Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-01-31
State Would
Sale Of Deer
Daily Dispatch Bureau,
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
nv ~ TVNN MGR UT

Raleigh, Jan. 31-A bill now pend
ing in the House committee on con-
servation and development, and sche-
duled for favorable report early this
week, is designed to stop the federal
government from taking game off ma
tional forest and national park pre-
serves in this State and selling it to
other parks in nearby states. There
isn't any serious conflict between
State and national governments over
the issue, but it does not meet clarity
ing.
1t has been the practice of the Ma
tional Park Service for some years to
sell deer, for instance, from the Great
Smoky National Park and the Pisga!i
National Forest to other states for re-
stocking there The Department OF
Conservation and Development ha:
protested, but has lacked adequate
enabling legislation to enforce the
protest.
: The States contention is that title
to all game is vested in the State and
not in the owner of the land, wheth-
er that owner be a citizen of North
Carolina, an alien or the United
States government. This is the basic
principle upon which the whole game
law structure is built and was recog-
nized by the national government
some six or seven years ago when the
National Park Service conceded that
States right to require hunting Ii
cense of participants in the annual
deer hunts conducted at Pisgah
Forest.
It has long been against the law
to sell certain kinds of game, fish
and birds, either dead or alive, in
North Carolina, but the national gov
eminent has not felt bound by this
law. The bill now pending, which was
offered by Representative Kinney, of
Pennsylvania, specifically brings the
agents of the federal government I'M
der the law. The park service is ex-
pected to enter formal protest but
not to follow through with an attempt
to sustain it. The hunting license pre-
cedent leaves them little to stand on.
Involving something of the same
question, but with less likelihood of
any conflict with the federal govern
ment, is further efforts of the game
division of the conservation depart
ment to prevent the sale in this State
of game fish taken in other states.
Florida, particularly, has been selling
certain game fish, very similar to
those found in North Carolina waters
This custom has made it almost i'm
possible to police North Carolina OF
enforce laws against the sale of game
fish. Legislation effectuating this po-
Icy is being prepared and will be of
| fered sometime this week. The inter.
| state commerce angle of this act will
be studied carefully.
| eliminating ten years of negotia
tons with the Cherokee Indians, the
| game division has at least reached a
working agreement with them for con-
| servation of fish and game on the In
dian reservation. The Cherokees have
yielded none of their sovereignty, but
have asked that certain of their own
| tribesmen be named as deputy game
wardens and that state hunting anC!
fishing license be required of all out.
siders, even though the sportsmen may
have permission of the landowners to
hunt or fish.
The three problems here mentioned
have given concern to conservation
lists for several years. Not so serious
as some other conflicts between state
and federal governments. there has
been enough of that to make progress
toward solution slow. The present sug
gested bills would hardly get through
this general assembly if they did sup
port in every instance the contentious
which the state has made all the
while. The 1889 legislature is more
than normally jealous of state SOW
ereignty in it's dealings with Wash
ingtOn.