The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-01-07
OF Canton Object to the
Game Law.
Open QUAIL SEASON
Should bo Confined TO the
Month OF November So
Quail Cannot Be Potted
On the Snow.

are to be passed by the legislature
this winter. IL is admitted on all
sides that the present law is about
as absurd a measure as ever was
placed upon the statute books. 1t
was passed without consideration,
without any reference to the habits
of game or their times of migration.
The market laws did not correspond
with those governing the time WIFI
game could be shot, and the result
was that there was constant confusion
and even the game wardens could not
keep track of tho idiosyncrasies OF the
sections. Many false arrests Were
made during the year, and 1t was al
most impossible to secure convic-
tion of a violator.
The provision requiring a written
permit from the land owner was a
source OF considerable trouble. 1t
was contended on the part OF the
hunters that the law was for the pro-
lection Of the farmer, and not club
in the hands of an ofiicious game
warden.
WANpTlSo WI 'SSpi'
The contention was that arrests
should be made only upon the COM
plant of the farmer, but many deputy
wardens set themselves up as self
appointed guardians of the premises
of the agriculturist and made arrests
unfortunately. The number Of con-
victions, however, was very small.
There are q number of features in
the proposed new law that do not
find favor with the hunters who have
given the matter thought and atten-
ton and the Canton sports are talk
ing of preparing a petition to send to
the Ohio Sportsmen's Protective asso-
citation and the members OF the legis-
lature from this county and senator
ial district. What is objected to the
most seriously is the open season for
shooting quail. The law proposes to
make the season from November 10
TO December 15. There Is no particu-
lar objection to the length Of the sea-
son, but. It is thought that 1t should
not be run into December for the
reason that 1t allows hunting after
the weather becomes severe and heavy
SHOWS have as a rule fallen.
TRICK OF PoTTING QUAIL.
The habit of quail is when the
weather becomes cold and snow Is on
the ground to bunch up for protection
from the cold. A flock of fifteen or
eighteen will get together In a circle
less than two feet In diameter. They
sit in perfect circle with their heads
toward the outside SO as to be ready
in an instant to start to wing without
any danger of interfering with each
other.
With the white snow as a back
ground they are easily seen by the
hunter, and this huddling together
gives the pot hunter his opportunity.
A single load shot into a covey thus
punched together will sometimes kill
or cripple every bird. Those that arc
not killed outright escape to die a
lingering death. A person who could
not kill quail on the wing in a dozen
shots thus murders whole covey at
a single discharge Of his gun. A true
sportsman would not take such an
advantage, but all who 60 into the
field are not possessed OF the proper
spirit.
II Is desired by the local hunters
who have been seen on the matter to
have the quail season open on the
first day of November and close with
December /. This would shorten the
season FIVE days from what Is now
proposed and allow the hunting to be
done in nicer weather and fewer
quail would be killed.
CRUEL TO THE BIRDS.
When the birds are scattered late
In the evening when the weather Is
c~'' "sre"'al'y II there is snow on the
ground, they are driven, from their
tv.u.ug grounds and do not get to-
gether. for the night They do not
get the advantage Of punching up TO
keep warm and many of them perish
from exposure. 1t Is considered cruel
to scatter them at this time, yet 1t is
done oftentimes. ,s
The past season we'll illustrated this
danger There are many who boast
of the pot shots that they made on
the snow, and instances are recounted
where every bird In covey was kill
ed. There was hardly warm day
in the whole season and there was
good tracking snow nearly half of tho
time. n y
Outside of this, the main features
of the law meet with the sanction of
the Canton hunters. Some think that
the dollar license should go into
fund for the betterment of the coun-
try roads, so that the farmer would he
reimbursed to some extent for the
annoyance that he has to endure from
hunters.
NOTHING COMING TO THE JAY.
1t is contended that all protection
should be taken from the jay bird, as
Il is very destructive to the eggs and
young of insect eating birds. They
are of no earthly use and their de-
struction would be good thing. All
naturalists agree that the Jay is a
nuisance. All other song birds should
be protected to the fullest limit al
lowed by the law.
There is a difference OF opinion as