The sun., 1900-12-02
SOUTH CAROLINA GAME BIRDS.
ERorts to Prevent the EIterminat ation Of Quaiis
and Partridge.

CHARLESTON. 8. c.. Nov. so.-In order TO
protect game birds. which were threatened
with determination In this State. the Iegis-
lature OF South Carolina at its last session
passed a law prohibiting dealers from sellin g
or Offering for sale partrdges or auails killed
within the State for a period OF fve years.
The law does not attempt TO stop the sale Of
birds brought In from other States. and the
act has just gone into effect
II has caused many complications. and among
other things has opened o blind tiger market
for birds which in a measure will equal the
blind tigers where liquor Is cold The hunt
ing associations and game preserve clubs re-
Gently organized have undertaken to see that
the law is enforced The dealers In Charles
ton and the managers OF restaurants will be
watched. but partridges are still being served
and sold. Dealers who are asked about the
working OF the new law saw IL does not inter-
fere with their business. as the birds are In
constant demand and for that reason they
have to keep on hand large supplies which
are ordered from Georgia. II is evident that
the law Is not giving the greatest protection
to the birds but that they are being killed as
usual and the blind tiger market is thriving.
In recent years the frequent storms along
the coast have thinned out the cartridges to
a remarkable extent. Floods caught the young
birds and drowned them. and instances are
known where two broods In one season have
been entirely DESTROYED Higher up In the
State tho same cause OF destruction did not
operate. although from one reason or another
the birds were being killed OF.
The greatest enemy TO game birds In this
State is the man with the trap Negroes In
the coast country who knew that good prices
were raid for birds found II rather poor plan
10 go out and shoot them. so they revived the
old plan Of trapping For a long distance
Leading 20 the trap lire of corn would te care
fully put down. and this would run right up
under the cage The birds would 60 under
tho cage without hesitation. eat the corn and
then find that they could not escape because
thev never tried to sneak under the edges
81 ne oH yFs nren6 w6G ID 6 or J nv , a
when the Covev was under With little or no
trouble the negroes could catch an entire covey.
Hunters who fnd these ,rans demolish them
with the greatest satisfaction Not long
nCl Charleston hunter while out one day
followed his dog when the latter had pointed
bur NJ" cov"v was not flushed Going up
cautiously he saw the cnge He kicked over
the tran ond allowed the birds, to fv for their
birds which was a good record considering
rho fact that the covev scattered in a dozen
three davs' hunt smashed fourteen traps In
verv small territory
There is another class Of hunters who try
70 ind a covev all huddled m In heap Ere
Ouen'lv the birds run together before being
flushed. md ,rr,io,n with good eve cnn find
the covov and kill almost every bird in II with
p single barrel This unspor'smaniRe business
has helped to decrease tho stock
This season the hunters sav there IL a good
stock ~ birds notwith standing The onslaught
made on them In the rast There was drv
weather during the hatchrc season. which
was prorI'ious. and tho voung ones were not
drowned this wear With proper protectio n for
FIVE years the stock can be put back TO its former
fine condition.