Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-11
IOWA SPORTS TALK.
True Sportsmens' Object In the
Hunt-A Peculiar So Called
Specimen Unearthed
THE TWO KINDS COMPARED
Hunter Who Disposes of His Game IN
der Ordinary Circumstances Cannot
Be classed With the Sportsman,
AItho He May Call Himself Such
Sport for Sports Sake.

Sport for Sports Sake.
Now that the open season for ducks
is about to close, and during this spring
there has been more or less discussion
thru the news pers regarding spring
shooting, and other matters, that are
of interest to the sportsmen, the ques-
ton naturally arises in the mind what
is it that ditferentiateS the true sports
man from the man who thinks he is,
and lays claims to that fact. This has
been brought to notice by a recent oc-
curance in city near the center of the
state, situated on the Iowa river in
which there lived two men who by
their, actions had always led the public
TO believe they were sportsmen of the
proper stripe. One is president of a
shooting club and the other is menu
Der of a similar body of that city, al
tho he lives on farm nearby.
Both OF these men are enthusiastic
hunters and never miss an opportunity,
in season, to take advantage of the
fight. During the recent duck migra
ton, while on trip near Il small town
ten or a dozen miles north of their
home city, they We're SO fortunate as to
knock down in a single day some fifty
odd birds. AT least more than the law
allows for one days shoot. However,
on coming home, one of these self
lauded sportsmen took the larger por-
ton of his bag to the local butcher and
disposed of them. A few days later the
country gentlemen again went to the
locality of the former hunt. and again
had good sport. He shipped the birds
to sportsman No. 2, who in turn handed
them over to the butcher, at so much
per dozen.
And yet these men. and especially
the marketer of the two calls them
selves sportsmen, and would be indig-
nant were they told they erred in the
estimation of themselves. The one
selling the birds is less the sportsman
of the two. He has not been guilty of
a crime punishable by law, and for that
reason only is his name withheld. He
has, however. disregarded the~law that
should govern the actions of every
man who has the manliness to be a
true sportsman. No true lover of the
hunt, for the unallowed joys that II
alone furnishes, will ever stoop TO sell
the fruits of his efforts with the fowl
ing piece. 1t is very easy to UNDER
stand how, at times. when the birds,
during short hour or two, come In
thick and fast. that in the excitement
and interest of the game a man might
overshot the limit, but no such excuse
can be given for the other act.
And yet, do sportsmen realize that
they, In a large measure, are RESPONSE
Bile for this lack of the proper spirit
that drags craftsmanship down to Il
money making basis, and changes some
into but little else than market hunters
and game hogs? When they do realize
it they will at once send up such a hue
and cry that the state laws Will be
so amended that game or fish OF any
description at any time, or under any
will not be allowed to
be sold or offered for sale in Iowa.
When this is accomplished and a peni-
Tertiary sentence tackled to it as the
penalty, then and only then a consider
able portion of this slaughter will cease.
SO
It is we'll enough to argue that what
a man acquires lawfully he has right
to dispose of as he will but such is not
the case, if by SO doing he opens an
avenue for evil whereby an incentive is
created for the killing of game both in
and out OF season simply for the money
to be made by so doing. Do away
with a market for game within the
state, and you will soon quench and put
out of business those who groundslew
quail, murder half-grown chickens,
dynamite fish, and slaughter ducks in
unlimited numbers. AS 1t now stands
every game bird in the state has prize
offered for his head with dozen scalp
return to the fellow who disposed OF
the birds he had simply because he was
by desire for gain.
BY instinct such man is market
shooter, and by nature he is self-cen-
tered and selfish. How much more
1t would have been for
him to have distributed his bag among
his near friends. AS one old hunter
was heard to say recently, Il don't
know what should do if didn't have
friends to whom could give my game,
for 1 don't care for 1t myself. that is
to eat" This mans way of thinking
calls up what should be the sports
mans chief object in following game,