Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-14
KALBFUS WRITES
ENTERTAINMENT OF
STATE GAME LAWS
In First of a Series of Articles
for Evening Ledger Tells
of Efforts Along Game
Protection Lines.

Secretary John Kalbfus, of the PENN
sylvania Board of Game Commissioners at
Harrisburg, Pa, has written for the
EVENING LEDGER several articles on game
questions which should prove to be enter
tanning and instructive to sportsmen.
Secretary Kalbfus has the following
comments to make in his first letter:
Sporting Editor Eveniag Ledger.
Sir-ln compliance with your request I
write you today relative to the game con-
ditions in Pennsylvania, and in the be-
ginning desire It understood that tho
Game Commission of this State considers
hunting national necessity We believe
the recreation thus secured means better
health to many and therefore better citt-
zenship, 1t keeps men out of the hos-
pitals; it gives those who hunt a better
understanding of natural conditions, but
above all, fits our young men to become
soldiers in time of need. The American
volunteer, with limited discipline and
drill is considered the equal of any regu-
lar ON the face of the earth.
ITO maintain an adequate supply of
game, to satisfy hunters and make some
slight incentive to hunting, is no small
task. Last year more than 3O5 900 men
paid their dollar for the resident hunters
license. Fully 10000 men hunted for deer
with rifles In this State last year. Under
the law, land owners and the lessees of
land and their children, who reside upon
and cultivate that land. may hunt thereon
without securing the license. We believe
that fully 100000 men took advantage Of
this DrOVigiOD. farmers pitbar
lessees. with their families, making alto
Sether fully 100000 hunters in this CONS
monweath last fall. We believe that an
expenditure of $40 per man Is a fair esti-
mate of money spent in hunting; guns,
ammunition, hunting clothes, railroad
fare, automobile expense and time, maxi
Ing altogether sl,OO00OO spent to take game
In Pennsylvania. Up to last year the
Game Commission was given $20,1O0 where-
with to make return to our covers of the
game destroyed. We believe that hunters
either legally or illegally do not take
more than 20 per cent. of all game pro-
duced; vermn, foxes. wild cats, weasels,
certain hawks and owls, house cats and
crows destroying the great majority of
the so per cent. remaining, with the ele-
ments. cold, starvation and disease still
to be considered.
IT am told that am the oldest game
protector in point of service in the
United States. For fully 90 years have
been pleading with those in authority for
appropriations sufficient to do the worH
expected of u.s. only to be turned asdd
in disappointment by those to whom thI
unpleasant task of distributing state
funds had been entrusted, many of them
giving mo to understand that while they
believed all had said upon the subject,
there were other things to consider such
as hospitals, with their surgeons, nurses,
medicines. paraphernalla. etc; schools,
with their books, teachers and various
apparatus. civic advancement, etc. that,
ir the minds of those entrusted with the
disbursement of State moneys meant
more benefit to more people than could
come through large appropriations to the
limited number of those who hunt. and
there you are. The spOrtsmen of ths
State recognized these conditions. and as
a last resort turned to the before-men-
toned resident hunters license law,
which requires each hunter, when hunt
ing off land upon which he resides and
cultivates to secure a license, costing 81
OF the money thus collected one-half goes
TO the payment of bounties, and the re-
mainder to the cause of game protection
and increase, to be applied in such man-
ner as the Legislature may direct
II have always felt that as bunting
meant so much TO our State and nation,
ii was the duty of each to supply not
only place to hunt, but to also provide
something 10 De hunted. MY eHOTlS 10
secure these results were not successful.
Hunters were looked upon as paupers
and unworthy of donations from State
funds l saw our game and wild birds,
because Of insufficient protection, decrease
ing, and as a last resort was forced into
the ranks of those supporting the resi-
dent hunters license law. This we now
have, and 1t is making Il return in cash
far beyond expectations, that will place
the Game Commission in position to do
something to the benefit of hunters, to
bring back our song ard insectvOrous
birds and to make a return TO those en-
trusting us with their money. If this
is done l am satisfied that the great
majority Of those who hunt will be
satisfied to contribute to this fund, IS
this is not done, trouble is sure to fol-
low. Some are never satisfied they are
never happy, except when they are un-
happy, and these we cannot expect to
please"