Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-03

composed of DR.. Charles 3. Penrose.
William E. McCaleb, George d. Cid
con, John NJ. Phillips, DIR. II. j. Don
aldSon and j. S. Speer noted the per-
ceptible increase in valuable insect
destroying birds in the year and the
growing popular interest in birds, but
regrets that wet weather was unfavor-
able for increase of game birdsfi Tur-
keys, quail and squirrels are not hold
ing their own and the ruffed grouse is
gradually disappearing. The game pre-
serves are considered an admirable
method of propagating game and have
maintained birds which would other
wise have been eXterminated. The
question of a natural food supply for
the birds in winter is giving great con-
cern.
Pennsylvania's bounty system is con-
sidered the best in the land and
there has been an increase in claims.
The office dealt sharply with many
frauds during the year and the game
protectors were successful in all but
twenty out of 726 cases, although en-
countering difficulties in enforcing the
law prohibiting aliens from having
firearms and dogs.
DR.. Kalbfus declares for simpler
game laws. He favors q codification
and believes that the present laws
could be reduced a fourth. None of
Iue game DlTuS can Sdllu IL lOlSeI Seti-
son than one month. The State, he
says, has bought game for propagation
from other places, including 5000
quail from Mexico, but if the farmers
of the State, whom he says derive
most benefit from the life work of the
quail were to take an interest in the
birds in winter time q closed season
would be all right.
The birds were bought from pro-
pnnHS nf fha hnnfnrC' IiPanGe law and
DIR. Kalbfus says that quail can not
be secured from any State now and
that Mexico is the only place.
DR.. Kalbfus says that the shooting
of all game should be forbidden be-
fore daylight, especially wild turkeys
and that strict efforts should be made
to capture men who use turkey calls.
Rabbit hunting, says the secretary,
is the poor mans sport. Il believe"
says he, that fully three-fourths of
the hunters of the State are rabbit
hunters and that the more rabbits
we have the less birds will be killed
by men," He also says that rabbits
are the prey of animals which would
otherwise attack poultry and that in
some counties rabbits are being prop
agated, while in other counties they
need to be thinned out.
The secretary notes that there are
now eighteen game preserves and
that the plan to establish a quail pre-
serve near New Germantown had to
be abandoned because leases could not
be obtained. The tracts being worked
upon for establishing this year are in
Blair, Bedford, Huntingdon, Clear
field, Cumberland and Susquehanna.
Somerset, Warren, Clarion, Forest
DIR. Kalbfus favors buying land for
game preserves out of the hunters IL
cense fund in counties where there
are no State forestry reservations.
Regarding deer raiding orchards and
farms he says that he has had COM
plants and the office would not prose-
cute if the deer were shot in the hind
ends with fine shot so long as serious
or fatal injury was not inflicted on the
animal.
In relation to bounty frauds he says
that he is satisfied the State was
mulcted by frauds, but that every
thing can not be uncovered in spite of
efforts made.
The report says that 80 of 102 men
accidentally shot during the hunting
season. were killed against 119 shot
and 20 killed in 1915. The great ma
jority were hurt by careless use of
firearms. 1t is estimated that 100000
men went hunting and that 100000
rabbits were shot with 100000 squir-
rels, 1000 wild turkeys, 10000 quail,
10000 woodcock, over 10000
grouse, 10000 raccoons, and 1000
male deer and 60 to 100 female deer
illegally shot.