22 FISH AND GAME. 



impossible to give full justice to the efficiency of this active 

 department. While highly desirable to give publicity to all 

 our activities, it is obviously impossible to take the public into 

 confidence in all cases relating to the enforcement of the law, 

 as the effective work of the department depends primarily 

 upon the secrecy and celerity with which it is accomplished. 

 Therefore it is not uncommon to have numerous complaints 

 concerning the lack of efficiericy of certain deputies, owing to 

 the fact that the general public does not understand or ap- 

 preciate the amount of work which is being carried on in each 

 district. Our deputies only disclose their identity when ab- 

 solutely necessary in the quiet and thorough performance of 

 their duties. Delays occasionally occur when a deputy cannot 

 leave one case to take up another concerning which informa- 

 tion has been received. 



The w r ork of the game warden does not necessarily consist 

 in making numerous arrests, but rather in so organizing his 

 district that violations of the fish and game laws are made 

 more difficult on account of fear of detection, and also by 

 guiding the sentiment of his community toward a proper ap- 

 preciation of their importance. Too often the violations of 

 these laws have been considered not on a par with other crim- 

 inal acts, and citizens, law abiding in all other particulars, have 

 not considered it beneath their dignity to violate laws made for 

 the protection and preservation of fish and game life. How- 

 ever, we are pleased to note that there has been a decided 

 change in public sentiment in regard to such laws, and the 

 violator is no longer considered a semi-hero, but is relegated to 

 his proper sphere, that of a petty, contemptible lawbreaker. 

 The ultimate conservation of our fish and game depends upon 

 an enlightened public sentiment, as it is manifestly impossible, 

 with the limited facilities at our disposal, adequately to enforce 

 the laws unless amply supported by public approval. 



The condensed report of Chief Deputy Bourne concerning 

 the activities of his department during the past three years 

 follows: 



