The Washington times., 1903-10-12
Restrictions Put Upon Hunt
ing in the District and
Nearby States Condensed
for Handy Reference.
Value and Effect of Closed
Seasons - How LegiSla-
ton Has Been Made More
Uniform This Year.

UNIFORM his 1edf.
When, where. why not, and how to
shoot game according 10 law in any
State of the Union and in some of the
provinces of Canada has been brought
within the range of possibility by a re
cent compilation by the Department Of
Agriculture of all existing game laws.
In concise and yet accurate manner
all the intricacies and variations Of le-
gal restrictions in different States
have been cOdifed and thus made clear
to ali who seek enlightenment before
going on hunting trip.
The compilation of the restrictions in
various States is based on the Lacey
act regulating interstate traffic in
game and other matters. In the course
of the present year to date legislative
sessions have been held in all but sew
en- of the States and in several prov.
inces Of Canada. In no less than forty
States amendments to the game laws
have been under consideration, and In
all of these except four-Deiaware
Missouri, Nebraska, and Rhode Island
more or less important changes have
been made. Seldom has a greater vol
ume of game legislation been enacted
in single year. or more rapid prog.
ress made In Arizona, Virginia Ceor
gia, Idaho. Tennessee, Illinois. Mime
sofa, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Wash
ingtOn, and New Brunswick general
game laws were enacted or existing
statutes cOdified or materially modified
or supplemented. Nine States-Colo-
RADIO. Georgia, Minnesota, North Caro-
lima, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vir-
ginia. and Washington-adopte a
practically uniform law for the protec
ton of nongame birds. New Mexico
and Tennessee made provision for Ter
ritorial or State wardens. Georgia for
county wardens. North Dakota for dis
trict wardens. and Virginia for war
dens for magisterial districts. to have
supervision over the enforcement of
their game laws.
Virginia Correcting Laws
Among the most important advances
of the year are the general statutes Of
Tennessee and Virginia repeating all
conflicting county laws: the prohibition
in New York and Montana Of spring
shooting Of water fowl; IN Nevada Of
ducks. woodcock. plover. and snipe. and
in Massachusetts of shore birds; the
prohibition Of export Of water fowl in
Texas and Indiana, and the prohibition
of sale OF all protected game in Ar
kansas and neariS all In Wisconsin.
Seven additional States have joined the
ranks of those which require nonresi-
dent hunters TO secure licenses
Important changes have also been
made in the license laws Of a few other
States Florida has extended the re-
quirement OF license TO cover all game.
Illinois has increased its license from SO
20 go. and wyoming from SIC to $50.
Washington State has adopted a uni
form license % 81 for residents and non
residents. good only in the county in
which issued. New York has modified
the law applying to nonresidents so
that II no license is required in the State
in which the nonresident lives the fee is
to be fixed by the forest. fish, and game
commission.
Restricting Game Trade.
Restrictions on the trade in game have
been increased in a few cases: New
Yort has prohibited the sale OF wood
cock and grouse taken within the State;
Florida Of quail and wild turkey: Iln-
nois of waterfowl; Utah and Oklahoma
Of big and upland game; Arkansas Of
all protected game; Wisconsin of all but
a few species; and Texas OF all game
taken within the state. Minnesota has
extended it's laws so as TO prohibit the
sale OF any Of the game of the State.
Virginia. Montana. and Nova Scotia
have adopted statutes prohibiting eN-
port of any Of their game.
In some respects the legislation OF 99z
shows a tendency toward eliminating
some of the unnecessary restrictions Of
ten placed on nonresidents. Minnesota
has extended the privilege of carrying
a limited number of game birds out OF
the State and North taroiina, Iennes-
see. Texas. and Virginia have incor-
porated similar provisions In their new
laws; Minnesota no longer allows conhs-
cation OF dogs and guns; Illinois has
eliminated the requirement Of photo
graph on the nonresident license.
West Virginia has changed her fee
from S25 20 S15 and made the license
good throughout the State, instead OF 6
single county as heretofore. Exorbi-
tant county licenses are now compare
ii yely rare. Florida, Iowa, Maryland,
and South Dakota. which charge 80 n
more for hunting in each couny, are the
only States IN which they are TO be en-
countered.
Deer Too Numerous.
In certain parts Of New England deer
have received rigid protection for a
number OF years, and have become so
numerous in consequence that frequent
complaints are made concerning the
damage they do TO growing crops. To
meet this difficulty Maine and Massa-
chusetts have enacted laws providing
for compensation for such damages.
The legislation Of the year has not
haan nnliralN freo from rntrngrade ton