The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-07
HUNTERS OBJECT TO
QUAIL PROTECTION
Proposed Closed Season Law
Meets With Loud
Protest

A representative body of hunters
gathered last night in the house cham
Der of the old state capitol to discuss
game and fish legislation, and more
particularly to protest against the pas
sage of the Douglas bill in the legisla-
ture, provision of which calls for a
closed season for quail for number Of
years.
Nearly 200 sportsmen from various
parts of the state were present. The
meeting was the result of the efforts of
Fred c. Schiffmann of this city to pre-
sent TO the legislature and the game
and fish commission the views of the
hunters and fishermen of the state
Judge j. H Steele of Minneapolis was
elected chairman of the temporary or
ganization; c. II. Griggs secretary, and
Fred Schiffmann assistant secretary.
The first question discussed was the
closed season for quail. All were unan-
imous In the belief that such legisla-
ton as proposed was unnecessary and
unfair. Frank Werrick, mayor of Belle
Plaine, said that the sportsmen of the
state We're not responsible for the scar
city of quail, but that rigorous winters
and pothunters were the cause.
Samuel Fullerton of the state game
and fish commission said that he did
not thing that a closed season would
remedy the existing evil
A resolution, on motion of o. q.
Clark, that no closed season on quail
be declared, and that the season be
open from Oct. 10 to Dec. /, was
passed.
Novel Bass Theory
The bass fishing question then was
taken up. w. II. Stone, a Methodist
pastor of Mapleton, Mimi, made a re-
markable address, in which he at
tackled and discredited the present
means of protecting game fish. He
said that the very means taken to pro-
tect the fish were the means of caus-
ing their determination. The sucker
tribe, he said, killed off the game fish,
destroying the spawn and literally
smotherfng them. He recommended
that the use of set nets, not less than
one and three-fourths inches between
knots be allowed; that tht game laws
allow the expectation and free sale of
all fish of the sucker tribe, including
bullheads and sunfish; that a license
be charged for the use of the nets. the
money derived 10 be used for the arti-
nclal propagation of game fish, and
that stamp bearing the name of the
shipper be attached to every package
OF fish shipped to identify the shipper
in case violation of the law was dis
covered. A resolution was passed
calling upon the legislature to pass a
law such as he outlined, including
also the changing of the open bass sea-
son from May 20 to May Is.
Fred Schiffman raised the question
or the adjustment of the pump gun. as
provided in the Lennon bill. which
caused heated discussion. Many con-
tended as did he, that the pump gun
was responsible for the scarcity of
prairie chickens. Martin O'Brien of
Crookston amended Mr.. Schiffman's
motion limiting it's use until after Oct.
and the motion was carried that this rec
ommendation be made to the Iegisla-
ture. o. A. Broten of Ulen. Mimi, and
Frank Werrick of Belle Plaine, fought
vigorously against it.
In Regard to Chickens
The subject Of a limited season on
prairie chicken caused much discus
sion- The organization finally passed
motion for opening a season from
Sept. 10 to Nov. 1. Swaggard's mo-
ton, calling for 81 license on each
gun, to provide the game and fish
commission with funds necessary to
prosecute violators of the game laws.
was passed. The organization also
recommended that the bag limit be al
lowed to stand as at present, and not
be reduced as provided in a bill now
before the legislature
Chairman Steele, on motion of ]. r.
Hickey to make the temporary organ
ization a permanent one, appointed
Louis w. Hill, ]. R. Hickey, Nj. L.
Don Morrison, c. M.
Griggs, F. c. Schiffman and himself
ex officio as members of a committee
to formulate a constitution and by
laws. They will report tonight, when
another meeting will be held at the old
capitol