The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-28
WILL HAVE NO POACH|NG,
THE SAN DIEGO SPORTSMEN'S
ATTITUDE TOWARD THE COUN-
TRY CLUB.
A VERY CAUSTIC LETTER.
No QUAIL CAN BE TRAPPED FOR
THE CLUB PRESERVES OF
MARIN COUNTY.
A VERY CAUSTIC LETTER.

Several days ago THE CALL published an
account of the controversy between the
sportsmen of San Diego County and the |
Country Club The latter, through one of
its executive officers, A. Tubbs, endeavored
to secure 100 dozen quail from San Diego
County to stock the clubs preserve in
Marin County. The sportsmen OF San
Diego County protested against this whole
sale depopulation of the quail family and
arrested the trapper with birds and nets in
his possession. The trapper was operating
under the direction OF Mr.. Babcock, pro-
prietor of the Coronado Hotel, who was
Mr.. Tubbs agent. He held permit from
the County Game Warden.
a. D. Jordan, well-known San Diego
sportsman and lawyer, took up the case
with the determination of protecting San
Diego game. Considerable correspondence
followed. Yesterday the annexed letter
was received by the Fish and Game Com
missioners, in which Mr.. Jordan more
clearly defines his position relative to trap
ping quail for Marin County and other
matters. He writes
Gentlemen: A San Francisco CALL was handed
to me this morning containing copy of let
ter sent to you Though not intended for pub
lcation but for your iniormaIion) in the mat
ter of the capture OF quaii-uetters III this
3
therein it would seem that others than myself
have improperly interpreted the law as well
as the facts There was and is no supposition
or suspicion on the part OF myself con-
| ferees that your honorable body was standing
| in" with Mr.. Babcock (of the Coronado HoteD
! or any else to render the fish and game
! laws imperative My letter stated clearly
/ chat it is rumored," and by this rumor was
placed on my guard and notified you of the
| ruIaor, to the end that you would not be led
into error by approximations of interested par
ties as 10 the facts, full well knowing that you
would do your duty fairly and tearlessly upon
Considering the long, frequent and friendly
correspondence l have had with your office
| this should have occurred to you, instead OF
the presumption of any suspicion on our part
that you would Intentionally and with knowl-
edge OF the facts stand in with" or in any
/ manner countenance any violators OF the game
/ laws.
The facts in this matter are that the quail
! captured were not in transit through this
! county by express or otherwise, but both the
quail and the quailnetters captured were at
the time OF the capture in net and the net
was set in the county of San Diego, but few
miles from this city, and other nets We're set in
the vicinity ready for more quail or contain
| ing quail. AS TO the ttimsy propagation dodge
have nothing to say. That is for the courts TO
! decide whether one man can get So-called
game-warden permit and under that permit
an army OF METERS can capture every quail i'll
| this county and transport them to some other
/ county, to be there pTopngated with birdshot
for the delectation OF the fortunate few who may
have membership in some club that secures
the birds.
The courts may decide that 1t is law, but do
not think they will. Again, in this matter it
is evident on the face OF it the proposition that
! the parties that secured the game-warden
permit were not acting in good faith as they
. obtained it, believe, knowing that the Judges
| of the Superior Court of this county, who are
the peers OF any Judge or Judges In this State,
decided, after an extended invitation to the
bar OF this county 10 argue the matter before
them, that this county had and has no Game
Warden. These parties, instead OF honestly
| testing the validity OF such judgment in legal
manner, simply defy the law and require the
| opinion OF the Judges and proceed to set up
law unto themselves and to act under IL. Does
that show good faith?
The members of the Country Club arrived at
correct conclusion when they gave il as their
opinion that the opposition on the part of the
people OF San Diego arose from the fact they
want the quail for their own shooting, but not
for their own poachins. They do most en-
phatically object TO feeding quail on their
grapes and other crops for the closed season,
and then few days before the time when they
may lawfully reap their crop of birds be com
PEELED 10 stand helplessly by and see foreign
METERS capture the birds by the hundred dozen
and ship them out of the county, and when
the open season comes and those who have
reared the birds sally forth they find nothing
but feathers and few empty nets.
In this connection honest sportsmen who re-
spect the law and always have done so went
forth early on open day this year and returned
angry and disguised and reported that where
but few days before the brush and CANYONS
were alive with quail they found nothing in
the early morning OF October Is but d few
u
empty shells. Law-abiding citizens NAV have
no right to object, but they believe they have
Yes, the people of San Diego County do OBJ
ject to being deprived of their game by illegal
means and fiimsy subterfuges and intend to
have their objections heard. They are seeking
no controversy with the Country or any other
club, and believe the Country Club to be act
ing in good faith, but under mistaken views of
facts. However much we may respect them as
gentlemen and sportsmen we cannot consent
to have our county robbed of its quail even TO
fill their preserves without protest
And, furthermore, we object to the Ignorance
of our northern brethren relative to the condi-
ton OF this county. They appear to think
that it is wild and woolly wilderness, where
quail and other game grow spontaneous or
rise obedient to the edict of game warden's
permit or METERS option. The facts are that
the county is under high state of cultivation
that will compare favorably with Napa and
other fruitful northern counties and the
people are fully up to the standard of intelli-
gence and know their rights. While they are
not churlish in their. disposition but are
anxious to extend warm and fraternsl well
come at all times to true sportsmen thew viii
not submit to poaching without resistance. and
they do not intend to be deprived of their game
through the maladministration of n lust law
but will certainly do all in their power to have
the law executed in this county in the interest
of justice to all. Yours respectfully
A. d. JORDAN