Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-01
THE WORK GOES ON.
HIDE-HUNTERs FINDING THEIR LILLE
GAL TRAFFIC Baked.
A Thousand Deer-Skins That Did Not
Get to Market-The Feeling in
Tehama County.

The recent institution of suits in this
ountv, and also in Napa AID Sonoms
counties, against persons engaged in the
deer-hide traffic, is having good effect. All
over the State the attention of prosecuting
officers and sportsmen is being called to
the subject, and communications are pour
ing in upon the officers of the Fish and
Game Commission, giving information re-
gsrding the operations of the vandals who
are violating the law. Yesterday the fol-
lowing letter was received from promi-
nent citizen of Red Bluff:
RED BLUFF, October %, 1889.
O6icer HAT. Cofey-DRAR SIR: 1 am pleased
to see that steps are being taken to put stop to
the shameful and indiscriminate slaughter of
deer for their skins, and would like 10 have
the attention of the proper authorities called TO
the vast numbers that are being killed in Trim
ity, Tehama, Humboldt and adjoining counties
every year for their skins alone. You would be
surprised to know how many skins are shipped
from Red Bluff alone, which fact can easily be
ascertained. Most of these, however come
from Hay Fork, in Trinity county. There is one
hrm there that handles most of them, which
consist OF all kinds, and by far the larger part
of them are killed in the winter and out of
season as any experienced person can tell at a
glance.
This business is done by a worthless set of
vagabonds, who are too lazy to make a living
any other way. My business calls me often to
the aboVe-nsmed COMMITTEES, so that have abun-
dant opportunities to know. 1t Is surprising TO
see how fast the deer are being killed Off 1t is
also surprising how rapidly they increase where
they have the least protection.
ANY Information or assistance / can furnish
you in this matter will be cheerfully given.
Respectfully yours,
The number of deer hides shipped last
year out OF the counties named numbered
many thousand, and at the rate the
slaughter is going on deer will soon be
sufficient of a curiosity in this State 20 en-
title it to a position in the collection of
dime museum.
HIDES REFUSED SHIPMENT.
Two days ago Deputy Fish and Game
Commissioner at Yreka sent word to Pres
idelt Reuter- that consignment of 1000
skins had been received al that point. and
that the agent of the railroad company re-
fused to receive them for shipment Com
missioner Reuter- left for Yreka on Wednes-
day night TO inquire into the matter, and if
any contraband hides were found in the
lot mot bearing evidence of SEX the person
owning them will be hunted up and pros
ecuted.
The deer season closed yesterday and of
course all persons engaged in the traffic
in deer skins have been anxious to get the
latter to market before the close season
commences. Still. all they have not man.
aged TO work off their hands will be hid
away until the opening of the next season,
to which will be added all those secured
from deer killed in the meantime.
STILL SLAUGHTERED BY INDIANS.
A gentleman recently down from Ell
Dorado county stated to a RECORD UNION
reporter that several hundred Indians are
now in the mountains in the eastern por-
ton of that county slaughtering the deer
right and left. The redskins are Piutes,
rom over about Carson, and they are en-
ployed by professional skin -hunters. In
dams are regarded as privileged persons,
and allowed to kill deer for their own sub
sistence at all times. If they did no worse
than that, little harm would result, but
they do not hunt for meat, their only pur-
pose being to get hides for their vagabond
employers, leaving the carcasses of does
and bucks alike to rot on the sides of the
mountains.
1t is well that the officers of the Fish
Commission have taken active steps in this
matter. The only trouble is that most of
the money appropriated for its use by the
Legislature can only be used in advancing
the fish interests of the State. The Board
has no funds at its disposal with which to
pursue and prosecute violators of the game
laws, or at least to very limited extent. |
Hence it is the
DUTY OF sPoRTsAEN's CLUBS
And so-called Game Protective Clubs |
throughout the State to take hold and |
assist the men who are working for the in
terests of their members. There is more |
than one club in this city whose ARTICLES |
of faith declare that the first object of the |
organization is the protection and pre- |
servation of the wild game of the State. If |
these clubs are in earnest in their profess |
sions, and have higher aims in view than |
pigeon shooting, the opportunity to do good |
has arrived. They can aid the Commits
sion materially by taking an active inter-
est in the work it has inaugurated and sup
plying at least portion of the funds re-
quired to prosecute cases wherein the law
has been violated.
No doubt the next Legislature will be
made to see the necessity of appointing
Game Wardens in various parts of the
State, whose duty it shall be to look after
all such creatures as the hide-hunters and
quail trappers.
NO FLIES ON THAT CLUB.
Commissioner Reuter- has received let
Ter from the Sisson Gun Club, requesting
to be informed what remedy there exists
in the law preventing Indians from slaugh-