The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-06
Active Campaign TO
Be Waged Against
Poachers.
INDICTMENT FOR WARDENS.
Hotels That Serve Birds
Out of Season VIII
Be Watched.

ing of game birds. The sportsmen in
terested do not propose to await the
opening of the season before beginning
operations against poachers.
The association has liberated in all
parts of Worcester county during the
past two years 5000 quail, rs dozen of
which were put out last spring. and
the intention of the men who have ex-
pended considerable time and a large
amount of money to replenish depleted
covers with game birds is that they
shall be protected by every legitimate
means against illegal killing. Close
time sharing and shooting of game
birds has been one of the banes of the
effort to propagate, and liberate game
birds, and this season the association
proposes to be early in the field to put
stop to the practice.
Through the efforts of the associa-
ton last summer, in the appointment
and paying of special officers, it is be-
lteved there was less close time traffic
in game birds than in any one of a.
dozen seasons past. The work will be
materially aided the next six weeks,
before the season opens, by the ac-
quaintance with the offenders gained
last year, and by the knowledge that
new and valuable law has been added
to the statutes in aid of the cause.
Last year there was no inducement for
a regularly appointed warden to ex-
| pend time and money in pursuit of
poachers, for, if a conviction was Sc
cured, the entire amount of the fine
went to the commonwealth and the
warden was not a bit better off for his
pains and for the making of enemies.
Therefore none but the most conscien-
ttous Of deputies were at all worried by
the knowledge that birds were being
killed and served UP in close season.
This order of things was changed al
together by the last legislature. Chap
ter $50 of the acts of 1899 provides that
"all fines, penalties and forfeitures de-
rived from prosecutions for violations
of the laws protecting fish and game
shall be paid, one-half thereof to the
commonwealth and one-half to the
complainant" This offers an induce
ment to the private informant and to
special wardens of the association, and
the complainant will be secure in the
knowledge that the Game Protective
Association will stand expenses of
prosecution.
1t is matter of common knowledge
that certain hotels within a few miles
of Worcester have annually, for a
number of years, made a specially of
game bird suppers during the last of
August and during the days of Septem-
Der, before the opening of the season.
Prices are high enough to tempt farm
er lads and others to get out before
the law allows. A list of the hotels
serving game suppers in the past is in
the hands of the association, and many
Of the men who supply their tables il
legally are known, so that if the asso-
citation has its way the cold bottle must
be served without hot bird accom-
paniment.
The excellent work done last season
by special warden Thomas H. Davis in
ferreting out and bringing to justice
snarers convinced the association last
year that this most destructive form of
Illegal killing of game birds can be
stopped. Along the Canasto brook, in
Hubbardston, last year, were four
miles of snares, and it is estimated that
more birds were yanked into the air
during the season in that section than
could be tumbled with gun in a decade.
1t is recommended that when sports
men are in the covers hardening their
dog during early September or shoot
ing after the season opens, they kick
up and destroy every snare encount-
cred.
Special work will be put in by the as
ISOLATION against the snarers and Wig
orous effort will be made to entirely
stamp out the great slaughter of birds
annually conducted by unfair means.
The law permitting the farmer to snare
on his own land and for his own use
considerably hampers every effort to
prevent abuses. The law which was
Originally intended to allow special
privilege to land owners, has now be-
come perverted until 1t is used as a
cloak to cover the most destructive
form of bird slaughter. Birds with the
infallible marks of sharing were found
by a Worcester sportsman in four local
markets in trip of one day last fall,
and some conception of the destructive
power of the snare may be formed
when it is stated that a member of the
Game Protective Association last win
ter saw check from a Worcester deal
er sent in payment for 50 birds shipped
him from a town to the north in one
week.
The work of preventing close time
killing will be begun by the association
this week. Appointment of special
warden or two in nearly every town in
the county has been asked of the fish
and game commissioners. 1t iYthe in
tention not to announce the names of
the new wardens, in hope Of making a.
prompt arrest and securing quick con-
victi0n in as many cases as possible, as
a warning to violators Of the law that
the association intends to protect the
ruffed grouse and quail.
When the season opens the new law
prohibiting Sunday shooting by maxi
ing the Sabbath close season and the
killing of a bird on that day punishable
by O. fine of $40 will be up for discussion
Chairman Bracket of the commission
announces his intention to enforce the
law to the letter 1t was partly with
this in view that the law giving one
half of fine money to the informant
was put through. The law will pre-
vent the vast army of ignorant shoot
ers who are out and banging away. at
anything that runs or flies from killing
innumerable birds. The class that fol-
lows Sunday shooting as a rule does
not number many of the men who can
kill game birds, and the enforcement Of
the law will be insisted upon to protect
the feathered tribe from the men who
go out to kill and before whose gun
robins and even sparrows fall in great
numbers.
1t is long time yet until the enthusi-
asst will be permitted by law to shout
der his gun and take along his dog for
a day in the brush, but the Game Pro-
tective Association wants to be early in
the field and stay late to see that birds
are protected. The thousands of quail
that have been put out are there for
any and all shooters to crack at, and
the pheasants which the organization
has liberated during the past week will
be common property when the law that
gives them absolute protection is re-
moved in few years. All the associa-
ton desires is the enforcement of ex-
listing laws 1t proposes to give the
birds q chance, and If such thing Isl
possible, to have not one OF the birds
fall by unfair means Sentiment of all
the better class of spoHtsmen is with
the association in its position. and
shooters generally expraApjR Wti7fn&peHal
and even o desire to>ane M -..ts.-, :.