The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1920-07-30
INTERESTING FISH AND
GAME MATTERS.
Seventh Annual Report Just Submit
mitted to Governor by State Game
Warden Darwin.


of Washington is clearly revealed in
the Seventh Annual Report just sub
mitted by State Game Warden l.. H.
Darwin to Governor Louis F. Hart for
the fiscal year of 1919; which ended
March 1, 1920.
The present game code became eff
fective in 1918 and during its first
year there were 96,350 hunting and
fishing licenses issued in this state,
while in 1919 there were 171,OO9, an
increase of n per cent in seven years.
This same period has witnessed the
greatest development of the auto
mobile, and between the increasing
number of fishermen and the increas-
ing number of automobiles, which in
creases the effectiveness of the fish
ermen, the problem of maintaining
the game and fish supply is made one
challenging the best efforts of those
responsible therefor.
In an effort to meet this ever IN
creasing demand State Game War
den Darwin points out that during
the fiscal year of 1919 there were
planted in the waters of the state
23,50S,s35 trout fry, this exclusive of
the steelhead fry, which are classed
arbitrarily under the laws of this
state as salmon, but which are in
reality trout. OF steelhead fry the
total number planted was 12,000,120
and were they to be classed as a
trout, which they really are, the to-
tai number of trout fry planted in
the Washington waters last year was
35,5OS955.
During the seven years that Mr..
Darwin has been at the head of state
game affairs, the increase in game IL
censes has been II per cent, while the
output of the state trout hatcheries
has been increased 730 per cent, go
ing from 2,S43,957 in 1918 to 23,5OS,-
1876 in 1919. During this same seven
year period the Matching capacity Of
the state trout hatcheries has been
increased 427 per cent. The propa-
cation of game birds by the state
was first commenced four years ago,
the game farm being operated on
ground owned by the state peniten-
tiary at Walla Walla, and in large
part operated by penitentary inmate
labor.
From the State Game Farm at Wal
la Walla there were liberated 1927
upland game birds and water fowl.
Of this number / ,422 were Chinese
pheasants. Four of the counties of
the state own game farms, viz, King,
Skagit, Snohomish and Stevens. The
largest of these farms was operated
by the county of King, but the task
of operating it proved so difficult that
King county abandoned it last year,
as did Stevens.
Grays Harbor, Island and Snohom-
ish counties purchased and liberated
3O2 Chinese pheasants, scaled part
ridges and Bob White quail. The to-
tai of game birds liberated from the
State Game Farm and by the respec-
tive counties was 1922.
The increased demand and high
price for furs resulted in the issu-
ance last year of 707 trappers' licen-
ses, an increase over 1918 of POT per
cent. Resident state hunting and
fishing licenses issued in 1919 num-
bered 1912, an increase of II per
cent over the previous year. Resi-
dent county hunting and fishing IL
censes issued in 1919 were 157126. rs
against 137,747 in 1918, an increase
of IA per cent. The nonresident
county fishing licenses increased AZ
per cent over the previous year, 2,341
having been issued.
The passage of the 1919 legisla-
ture of an act licensing private game
farms resulted in the issuance of II
licenses last year for their operation.
In the matter of the number of IL
censes issued, King county, as usual,
led with 26,653; Snohomish was sec
ond whit 1890; Pierce third with
1882, and Spokane county fourth
with 10,137.
The total receipts for the state and
county game funds for the year were
$232,913.46, of which amount s171.-
61916 went to the game fund of the
several counties and $61 ,294 80 to the
state game fund.
Although the state is charged with
almost the entire expense of propa-
eating game fish and game birds. it
only receives very little over one
fourth of the total moneys paid by
the license holders.
The State Game Warden's report
is very complete, in that it shows the
varieties of game fish fry and the
numbers planted into each of the
lakes and streams of the various
counties of the state.
During the fiscal year there were
total of 638 arrests made for viola
ton of the state game laws, from
which 573 convictions resulted, or so
per cent. The greater number of ar
rests made for any one offense was
fnv h.