The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-01-08
CANE WARDEN MAKES
GOOD REPORT


l, REPORTS "A ARRESTS WITH
20 CONvICTIONS-$1O92 COL
LECTED IN FINES.
Minot, N. D., Dec. 81, 1918.
Tc the Board of Control.
State Game and Fish Commission.
Gentlemen:
Herewith hand you the report of
my office and District, for the year
1918 as required by law.
This District covers, practically
speaking, the North half of the state,
from the Red river to Montana, COM
prising six Judicial districts and twen-
ty counties, as follows: Benson, Bot
tineau, Burke, Cavalier, Divide, Eddy,
Grand Forks, McHenry, Mckenzie,
Mountrail, Nelson, Pembina, Pierce,
Ramsey, Renville, Rolette, Towner,
Walsh, Ward and Williams, and have
practically complete returns from the
various county auditors so that this
statement is practically officially COM
plete, and any changes that may have
tc be made, will be unimportant.
beg to report that we made IA ar
rests in the entire district, secured 20
convictions dismissed two cases and
lost cases.
Of the 70 convictions, GO were fined
and paid their fines and all court
costs, and two served ten days each
in the county jails, in the counties
where convicted.
We collected in fines the sum of
1902, which sum is turned over by
the various justices to their respec-
tive county treasurers, and which goes
to the credit of these counties, by be-
ing converted into the school fund.
There is a mistaken idea that this
sum goes to the Game Board fund, but
this is not the case, as the law pro-
vides for the disbursement of these
funds into the school fund.
AS all fines and costs were paid in
the 60 cases above referred to, there
has been no expense to the state, ex-
cept in the cases dismissed and in the
2 cases lost, and the board for ten
days each for two men in the county
jails, this could not, in any event,
amount to over $22, and in return for
this the school fund distributed among
the various counties has been enrich
ed by $1O92 in actual cash, thus leav-
ing net profit to the State of SOTO.
This, then, very quickly explodes
the belief that the enforcement of the
game laws is burden on the tax
payers or that the tax payers money
is wasted by enforcing the game laws.
All the tax payers money that is used
to enforce the game laws in this dis
trict this season will not amount, as l
said before, to more than 1922 and in
return fer this, District No. One has
turned back the sum of $1092. There
is also a much mistaken impression
abroad that the game board is an ex-
pense to the tax payers and supported
by direct appropriation, by the state,
from the taxes collected in the general
way. This is very great mistake.
The Game and Fish fund does not re-
ceive single cent from the state
funds for the protection of game. It
did receive small appropriation from
the state Of $500 for permanent i'm
provements of buildings and grounds,
at the State Fish Hatchery-but not
one cent for the propagation, disburse-
ments, salaries of employees at the
Fish Hatchery, or for the up-keep of
the buildings at that place, tho the
Board is compelled to pay all these
expenses out of the Game Fund,
which seriously affects and cripples
our efficiency by leaving that much
less money for the protection and
propagation of game, for it must be
borne in mind that the only revenue
the Game Board receives is from the
sale of hunting licenses. There is no
license or fee required for fishing,
either resident or nonresident, but
merely for hunting, yet the hunters
money has to be used to defray the
expense of the Fish Hatchery
/ believe the Fish Hatchery is en-
gagged in good work, which will in
a very short time more than repay its
cost and upkeep, by supplying the cit.
liens of the state an important and
very valuable food supply. ! believe
it will do this from 1914 on, and it
should receive from the next legisla-
ture, sufficient appropriation for it's
running expense, upkeep and gradual
development.
A small license may be fixed for
fishing, but this alone will not be suf-
ficient, for the reason that North Da-
kOta Is not primarily nShlng state,
but must always receive some artific-
ial support, to keep streams and lakes
supplied, but it will more than repay
it's expense, in short time.
We also have to use the hunters
money to protect the fish from would
be violators of the fishing laws, all at
the expense of the hunter. To use
hunters money to propagate or pro-
tect fish. which we are required to do,
and are doing, under the present law,
is unfair to the hunter. 1t is robbing
Peter to pay Paul.
C0nfiscated Property.
We have seized and confiscated 2
guns, 239 Musk Rat traps, 16 Beaver
traps, 1872 Musk Rat skins, IL Fish
nets. OF these we have on hand one old
gun and Musk Rat skins, and have
sold the other skins, which were in
poor condition, and one gun for