Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-30
Valuable Publication Issued by De-
partment Of Agriculture.
SEASONS, SHIPMENT AND SALE LAWS
Some of the Points Interesting to
Local Sportsmen.
REGUL a TIONS

Every spun WIZ CHJoSo tiAc oShSht'
a gun affords, and all dealers in the game
which the palates of so great portion Of
the public are partial to. should secure and
peruse the valuable and instructive PAM
phlet. officially known as Circular No. 81"
just issued by the Department of Agricul-
ture. Its title is: Information Concerning
Game: Seasons Shipment and Sale" and
its authors are Messrs. T. s. Palmer and
H. w. Olds, assistants, biological survey.
The Introductory paragraphs are as fol-
lows:
1.-The act eff Congress approved May %,
1900 has given new interest to the restric-
tons imposed by the various states for the
protection of game. This act supplements
existing state laws by prohibiting the ship
ment from one state to another of birds
killed in violation of local laws. and by
subjecting birds brought into a state to the
same restrictions as those prescribed Tor
birds produced within that state A knoWl-
edge of local laws is, therefore, essential to
intelligent observance of the requirements
of the federal law. In the absence OIL q
complete digest of game laws 1t Is dltncult
to obtain such knowledge, although the
state laws may be accessible. Even the
quarterly compilation entitled Game Laws
In Brief an excellent guide for sportsmen,
has a somewhat limited field. since II Gees
not include penalties or provisions relating
regal riding sale. The need Of a brief COM
pila ton is shown by the fact that shippers.
transportation companies and game DEAL
ers sometimes find themselves In the posi-
ton of inadvertently violating laws with
the provisions of which they are unfamiliar
and the requirements of which they have
no ready means of ascertaining.
Grouping of Violations.
violations of law based on the killing of
game may be grouped under three heads:
% Manner of capture, (2) time of capture
and (3) object Of capture. Under the first
head may be included prohibitions against
pursuing deer with hounds, netting quail,
killing birds before sunrise or after sunset,
killing wild fowl with swivel guns, or pur-
suing them with steam or naphtha
launches, and similar regulations which are
so common and so similar in their restrlc-
lions that a detailed statement by states
is unnecessary.
sons absolute protection (as in the case of
insectivorous BIRDS, protection for terms OF
years, and regulations against killing blrds
on certain days of the week. important
provisions under the third head are those
which make it unlawful to kill big game
for hides to capture birds for sale, or TO
ship game beyond the limits of the county
state.
nation in regard to laws governing the
trade in game, the biological survey has
undertaken the compilation OF such sec
tons of the various state laws as relate to
sale and TRANSPORTATION, and the prepara-
ton of tables showing close seasons, species
pr oflibited from sale and shipment. and
nonresident licenses AS some weeks must
elaDse before this bulletin will be ready for
distribution, it is deemed best to publish
the tables of close seasons, shipment and
sale at once
The Federal Game Law.
Those sections of the act of May 25.
1900 commonly known as the Lacey act,
which relate to the sale and transporta-
ton of game, are here reprinted In full
for the information of shippers and dealers.
An act to enlarge the powers of the De-
partment of Agriculture, prohibit the
transportation by interstate commerce OF
game killed in violation Of local laws, and
for other purposes.
Sec 3. That it shall be unlawful for any
person or persons to deliver to any com
mon carrier. or for any common carrier
to transport from one state or territory
to another state or territory. or from the
District Of Columbia or Alaska to any
state or territory. or from any state or
territory to the District of Columbia or
Alaska, any foreign animals or birds the
Importation of which is prohibited. or the
dead bodies or parts thereof OF any wild
animals or birds, where such animals or
birds have been killed in violation of the
laws of the state, territory or district In
which the same were killed: Provided,
That nothing herein shall prevent the
transportation of any dead birds or ami
mails killed during the season when the
same may be lawfully captured, and the
export of which is not prohibited by law
in the state, territory or district In which
the same are killed.
Sec. 4. That all packages containing such
dead animals. birds or parts thereof when
shipped by interstate commerce, as pro-
vided in section one Of this act, shall be
MAINLY and clearly marked. that the
name and address of the shipper and the
nature Of the contents may be readily as
certained on inspection of the outside of
such packages. For each evasion or vio-
lation of this act the shipper shall, upon
conviction, pay a fine of not exceeding
5000, and the consignee knowingly receiv
ing such articles shipped and trans
ported in violation of this act shall, upon
conviction. pay a fine of not exceeding $500,
and the carrier knowingly carrying or
Transporting the same shall. upon convic-
ton, pay a fine of not exceeding $500.
Sec. ). That all dead bodies or parts
thereof of any foreign game animals or
game or song birds, the Importation of
which is prohibited, or the dead bodies or
parts thereof of any wild game animals or
game song birds transported into any
state or territory or remaining therein for
use, consumption, sale or storage therein
shall upon arrival in such state territory
be subject to the operation and effect of the
laws of such state or territory enacted in
the exercise of its police powers, to the
same extent and in the same manner as
though such animals and birds had been
produced in such state or territory, and
shall not be exempt therefrom by reason
of being introduced therein in original
packages or otherwise. This act shall not
prevent the Importation. transportation or
sale of birds bird plumage manufac-
tured from the feathers of barnyard fowl
Approved May %, 1900.
Lack of Uniformity.
Lack of uniformity in state laws is point
ed out leading TO needless confusion and
making compliance with the federal game
law difficult for both shippers and game
dealers. who must consider the open sea-
sons in both the state in which their game
is killed and In that to which it is shipped.
An attempt is made therefore by the palms.
taking authors to bring together in one
table all the close seasons for game pre-
scribed by the various states. When the
close season is stated. for instance, as De-
cember 1 to October l. the open season be-
gins October / and ends December l. the
last date being included in each case with
several special exceptions which are noted
in the work.
Messrs. Palmer and Odds believe the ia
bles may be regarded as complete resume
of the regulations now in force.
Sundays, 1T is stated, constitute a close
Il