The sun., 1918-09-13
SPORTSMEN ACCEPT
BIRD REGULATIONS
International Association Of
Game and Fish Commission
ers Confer on Laws.

AZ the tenth convention OF the Inter-
national Association Of Game and Fish
Commissioners. which opened for a two
day session at the Waldorf yesterday.
Or. Z. W. Nelson, chief of the Biological
Survey Of the L. S. Department Of Agri-
culture, said that while the new mi
gratory bird regulations which govern
and there. they were on the whole well
received by sportsmen in all sections OF
the country.
About one-half Of the States now have
uniform statutes protecting these>birds
and the Game Commissioners who Dame
from the various States asked DR.. Mel
son for interpretations on various sec
,ions OF the treaty. act and regulations.
Dr. Nelson asked fol the continued
friendly cooperation Of the officials and
said that It was the idea OF the Biological
Survey that the regulations as whole
work out the least damage TO all parts
Of the country.
Concerning the non-sale OF game which
is in effect now throughout the United
States he remarked I'VE have received
many Communications of that feature and
think II will work out well for the
benefit OF the sport in fact for every
body except the pot hunter
To stop spring shooting.
In states where the laws conflict II
was not the intention OF the Federal au-
thorities that there should be drastic
prosecution OF those who do not know
that there Is such a law. and only Uilful
violators will be punished. DR. Nelson
feels, however. that by the end of Feb
ruary. when wild fowl shooting ends
everywhere. so much publicity will have
been given that the Federal authorities
can start in and stop spring shooting
| absolutely.
This wear. for the first time, there Il
no omen time for the bobolink along the
, coast states from New Jersey TO Georgia
where under the Old migratory regula-
lions I; was customary TO allow Two
months shooting for rice and reed birds
| DR.. Nelson pointed out that this bird
! has been regarded as destroyer OF
| rice in certain sections Of South Caro-
| lima. but that little or no rice planting
was done now in the Palmetto State, and
| IL there was destruction Of rice crops
clause in the law permitted the Secretary
! Of Agriculture 10 remedy such condl-
lions.
| He told with giee Of Delaware man
who visited him with letter showing
that the reed or rice bird does damage
: to rice crops In Texas. but the bird
called nv this common name in Texas
is the red wing. or crow black bird, and
not the bobolink.
This led to decision later that TIE
| Biological Survey should print and dis
/ tribute a pamphlet giving the common
names in all States Of game birds. The
Department already plans such a pub
! location.
| Bobolink Figures I'm Treaty.
on the subjec, OF the boboiink John
r. Burnham, chairman OF the United
States Advisory Board. pointed out the
! added obligation there was concerning
the bobolnk statute il being part of a
treaty with a foreign country, but stat
| INK that the bobolinll may become so
great in numbers through their non
shooting by sportsmen that they viii
completely exhaust the wild rice crops
and may turn to grain crops and thus
| become menace
DR.. Nelson also discussed the damage
done to rice last year in California,
where growers LEFT their crops in the
fields for six weeks longer than usual
when the ducks came down from the
north and ate the rice. Also the de-
structlon in Arizona OF grain fields by
doves He cited these instances TO show
the problems that the Biological sur
vey met with in framing laws to benefit
! the sportsmen. adding we would have
to permit the destruction OF these birds
If they do great damage 10 crops.
In the evening the visiting Game
Commissioners were the dinner guests
Of the American Game Protective As
ISOLATION and the National Association
Of Audubon Societies, Talks on game
farms were given b. John NJ. Cramp-
ton, Ernest Napier. T.. A. Quarles and
Theodore Rousult. followed with NOV
ing pictures. The conference will con
tinue to-day.