The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-02-13
GAME PROTECTION.

OASA4z ~ AGO1AVNs 4
Mi. Bowdle has introduced a bill il,
the council ITO protecI the passage Of
.6sh in the Jim river Great Scott!
u the Jim isn't nayigable Tor fish .letl
EN- get ont on the prairie and walk.
We don't want to pay taxes 70. dredg-
ing the stream. It would be cheaper
Sto import fish Of lighter draft.-M-
feline Bell.
The Mitchell Aail says the Bel is
cracked and that it is not . question
Of water Or walking, but purely one
IS to whether the fish shall have free
rights Of way 81 be shut off from
their ale fayorite spawning ground in the
Jim.
We are pleased that Mr.. isowdle
takes sufficient interest in the game
and tish protection Of Dakota to intro
,duce such ! bin and grateful 10 knew
40 influential = newspaper as the HAL
backs him up. il his endeavors to pro-
tect what few fish the Territory con.
tains. What we want is q few more
like Mi. Bowdle in the legislature
and more papers like the AEai1. In
the wild rush and struggle for the
almighty dollar the newspapers Of
Dakota, their readers, tic members OF
the legislature and their constituents
have given the matter Of game pro-
lection but little thought, but unless
something is done, and speedily
at that, towards protecting the game
of Dakotasit will soon be exterminat-
ed.
The present Legislature now inses
sion at Bismarck should pass a law
protecting ducks in Dakota. We
should like to see a law enacted, if it
could be enforced abolishing all spring
shooting, because the Territory is a
breeding ground for thousands Of
mallards, teal, grey ducks and spoon
bills, and every female killed would,
if left unframed. he certain to bring
forth . brood in the summer. For
the proper protection of the ducks a
law should be enacted and enforced
prohibiting the killing Of any wild
duck in Dakota between the first day
Of January and the fifteenth day of
August. The necessity for the aboli-
tion of spring shooting is not the out
growth Of q sentiment, but is forced
upon every intelligent observer and.
true sportsman as imperative to save
the game from determination.
"A modification of the law given
about would, however, answcr all.
practical purposes in Dakota and be
less liable to opposition and more
easily enforced. We therefore sug-
gest that the present Legislature enact
law prohibiting the hunting or kill
ing Of any wild duck in Dakota be-
tween the first day Of May and the
fifteenth dayof August. This covers
the breeding season in the. Territory
and allows hunting them until May
1st but the open nature Of the country
and the absence of grass and similar
cover at that time Of year in the ponds
and lakes would render the killing Of
any considerable number impossible.
This law would also serve to protect
prairie chickens more than the law
which now applies directly to them,
Under the present state of game pro.
~tection ((?) 4 man ((?) can hunt hall
grown prairie chickens through the
month of July and say he is III aftel
ducks. With a law protecting duck.
until Aug. 18th, the expiration of the
close season for prairie chickens, il
would be almost primo. ffucie evidence
against q man TO be found hunting
and thus the prairie chicken would b,
equally as wellif not better protectet
under a duck law than under til,
present one which seeks to protee
them but does not.
There is not a State or Territory i,
the United States except Dakota tina
! has not a law of some kind protect
{ ing wild ducks, but most Of the law
} were enacted to late, after the COOS
that laid the golden egg had bee1
killed. Now thousands of dollars ar,
being spent annually by game associa
tons to restock the depleted grounds
Congress is appropriating none,
every year TO restock the great lake
and rivers with fish. Under the pres
ent regime it is only . matter Of a few
years when Dakota also will be bar
rem Of game. A few years ago Iows
swar.lcd with prairie chickens, bu'
the mereiiess slaughter waged upor
them has had its effect and to-da,
they are fest becoming extinct in tina,
state. They have followed a~iviliza
, ton into Dakota and it needs no ar
guments to skow that the advance
guards Of bird moving into a new
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