Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-14
THE HUNTING SEASON.

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THE HUNTING SEASON.
One does not have to walk far In the
country these fine autumn days to see
evidences of the splendid hunting season
which awaits Virginia gunners little
later on. Not for years have cartridges
been so numerous. Bob White" is every
where. Things have been most prosper
Gus with him for the last twelvemonth
and he has raised coveys of which any
bird might be proud. When you flush the
members of his family up from the now
rapidly browning grass or see them Slip
ping through the worm fences to steal
across some secluded roadway, their
numbers astenish you. Truly, some be-
nign spirit has watched over Bob Whites
domestic affairs for the past year and
helped him to measure up to l.le response
bility of caring for numerous sons and
daughters. Or may be the past winter.
always season harrassing to partridges-
mottled little bird Of multifarious enc
mics.
AT any rate, Bob White has been hold
ing high carnival all through the sunny
days we have been enjoying recently,
and from now on until the 18th Of Octo-
Der life will be all pleasure to him. And
then!-but we dread to think Of the period
OF his travail. No sooner does the russell
and gold of advancing al,f,,pon trinpe mic
more sombre retreats than his troubles
begin. From that time on until the adj
vancing cold sears the landscape and re-
0uces the variagateo color scheme to one
his enemies are ever pursuing him. But
it is not the true sportsman whom Bob
White so much breads. It Is the pot
hunter-that relentless mortal who finds
no sentiment in anything, but reduces OK
istence to one long calculation concerning
dollars and cents. From this odious in
dividual the partridge gets no mercy He
is despised alike by man. bird. and beast,
yet somehow society countenances him
and offers him that pecuniary encourage
He'll WHICH IS ever SllEnutUS 10 MS
cruel work. Year after year, the pot
hunter comes in for our share Of vilifica-
ton, yet still he nourishes. Somehow we
have been unable or unwilling, to give
him his ouietus. And yet. with each re-
curing autumn we know his plans and
see his remorseless- work.
That Virginia is far behind most States
in her game laws even the most disin-
more patent every year and still the evil
goes unrenedied. But we are still hope
ful-still counting on the ultimate results
to be achieved by the concerted effort.
OF our sportsmen.
The United states Department Of Agri-
culture has just issued most valuable
pamphlet on the country's game laws.
1t contains with a summary of the pro-
visions relating to seasons, shipments.
SALE and licenses
The work was prepared by T. S. Palmer
and H. w. Olds, assistants of the Biolo-
gical Survey, and is full OF useful in
formation as well as suggestions worth
= i .
considering. Especial attention is called
by the government officials to recent laws
adopted by three more States which re-
euire nonresident hunters to secure
licenses. Still more worthy Of irnita ton
however, are the laws of many States for
bidding the illegal shipment OF game
from one State to another.
The great weakness in Virginia's game
laws-not to mention the poor way in
which they are enfcrced-is their lack Of
uniformity. which produces needless con
fusion and well-nigh kills their usefulness
But, after all, we are improving. And it
may be that the delights Of the coming
season will stimulate our sportsmen SO
that when they again go to work on the
Legislature, they will secure results
which hitherto have been regarded as
impossible