The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-12
ENFORCE Presept Gam, Inv


To the Editor of Tho Times Dispatch:
Sir have been reading with much
interest the several articles in your
paper in regard TO game and Ash leg.
islatlon. existing laws, tnoir enforce.
tnent. otc. From the presR II seem.
that sportsman in general have been
given black eye. grossly mlsrepre.
scented. and THAI the general puollc
Is judging the sporting fraternity by
Few game hogs. and market and pot
hunters. Where Is SO much wanton
destruction of game and 30 much pro.
digious slaughter? Arc the sportsmen
wo need more laws TO take away all
shooting privileges? In answer to the
first question. would cay our officers
OF tho law are responsible for tho
second one, We do not need any moro
lava. but We need e5ody TO en-
force the ones we have. Are sports
men TO blame because ALL or most all.
the hsh In North and South Anna
rivers have been poisoned or driven
away? What has coused James and
RiVanna Rivers and tributaries to be-
come depleted OF hsh? Was It done
ny siilnets and dynamite? No: they
are blocked by many dams. and their
waters are poisoned by our mills and
factories. Wonder II our eminent
protectionists ever dreamed OF this?
why strain at gnat and swallow
camel7 Do not keep on loading our
statute books with laws. taking away
ali privileges of true sportsnen, and
never enforcing the laws where the
ms chief Is really being done. we
Suil want our open SEASONS. and the
laws We have enforced then we will
have Ash and game. too. They viii
not be sStcrminatsd by. what sports
from prohibiting nshins for ten years
20 long us conditions remain as they
are In our rivers7 And 90 It Is with
tho game question. In cities there
UP the whole year. and who wish to
hunt In thu main. only for sport and
exercise. and not for pot or market
who suffer many hardShips on ac-
arc administered. People through
tho country generally hunt WHOM and
what they choose. and q great many
OF them are entirely ignorant OF the
many game laws we nave: and often
when the open season comes in
Eooa part OF the same is already
Killed. Take ths bat law. which Is
an imposition. We We're not allowed TO
shoe, them a, all. and have not been
TOT number of years. while the writ
er knows that throughout many coun-
ties and In smaller tcwas people shot
as many ha they pleased ard no one
intertered SO In the early fall
months. especially in October. any day
you choose to get out and listen YOU
can hear the whole countryside ring
Ing with guns. The laws we have
are Just made for city folks, to keep
them from having the sport and re.
creation due them, while. TO a great
extent. throughout the country people
hunt regardless OF sea son. and when
the open season comes you need moi
worry about what Is left being killed
IN fe~ days. They are SO wild that
~ takes skill different from that pos.
sessed by the average sportsman TO
Dag a lew. The writer has not killed
a Wild turkey for fEteen years He
hears each year that there is good
crop but oS hunting season all nave
nysteriously disappeared and mona
are TO be seen Enforce the laws we
nave and give US our open seasons,
and II our game and nsn are exter.
minated It will not be by eportsmen,
eut from such causes as referred to
eSieting In our. rivers. or, generally
speaking. by the onward march OF
CVi!lzation. When our rivers are fun
OF dams and factories, and our lands
cleared OF all timber brush and
weeds. this, and only this will ey-
terminate all game and hsh. In many
sections OF our country, and here in
this state. where there are vast
stretches OF country with scarcely my
un,oe err. no swamps. or brush thickets,
hho where the ground Is shaved by
moving machines. IL no shooting
were ever allowed there do you sun.
pose II would abouno With quail
grouse and turkey? IL you can MOI
control these things and those point
ed out in connection with III. rivers
there Is no need OF any more law. En-
force what we have, and allow trua
sportsmen & small snare OF snoring
privileges Sp, y,.rSu 90
Charlottesville,