The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-26
HUNTERS ASK FOR
PROTECTION OF
WILD GAME
Birds Particularly In Danger Of
determination.
W ANT FEDERAL CONTROL
Increase In Number of Hunters and
Increased Efficiency Of Guns
Cause Slaughter.


the country over are rallying to the
support of bills pending in Congress
for the protection of migratory game
birds in the United States. Hearings
held before the House Committee on
Agriculture have drawn to Wash
ington prominent hunters and sports
men from most of the large cities.
To a man they have testified that UNI
less some Federal protection is af-
forded to the migratory game birds
they will soon be wiped out. From
the game commissioners of most OF
the States also have come hearty in
dorsements of the proposed legisla-
ton.
Two bills are pending. One of
them, introduced by Representative
Weeks of Massachusetts,, authorizes
the Department of Agriculture to
adopt regulations fixing closed sea
sons for different parts of the coun-
try. The Weeks bill provides, how
ever, that these regulations shall not
affect or interfere with the local
laws of States and Territories for the
protection of game within their Dor
ders.
The other bill, introduced by Rep
resentative Anthony of Kansas, pro
vides fatty that 1t shall be unlawful
for any person to kill or capture any
wild goose, swan, pelican, crane,
duck, snipe, plover woodcock or rail
bird from January 10 to August Is,
inclusive. This bill provides further
that all other migratory game birds
shall hereafter be deemed to be with
in the custody of the Government of
the United States as well as of the
various States.
The Weeks bill leaves 1t to the
Department Of Agriculture to fix pen
alties for the violation Of its regula-
tions, while the Anthony bill pro-
vides for a fine of not less than 500
and not more than $1,000 and upon
second conviction Imprisonment for
not less than thirty days or more
than six months.
Opposition to the bills Is based
chiefly upon the contention that they
would infringe upon State rights.
The testimony of sportsmen con-
tains many observations on game
bird life
DR.. Frank w. Hewes, chairman Of
the Connecticut State Game Commits
sion, said that in the last ten years
woodcock have decreased up his way
more than half
''The time was" said he, "in the
northern part OF Connecticut, when
bags were heavy at any time In the
year. The result has been that wood
cock are almost extinct"
William A. Legg, Chief Game Pro
tector of New York State, declared
there are thousands Of duck on the
States inland waters.
1--WE have had to take up the feed,
Ing OF these ducks to keep them from
starving" he said. This is unpre
cedented in the history of the State
He attributed this condition to the
protection New York is affording IA
its migratory game birds.
l.. T. Christian Of Richmond told
how the Virginia Legislature had
driven away Wild geese.
Virginia" said he, permitted
hunters to shoot wild geese at night
in the month of March. They fired
two or three shots and the geese
went away and never returned"
II. IL. Forbush, Ornithollglst Of
Massachusetts, called attention tC
impressive evidence OF the extinction
of many birds along the Atlantic sea
board, such as the great aux, the Lal
rador duck, swans, passenger plge
ons, Eskimo curlews, golden plovers
and upland plovers.
Salem ID. Charles of Boston de
clared he had been feeding about 15l
black duck and mallards on Jamaic;
pond in Massachusetts, this year.
Il have row with my wife one,
In a WHILE" he said, because stea
too much Of her bread, but get Il al
right and feed those ducks dow
there and keep them in little spot
They had been driven OF the coas
to this little pond, and that. yol
know, is inside the city OF Boston
automobiles going right alongside o
1t, and electric cars and brickyard
around IL, but those ducks have be
come so tame they will come to m
TO get their food"
DR. w. T. Hornaday Of New Yorl
described the slaughter OF migrator
song birds In the south as appalling
n circumstance which deeply cor
Germs farmers and fruit growers.
1T is matter Of undlsputed rec
ord" said he, "that upward OF 500
900 shotguns, the great majority G
which sell at less than s.. are ann,
ally sold In the United States. In at
dition TO this the annual output @
shot and cartridges is not less tina
775,0O0,0OO Each year grand arm
OF destroyers armed with deadl
weapons takes the field against will
life and In many localities the slaug
ter is continued all the year roun,
The annual slaughter Of robins In IN
South Is an outrage and Il is a dli
grace TO civilized nation"
Gilbert Pearson OF New York cit,
secretary Of the National Associatio
OF Audubon Societies declared that 4
Currituck Sound, North Carollnl
alone there were about 400 men VIII
made their living shooting ducks nm
geese. Conseryatlyely estimate
100000 wild fowl are killed ever
year In this sound and shlppe