Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-30
LEGISLATURE DID POOR JOB in
KILLING FIsH-sPEARINa
sTATUTE.
LEFT OLD LAW STAND,
PUT BAN ON IMPLEMENT
Not illegal to Take Fish With Spear,
But Unlawful to Have Ono in Pos
session-one Of Nice Contradictions
in Legislation - Important Changes
in Regard to Size Of Fish Caught.
Special to rimes-Rpublican.

Special to Times republican.
Des Moines. April Boone Of the nice
contradictions of the law is found in
the game laws as left by the last gen.
eral assembly.
A spear is recognized as useful in
taking fish The law of Iowa makes
possession Of a spear for fishing I'M
lawful. no matter where the spear is
located, whether in store or a wood
shed or any other place. But the law
also provides that it shall be lawful to
take certain fish at certain seasons OF
the year with a spear.
Querry:P How is it to be done law
fully with a fishing implement posses
sion of which anywhere at, any time
is unlawful? But that's the law.
There is in the code supplement a
clause which reads that the possess
sion of spear. trap, net or seine, in
or upon any of the public waters Of
the state, or upon the ice of the same,
or on the shore within limit of ten
rods etc, shall be unlawful, F" but the
provisions Of this section shall
prevent the taking Of carp, sucker, red
horse or buffalo in the daytime by
use Of a spear in any months except
March and April" What the legisla-
ture did, IN S. F. 624 was to strike out
the qualifying phrases commencing
with lin or upon and ending with ten
rods" SO that the possession of a spear,
seine, net or trap is unlawful any
where at any time and under all cir
cumstances. If the game warden
catches a man driving along a country
road miles from any pond or stream he
can confiscate the seine or spear he
may have with him. This clause was
added to the whole section:
And it shall be lawful for the state
fish and game warden, or any Of his
deputies or assistants to seize without
warrant and sell or destroy any such
trap, net or seine wherever found"
In the same bill, as passed is pro-
vision as to fishways, 50 that they shall
be Constructed in accordance with
plans and specifications prepared and
furnished by the fish and game warden
for such dam
An important change is made in the
law as to the size OF fish which one is
forbidden to take from the waters.
The law will read, forbidding the talk
ing of fish under the following sizes:
Trout, bass, catfish. ten inches long.
Wall-eyed pike, pickerei. twelve
inches long.
Graphic, eight inches long.
That moves thte trout up from the
six inch class to the ten inch; moves
the Graphic from six inches up toa eight:
moves the catfish and bass from six to
ten inches, and the pike and pickerel
from six to twelve inches.
Other Changes in Laws.
An important change was made in
the bag limit by the general assem-
bly, as related to birds. The limit that
may be killed in one day will be eight
prairie chickens, fifteen quail or twen-
ty-fiye or other birds or animals; in
stead Of twenty five FOR each kind Pos
session Of sixteen prairie chickens or
twenty five Of other birds or animals
is unlawful; instead Of twenty five
chickens or other birds.
A provision was inserted in the law
so that the game warden may sell any
trap or other device when seized as
well as destroy the same. the pro-
ceeds to GO into the same fund.
8. F. 622 includes Hungarian par
tridges or other imported game birds
under the absolute protection of a
closed season, along with pheasants,
and extends the protection to Oct. /,
1917.
S. F. 621 will add to the aggregate Of
the game funds Of the state because it
includes those who trap fur bearing
animals or game as among the persons
who must procure a hunters license.
1t also makes the trapping season COM
mence Dec. 1 instead of Nov. 1.
S. F. 624 places the resident alien"
in the class with the non-residents re-
quiring $40 fee for hunters license.
The intent of this is to shut off the
visitor who happens to be in Iowa and
wants a hunters license for a short
time.
S. F. $50 Is the bill which permits
the game warden to issue a license for
81 annual fee for operation Of a
game farm, which license releases the
owners from the penalties of the law
as to all matters regarding his own
game birds.
s. F. 447 merely re-enacted certain
laws the validity Of which was in doubt
because Of failure of the speaker Of the
house in the Thirty-third to sign the
bill.