The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-03-25
1OWN ON DOVE BA|TERS
,TE GAME WARDEN MERCER
,poTSED OVER GENERAL VIO-
TATION OF THE LAW.
MANY PROMINENT MEN MARKED

rbere VIII Be 500 Prosecutions in
southwest Georgia, the Butchery
-, Rirds Being Generally Confined
IN This Section.
More than 500 prosecutions have
.rready resulted and will result from
rfoIations of the state game law as
that most wanton of all game
1n-chering, dove batting.
sra+e Game Warden Mercer is
,ro,sed over the general violation
- This clause in the game law for
.,o season just closed, and he is go
after the violators without
1,ovas One feature of this game
,.:,Iation is the fact that practically
~ anaaged in it are men of promi-
narca and standing in their commu-
mites.
Most of the prosecutions will be
- Southwest Georgia, and some of
+bom if is reported, here in Terrell
county.
IN Sumter county banker who
was one of the most enthusiastic
mon in the state for the new game
,ou, and aided the warden in organic
:uo Climb in Americas for the pro-
+oction of game and to aid in up
holding the law, is himself guilty OF
e. ,,ioIations of the dove batting sec
lion He bagged on one baited field
7o5 birds in one day, which is 50
more than the legal limit of 40 for
sirg,a DAYS shoot, and furthermore
tbe killing of doves on baited fields
Is strictly against the law.
Special Bait Is Sold.
Warden Mercer has found that IN
sac+fons of the state, particularly in
Southwest Georgia, where the doves
ara more numerous because they
find the food they like best, that spe-
ciaI kinds of feed stuff is sold regu-
1arlv to bait dove fields.
III wears past Lee county was more
widely known for the slaughter OF
doves on baited fields than any other
county, One days kill there often
ran TO 5000 and 10000. Lee, Ter
rau Turner, Dougherty and other
COMMITTEES hereabout are the worst Of
tenders. for, according to Warden
Mercer. about ten counties in this
section have more doves than all the
rest of the state put together.
Before the law was passed prohib-
fling dove batting this sport was con-
fined almost wholly to Southwest
Georgia. although some of it occurred
in Central Georgia. Hunters were IN
Atlanta when the game law was un-
der consideration to protest against
it as TO the batting, because they SAID
the birds had been drawn to South
west Georgia in the past and were no
longer to be found in middle Geor-
gia It is a fact, however, that helds
have been baited about Athens ana
along the Georgia road this year.
and doves have appeared in numbers
and have been killed.
unless a stop is put to dove Dalt
ing this bird will soon vanish from
our state" says Warden Mercer. 1T
is too bad that men of prominence
and standing in the community are
the ones violating this section OF the
law. I am going to prosecute every
volator l can find regardless OF MS
standing. In many cases light fines OF
only $40 are imposed, and those en-
gaging in this slaughter do not NINA
paying this small amount for the
sport they get out of it
Warden Mercer has been spending
much of his time since the close OF
the game season on March list inVes-
tigating such cases, and has turned
up many of them. And he will turn
up many more before he quits, be-
Il cause he is aroused over the matter