The sun., 1919-09-14
GAME LEGISLATION
OF 1919 BENEFICIAL
Maine Breaks Up Illegal Traf-
fic In Selling Deer Killed
by Residents.
BIRD SEASON SHORTENED
Many States Make Migratory
Statutes Conform With Fed
eral Regulations.
BIRD SEASON SHORTENED

wasHrNoToN, d. c., Sept. 19.-The
Bureau of Biological Survey has just
Issued its eighty page pamphlet, Game
Laws for 1872 summary Of the pro-
visions of Federal. State and provincial
statutes, edited by George A. Lawyer.
Chief u. S. Game Warden, and Frank
L. Earnshaw, assistant, Interstate Com
merce in Game.
This Is the twentieth publication of
it's kind, the object of the bulletin being
to present the provisions Of game legis-
+ lation in convenient form for sportsmen
and others and to show the general
condition and trend from year to year.
The review of leg station in 1919
shows that legislative sessions were held
In forty-four States, In forty-one Of
which more or less extensive changes
were made in the game laws. While the
number OF game laws enacted does not
equal the total number passed In other
years when most of the Legislatures
were in session. the volume compares
favorably with records Of previous
years. owing to the number of States
which amended and codifed their game
legislation. Arkansas. Illinois. Minnesota,
Ohio, Texas and Utah passed general
measures revising their game laws.
the line of harmonizing State legisla-
ton with the migratory-bird treaty act
and the regulations Hereunder In
South Carolina the Federal regulations
were adopted as the law of the State.
In New oYrk the seasons for Long
Island. and in Arkansas, illinois, Min
nesota, Ohio South Dakota and Texas
open seasons or other provisions were
made to conform to the Federal regula-
lions.
Mig Game Legislation Beneficial.
Some very beneficial legislation for
the protection OF big game was enacted
this year. among the most noteworthy
OF which was the action of Maine in
repeating the provision which allowed
residents to export deer. Federal in
vestigations disclosed that residents of
Maine and New Hampshire had been
illegally shipping large numbers of
deer to the Boston markets and the
magnitude of this illegal traffic, as in
dicated by the convictions secured in
Federal courts, was doubtlessly instru-
mental in initiating this legislation.
Another most important provision OF
the legislation in Maine. and one of far
reaching consequences, was that prohib-
iting the use of deer and moose In lum-
Der camps.
The deer seasons were shortened from
I'VE to fifteen days in Maine. New Mex
leo, Vermont and Wyoming. Close sea
sons throughout the year were pre-
scribed for does In Missouri and Wyom-
ing and for all deer in Ohio and West
Virginia. The limits on deer were re-
duced from two to one a season in New
York and Ontario. Nova Scotia length
ened the season on deer one week, and
New York, Texas and Vermont repealed
laws protecting does.
Maine to Open Moose Season.
Saskatchewan closed the province to
elk hunting and West Virginia continued
the close term on these animals until
1927; Wyoming shortened the open sea
son two weeks, reduced the limit from
two to one a season and repealed the
provision permitting a resident to Kill
enc additional elk under a special $1(
license.
Idaho heightened the season two
weeks on elk in counties having an opeI
season, and Montana modified the sea
sons in certain counties and opened 6
few counties to elk hunting which here
tofore had been closed.
Mention should here be made of thu
programme evolved by the forest ser
vice and the bureau of biological sur
nance of elk in the Yellowstone Ma
tional Park region. Here is found tn
greatest aggregate of large game now IL
existence in such limited area within
the United States. The programme Il
the result of Investigations by these tw'
bureaus of the Department of Agricui
ture, made with view to devising
practicable plan to conserve the remnan
of this once numerous and widely dis
tributed noble game animal.
Maine permitted moose to be hunte'
during the last ten days of November
the first open season on these animal
since 1915, and Nova Scotia shortene'
the open season two weeks WyominI
shortened the season on sheep six week
end extended the term of protection OF
moose and antelope until 1925. Albert
heightened the open season two week
on mountain sheep and goat.
Seasons on Game Birds.
The grouse season was closed in Ney
Mexico. Texas, Vermont and Wyoming
In Maine and Ohio existing open season
were shortened: and in West Virgins
the number OF grouse allowed TO be take
IN a season was reduced from twenty
five to twenty In Michigan and Penn
sylvania, where the seasons on ruffe
grouse were closed in 1913. hunting
again permitted this year. Albert
heightened the season on groure an
ptarmigan two weeks.
Arkansas and South Carolina eac
shortened the open season on quail on
month, and West Virginia reduced tn
limit from ninety-six to sixty a season
In Idaho the season on sage hens wa
opened throughout the State during tn
last two weeks in August; Wyomin
shortened the season two weeks and re
duced the daily bag limit from six (
four; and Oregon heightened by tw
weeks the season east of the Cascades
Wild turkeys were protected until 1872
in West Virginia and the seasons wer
shortened one month in Missouri an
from fifteen days to six weeks in NeV
Mexico. South Carolina heightened III
season two weeks and established
limit of twenty turkeys a season.
Missouri provided that 100 petitionin
householders may obtain a referendum
vote at a general election upon the ques
tion OF a two-year close season on qua