The record-union., 1894-11-12
RELATIVE TO GAME PROTECTION.
Some Should be Saved for the Aver
age Citizen.
FL Dorado County Solves the Problem,
So Far as Market Shooting
is Concerned.

The REcoRD-UNIoN was mainly in
etrumental in securing the defeat of the
Emeric game bill which it was sought to
have passed by the last Legislature. This
it did in the interest of the public. The
bill had many bad features, and few
that were unobjectionable. 1t very prop
erly recognized the right of any laud-
owner to rent his land to those who
might desire to secure shooting grounds
which they could visit, when their bust
ness or occupation permitted, with fair
prospect of enjoying a little shooting
just as the laboring classes of this city
now do.
There are probably dozen or more
clubs in Sacramento, whose members are
nearly all men employed by the week,
and by paying farmers Tor the privilege
OF shooting on their land they manage TO
get some game that would otherwise be
slaughtered or driven OFT by the night
shooting and rowing market hunters. OF
course farmers have the same right to
rent out their shooting privileges that
others, such as j. b. Haggin, have to pro-
hlbit shooting OH their land.
1t would be queer kind of law that
would compel Mr. Haggiu to allow the
public to swarm over his Rancho del
Paso and keep the air filled with flying
lead the whole season through, with the
result that he would be several thousand
dollars out of pocket by having valuable
animals shot by reckless shooters.
To bring tho subject a little closer home,
what citizen of the city should be COM
PEELED to surrender his private grounds
10 any club of laundering football play
ers who might demand the right to
tumble about over his flower beds, just
Tor their own amusement?
One wholesome provision that the EN-
eric bill did not contain was the restric-
ton of market shooting. by means of
quail traps, big guns ana other unlawful
devices, few market hunters have been
rapidly discriminating the wild game OF
The State. Two days after the present
season opened several Thousand dead
ducks were dumped into the bay at Oak
land, having spoiled before the game
butchers could get them TO the city. This
waste OF wild game was greater than a
hundred amateur sportsmen could effect
during the entire season.
But SUCH occurrences are quite COM
mon. and it is safe to say that during
each shooting season the number OF
quails and ducks trapped and shot by
market hunters and which have to be
thrown away would load several freight
cars.
Restriction of the operations of these
dollars they can make, would be alto
gether In the interest of the public. es-
peclally of the w orlkingmen, who have
little time for shooting. These market
shooters lease all the good shooting
ground they can secure, and while
prohibiting others from trespaSsing
thereon they roam over the neigh boring
country Strengthening everything that
lilies, and then retire to their own pre-
serves to wind up the season.
Tho market hunting industry" is, in
short, one IN which few men make a
little money at the expense OF everybody
else. That it should be restricted and
sigidly regulated, everyone who under
stands the subject is well aware. But
there are, 1t appears, a few persons who
somehow Coniound the market hunter
with the average citizen, and the subject
OF the restriction OF professional shooting
with the Emeric game bill The latter is
dead and buried, and the RECORD UNION
LED IN the tight that brought about this
result; but market shooting still
nourishes. Its entire prohibition NAV
not be necessary, but-like many other
Objectionable things-it should at least be
regulated and restricted.
The case of Ell Dorado NAV be cited TO
show the benefit of such restriction Up
TO year ago few market hunters regu-
larry shipped out of that county several
hundred dozens of quail each week dur
ing the season. These birds were most
of them trapped or killed by bevies on
ground that had been baited with grain.
The result was that a half-dozen men
had weli-nigh destroyed the quail in all
localities in Ell Dorado that were avail
able for shooting. a year ago, however
the Supervisors of that county passed an
ordinance providing that no person
should be allowed to ship more than two
dozen quail per week out of the county.
Now, what is the result? Anyone may
go into FL Dorado County and find excel
lent quail shooting. If he be not satisfied
with being allowed to take out with him
such birds as he may bring 10 bag, he
doesn't know how to appreciate q good
thing. With this law adhered to El Dor
ado viii soon become a perfect paradise
Tor sportsmen-which means all men who
go atield, whether they be lawyers or
hod-carriers.