The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-17
FOR NEW BIRD LAWS.
Senator Empie, of New Hanover, VIII
Introduce Bill Changing the Dates
of Bird Shooting Season.

Senator Empie, of New Hanover
county, is an enthusiastic sportsman,
and in an interesting running CONVEX
sation with a News and Observer news
CLEANER, stated that there is crying
need of a change in the present game
laws of the State, and that more
drastic measures must be used against
the violators of the game laws.
Mr. Empie has a bin under con-
sideration, regulating the bird shoot
ing seasons, which is now in very
tentollve form, but that already has
the support of a number of legislators,
some of whom are consulting and
advising with him upon certain
features of the bill. 1t is hoped that
the bin will be adopted for the whole
State, instead of individual counties,
and it will be Worded to that effect.
Sontinuing his conversation, Mr..
Empie said:
"The time in which birds may be
shot in many counties is entirely too
long, and unless shortened will end
in the determination of game. There
is need also of special legislation for
certain species of game, or for IN
stance, the woodcock, our most Valu-
able bird, may be, now that during
the same period of the year in which
quail are shot which is entirely wrong,
as woodcocks begin TO lay in the
month of January and l, myself have
had their young, at least one week old,
in my hands, on the 10Th day of Feb
ruary. / once saw one sitting on her
nest in March and Stroked her with
piece of straw from head to tail,
and he seemed to be absolutely indif-
ferent to my presence or attentions.
This should be remedied by working
the season from the first of Septem-
Der to the first Of January. In many
States North of us the open season
for WoOdcockS begin the first of July.
The wood-duck or summer duck,
as he is usually known, said to be
the most beautiful OF the species, is
fast vanishing, on account of men
shooting them in June and July, when
a most too young to fly. The law for
these should be such as to prevent
shooting them before the first of Sep
TENDER, and close by the first day of
March. In fact all spring shooting of
duck should be closed by the first day
of March, as they are then on their
way to the breeding grounds, and
have already mated. Should one of
this pair be killed, the survivor never
mates during that season, and thus If
either the duck o~drake be killed that
brood is destroyed.
THE Western States have almost
unanimously passed laws prohibiting
spring shooting, and the effect of these
avs is shown in the increased num-
Der of ducks. If we will follow in
their wake, it will not be long before
we shall find our creeks and rivers
filed again. l think the proper sea-
son for shooting these birds from the
first of October till the first of March.
October may seem a little cary, but
as we can never get them until they
begin their migrations, and can never
kill them till they come, the time
to begin is not of so much Importance,
but we should look we'll to the time
when we should stop shooting them.
The snipe should be shot from the
first day of September to the first
day of March also. as they are equally
affected by spring shooting as the
duck, and the rapidly decreasing num-
Der of snipes show what havoc spring
shooting is playing with them.
'"The partridge or quail being a
home bird, deserves a special atten-
ton, and if stringent laws could be
passed against netting and trapping
and officers could prevent the indis-
eliminate and wholesale shipment of
birds out of the State, the season for
shooting them could be easily made
from the first of November till the
first of March, but unless the evils
above mentioned can be remedied, it
might be well to make the open sea-
son from the first of November to
the first of February.
THE Audubon Society is doing some
splendid work in the central and
western part of North Carolina, but
l am sorry to see it is not meeting
with the endorsement and support
that its commendable purpose de-
serves. Should their efforts to pre-
vent the shipment of birds, and the
killing of non-game birds be seconded
by the people. our fields and lanes
would again be filled with the song
sters, and the sportsmen would be
assured of game when he went Il
field.
'By the passage of the above laws
the preservation of game would be
largely furthered, and the farmer
would find increased production, the
value of these little friends to him,
and the sportsman, would find some
reward for long tramp and a day
Of hard work
To Erect q Standpipe.