The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-06-27
MIGRATORY BIRDS
How They Are Protected by Weeks
Mclean Bill.

MClLedH Dllu law nave
just been made public by the Depart
ment. They are effective as of Oc-
tober l, 1913.
In view of the widespread interest
in this matter, not only on the part.
OF sportsmen but of lovers of wild
life generally, the American Game
Protective and Propagation associa-
ton, which was active in the move
ment for the enactment of the
Weeks Mclean law, has summarized
the most important points involved
in these regulations as follows:
Northern and Southern Zones
Generally speaking, the country is
divided into two zones, northern and
southern, the dividing line running
wholly or in part north of latitude 40
degrees and the Ohio River
The twenty-five states included in
the northern zone comprise Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont Massachu
sets, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylva-
mia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North
Dakota, South Dakota Nebraska,
Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho,
Oregon and Washington.
The twenty-three states included in
the southern zone are Delaware,
Maryland, District of Columbia, Vir-
ginia, West Virginia, North and
South Carolina, Florida, Alabama;
Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky,
Missouri, Arkansas, louisiana, Texas,
Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico Ari-
IONA. California. Nevada and Utah.
The shooting season fixed for
these two zones varies according to
the four classiications of migratory
birds that have been made, as will
be seen later. The zones thus es-
tablished take the place of fifty sim
liar districts now existing under the
statutes OF the several states.
standardization Regulations
BY way of standardization the fol-
lowing statements may be made:
l. Exceptions have been made in
both zones for numerous reasons, but
in most cases the closed seasons take
the average of the existing laws OF
the states in the particular zones in
which they are located.
2. There has been more cutting
down on the closing than the open
ing dates of the shooting seasons as
they now exist.
3. In most cases three months OF
open shooting are allowed for water
fowl and in some cases as much as
three and one half months
4. Spring shooting is absolutely
prohibited.
5. Shooting of migratory birds be-
tween sunset and sunrise is likewise
prohibited
In no case will there be less
than thirty days when birds may be
shot during the period of their great
est abundance.
When Shooting Is Permitted
Birds that may be shot are divid-
ed by the new regulations into four
classes. These. nd the open seasons
allowed on them, follow:
Northern Zone
Water fowl Sept. l-Dec. Is
Rail Sept. 1-Dec.
Woodcock Oct. 1-Dec.
Shore birds Sept. 1-Dec. Is
Southern Zone
| Water fowl Oct 1-Jan. 10
Rail Sept. 1.Dec.
Woodcock Nov. liam. /
Shore birds Sept. 1-Dec. Is
No shooting whatever is allowed
of cranes, or the columbideae-doves
pigeons, etc
A closed season until September
/. 1918, is established for band-talled
pigeons, little brown, sandhill and
whooping cranes: swans, curlew, all
shore birds except black breasted
and golden plover, Wilson or jack
snipe, wood duck, greater and lesser
yellow legs.
Wood duck in addition are given a
closed season TO September 1, 1908,
in the following states; Maine. New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virgil
mia and Wisconsin
Insectivorous birds, including rob-
ms, larks, etc, are protected at all
times in all states and similar pro-
lection is given the smaller shore
birds and other species which have
been greatly reduced in number.
Limited Shooting on Great Rivers
A novel and important feature is
the prohibition of hunting on the
great rivers of the country except
during November and December.
Prohibited territory as designated
by the regulations in this instance
is as follows:
1. Mississippi River from New Or
leans TO MinneapOlis
.. Ohio River from its mouth to
Pittsburg.
;. Missouri River between its
mouth and Bismark, North Dakota.
Under the provisions of the Weeks
! Mclean law three months are given
/ from the time these regulations are
made public until they are presented
to the President for approval and are
finally adopted. II is also provided
that public hearings may be had if
deemed proper and it is assumed
that these very probably will be held
The regulations outlined above con
stitute beyond a doubt the most
sweeping action ever taken in the
, country's history towards the pro-
lection of its wild life. They, Of
course, take absolute precedence Of
all existing statutes in the several
/ states with which they emma In con.