Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1914-12-29
PROTECTION FOR
FARMERS PLEA
of GAME WARDEN
More Need Here for Guard
ing Lives and Property
From Reckless Hunters
Than for Protecting Game
Says Annual Report.

That reckless hunters are respon-
sible fer an annual loss Of life and
property that in the Salt River valley
alone reaches immense proportions. is
the statement of State Game Warden
/ Willard in his annual report to the gov
| crnor. The report of the state game
warden was issued Yesterday
In the Salt River valley. says The
report, this department finds a larger
and more important work in protecting
the lives and property of the farmers
than in protecting the game. The next
! legislature will be furnished bv this
office. with statistics of the loss of life
and livestock and barnyard fowls. suf-
; Tered by the farmers of this valley,
I with a view to the Strengthening of
! existing laws and putting stop to the
reckless, irresponsible shooting. that
has for years been INDUCED in upon
| the public highways and byways of the
/ agricultural sections of the state, and
the resultant loss of human life. to say
nothing Of the property loss which. in
the aggregate, must reach immense
proportions.
Few OF the farmers Of the Salt River
valley but have suffered some losses of
property, while many Of them. or mem
| bers of their families. are familiar with
the sensation of being sprinkled with
shot in their very dooryards or while
at WORK in their fields, while occasion
ally. human life is sacrificed to the
carelessness Of the hunter AS the laws
stand this department can only prose-
cute In cases where the shooting takes
place upon a publc highway. which
the statutes define as being a road laid
out and maintained by the county. or
to which the county holds a deed. This
gives the hunter absolute freedom Of
the numerous lanes and by-ways of
the valley, and the damage he inflicts
upon the farmers property is seldom
discovered until hours afterwards. and
usually the farmer can, at best. only
guess which one or ones OF a large
number Of hunters might be the Of
Tending party. But it, is the policy of
inns department to double it's efforts
to suppress this class of offenders. and
give every possible security within its
power, to life and property. from this
needless and aggravating form of
danger"
Tine report recommends closing the
season on turkey and deer, which are
rapidly becoming extinct and recon-
menGs the establishment of il state
game farm for the purpose of propa-
gating such imported birds as are found
to be adapted to the natural conditions
Of the state Relative to the protec-
ton Of big game. Warden Willard saws:
"Our Wild turkey. deer, antelope. and
mountain sheep, have already been ex-
terminated or driven out Of vast area
OF our once good game country. ana at
the present rate at which the worl; cf
destruction is going on, largely through
the convenient and efficient medium Of
the automobile, our twenty thousand.
or 50, lincensed hunters viii finish the
work Of determination before the gen
cral public awakens to realization of
the situation. and demands a sudden
ana abrupt halt, in order TO give our
few remnants of game a chance to re-
plenish
In view Of the present deplorablc
condition Of all our big game, and the
imminent danger of its utter and com
plctc determination. ! would strongly
recommend a closed season on all va
rictics until such time as. in the wis
dom of our legislature they are suffi-
GENTLY established as to warrant the
season being opened again Such an
enactment would, I am sure meet lit
tie or no opposition. except from a few
game hogs such as can be found in
every state, and in every community.
and few fhappily Il very few sport
ing goods dealers, who would IMPROVE
GENTLY sacrifice their business future to
the profits Of today"
The report states that the herd of
elk introduced into the northern part
of the state is in excellent condition
There are now between 80 and 100 head
in the herd at present. Another herd
viii be brought from the Yellowstone
Park and liberated in the Graham
mountains in the near future