Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-01-12
|GAME SEASONS in
NEED OF REVISION
Dr.. Kalbfus Says Il Is a Wonder
We Have Any Game Left
in Pennsylvania

DR.. Joseph Kalbfus, secretary of the
State Game Commission. declares in his
| annual report which he has just placed
in the hands of the Governor, that the
; game seasons are so mixed up that
some readiustment must be made If the
game is to survive. He says in one
portion:
birds are not migratory, that they must
stay in the section where they are
reared to face not only men with guns,
but yermn, disease, starvation. conse-
quent upon climatic conditions, the only
wonder to me Is that we have game at
all and 1t seems to be imperative IL that
game Is to be continued that the sea-
sons during which men may hunt must
be restricted, that vermin must be .ex-
| terminated and that our game birds
must be cared for during severe winter
I, weather"
In another section he says:
1T seems to be that because of i'm
proved methods of transportation to
hunters ,, and their dogs. automobiles,
manship, that our game. especially
game birds, cannot stand a longer sea-
son than thirty days, and considering
month of November only for birds. The
season for bear and deer might we'll
pc flxed outside of this month without
to are 0d td to ae and sssr
Of rifles when hunting big game the
rabbit season might well be extended
to the end Of December, IL the use of
bird dogs was forbidden during the
said month of December
Legislative BIunder
The The report p shows that eleven Of
lature passed, including the resident
hunters license act. which the secre-
tary approves. although he regrets the
adding to it of bounties on some hawks
and owls and deplores the fact that, the
legislator In charge failed to present a
special appropriation bill which would
have have allowed the proceeds of the
the General Assembiy @ ofa5 Of us meets esote te
pass an. act. He says the sportsmen
are paying for the license and should
II The the has G d
lease land for preserves, closed at all
seasons, in counties where there are
ns.ra,r no forest reserves, Incidentally, the
to attend to the appropriation end of
the license act properly will force the
commission S;2ln to take steps very much
birds during the winter, provided |
sportsmen, do not do it themselves, and
that there is no money. at hand to buy
deer for Somerset, Cambria, Westmore-
land and Fayette counties, which have
been closed to deer hunting In the hope
that the game may be propagated.
persons were killed and 149 hurt, three
being killed because of carelessness on
the part of hunters. 1t Is estimated
that 100000 hunters turned out, OF
whom 100000 were licensed, the bal
ance being landowners on their own
land. There were killed 1000, 900 rab-
bits, 100000 grouse, 500 buck deer so
does, 100 bear and thousands of quail.
TWO OF the seventy-two elk turned
loose in. the State were shot The sec
rotary is not very certain about the
elk propagation and remarks that they
nave shown q tendency to raid farms
Difficulties of Work
Ihe report states that the rearing of
birds not native has been more or less
difficult and Improbable. In regard to
native game. it is said that they must
contend against vermin and lack of |
FOOD, and that IL people want to hunt |
they must care for the game in winter. |
Birds raised in captivity have a hard |
time scratching for themselves. How
ever, the six preserves have aided much |
IN increasing and maintaining game |
and more are needed, although funds |
TO provide them are scanty owing to |
the legislative mix-up referred to.
The report highly commends the |
work of the State police during the |
game season, and expresses the regret |
nat three times as many members of |
he State police force are not available. |
me work of the policemen is appreci- |
ited by many hunters as well. >