Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-09-25
SHOULD BE REPEALED.
Too Much TiDkering With the Game
Laws

Laws
There is a section of the Code which
presumes TO give Boards of Supervisors in
the various counties power to alter or sus-
pend the game laws of the State within their
respective Jurisdictions, and it has been
done to such an extent that now nc man
can tell what the game law is outside of his
own county; and he must be a pretty wide
awake fellow who can keep run OF the
local changes.
For instance, the Supervisors of this
county placed restrictions on duck-shooting
and fixed the opening of the shooting
season at October LIST. Now 1t appears that
enc of the Supervisors has informed a
market hunter that the Board had changed
the date to the 18th OF September. If it
has done so, it must have been in very
quiet and mysterious manner, for no such
action has been taken in open session when
the newspaper reporters were present and
certainly no such ordinance has been pub
lished as the law requires. The markets
here have RETAINED from receiving wild
ducks tor sale, because no such change In
the law has been announced.
The intent of the Legislature in dele
gating-or trying to delegate-to Supervls-
ors the right 10 alter the game laws OF the
State, was good enough, but its effect has
been bad. Boards of Supervisors are just
as apt to make bad game laws as good ones
indeed little more so-tor the average
person has little or no knowledge OF what
game laws should be, and Supervisors are
not always properly advised by outsiders
in such matters.
On the whole, it might be better to leave
the whole matter OF the arrangement OF
the game laws with the Legislature. In
fact, il is quite doubtful if the Courts would
sustain the provision in the Code author
izing Supervisors to alter or suspend the
general State game laws. The present Con-
stitution specifically forbids the Legislature
to indulge in special legislation. 1t cannot
ma Ike one game law for one county and ar
other for some other county; and, II II can
not do this itself, how can it delegate that
power to a subordinate body In shor,
how can it give what it does not itself pos
sess?
If a Sacramentan takes sudden notion
| to go quaiI-shooiing across the line into
Placer county, he is confronted with the
possibility that quail-shooting may be pro
hibited there, and he dare not start on his
| trip until he receives from some Placer
county official information on the subject.
| He may not have another opportunity to
go during the season.
Duck shooting is not prohibited in 1olc
county at all, but il while the law is on IL
| this county, Sacramentan shoots duck
over there and takes it home with him be
| is liable to arrest and punishment-pro
vided he does not care 10 go to the expense
| of contestipg the present law authorizing
special legislation.
| In short, the sportsman takes the chance:
| of getting into trouble every time he goe'
out shooting unless he first takes the pre-
caution to post himself on the action OF thu
| Boards of Supervisors of all neighborinl
counties. There is altogether too much con
fusion and uncertainty about the whole mat
ter, and the sooner the Legislature straight
ems il out the better. There should be
general law to protect wild ducks, as wei
as other birds; for those that breed he1
and furnish fall shooting cannot possibl,
do any harm, as there are no grainfields L
be invaded until late in the winter, whel
the Immigrant birds are here in full force
and that is always the open shooting sea
L Snn