The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-09-15
GAME LAWS ARE
NOW FAULTY;
NEED REVISING
statutes Should Be Worded to Fit
Actual Territorial Conditions of
Latitude

a sun reporter the other day in a
state OF mind tackled a man "higher
UP In the Court House and asked
MIN, as he thought, some pretty Sc.
we're and leading questions about the
game laws and laxity of prosecution
or the offenders. The man higher nm
retallated and wiped the floor up with
the questioner by saying: "The game
laws are inefficient and defective as
now written upon the statute books
OF Florida. One point: There is no
provision by which the court can noss
ia sentence of Imprisonment upon a
Vlolator OF the laws except as an alter
natiVe IN case Of default in payment
Oh line, and the maximum fine il
only $25, so that if a man is prepared
to pay $25 he can go out and kill all
the game he can find or cares to bag
out OF season. Hunters and people
VINO are supposed to know say that
lhe open season on deer is in now in
the wrong time of year, for their pro.
lection and propagation, because most
OF the does are in fawn in the time of
the open season according to present
law. The purpose of the law seems
10 be to conserve the game for the
tourist rather than to increase if in
numbers. Further, the law is de-
rective in that it permits hunting
without license in the voting pre- |
clnct OF the hunter. 1t permits Con.
federate Veterans to hunt without a |
license, and it permits also the hunt. |
Ing and killing Of rabbits, coons and
possums at any season of the wear.
These features of the law make it ex.
tremely difficult, If not impossible, to
enforce the law with any degree Of
efficiency. Furthermore, compensation
OF the game warden is insufficient to
warrant any man in devoting time and
LABOR necessary for the proper en-.
forcement of the law, and it is also
practically impossible for one man to
detect all the violators of the game
laws, in the county, especially one
SNAPPED as ours is 70 miles in strip
north and south extending back 40
miles into the Everglades, which ia
now here and there we'll stock with
game-but with only trails and
swamp roads.
A law should be framed first to pre-.
vent all hunting of any kind out of
season and make it prima facie VIC.
lation of the law to have a gun in
the woods. The open season on deer
should be made to cover the time of
year when the doe is not i'm fawn or
caring for its young; and also the law
should make it prima facie case of
violation of the deer law if quail
hunter is found in the woods with a
rifle or shot gun ammunition for deer
hunting purposes.
Deputy game wardens should be
provided for in every precinct of the
county with adequate compensation
by rewards to insure the proper per.
formance of their duties. The pen. 81
atty should be made fine of $500 or C;
six months imprisonment, or both fine Il,
and imprisonment at the discretion !,
Of the court, with a minimum fine of
S25. A law like this would be of val. ~
lie and would give the home folks D1
chance, for we have non now, as we 81
are busy caring for the wants of our bc
guests during the tourist season. The :,
aw as at present framed works
on Florida sportsmen. and W
ends to keep alive sentiment which ~
practically proves to be an unwritten III
avn and sbous Tho. A. .. oh
he voters who elected the officers is w
shared by the officers who were elect ~
ID by the people to do their will. Our ao
lone sentiment which elects also en- &c
orces to degree. Our constitution I'll
md system of laws practically means I'D
hat the enforcement of law should ie'
'e regulated by the public sentiment io'
n that community. There is no way we
o get around this except by United 10
'tate officers and uniform enforce. oe
nent, for sentiment governs localities. 'of
here is no question but what the the
ublic sentiment in community reg. fif
lates the enforcement of the law. no the
natter If the law is on the statute eve
ooks AS long as the sentiment is in as
avor of liquor we will have LIQUOR. VIII
ublic voting does not fully cover the WIN
ersonal actions or the private opin- anc
ms of the voters. Game law enforc. uni
lg officers must keep their ear to the SIM
round. The politician that wins is sec
lie one who best knows the public rier