Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-08-25

behind in the number of licenses
which were issued last year.
''The game wardenS have also re-
ceived instructions to take lists of
names of all persons who secured Ii
cenSes last year. Under the statutes the
the minimum fine for a person hunt
ing without a license is $50, which
together with court costs and the loss
of hunting outfit, guns, dogs and
other parahernalia, would make aver
age penalty nearly 800, more than
enough to pay for the license FOR a,
mans lifetime. Assemblyman A. G.
Slider, of Milwaukee, is case in point.
Illegal hunting cost him almost 800.
"Some have the mistaken idea that
they must be caught in the act of
hunting illegally if they are to be con-
victed. One man in Green Bay and
one in Clark county were fined this
year for game crimes they committed
last year.
eve have better game laws than
other states in the union. A con-
vention of twenty-eight states recently
voted to this effect. The present
administration has aimed to place the
game wardens in good repute. Four
years ago the wardens were heartily
hated by the homesteaders: today
they are friends Why? Because
we treat them with justice. They
realize that they are now getting fair
play"
Senator Wipperman, who compiled
this years game laws, says that the
only kind of game that is not pro-
tected by the license are rabbits and
squirrels. 1--WE did that" said Mr..
Wipperman, because the rabbits and
squirrels were becoming nuisances to
the farmers. The following sections
will perhaps settle the whole question:
Section 14a. Any resident of this
state who shall pursue, hunt or kill
any of the birds, fowls or animals pro-
tected by the laws Of this state with
out being at the time OF such pursuing,
hunting or killing in possession of a
license duly issued to him. which
license shall cover the period in which
he shall be so pursuing, hunting, or
killing such game, or who shall furnish
to another person, during the open
season for such game Or permit such
another person to have, during such
season license issued to him, shall be
fined not less than fifty dollars nor
more than one hundred dollars, or be
| imprisoned in the county jail not less
than two months nor more than SIX
months. Provided nothing in this
section shall be construed SO as to pro-
hibit persons residents of this state
under section 149Ss of the statutes of
1898, under eighteen years of age
from hunting, without the aid OF a
dog or dogs, protected game birds
other than aquatic fowl, rabbits or
squirrels during the open season there
for, without the payment OF license
| fee, on land owned Or occupied as a
homestead farm by their parents.
"'Section 1885, 1t shall be unlawful
| for any person to take. catch, Kill,
| hunt or pursue any rabbit or squirrel
between the first day of May and the
| first day of September next succeeding;
or to take, catch, kill, trap, hunt or
pursue any beaver at any time; or to
take, catch, kill. hunt or pursue any
marten, fish, otter. muskrat or mink
between the first day of May and the
following first day of February; or TO
| destroy Or modest any muskrat house
at any time. All guns, traps. boats
or other implements used in violating
any provisions of this section and all
game taken in violation thereof may
| be seized, contiScated and sold by any
| warden as provided by law. Provided,
however, that nothing contained in
| this section shall be construed so as to
prohibit the owner Or occupant of any
land from hunting and killing rabbits
aud squirrels at any time without
license upon such. land. And pro-
vided further, that the owner or
lessee of any land may take muskratS
thereon, or from waters adjoining the
same, in any manner from the
fifteenth day of October to the first
day of May following.