The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-02-02
Take Action
On Important
GdnneMdtterS
Montana Wiidlife Federation
In Favor of New Set-up
For State Commission.
DUES OF AFFILIATED
CLUBS SET AT S., $40

That great amount of highls
important business was TRANSACTED
at the fourth annual convention O
the Montana Wildlife Federation
held in Butte last week, was report
ed by Earl Switzer upon his return
to Libby from attending the conven.
ton. SWitzer is president of the
Libby Rod and Gun club.
A resolution was passed asking the
state fish and game commission tc
make a survey among sportsmen
relative to declaring closed season
on all upland birds; the closed sea-
son to continue until it was deemed
no longer necessary.
Another resolution favored identi-
fication tags for hunters. The reso-
luton recommended to the state
commission that each licensed
hunter or fisherman be required to
wear a waterproof Identification tag
or button with name and license
number thereon, said button or tag
to be furnished at the time the IL
cense is issued to the hcensee, the
cost to be included in the license
fee One idea was that the tag
would furnish Identification in case
of accident.
The convention favored passage
of a law prohibiting killing of bea-
Yer for period of three years, ex
cept that when found that the bea-
yer are doing damage to property
the beaver to be trapped alive by
deputy game warden and trans
ported to an area suitable for beaver
propagation.
That the fish and game commits
sion pass regulations prohibiting the
shooting of upland game birds with
IN radius of loo yards of occupied
residences IN rural districts, was
approved
The convention desired closer CO.
operation between the livestock in
terests and the sportsmen's orgHn-
izations. Ii favored campaign to
encourage more friendly relations
between our urban sportsmen and
our farmers and rural sportsmen. !"
The state was divided into twelve
districts for federation purposes, the
affairs of each district to be handled
by three directors in that district
Seven counties in the northwestern
part of the state comprise district
No. |. The directors named for that
district are: DR.. J. S. Mcfarland.
Whltefish, William Anderson. Bon
ner, and Earl SWitzer, Libby. One
director from each district iaato be
elected to serve as a director Of the
state federation.
Delegates voted to assess various
sportsmen's clubs affiliated with the
federation So for clubs under 100
membership and $40 maximum for
those over 100 membership.
The convention voted unanimous
ly to sponsor bill in the legislature
to set up a seven-district, seven-man
fish and game commission for the
state. The delegates also voted
strongly in favor of the Robertson
Pltman act. This act by congress
provides that the 10 per cent excise
tax on guns and ammunition shall
revert to the states for wiidlife
planning purposes, but to secure
this money the states must pass leg.
lslatlon accepting the federal law
and agreeing to match the federal
money with one-third of the sum
received from the federal act
A resolution was adopted recon-
mending to the u. S. biological sur
vey that "at such time as the mi
gratory fowl population seems to
warrant further extension of
hunting time, the length of the
hunting day be increased rather
than the length of the hunting
season. - 1890. 90
The dude ranchers proposed a
resolution that among other things
would have recommended a law
making necessary the hiring of Ii
censed guide by any out-of-state
hunter wishing to hunt within the
state. This provision was bitterly
fought, the opposition being led by
Earl Switzer of Libby. Because of
his opposition, the resolution was
finally sent back to committee
where the Objectionable feature was
eliminated. SWitzer argued that it
was ridiculous to force every hunter
who wanted to come here from Spo-
kane or elsewhere to 60 to the ex-
pense of hiring licensed guide. If
a Libby manor any other citizen
of the state-Would desire to invite
a friend in for the hunting, he would
be required 10 hire a guide. Be
cause of that opposition, that feature
was eliminated from the resolution.
George Hopkins of Paradise was
reelected president and William
Leavitt OF Miles City was re elected
vice president Hopkins and Louis
Wendt.of Great Falls were named
delegates to the National WildIife
convention in Detroit this year.
Entertains Alphabetical Club.
Another IoxyoI,y ,1c,.s e Al rry