The sun., 1919-06-15

In the northern part OF the state one
Of the game protectors became convinced
that a certain storekeeper was shipping
grouse TO customers in the city OF New
York. In what way he did not know.
The object of his suspicious received and
shipped packages daily. He watched
his mall. he watched his shipments.
How TO get him was the burning ques-
ton. Finally he noted that a certain
| trunk made more frequent trips between
| the city and the quiet little village than
circumstances seemed to warrant, In
the dead of night he took q long chance.
lie opened tina trunk. Behold he was
greeted by no less than fifty dead
| grouse. The limit for one person in a
year Is but twenty.
The shipper. the owner Of the trunk,
was not q sportsman: hs was in the
business Of bartering In, buying and SELL
| ing these birds TO aDpease the epicu-
rean appetites of few fastidious people
In the great metropolis. The birds were
not legally taken and he did not come
into legal possession Of them. He was
the inducing cause for many violations
In that particular district which raw
aged our wild life, His punishment
was swift. severe and certain.
ratvolIins the waters.
The game protector must direct his
attention to all sections OF his terri
tory. The use OF nets 10 prohibited in
certain streams and lakes for the rea-
son that they are inhabited by game
Ash (which do not reproduce prolincally)
or that the supply of coarse" food hsa
! is insufficient 10 withstand the continued
etraln OF netting Often the "wlse"
natives manage to place nets in these
prohibited waters while the back OF the
protector IL turned 1t Is then that the
real work Of the protector begins.
To catch q man In the act OF setting
or drawing an illegal net Ia no easy
task Tho violator has but one person
70 wntch-ths game protector. On the
other hand the protector must give his
attention to Nils entire district. Once
the game protector il satisfied that nets
have been placed in prohibited waters he
concentrates his energies to apprehend
the guilty party. Generally the viola
tor Is caught while drawing his net.
Sometimes the METERS are appraised that
the protectors are watching the pro-
hibited areas and they do not venture
near the nets. Then the waters are
combed for illegal devices In one raid
| recently conducted by the men OF the
Central New York Division on Oneida
Lake no less than sixty nets. valued at
i.S75, were connscated.
SsSsV y ShsS OPNnNs
SO with the hunters Of birds for the
market. They set snares and traps
where the birds are numerous. They
10 not venture near the 1ene OF their
depredations while they have reason to
believe that game protector is watch
ing. Then when they are convinced that
the coast Is clear they gather up the
birds The birds thus taken are not in
tended for their individual use but are
destined for the markets. To provide
for such demand the law allows game
birds to be raised in private preserves
o. imported from without the country.
It Is to weed out these constituencies
violators and eradicate similar nefa-
rious practices that the State OF New
York maintains this body Of men. The
sums disbursed in furthering these ends
are well spent, for this force puts the
fear Of the law in the hearts Of the law
| breakers. which serves as a warning TO
others. Due to this intensive work the
wild life conditions in every section Of
the State have been improved.
Force OF Public Opinion.
Many persons read the conservation
law in eursory manner, This naturally
leads them into dificulties. A member OF
the commission once force thought II
would be a generous act to present to a
friend a few copies OF the conservation
law. He lives in n nearby village. Sc
Letting three copies OF the 1918 game
, law, bound in different colors one red,
, one blue and the third green, he sent
, them to his friend. who in due course
of events received them. A short time
later the sender visited his home and wa
, greeted by his friend Jack, got those
books you sent me. I enjoyed them very
much. This blue one have read
, through, am half finished with the red
, and intend TO read the green. II you
] have any more please send them TO me-"
Yet all three copies were alike!
! In the final analysis the problem re-
/ solves itself to this: that public opinion
, must be marshalled behind a given cause
before 1t will be possible TO gain for II
universal approval. When this stage has
been reached Il is necessary to go step
; further to bring home to the violator the
fact that there Is a law which he is
, transgressing which he must obey and
! IL he does not that the consequent
r punishment will be swift. certain and
effective This acts as a deterring force
, and serves as q warning. The public
always applauds a rigid. though II must
, be impartial, sensible and just enforce
, ment OF the laws.
. BY stocking annually the waters and
forests OF this State the Conservation
Commission seeks to perpetuate and en-
large wild life as we'll as to provide a
. source OF food supply. These efforts are
nullified II the violators are allowed &c
prey upon our Wild life unchecked. II
all would obey the law the economic
strain would be lessened and the people
provided with legitimate sport and &
certain amount OF recreation.
II is 10 attain these ends that the Con,
: ssrvation Commission aspires and II
y these efforts seeks the publlc's support
I, Tho game protectors are the main ant
!, active force In the naturalization o.
. these ambitions AS long as this body
!, performs the duties imposed on It in
p manner Justifylng public confidence ant
commentator they are entitled to tn,
i. public's support and to the force O
4 its sentiment in controlling these various
: factors. Those people who are aligned
a behind this force are real friends o
a conservation, while those who are no
q will wink at any transEression ~ IN,
n law.
n CFOakers at TuckertOn Bay,