REPORT OF No. 32 



During the year 1906 a very largely attended and representative Conven- 

 tion of the Ontario Fish and Game Protective Association was held in Toronto 

 on the 30th and 3 1st August, 1906, and the proceedings and recommendations of 

 this Convention, and of the various sub-committees thereof, have been very care- 

 fully considered, and the board observes with satisfaction that the recommend- 

 ations of the Convention are such as to confirm the investigations and conclusions 

 of the Board in 1905, as stated in the Report for that year. This is shown by 

 the fact that with two exceptions, which will be mentioned, practically all the 

 recommendations of the Convention were already embodied in the draft Act. 



The following questions have been specially considered by the Board dur- 

 ing the year, both in connection with the proceedings of the Convention of the 

 Ontario Fish ani Game Protective Association, and upon information indepen- 

 dently obtained by the Board. 



Deer and Moose. 



The Board is of opinion that special measures should be taken to prevent 

 the indiscrimate use of firearms during the clcse season in districts where these 

 animals are found. 



Wild Duck. 

 X)pen Season. 



The Convention above referred to was of opinion that an open season 

 from the 15th September to 15th December would be satisfactory. The Board 

 is unable to agree with this view, because the present open season, commencing 

 September 1st., is almost too late to be fair to the northern part of the Province. 

 If the open season did not commence until September loth, many duck, par- 

 ticularly the early flight of black duck and all bluewing teal, would have left 

 before the opening of the season. 



The Board is of opinion that nothing would be more unfortunate and 

 more likely to lead to contempt and disregard of the game laws, than that a 

 reasonable opportunity should not be given in open season for shooting 

 migratory game 



Extensive enquiries upon this point by the Board have led to the follow- 

 ing conclusions : — 



(a) That a demand for a season commencing September 15th comes 

 entirely from that part of the Province lying to the South and West of Lake 

 Ontario ; 



(b) That it is in many cases combined with a demand for the extension 

 of the open season to the 1st of January, in order to allow the shooting of those 

 varieties of duck which remain in the northern waters during the early part 

 of the winter and which do not come south from the northern waters until 

 late in the autumn ; 



(c) That it would be difficult and unsatisfactory to divide the Province 

 into different districts having different open seasons ; 



(d) That an extension of the open season to January 1st would do little 

 harm, as most varieties of duck, and those the most important, have generally 

 left the Province before December the loth. 



(e) That whatever open season is fixed for duck should be made the 

 same for snipe and all species of plover, the latter not being protected by the 

 present law, with the exception of golden plover. 



