Gilpin observer., 1907-06-13
Dissatisfied With The Game Laws.

UlSSatlSlle0 win Inc tame Laws.
A few remarks in regard to the game
law revised by the last legislature. The
killing of the doe deer in season which
begins October 1st and closes October
goth is all right, but to have the open
season for grouse August End to Oc-
tober 1st is sure death to the grouse
family in a very short time. Killing
grouse the first of August is what the
sportsmen call killing them in the nest
Any one wishing mess of grouse at
that time of the year can leave their
gun at home and use club or stone
and save the ammunition for the future.
have taken young grouse at the time
mentioned above and could get close
enough to touch them with the barrel
of my gun. The majority of young
grouse through the month of August
are not worth the cartridge it takes to
kill them. There are exceptions among
these birds, you will find few in that
month that are fair size, but this only
happens one in ten. 1t depends a great
deal in the locality where the young are
brought forth. The open season for
grouse should begin September 1st, and
end November 1st, then they are able
to take better care of themselves. The
limit to any one person is 25 grouse, this
is another chance for man to make a
hog of himself. Five grouse should be
the limit; any reasonable sportsman
would be well satisfied with that num-
Der. He generally gets less. But as
this is our state law we will have to
abide with it, and get out among them
on the opening of the season, if we
don't they will be all killed off in short
time.
Another improvement could be made
in having closed season on rabbits in
this state. Let the open season begin
Septemberf1st and close January 1st
and make it violation of the game law
to use ferrets or dogs in hunting them.
What chance has a rabbit from these
destructive animals, he is driven from
one place to another. To escape from
the ferret is an impossibility. Six rab-
bits out of every ten are killed in their
home. Therefore the hunter gets no
benefit for his trouble. A man that
takes ferret out to hunt rabbits is not
considered true sportsman, and is a
game butcher without any thought for
his fellow men, and should not be clas-
sed with person who takes his rifle or
shot gun out on still hunt and kills his
game clean and mercifully.
If reasonable hunter takes a shot
at rabbit and makes a miss, the rab-
bit gets away to live and bring out
another supply of young for the next
hunting season. A man with ferret
cares not whether he gets the rabbit or
not by shooting because he knows that
the cotton-tail must slowly but surely
die. Let the state pass law that any
man caught in possession of ferret
while out hunting be fined $25.00 or
serve thirty days in the county Jail.
Another little fault to find: l wonder
if the humane society is aware that |
there is certain class of butchers that |
are out all through the summer months |
killing and destroying our song and in
sectivorous birds. Just think of it, a |
man or anyone who has the gall to call
himself man to take the life of our
robin red breast; also our little blue
bird with his soft warble in the spring.
How cheerful and happy it makes
person feel after lonesome winter to
hear their welcome little voices. Why, |
they would almost come in and pick |
the crumbs from your table; also build
their nest under your roof. If | am
not mistaken the license which any per-
son must have to hunt game in the
state of Colorado is not only permis-
sion to take game in season, but is
gun license to prevent anyone carrying
a gun out of season. OF course, there
is difference in carrying gun for tar
get practice and for the purpose of
killing everything in the country. Let
every man, woman and child of this
state to do their part to stop the killing
of our spring and summer birds. Good
ness knows there is not many of them
left. Punish the person who is always
looking for an opportunity to destroy
everything that is beautiful.
j. B. H.