The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-09-29
HUNTERS! BEWARE OF CAUs-
ING FOREST FIRES

The open season for the hunting
of squirrels began Friday, Septem-
Der 18th and will continue to Octob-
+er 18th, inclusive; then open No
vember 18th to December 31st, in
elusive. Except, the open season
for the hunting of squirrel in Gar
rett County is October 1st to October
31st, inclusive.
Squirrel hunters naturally hunt
this small game animal in the forest
areas of our State. Although we
have gone thru wet season during
August and September, it is very es-.
sential that the hunter should be
very careful not TO drop half-burned
cigarettes, cigars or knock the hod
out of a pipe or throw away a light
ed match, as your carelessness may
cause thousands of dollars OF loss to
the forest owners and in addition de-
stroy valuable wildlife by destroy
ing cover and food thru the burning
of forests, especially the undercover.
Again what could be more Gispleas-
ing to the eye than a burned forest
area? Conditions should no. be as
bad as they were during the hunting
seasons of the past three years, due
to the rainfall we have had for the
past few weeks. However, this is
no assurance that from now until
October 18th, we may not have dry
spell and when the leaf-moid and
underground in forest areas are dry,
a serious fire can be started without
your knowledge of being the cause
of it, Therefore be sure chat you
do not drop fire of any kind in for
est areas.
The Commonwealth of Virginia, in
enacting their new game laws, pro-
vides that the hunters shall We abso-
,utely responsible for their acts in
the woods and carelessness on the
hunters part in Virginia is very
likely to cost him more than his
hunting trip is worth. The Com
mission of Game and Inland Fisher
les has notified the public that they
will conduct rigid investiga lions of
every fire during the hunting season
and where the cause can be proved
against any individual, he must pay
the suppression cost OR serve a term
in Jail.
The State Department of Forestry
of Maryland during this season of
the year, stations lookout tower
men and fire wardens in all sections
of the State and we plead with the
general public to cooperate with
them in suppressing the cause of
forest fires OF course, we realize
that the majority of the wooded
areas of our state some time between
now and October 18th will attract a
great many hunters and each hunter
should become an unofficial fire war
| uon himself anu use every m6LnOQ
possible to prohibit forest fires A
forest fire in the western section of
our State may cause the death of
dozens of deer and wild turkeys, and
destroy small game birds and game
animals in other esctions of the
State where forest areas are burned
over. 1t is not only destruction of
the forest by forest fires but great
loss is suffered to wildlife in the loss
of cover and food caused by the red
menace.
The State Game Department has
always had the interest of the sports
men at heart and requests your ear
nest cooperation in using every eff
fort possible while hunting not to
start a forest fire yourself and re-
quest others with whom you come
in contact to use every precaution
also.
E. LEE LE'COMPTE,
State Game Warden of Maryland