Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1905-08-23
Shameful Act of Visitor While On Oak
 Creek
Sportsmen Have A Plan To Inf1ict A
 Penalty
(From Saturdays Dsily.)

Sportsmen of Yavapai county, es- pecially those who for some six years past have spent time and their money in helping to stock Oak creek and Peck's lake, are decidedly angry be- cause of having learned that dynamite has once this season been used to kill fish. The particular individual who was guilty of this mean act is we'll known resident of the county, and luckily for him departed from the scene of his contemptible trick before the knowledge of it came to those who would have arrested him had they known of it in time.
 Never stopping to think of the hun dreds of small fish he would kill in dy namiting a few trout and bass, he de- stroyed hundreds of young fish, some in their first season. These young fish represent the expense and trouble incurred by the real sportsmen of this section, who each season have collect ed a fund for the purpose of securing and planting spawn.
 By the time the facts became known the dynamite sport had left the creek, with a gunny sack partially filled with fish that he had killed in this manner. Rather than stir mp any trouble, and not knowing how far it might be possible to prove the charge, no action was taken against him.
 Yesterday several residents of Pres discussing a plan to go out after bass the first day of September, and this matter of dynamiting fish was brought up. The little gathering was made up of some who have done much toward making good fishing in Oak creek and the lake. and everyone knew who the guilty man was, and where he is to be found in Prescott. 4 feeling was expressed toward prosecuting him, even at this late day, but instead ra ther husiness-like suggestion was offer ed that all eoncurred in.
 One sport put the matter thus: 'We all know who he is. and he is wise enough to understand that we know all about his using dynamite to kill fish. We know. too that he is such a poor excuse for trout fisherman that he had to use dynamite to get any fish at all. He may be ashamed of what he did, but I doubt it. My idea is to make him pay for it indirectly. l When the time comes for raising fund I for our season s plant, we will simply 1 go to him. and make him ante his l, share of the expense. We will need | nearly a hundred dollars this year, and i I think he will scarcely refuse to pay in fair share when we ask him for a contribution.
 This suggestion met with favor among the members of the impromptu l meeting. and a reporter happened ID at ] a time to take part in the talk, having |
  man.
 Inquiry shows that since this one act of vandalism close watch has been kept on visitors to Oak creek by sportsmen from Jerome and other points. 10 prevent any recurrence of it. The lucky escape of the first wrong doer has made it a sure thing | that the next man caught in such work | will be prosecuted without mercy. |
 Fish Commissioner Jean Allison, of | Jerome. knows of this one case, and | has taken especial pains to see that the next dynamiter shall not escape | punishment.
 All who have heard of this fragrant l offense, are indignant, more especi- ally herause the man who was guilty is | a prominent resident of Prescott, who | can offer no possible excuse for such unsportsmaliikr behavior.