178 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



consent of the forest administration, the lessee can hire the forest 

 officer in charge of the district to manage the hunting for him.. Due 

 to exceptionally favorable conditions, the net income from game 

 leases on the forests of Hesse averages 1.76 marks per hectare per 

 annum. 



In Mecklenburg-Schwerin, hunting in State forests is with a few- 

 exceptions carried on by the forest personnel. Where they have no 

 time for it, or where game protection is difficult, hunting may be 

 leased. All game killed is sold at a fixed price, for the benefit of the 

 treasury. 



Except for small areas reserved for the Duke or leased to private 

 persons, the hunt on the greater part of the 83,000 hectares of Bruns- 

 wick State forests is managed by the forest authorities. Here forest 

 officers pay a fixed tariff for all game killed, and sell it for their own 

 account. The treasury gets a share of the surplus, varying from 

 nothing for the first 100 marks to 90 per cent of the ninth and every 

 succeeding 100 marks. In 1917-18 the average income for each 

 forester was only 323 marks. The net revenue received by the State 

 was 0.53 mark per hectare. The forest guards pay for costs of driv- 

 ing, feeding game, damages done by game, costs of fencing, and to 

 cover it receive fees for game killed and also the income from rabbits 

 and other small animals they may kill. The number of deer to be 

 killed each year is fixed in advance, but there is no special restriction 

 as to the kill of small game. Leased tracts are let to the highest bidders, 

 who may not sublet except with special permission, nor may they issue 

 hunting permits for money. They feed the game in winter at their own 

 expense, and are required to keep surplus game killed ofif as the 

 forest officer may direct. There are certain restrictions as to killing 

 does or fawns. Lessees are not responsible for damage done by game 

 to the forests, nor on the other hand can they claim damages for 

 changes in the methods of management of the leased areas or even for 

 partial fencing against game. The numbers and kinds of game killed 

 must be reported each year. 



In general, it is concluded that leasing is not desirable, since, although 

 the immediate returns may be greater, there will be a tendency either 

 to deplete the stock of game animals or to let it increase too much, 

 to the detriment of the forest. There is also a tendency either toward 

 friction between lessees and forest officers, or toward too close co- 

 operation, both detrimental to the interests of the forest and bad for 

 the morale of the force. State forests should serve as rame reservoirs 



