Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-10-28
State Game
Body Fights
Deer Removal
Daily Dispatch Bureau
In the Sir Walter Hotel.

Raleigh, Oct. 28.-The Game and
Inland Fish Division Of the Depart
ment of Conservation and Develop
ment is all locked up with the Unit
ed States Forest Service in a law
suit over shipment of deer from the
Pisgah National Forest to states other
than North Carolina.
Director John d. Chalk of the
game division contends that the State
law prevents this sort of thing and
figuratively cries out "Yon can't do
that to us"
That is in the western pant Of the
State. In the east it's different.
The same State game division
which is battling Federal folks tooth
and nail on the Pisgah front is pre-
pairing to trap some hundred or two
hundred deer on the United States
Army Fort Bragg reservation in
Hoke county and-of all things
ship some eight down to another
Federal reservation in Georgia
Fort Benning, home of the Infantry
School, and scheduled concentration
point this winter for largest bodies
Of troops collected together by Uncle
Sam since days of the A. q. F. Of
1917-18.
On the face of things that looks
altogether illogical and even farcical
"a battle on the western front to
prevent out-of-state shipment Of
deer, while at one and the same time
engagement in plans to ship deer out
Of the State from the eastern front
But MI Chalk's explanation of this
condition puts something Of a diff
ferent aspect on the matter. The
game director says that in Pisgah
the Federal forest service folks have
consistently refused to cooperate with
the State authorities and have per-
sistently insisted upon the right to
do just as they please in the impor-
tant matter Of game control.
On the other hand, Army boys at
Fort Bragg have at all times shown
the finest possible spirit Of coopera-
ton and have assisted State game
officials in every way possible. 1t
followed, therefore, says Mr.. Chalk
that when the Army folks wanted
two bucks and about half a dozen
does with which to stock some 5000
acres Of fenced in land at Fort Ben
ming, the State was glad to oblige
All Of which goes to show that it's
largely matter of who's in charge.
If, for instance, the federal official
in charge Oh the Pisgah Forest af-
fairs could and did get along swim
mingly with Mr.. Chalk, there'd be
no dispute about shipping deer If
there were areas too thickly popu-
lated with deer, the U. S. forester
and the State game head would get
together, talk things over and de
eide where to move the surplus
That's what's being done at Bragg.
Mr.. Chalk says there are some seven
or eight thousand deer on the reser-
walton; and that it's really we'll to
remove some Of them to other sec
TONS Therefore there will be trap
ping this fall. Most Of the animals
will be shipped to western areas in
North Carolina where there now ex-
lists a scarcity Of deer, but the Fort
Benning army people are entirely
welcome to their eight, if they want
them, says Chalk.
On the other hand, the Federal
Forest people contend that the APP
4,5OO deer on the 10000
acre Pisgah Forest are ''over-brows-
ing; while the State contends with
equal vigor that there aren't too
many deer, and that if there are the
surplus animals should be sent to
other sections within the State and
not out of North Carolina.
1t does appear, in short, that a
costly, bitter law suit could quite
easily have been avoided by a very
small bit of cooperation; but now it's
injunctions, not friendship, they're
after, with the next round of the
legal battle set for November 4 in
Federal court here.