The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-08-31
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 mercenary hunter and trapper
who has been responsible for the ex-
tinction OF valuable animals and Dlrds
II older sections of the United States is
row plying his trade in Indian territory.
in spite Of the strict game laws IL torce,
says a 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 out
Of the territory. While waiting lot
train at Crowder City the other day
Agent Shoenfelt noticed commotlon IN
several boxes and upon lnvestlgatlon
found that they were filed with 1--we
quail, which were billed to Anthony,
Kan. He ordered them released, and at
least 5000 full-grown birds flew ava?
toward the neighboring fields. Last
year the agent discovered 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 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 its meshes.
The Indian policemen, through the In
structions of the Indian agent, have been
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 vigil
liant, they are allowed to keep any game
that they confiscate which has been
killed by hunters. When they confiscate
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 ever the country plying his trade
at differen 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
trapped, and the professional trapper
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-baaring 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-
sen If a man wishes to kill deer OF
two for his own use there is no objec.
tiGn. But there are men in the terri.
tory who attempt to make their 1iveli-
| 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-
| fiscate 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 are
made and the butcher from whom the
| meat is taken keeps his own counsel.