The Calumet news., 1913-10-13
OATES PLANS TO
PROTECT BIRDS
Prohibit Shooting Of Partridge
From Autos prairie Chicken

Game Warden W. +. Oates has
about decided Ia recommend IN his
next report 10 the legislature the
amendment of the game laws to pro-
hiblt the hunting Of partrldges from
automobiles He Is convinced by his
study Of the situation and by what he
has learned from other hunters that
unless some measure for the further
protection of the birds is taken they
viii he rapidly dccimated Mr. Oates
anticipates a storm of protest from
persons who have been hunting in hat
manner, but hc is strongly of the
opinion that il Is a step that will have
Ia be taken in the public interest.
The state law now prohibits the
hunting OF ducks from power Doats,
says Mr.. Oates. For the same reason
back Of this legislature bclieye thtre
should be an amendment of the law
making IL Illegal 10 hunt partfldfes
from an automobile The hunter sltill-
cd in shooting from car LA. the
birds al distinct disadvantage. I1e
travels over The roads swiftly and
quietly. ana is on the birds with iii,
lie warning. Many or them are pick
81 Of from hr machines while they
are feeding IN the road. and most or
the shots taken by the hunters using
automobiles are secured without leav-
ins the car. Many who have tried this
form of hunting inform mo that it il
particularly deadly, ami they are to-
day amonr the men who advocate
making it Illegal.
"'rhe problem is a difficult ono To-
deal with. see no other way To
prevent this form OF hunting but %
make it an offcnsc to carry birds IN
an automobile ana to make their pres
ehce in car prima faclc evidence
that they werc shot Illegally. This
seems pretty drastic but there Is a
growing opinion that the situation is
one that calls for drastic remedy"
Prairie Chicken.
on trip through Dickinson county
this week. Mr.. oates saw several
ilocks nf prairie chicken
For over q year he has received re-
ports OF seeing these birds. from hun
ters in the southern part of lhe upper
peninsula and hts visit to Dickinson
county was largely for the purpose II
learning personally the extent To which
the prairie chicken has appeared in
the upper peninsula. lie was sur
priscd with The number Of iocks ~
saw, and is encouraged To believe that
they may with wise protective reg
ulatious, ultimately become one az thr
game birds of the upper peninsula.
There is continual closed season
Tor prairie chicken in Michigan" Mr.
oates asserted and believe the
ilockS now found in Dickinson county
have been naturally propacated Ivy
birds that have worked into the upper
peninsula from Wisconsin. where there
IS good prairie chicken shooting Il
is. however, as a rule. fodnd further
south than this latitude.
In Dickinson county there is aa-
mlrablc cover FOR prairie chicken and
J see no reason why they should not
increase i'm number and gradually
worl; into other parts of tho upper
peninsula, where the cover they like
is To- hr found They should hc pr'-
tccted indefinitely. as they are com
parstively few In number, and would
he quickly shot OF IL it were Legal g.
XIII them ~ any time
1T is an interesting thing that those
birds should have established th,m-
selves ia "A district where They arr not
native, and IL is a matter that has
caused much discussion amouS ,h,
sports,aon in the southern part or tho
upper peninsula"