The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-02-25
yvANToNLY KILL OFF GAME
Mereenary Hunters in Indian Terri
tory slaughtering Birds
and Animals.

The HlercenarF hunter and ffapper
who has been responsible for the ex-
tinetion of valuable animals and birds
in older sections of the United States IS
now plying his trade in Indian territory,
in spite OF the strict game laws in force.
says Muskogee correspondent of the
Kansas City Journal.
The Indian agent has discovered that
quail trappers are making a systemat.
ie campaign against this class OF birds
by trapping them and sending them our
of the territory. While waiting for q
train at CroWder City the other day
Agent Shoenfelt noticed eemmotion N
several boxes, and upon investigation
found that they were filled with live
quail, which were billed to Anthony,
Kan. He ordered them released. and at
least 3,000 ful1-grown birds few away
toward the neighboring fields. Last
year the agent discovered 5. 0e0liVe quail
at Paul's Valley, which were about to be
shipped to New Zealand to firm that
is trying TO establish these birds in that
country.
The professional quail tranper is prob
ably the greatest enemy OF the true
sportsman Of Indian territory. He
stretches large net in the tail grass
and then drives the birds along the
ground until they are within its reach,
when the ends are closed in upon them
and they are prisoners in its n1eshes.
The Indian policemen, through the in
releasing a large number of quail this
year which have been caught in this way,
and wherever the trappers can be found
they are being arrested In order to
make the Indian policemen more vigi-
liant, they are allowed to keep any game
that they confscate which has been
killed by hunters. When they coniscata
live game it is always released.
One of the great menaces to the game
of Indian territory is the professional
trapper of fur-bearing animals, who
travels over the country plying his trade
at different seasons in the sections of
the country where he will get best re-
suits. In certain portions CT the Blue
river thousands of beavers build their
dams These animals are easily
trapped, and the professional trappet
catches them by the hundreds II allowed
to work unhindered. The Indian police
are instructed to keep close watch on
these streams and to arrest all persons
who attempt to trap or kill the beaver.
Indian territory also has many other
flif-hearfng animals which would make
rich prizes for the trapper II he were
allowed to hunt them unreatrained.
The Indian agent is having his usual
trouble with hunters of deer this sea
son. Il man wishes to kill II deer Gr
two fef his own use there is no objee-
ton. But there are men in the terri.
tory who attempt to make their liveli-
hood by hunting deer and selling them
to butchers in and out OF the territory
The great and increasing demand for
venison in railroad eating houses and
in butcher shops all over this section. of
the country makes the traffic in venison
profitable The Indian police are in
structed to make the rounds Of the
butcher shops IN each town IN the terri
tory at regular Intervals and to con
fseafe any venfson or quail that they
may find for sale IN these places. This
is done very frequently In most terri.
tory towns. but seldom becomes known
to the general public. as no arrests arr
made and the butcher from whom the
meat IS taken Keeps his own counsel.