The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-07

moneys collected for nonresident IL
censes up to and including November
! 30, 1901, has been paid by me to the state
treasurer. to be placed to the credit of
the fish and game fund.
1.-THE records of this Office show that
we have made As arrests on complaints,
as follows: SEEMING fish, 3; selling wild
ducks, 4; selling trout, s.; killing deer
out of season. 5; killing antelope, 1, dyn-
amiting fish. i: dumping sawdust in
streams, s: killing pheasants out Of sea.
son, 1; killing ducks out of season, a;
selling venison. 2; catching fish with
grabhooks, s.; killing moose, 8; selling
prairie chickens, /; violating section Is.
House Bill 1923. relating to fish ways, 2:
hunting without license, /. and killing
beaver, 3.
Disposition Of Cases.
''Of the total number Of cases. the dis
position was as follows: Convictions,
u: acQuittals, II; dismissals, 8.
The fines imposed by the different
courts amounted to $3.50.
In the prosecution Of the above cases
the various county attorneys in most
cases rendered willing and efficient
services. In Ave Of the cases, however.
1t was thought advisable to ask the
attorney generals Office for assistance,
which was promptly given, and convic-
lions were secured in each case, a re-
suit which would have been, to say the
least. doubtful without such assistance.
Among the many hard propositions
that we have to deal with is the misin-
depreciation of the law relative to the
duties Of our department. The majority
Of the people think that the game laws
are . special and distinct set Of laws
put aside for the enforcement by game
wardens.
''This belief is entertained not only by
the people of the state generally, but
by many of our peace officers as we'll.
I should therefore like to call to their
attention an extract from section 20 Of
House Bill 1913. Session Laws of 1897.
Vast Area Covered.
"When we take into consideration
that our state has the vast area Of 146,.
$50 square miles. and that we have only
so deputy game wardens, and that the
average district for each contains 1906
square miles, we can see what propo-
sition confronts this Office unless we
have the support and cooperation of
the other officers Of the law. I feel con-
fident that as soon as the other officers
realize that it is part of their duty to
enforce the game laws, they will en-
deavor to do SO earnestly.
1.-THE Indians give us more trouble
than any other. class of people, and We
are almost helpless in the matter. For
instance. the Crees. Pigans. Kootenais
and other foreign Indians. come into this
state to hunt, and we have no way of
knowing but what they are some of our
own tribes, and when questioned on the
subject they are just sharp enough to
say that they are Flatheads. or some
other of our resident Indians. We
have caught some Of these Indians and
prosecuted them. and it has had a very
good effect, but as we scannot dis
tinguish them from our = Indians we
catch but very few.
Question Of Indian Hunting.
"Speaking on the Indian subject, we
have had q great many complaints to
the effect that Indians were hunting
and that We should get them at once
Now. as the law Is at present, our own
resident Indians have just as much