54 THE REPORT UPON No. 32 



well pleased. Tlie law was well observed, wi.h the exception of two cases, 

 and they were fined and reported to the Department. 



The muskrats were very plentiful last spring, and the ducks were in 

 larger flocks this last fall than he has seen them for years. There was no 

 shooting last spring, and very little in the fall, as you could not shoot in 

 the rice beds with blind or decoys. The ducks would go out in the lake in 

 large numbers and feed on water celery in day time, and then come to the 

 rice beds at night, then back again to the celery beds at daybreak. 



Overseer George Mojfatt, of Glen Cross, reports that the fish in his 

 division are mostly trout and suckers, which seem to be about as numerous 

 as last year. He has not discovered any violations of the fishery laws, nor 

 has any been brought to his notice. The law was well observed by mill 

 owners and others. 



The game in his division are partridges, and they are scarce. Foxes 

 are plentiful, and there have been quite a number shot. 



Oiferseer F . J . Moore, of LaJcefield, reports that the fishery regulations 

 and close seasons have been well observed, except by a few of the miners 

 and tourists, there being complaints of them using dynamite and gill nets. 

 He seized a couple of the gill nets and spent several days trying to find out 

 the parties that were suspected of using dynamite, but could not get suf- 

 ficient evidence in either case to convict. 



Tourists have had fairly good luck fishing with rod and spoon this 

 year. He issued about two hundred fishing permits. The fishery laws have 

 been well observed by the settlers. 



He would recommend that something be done to compel the guides to 

 comply with the fishery laws. He would suggest that guides be required 

 to have a license at a small fee. These guides could be a great help to the 

 overseers if they wished. 



He would again strongly recommend that Stony Lake be restocked with 

 parent bass, as it is of great importance that the fish supply b-e kept up» 

 Even if the Americans had to pay more for their permits, he does not 

 think they would mind as long as the supply of fish was kept up. 



He thinks the close season also for maskinonge and bass should be from 

 the 1st of April instead of the 15th, as these fish run immediately after the 

 ice disappears. 



Hunters and trappers have had a fairly good year, about sixty deer 

 hunting licenses being issued by him at Lakefield. 



Ducks and partridge are very scarce in his district. Muskrats have 

 been very plentiful. 



] Minks are becoming very scarce in this locality, and if they are not 

 protected in some way before long they will be a thing of the past around 

 here. He would suggest that a close season be put on them, as their 

 fur is becoming very valuable, and when trappers are trapping mink they 

 are apt to kill rats as well. 



Overseer J. W. Morton, of St. Ola, reports that there was no increase 

 in the catch of fish over that of the previous year. The water in the lake> 

 has been pretty high for the last couple of years for good fishing. 



As far as he knows, the fish have all been used for home consumption. 



There have been no abuses existing. No illegal fishing came to hi> 

 notice, and consequently no fines were imposed, and no confiscations made. 



The close seasons for game and fish have been strictly observed, as far 

 as he could ascertain. 



There are no fishways in his division. 



