Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-11-08
Peoples Column
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THE GAME HOGS OF DELAWARE.
To the Editor Of THE EVENING
JOURNAL
Sir: l have been reading with inter-
est the long old cry OF the farmers in
different sections OF the State OF
Delaware in regard to the city gunners
a. game hogs, and cunning licenses in
general. saw in the papers that the
farmers OF Mill Greek hundred are band
ing together To keep gunners from en-
loving a few days of longedfor pleasure
ON their property for game. In speak
ing OF game hogs, let me kindly inform
YOU. Mr. Farmer of Mill Creek hundred,
that !, as neighbor, happen to know
that there does not exist IN any part OF
the State bigger gang OF game hogs
than there is living today right here IN
Mill Creek hundred. | am a farmer my
self and being man who travels all
over the State all days OF the year, L
have seen things right here in Mill Creek
hundred that, as a sportsman, makes
my sporting blood boil. How often have
/ seen farmers boys shooting squirrels
inst at shutdown on Sunday afternoon IN
numbers TOO numerous to mentionf l
have seen squirrels shot as early as Au-
au.t. and on Sunday afternoons at that.
While fishing for bass one hot August
Sunday afternoon about o'clock,
heard the report of gun. Making my
way carefully up into the woods | walk
ed ia tree. and there sat one OF my
neighbor's sons with a gun and two gray
squirrels and waiting for more TO shoot;
and IL was Sunday afternoon, too.
"Whv are you shooting squirrels out
of season and on Sunday afternoon;
why don't you wait until cunning sea-
son opens2' ! asked him.
"Whv," said he, "all us boys around
here begin TO kill our squirrels in Au-
gust"
"But why do you begin to kill squir-
rels in August?' ! asked.
"If we don't kill all the squirrels we
can" he answered. "before harvest or
corn-cutting time, or before the season
for squirrels opens, we wouldn't get any,
because the city gunners are game hogs
and kin off the squirrels in few days"
ooh. we gun on Sunday because we
have no place else TO 60"
II is the fathers of Just such boys who
are setting mp this great hue and cry
about the city game hogs and trespass-
ers. II is lust such farmers who are
killing of the game year by year before
the season opens
In speaking of the city man as a
game hog. what have the farmers OF
Mill Creek hundred to say Of their sons
and ave. of some of the farmers them
selves, who take a bunch of dogs out
every Sunday ON hunting trips after
rabbits. After running the rabbit into
a hole. they dig it out with a pick and
shovel Ave, sir, farmers; and l have
seen the SAME men blow up the same
rabbits burrow with a stick of dyna-
mite so greedy were they to get that
one. lone rabbit. Such farmers had bet
ter hold their hands over their mouths
when the word "game hog is spoken
instead of raising such hue and cry
about the city game hogs. Such men
who call themselves sportsmen, arc
about the poorest specimen of sports
men that it has been my pleasure tC
| live amongst for years.
You may all be surprised when yoi
/ see my name signed TO this writing, an'
we'll YOU may be, for you know me 4
N be an OutspOken man ana u man OF III,
word. There isn't one amongst yol
farmers who darcs 10 step forth AM
say it isn't. I stand ready to back ~
the word have spoken with proof s.
strong that no man of you will dare tel
me | lie.
Oh for a good, honest, game wardel
to rid the State of such greedy gam
hogs who kill game ont OF season ant
then hang mp signs all over their prop
erty and cry out; "The city game hog
can't gun ON my property; they vii
kill Off all the poultry and game on my
land.' If I were game warden for
year ] would give the game hogs in tn
rural districts in New Castle county tin
greatest shaking up that the sportin:
men OF the State of Delaware have eve
had. William 4. Blackthorn.
Marshallton. Del, Nov. ., 1915.