2G2 



THE AMEBIC AX MUSEUM JOURXAL 



wrought out and launched in Congress, 

 in December, 1915. Two and one half 

 years of hard labor have been devoted 

 to that Chamberlain-Hayden bill, and 

 $3,255 in money has been paid out in 

 campaign expenses. Up to this date it 

 has been a physical impossibility to se- 

 cure a vote on the bill, in either house 

 of Congress. We believe that the votes 

 are there to pass the bill, whenever it 

 can be brought to a vote. When en- 

 acted into law, it means anywhere from 

 one hundred to one hundred and fifty 

 big-game sanctuaries in national for- 

 ests not suitable for grazing or agricul- 

 ture; and until the bill is passed and 

 signed, its supporters Avill strive for it. 



In 1915, and again in 1916, two 

 great contests were fought out in Con- 

 gress, when the spring-shooting "sports- 

 men" of Missouri and adjacent Icri'i- 

 tory undertook to kill the federal 

 migratory bird law, by cutting off the 

 annual $50,000 for its enforcement. 

 On both occasions they were routed. 

 The principle of "no spring shooting*" 

 still stands like a Eock of Gil)raltar for 

 the defense of our one hundred and 

 fifty-four species of migratory ganu' 

 birds. 



But what of the upland game l)irds 

 of the West? In the autumn of last 

 year we started a great "drive," cover- 

 ing all the states west of the Missis- 

 sippi, except Louisiana, Missouri, and 

 Arkansas, for new game laws that 

 would save the sage grouse and all 

 other grouse and quail from extinction. 

 and place them on a continuing basis. 

 We began to hammer at the doors of 

 nineteen state legislatures that con- 

 vened early in January, 1917, hurried 

 through their sixty-day sessions, and 

 then stampeded for home. We spent six 

 months of hard labor on that wide- 

 spread campaign, $2,350 in money, and 

 about 15.000 pieces of "literature." 



Our Bulletin ISTo. 5 (8,000 copies) went 

 to every legislator in the nineteen 

 states, to hundreds of newspapers, and 

 to thousands of picked leading citizens. 

 The American Educators Conservation 

 Society sent out 2,500 special appeals 

 to educators, and 1,500 to lawmakers. 



It was one of the most interesting 

 campaigns we ever entered, and it 

 won sweeping reforms in seven of the 

 nineteen states. The real winnings 

 were as follows. — but it is too bad that 

 space limitations prevent mentioning 

 by name each of the gallant men in the 

 seven states wlio did the work: 



Iilnlio — Iniportjiiit itiiprovenients "were made 

 in the wild life laws of Idaho. Sage 

 grouse were given a close season until 

 August 15, 1922; quail shooting was 

 closed until 1920 ; the limit on deer Avas 

 reduced from two to one; all big game 

 killed must be tagged; and the regula- 

 tions of the federal migratory bird law 

 were made Idaho state law. 



Montana — The protection of mountain 

 sheep and goats was extended to 1922. 

 The bag limit on deer was reduced from 

 two to one, and the hunting season was 

 shortened to two weeks. All upland 

 game birds throughout the state are 

 protected, except for an open season of 

 two weeks. Killing elk merely for their 

 teeth or heads is made a felony! 



A evada — In Nevada all grouse and moun- 

 tain quail are protected until 1922. 

 Mountain sheep, goats, and antelope are 

 protected until 1930. The sale of game 

 is prohibited, and the state bird laws 

 are made to conform to the migratory 

 bird law. 



UtaJi — Utah achieved a sweeping victory. 

 All upland game birds — grouse, ptarmi- 

 gan, and quail — were given long close 

 seasons. All shore birds, gulls, pelicans, 

 and doves Avere permanently protected. 



^ eiv Mexico — New Mexico has experienced 

 a great awakening, and is fairly seeth- 

 ing with the reform spirit. Nine game 

 protective associations have been formed. 

 Sage grou?e, bol>\vhite quail, sheep, and 

 antelope are protected for long periods. 

 The state game and fish department is 

 excellently managed, and public sym- 

 pathy is now fully mobilized. 



Arizona — In Arizona a "buck law" has 

 been enacted, the bag reduced to one 



