Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-20
YOU MAY FISH SOON
The Trout Season Will Open
on Sunday, May !
GIVING ONE DAYS ADVANTAGE
To tho Ungodly Ninrods-The Game
Warden Calls Attention to the sr.te
Law and us Provisions.

Local fishermen who lave Laid plans
10 allure the speekIed beauties so soon
as the nllnions Of the law shaH relax
their vigilance, viii be interested N the
following proclamation Issued over the
name and Official tltle of the lord hlgb
guardian OF the suckers and pumpkin
seed Astounding n the waters or MIchi-
gan;
AS the first day OF May draws near
a great deal OF interest - manifested
~ the troutAnd grayhng law. anu the
state warden's oIhce has been deluged
with letters asking II the open season
lseglns on the first or second, and II
PERMISSION can not be granted TO fish
On April 80. the first day " May this
year falling on sunday"
statutory Prohib,tioa.
Section l of the general tish laws
act No. III OF lsss-pronibits the catch
ing of "speckied trout. land-loeked sal
mon, grayling or California trout, from
the first day OF September Ia each year
until the FIRST day or May following
thereafter" Under the usual con-
struction of statutes the flrst day OF
May would be included III the closed
season during which IL Is unlawful 10
take these tish, see Sutherland on stat
utory construction, 1877 anc 2d john
sons cases, 225. But an opposite view
mas been held, see IL Ills. 302, and in
the construction of penal statutes the
most lenIent view Of the law must be
taken. For TINS rea son the catching o!
trout and grayling will he permitted on
the first day of May, as the legislature
evidently intended, and also on the
first day OF September, which was IN
tended TO be part II the closed season,
bat was left in the open season by the
careless wording OF the section.
sympathy fer Church Folks.
The state warden sympathizes with
those who want an equal chance al
the trout, but have conscientious
seruples against fishing on Sunday. Tie
has no power, however, TO ALLEVIATE
their distress, and must refer them to
their pastors for consolation. With the
sunday law. the warden and deputies
have nothing to do, but they will spare
no eff rts to prevent as far as possibls
the catching of trout before the first OF
May. Every good citizen. and particu-
i~.rly those who appreciate the import
ancs OF preserving our fish. should as
sist in enforcing the law. Through ths
efforts of~he state fish commission anu
under the protection of the law, trout
have become plenty in many counties
where they were not native. IL the
law is observed, they will be still more
plentiful, and become Of immense
value 10 our citizens.
Vigilance will he Maintained.
But il i, not right to compel some to
observe a law without enforcing it upon
nil. Every person who takes trout
even a single cay before the open sea
s,lu IS taking an unfair advantage .Oi
las fellow citizens, and no personal re
gard for him or disnclination 70 be al
".nformer" should enable him to e.
scape punishment. There have beeu
lcss violations this spring than usua!.
bat the last week of April is always tn,
worst, and the public, AS we'll as the
wardens, should be on the alert fof
violations. Let everyone understand
that al must have an equal chance
and that any violation that become
known Will be promptly reported, ana
The offender prosecuted.
CHAs. s. HAMILTON,
State Game and Fish Warden.
PetoskeY, Mich. April Is, 1892.