The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-16
THE GAME PROBLEM
HOW TO SOLVE 1T
Elder Moulton Believes This
in GermanyParce the Country Hunting Privileges
Highest Speaks
from Wide Experience Thoro

Initiated in this country by the richest
Of our people who buy islands along
the Atlantic coast of the southern
states, or vast tracts in senimountain-
Gus regions-like the Biltmore estate
in North Carolina. This system is for
the few only, and offers encourage
ment to the poacher because it is a
standing advertisement of exclusive
wealth. AS a private investment it is
a defiance and hence a temptation to
the pOacher.
The German Method.
<"Then there is the German method
of dividing the country into COM
munes or townships and selling the
hunting privileges once in every seven
years to the highest bidders. This
might be called the democratic meth
cd, and would, I believe, be very pop
ular in this country.
my personal experience with this
system convinced me several years ago
that. if applied to this country it would
not only please both landholders and
sportsmen alike, but it would also give
us a permanent game supply regard
less of the advance of civilization and
the steady increase in population.
so close to a city Of 10000 inhabi-
tants that could see the people walk
ing in the streets I have hunted on
far as title went, to perhaps a dozen
farmers, and found some of the best
hunting in my experience.
Sometimes one man bids alone for
the district; sometimes several sports
men club together and bid in one
I, members name. In all cases it is the
custom to do no hunting during the
first Of the seven years the privilege
is good for, and to kill but a limited
amount during the second and third
years. During the remaining years
of the concession the kill is seldom
limited and during the last year there
are several drive hunts in which the
holder of the privilege the expense
to which he has been put.
A Big Drive.
! "On one of these drives in which /
participated, and it was the third or
fourth during the week, the kill
amounted to several hundred Belgian
pheasants, and other game in proper
ton. About forty hunters We're on the
field. The market prices for this game
represented a good portion of the Win
ming bidders investment.
Under this German system, also,
there are employed and paid for by
a, tax on each gun, game wardens in
SSANAA
county, who are mounted and armed
with sword, carbine and pistol. Their
business is to see that every one hunt
| ing is in possession of the regular bid
der's certificate or is a. guest Of this
| bidder. More important than this.
however, is that portion of the war
denis work which makes him respon-
sible for the death of all hawks, foxes
or other vermin found in the district
which he patrols. IL the thing is in
the air or on the ground, he pursues
it and kills 1t; If 1t is in the ground
and covered, he stays and digs it up.
The German system calls for thoro-
/! ness.
Farmers Give Plan Support.
s'But the best feature of the whole
I;scheme is the enthusiastic support
(which the farmers give it. AS the
lisums realized from the sale of the
hunting privileges go into the dis
I:trict road and school funds, or what
corresponds to them in this country,
the benefit in the shape OF reduced
taxes is keenly felt and appreciated
Iby the. farmer.