Griggs courier., 1896-10-30
A GOOD SEASON FOR HUNTERS

A GOOD SEASON FOR HUNTERSI
Prairie Chicken. Quail and Other GaoO
il Plentiful In the West.
There are more prairie chickens
throughout the western country this
year than there has been for number
of years past. There are some other
good things, too. The quail seem to
have been unusually successful in ths
rearing of their broods and the xuffed
grouse is whirling through the north
crn woods in unusual numbers.
There are several reasons for the in
creased chicken and quail crop. The
men who winter after winter violate
the laws Of the states in which they
live by trapping the chickens and Bob
Whites during the cold winter months
found last winter that they spread
their snares and laid their nets in vain.
There was plenty of grain and other
food all over the prairie country. Tho
weather was not severe, and as a result
the birds were not driven by cold near
the habitations of man, nor did hunger
make them bold enough to approach
the traps where food was spread in such
suspicious quantities.
The present law in New York pro-
tects the game in that state thoroughly.
but the statute has a vicious clause
which allows the selling of game birds
at any season providing they were not
killed within 300 miles Of the state line!
1t is this provision which tempts the
people Of Nebraska, Iowa, the Dakotas
and Minnesota to become breakers Of
the law In their own states. They trap
the birds and ship them In great guam
titles to New York city.
The outlook for sport in Illinois Is ex-
cellent. In the northern and western
parts Of the state the old birds have
reared their broods successfully, and
II the hand Of the shooter can be staid
until the legal open season, September
IS, the young birds will be big enough
and smart enough to give much bet
ter species of sport than was the case
when the statute allowed their killing
a month earlier.
The president of the National Sports,
mans association said the other day:
"From advices which have received Z
nm certain that birds will be plentiful
this fall. Letters from Spirit Lake and
Haywarden, Ia, and from places all
over the northwestern section Of that
state tell me that the prospect Of sport
Is better than for q long time. The
commissioner of forestry, fish and game
Of North Dakota tells me that in many
parts Of that state there are apparently
almost as many chickens as ever. The
only bad news comes from eastern
South Dakota, where June rain food:
ed the whole country and drowned out
hundreds Of broods. Reports from
southern Illinois are to the effect that
the Bob White is whistling from tho
corner Of every cornfield.
"There was no bad crust in northern
Wisconsin last winter and sleetstorms
were almost wholly absent. Al re-
suit the deer wintered we'll and will
afford a good share of sport this fall.
There is more water in the lakes and
pond holes in all parts of the west this
season than there has been since 1882
This makes it certain that water fowl
shooting will be unusually good.
1.-THE association of which am pres
ident has been active this year in the
cndeavor to instill the game protective
feeling into people who live where
game abounds. AS "a result Of this work
large number of local clubs have been
formed, whose members have pledged
themselves to the observance Of tho
game laws and to the prosecution of
violators. Kansas papers are demand-
ing a. law which shall provide for tho
appointment Of a state game warden"
The game law in Kansas is curious
thing. According to a sportsman's pa
per published in that state and just re-
ceived, the law was passed by q populist
legislature and signed by populist
governor. It allows land owner to kill
any and all kinds of game at any and
all times of the year on his own prop
crty. 1t forbids the man who is not a
land owner from killing game at any
time The nonlandholder is not allowed
by law to shoot on another mans prop
erty, even If that MN gives him per-
mission so to do.
In a nutshell it is this: II you own land
you can shoot all you want to, and if
you don't own land you can't shoot at
| all. 1ne SpOItSueu say IuIS IS GLASS;
legislation of the worst kind. OF course.
in connection with the appointing Of
game warden the Kansas shooters want
the present law amended.
The Illinois law provides for the ap-
pointment of a game warden in each OF
the three largest cities of the state.
A number of woodcock have been
killed this year along the Skokie, west
of Wilmette and Highland Park. The
birds, however, are becoming less nu-
merous year by year. If the early sea-
son shooting of them should be stopped
they might increase. It is certain that
it would he good thing for other game
birds if hunters were not allowed to go
afeld in August. When hunting wood
cock the temptation to kill rufled
grouse or quail which may get up is
too hard for many gunners to resist
Chicago Tribune.
It Stays Up Nov.