The Washington times., 1923-07-16
c AM { PIRATES
!. ALONG GULF:
REBUFFED
Southern Sportsman Buys Up
Great Tracts of Land to !.
Preserve Animal Life.
BY International News Service.

BY International News Service.
NEW ORLEANS, July 16.-The
Gulf Coast has it's. pirates, but it
looks as If their days are num-
bered. Descendants Of Lafitte and
kindred spirits that roamed the
Spanish Main and put in on the
Gulf Coast to hide their loot have
been preying for years among the
northwestern. Louisiana. But an
announcement made today seems
Co put an end to their activities.
These latter-day pirates are game
pirates. They have ravaged the
supplies Of ducks and geese, deer,
muskrats and 50 on in wilder
Louisiana for years. Today's an
nouncement, from Avery Island,
Is that z. A. McIlhenny, foremost
Southern sportsman, has acquired
control Of the last remaining. open
100000 acres OF land in this terri
tory. - s.,-r -
He has already established "a sys.
tenn Of stationary and patrolling
wRrdens in the interest of game
conservation. Market hunters and
stble for the rapid. diminution of
Americas supply Of game birds
and wild animals-will have to
90 some. from now on il they
Plan Ito operate in this region.
Ends 15.Year Job.
McIlhenny's announcement marks
the elimination of a fifteen-year
campaign to make Of southwestern
Louisiana one: great game refuge.
In that fifteen years he has taken
oyer 700 square miles of a veritable
Famei and bird paradise. The Rookie
yeiler estate helped, him. So did
Ne Sage estate and the Rainey fam
fly. He gave great deal of ground
himself and prevailed on others
interested in game conservation to
do likewise. The result il that
Louisiana now has four great State
game refugees where wild life is
protected. They amount to $50
square miles. McIlhenny's latest
acquisition Of 100000 acres lies be-
tween these refugees, the Gulf and
White Lake. It fronts twelve miles
on the Gulf and seventeen on the
The area from which game pi-
rates have been ousted has now,
Including McIlhenny's purchase, a
frontage Of sevent.five miles on the
Gulf and is bounded on the north
by Bayou Teche, Avery Island and
the rice fields. In Winter all vari-
eties OF wild ducks and geese from
Canada aud the Arctic make this
region their home, there being
boupdleSs supplies Of feed and
plenty Of water spaces.
Guards Wild Life.
Mcnhenny's victory in his long
campaign against game pirates Is
Of Importance to the entire coun-
| try, which, through years Of in
Ncreasihg farm cultivation, has seen
Eild BIRDS disappearing in the wake
d deer, bear and other game Of the
olden day. Game protection on the
State refugees and McIlhenny's great
private preserve will give the birds
and animals a chance to multiply
and resist the trend Of the last fifty
years. The State of Louisiana, in
gratitude to him for his work, has
oVerseer and adviser for the Con-
asked McIlhenny to act as informal
servation Commission for the $50
square miles of hunting and fishing
grounds he turned over to it.
There are more black bear in
this region" says McI1henny, ethan
In any other territory in the United
States. The supply Of deer is large,
and ducks and geese literally throng
the region in winter. 1t Is up to
the State and all good sportsmen to
conserve this wild life"