Arizona republican., 1916-06-18
Where the People
 May Have Hearing
The Proposed Game Law
Editor Republican:

Editor Republicans: ResuIning my argument in defense of our initiated bil now being circu- lated, proposing some amendments to the present game law, and which has been most heartily denounced by the sportsmen of Phoenix, at a specially called mectinG as more stringent .han the laws of any other state, where game is less plentiful" I will submit the following summary of the | laws of other states. just to show how they compare in stringency with the proposed initiative bill: 1 TWentN-SeVen of our states forbid the killing of doves at any season of he year, and of the states allowing an 1 open season on them, not one of them | open as early by q month and a half US does Arizona which opens the dove l and white wing season on June 1st just when the birds are nesting most abundantiy. .Calinfornia. on our west and Colorado, on our north, do not 7pen the season until September 1st. And Utah and New Mexico, our next door neighbors, do not open the sea ! son until August 16 or two months and half later than Arizona.
 have loEg contended and shall con- | tinue to contend, that the dove and the Whitewing should have the protec- tion of the law whiie they are nesting and bringing off their young, but the 1 so-called "sportsmen" successfully opposed my best effort to have the last legislature make desira be changes in the present law Well. the birds belong to the people of the state and l am willing that they should de- eide the question to suit themselves, at the next general election.
 Four months of closed season on the doves and Whitewings to eight months of open season, and those eight months covering the entire nesting period of the birds, as allowed under our pres : ent law. shows too much consideration for the "srortsmen," ana not enough for the birds
 Now, as to the federal law. another pet aversion of our "sportsmen," both here anu in other states: This law was intended to protect the migratory water fowl, and other birds, during their nesting season, and it's opera
  ready produced noticeable increase in the number of ducks. coming iron the northern states, where they nest to Arizona to winter. With the "spoltsmen" of the northern state. permitted to hunt the water fowl dur ing all Of their stay in the north anC the "sportsmen" of the south bedevil ing them from the time the first on, arrives in the fall. until the last on departs in the spring for their nest ing places in the north, the birds wer having | time of it and it is not to b wondered at that all classes of migra tory birds were steadily decreasin in numbers. Nor is it strange that tn Migratory Bird law was enacted wit the view tC giving the birds opportun ity to breed urdistlrbed, for a fractio of the year. by the 'sportsmen [ the north, and to shorten the seaso of slaughter by the southern sports men from seven months to thre months and a half.
 Our Arizona law, which I woul like to see amended. and which tf 'sportsmen' insist shall be let alon by both the federal lawmakers an nyself-it heing perfectly satisfactor to them as it is-allows an open sea son of seven months on all water flow and that seven months covers the er tir period of their stay in their vii ter ranges. However our splend Arizona law closes the season on the; birds and extends them full protectie during their five months absence
 the northern states rearing the young.
 The laws of the other states we about as absurd as the Arizona law his respect hence the necessity of Federal law. and the Federal cour to enforce the same Most of u states however. have. since the enac ment of the Federal law amended the laws in conformity herewith, but A iZona still stands pat"
 G. M. WILLARD.
 State Game Ward