HUNTING ACCIDENTS. 89 



States authorizing- the appointment of several deputies in each county 

 this practice is easily controlled; but where no such authority is con- 

 ferred it is more difficult to meet, especially because of the ingenious 

 explanations given by 'sooners' to account for their presence in the 

 field. If other game, such as squirrels or rabbits, may be lawfully 

 shot at the time, the claim is made that such game is their sole object, 

 and frequently they shoot in advance of the season under the guise of 

 training dogs. Some States have prevented the use of the first plea by 

 making the opening of the seasons as nearly uniform as possible./' or, as 

 in Indiana, by establishing a close season upon less important game for 

 a brief period prior to the opening of the season for the more important 

 game. And in recent years the legislatures of several of the States 

 have provided remedies for the subterfuge of training dogs, and alto- 

 gether debarred the defense. Michigan permits the training of dogs 

 fifteen days only before the open season for ruffed grouse, and pro- 

 hibits the possession of firearms while the person is so engaged. Min- 

 nesota does not allow pointers and setters to be used or run in fields 

 or upon lands in which game birds may be found during August, or at 

 any time except in the open season for such birds. Pennsylvania per- 

 mits dogs to be trained by their masters upon any game, except deer, 

 from August 1 to January 1, but prescribes that no injury shall be 

 inflicted upon such game. South Dakota has gone considerably fur- 

 ther, and declares that any person traveling in any manner in any 

 part of the State, outside the immediate bounds of the inhabited 

 parts of any village, town, or city, in possession of any kind of shot- 

 gun and ammunition, with dogs ordinarily used for hunting game 

 birds, from July 1 to September 1, shall be presumed to have violated 

 the laws respecting game birds. 



HUNTING ACCIDENTS. 



The alarming increase in the number of fatal hunting accidents^ in 

 the past few years, due almost entirely to carelessness, has led to much 

 discussion as to the best means of guarding against such occurrences 

 in the future, and has resulted in the enactment of drastic statutes in 

 Maine, Michigan, and Minnesota, where it is now a serious offense to 

 shoot carelessly or negligently or to wound or kill a human being 

 while hunting game. In both the former States the punishment is 

 imprisonment not exceeding ten j^ears or a fine not exceeding $1,000, 

 and it is made the duty of county attorneys and sherifi's to investigate 

 alleged violations of the acts and prosecute the offenders. 



« Montana has adopted a uniform open season for game of all kinds. 

 ^Iii 190^ the nuin]>er of such accidents in the United States exceeded 100. See 

 Year Book U. S. Department of Agriculture 1906, pp. 536-537. 



