Evening star., 1932-08-18
GAME PRESERVES
/ SAVE WATER FOWL
Years of Efforts in Louisiana
Block Carnage of Migra-
tory Birds.

MINNEAPOLIS August 18 (N.A.N.A) T..
The usefulness of our water foWl the
continent over may be regarded by q
majority of persons as OF but lnslgnln
cant or sentimental value-that is, II
they think of the subject at all.
It is strange that not until some Few
years ago did the matter seriously and
conscientiously engage popular atten-
ton. Game preservation was largely
spoken of in print in dim, distant
way that did not grip the fancy. We
were passing through the era Of plat
form conservation" and we had not yet
got over the habit Of proclaiming at
home and abroad that ours was land
of '1nexhaustible resources" Common
sense, however, corrected that fault
The realization became evident that If
something were not done about the pro-
lection of our migratory waterfowl and
our migratory inSectivorouS song birds,
Of the laws of nature) in manner that
could reasonably be termed a crisis.
Spring Season Closed.
The first gun was fired by the con-
servationists opening the struggle for a
migratory bird law and the abolition
Of Spring shooting throughout the Mid
ole western states.
The matter became international in
aspect when Canada was drawn into
the argument. As is we'll known, the
migratory bird act was thus formulated,
and a treaty made between the United
States and Great Britain. having for
the basis Of its demands, the protection
Of the migratory waterfowl in the course
Of their passage to and from their Win
tering places in the South This treaty
went into effect August 16, 1916.
Attempts were made to prove the
migratory bird act unconstitutional. and
in this respect it may be said that a
very large number of sportsmen in the
Lower Middle West went to every limit
to defeat 1t, even to making test"
cases. The law, however, stood firm:
it was already deep-rooted in the hearts
Of the nature lovers and sportsmen Of
North America. Later the United States
Supreme Court handed down a decision
that the migratory bird act was con-
stitutional and it was duly approved
July 3, 1918.
Big Gains Made
The stopping of Spring shooting on
the f1yways used by the waterfowl was
considered of invaluable protection for
migratory birds The stopping Of the
sale Of waterfowl in the States Of Louisi-
ana and Arkansas, where the market
hunters slaughtered the ducks and
geese by thousands, was still a greater
aid. AS late as the year 1915 some
10000 ducks were killed on one preserve
alone, located Is miles from New Or
leans. They were sold in the New Or
leans markets and elsewhere at from rs
to so cents pair.
It was brought out in the govern
mental Investigations that at least rs
per cent of the waterfowl Of North
America claimed the marshes and
swamps Of Louisiana as their Winter
home and feeding grounds; that practi-
cally the bulk of the Northern water
fowl recruited from the Provinces OF
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and
Ontario and all the region reaching
above that to the ice-pans Of the
Arctics-all this mighty host at the
time Of migration pass southwark. con-
verge and follow the natural water
ways of Louisiana where, for centuries,
this great winged army has passed the
Winter months looking forward to the
Spring season and the return to the
Northern waters for the breeding sea-
son. ooo
acres Of marsh land to its credit of1ers
to the waterfowl an almost ideal place
as a home during the Winter and be-
cause of the fact that the cream OF
this great waterfowl territory Is now
set aside as great game refugees for all
time, one has the realization liked In
his mind that at least in the better
portion Of this Louisiana country the
ducks obtain protection and are safe
until they again go North
Greatest Preserves in World.
The game preserves Of the State Of
Louisiana are the greatest in the Worid
They are also the most important. II
was owing to the determination and
energy of Edward Avery Mc1lhenny OF
Avery Island, La, that this great plan
for the saving of waterfowl was carried
out and put into effect.
Born and brought up in the louisiana
country, McIlhenny knew every bay and
inlet along the coast from the delta to
the Sabine He knew every species OF
winged life that came to the State OF
spent some of the IL months Of the
year in those covers. He saw Louisiana
when it was at the height Of its glory
also witnessed its decline, and was one
of the greatest foes Of market shooting
in the South. AS early as 1893 he
started his famous egret colony on
Avery Island. having as the basis OF
this revived species seven young egretS
that apparently the plume hunters had
overlooked in their unceasing efforts to
suroN the lady Of fashion with a
"whNS badge of cruelty" 1t is inter-
estina to note that in 1914 the egret
colony on Avery Island hak increased
to over 10000 birds, and that today the
colony is the most extensive in the
United States The bird that was once
well-nigh extinct is today well on the
upgrade, thanks to the efforts Of this
conservationist.
In the words Of McIlhenny with re-
gard to his egret experiment: This
little attempt in conservation by me
was the first demonstration Of the wild
life sanctuary idea for migratory birds
in the world and was the object lesson
on which the wild life refuge plan has
been built"
Met C. w. Ward.
In March. 1910 Mr. McIlhenny met
Charles Willis Ward Of Michigan, who
was a great outdoor enthusiast anc
conservationist and who had heard
much with regard to the efforts of the
man at Avery Island who was doing
such remarkable things for the preser-
vation of wild life.
The meeting was timely one. Ware
was enthusiastic over the possibilitie:
for establishing refugees in the Louis
lana marsh country and was especially
taken with a 54,000-acre block Of lane
on the south side Of Vermilion Bay thai
McIlhenny had leased from the Orange
Land Co. for the purpose Of protecting
ducks and geese during their Winter
sojourn in Louisiana. This land wa!
duly purchased by McIlhenny anc
Ward. 10000 acres Of which (the bes
OF the block for sanctuary purposes