The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-24
MAKES STRONCPL
FOR SUMNER DUCK
Writer in Forest and Stream
Comments on Vlrglnia's
New Came Law,

j . . H. i & 7 j. . s y , ~
In the current issue OF Forest and
Stream Is an article congratulatinE Wiz.
glnln on tho passage OF her new san,o
law. The paper says:
8'rrhe Legislature OF Virginia. Turing
its last session, In effect re- enacted It's
game laws This legislation is n great
step forward. and Will doubtless DO
highly commended yfall those Interested
in preventing the useless slaughter Ut
game. The object Of game protection,
primarily. Is to preserve game from eX :.
tlnction, To increase tho supply neccs-
sary for food, and incidentally TO pro-
vide sport with rod and gun.
"virgina has desirable gaino fields;
deer abound iii her mountains wild
turkeys and partrldges III her woo:ls ami
fields, shore birds and wild fowl In her
lido water and there is plenty of sport
for the fisherman. Rightly cared Tor,
this should be source OF wealth to the
State. ~
"E'rotectlon will Increase the supply Of
game for tile markets OF tho State, In
crease the number OF men employed, IN
the care OF game and a otherwise ny
sportsmcn. cntict non residents TO- come
within the state and fexpend their money
In tho employment Of guides and the $es-
Enlistment OF preserves and the propn-
CATION Of game. The Influx Of 1,on-resl-
dents is to be encouraged, as their pri-5
vnte expenditure Ia grca t.. and tho cnst
to the state OF protection can, be. greatly
reduced by icxacting NJ license fee from;
every such resident, & In return tho
non resident should be treated literally
and should be allowed to take his game
with him. provided It is Tor private use
only, and under no circumstances for
sale. The amount so taken can DO coA-
h,y1 twill if,rr In NIlnhnrI Of BIRDS
to be killed In a day or else limiting the
number to be taken out Of the State.
Perhaps 1t would DO salrcr to limit the
number OF birds to the gun for each day.
and then allow the non resident. who
has paid a license fec, and perhaps, in,
addition, has maintained q preserve ~ 1T
great expense, to carry With him Ills
game, provided the same shall not be
sold or offered for sale, Il. lss
"Notwith standing all natural advant-
ages above alluded to-, the game laws ot
Virginia have been heretofore extremely
lax. and tho value these resources inisas
be made to tho State seems to have h'2h
largely overlooked until the last session
OF the Legislature, when 4 a bill FOR ne
better protection of game was passed.,
The provisions Of the law are gl'ea
and the writer concludes with q plea 1T
the summer duck as follows
vrhe law contains one provision which
cannot be passed by without comment:
r. nrovides the Board Of Supervisors OF
any county shall have the power :! %
shorten the open season IN thelr Ha' -
co,,nty and may permit the shipment @
Wild water fowl from said county or o"1
OF the state. This lis most pernlcleopsg
1t virtually destroys the state law an Il
authorizes n county law, whlcn ma
differ In every county OF the State. there
fore making as many ditterent sa'!'
laws as there are counties In the stat;
'The experiment Of giving the supe'
visors the power to enact laws has bee
tried in several States. and In all has
ended most disastrously. and in effect
If there were no law n a charge was
made of a violation In one county, It was
always shown that tho act happened !.
an adjacent county, and convictions wore
impossible. a game law Is. and should
be- State measure. and not Il latter o.
mere local legislation,
Taking It all IN all, certainly the pea
pie OF Virginia arc to be congratulated
on the passage OF the bill. The lovers
of game throughout the country will re-
joicc. and doubtless the sportsmen Of
Virginia, now that they have taken up
the law and procure additional lcgisla-
ton to remedy any defects In the law,
as It now stands. r. Is most respectfully
suggested that the Il Legislature BIO rn.t
qllested to protect wild water fowl by
prohibiting battery shooting and making
tho law apply Sitto "pelers" or blue
peters. The open season, too Is too
long. and insT the writer's opinion the
season should not omen until November
10TH and certainly no shooting of wild
fowl should DO permitted after Marcn
LIST.
"r.et word BIO said In behalf Of tI'e
summer or wood duck, This duck is nj
most extinct, and Its killing should ha
prohibited for certainly term OF years
and II this be not possible. the open sea-
son should be the same rs for other
duck, Many OF the young birds arc but
half grown In August, and to open the
season tho Let OF August Is but to per-
NIT tile complete anElhlation Of tho