6 American Fisheries Society 



residents who are lessees of such privileges, or who are members of 

 a club leasing the same, are entitled to non-resident fishing and 

 hunting licenses at the lowest rates, which are only one half the 

 prices charged to other non-residents, and in some instances even 

 less. 



The unsettled territory of the Province of Quebec, as I have 

 already shown, is enormous, so that, notwithstanding the fact that 

 over five hundred leases have already been granted to sportsmen, 

 there are thousands of miles of good sporting territory still avail- 

 able for private preserves. Many of these leases of fishing or 

 hunting territory, or of both fishing and hunting privileges com- 

 bined, are held by private individuals; but over two hundred 

 fish and game clubs are incorporated in the province, nearly all of 

 which are lessees of fishing and hunting territory. 



Some clubs, having a large membership and controlling fishing 

 and hunting rights, exercise these rights over extensive tracts 

 of country, from one hundred to two hundred square miles each 

 in extent. Others are, of course, very much smaller. The law 

 limits to two hundred square miles the extent of territory that 

 may be held for hunting and shooting purposes by any one club, 

 and five dollars a mile per annum is the minimum price that can 

 be charged for shooting privileges. 



The amount of rental charged for fishing rights depends upon 

 both their quality and accessibility. The prices paid for them are 

 in every case exceedingly reasonable. Leases for both shooting 

 and fishing privileges are usually made for a term of five years, 

 but are renewable for similar terms, though always at a compara- 

 tively slight advance in the rental, because of the increasing 

 demand for such rights and their rapid improvement in actual 

 value. 



Many clubs and private individuals erect comfortable camps 

 upon their leased fish and game preserves, and some of them have 

 built really luxurious summer homes in the gorgeous woods of 

 our north country, often overlooking a charming bit of lake or 

 river scenery. Here they spend their summer vacation or come 

 to enjoy their autumnal or winter hunt, often accompanied by the 

 members of their families. 



Now, let me emphasize this: the protection of fish and game 

 was the main purpose of the leasing system, and this purpose it has 



