The St. Louis Republic., 1901-09-01
SHOOTING SEASON BEGINS
TOMORROW in MANY STATES
spormen Hunters Will Eegn Operations Quail Grouse
and Other Kinds Game.

= The first date of the close season and
the first date of the open season are given,
SO that open seasons may De found BY re-
versing the dates.
Legislatures Very Active.
acre was marked activity on the part OF
the Legislatures of great many States
this spring in the direction Of amending
existing game laws. The laws of about
thirty States were changed, there being
~ amendments relating TO the close SEA-
sens alone. Much of this was due to the
Efforts or several organizations devoted 10
the protection of nsn and game. Splendid
work was doEe In this direction during the
past year by the American OrnitnOlOsical
Union, the League Of American Sportsmen
and the North American Fish and Game
Protective ASSOCIATION. All over the coun-
tly there ia growing tendency toward
extending protection TO more kinds OF
game, shortening the seasons. iirnidng the
about the trade in game. Nebraska and
Missouri Which suffered severely from
wnoiesale shipments OF game last year.
have joined The majority of States IN
accepting stringent n0nexport laws. leaving
less than half a dozen States now without
protection OF this kind.
Other States. no,aD.y Pennsylvania, In
diana. Nebraska. Montana and Washington.
have restricted hunting by providlng for the
licensing OF nonresident hunters. a favorite
eXpedient. particularly In the Middle West.
for providing game protection fund. The
sale OF all Kinds Of game has been prohibit
ca by number of states. and those of GER
tain SpcC1eS Dy EevCTdt OlNeT St0teS. As a
result of this. three kinds of game, antelope.
elk and prairie chickens. have been PRACTICAL
" removed from the markets. except in
States where their killing is still permitted.
Among the new. features of legislation of
1871 may be mentioned a uniaIe statute
enacted In Maine to prevent criminal care
iessness In hunting. with a view of decreas-
ing the deplorabie accidents which have
occurred with such frequency In the past
Few years. This law provides that who
ever. while ON hunting trip: or in pursuit
nv Uar irfyl v11tra,, Ity
or carelessly shoots and wounds or kills
any human being shall be punished by i'm
prisonment not exceeding ten years or by
fine not exceeding x.0GJ." Nevada now re-
1utres that the game laws Of the State and
the various measures relative to game In
PRODUCTION and game preserves shall be read
year: Maine has taken the Drecaution of
requiring persona who wish to import live
animals or birds 10 first secure 4 permit
from the State authorities. In order that
undesirable species NAV be prevented from
gaining footho!d.
stopping Spring Shooting.
The experts Of the Agricultural Depart
ment find that there is a gradual exieasi n
OF public sentiment against spring shoot
Ing. but as yet the States which have been
able to crystal,!ge this sentiment into. law
make the public appreciate that m!gra-
tory game must receive rs much II not NOR.
protection than is accorded TO resident
game II it is TO be saved from externina-
ton. Many persons who are str3ngly in
favor of prohibiting spring shooting. and
who appreciate the difficulty of passing
such law in their own State have sug-
gested national law as the only solution
Of the question. The department points out
that this is impractica5le since the fixing
OF times and seasons for taking game is
matter solely within: the jurisdiction of the
States. n prerogatiye which they jealously
guard and one which both State. and Fed
eral courts rec ognize- Connecticut his ex-
tended the open season fer rail from Janu-
ary TO April l., apparently for the sake OF
conformity with the nawiy esta blished sea-
sen for plover and snipe. thus permitting
rail shooting in the spring. Rhode Island
In amending the duck season. has removed
protection entirely from rail. sntpc, pi1vcr,
geese and certain ducks. and has length
oned the open season for other ducks to
April !, thus permitting spring shooting.
Wanf to Save Bis Game.
The States within whose borders there
still remain few species Of big game are
gradually taking stops to save them from
extinction. During the past year laws were
enacted prohibiting slaughter for hides,
materially shortening the open seasons.
limiting the number OF individuals which
may be killed, forbidd!ng sale and shipment
Ut all times. and prohibiting shooting In
definitely for q term OF years. During the
present yepT, all big game hunting has been
prohibited IN Nevada. New Hamp3htre and
New Mexico: cluse seasons for deer have
been estshliEhed or extended iu CopDecti-
cut, INDIANA New jersey and Illinois: elk