Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-01-11
MUST HAVE LICENSE.

VIZ r1ANE IICENSE.
1T should be made unlawful for any
person under the age of IL years to
have in his or her possession a shot
gun, rifle or any other firearm while
in field or forest, or in any camp in tho
state 1t should also be made unlawful
for any male person, except veterans
OF the civil war, to hunt, trap or angle
for, or take possession any shotgun,
rifle or other fircarm other than side
arms, while in the field or forest or In
any tent or camp, automobile or ve-
hicle, without first having procured Il
fish and game license. This will elm
mate the necessity of catching a person
in the act of killing game and prove
violation Of the law. 1t will also pre-
vent foreigners violating the law and
non resident automobile owners and
drivers killing game while passing
through the state.
The minimum fine for violation OF
the fish and game laws, now $40, should
be raised to $25. The law should also
provide for confiscation Of guns. tackle,
etc, found on the person arrested. THIS
Will greatly limit violations in the flu
ture. The minimum fine now is paid
little heed to by violators.
"A second violation OF the fish and
game laws by any one person should
result in the forfeiture of their fish and
game license, thereby denying the Of
fender from having in his possession
firearms other than sldeafms, while In
the field or forest during the balance
OF the calendar year in which the Of
Tense was committed. or to fish or hunt.
Bear should be removed from the
predatory animal class, and such rec
ommendation Is made.
FISH SCREENS.
More fish pass from canals and irri-
cation bitches into the alfalfa fields of
this state every year than are caught
with hook and line by the sportsmen of
Idaho. This remarkable situation
brings wildly to mind the urgent ne
cessity for the screening OF canal and
ditch outlets. 1t is one of the most diff
fcuit problems this department has had
to solve. After celebrating on 1t care
fully, investigating conditions in all
parts of the state and realizing that
millions of our fish are lost annually
without proper protection. have con-
cluded to recommend to the legislature
that an adequate screening law be
passed. and method provided to raise
such funds as are necessary for this
purpose.
Our present Law is impracticable AMI
ambiguous. 1t has left the department
with it's hands tied. Under present con-
ditions where fish are permitted to pass
from streams. lakes and reservoirs into
canals. millions of them are lost when
the headgates are shut down. leaving
them stranded in the canals. In the
Deer Flat reservoir of the Boise project,
for instance, last year the water was
shut off from the main canals, and only
the combined efforts Of the department
and sportsmen who volunteered their
services, saved millions of bass and
perch, which we're later planted In
streams and lakes. II these canals and
the reservoir outlets were properly
screened this would not happen. Many
other instances of loss of fish could be
cited. Countless fish every season pass
through the canals. into iAterals and
bitches, and finally into irrigated
fields. where they die. A great majority
OF them could be saved by proper
screens.