The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-01-07
SMALL GAME IS
SCARCE IN JERSEY
Decrease in Quail, Pheasants,
Rabbits and Gray Squirrels
Alarms Hunters
SNARERS AND TRAPPERS BLAMED
Farm Deterioration Another Cause Of
Shortage-Close Season to Stimu-
late Propagation Advocated by All
Except Game Hogs.

Mays Landing. N. Game has
been so scarce that the hunting has
been a failure. Near the close of the
season for quail, pheasant, rabbits and
gray squirrels, statistics show there
hasn't been enough shooting to sup
ply topics for a single session of the
Ananias Club. Sportsmen throughout
New Jersey advocate a closed season
that the propagation of game may be
encouraged.
Primarily the reason for the rapid
decrease of game is the onslaught
made on it by hunters, legally and IL
legally. Climatic conditions have not
so much changed as to deter its pro-
pagation, nor has the lack of feeding
grounds been altogether responsible.
From the records of hunting licenses
issued 1000 gunners raided the game
fields of Atlantic county this season.
Add to this the number of persons
hunting without licenses. the foreign
residents who are either ignorant of
or wilfully violate the law. and the
large number of persons who snare
anu lIdp anu II 10 tNluCh1 NlAC
chances are against the preservation
OF sport unless stringent measures are
taken to restock the fields and woods.
Quail thrive best on farm land,
where they have a wide variety of
food, but when the farm is unCultivat-
ed and rank weeds grow where before
grew grain the birds seek other cover.
n
Jersey, have been abandoned in re-
cent years that scores of choice feed
ing grounds for game have been de.
stroyed. When the native soil is fer
tile the natural food supplied by wild
grass and weeds is no doubt sufficient
for the birds; but usually the soil in
deserted farms is so impoverished
that such provender for the game is
scarce. Sportsmen who have gone
over such fields in the last season
have expressed surprise at the ex
uemely light vegetation.
In spite of the vigilance of game
wardens and the protest of sportsmen
the practice of trapping game con-
tinues in almost every part of the
State. Hunters have reported find-
ing snares and boxtraps in the woods
1t is dangerous to send a dog into the
brush. Probably so per cent. of the
rabbits bagged in this county are
trapped; but the trappers are so
wary, and the offense is so difficult to
prove, that few have been caught.
Quail also are shared in large num-
bers.
There are many hunters who go
into the woods, not for sport, but for
slaughter, reckoning their sportsman
ship by the number of birds or ami
mails killed rather than by skillful
craftsmanship. Among this class are
included "ground-swipers," pot hunt
ters" and game hogs" Hunters Of
this rank fortunately are few in num-
ber, but one such gunner can play
havoc in the game fields and spoil the
sport for others.
The sportsmen of New Jersey are
face to face with the fact that unless
something is done Immediately their
guns will be of little more use. Where
he formerly came home with bag of
fifteen to twenty rabbits the hunter
has been fortunate this season to get
five. Where he shot dozen quail a
few years ago he now shoots one.
About a year ago the State Fish
and Game Commission, with a view to
providing better feeding grounds for
quail, offered free buckwheat seed to
farmers who would plant it and let it
stand. Few farmers have accepted
the offer.