The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-03-30
TIE spoRTsMAN,s PUNCH
The Club Plan to Assist in Preserva.
ton Of Fl8h and Game


sioner II. P. Sheldon, VIII be interest.
ed in an elaboration Of the commits
sioner's proposal and which appeared
in the April number Of Field and
Stream. The article Is entitled THE
Sportsman's Punch" and reads as fol-
lows:
"A good defensive boxer who Is
clever with his footwork can manage
to stay in the ring with a champion
for o good many rounds but he wins
no belts who lands none. The struc-
ture OF our FISH and game laws illus
trates good footwork and considerable
skill in defense, but the American
sportsman, the sort Of man who es.
teens his heritage of hunting and fish
ing as more than a mess OF porridge,
can never zee the anti-conseryation
interests knocked fat and counted out
until he himself learns to take the Of
fnslye. Contrary to casual impress
sion. the fight for game preservation
IS not private row between the war
dens and the poachers; it's a free.for
all battle between two methods OF
thought. In conservaton's corner is
the belief that our wild life is great
source capable Of paying big profits in
health and happiness throughout all
the years to come; anti-consevation,
rubbing his shoes in the resin and ad-
justing the horseshoe in his glove,
wants to get both feet In the trough
and walow through the treasures that
were intended to last for centuries.
Anti-conseryatlon was born with a
punch conservation must develop
his. and there Is need for every man
who can wave a towel, squeeze a
lemon, carry a bucket, or root
There is some hope that our man
may emerge champion, for the sports
men are beginning TO indicate that
they have sensed his need for or
ganized support Within the writer's
official horizon there are several local
organlzat which have learned the
value Of a brisk offensive. In their
communities the trout thief Is no
/ longer regarded as sort of sly hero;
healthy public sentiment classities
| him with the chicken stealer and he
receives mighty little sympathy when
( the rod Of justice welts him.
In addition to aid they give their
/ State officials in reducing violations,
these clubs carry out programs to
plant fish. eradicate vermn, hatch
and llberate game birds, and they plan
educational campaigns OF real value
10 their communities. Naturally, the
cooperation OF these clubs with the
state Department somewhat relieves
the strain upon an ovefworked con
servation fund, and money, which the
State ordinarily spends for partial
law enforcement, goes back into these
communities in shape OF more trout
( for their streams and more game birds
/ for release In their coyerts.
Nor Is Il d filcult to organize a club
/ There are always a number Of men in
every community who believe in bet
t,r methods Of conservation. and who
are eager to help II someone VIII show
them where they can take hold To
begin with. the new club must prom
Use these men something more definite
than set OF good resolutions. II HUI
manlty's hell is paved with good in
tentjons. then that Hades OF defunct
organ cations is provided with boule-
wards made up Of good resolutions
which never won't farther than some
bodys dusty pigeonhole a success
ful srortsmans club is like a trolley
car at rush hours-so long as 1t keeps
going there are plenty Of passengers
when II stalls they all get on. Four
or five active men can organize club
and If they plan an active campaign
there will be no difficulty In finding
members to keep the work going.
1T is likely that the State conser
yat'o officials have sample copies OF
constitutions and bylaws which they
will furnish upon request and only q
triae of tinkering will be needed to
adapt them to fit local conditions ana
convenience. The adoption Of con
stitution and bylaws, and the election
Of officers. needn't consume an hour
of time and these actions cover the
technical and legal side OF the organ
cation process Before going further
It is we'll to suggest that the club dues
he kent somewhere within a two-dol
lar limit, otherwise the man who ha'
a wife. a shotgun. two dogs and foul
children to support may be left out IN
the cold. and the club will not be what
II should be-a representative organi
cation with a welcome for anyone
who wants IT," and who is willing &c
obey the regulations and do his share
of the work
presumably the new club has none
too many members, and presumably II
is also hampered by lack of funds IL
its treasury. 1t can add to both will
the use of little judicious advertis
ing. and its best advertising is to plar
and nut through some project of def
mite value to its community IN,
first task should be someth ne II
which all the members can join; Il
must not be too comprehensive, MOI
so difficult and expensive as to invite
failure and II should be somethin!
that will produce quick results in thu
way of improved hunting or fishing.
IN Vermont nearly every town hal
IT. trout stream, and the condition o
that particular stream is matter o
personal interest to every sportsman
in the vicinity. This provides an idea
opportunity for the new club TIL
members set out to find something t,
do. and they discover that more dam
age is done by the interruptions fisher
man who whips the tiny feede
streams than by those who fish tn
main brook. Unless the feeders ca