The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-08-16
The Murder Of Game.


ton to the following exposure OF the
outrages and reckless killing OF both
fur and feathered game, which is, and
has for the past two. years been carried
onsthroughout the state regardless of
any law whatsoever.
MSince Mr.. Josiah Collins. who is rec
ognlzed as one of the most active and
enthusiastic sportsmen of the state,
owing to the very limited time at his
strict vigilance and prosecution of the
game law violators some two years ago
the nefarious practice OF shooting and
selling game with no regard for breed
Ing season or law, has been steadily
increasing until, at the present time.
1t has reached such stage that per-
son can enter almost any firstclass
restaurant in large cities and obtain
game dinner for the asking. Men
have been walking the streets of our
city without taking the trouble to
conceal their unlawfully killed game
and certain markets and restaurants
here have even gone so far as to en-
gage hunters whom they sent out for
the purpose of killing deer, which be-
ing shipped to them, they have un-
lawfully disposed of here. This is not
only taking place in Seattle, but in
almost every city in the state. Since
myself and sportsmen friends with the
valuable aid of Assistant Prosecuting
Attorney Morris and Mr.. Josiah Col
lins have prosecuted and convicted
market shooter and two French res
taurants in the city for violading the
game game laws, numerous complaints
have been received here from sports
men located at different points in the
state. of the law being openly and
continually violated.
1t is not the farmer, who OCCASION
ally kills a grouse or duck for break
fast, or camper who once in while
tries his luck in the woods or swamps,
who do the damage, although they too
ought to be stopped so long as it is
against the law but it is the man who
makes it his business to rise at break
of day every morning and hunt until
dark the year around who goes out in
the morning with the intention of
killing no matter how, when or where,
as much game as he possibly can for
pecuniary proft-the professional
hunter. A market shooter as a rule
will do almost anything for the money
if he comes across q hen grouse with
her little brood, he would not hesitate
moment but numerically shoot her
down, leaving the helpless young to
die of starvation. He will, when
shooting ducks, approach them on the
in the dead of night with headlight
on his boat, throwing from his mur-:
deous weapon cloud of shot in their
midst as, bewildered and dazed, they
approach within easy shooting range
and such thing as the killing of doe
with fawn is nothing unusual with
him. Even the Indians recognize the
breeding season in animals, but the
white market hunters or poachers re-
cognize-nothing.
These men, who aie usually first
class shots, have already killed hun
dreds and thousands of young grouse
and ducks and will continue to do so
unless stopped, so long as they can
find market for their unlawfully killed
game. If things are allowed to go on
as at present, the day will not be far
distant when grouse of our hills woods
and the wild fouls of the marshes and
swamps will be thing of the past, as
are today the pigeons of the east and
the buffalo of the plains.
But the sportsthen of the state have
awakened from their stupor and re-
solved that stop shall be put to the
wanton destruction of our game birds
and animals. Not only have certain
restaurant and market shooters been
prosecuted and convicted, but others
are under strict surveillance and call
has already been issued for meeting
of sportsman for the purpose OF organ
;zing state sportsmen's association
for the protection of game and fish.
The association shall be composed OF
snortsmen's clubs and individuals
throughout the state, and its chief OBJ
iect shall be the future passing and en-
forcement of good laws, for propagation
of different species of game birds and
the holding of annual wing shooting
tournaments.
Such organizations exist in almost
eyery state in the Union and every
man who believes in the protection OF
our game and the enforcement OF our
oamc laws should show his sympathy
with the movement by personally at
tending the movement and aiding IN
the organization of the association
! o1ror