The morning call., 1893-02-05
THE GUN.
Opposition to the Closing of the Deer
Shooting Season.

Shooting Season.
One of the most important matters which
sportsmen in general are interested in is tue
proposed closing Of the deer-shooting sea
son fol two years more.
A bill to that effect Is now before the
Legislature and from the strong feeling
that has recently sprung up against its pas
sage the author Of the statute, it is thought,
VIII have some little trouble to get passed,
Prominent local sp0rtsmen, among whom
are leading members of the Country and
TamalpaiS clubs will oppose the measure
as being ridiculous under the present way
in which the game laws are observed.
The law which deharTed spOrtsmen from
shooting deer went into effect March 81.
1891. aud unless the bill now pending befo e
the Legislature for prOl0nging the close sea-
son two years from the time Of expiration.
which will be next month, Is knocked cut
local sportsmen will have little use for their
WincbesteTS
Captain Walker, who is probably one of
the oldest sportsmen on the coast, IS In
favor of the protection OF deer and game Of
all kinds during certain months OF the year.
Il would he pleased to see the close sea-
son for deer extended two years." said the
captain yesterday TO CALL reporter, III
the law was observed generally. but it is
not.
II know that the law is not respected by
the residents of the country. who kill deer
at all seasons of the year without evinclng
the least fear Of arrest. In fact. ( can't re-
member Of a single case since the bill went
into effect OF a country deer-hunter being
| arrested for the Otfense. / dare say that II
q metropolitan sportsman was detected
by a country constable killing a deer he
would be placed under arrest Immediately
and made TO suffer the consequences.
al har i N
the law as il now stands. and That is the
protection ii gives deer from the slaughter
Of hide-hunteTs. One hide-hunter can do
more damage in season than all the sports
men oil this city are capable OF committing
| in a year.
I'll the author Of the bill is DESTROYS of
! protecting the deer family from extinction.
| be should frame IL so as to strike a blow
| at the market-hunter and not the sports
| men Of this city. l am certainly IN favor
/ of giving the sp0rtsmen Of the city and
/ State an open season of two months for the
| shooting of male deer; does should be pro-
/ tected at all times"
! There is another matter which will be
! sharply contested between the members
! and non-membeTs of preserve clubs and
! that is the Enclosure question.
The clubs that have leased preserves that
are uninclosed, owing to their uuproductive
/ state, will try and have a law passed mo-
! Ing IL misdemean0r TO enter ur~.. unln-
/ closed territory.
Those who do not afil..e with the auto
cratic sportsmar VINO shoot wild ducks
under the M ,I favorable circumstances
| viii oprese the passage Of the bill as being
hit at the man who cannot afford n Snend
2 thousand a year in the luXury of the sport
according to the preserved" syst u OF
shooting from We blind"
member of the SDOrtsmen's Protective
Association. who had done considerable to
have introduced into this State foreign
game birds, said recently that the preserves.
| such as the Country Club have leased at
| Point Reyes, are good for the spOrtsmen If
| the State, as in them home" game will be
| protected at all seasons from total extermi-
nation, and besides the club will add to the
| present variety by introducing foreign birds.
The speaker concluded by remarking that
| that there is a vast difference between a
| club such as the Country Club and the
! clubs that have leased marsh lands which
are stocked only by migratory birds that
arrive during the winter season from the
north and should be the property Of all
| sp0rtsmen.
The Sportsmen's Prot ctive Association
will hold its monthly meeting in the
knights of the Red Branch Hall, corner of
| Mason and Taylor streets, on Tuesday
evening next and the president is in hopes
that every member of the club will be
present., as the question of preserves will
be thoroughly ventilated.