The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-28
LICENSE TOO HIGH.
sportsmen Think $50 Too Much to.
Charge Non Resident Big
Game Hunters,
Changes Suggested in Time Of Open
Season: Meet With General
Approval.

upon all the changes in the game laws of
the state, which have been suggested by
the ST. Paul chapter of the League Of
American Sportsmen. There is particular
opposition to the proposition to charge $50
for big game licenses to esident hunt
ers. The general impression among Min.
neapolis nimrods is that this amount 1s
too large and that the purpose Of pro-
tecting the game would be- as well served
if the license fee was left at the old
figure of $25- for both ssmall and large
game, '-..
It is pointed out by those who oppose
the proposed change that visiting sports
men spend a large amount of money IN
the state, and that to raise the license to
$50, while all the other northwestern
states charge not more than $25, would
have &the effect Of sending, these outside
sportsmen to the neighboring states Of
Wisconsin or Michigan. +. r
Gun License O. x. s. ~
There is little opposition to the pro-
posed gun license of 81 for resident hunt
ers. There is a feeling among the hunters
that inasmuch as they are the ones who
derive the greatest benefit from the en-
forcement Of the game laws, they may
reasonably be expected to contribute to
the expenses of the game and fish COM
mission. q: One dollar, moreover, would
form a very small percentage Of the ex-
penses of the ordinary hunting trip.
The proposition to postpone the OPEN
ing of: the season for woodcock to Sept.
l. thus. prohibiting all shooting between
Jan. 1, and Aug. 81, arouses little interest.
since: most Of the hunters center their
attention. on prairie chickens quail, part
ridges and ducks. Few men care to. go
into, the: fields during July and August to
hunt wOOdcOck only - &c. - :
. The, proposal to make May Is, instead Of
June !, the opening of the bass season,
meets with general favor. AS pointed out
by one angler, the spring breakup comes
ago, and in nine seasons out Of ten the
bass finish spawning before May IL. In
1902 the season was unusually late and
cold, SO that the spawning season had
hardly ended by June 1, but it is believed
that in most years the fish would be ade~
auately protected If the fishermen were
allowed to begin operations In May. The
opening formally was May 1, but while
this was found too early, 1t is felt that
June 1 is later than necessary. *:.-' 49,:
P. j. Kennedy said to-day In regard to
the proposed $50 big game license for non
resident hunters:
~. Unnecessary and Harmful. -
IT think this change is not only UNI
necessary. but harmful. :. Michigan. Wis
consln> and Minnesota are practically the
only deer states in: this. section of the
country. There is =. no deer shooting in
Ohio. Indiana. nor Illinois. Every year
ll-te-do men from these, and other
states come to Minnesota to hunt. deer and
moose and all of these men spend a large
amount of money here. A $50 license
would o. keep out the greater portion
Of these men, and thousands Of dollars
would be lost to the merchants Of this
state annually. s:1}-s!
Our game laws have proven adequate
heretofore for the protection Of big game
The deer are increasing in number, and
! the moose as, well, so that see no need
1 f change IN this respect Moreover,
the NONRESIDENT hunters are not the ones
who are. dangerous. They. are not mar
! ket hunters; they are men of standing,
and have mo wish to come into collision
with the game Wardens, and most nof
them are satisfied with few days sport.
They kill at most but q small part of the
deer which are brought down every year.
do not think it is right to place SO
large a part Of the expense, Of protecting
our game upon non-residents. 7
Moreover, so far as the. change Is de-
signed ito produce revenue for the game
commission, it would defeat itself, for the
outside hunters would cease to come to
Minnesota, and would instead: gos~to
Michigan or Wisconsin, where the license
is lower feel sure that all the business
men and commercial bodies Of the state
will recognize these points, and will OPP
pose the raising Of the license. II
1.-THE retention of the small: game
license. for non-residents at $25 is quite
reasonable. It: has not kept out hunters
| heretofore, and probably will not in the
future" $500.
illinois sportsmen' are agitating the
same proposition for a, 81 game license
which has been suggested in Minnesota.
A. j.: Lovejoy, state game commissioner
for Illinois, after suggesting some changes
| in the time OF, the open season for va
rious kinds Of game, says: -
ITO better carry out the protection OF
! the above it is to be hoped for the good
Of all farmers and others that a law may
be passed requiring license OF 81 of
| every man who hunts with a gun. The
sports1nen of the state are anxious to
have this clause in the new law, and
while some of the farmers are" against
! it,; feeling that they should have the
! privilege of hunting on their own farms
| without paying 81, can assure them, as
a farmer myself. that we can much bet
ter protect the game by having this resi-
dence license, for the reason that as the
law now stands we have some 400 depu7
| ties in the state who get no pay unless
! they get it from fines, and but a limited
number Of them will do any work, as they
get no pay. - ~ So + -..,.-.. =. - /
.:With the residence license-Which nc
man would feel-we could put to work
| in the state a number Of paid: wardens
who could give their whole time to the
work, and would be strangers to parties
Violating the law who would have nc
friends to protect. ,, The farmer w'otle
then have some one who. would be keep.
ing yiolators from killing birds on his
farm. so that when the season came fo'
EL.+;,c Ia noieht go out and find some
game instead Of finding it all killed, Ions
before"
|KlNG IS OUT FOR GOOD 1,|)