Evening star., 1946-01-11
OUTDOORS

We are glad to report that all
doubt as to the legal status of the
black bass in Maryland has been re-
moved. Following friendly suit by
the League of Maryland Sportsmen
against the States Departments of
Tidewater Fisheries and Game and
Inland Fish under the Uniform De-
claratory Act, the Circuit Court of
Baltimore has handed down an
opinion removing any suggestion
that H. B. S35, known as the black
bass bill, has been nullified by the
later passage of H. B. S44, the So
called pike bill.
The black bass, both large and
small mouth, now is strictly a sport
fish in Maryland and long, hard
fought battle has been won by fish
ernlen. AS this finest of fresh-water
game fishes has long been protected
In inland waters, the problem will be
to extend this protection under the
law to tidewater bass. 1t is to be
hoped that both tidewater and in
land officials will get together and
straighten out some of the tangle
that still exists as to whose job it is
to police tidal waters, to the end that
sportsmen may reap the full bene-
fits of their efforts.
Duck shooting has continued very
spTty, and almost as great a disap-
polntment to hunters this year as
last. We are convinced, after con-
siderable investigation and discus
sion, that the trouble lies solely in
lack OF natural feed for the ducks
and in our opinion until this food
situation is remedied, regardless of
the numbers of ducks Hextant, local
wildfowlers must depend almost
solely on the whims of the weather
for their sport. This is particularly
true of nearby areas on the fringe
of the Atlantic fyway such as the
western shore of the Chesapeake
Bay and the Patuxent and lower Po-
tomac Rivers with their tributaries
and tidal creeks.
Over a period Of years, in spite of
a tremendous increase in the duck
population, shooting has declined in
these areas as natural foods have
been destroyed. The batting or
"sugafing" of blinds, whether legal
or illegal, Is not the answer. If
ducks are not using" an area in
search of natural food, batting will
not bring them in.
Hurricanes along the seacoast,
ships dumping bilge in inland
waters during the war, the eel
grass blight, incroachment of the
water chestnut, all have taken their
toll of natural food. Were it not
for the % Federal refugees scattered
from Lake Ontario and Calais,
Me, on the north to Key West on
the south, our Atlantic flyway in
this section undoubtedly would be
bypassed by even more of our feath-
cred friends than at present.
We have heard these refugees
cussed out by duck hunters as the
cause of the poor shooting, although
some OF our best shooting is ad-
jacent to them. Who can blame
the ducks for sitting tight on a
refuge where food Is more plentiful,
or trading from one refuge to
another on their migration South,
rather than half starve in between,
in spite of all the batting that is
done?
1t is our opinion that if sports
men, whether in organized groups
or as individuals, would start a real
campaign in the planting and re-
storing of natural foods in a few
years time we'd enjoy shooting
such as we experienced in years
gone by.
This is program for the sports
men themselves. The State con-
servati0n departments cannot un-
dertake it because of lack of man
power even if they have the money.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has
its activities prescribed by law and
its revenues from the sale of duck
stamps must be used accordingly.
We know, however, from talking
with various State and Federal Of
f1cials that they would gladly CO.
operate to the fullest extent with
any such movement on the part of
duck hunters and other sportsmen,
no matter how small.
They can supply the technical
knowledge and advice needed in
such an enterprise and undoubtedly
some other help of a more SUBJ