The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-12-08
FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR
GAME BIRDS.
10 We Know the Value of Game and
Common Birds! - Argument LOT
Resident License.

Correspondence Wilson Times.
During the past ten years there has
been a splendid progress in nearly
every State in the Union for game
protection, showing the real value OF
our game, and the figures as shown
here are verified by both the United
States Agricultural Department at
Washington and our Department at
Raleigh.
The grasshopper is said to cause
an annual damage to the farms IN
the United States OF ninety million
dollars. 1t is shown one-third OF the
amount of grasshoppers Matched
have been destroyed by the birds.
The chin bug is also very destructive
to farm products. Out OF the crops
OF sixteen quail, they were found to
contain seven ounces OF the chinch-
bug. Putting this at a very low esti-
mate, the actual value of the quail to
the farmers is hard to estimate.
During 1903. the Audubon Society
of North Carolina was Incorporated.
No one who knows can deny the fact
OF the great good done by this society
which was in operation over the entire
State until our past Legislature,
when fifty-fOur counties were with
drawn and are now under the prOtec-
tion of the commissioners of the re-
spective counties. A very conserva-
tive estimate of the value OF the
game, insectivorous and song birds to
our State annually is million and a
half dollars. Thousands OF acres OF
worthless land, as far as farming is
concerned, is bought up at very
high price for game preserves, as well
as the taxes on thousands OF acres
of land have been paid for the hunt
ing privileges. Guilford county alone
has an income OF $4,000 annually
derived from the lease OF her hunting
property. Currituck county's an
nual income from the sale Of game
and taxes on marsh land amounts to
something over $500. AS our
Legislature meets in the next three
months let us see that such laws are
passed looking forward to better
game protection. Below we give an
outline OF what we think, as we'll as
some OF the best men OF our State
and those who are most interested,
OF what would be the best law for the
protection and propagation ofgame:
l. That it furnishes the means OF
maintaining the work of game pro-
lection without any direct apprO-
priatiOn and any serious hardships.
2. That license is paid only by
thnSo Tuh0 IOuir-o hnraEH fr0rIo
protection and not imposed on those
who have no interest and do not care
to avail themselves of the privilege
OF hunting.
3. 1t furnishes a system Of regis
tration of all persons hunting and
thereby makes the enforcement OF
game laws more effective
T. Some of the Southern States
experience have shown that even a
nominal fee OF $500 is sufficient to
keep out of the fields many a shiftless
and irresponsible hunter through
whose operation much game is de-
stroyed.
5 1t may be the means of obtain
ing valuable statistics as to the
amount Of game killed, If the holders
OF the license are required to report
the number of birds shot.
The value of birds to the farmer as
destroyer OF insects, noXious weeds
and injurious rodents is too large
a sub ect to be surmised in a single
paragraph.
You will find these subjects discuss
ed in a number OF the bulletins issued
by the United States Department OF
Agriculture, namely, circulars No.
OLA and 81 as we'll as one by Sylves-
ter D. Judd, treating on birds as
weed destroyers. !
The value of game is well exempli-
fed by the condition in Guilford,
Currituck and several other counties
OF the State where worthless lands
as far as farming is concerned are
bought up at a big price for game
preserves, as we'll as, in a number OF
instances, where the tax is paid on
land for the hunting privilege.
Some of the reasons that the COM
mission plan OF game law enforce
ment is likely to meet with more
favor than enforcement through the
Audubon Society or any other pri-
vate corporation is because it re-
moves objections and apparently
turning over to a private corpora
ton duties which properly belong to
the State, and place this branch on
footing with that OF other branches
of the State government.
Very respectfully,
MILFORD W. HAYES.