The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-03-02
SLAUGHTER OF GAME
ANIMALS AND BIRDS RECKLESS
LY KILLED BY HUNTERS.
Indian Territory Is the Scene OF
Their Wanton Destruction in
Spite of Laws Passed to
Protect Them.

The mercanary hunter ana trappel
| who has been responsible for the ex-
| tinction 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 a Muskogee correspondent OF the
Kansas City Journal.
The Indian agent has discovered that
quail trappers are making systemat-
ic campaign against this class of birds
by trapping them and sending them out
of the territory. While waiting for a
train ct Crowder City the other day
Agent Shoenfelt noticed commotiOn III
several boxes, and upon investigation
found that they were filled with live
quail, which we're billed to Anthony,
Kan. He ordered them released, and at
least 5000 full-grown birds flew away
toward the neighboring fields. Last
year the agent discovered 5 1000 live 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 trapper is prob
ably the greatest enemy of the true
sportsman of Indian territory. He
stretches a large net in the tall 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 it's meshes.
The Indian policemen, through the in
structions of the Indian agent, have been
releasing 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 confiscate which has been
killed by hunters. When they conflscate
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 of the Blue
river thousands of beavers build their
dams. These animals are easily
- oppCu, anu IAC pAOASSS1Oud1 LAdppCI
catches them by the hundreds if 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
fur-bearing animals which would make
rich prizes for the trapper if he were
allowed to hunt them unrestrained.
The Indian agent is having his usual
trouble with hunters of deer this sea-
son. If man wishes to kill a deer or
two for his own use there is no objec-
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-
iscate any venison or quail that they |
nay find for sale in these places. This |
IS done very frequently in most terri |
tory towns, but seldom becomes known |
% the general public, as no arrests are
made and the butcher from whom the
neat is taken keeps his own counsel.