The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1906-12-21
SAVE The PRAIRIE HEN
CIate Imam Speaks to the
Point ON Matter Vital
to Sportsmen.

Following Is an extract copied from
an article IN September Recreation
entitled The Vanishing Prairie
Heu," 10y Clate rnlan. Tho author
needs no introduction to the editors
and sporlsmeu OF South Dakota. He
is known as d prince OF good fellows
with the newspaper toys, ansl as a
~big-hearteu unsciiisll companion aud
honest hunter with The sp9rtslnen.
We WI h that every one IN the state
could read the entire article. !
The people OF the western prairies should
realize that All game laws are not in the i'll
tcrest of the few-as some would have them
believo--but In the Interest Of the many, of
which they consulate the major part. The
prairie chickens should be protected with rca-
sonable assurance of maintaining the supply
il for no other reason than the food they fur
nish to the farmer, 10 the stocktnan and to
the rancher. With shis, the pursuit of them
furnishes the yenI Of the prairie homes
about the only re srtatlon with dog and gun
that the countfy affords lhe rich and we'll
to do can either stock private game preserves
vi JctihNJ t'ai ~ ~ v '"i''H ~
game is plentiful. 10 this latter class. the
coming or going OF the. prairie chicken is of
small moment. for The whole world is theirs
IN the pursuit of pleasure. notwithstanding
this. and the further tact thai the prairie
chicken is the best friend in bird life that the
farmer has; destroying as it docs, myriads of
blgs and gras shoppeis and never molesting
standing grnin. nine trnths of the opposition
to effective game lamsin every legislative
assembly comes from the farmer members.
There is II feeling among This class OF men
tnut game protection Is The sole %interest of
the ci.y sports men, Notwithstanding that the
laws OF most states have stringent trespass
laws which give TO the farmer absolnle control
of his lnnds where the prairie chickens breed
and make their tonnes. The city sportsmen
are perfectly willing that it should be so, rest
Ing IN tho belief tat there will always be
enough BIRDS get over the line TO give reason
able sport.
The posting of farms, too. is approved by
the better class OF s%portsmen. 1t Is u pro-
lection to the birds and u restraint on van
daiism. That is to say, it is Il protection to
the birds IL the farmer will let them nlone
until September /. and see that his hired help
and his son do LIKEWISE There is II feeling
among farmers that any law which conseryes
the game Is but the saving of them for the
Hunters from the towns and cities. They
come on to their lands ON the opening day
and let their dogs run riot, not only cleaning
up whole covtys, but doing more or less
damage to grain and fences. The provoca-
ton is strong, then to get out a little in aa
vance and get y few messes before the
shooting opens In September.
Thre is only ono remedy for this. and thai
Is the appointment OF effective game wardens
from the farming community. In some OF
the Western states notably the two Dakota.
there IL no state game warden ur game com
mission and but ~ few county wardens ap
painted by the governor, none OF whom re.
cefye y dollar of compensation. Tho impossi
bifity of u single county game warden watch,
Ing from 500 to 1000 square miles OF .territor.
and boarding. himself, is at once apparent.