The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-03-13
He WORKS UNDER The OLD
County Clerk Fish Not Officially In
formed Of Changes That
Were Made.

NOuOCAuA WhCCACl dly " LuG COul1Ly
clerks are issuing warrants on the
bases of the different amounts the
state promises to pay for the destruc-
ton of the various predatory animals
that come within the scope of the
law. The law now operative became
effective March 6, the date on which
il received the governors approval,
and it makes a material reduction
in the amount of the bounty paid
on scalps of coyotes, which is now
only So, as against S. under the old
law.
In the absence of an official copy
OF the law as it nov stands or authori-
tive information regarding it's enact
ment the county clerk of Yellowstone
county is doing as it appears all other
clerks are doing-issuing warrants or
certificates in accordance with the
provisions of the law that has been
supposedly repealed. He says that
he cannot we'll do otherwise, as he
is not supposed to take current report
as authority for governing his official
acts, and until he receives a copy of
the new statute he will proceed under
the old. Daily skins are presented
to him and it is very evident that they
are the skins of animals that were
killed before the present law went
into effect.
A request has been made to the
attorney general for an opinion as
to the rate of bounty that shall be
allowed. The request comes from the
clerk of the state board of examiners,
who has to file and care for the boun-
ty claims originating in the different
counties Of the state. He has been
in receipt of numerous certificates
from different county clerks. all is
sued under the old law, and nearly all
issued after March 6, the date the
new law is supposed to have gone
into effect. He is at a loss to know
whether the claims should be paid.
inasmuch as they call for larger
sums than those allowed by law. From
all indications he was satisfied that
the animals had been killed before
the new law became operative, but
the dates of the claims were all sub
sequent to that event.
Some Important Changes.
A very important addition to the
bounty law is the one requiring the
appointment of inspectors for the diff
ferent counties. Another change is
the reduction made in the amour
OF bounty paid on coyotes and on
coyote and wolf whelps, while still
another, designed to lessen the posi-
bility of frauds in the collection of
%bounties, is in the mater of afidavits
in regard to the killing of the ami
mails. Under the provisions of the
old law the person presenting skins
to the county clerk was required to
make oath to the fact that he ''had
killed or caused to be killed" the ami
mails on which he asked bounty. The
new law says plainly that such per-
son must swear that he killed the
animals.
Section 1924 of the penal code is
amended as follows under the new
law: Every person who violates any
OF the provisions Of section 1910 of
the penal code. relating to the boun-
ties for killing wild animals, is guilty
OF a misdemeanor, and is punishable
by a fine not less than 500 and not
exceeding $1,000, or by Imprisonment
in the county Jail not exceeding six
months, or by both such fine or i'm
prisonment."
Section 1910 of the same code now
reads as follows: THAT there shall
be paid out of the fund in this act
hereafter created for the killing of
the following animals, hereafter kill
ed in the state of Montana, the fol
lowing bounties: For each grown
wolf, SIS; for each coyote, SO; for each
wolf pup, So; for each coyote pup,
$3; for each bear or mountain lion,
ST."
Filing of Affidavits.
The provision relating to the filing
of afidayits is contained in section
3071. 1t follows:
"Any person killing any of the
aforesaid animals to obtain bounty
thereon shall, within go days of the
date of the killing, exhibit the skin or
skins of the said animal or animals,
including the tail and the skin of the
entire head, including the ears thereof
and including the upper and the skin