The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-04-17
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN
ENFORCEMENT OF
GAME LAWS
(From Idaho Fish and Came

Ranging in western Fremont coun-
ty, near the Bla' me and Lemhi coun-
ty lines, is a band of antelope, the
last of much larger band. The LIST
time they were counted they num-
bered twenty eight. Frequent count
ing is necessary in order to know
how many are left. Although they
are protected by law, and heavy
penalty imposed for killing them,
their number is diminishing. The
band is doomed-doomed because
men who would scorn to evade an
honest debt or practice fraud in a
bushes ransaction-men who are
looked on for the betterment of their
community, have delegated to them
selves the privilege of violating the
law made to protect these beautiful
and harmless animals.
From a man who is known by rep
utation, at least, in every village in
the state, a man known for truthful
ness and uprightness, we learn of a
very interesting antelope hunt in
which some of 1.-The best men of the
community" were engaged. Names
were mentioned, but will not be given
here. Suffice it to say that they are
men who are factors in their locality,
moulders of thought and builders of
business. A high powered automo-
bile was used to take them to the
hunting ground, and once there to
run the animals down. Arriving
within sight of the band the machine
was "speeded up" with an admoni-
ton to stop when the word was given.
The driver obeyed too literally, stop
ping almonst upon receipt of signal,
while the holder of the gun describ-
ed few revolutions in the air and
lit so hard that he forgot all about
shooting until the antelope were out
of range.
A short while since complaint
reached the game warden's office of
the killing of deer in a county
which has continuous closed season
on deer. Caution was urged in the
matter and caution was used. So
great was the caution that no one
in the game warden's office nor any
where else knew that a warden was
being sent to investigate. The party
who made the complaint did not even
know it. One of the best men in the
service was put on the job, and found
it necessary to make a few inquir 'es
in order to avoid possible mistakes.
In the town where he left the railroad
he had relative, man prominent
in the religious, social and business
life of that part of the state, and to
him he impaired the nature of his
mission, and asked to be referred to
someone in settlement thirty-five or
forty miles further on to whom he
could talk in safety and with whom
he could stay. The relative was all
obliging and seemed only too glad to
confer so small favor. The warden
boarded a stage shortly afterward
and proceeded toward his destination.
At the evening stop he was "sized
up" by stranger who asked: els
your name Blank, and are you here
on That deer case?" Being answered
affimatively the stranger said "Well,
you're too late. News of your coming
beat you here. The party sending it
called up the wrong number, and be-
fore finding this out, had given the
news of your coming, and suggested
if any evidence was on hand that it
had better be destroyed. And there
was bonfire at Mr.. So and Sos
place, on the snow (mentioning the
name of the suspected party at three
o'clock this afternoon. Is it any
mystery who caused the message to
be sent? If there ever was, it was
cleared away when evidence was pro-