The San Francisco call., 1899-02-19
OUR GAME AND FISH.
Two Commissions Necessary to Pro-
tect the Supply Which Is
RAPIDLY Decreasing.

quail and duck shooting are afforded only
a few more weeks in which to enjoy out
ings with dog and gun in the field or
marsh.
According to the State game law the
open season for dove shooting is from
July 15 to February 10. Mountain quail
and grouse from September l to Febru-
ary 15 Valley quail, wild duck and rail
from October to March l. 1t will, there
fore, be seen that duck and. quail shooting
will end with this month in all parts or
the State.
The Supervisors Of Alameda County
have appointed w. S. Dunlevy game war
den, vice ]. L. Donovan, whose term or
office has expired. A new game ordinance
for the county has also been passed and
went into effect last week. 1t says that
the closed season for quail, bob white Or
partridge is from February l TO NoVem-
Der l. and for male deer from october I
to July l, while Chinese Or, or 'aPanfse- fdr eI57-
pheasants must not be taken LOT nVe
years The ordinance also PROMPTS the
shipment of game birds and game ami
mails outside of the county. and the nne
for transgressing the laws from $40 to
$500, or Imprisonment from ten TO one
hundred and fifty days, or both II all
Supervisors who took as deep an interest
in the protection of game as the super
visors Of Alameda County there would
be ample sport for all for many years to
come; but according to the terrible de-
struction of game that is now being
wrought by pothunters, and eSpeciaIly
those who live solely by market hunting,
it can be said, and without the least rear
of contradiction, that quail ana duck VIII
be few and far between fixe years neHce: enc.
will then possibly wake up to a sense OF
duty and. so to speak, oroer lle stdoIe
door locked when the horse is sone; tb,
The new law now pending DeIoTe the
Oregon Legislature proh1pltS the hIHIue
Of more than twenty wild ducks IN ohe
The sportsmen of Santa Barbara are, ag-
ftating plans for the holding al that
place of a big pigeon tournament ia
Monte Carlo, to decide the championship
of California.
SION appeared in recent number ,3t 3t
the nail on the head when he adVocated
a segregation of the fish and game oe-
partments of the State, which ar are oat at
present under the management ana con-
troll of the State Fish and Game Cominls-
sion 1t is not feasible. to suppose 1naC
the Board of Fish and Game Comnls-
sioners can kill two birds with one stone,
so to sneak In fact the commission mas
its hands full in looking, after the EsI ,nsn
interests of the State, which nave grown %
Of late years into vast proportions. 1he
idea of two separate commissions-one Tor
to salde noanV o of the Eastern States. Michigan.
Rhode Island Colorado and PennsylVa-
MIA have special State officers 10 super. super,
wise the protection of game IN ADDITION
to well equipped fish commissioners. Inc
article in question says:
In California it is more question Of money
than of two commissions; The second IN the
vidual wealth. this State appropriates the mu-
nihcent sum of s25OO annually for the pro
lection and propagation OF ITS game
Think of it! True, the he ooo Fish 9o- coWs m
This sum was distinctly directed to the pur-
poses of fish, leaving but 5000 for the game
side of the matter. Official red tape provides
nothing for emergenc- That $1,000, assigned
to cover a period of two years, is. Of course,
exhausted but the commissioners. however
willing find their hands tied for lack of funds.
and they cannot under the law divert one dollar
of the Ash appropriation though the fate
of the entire game interests OF the state were
Without the least desire to see the present
fish appropriation decreased one penny it may
be said that the sum of $500 year is made
9rate for game. protection purposes Surely
to comprehend the Importance of the question
that led the Legislature to make this paltry
allowance Comparisons if odious. are some
fornia big enough to make three Atlantic sea-
hoard States Eastern Legislatures have
learned that game protection pays, that money
expended for this purpose is splendid invest
ment from a Decuniary point of view aside
from the national economy involved in the
question. 1t was this idea that induced Maine
now $4,000 is placed at the disposal Of its
game wardens annually, and the game inter
entire State" according to the last report OF
the commission, and yet Maine is but one and
a
San Bernardino. Michigan with about third
the territory of California devotes S33, 600 an
nualy to game culture. New York expends
S72 600 annually for the same purpose, and
New Jersey $4,000, and yet the whole of the
last State could be placed in Fresno County,
with enough to make Rhode Island to spare
The Jersey law provides for the appointment
of twenty-five wardens at salary OF $500 a
year. with ample allowance for travelling ex-
penses On the same basis 1t would take
about 600 warden to the territory
embraced in this State Massachusetts, about
twice the size of Humboldt County. has a. d.
corps of salaried game wardens. Wisconsin.
about third the size Of California manages
to devote about $25, 900 a year for the protec-
ton of its game, and finds 1t good invest
ment. The game wardens of Minnesota nave
$4,000 year at their disposal and yet Mime
comparison might be indefinitely continued.
but the showing would add no credit to us
Nearly fifteen times as large as Rhode Island
California expends not quite one-hfth as nucn
for the protection of game.
The question is important one not only
to the sportsmen, but to the Whofe people
Game protection demands the serious consld-
Grafton of the whole people. Money spent to
this end is we'll spent. one of the chief at
fractions of the State is being utterly neglected
Whether or not the game interests are segre-
gated from those of the hsh and placed under
the control of separate bureau or game
wardens, the crying need OF the hour is more p
money and plenty Of ii. to protect the ami
mails and the birds that have so large place
in the general catalogue of our attractions
from ruthless destruction at the hands Of the
thoughtless and the reckless