The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-08-12
STATE GAME LAW
CHEF WARDEN BANCROFT HAS
COMPLETED HIS REPORT
FOR FIRST YEAR
SOME CHANGES
Advises Abolition of Spring Shooting
--WouId Establish State Fish
Neutrality-suspicious. Sem
ing Restricted

MISUNDERSTANDING that the South
Dakota game law has operated salts
factorily during its first year ending
July / last, and that the department
of game and fish accomplished much
o than was expected by it's friends
the first annual report of the depart
ment has been completed by State
Game Warden w. F. Bancroft OF this
city and will be transmitted to Gov
ernor Vessey.
The report embodies Mr.. Brancroft's
recommendations to the next legisla-
ture. Several minor changes are de-
sired by tn department, the defects
having been detected In the first years
experience. 1t is urged that the ap-
pointing power of the county game
wardens be taken out of the hands of
the county commissioners and either
vested in the state game warden, or
be made an elective Office. In many
counties county game wardens have
been lax in their duty and the state
game warden has no way to force
their hand as the law now stands.
The entire abolition OF spring shoot
ing is advised. The Minnesota law is
cited as a worthy example. Better
regulation of SEEMING for fish, is asked.
The department wishes to stop all
SEEMING except such as is specifically
authorized by the state game warden.
FISH HATCHERY WANTED.
The warden says he Is planning two
prejects-frst, the establishment Of a
state fish hatchery, and second the IN
PRODUCTION OF the Chinese ring neck
phaesants into the game fields of the
state. The state game fund will &C
cumulate rapidly at a rate OF better
than 10, 900 q year. The department
wishes to use the fund for these pur-
poses.
There were issued in the state last
year 20, 199 resident licenses, 1873 nom
resident lcenuses for feathered game,
IL for big game, 81 for fishing, n
for trapping. From these the state
derived a net revenue of $14,642., OF
which there remains in the treasury
afr paying all the expenses of the
game department, including the salary
of the state warden, about $lO,v0O.
The nonresident license fees. alone
will pay the expenses OF h depart
ment.
BAN ON CHICKEN SHOOTING
NEAR END.
No mention Is made OF the prairie
chicken proposition In which the
sportsmen of the state now have the
greatest interest. The present law
ends the closed season next September
and the 1911 legislature must make a
new provision. Concerning this Mr..
Bancroft says:
After having sounded the sentt-
ment of the sportsmen in every sec
ton of the state I find there Is a wide
difference of opinion as to what
should be done. Hence / did not take
the matter up. / will call a meeting
of the county game wardens in Huron
during the state fair and will extend
the invitation to all sportsRaen who
wish to be present. There We will
thresh the matter out and decided,
possible upon what is best. | think,
however, that chicken shooting will
be permitted in South Dakota during
the fall of 1911, as the birds are plen-
tiful, having increased very rapidly
this year But it will be for a short
time only. probably for fifteen days"