Bismarck daily tribune., 1908-10-21
NORTH DAKOTA GAME Law IS
A FOOLISH one, SAYS BOLLEY
The Professor Writes an Earnest Appeal for Protection Of
Ducks and Geese in the Spring and Game
Birds Generally at Other Times

Fargo, Oct 20, 190S.---I am very
much pleased to note in the Bismarck
Tribune, under a late date, the state
ment which make it plain that some
effort is going to be made for the
protection of the game birds of this
state. Any person who has been at
all familiar with the conditions under
which the game birds have lived in
this state during the past fifteen years
will, am sure feel safe In asserting
that under present conditioss the time
is fast coming when North Dakota
can no longer be said to be the home
of any important game bird.
As indicated in that article, North
Dakota is the natural home of many Of
the most important game birds that
are known to the American continent.
The black Canadian goose nests here
when undisturbed, and larger range
of water fowl in the line of ducks, etc.,
perhaps, than any other, state can
show, do likewise when not disturbed.
The small sweet water lakes of the
western and northern portion 9of the
state are natural resting places, and
furnish on their boundaries, II shore
lines, marshes, and grassy areas, a
natural nesting place for the canvas
back and mallard, the two most i'm
portant wafer bird of the country.
These birds are naturally shy only
to the gun, both Of them in the west
ern portion of the state would be al
most as tame during the spring sea-
son of the year as barnyard fowl
were they not relentlessly pursued
from north to south by the man with
the gun Just at the time when the
mother bird Is preparing to build, her
nest. The North Dakota law is, a
most foolish one for sensible people
To all intents and purposes this law
says to our gunners: you shall not
shoot duck or a goose while she is
on the nest, II however, these birds
prepare to build a nest, bang into
them. . So. IS. r. ~:
The natural summer home of such
water foul is anywhere in this north
ern region where the summers be-
come sufficiently cool to allow Birds
to nest with comfort. The ducks and
the large black geese would nestnfree-
" in all parts Of North Dakota where
there are proper nesting places, that
is If the fockss could light here to
rest in peace while the nesting sea-
son is on, H this protection3lswas
given them as 1T is now In Iowa and
Minnesota, the sloughs and lakes and
ponds Of North Dakota would become
as they once were, veritable boundar-
les of splendid birds. The mallard
in his habits is to all intents and pur-
sHoses domestic bird with wing
capable to take him out of the country
when frightened. Naturally he is not
more a wild bird than the domestic
pigeon, and even these when given
houses to live in will leave a mans
farm IL he allows his neighbors to
shoot at them few times in the
spring season. These water foul nat
urally go southwark when cold wealth.
er sets in, and this is the legitimate
| shooting season for the people OF
this state. North Dakota people would
not lessen their game supply In any
material respect by shooting such
birds during the season of migration
from north to south. Old hunters will
tell you that these birds will coma
back year after year to the places
in which they are allowed to breed
but when driven from these places
during the breeding season the same
birds will not even return to these
places during the fall migration, lbui
will follow another route.
1t is not the number of birds thai
are killed in the spring that does the
harm, for 1T may be stated with
truth that few sportsmen hunt in ths
spring, at least to any extent, and few
farmers will shoot at birds when the,
! know know that these same birds want Il
i build nests upon their farms. There
4 are, however, few people in ever,
community who want to kill some
thing, and they do not care whethel
they kill 1T while it is young or old
or whether 1t Is nesting, building o
getting ready to leave the country TO
Ia year. Most OF these gunners ar,
mere boys. who seeing a flock 8
birds or ducks, set out and take
shot at them with little hope Of eveI
getting q bird. The result OF such
shot however, fred at flock Of ma
lard or canvassback, or other ducl
will result il its flying several hun
Eau