The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-23
SCARCITY OF GAME.
Laws Needed Which viii Check
the Slaughter of Deer.
Hides Are Being Shipped to City Merchants
From the Country-A Law for the
Protection of Wild Ducks.

The growing scarcity Of game birds and ami
mails in this State has attracted the attention of
sportsmen in both city and country who will pro-
vide some measure at the next meeting of the
Legislature which, it Is hoped, will put stop to
the indiscrlminate slaughter OF the deer family, in
particular by hide-hunters who have been rap
idly decimating this noble game. There is a
law which says
Every person who shall buy, sell, offer or expose
for sale, transport or have in his possession any
deer or deerskin or hide from which evidence OF
sex has been removed, Is guilty of a misdemeanor.
While Mr.. Tunstead was acting as Deputy
Game and Fish Commissioners he did excellent
service In checking TO a great extent the ship
mehts OF deer-hldes to this city. He made quite
a number OF seizures OF SKINS from which the
evidence Of sex had been removed, but through
some negligence 90 the part OF the Commission.
ers the guilty parties escaped punishment and all
the hides were lett to rot on the wnaryeS.
THE LAW VIOLATED.
Since Mr.. Tunstead resigned from the office,
which 1t is said did not recompense him Tor
services rendered, the purchasers of deersRins in
This city have been receiving numbers OF con-
signments OF hides from country hueksters, who
purchase The skins from the hunters.
1t Is astonishing TO note the rapid manner In
which the deer family has been disappearing
within the past ten years. 1t is even wonder
that any OF the family exist IN the wild state.
An idea of how these market hunters can de-
stroy the game which is not protected by State
wardens can be CLEANED from the following arti-
cles, which recently appeared in Harpers
SLAUGHTER OF BUFFALO.
at seems impossible, especially 10 any one who
has seen them apparently as numerous as the
sands on the sea shore, feeding on their Immense
natural pastures that they could ever become
extinct; for when we look back only seventeen
years, and remember III what numbers they
roamed, even as far east as Fort Harker, in Cen
trail Kansas, we naturally ask ourselves, "HaYe
they really all disappeared ~ Some Idea Of
how many there must have been at one time
may be formed of those killed from 1868 to
1SS1-a period of only thirteen years, during
which they were unfortunately slaughtered
for their hides. 10 Kansas alone there was paid
out between the dates specified 81, 800. 900 for
their bones gathered on the praiTies, to be used
by various carbon works of The country, princ-
pally III st. Louis. 1t required about one hun
dred carcasses 10 make one ion, the price aver:
aging So a tou equaiing over 81 100000 Of
buffalo in only thirteen years.
ENORMOUS FIGURES.
"These figures may appear preposterous to
those not familiar with the great plains twenty
five years ago, but TO those who have seen tile
prairie black from horizon to horizon with the
shaggy monsters they are not so appalling In
1865 l rode through one single herd Tor three
consecutive days which must have contained at
least 4, 00o,0 and in the spring OF 500 the
train on the Kansas Pacific Railroad was
delayed at point between Fort HaIker
and Fort Hays from 8 o'clock In the mOrn-
ing until in the evening before 1t could
proceed, In consequence Of a herd crossing the
TRACK IN font OF it. On each side OF il and 10 the
west as far as we could see-Our vision was only
limited by the extended horizon OF the fiat
prarie-the whole vast area was black with the
surging mass OF frightened buifalOes as they
rushed onward to the south. How long the herd
had been moving IN that direction before the ar
rival of our train or how many of the huge ami
mails IL contained L cannot form the slightest
conception"
PROTECT THE DEER.
The deer, which is the only species of large
game that now remains, is annually becoming
less numerous and unless legislative measures
are Immediately provided that Will stop the
present warfare upon them by market hunters
Venison Will be a very scarce article OF food In
the markets.
One OF the great attractions that California has
possessed for The tourist and pleasure seeker,
TO say nothing of a large class of her own ctl-
the trout with which her brooks teemed. There
are some game and fish still remaining, which
fortunately escaped capture or death. as the case
may be. In referring TO the subject Z leading
sportsman said yesterday: "If none of the Dis
lrlct Attorneys IN the various counties, the Sher-
Ills, tie COnstables and the Justices OF the
Peace Will not do their duty In the matter OF
furnishing the yandals, then the Legislature
should provide for game Wardens. as
other States have found 1t necessary to
DO. There might be one State gamewarden,
with power TO appoint deputies in different local
tiles, or the duty OF enforcing the game laws
might be placed in the hands OF the Board of
Wardens. Game OF all kind Is slaughtered in
and out OF season, and stringent laws, with dep
utes or keepers appointed 10 enforce them,
fines should be increased tenfold and then all 1t
will need to stop the present slaughter of the
innocents is a few examples made OF the most
notorious of the fraternity Of market hunters
who are too lazy to toll In the harvest felds."
A GOOD MEASURE.
SportSmen feel decidedly pleased with the
action OF the Board of Supervisors at a recent
meeting in passing law which viii prevent The
sale of wild ducks IN this city during tie close
season for quail and other feathered game. The
sportsmen OF Sacramento and Stockton viii en-
deayor TO have tile Supervisors OF their cities
pass similar law as large numbers OF young
ducks have been shipped since the game season
closed to these places.