The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-08-12
PROTECTING. GAME
IN AMERICA
BY Fred Haskn.)

I
the section of the continent of North
America now embraced in the United
States was one of the greatest game
preserves in the world. The Indians
loved the chase, but rarely destroyed
game wantonly. One reason for this
was that the primitive methods of the
savage in taking game made it more
difficult for him to be game hog
than 1t is for the modern American,
with his repeating rifle, his pump
gun, his dogs his decoys, and his
other equipment Another reason
was that the Indians meat came
from the forests and plains, and he
did not care to destroy his source of
supply. Had the Indians remained in
possession of the country there
would have been as many deer and
buffalces in America today as there
were four centuries ago. The. rapid
decrease in game throughout the
United States after the settlement of
due altogether to density of popula-
ton, but to a general belief that the
supply was inexhaustible
From 1892 until 1862, when the
Maine Legislature created the office of
moose warden, very little was done
in this country to protect game and
the movement to prevent the exter-
mination of our wild animals, fish
and birds has only become general
within the last few years. At present
thirty-six states and territories in
trust the enforcement of their game
laws to state boards, wardens or
other specially constituted authori-
ties, and active efforts are being
made to educate the people to an I'M
derstanding of the Importance of re-
framing from shooting out of season
and otherwise violating game laws
that do not work hardship upon
any true sportsman or upon any man
who seeks food with his rod and
gun. Every state which has under
taken to enact and enforce game
laws has met with opposition from
certain element. There are always
landowners who resent any legisla-
tive interference with what they con-
slider their inalienable right 10 shoot
game in or out of season upon their
own land. but gradually the preju-
dices of such citizens are being over
cided increase in the supply of game
within the next decade.
The duties of game wardens, under
some of the state laws, are by no
means simple or devoid of hardships.
During the open season the warden
is supposed to devote a great deal of
his time to prevent the illegal ship
ping of game. He must often exer-
else his ingenuity in discovering
whether restaurants and hotels are
selling quail as "snowbirds" or
young OWLS and whether venison
is being served under some other
name. Killing dogs is another I'M
pleasant duty of the game warden in
states which prohibit the bounding
of deer, and no one who has not had
occasion to bring about the death of
a neighbours dog knows just what
sort of feeling can be stirred up by
this sort of activity. A few months
after the. law prohibiting hunting
deer with dogs went into effect in
Pennsylvania the secretary of the
game commission estimated that
fully 5000 dogs had been killed in
enforcing it. In many states there
are laws requiring the destruction of
traps and devices used to capture
game, and in few the confiscation
of guns used in violation of tho law is
required.
In the East much trouble has
arisen from the killing of game and
ornamental birds and all varieties of
animals by immigrants, who cannot
be. persuaded that the game laws are
meant seriously, and who not only
resent attempts to enforce them, but
in many instances resort to the use
of arms to register their protests. In
the mountainous sections of the
states in the Appalachian region it is
also somewhat difficult and danger
GUS to make arrests for violations of
the game laws. The mountaineer re-
CARDS the game warden and the
"revenuer" in the same light. In
his opinion both are bent upon in
fringing upon his rights, and he is
not slow to resent such interference.
The record of fatalities incident to
the prosecution of the duties of the
warden shows that the game war
den's occupation is more hazardous
than that of soldier. Several depu-
ties and other officials have been
killed, and others have only saved
themselves from a similar fate by
GOODNESS and the ability to "get the
drop on the other fellow.
y