The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-29
IGNORANCE OF GAME LAW
NEW STATUTES NOT GENERALLY
UNDERSTOOD BY HUNTERS.
Permit and other Features Fully FIX
planned by Sportsman-Heavy
Penalties for Violations.

that the game and fish laws are being vio-
lated. largely through ignorance of the
changes in the statutes. fisherman, who
recently returned from the little lakes in
northern Indiana says: 81 saw score OF
men and boys shooting ducks on lake,
and only three had permits. Some of the
Offenders did not know a permit was neces-
sary, and others said they didn't care. One
farmer who was shooting on his own land
said he could do as he pleased on his own
property-that any game warden who came
on his place to inquire If he had a permit
would be treated as a trespasser. SEEMING
is still practiced, as is the selling of bass
and other game fish. The law forbids any
fisherman to sell his catch. yet 1t is not un-
common to see an unlucky city fisherman
buy from a more fortunate countryman.
heard of case in the city a few days ago,
where a man who should know the law
thoroughly, tempted a couple of men to
violate the statutes by offering fancy
price for a string of bass. The game and
fish law violator is liable to be mulcted
heavily if convicted. Besides the fine and
possible imprisonment, the law says $50
must be added to the costs in each case.
This money goes into the game protection
fund
-.
ardent sportsman, how little many per-
sons know about the game law notWlth-
standing the Journal and other news
papers have printed it in full once or twice.
and called attention to its main provisions
several times. The permit feature does not
seem to be generally understood, yet II is
one of the most important sections of the
law, for it is aimed at preventing the shoot
ing of quails while the birds are too young
TO fly well, and before the open season be-
gins The permit which costs residents of
no rat nd n Ia
nOnresidents, who have paid a general
hunting license fee of $25, ia supposed TO
be granted to only reputable persons-those
who will not kill quail before the 10th of
November. The permit is one form of
registering hunters All who obtain it are
supposed to be law-abiding; all who hunt
without a permit. between Oct and Nov.
10, are lawbreakers. according TO the
statutes, and may be fined from s. to $25.
Hunting in Indiana is absolutely pro-
hibited for forty days, except to those who
take out the permit. Any person hunting
in the woods, fields or on the waters, with
a shotgun, between Oct. i and Nov. 10, who
cannot show permit may be arrested and
fined. Game wardens are given this au-
thority in Section II of the game law. There
are other features of the law which may
be summarized briefly.
ut is unlawful to kill or have in posses
sion any quail. ruffed grouse, prairie chick
en-, or pinnated grouse, at any time except
between Nov. 10 and Jan. l. The penalty
for each bird killed out of season is 80.
Ten days in jail may be added. Persons
who sell or offer for sale quail at any time
are subject to the same penalty, as also is
the person who kills more than twenty-four
quails in any one day. If a man shoots
thirty-fOur quail in one day he is liable
10 an aggregate fine of 500, besides inn
prisonment. If any person sells offers
TO sell twenty quails he may be fined 5000
in all, with a jail sentence added. The
same penalty would apply to man having
twenty qauils in his possession out of
son-S1O for each bird, $500 for twenty. Rail-
ways cannot carry quail, grouse, prairie
chickens woodcock out of the State UNI
der penalty OF SO for each bird carried.
The law makes one exception, however. A
nonresident hunter may take from the
State twenty-four birds of all kinds killed
by himself
1.-The shooting of wild deer, turkeys, or
pheasants, of any species, at any time is
forbidden. the penalty being 500 to 500 fine
and thirty DAYS in jail for each offense.
Common carriers which take deer, turkeys
or pheasants out of the State may be
fined $50 to 500 for each deer or bird car
ried.
''The close season for squirrels is from
Jan. to June ]. and the penalty for killing
out of season is $40 fine and ten days in
jail.
''W1ld ducks, geese. brant and other water
fowl are protected from April 10 to Sept !.
Hunting al night is forbidden. The use of
naphtha electric or steam launches in pur-
suing wild fowl is unlawful No person
may kill more than twenty-four ducks in
one day. The penalty for violating any OF
these provisions is SO fine for each fowl
and ten days imprisonment
Hunters who enter inclosed land without
the written consent of the owner may be
fined $40 to SIS.
Hunting on Sunday with any kind of
firearm subjects the hunter to a fine OF
so TO $50
Ten dollars fine and ten days in Jail is
the penalty for each wild dove shot be-
tween Jan. ! and Aug. 10.
THE law strikes a blow at persons who
were in the habit of training their settlers
and pointers before the opening of the
quail season. Ii formerly was the practice
TO take dogs into the field during the close
season for the purpose of breaking them
on birds. Oftentimes when a covey arose
the temptation was so great the man with
the gun blazed away at the quail, and If
he dropped one he put II in his pocket and
said nothing. The new law provides a fine
of s. TO $50 and ten days in jail for the per-
son who hunts with dog and shotgun any
and all kinds of game between Oct. ! and
Nov 10. unless ne be provided with the per-
nit allowed in Sec II as be ore mentioned.
Each day the law is violated constitutes a
separate offense.