The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-11-16
FOREST FIRES OR GAME
BY Walter ]. Quick, Jr., Assistant
Forester

At this season of the year, every
man, woman or boy who loves the
sport of pursuing wild bird or animal
with dog and gun, senses the call Of
field and forest. Whether it be the
lonely mountaineer with ancient
musket, small country school boy
with his first small calibre rife. or
the frantic business man seeking di-
version with the latest model re-
peating shotgun, the lure OF WHY
creatures of fur and feather induces
all alike 20 enjoy hours of healtnful
exercise in their pursuit. Many
shots are fired, hundreds of game
creatures succumb to the skill OF
man and science, while other hun
dreds survive the barrage of shot
and shell to reach another breeding
season. In addition to the advant-
ages accruing through the health be-
slowing qualities OF life, enjoyed in
the out-of-doors, Maryland's game
resources mean much to the country
merchant, the roadside tourist home,
and the seller of farm products,
through the money expended every
hunting season. A bountiful sup
ply of game means not only health
and recreation 30 many Maryland
citizens, but is a potent economic
force due to the expenditure incident
to arrangements for the hunting trip,
through payment for lodging, meals,
gasoline and motor supplies along the
route of travel, and through money
paid for shells, farm products and
services obtained at the scene of the
hunt 1t would indeed be short
sighted not to count these important
factors in considering the desirabillty
of perpetuating our game resources.
Much has been done and much re-
mains to be done in assuring the peo-
pie of Maryland a continuation and
possible increase in the advantages
which result from a bountiful game
supply.
1t is a we'll established fact that
the birds and animals killed by man
are far outnumbered by those thai
succumb TO disease, exposure, crea-
lures of prey and fire. Fire in field
and forest has a tremendous effect
upon the abundance OF the game sup
ply, for fires not only consume the
smaller game, and drive bird life
from their nests, but through the
destruction of natural shelter, the
creatures of the wild are exposed to
unfavorable weather conditions and
fall an easy prey to disease and
carnivorous animals. Fire frequent
ly consumes the berries, seeds and
herbaceous growth which constitute
the food supply, and thus drives the
game to other lands or through in
creatures perish for want of proper
vigor in avoiding their natural
enemies. Forest fires seldom burn
without in some manner influencing
the life of wild birds and animals.
The times when fire can occur with
out even slight harm to game propa-
cation are indeed few.
Thus, it behooves every sane lover
of the hunt, and every country resi-
dent who may profit through the
expenditures of the huntsman, to
exert his influence in preventing and
controlling forest fires. For if no
other reason existed for prevention
of fires than the effect upon the game
supply, that would be very logical
justification for keeping fires out of
field and forest. The hunter who is
so improvident as to destroy, through
his own carelessness with fire, the
sport which he is enjoying, and the
country merchant who fails to see
the loss that is his through failure
to warn the thoughtless smokers
travelling from his store towards the
forests, deserve to suffer the result of
their own shortsightedness. How
ever, in the interest of the greater
social benefits that bountiful game
resources can bring to mankind, it
becomes public duty to prevent
forest fires as a serious scourge to
our game resources.
-O
Under a new ruling, just issued by