The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-09
Tennis
CAME PROTECTION
SHOULD UNITE
SP0RTSMEN

With q constantly growing sentiment
throughout the world in favor Of the
protection Of wild game, the spectacle
Is presented Of the sportsmen OF Cali
sorufa lining up in two armies Tor q
battle before the legislators at their
meeting at Sacramento in Januarx IN
stead OF presenting a solid front IN
matter Of such vital Importance 70 the
state, they seem unable to reconcile
tAeir differences, and the great cause
In which both are interested VIII sur
fer.
The members of the California state
Fish and Game Protective Association,
who have given freely Of their time
and their talents 10 advance the cause
II the game protectionists, viii lind
opposed TO them at the Legislature an
Dther body organized, apparently, with
he same purpose. but with widely diff
sering ideas. The new movement is led
sv Lieutenant Governor Alden Ander-
g0n.
The old association. al its recent
convention held al Monterey, went on
record as favoring the passage Of law
prohibiting the sale Of ducks 1t has
been found throughout America that
the greatest destruction Of game has
been among the market hunters, and
The majority Of the States have passed
stringent laws shutting game out of
the markets X was also desired that
the limit number Of ducks to be killed
be reduced from fifty 70 twenty-five.
Both these changes in the laws are
opposed by a small body OF sportsmen'
who take the remarkable point of view
that the supply Of ducks is ineXhausti-
bic.
They harp on the subject that the
game Of the State is for all its people,
and that they should be allowed TO kill
at their own sweet viii. This sounds
like a broad ne1ed view, but II has
been shown 70 be in error by the eS-
perience OF the past. Various kinds
OF fish and game have been eXterminat-
Cd IN California under The very eyes Of
the game protectionists, who raised a
strong but futile protest against the
short-sighted policy which permitted OF
their destruction.
WILD FOWL DECREASING
The wild fowl throughout America
are steadily decreasing and number
OF causes are given for this condition.
The principal ones are market hunting,
spring shooting and the destruction OF
the breeding grounds by the gradual
advance Of the people. The Biological
Survey OF the United States Department
OF Agriculture issues frequent bulletins
on the subject, and dwells on the i'm
K1lLoIlNt o. the NutSAiOn II QUNh SnOOl-
ing is TO be enjoyed by future genera
lions OF sportsmen. A recent bulletin
says in part:
The principal causes Of the dimin-
ished numbers OF water fowl have been
market hunting, spring shooting, and
the destruction OF the breeding grounds
Tor farming purposes Previous to
twenty years ago, market hunting was
the principal factor in the steady dim
mutton of water fowl. Since 1885,
~ - 1ral- Nv
walton in North America has entirely
changed. The prairie districts OF Cen
tral Canada, comprising large portions
Of Manitoba Saskatchewan, and Al
berta are the ducks paradise Within
the United States this favored region
extends 10 the northeastern part OF
Montana, the northern half Of North
Dakota and the northwestern corner OF
Minnesota This whole vast region is
crowded with lakes, ponds, Sioughs and
marshes that furnish ideal nesting con-
ditions and unlimited food. Forty years
ago every available nook was crowded
with water fowl and the whole region.
1eO miles wide by 400 miles IN length,
was a great breeding colony and num-
bered its inhabitants by the hundreds
O thousands. To the northWard the
forests formed a partial boundary: to
the southwark, the general absence of
suitable breeding grounds was the con-
troinng factor, restricting the breed
ing water fowl to the few lakes and
marshes The number of breeding
ducks decreased rapidly from central
North Dakota southwark, until the out
posts were reached Ia the lake region
OF southern WISCONSIN, the Kankakee
marshes OF Illinois and Indiana, a few
favored spots IN Southwestern Mime
sofa, and the lakes of nortb-CenfraI
Iowa In Southern Wisconsin in 1864,
every pond hole and every damp de-
preston had its brood OF Young ducks
Durlng the next fifteen years the farm
ing OF the region changed from grain
raising 10 cairying, the marshes were
drained, the former duck nurseries be-
came grazing grounds, and duck hunt
ing there was sport of the past.
BREEDING GROUNDS GONE
An article written in 1877 on the
pircs Of Northeastern Illinois enumer-
stes twelve species OF ducks as breed
ing commonly ia the vicinity and three
others as occasionally found there In
summer ~ present, q brood of young
ducks IN this region is rare In 1888
some fourteen species bred near Clear
Lake, Iowa. and sixteen species at Her
on Lake, Minnesota. Now scarcely any
DUCKS breed at either lake. But the
places just mentioned We're merely tie
outskirts OF the ducks paradise AS
great change has taken place in the
very heart OF the breeding grounds.
The Northern Pacific Railroad cut
across ity southern border in Mime
sofa anal North Dakota and this was
soon followed BY a north and south line
10 Winnipeg.
Other shorter branches were built
later but the final doom of the ducks
was apparent when the Canadian Pa
CHIC Railroad crossed between Winni-
peg and the Rocky Mountains the fin
est duck breeding rounds on the con-
tpsnt During the past decade the last
stronghold of the waterfowl has been
invaded, and soon the great breeding
colonies Of Northern Alberta and Sas-
katchewan viii be of the past. Ii is
evident that in the United States and
southern Canada in q few years there
VIII be no great breeding colonies OF
the ducks most valued for sport and
Tor the table. The future supply must
come from isolated pairs and small col
onies scattered in favorable localities
over Canada and the northern quarter
Of the United States
An important question in connection
with the protection of ducks is the time
when they pair for the breeding sea
son, since il is evident that if shooting
IS continued after the birds are paired
decided decrease in the number OF
broods viii result. While the present
state OF knowledge does not Warrant
positive statements as to the exact date
OF pairing Of each species. enough mas
been learned 10 show that in the case
OF many species pairing occurs before
the breeding grounds are reached
Many il not most of the maIlards and
shovelers that pass through Illinois or
their way TO more northern breeding
grounds are paired before they leave
that State. and the same is tire o.
these species in Iowa Many black