The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-01-22
Game and Fish Laws.

there are some which may be highly
recommended, but others of totally
unfair and unjust nature.
q The one prohibiting the killing OF
ducks for market or for sale or serving
is absolutely without merit. We say
this because it is purely class legisla-
ton. We favor the conservation OF
game, but to allow the sporting fra
ternity exclusive privileges on the lakes
and rivers of Tennessee practically pro-
hibits the majority or the masses from
enjoying this species of game meat as
food. Simply to allow hunting for
sport and pleasure, in the case of this
county, reverses everything that has
been done heretofore towards freeing
Reelfoot Lake from restrictions held
over it by the West Tennessee Land
Company, and turns it over to a very
exclusive class of people, large ma
jority of whom are non-residents of
the State.
Such bill will deprive you and
and everyone, except the few who take
a turn once year to sport on the lake,
of the pleasure of the famous Reelfoot
Lake duck meat, and confer such
privilege upon rank outsiders, who have
very little else in view but the object of
making target of this choice game
meat.
OF course the law at present limits
the killing of ducks to so a day, but
we are told upon reliable authority that
the sporting fraternity, some Of those
who are experts, few of them we feel
sure, do not respect the law, but have
been seen to kill as many as $50 ducks
a day., This game and all other game
killed by pleasure hunters cannot be
had by purchase or otherwise for the
tables of the masses. The only way
for you and / and others who do not
hunt to get this duck meat is from
those who make business OF hunting
and marketing it, and for the Legisla-
ture to destroy the industry leaves
us destitute of this luxury.
The conservation of ducks and other
game should have the proper attention,
but there are other ways of doing this
except comforting special privileges upon
a class comprising very small percent
age of residents and of an unlimited
number of outside sports.
Reelfoot Lake was taken over by the
State to equalize the rights and priv
ileges of citizens hunting and fishing
upon it, and the Legislature should not
now undertake to overturn this State of
affairs to satisfy some particularly over ,
jealous and purposely selfish idea of
The following is the gist of the bills
introduced, and something of the same |
nature as the duck bills is incorporated l
in the fish bills, we understand. {
Our Legislators will do we'll to look i
into these bills before they are acted S
upon. I
The bills reveal the fact that there is 7
4 sentiment for
Placing the warden on salary. Pay 6
ng the money into the State treasury
md taking the entire system off the -,
present obnoxious fee basis. .
The Inauguration of the resident 0
hooters license, system now n vogue !
n practically all the States of the union, I
he license to cost 81, and to be paid bv b
my man hunting off his own land a
these licenses to be issued by the Coun- i,
y Court Clerks
Shortening the quail season. and like =.
Use the season on doves, turkeys, and -
ther game birds. Il
Protection for rabbits aud squirrels. h
Reducing the bag limit et
Prohibiting the killing of ducks for HI
be market or for sale or serving. Of
Making robins and larks non-game
irds. =
Prohibiting spring fishing for game ~
sh. l
Prescribing the size of fish that may u
g legally taken. OF
Prohibiting the use Of seines and wing pl
cts and fish traps across streams. Of