66 THE REPORT UPON No. 32 



On the whole, the game and fishery laws are beincf better observed than 

 ever before, owing, he thinks, to there being more inspectors on the lake 

 during the past year, and through the people getting to understand the laws 

 better. He has not lost an opportunity of explaining the reasonableness of 

 our laws to the people and that it is to their benefit to observe them. The 

 result is, that a much more friendly feeling exists towards the laws and the 

 inspectors than he has ever known to exist before. 



Overseer H. R. Purcell, of ColebrooJc, reports that the angling has been 

 very good, and that there were not so many Americans as in former years 

 visiting in his district. There have been no net licenses taken out. He sug- 

 gests that every trapper should take out a license at a fixed price, and all 

 dealers in fur should take out a license, and only one deer should be allowed 

 to each hunter. There were not so many deer taken in his district as some 

 years on account of fires on the best hunting grounds, as the deer were 

 scattered and had no particular runways. 



There were some violations in his district the first part of the year, and 

 he took proceedings against the guilty parties. He thinks fall trapping for 

 muskrats should be stopped. 



Overseer Chas: St. Charles, of Madoc, reports that there is only one 

 small lake in his di.strict where any fishing is done, and that is Moira Lake. 



There have been no violations of the game and fishery laws. What 

 fishing is done is principally by residents for their own private use, and 

 the law has been well observed. 



Overseer Neil Sinclair, of Glenarm, reports that the fishing was fairly 

 good the first of the season, but towards the end of the season the fish did 

 not take the bait, although there seemed to be lots of them in the water. The 

 lake was very low in the fall. 



MusKrats were plentiful last spring, and trappers made a good catch. 

 Mink were scarce. Very few wild geese light on the lake this fall. Ducks 

 seem to be getting fewer every year in his district. He would like to see 

 decoys prohibited. One man will shoot from thirty to fifty ducks with 

 decoys, when he could not shoot six in the same time without them. 



No violations of the Act were brought to his notice. 



The laws were well observed. 



Overseer Small, of Grand Valley, reports that the fishery laws in his 

 division in 1908 were well observed, he not having had one complaint dur- 

 ing the year. 



With regard to game. There are a few deer and partridge in his divi- 

 sion, but they have not much swamp or bush to harbour in on account of 

 the heavy fires this fall. There have been some complaints about dogs hunt- 

 ing deer last spring, but he could not prove the owners of the dogs. 



Overseer William Smith, of Gravenhurst, reports that it is the opinion 

 of anglers that the fishing in this section compares very favourably with 

 other years' fishing. 



He has had little or no trouble with tourists in regard to size and quan- 

 tity of fish taken, as they seem to realize the importance of the enforcement 

 of the laws to protect their own interests. 



No violation of the fishery or game laws have come to his-notice. Several 

 complaints have been made, but upon investigation proved to have been made 

 on little or no foundation. A complaint was made that mill refuse was being 

 put into the lakes, but upon investigation it was found that this was not the 

 ease, and indeed, the mill owners are very careful to dispose of their mill 

 refuse otherwise, so that it is impossible for it to get into the waters. 



The close seasons have been well observed. 



