The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-08-15
OPENING OF GROUSE
SEASON SOUTH OF
THE SALMON RIVER
1913 License Contains Provision for Their
Protection While it is State Law
Provides for Open Season
GAME WARDEN IS WRONG
BannOck County SpOrtsmen Will Pay
no Attention to Game Warden's Inn
Piled Protection of the Pin-Tailed
Grouse.-Defects of Law Discussed.

Day after tomorrow marks the
opening of the grouse season in all
counties of the state of Idaho south
of the Salmon river. The opening
season in the Panhandle begins Sep
tember l. The bag limit is IL birds
and the possession limit 24-that is,
hunter with more than two-day
limit in his possession at any time is
subject to arrest.
The 1913 game licenses as issued
by State Game Warden Barber con-
tain this provision:
1T shall be unlawful to
kill prairie chickens, pinnated grouse
or pin tailed grouse"
Just where the game warden found
his authority for inserting the words
'pin-tailed grouse" has not yet been
discovered. In a recent conversation
with the editor of the Tribune, War
den Barber explained that he added
pin-tailed grouse to the protected
birds for the reason that he believed
they ought to be protected. In fur
theG explanation he said there being
no prairie chickens in Idaho, it was
the obvious intent of the legislature
when it protected prairie chickens
to protect pin tailed grouse. The leg
islature, according to the warden, ev-
identity intended to protect some
thing, and there being no prairie chic
kens here to protect, the lawmakers
meant to protect some similar bird
Pinnated grouse is in reality the pra-
rie chicken, but a pin-tailed grouse is
a pin-tailed grouse, there being little
similarity between the two birds.
Bannock county sportsmen will
pay no attention to the state game
warden's implied protection Of pin
tailed grouse. The species of game
bird is very plentiful in this part
of the state and scattergunners from
Pccatello who plan to take he field
Friday intend to shoot the limit of
them. If arrests are made they will
fight the case and of course will win
in court of law.
There is very vital defect in the
Idaho game laws relating to sage
hens and grouse. At present the sage
hen season in all counties of the state
except Fremont is from July Is to
December 1. In Fremont county it
is from August Is to December 1. AS
above stated the grouse season south
of the Salmon is from August Is to
December /. The defect in the law
lies in the fact that the open season
for sagehens and grouse should be
the same.
There is not wide difference in
the appearance of sagehen and a
grouse. A hunter in the field with
a dog flushes a covey of birds. He
does not stop to scan them closely to
determine whether they are sagehens
or grouse. He whangs away. When
the birds are retrieved he may find
that he has killed some grouse. I'm
der the circumstances he cannot be
blamed. This evil could be remedied
by making the open season for the
two variety of birds the same. July
Is is too early in this part of the
state for grouse. BY the same token,
it is a trifle early for sagehens. In
many parts of the southeast chickens
on the opening day are so small that
1t is necessary to "kick them up"
after a dog makes a stand. The open
ing day should therefore be August
Is for both grouse and sagehens.
Quite number of Pocatello sports
men are planning trips Friday and
the slaughter on the opening day
promises to be great.-Pocatello Trib-
une.