The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1910-07-02
Interesting Pamphlet Issued by
the Department of Agriculture.
Several Important Changes Made In
Game Laws In Several States
Diseouraging Predictions Made
as TO Quail.

hington.-Nimrods will find a
fund of valuable information in a
pamphlet recently issued by the de-
partment of agriculture entitled
Progress of Game Protection" 1t is
the work of T. S. Palmer, Henry Oldy
and c. E. Brewster, assistants in the
biological survey.
Last year is summarized from the
game standpoint In these words,
which form the introduction" to the
pamphlet:
THE year 1909 was marked by a
general awakening in the movement
for the increase of game, both in ex-
periments in propagation and in the
establishment of game refugees and
private preserves. Several states
made provision for the establishment
Of state preserves or farms, and Min
nesota and Ontario set aside adjoin-
ing tracts comprising altogether more
than 100000 acres. The demand
for game birds for restocking. as in
former years, was much larger than
the supply, and imported pheasants
and European cartridges seemed to
be the only upland species which
could be obtained in sufficient num-
bers to restock depleted covers.
I'm general, game wintered well, ex-
cept that the elk of Wyoming and
Idaho suffered for food during the
cold weather, and 1t became necessary
in Wyoming for the state to provide
hay in some localities. The hunting
season as a whole was fairly success
full, but weather conditions proved un-
favorable in certain sections, particu-
larly in the case of deer hunting in
Michigan and Wisconsin and duck
hunting on the Pacific coast. In most
parts Of the country duck shooting
was considered above the average.
The hunting season was marred, as
in 1908, by large number of hunt
ing accidents, the fatalities reported
being nearly so per cent. more than
those reported in any previous year.
In the administration Of the game
laws important changes were made in |
several states. IN New York, New |
Jersey and Wisconsin civil service
methods were applied to the warden |
service. In Kansas and Oklahoma the |
game departments were handicapped |
by lack of funds through defects in
the appropriation bills, and in North |
Carolina the responsibility of enforce
ment was divided between the board
of supervisors in some counties and
the Audubon society in others.
I'm legislation the record Of the
year was very large, owing to ses-
sions of the legislatures in all but half
a dozen states and the wide interest
manifested in game protection. The
number of game cases appealed to
the higher courts was smaller than
usual, and few powell or important
points were decided, but 1t is interest
ing to note that several game laws
were declared unconstitutional"
Taking up various kinds of game In
detail, the book states that the killing
of deer showed decrease last year,
returns from the states east of the
Mississippi showing $500 deer killed
in 1909, as against 10000 in 1908.
In the two states where moose may
be hunted-Maine and Minnesota
these animals still are plentiful, the
report says. The antelope of Mon
tana, Nevada, Oregon and Wyoming
are now eliminated from the game
list, says the government report.
Rather discouraging predictions for
sertain sections of the country are