Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1916-07-03
Where the People
May Have Hearing
THE PROPOSED GAME LAW

Editor Republican,:
Much that is hostile and misleading
has been finding its way into the news
papers of the state lately concerning
the alleged "strinGency" of a certain
initiative bill proposing few amend
ments to our game law, and in order
that the people may understand the
matter | would like to submit the fol-
lowing facts:
twenty six of the states forbid the
killing of doves at any season of the
year; nineteen states allow an open
season ranging from two weeks to
eight months. Only Arizona and Mis-
sissippi allow the maximum of eight
months. Three states are silent as to
doves. Only Arizona and Georgia set
the bag limit above 25, which is the
limit fixed in the above mentioned
initiative bill. All of the states except
Arizona fix the closed season on doves
with the view to protecting them dur
ing their nesting period, but Arizona
opens the season six weeks earlier than
any other state and gives the birds no
| protection whatever during the brood
| ing season The bag limit here is 35
| birds and this number may be killed
/ every day of the eight months of open
| season. The initiative bill would lower
the bag limit to 25 and shorten the
season to six and a half r!cnths. And
| this is one of the things that the
sportsman is bowling so loudly about.
The Arizona law fixes the daily bag
limit at rs, with three months and a
half open season. Only two other
states set the bag limit as high and
only six allow as long an open season,
while sixteen of the states have closed
the season on quail to save them from
extinction The initiative bill, which
is arousing the ire of our sportsmen,
would reduce the bag limit to 20 birds
per day and cut the season from three
and a half to two and a half months.
Is this anything for the sportsmen to
kick about?
In A states the open season on ducks
! is three months and a half or less,
while in Arizona it j. seven months,
and those seven months cover practi-
cally all the time they are in Arizona
while the five months of protection
given them is during the time they are
absent from our state, so it might as
well he an open season the year round
for all the protection the ducks get
| while they are with us
The federal law aims to give the
migratory water fowl and other migra =
tory birds protection from the game
hogs" while they are nesting in the
northern states and to shorten the
season of slaughter by the southern
game hog when the birds are driv-
en- south to winter. The northern
game hog" contends for the right to
keep the slaughter going all the time
the birds are in the south, and there
you are. Is it not time for the federal
lawmakers to step in and give these
birds the needed protection that the
many states. in their selfishness have
failed to extend?
And is ii not time. in view Of tho
rapidity with which our game Of al
kinds is decreasing, that we ArizonianS
take prompt actior to reduce the bag
limits shorten the seasons. and supply
the requisite means for the enforce
ment of the game law by an increase
|
initiative bill now before the people
or would it be better to follow the eX
ample of many of the older states ant
permit these people to shape our gam
laws till we have nothing left in tn
way of game except mudhens, prairie
dogs and chuckawallas?
We have vast areas of desert ant
timber, splenddly adapted to the pro
duction of many varieties of game
which can never be utilized for an
purpose except the accommodation o
wild game and the grazing of domesti
animals These vast areas, once TEEN
ing with wild game, are now, in mos
parts, all but stripped of game. tn
native elk were extermnated twenty
eight years ago, while deer. antelopt
mountain sheep and wild turkey ar
now to be found only in the remot
and most inaccessible regions of tn
state.
1t is none too soon to put check o
such sportsmen unless we want
reach the point, as have some of tn
older states before us. where we hav
no game and are obliged to do withou
| or resort 10 Importing III oiuei " ~
stock For my part. | do not thin
the game hog'' is entitled to tn
slightest consideration in this conneo
ton An abundance of wild game
not only tremendous asset as consic
cred from the standpoint of domest
economy, but it is natures chief adorr
ment Of the desert wastes and III
mountain wilds, and never fails
gladden. the eye of man, whether civ
ilized or savage. Shall the spoilt
continue unrestrained till his work
vandalism and destruction is complet
or shall we make a timely effort
4 preserve these beauties of nature. tn;
our children and our children's chi
dren may enjoy the pleasure of gazir
upon them and knowing what the
are?
c. NJ WILLARD.
State Game Warden.