TWENTY-SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 101 



SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT RKPORT. 



The Tlonorahir Hoard of Fish hikI dattu CoiinnissioHcrs. 



Sirs: During the two ycai's closiiiii- .June M), 1!)22, 1224 an-csts wen- 

 made by the deputies of the Sail Francisco Uistrict for violations of the 

 various laws rehitin^' to fish and i^aine. Fines totalinj; $:U,442.7r) were 

 paid into the state treasury and in addition jail sentences ajrj;rej^atin<; 

 882 days were served l)y defentlants. 



Outside of the eit>- of San ^''I'ancisco tlie su[)port received from the 

 various justices of the i)eace of the district was most satisfactory-. ()u\y 

 3 per cent of the actions filed were dismissed and only 4 per cent placed 

 on probation. These for the most part were minors and technical 

 ofifenders. The averati'e fine imposed was sligfhtly under $80. 



In San Francisco while the percentage of dismissals was even smaller 

 than in the district in general, 2 per cent, the percentajje of defendants 

 placed on probation was much greater, 23 per cent. The average fine 

 imposed was smaller, .$28. The San Francisco courts evidently do not 

 regard violations of the fish and game laws as seriously as do the 

 country courts. While there has been a gradual increasing sentiment 

 during the past several years, there still is a reluctance on the part (tf 

 hunters to report violations until after so great a time has elapsed that 

 there i>s no possible chance of catching the culprits. 



California has 2iiuch more to contend with in protecting her game 

 than do most of the eastern states. During the summer time thousands 

 of our people live out of doors in their automobiles. They can go to 

 every part of the state, camping where night overtakes them. Cluns and 

 fishing outfits are in almost every car. The temptation to kill game out 

 of season is so strong that many can not resist^ — witli a restdt that game 

 is killed during the breeding season when the loss of one bird means the 

 destruction of an entire flock. 



In the east, on account of the isummer rains, there is not one camper 

 where there are hundreds in California and it is not so ditficult to enforce 

 the law^s during the breeding season. 



It is impossil)le in California without funds available to employ wai"- 

 dens to control all of the violators. If every sportsnum would take it 

 upon himself to see that the laws were respected and report violations 

 there would be a much greater respect for the law and there wcidd be 

 much more game. 



There seems to be an increased number of careless or wilfull\- criminal 

 deer hunters. The law prohibits the killing of does and spike bucks. 

 The legal deer must be forked horn or better. This law makes it neces- 

 sary for the hunter to be certain that he is shooting at a legal deer. 

 Unfortunately there are many hunters who shoot first and look after- 

 wards. If it happens to be a legal deer they bring it into camp, but 

 otherw^ise it is left to decay in the hills. 



Many hunters are so careless in shooting at moving lirusli tliat in 

 many instances their target is a human being. Year after year nuui>" 

 hunters are killed or wounded by their own companions. Any indi- 

 vidual killing a person in this way should be prosecuted for man- 



