The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1895-01-16
GAME. AND FISH.
Excellent Suggestions Regarding New
Game Law.

=
the we'll known naturalist and taxi
dermist Of that city, urging the ne
cessity Of a number of changes in the
present game law. 1t contains sug
gestions as to u new law, and copies
Of it will be forwarded to Helena to
be brought before the proper COM
mittcc at this session of the lcgisla
turc. Mr.. Emsley's suggestions are
worthy of careful consideration, and
are as follows:
The best and most sure method OF
preserving the game Of the state is
to limit the number of game to
be killed by any one person during
any one open season. and prohibit
the killing Of animals without horns
Gemalc and young) at all times.
y law of this kind would allow all
persons to hunt and the source Of
supply would not be diminished.
The opening Of the season for kill
ing the game birds and animals as at
present, is too early, the majority Of
the grouse Of all kinds are only about
half grown and half fcathered out
and not able to fly very far, making
it an easy matter for any person to
xiii most Of the flock at that time Of
the year,
The season opens too early for the
game animals also; the horns Of the
bucks are still growing, called Gin
the yclyet.' During this time the
bucks are very shy, more 50 than the
females, as consequence more fc-
males than males are killed: the
fawns are still sucking on the 18th
Of August, and the late faWns are
liable to die when the does having
snch fawns are killed. There are
large numbers of moose and elk in
the state, and the law prohibiting
the killing Of them is not necessary.
The Indians are responsible to a
great extent for the diminishing
Numbers Of our game animals, it is d
we'll known fact that the Indians
kill vast numbers of moose, elk and
deer during tile spring and summer
months, the majority Of the animals
so killed are females. Some method
should be adopted to prevent this
slaughter, either by appointing state
game wardens or by compelling the
Indians to stay on their respective
reservations,
A law allowing any person to xii
say two or three moose and elk will
horns, prohibiting the killing OF
those without horns, female an(
Young, would do more to protec
these animals than the present law
as each person hunting would act a:
il check on those Mho would infringe
the law.
II u law as follows could be passct
and enforced, there would be NOR
game in the state in ssix years THAI
ut present, and would allow all per
sons SO inclined to hunt:
Open season for moose, elk, whit;
tailed deer, mountain sheep, an
mountain goat, October l Or no
earlier than September Is to Janu
airy Is.
No person shall be allowed to ki
more than two moose, two elk. 81
deer, six antelope, three mountai
sheep and three mountain goat
during one season.
4 The killing Of moose, elk, deer
) and antelope.
Open season fer grouse, prair
chicken, sage hens, fool hens, rutl'c
grouse phcasants, from October |. {
not earlier than September Is
5. January !.
Open season for ducks, geese an
5. swans, from September Is to Jam
any /.
No person shall be allowed to k
more than twchty grouse, prair
80, chickens, sage hens, fool hens, rut1|t
h grouse, phcasants, ducks, geese
y swans in rny one day,
- l7ish to be caught by hook al
line only.
bitches and drains leading frC
natural streams to be protected wi
CRATES from March l to September
instead Of September l to March
as in the present law, very lit1
"a water is used for irrigating purpos
50 during the winter.
The otter is one Of the worst er
mics that fish have, as they live
fish, and ought not to be protecte
Fish ways and ladders ought to
placed at all dams, and saWdl
ought not to be allowed to be dun
ed into any streams.
The killing Of Chinese phcasal
= and quail ought to be prohibited
a number Of years.