, even, aside
from his food. And so with game--it
is plentiful, or would body protection. The
statutes of the state bearing on this sub
ject read as follows, put briefly. The first
statute prohibits any person from throwing,
dragging or hauling any ish-net, seine or
other continuance for tho purpose of catch
ing fish Except the ordinary pole, line and
hook, or trot-line) in any stream, lake or
pool of water within the state not his own,
above tide.water, between the first day of
February and the first day of July of
each year, and it is unlawful at any
time of the year "to set, place or use
any fixed net, trap, or other continuance
for trapping fish in brooks, tanks, ponds,
lakes, creeks, riyulcts, and rivers, not pri-
vate property, under n penalty" With
reference to game, the law is that no wild
deer shall be destroyed between December
and June, or fresh. killed venison be handled;
no wild turkeys killed between May and
September no prairic-chckens between
March and August no quail between
March and September, and that any per-
son who shall willlully kill, or in any man.
ner injurc, any hooking. bird, whip.
poorwill, night.hawk, blue-bird, red
bird, finch, thrush, linnet, wren,
martin, swallow, bobolink, cat bird,
nonpareil, scissor.tail, sparrow, buzzard or
carbon crow, he shall be deemed gully of
misdcmcanor, and upon conviction before
justice OF the peace, or other court of
competent jurisdiction, he shall be fined in |
u sum not less than five nor more than If
teen dollars Such is in abstract the law
upon which we are dependent for the pres.
ervation and increase of our fish and game. !
These statutes are very plain and pointed,
and there can be no room for escape or eva
sion In case the oilenso has been committed.
We have once before attempted to Impress
upon our gun club and legitimate sporting
organizations and sensible sporting men in.
livdually, the duty they owe to themselves
n the premises. They ought to watch
loosely for violations of these laws during
he running of the statute and vigorously
prosecute every offender or every mar
handling the article in market. This course
las been pursued by such clubs in other
cctons, and always with success, and is the
most direct, practicable means that can be
'dopted to stop the ndiscri innate
destruction of this food. The govern
nent and state are making such generous
provisions and acting with such wisdom in
his matter 1t is u pity their labors are to
rove useless, or are likely to, by tho fool.
sh and reckless conduct of the unthinking
abble, We may in few years be able to
xport these articles in large quantities
rom this state, and obtain handsome rev.
nuo aside from supplying tne frecst home
emand, il the proper attention is bestowed
pom the subject, but If the indifler-
nee continues and the brea ches of
he law heretofore existing, we will
. guilty of the grossest stupidity in
direction. where we should act first.
I will be remembered that we published
ONO time since very full account OF the
Methods of fish culture and the work OF the
lnited States Fish Commission, but we
EAR that our farmers are not taking the
ctivc interest in the matter which its i'm
I