The Morris County chronicle., 1908-03-17
PRESERVATION OF WILDFOWL
New Jersey Lags Far Behind the Lead
ers in This Movement
IL New JERSEY CITIZENS /:

stop spring shooting in this country.
Already most Of the states and prov
inces of North America have legislated
against it to some extent. New Jer-
sey lags far behind the leaders in this
movement.
We beg you and every true frien of
the birds to unite in urging the repre-
sentatiyes and senators in the legisla
ture of 1908 to vote for Senate Bill (172)
which prohibits all shooting of water
fowl and shore birds from January first
untilthe open season in the fall.
New Jersey, once the home of myr-
lads Of water fowl and shore birds,
has been swept nearly bare of these
birds by the reprehensible and waste
full practice of spring shooting.
Wherever the late winter and spring
shooting of ducks and shore birds has
been allowed for long series of years,
the best food ducks have been greatly
reduced in number or exterminated.
Already birds formerly resorting here
in countless thousands have been
swept out OF existence. The wild
pigeon, wild turkey and pinnated
grouse have been extirpated from New
Jersey The swans and snow geese,
also the godwits. curlews, willet, up
land plovers killdeer, golden plover,
and a few other species of shore birds
are nearly all gone, and the widgeon,
wood duck and green-winged teal are
now in danger of determination.
A reasonable amount of fall shoot
ing will not decrease the annual flight
of birds if they are protected the rest
of the year, but January and February
shooting of wild fowl takes advantage
of the necessities OF the birds when they
are driven to such feeding grounds
and drinking places as are free from
ice, and when they have enough to
contend with to get a living and with
stand the inclement weather.
Some are starved or frozen in severe
winters, and they should be protected
from all shooting In these months,
In February and March wild fowl
are mating, and shooting at this time
destroys the naturally selected breed
ing stock then on the way to IL e
breeding grounds.
Wherever spring shooting has been
prohibited by law for series of years
the birds have increased. This has
been true of even the most limited
regions, and the Slight increase in the
flight Of certain ducks, ployer and
snipe, which has occurred here in re-
cent years, is plainly due to the recent
protection these birds have received
in other states and in Canada during
their spring migration.
At present all species of wild fowl
which are found in the state have no
protection, as the New Jersey law al
lows duck shooting whenever the
birds are in the state.
Tie same unfortunate condition OBJ
tains in respect to the shore birds |;
they receive no protection whatever.
The law thus allows the gunner to
drive away the native breeding species
and permits the shooting of the Cana
dian species during practically all the
time In which they stay with us.
Were it not for the fact that Cana
dian provinces prohibit spring shoot
ing. most of the desirable wild fowl
would have been exterminated already.
The laws have been made mainly
for the benefit of the shore grnners,
and these laws if continued must re-
suit in the determination of the birds.
Such laws are unjust TO the sports
men of the interior for they give the
shore gunners and pot hunters chance
to Kill off the birds while the ponds
and rivers are frozen and the birds are
crowded along the seashore. Such laws
are unjust to all the people for they
assure the destructian of great natu-
raj source of enjoyment and food sup
ply-a nations birthright.
The object of stopping the shooting
ofshore birds January first, when there
are few, If any, in the state, is to give
the gunner no excuse for shooting af-
ter that date, or disturbing any birds
In spring.
If all shooting can be stopped on
January first. the black duck, arood
dstck and some other species will come
back again and breed plentifully in
New Jersey, as they have already done
in other northern states where spring
shooting Is now forbidden by law, and
we shall see the rivers, ponds and
marshes alive with birds as of old,
Please see and ask, your representa-
tive and senator to support Senate
Bill l72, or write to them. This is ur
gent and we appeal to you to give the
matter your immediate attention.
The enemy are active; help rs defeat
their attempt to make it legal to
slaughter breeding birds.
Very respectfully,
VIM. BUTCHER,
President National Association of Au
dubon Societies.
In Morris County write to Hon.
Thos. j. Hillery, The Capitol, Tren-