St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-11-10
The Game Law Of 1900.

A correspondent at Westweg
asks the Picayune to interpret see
ton 9 Of the game law enacted b.
the last Legislature, aud 10 stat
who are and who are not exemp
from It's requirements.
Section 3 Of Act 1l9, Of the legis
] lature OF 1900. provides: That n.
idler, vagrant. pot hunter or pro
fessional hunter shall catch, kill
pursue or be in possession oi snJ
game in this State, nor shall sucl
persons establish themselves upOr
any public or vacant lands in THU
State for the purpose 1T killing any
OF the aforementioned game.
Any person violating the pro
visions stated above shall. upon con-
vi:ti0n. be liable TO a fine not ex.
cceding $50, u Imprisonment IN
Jail for . term MT exceeding sc
days or both, At the discretion 81
lie court.
The persons WHO are prohibited
from catching. killing or having
possession Of any game animal Ol
bird in Louisiana are, fret
..Idlers." These are persons who
d" mt work at any regular occu
patton. They may be either rich or
poor, but they spend their time III
loafing aud idllny Next are
Migrants" These are nereOns
who wander from place to place,
having M fixed habitations and
idling away their time.
4 Pot Hunter is defined by
Webster to be . person who kiile
anything and everything that will
help to ill his bag, also q hunter
who shoots game for the table or
Tor market "Professional Hum
teer'' is on who makes . regular
business Of killing game for market.
Since the consumers If game are
wholly dependent ON the profes.
SIGNAL hunters, /: Is plain that the
law in question, il strictly enforced,
will cut Oh all supplies Of game
taken in this State, and operate 10
reserve the sport Ut hunting - we'll
As the eating VI the game, for thoee
to whom hunting is expressly al
lowed.
But the law does not specify any
Of the persons who sre permitted to
hunt, but only those who belong to
the prohibited classes. But it may
be supposet; that the authorized
hunters embrace all who hunt for
pleasure at intervals, and not rs .
regular business. The authorized
hunters must have some other Occu
patton 10 which the greatest part OF
their tine is devoted. and their hun
ting excursions, made in the name
ii pleasure, enable them a. have ex-
elusive rights and privileges in
game, and the law does not
prohibit them from selling the pro-
of their sport.
The act il . class law, made ex-
clusively for the benefit al particu-
lar sorts II per~ons, giving them
exclusive rights and privileges upon
lie States public lands u shout
aud carry away .my Wild beasts or
birds that may fall in their way.
But MOI. "nl, are these special aud
peculiar privileges cu"ferred by the
State ups,n . chosen class, hut thusc
and privileges are projected
from infringement by any other
persons by making the ~infrIngers
sad Furnishing them viii,
line aud imprssonment. Bu: this is
not sll. The lsw makes it . crime for
any person of TIE prohibited classes
" have ia his possessiuu any game
animal " bird, u,sdes pains and
aud 90 sweeping Is this
Of the act that the prohibited
person would be Just as guilty il
with game he had bought rs
Il lie had acquired it in the course
II the forbidden hunting.
The Constitution Of the State de-
in article 48, that the Gene
ral Assembly shalt not grant to any
corporation, association OF individu-
any special or exclusive right or
privilege or immunity. This act,
10 Of 1900, seems to violate THIS
q Injunction If the Constitution, aid,
1t any rate. 1t eeems u be wholly
aud contrary 4" the spirit Of
free institutions ami pub.
ic justice aud the rights OF the
The most that the Legislature has
! right 20 do in the way of protect
ny game il ~ prohibit the tskinx
md killing Of beasts aud h,rds in
heir several breeding seasons, and
prevent the determination Of eucl,
BY poison "r mschanisms
hat will work wholesale destruction
i the species.
1t Is much 10 be doubted il the
il qneatiOn is constitutional and