The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-03-02
RADICAL CHANGES
IN GAME LAWS
CONCENTRATIONS OF JOINT
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
Bill to Create State Game, Fish and
Forest Commission Empowered to
appoint All Game and Forest
Wardens-Open Seasons For Game
and Limit of Bag.

bills recommended for
- passage by the legislature by
the join. committee on g me and fish
make some radical changes in the
present laws. The most important
measure is a bill hat creates the
state game, fish and forest commits
sion to consist of the governor, fish
commissioner and forest warden.
The appointment of game wardens is
taken out of the hands of county com
missioners and the state board is Civ
en- authority to name such game
wardens and forest wardens as. me-
cessity demands. The fish commis-
sioner and forest warden are ap-
pointees OF the governor and the new
bill gives him absolute control of the
enforcement Of game laws An ap-
preparation # $4,000 is provided
for in the bill.
Licenses for Fishermen
The new license bill requires county
licenses for fishermen and hunters of
81 per annum for residents of this
state; a state license can be had from
the state auditor for IS. Non-res;-
dents are charged proper tionately
higher fees. Fishermen s licenses ex-
tend to wives of the owners and chill
dren under Is years.
The bill codifying all the game laws
provides for an open season for deer
and caribou, with a limit of two deer
to be taken and an absolute protec-
ton of spotted fawns. The open sea-
son in Western Washington is Octo-
Der, in Eastern Washington from Oc-
tober 1 to December Is. Hunting
with dogs on the islands Of the Sound
is prohibited and it is made a misde-
meanoi to kill deer in the water or
as it comes out of the water.
Open Season for Grouse
In Western Washington, October,
November and December are fixed as
the open months for grouse, part
ridges, native pheasants, quail, Chi
nese or Mongolian pheasants, and, .
limit Of ten birds q day is prescribed.
In Kktitas county, prairie chickens
may be shot between September 10
and October l, but no more than five
day can be taken. In Eastern
Washington, exclusive of K&titas
county, the open season for prairie
chickens, sage hens, grouse. quail,
ETC., is fixed between August b and
November Is. Except in Okanogan
and Douglas counties, blue, grouse
may be shot between August ] and
December Prairie chickens, sharp
tail or pin tail grouse or willow grouse
are protected until September Is,
1908, and an express provision is ad-
ded that wherever any protection is
afforded by existing laws, the new
bill shall not change conditions.
A closed season between March
and September l is prescribed for
swans. geese, brant, sand bill cranes,
snipe, woodcock, maDard, canvass
back, widgeon, teal, spoonbill, gray
or black ducks. 1t IS specified that
this section shall not apply to black
or siwash duck, sea coot or oyster
coot or merganger.
Limit Per Day
Fifteen snipe, ducks, geese or brant
is the limit Of days shooting and it
is provided that this game shall not
he hunted with q launch or fired at
from any save boat propelled by
hand. A strict provision Is made
against the sale Of game, but it IS
provided that any sportsman desir-
ing to store game for personal con-
sumption after the close OF the sea-
son may do so upon application to tho
game warden for permission.
An open season during October,
November and December IS provided
for California, valley or mountain
ouai. bob white or any other kind Of
Continued on Pase Four