The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-27
Voice Of the eople
For Gnmc Protection.

.
TO the Editor OF Tho Times Dispatch
Sir-Will you allow me to express
my views OF the proposed game law
ana TO cntrcat our representatives to
pass more stringent laws for the pro.
lection OF game. and most important
OF ALL laws that Will have the laws
enforced. Ii something is not done
and done quickly the game OF this see
tlon VIII soon be Il thing of the past
Ike the buffalo of the Western plains
hunted TO determination. As am
about TO quote some remarks from w
L. steele, which appeared In this paper
on Friday the l7th, to prevent any
one from thinking that l am city
sportsman, VIII say right here that !
own u small iarm III Hanover county
and haven't any interest in any city
properly. Air steele says, 81 can. OF
course, only say what the bird owners
in my Immediate section want. We send
man 10 the Legislature and a few of
the town sportsmen get hold of him
and lie makes a law to suit thoac
Sportsnen, and l dare say that few OF
those sportsmcn own an acre OF Innd,
or. certainly few of them own the land
that has tho birds on It, and wha,
right have they to take away the
mans right that does own land, birds
and all? The farmers have gotten
sore about such game laws, and just
few more game laws or q little more
added to those we have, and the town
man or sportsman from town Will have
to do his hunting In town. The farm
er puts ali the blame on the hunting
clubs of the cities for such laws"
We would infer from Mr.. Steele's re-
marks that game in his section liz not
on the decrease and that farmers ure
dissatisfied with the old game law and
are opposed to the proposed law. II
game is not on the decrease there is
no need of a game law. Hero in Han
over county game was more plentiful
% ST season than 1t has been for several
years. but at that L am sure that
twenty years ago two coveys of birds
could be found whore one can DC found
now. and l believe that the majority
Of the sportsmen and farmers OF the
State are OF the same opinion, and
also believe the majority of the farm
ers OF the state are in favor OF game
Jaws that VIII protect the game before
II Is too late.
a few years ago great drovcs Of
wild turkey could be found in Hanover
and adjoining counties where one is
seldom seen now. If game has de
creased one-half in twenty years, how
much game viii he left in forty years
from now? .one- eighth. which is
very small fraction. II is a fact thai
every one knows that anything that is
steadily decreasing Is bound to Sivs
out In course OF time unless there is
remedy applied, and the remedy here
is game protection.
Mr.. steele claims that the city
sportsmen have had laws passed TO
suit themselves. and that they have
taken the farmers rights from him. In
this, ! think he is mistaken. The city
sportsmen have had laws passed 10
protect the game, but those laws have
never given the city sportsmen any
right 10 hunt on any land but their
own and never will. The farmer has
been too slow to look after his own
interest in this matter. and | think ne
should thank tao city sportsmen for
what they have done.
Mr.. Steele speaks of taking the
mans rights away that own the land
ana birds. The law does not give amy
man right to hunt on another mans
land, but it prohibits u man from hunt
ing on his own land in spring and sum-
mcr. This is the only right that has
been taken from the land owner. and 1
don't believe that Mr.. Steele or any
other landowner would kin birds that
had a nest full of eggs or covey OF
young birds. Sometimes you will hear
a farmer soy that IL is the city sports
man that IS responsible for the scarcity
of game. inc Guy sportsman uoesIi
DO half tho damage that some give
him credit for, II = time that some fcw
of these men arc crack shots and do
Kill n lot of game sometimes. but they
Will como out and hunt ono day, and
then II Is quite probable they will not
hunt the same ground over for year
TO como. Where YOU ind one OF these
crack shots you will find two or three
that could not hit 4. bird on tho fly
With q duck gun loaded with n pound
o, No. 10 shot. J. saw one of taese
huntsmen once fire six shots from a
pumpgun st n rabbit in a clean old
field and the rabbit kept ION going.
There is another class of huntsmen
| that we have with us every day in tho
year lie Is tho S>nan who has great
ldnnl 10 do with THO. scnrcIiy of game