The Yale expositor., 1913-11-13
POSTAL INSPECTORS AFTER POT
HUNTERS WHO SEND BIRDS
BY MAIL.
NO DOGS ALLOWED IN WOODS
IN DEER SEASON.
Law 10 Intended to Keep Bird Dogs
Out of Those Parts of the Woods
Where There Are Deer and
Will Be Enforced.
IBy Gurd M. Hayes.l

spectOrS are IN michigan investigating
reports that the parcels post system
is being used by Wisconsin and ILL
nois pot hunters in fragrant violation
of the game laws of this state, and
State Game Warden w. r. Oates says
that II convictions are secured some
heavy fines may be imposed on the
violators.
The laws of Michigan relative to
the hunting of partridges provide that
q hunter shall not kill more than six
cartridges in one day, nor shall he
have more than fifteen in his posses
sion at any one time. This years the
partridge hunting in the northern
counties of the state is the best in
many seasons and thousands of birds
have been killed.
Hunters may bring Is par.ridges
home with them, but they must be
carried as open hand baggage by the
successful nimrod and can not be
packed in a suit case or shipped by
mail, freight or express. Deputy
Game Wardens while going through
baggage cars have suddenly had their
dogs come to a point on a trunk or
some other article of baggage and an
investigation has generally revealed
the fact that an attempt was being
made to smuggle birds in violation of
the law.
The new parcels post law seems to
have opened a new fed, as it has
been reported to the state game war
den and the postal authorities that
cartridges are being shipped out of
Michigan by Wisconsin and Illinois
pot hunters through the medium of
the parcels post. 1t is claimed that
the breasts Of the cartridges are re-
moved, wrapped in oil paper and
placed in a package, generally the size
of a shoe box. Then the hunter pur-
chases parcel post stamps and affiX-
ing the required number on the pack
age, drops it in the postoffice. He is
not required to sign his name and I'M
less the contraband game is appre-
hended at the other end of the line
there is little chance of capturing the
pot hunter. 1t is said that many turns
and skins were shipped out of Michi-
gan in this manner last winter and it
became known that the government
authorities are making a thorough in
vestigation and prosecutions may re-
suit.
No amendment to the game laws
passed by the legislature in recent
years has caused the state game war
dens department as much worry as
the section of the present statute
which provides that the presence of a
dog in the woods, hunting camp, log
deer hunting season shall be prima
facie evidence Of its unlawful use.
State Game Warden Oates says that
there is no truth in the statement
that dogs found in the woods will be
shot by deputies, unless they are run
ming deer, but the animals will be
taken and held as evidence against
their owners.
"In order to curb the abuses arising
from dogs running deer in the country
where deer are to be found, it is my
understanding that the legislature in
tended that no dogs of any kind
should be permitted in the woods,
hunting camp, logging camp or club
house from November 10 to the end
OF the deer season November 30. both
dates inclusive" said Warden Oates.
in the interest of conserving the
deer and prohibiting dogs from run
ming them, it seems to me that the law
should be strictly enforced as the leg
islature intended. The reference made
In some quarters to the effect that
dogs found in hunting camps, etc,
will be shot on sight during the hunt.
ing season, is in error. Dogs so found
will be seized and condemned by due
process of law. Dogs pursuing or fol.
lowing upon the tracks OF a deer are
under the statute, public nuisance
and may be killed by any person with.
out criminal. OF civil liability.
This ruling does not prohibit the
hunting of cartridges without dogs
In the deer country during the open
season, neither is 1t intended to pro.
hibit the use of bird dogs for hunt.
Ing birds in such places where no deer
are to be found. but 1t is intended to
preclude the presence OF dogs in the
woods in sections of the state where
deer are to be found. In other words,
the section OF the law referred to that
the presence OF a dog should be
'prima facie evidence of It's unlaw,
full use was intended to nullify the
subterfuge often resorted to by some
who use dogs during the season in a
deer country, that the dogs are only
used for hunting birds.
THE legislature was cognizant OF
the tendencies OF many so-called bird