Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-02-06
aIzA Wk- KILLING CAMPAIGN
s@ ORA WIS COMMENT FROM
# PROPONENTS AND OPPONENTS
Supervisors Urged to Put
bounty on Heads of De-
g Structive Species.
PREMIUM ON COOPERS
I AND SHARPSKlNS ONLY
Bob Whites Change Their Hab-
s. it's, Corbell Says, as Measure
:; of Self-Protection.

= Announcement by tHe Virginia
Game and Fish Protective Associa. on
pt q hawk killing contest in the
stale. with prizes totallinG more than
$500 in cash. in addition 10 shotcuns
and other prizes, having caused some
tliscusSio ion as TO the Wisdom OF cN-
terminating AL hawks, the attitude
OF the State Department; Of Game and
INLAND Fisheries toward the contest
was today explained.
3 Spcakin. for the department. r. 7.
Cornell. who as Held secretary Of .he
department. said that the department
Was very much Interested in the con-
jtcst. not so much in the awar'lng
of the prizes, bu; in the more cHec-
give work TO be done IN reducing the
hawk menace through the adoption by
IoardS of Supervisors of the bounty
oct passed by the 1929 session Of the
Genera Assembly. THIS act. MIR.
.Corbell explained. placcd a bounty of
,5u cents on cooperS and sharp
Skinned hawks. with the provision
that one -half OF the bounty should he
paid by the department.
Conditions OF Contest.
. one OF the conditions Of the hawk
billing contest is that no prize may
be awarded in counties in which the
Roards of Supervisors have not adopt
piles TO al, hawks. while bountics are
paid on the Cooper's and sharp
~ Discussing the wisdom Of destroy
ing all hawks. ne said that white it
ewas mmdouhtcd!y true that certain
Spccirs We're less harmful than OF hers.
all hawks We're to be regarded with
ssnsnicion. for il had been clearly cs-
ytabiishcd that all species. includ-
ing those regarded by some as benc-
shcial. would at times attack game
birds and poultry. Corhcll quoted from
a bulletin by DR.; r. *. Fisher. OF the
United States bureau of i'ioloGical
survey. Washington. to show that
even those hawks which are claSSed
as economically beneficial, may he
'tharmful locally.
3ihat the rcd-tail and red shouldcred
claws. placed in the beneficial class
+ry him. viii ri times eat poultry and
the birds eaten by thes" two species
consists of ground dwelling species.
This admission. he said. was worthy
,'of note by sportsmem. The Bob
White partridge. is "a ground dwelling
bird. Here in the office We know,
said Mr.. Corbcll. that countless num-
der OF partridScs annually FAN VIE
TINS 10 hawks, and we are not ready
80 admit that the rcd-ta.i and the
.r"d- shouldcred DO not share rulpa-
.ibility with the Cooper's and sharp
Skinned
Conditions Make Difference.
Mr.. Cornell also stressed DR.. Fish
rser's statement that ON. species az
hawks may be harmless IN one To-
cality and hold marauders in another.
This fact In Itself. he said. is ample
ground for regarding all hawks with
ssuspicion. Conditions in other states
may be different. he said. but it
would seem that in Virginia practir-
ally every species OF hawks here de-
sstroys, when opportunity Affords, bot
game birds and poultry.
y Even IL we admit that the red
.staii and the rcG-shouldcrcd hawks
rare less harmful than other species.
fMr. Corbcll said, II should not hc for
gotten that these birds will ut times
kRttack both poultry aud game. lie
said il was for the farmer 10 decide
whether the questionable service rem
sdcrcd him by these birds was greater
yard and to the valuable inScc,iv"r-
Gus birds. notably the partridge.
(which make their home with him.
n Because OF the relatively few covey
found in the open fields in recent
wears, MIR Corbell said some hunters
.:havc come 10 believe that Bob whit"
Ghas changed its habits. Perhaps III"
gbrds have changed their habits he
4said, hu; IL they have il is because
'.means of self protectjon from HAWKS.
sAnd with the number Of farmers who
rClean up their ditch banks and Mace
isNvoven wire wh"rA. the odd rail fences
G0nce stood incraaS,.G, every year. Mr.
Gcorbcll said. the woods furnished
sabcut the only protection for lob
white. Cleaning up hedges and ditch.
! banks ana tearing down the old
frhcstnut rail fences may he a good
ything for the farmer from a business
tStandpOint, he said. but II is Il bad
.IHing for the birds