The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-02-15

Realizing that AT the present Tdle VI
disappearance the wild game ana
game fish supply will become exhaust
ed within a few years, sportsmen all
over America have begun a concert
ed movement to conserve these wild
creatures by securing the enactment
OF more stringent laws governing the
! killing and catching of wild animals,
birds and fish. In the various states
where the state legislatures are now
in session the law makers have been
called upon to pass stricter laws and
TO provide more adequate funds FOR
the protection of the game. 1t Is to
the credit of the men who represent
the states in the legislatures that in
almost every instance where this mat
ter has been brought to their atten'
tion, the laws have been amended to
favor the protection of game and the
law makers have appropriated a SUM-
cient amount of money to fully en-
IOICe lnt ldWs III many p'"'No '"~
legislature has provided in addition to
the money for protection purposes,
large sums for propagation purposes.
Whether the move is started too
late, and whether it will gain suffi-
cient strength to again restore to Am
erica the abundance Of wild life OF
which this country once boasted,
waits TO be seen. That the move is
nation wide and has been set afoot
In every state in the union, speaks
we'll for the members of the legisla-
ture of the various states and the
sportsmen who would protect these
creatures. The legislature of Missouri
is probably one of the foremost to
pass such legislation. The senate OF
that body which Is now in session has
already favorably reported authoriz-
ing the expenditure of 100000 for
the purchase and fitting of a game
preserve in that state. A bill has
also been introduced by the chief i'm
migration commissioner of Missouri,
which will give to that state three
thousand acres to be used as a game
preserve. The Arcadia County club
has offered a donation of this tract
which lies eighty-five miles south OF
St. Louis, to the state. There Is no
doubt but that this donation will be
accepted, affording the state of Mis-
souri, two large game preserves.
The state of New York has also be-
gun to evidence interest in the pro-
| lection of the game not alone in that
state. but in the more populated game
| states of the union. That the resi-
dents of New York consider the game
question to be n serious one is eyi-
denced by an article written by Will
| liam Il. HOrnaday, in the New York
| Times, of Feb. 5. Mr.. Hornaday, who
| is considered an authority on game,
| sounds an alarm against the impend-
| ing doom of Americas wild life. I'm
der the caption of Shall we give pos
| tcrity a gameless country" he goes
deeply into the question of game pro
lection. He says in part: Recent
occurrences have lead me to make a
new analysis of the conditions today
affecting the wild creatures of this
continent and its effect on the future.
II is not in the hope of affecting the
final result that | am lead to write
down certain premises and conclu-
sions. The deadly apathy of Ameri-
cans Is so all pervading and impene-
trable that no power on earth seems
likely ever to arouse our people to
the activity that is necessary for the
adequate preservation of their own
birds, Quadrupeds and fishes.
1T is noted that the game laws Gov
ering the United States are in very
many respects excellent. However,
there are several reasons why our
w IN lll' StAlNl any 10 oAtdullN ldulllt,
away from us in spite of laws and
wardens The reasons that l may
enumerate, are these, there are fifty
times too many gunners who shoot ac-
cording to law. The legal bag limits
are far too high especially on birds.
The open seasons are at least twice
too long. The open markets for the
sale of came are very deadly. Many
shot guns and rifles are three times
too deadly to use in hunting. The
open seasons on all game that is verg-
ing on extinction needs replacement
by five year close seasons. There is
no civilized nation on earth in which
there are so many shot guns and riff
aes per capita or such universal shoot
ing as in the United States"