Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-07
Amelia County ana the Game Law To
the General Assembly OF Virginia.

VhC Vi 'hch pcoptss
Amelia County ana the Game Law To
the General A,scmbiy OF Virginia
To The Editor Of the Dispatch:
We in Amelia county want, lbelieve
with unanimity, the game law swept
from the statute.bOok. The bills to this
end now before the Legislature from adj
Joining counties have excited US, aud
at the last County Court, which was
largely attended, some half dozen Of US,
sportsmen, divided up the work be-
tween US Of collecting public sentiment
on the subject. 1t is remarkable that
we found not one objector to its repeal,
but every person advocating it; for these
reasons:
First. The game-law does not pro-
tect it kills the game. Under it the
wild turkey has nearly disappeared
from our county. Under it every man
ard boy who can buy two loads Of
powder and shot has gone to hunting,
and pursuit of game has been stimu-
lated.
Second. Public feeling is opposed to
it. Every grand jury is given the game.
law and its infraction in charge. and
though it is broken every day Of the
close season not one presentment has
ever been made. Each grand juror in
his conduct but represents the animus
of his section Of country.
Third. 1t works partially. A very
few sportsmen and law-abiding citizens
here and there respect the law. For
nine months of the year these are de-
priyed of the privilege, and the lawlesS
and large majority enjoy it. Then, on
the arrival of the open season, the law
abiding find the young turkeys all killed,
wild, or scattered.
But the chief objection to the law is
its bad practical working. | can re-
member before the passage of this law
when no person except Captain John
Parkinson and DR.. Frank Jeter and
myself shot cartridges on the wing in
all this section. To-day everybody is
a bird-hunter. Well, the sharp one will
say, this is non SeqUItur from the game
law. But listen. Game, especially
partridges. was not considered valuable
by the largest number. Men used to
say =" wouldn't waste load of pow
der and shot on a bird flying But
the game law has pointed its finger at
each kind protected, or attempted so to
be. and said "You are valuable,
land so it Isl and so valuable that the
majesty Of the States great power IS
invoked to protect it. Seeing this, the
people have got to thinking so too.
Add to this the fact that forbidden ftuit
is most desired. be it in itself desirable
or not, and | think we see that the
above is not so much a non SeqUitur as
at first blush it seemed. Again, it causes
more destruction of game. during the
lawful time than would be the whole
year without the game law. How IS
this! Why, it is so now that as soon
as the legal season arrives everybody
quits all else and goes at II and stays at
it until be is worn out, not because he
is fond of it, but because he can do
now what it was unlawful to do before.
Then comes little rest for the game
until about three weeks before the I'M
lawful period, and then it begins. No
day passes. Everybody goes at it like
their destiny in the future life hung on
It. Hot or cold, rainy or shiny, sleety
OF snowy, no day escapes. Why? Be-
cause they must make the most of the
time left. Business is neglected. Men
say: II can do this or that when the
bird law is out | must go after birds
to-day. for the time will soon be out. y
And so it goes. Were men free 1t
would work this way ~ can't 90
after birds to-day; have got so and 50
to DO. will 90 tomorrow or the
next week" Then tomorrow and the
next week would come and bring their
own duties with them, and he could not
go then and it would in many cases
end by never going. In testimony Of
the truth Of this | will narrate an in
cidcnt This year about week before
the close Of the hunting season | took
my little Winchester rifle, and about
half hour by the sun in an afternoon
| walked down to my fish-ponds to a
hole in the bank, where lived, as |
thought, mink that had been troubling
ne. 1t was a cold, hOrrid day, unit
for any out-of-doOr sport. ! sat upon
the bank some half hour this dreadful
day, when no man would hunt for sport.
Having nothing else to do | set about
counting the reports ofguns that reach
cd me from all quarters. In this short
time some one hundred and seventy
discharges reached me. Had it been a
pleasant afternoon | can't answer what
the result would have been. And had
there been no game law | am sure |
would have heard none except from a
few persons who. like me, were out
through sort Of necessity.
am in hope the Democratic legisla-
tive majority will consider that our Re-
publican member from Amelia and Not
toway does in this matter represent
Democrats. and aid him in hitching our
county on to the other counties who
have bills to repeal the game law un-
qualifedly, and if not so, aid him in
getting through special bill for our
county alone. From pretty full OPP
portunity for knowing, feel warranted
in saying such will receive cordial ap-
prOval and, believe, work in the in
terest Of the protection Of game.
W. +. j.,
Jetersyille, Va.
have read the above article and
fully endorse every word Of it, and am
satisfied the same condition Of thing
exist in NottOway county.
n L Ebpc