TWENTY-SEVENTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 101 



SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT REPORT. 



The Honorahle Board of Fish and Game Commissioners. 



Sirs: During the two years closiiiii' June 30, 1922, 1224 arrests were 

 made by the deputies of the San Francisco District for viohitions of the 

 various laws relating to fish and game. Fines totaling $34:,-442.75 were 

 paid into the state treasury and in addition jail sentences aggregating 

 332 days were served l^y defendants. 



Outside of the city of San Francisco the support received from the 

 various justices of the peace of the district was most satisfactory. Only 

 3 per cent of the actions tiled were dismissed and only 1 per cent placed 

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

 offenders. The average fine imposed was slightly under $30. 



In San Francisco while the percentage of dismissals was even smaller 

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

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

 imposed was smaller, $23. The San Francisco courts evidently do not 

 regard violations of the fish and game laws as sericmsly 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 of 

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

 there is no possible chance of catching the culprits. 



California has nuich more to contend with in pi'otecting 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. Ouns and 

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

 of season is so strong that many can not resist — with a result 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 isunnner rains, there is not one camper 

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

 the laws during the breeding season. 



It is imporssible in California without funds available to employ war- 

 dens to control all of the violators. If every sportsman 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 would l)c 

 much more game. 



There seems to be an increased number of careless or wilfnll\- ci-iniiiial 

 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 leunl deer. 

 Unfortunately there are many hunters who shoot first and look al'ler- 

 M-ards. If it happens to be a legal deer they bring it into cami), but 

 otherwise it is left to decay in the hills. 



Many hunters are so careless in shooting at moving bi-nsli lliat ni 

 many instances their target is a human being. Year after yeai- many 

 hunters a!-e killed or wounded by their own companions. Any indi- 

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



