Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-20
ncaucine Power or county snn.-,l...,

10 the Editor OF The Times Dispa,ch.
49, Hf.-t an OF the opinion thar it
the super Tisors the power 10 shorten
thc hunting seasons and make rules
ana regulations FOR the protection OF
game as occasion arise in their respet..
tive counties.
When We take into consideration
these men handle the road funds and
a., ..,o'ics ca AFFAIRS affecting the varied
!s't'estS 81 thtiT counties, IL - hardly
10 be SUPPOSED that they are not con.
Hersant VITA the needs OF the game, or
that they would do anything iuinicnl
TO It's interest. believe IN keeping
tie VIII OF the people in local hands. as
lar as II is possible TO do SO. but the
closer mis- power Is kept In the pco-
pies hands the more Jealous ,h.y VIII
served
Il is undoubtedly true that in very
few counties the supervisors have
seemingly abused their authority and
nae arbitrarily passed rules which
ms that the swpcryisors' rules and
regulations must have the sanction OF
ia" game department before they could
become effective. such arbitrary rulings
could be stopped by the department
OF game. If the department was APP
pcaicd to by the hunters 10 pass pom
what they considered arbitrary super
visor rules the department could send
gam" inspectors IN the county who
could make "a thorough and impartial
lnNcStifation. and, II these inspectors
Just the department would refuse to
sanction them. | venture to say thers
would tc very few cases of this kind
FOR my observation and experience is
that since the supervisors were given
this power they have not failed to
meet conditions promptly. and have
game protection.
Where the main kick comes from In
some of the hunters in the cities do
not like to he denied the right 10 hunt
in any locality between the open sea-
sons. as provided in the general .,tata
law. and IL puts them 10 & little trou-
pGrvisors have made. They often start
of on Il hunting trip. and. when they
reach their destination, find that the
supervisors have closed the season and
their days trip Is spoiled. OF course
this is annoying. and is unfortunate
and, III measure. is hardship on
the game in that county had been de-
p!e.od to such an extent that TO con-
linue hunting would mean it's extermi.
possibly question the action of the
board in stopping all hunting.
=, We have have large State; If the game
killing wise to allow. the supervisors
stop further hunting that season II
donw in l,unenburS they had plenty of
game it would be no good reason 10
close the season there. because OF the
conditions. IN Highland. where it was
BY taking this power out OF the
HihuS Oh tue SupcTNiSoTS you are tax
ing away froIa the counties the right
TO protect their own game, as they sec
fit, and putting il III the hands Of Il man
sitting in Richmond, who cannot pos
sibly know the true conditions until
he has had an inspection made, which
takes time and money. and. nine times
in ten, will do Just what the supcrvi-
sors are now doing IL he attends to his
duties conscien;iously. 1 hope this pro-
posed amendment to the game law will
not be adopted. NJ. d. HART
President Audubon Society of Va.
Richmond, Va, January IS. 1918.