The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-10-16
WHAT EVERY SPORTSMAN
SHOULD KNOW
How the New Federal Bird Laws
Affect New England

Affect New England
Every sportsman of New England
will be interested to know now III.
new Federal Regulations for the Pro-
lection of Migratory Birds affect
his territory. He will want to know
under what circumstances the Federal
laws take precedence and when the
State laws are effective. A little study
of these different regulations will be
necessary to determine whether he is
hunting legally or illegally.
Under an Act of Congress. passed
March 4, 1913, known as the Mclean
Weeks Bill, the Federal Government
was given the power to make regu-
lations to fix the closed seasons for
migratory birds. On Oct. /, at 12.40
p. NJ, these regulations were signed
by the President, as the statute re-
auires, and now have the force of law.
Under these regulations New England
comes in the Northern Zone or Zone
No. /.
The Federal Regulations apply to
migratory birds, but not to all migra-
tory birds; only to migratory game
and insectivorous birds. If a game
bird is migratory it is included un-
der the regulations. The ruffed
grouse, bob-white and prairie hen arc
not considered migratory enough to he
included under these regulations. On
the other hand the woodcock and
snipe are included. All perching
birds which feed entirely or chiefly
on insects are protected at all times.
This includes bob-o-links, catbirds,
chickadees, cuckoos, flickers, tlycatch-
ers, grosbeaks, humming birds, king
matches, orioles, robins, shrikes, swa-
lows, swifts, tanagers, titmice, thrush
es. vireos, warblers, waXwings, whip
poorwills, woodpeckers and wrens
kingfishers. for example which are in
sectivorous in small degree, are not
included, but they may be protected
under State laws.
Consultation with State and Federal
legal authorities shows that they
agree that the Federal laws take prec-
edence over State laws except where
the State law makes shorter open
season than the Federal law, in which
case there is nothing to prevent the
State authorities from enforcing the
State law. For example: the Fed
eral Regulations in Massachusetts nX
the open season on woodcock from
der the State law the season is es-
tablished to coincide with that of the
grouse and extends from October II
to November ~ In such a case the
State law will hold but when TIE
open season under the State law be
gins earlier and ends later than that
under the Federal Regulations, the
Federal Regulations will hold.
The open season for migratory birds
in Zone No. under the Federal Reg
ulations are as follows: Waterfowl
September l to December 16; EXcep-
tions in New England. Massachusetts
from Sept6mbeH Is TO January I.
Rails Coots and Gallinules, Septem-
Der / to December /, Exceptions r
New England, Massachusetts. New
Hamphre and Rhode Island from Au~
gust Is to December 1.-Connecticut
September 16 TO December l. Wood
cock, October to December / EN-
ceptions in New England, -Connecti-
cut and Massachusetts from October
10 to December and in Rhode Is
land from November | to December !.
Shore Birds Black breasted and gold
en- plover, jacksnipe and yellowle :,
September / to December l6; EXcep-
tons in New Engand,-Maine, Mass
chusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode
Island from Augusta Is to December
/. The shore birds named above are
the only species that may be legally
killed for five years under the now
Federal Regulations. All small plor-
er, sandpipers or peeps" and grass
birds" are protected at all times. All
migratory game birds are protected
from sunset to sunrise throughout the
United States, and in Vermont rails
are protected until the year 1918.
There is a close season on wood ducks
in New England until September, 1918.
The regulation of the collecting of
birds for scientific purposes is left
to the several states.
EDWARD HOWE FORBUSH.
A PROSAIC STAGE DRIVER