The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-05
This Sporting World
MT. FouU Likes Fish and Game And HoW!
By JOHN A. CLUNEY

who now signs himself: "Joe Flow, authority on fish and game; 35 years experience in the field" has some very interesting material to present to hunters and fishermen in this vicinity, as well as giving the state fish and game authorities, a literary needle" which he believes they need. His communique, which follows, is printed as written, aside from one minor change, which does not in any way effect the basic con- tention of the piece:
 We read with much interest the story on Page 14 of Nov. g Dem ocrat. Picture and story with title Fish, Game Officers Confer with Expert"
 No doubt many sportsmen read ing same are much impressed, but we question the one word "Ex- pert" Very indefinite, we con- clude. Expert on what, we ask? Certainly not improving Hunting and Fishing in Connecticut. Pub lie relations and passing the buck Yes!
 The question everyone is asking, and especially the majority of the returning servicemen, is When are we going to improve Hunting and Fishing in Connecticut" and Has the State any Post War plans to do SOP"
 The State Board of Fisheries and Game plus numerous 'stooges' in various communities say "Yes," we have Post War plans to im- prove Hunting and Fishing in Connecticut and we plan to spend $1,000,000 on sue c h plans. Whoopee! are the rank and file of the sportsmen impressed! I'll say they are1
 Poor trusting souls. They buy their licenses to hunt and fish in good faith, and assume that the State is doing its part.
 I wonder how many sportsmen know just how this $l,062, 100000 is to be spent. Well, in few words I'll tell you. Nothing is to be spent for birds or game of any kind. $49, 900 for fish, and $1,013, 900 for benches, tables, fireplaceS, signs, trails. fences, carS-and anything and everything as long as 1t doesn't improve Hunting and Fishing.
 You may wonder who is this upstart who dares write such drivel. Well, I'll tell you. The writer was born and brought up in Waterbury. Educated in Water bury's Grammar and High schools, and has since eight years old taken a profound interest in Hunting and Fishing. AS the years rolled by, the automobile increas- ed by leaps and bounds until practically every family owns one. Networks of new roads were and still are being built in the State. Until the outlying districts came under the beck and call of all the spcrtsmen. Hence fish and game were being removed faster than Mother Nature" could reproduce. There was and still is only one answer for such a situation. The writer didn't invent the solution. He merely copied what other states have been doing and wish to apply such measures to Con- necticut.
 We must remember, we live in one of the smallest states in the Union, and we have density of population greater than any other state. Hence this Hunting and Fishing business can't be all a game of take" The past 15 years have taught us that. If we want good hunting and fishing, we must put back or restock: otherwise all this palaver around round-tables and via radio. while it sounds good to the "fireside" sportsmen. isn't going to help conditions at all.
 Quite some years back, Connec- ticut led the U. s. in the proga- tion of fish and game-we started that department away back in 1887 before we even had 48 states in the Union. We taught all of the other states all we knew about propagation. The 47 other states have surpassed us, and we are now uncontested for last place.
 The writer has visited many states and was interested in the production of fish and game each state boasted of.
 Practically every state says the same thing: After the War watch our smoke; we are going to pro- duce more fish and game than ever before
 Take Maine for example-many times larger than Connecticut and with only 1/3 of our population, they don't rely on Mother Nature alone to restock. With their IA Fish HatcherieS and g Fish Rear ing Stations, they annually raise millions of fish to restock their lakes and streams.
 I feel ashamed when I talk about my own State, but to be honest, fellows, we have a hatch cry at Burlington, Conn, with rearing capacity of 125.000 fish; one at Windsor Locks with a ca pacity of 4O00 fish; and Rear ing Station at Kensington. with a capacity of 71,0O0 fish-a total of 2CG,000 fish is all we can raise, while other states raise millions.
 While other states kept abreast of the times, Connecticut to be different remained as antiquated as some of our Covered Bridges, nice to look at but not very use full.
 This is only preview-if you want more, ask for 1t.
 JOE FOW.
 Authority on Fish and Game
 35 years experience in the Field.