Evening star., 1902-08-27
LAWS FOR SPORTSMEN
SECRETARY WILSON ISSUES I'M
PoRTANT CIRCULAR.
Shipment of Game-Rules of Trans
portation Are Rigid in
Many States.

portat1on Are Rigid In
Many States.
In many states of the Union the laws re-
lating to hunting and the transportation of
game become effective September /. The
interstate commerce in birds and game is
the subject of an important circular just
issued by the Secretary of Agriculture. The
circular says:
In order to secure more general observ-
ance of the act of May %, 1900, entitled
AN act to enlarge the powers of the De-
partment of Agriculture, prohibit the trans
portation by interstate commerce of game
killed in violation of local laws, and for
other purposes" the department invites at
tention to the provisions of the federal and
state laws relating to shipment of birds and
game. These laws are intended to preserve
Tor the common good certain animals and
birds that are valuable as food, for sport,
or as destroyers of pests. They are gener-
ally supported by public sentiment but are
frequently violated through ignorance as
comparatively few persons realize the rapid
increase IN protective legislation or the nu-
merous restrictions which have been i'm
posed on the trade in game. Sportsmen,
market hunters, game dealers, commission
merchants, railroad and express agents and
all other persons concerned should famil-
1ar1Ze themselves so far as possible with
the regulations now in force Copies of
state laws may be obtained from fish and
game wardens or secretaries of state and
summary of the federal, state and county
laws published as Farmers Bulletin No.
l6O) may be had on application to this de-
partment The most important provisions
OF the various laws may be briefly stated
as follows:
Shipment of Game.
shipment-It is unlawful for any person
n doll 70
portation from one state or territory to
another. or for any common carrier or con-
slgnee knowingly to receive any wild ami
mails or birds killed in violation of local
laws. This prohibition applies not only to
game killed out of season, but to that cap
tured in an Illegal manner (by traps nets,
etc), or for illegal purposes, as, in some
states. for sale or shipment.
Packages must be marked-Every pack
age containing game or birds or any parts
thereof, when shipped by interstate COM
merce, must bear a statement of the con-
tents and the shippers name plainly mark
ed on the outside. Inattention to these de-
tails renders the shipper liable not only to
loss of his game, but also to heavy penal
ties for evaSiOnS of the law.
Eyasions-Shipping game in trunks. but
ter boxes. or egg cases; concealing it among
other goods; marking it butter dressed
poultry" or household goods addressing
it with tag made especially to hide ship
per's name and statement of contents; or
resorting to any other device to conceal the
nature of the shipment-are all evasions of
the law and subject the shipper to the same
penalties for its direct violation. False
marking of packages is treated as a serious
soffense under some state laws and is pun
ishable by special penalties.
Special Restrictions.
FOur-f1fths of all the states and terri
tories prohibit export of the deer at
any season; all those in which quail occur,
except three in the south prohibit
export of these birds at all seasons; and
practically every state where prairie chick
ems are found prohibits their export AS a
result of these restrictions it is almost i'm
possible in the west to ship quail prairie
chickens to market outside of the state
without violating some law.
Western game-AlI the states and terri
tories west of the Mississippi river except
six prohibit export of all game protected by
local laws. OF the six exceptions, Louisi-
ana and Texas prohibit export of all game
except a few birds, while Arkansas, Mis-
souri,, Montana and Wyoming either pro-
hibit export of certain species practi-
cally cut off export trade in game by means
ordering or receiving such game from these
states encourage direct violations of local
laws and may render themselves liable to
the penalties provided for violating the
federal law.
Alaska game-Under the act of June Z,
1902 the shipment from Alaska of any
hides or carcaSseS of deer. moose, mountain
sheep, mountain goats or parts thereof or
any wild birds or parts thereof. is prohibit
ed at all times. Trophies, specimens for
scientific purposes and live game may,
however, be shipped under permit from the
Secretary of Agriculture.
Game for Propagation.
States which prohibit export of dead
game frequently allow shipment of live
birds intended solely for propagation,
in some cases under permit from state
authorities. Persons contemplating ship
ment of live birds should inform
themselves fully as to all local regula-
tiOns. No permits for the shipment of game
from one state to another are issued by this
department.
Game for private use-Some states, espe-
cialIy those which issue nonresident hunt
ing licenses, permit sportsmen to carry a
limited amount of game out of the state for
private use. In some cases this game must
be tagged, carried openly and accompanied
by the owner. To insure safe transit Of
game careful attention should be paid to
such local regulations.
Insectivorous birds-Robins, swallows ce-
dar birds, meadow larks, fiickers, night
hawks bull bats, and few other in
sectiyorous Species well such birds
as l0ngSpurs, snow buntings and shore
larks, which are useful in destroying seeds
of weeds, are occasionally killed as game.
They are, however, generally protected,
and under no circumstances should they be
sent to market or shipped out of the state.
Birds for Millinery Purposes.
Statutes even more stringent than those
protecting game birds have recently been
enacted by many states for the preserva-
tion of birds which not included in the
game list.
Under these statutes birds which are in
demand for millinery purposes are protect
ed throughout the year. and sale and pos
session. well as killing, are prohibited.
1t should be remembered that the principal
centers for millinery supplies are nearly all
located In states which have such laws,
and the purchase of native song birds, as
well as of herons. pelicans, gulls, terms or
sea swallows, grebes, or other plume birds
should be avoided. The shipment of these
birds or any part of their plumage Is pro-
hibited by the provisions of the federal law
Ostrich feathers not subject to these
restrictions and their use should be en-