The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-09-30
Light on Game Laws

The attorney general has rendered
several opinions intended TO throw
light on various features of the revised
game laws that are not clearly under
stood. One of the most radical changes
of the new laws lengthens the deer sea
son from twenty days 10 about seven
weeks that is from Oct. Is until Nov.
30. but each license expires twenty
five days after il is issued and cannot
be renewed
Many were in doubt as to whether
under the new law the County Clerk
had the right 10 issue licenses in adj
vance of the opening of the. deer sea-
son. as has been customary IN the past.
The attorney general is OF the opinion
that ne may legally do so, bot as the
life of the license begins with the date
of Issue ii is not likely that many
hunters will care 10 take out their Ii
censes before Oct. 10. the opening day
OF the season. On this point the at
| torney general says:
The statute seems to be clear and
specific, and while license might be
issued prior ~ Oct. Is. il would only
permit the holder to hunt deer during
such period of the open season as would
be covered by the first twenty five days
after the issuance of the license. -
To illustrate: IL a hunter took out
his license Oct. Il. it would expire Oct.
25. or ten days after the hunting season
opened. the license being of no use
whatever after Its issuance. Again, If
license were issued Oct. 10, il would
he valid only the first twenty three
days of the hunting season. The Ii
cense must be dated the day il is is
sued and its lite begins at that moment
whether or not the season is open.
This provision of the law is likely to
make more of a rush az the county
clerks Office during the first few days
of TIE season than in the past when
quite large number OF licenses were
purchased before the season opened.
However. the long open season with
comparatively short-lived license will
probably result in many hunters wait
ing until the season is some weeks a
long before taking out license, as No
vember is usually better month FOR
deer hunting than October
Generally speaking, local hunters are
not pleased with the new game laws,
and particular objection is made TO
having the open season for deer and
partridge the same. With 80 many
hunters in the woods as there are like
ly to be at the opening of the deer sea-
son, II Is claimed that 1t will be- only a
few days until the birds are so scatter
ed that il Will be almost impossible to
find them.
IL is asserted that the laws were
framed for and by lower peninsula
hunters. who mt last have arranged it
so that they can come up here and kill
partridge. and deer on one trip Local
hunters believe that Oct. 10 is too early
for the deer season to open as it will
result In much venison spelling before
10 can be gotten out OF the woods. pro.
vided the weather Is normal during
October.
Concerning the provision in the law
which apparently makes it illegal to
take dogs into the woods during deer
season, even TO hunt psrtrigdes Game
Warden Oates has instructed his depu-
ties TO permit partridges being hunted
with dogs, provided it's clear that the
dogs are not being used to hunt deer.
Mr.. Oates says:
1T is the opinion OF this department
that during hunting season the pres
ence OF dog in the woods unaccom-
panied by person who is exclusively
hunting birds or any dog found in any
hunting camp. logging camp. club
house, where each or any OF the occu-
pants have license for hunting deer,
is expressly prohibited and prima facie
evidence OF it's unlawful use, but dogs
used by hunters who are legitimately !
and exclusively hunting birds are en- !
titled TO protection under the law.
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