The L'Anse sentinel., 1911-03-11
GAME wARDENs MEET.
Busy Sessions at Marquette Saturday
and Sunday.


Charles Fisher returned Monday
from Marquette, where he attended
two meetings of the deputy game war
dens of the upper peninsula, which was
held in that city Saturday and Sunday.
State Game Warden Pierce called the
meeting to discuss matters of mutual
interest. All fifteen OF the upper pen
insula wardens were in attendance, as
were Mr.. Pierce and Chief Deputy
Smith and C. X. Hoyt, of Muskegon, q
deputy warden who is also an attorney
and an expert in the Interpretation of
laws applying to the state game war
den's department.
This was the first meeting of the
kind ever held in the upper peninsula,
though meetings Of all thegame war
dens of the state have been held at
least twice previously. This year, Mr..
Pierce decided that it would be prefer
able to have the game wardens from
the upper and lower peninsulas meet
separately and a meeting Of the depu-
ties whose territory is below the straits
will be held within short time.
Sessions were held Saturday after
noon and evening and both forenoon
and afternoon Sunday. At the Satur-
day sessions Mr.. Pierce considered
principally the duties and authority of
the deputy wardens, explaining numer-
GUS points of law that are often mis-
understood. Mr.. Pierce made it very
clear to the deputies what their duties
were and what he expected of them
and gave many valuable suggestions as
to effective practical methods in carry
ing out their work. Opportunity was
given to ask questions at any time,
which frequently was made use of dur
ing the discussions.
At the Saturday sessions, Mr.. Smith
took up the question of commercial
fishing and the duties of deputies per-
tanning to that industry. Inasmuch as
congress failed to pass a law. carrying
an appropriation to make effective the
international fishing regulations adopt
ed by joint treaty between the United
States and Canada, it is not known
whether the joint regulations will go
into effect January l, 1912, and the
state game warden's department is GO
ing ahead just as if no change was
pending.
FOREST FIRES DISCUSSED.
Forest fires and duties of deputies in
respect thereto was the subject at the
Sunday morning session. Mr.. Pierce
gave very plain talk on nhe subject
of forest fires and made it clear that
he expected his deputies to do their ut
most to prevent forest fires during the
coming summer. He told them that in
dry seasons he expected them to drop
their work as game and fish wardens
and to give their entire time to pre-
venting and fighting fires.
The best way TO stop forest fires is
to prevent their being started, said Mr..
Pierce. In dry seasons he advised the
deputies to call upon the supervisors in
their territory, who are fire wardens
ex-officio, and get them working to
prevent fires being set, and also in
their rounds to talk. to settlers as much
as possible with reference to the dan
ger of starting fires in dry times. He
emphasized especially the advantage of
getting the supervisors interested,
stating that experience had shown that
the supervisors were able to accom-
plish more than any other officers.
Mr.. Pierce spoke at length on forest
fires and their origin. He said that
settlers were mostly to blame because
they start forest fires in clearing land,
which practice is decidedly against the
state laws. He urges that this law be
enforced and would pick no better time
than next summer to take it up.
Mr. Pierce said further: Railroads
are responsible for many forest fires
but for not so many as careless set
tiers. In general, the railroads are do
ing what they can to prevent fires,
both by living up to the fire laws and
by equipping their engines with pumps
and other fire fighting APPARATUS, which
the law does not require. BY having
the section men act as patrols and
promptly reporting any fire, they are
accomplishing great deal. In most
cases, the roads are also keeping their
right of way free from weeds and un-
derbrush.
There are two things that most of
the roads do not do, however, which. in
my judgment would net them better
returns than anything they are doing.
One of these is to plow along their
right of way whereyer practicable. and
the other to station patrols on heavy
grades during dry seasons. Two or
three burrows >along the right of way,
in my opinion, would prevent the
ssp&sad of four-ffths Of the fires start
ed by locomotives and hope that 9
law will soon be passed requiring then
to plough along the right of way"