The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-20
h the FIELD OF SPORTS,
Pigeon Shooting Contest Between
Seattle and Tacoma.


A challenge has been received from
the Tacoma Rod and Gun club q shoot
! team OF SIX Seattle men for so side /;
eseh man to shoot At fifteen single and
Eve pair OF blne rocks The challenge
has been accepted. Two or three East
ern eraek shots have recently settled
Tacoma. Al Eberie. late Of WaIla
WalIa, and . fine shot. has also be-
come q resident Of that city. This
adds greatly to the strength Of the Ia
coma Rod and Gun club. 80 the
little When they try conclusions with
the Tacoma sharpshooters.
Samuel slime, one Of the crack shots
az Walla Waila, has cold out his book
and stationery store and Is about %
man with a shotgun and viii be q val
uabie addition 70 one Of the city clubs.
ToUgsAHEsT AT TACOMA
The preIiminar;es for tournament
to be held at Tacoma On June 10, III !.
r and - are being arranged. The
best shotgun experts of Washington
and Oregon viii participate in this
tournament. There viii be general
trap shooting of live birds and targets.
Arrangements have already been raade
20 secure 1000 live birds from the
WaIla Waiia country.
THE TROUT SEASON.
The trout season win open on April
ist. The prospect i good for an ex-
eeilent season. There has been no
excessive high water this season, This
i good for the fish for this reason
During freshets and excessive high
water the fish often 20 up Lind
sIcughs from WHICH the waters soon
receae. leaving the beds and the fssh
high and dry. This, of course. kills
the fish. As there have ksen no fresh
cts this year, the natural inference il
thai but few have persisted In this
manner this year. Therefore. IL Is
argued, trout will be plenty. and &C.
eordingly sportsrneri anticipate rare
sport.
SHOOT At THE RACE TRACK.
On Friday tWashington's birthday
there will be trap shooting az the race
track. This win be the first for the
season Of issss.
CAME COMMISSION NEEDED.
A weIl-known rod and gun man
yesterday said The territory needs q
fish and game commission OF three,
who should lie scientific and practical
men. The reason for this Is that
Washington Territory to-day has more
fish and game within her confines than
perhaps any state or territory in the
Union. The situation is such that this
viii be the case for years 10 come. pro-
yided certain precautions are taken to
prevent the wanton destruction OF the
iish and game. This fact will annual
iy attract thousands of tourists. who
viii come here 70 enjoy the a5yan-
tages of hunting and fishing.
The duty of the commissioners
should be 10 study closely the habits
OF the fish and to frame laws 20 as %
protect them during the actual spawn.
Ing season. The present haphaxard
laws passed By those who do not un-
derstand the habits of fish and game
are in many instances worse than use
less. Then they shouid alse introduce
from other localities such fish and
game as viii thrive in this section oil
country, and thus people the woods
and streams with the more valuable
birds, fish and animals. In add.
ton to this the catching oil
salmon is one of our great industries.
The law prevailing on the Columbia
river for the protection OF salmon
should conforms TO the Law of Oregon
At present II differs considerably as e
time. The law Of Eastern Oregon
should be different from that of West
ern Washington as the conditions are
entirely different. In this way Wash.
ington Territory could he made the
Mecca 70 which all the true sportsmen
OF the United States would make
annual pilgrimages. Ii, however, the
game and fish are left 60 themseise.
without proper protection they vii
soon be decimateu through being takes
through Improper methods.
II contend that the close season
should be heightened as IL Is good
deal better to have a short open sea
son with plenty of game and fish thar
long open season with bat little.
About every state and territory If
the Union now has these fish ans
lame commissioners. Take Maine
fer instance. Twelve years ago sd,
was almost barren of flsh. The com
mission was appointed and went ener
getieaily 10 work, and now thousand.
of tourists are attracted annually Il
that state by the splendid fishing there
as the streams fairly swarm with tbs
finest OF game fish through the un
firing efforts of an energetic and able
sea OF commissioners. Our climate /.
infinitely better than there, aur seen
cry grander and our streams never rur
dry, and with little advertising and
sproper care of our game and fish
sportsmen would visit us hy thu
thousands. The next Legislature
should make IL one Of it's first dutie.
% appoint three fish and game com
mtssioners.