REPORT OF TJIE FISH AND GXME COMMISSION. lO'.i 



When, from a percentajGre of 90.8, the convictions in (nic year jump to 

 n().4; and the average tine ascends from $3.'^. 53 to .t3().r)l ; witli the 

 munber of convictions risin^j from 109 in 1919 to 13() in 1920, supported 

 hy fines of $3.252. oO in 191!) swclliiiir in one year to i{>-4-,966, there appears 

 considerable tabubited food for tliuught. If these fi<2fures do not re- 

 flect a stiffening of pnblic sentiment in favor of strict enforcement 

 of the conservation laws, what then sludl be said at the almost doubled 

 totals of days of jail sentence imposed last year as compared with the 

 twelvemonth preceding? The figures were 245 days against 480 up 

 to June 30, 1920. Likewise, the total number of prosecutions increased 

 from 120, in 1919. to 141, in 1920, despite very satisfactory evidence 

 that the laws are being respected more generally than ever before. 



Had statistics been founded sufficiently early to siiow the increase in 

 popular cooperation as expressed in information written, telephoned or 

 given by persoiud call, the figures would undoubtedly have shown an 

 even more sensational naiii. Establishing the rule that no such call 

 should ever fail to receive the promptest and most painstaking atten- 

 tion, it has become possible to build uj) a very considerable volunteer 

 intelligence service which is steadily extending over the country, and 

 ])roving of the very greatest value in putting a practical point to patrol 

 work by focussing attention upon centers of violation. In a territory 

 so comprehensive as southern California, and one whose fishing waters 

 and game-fields are so widely separated, something of this sort is an 

 essential preliniiiiai-y to effective accomplishun'iit. With an area larger 

 than many states, yet containing seldom more than one regular ap- 

 pointee in any one county, nevertheless, the law-abiding sportsman 

 insists upon seeing the fish and game laws enforced far more exten- 

 sively — and intensively — than the ordinances of his own city where a 

 hundred times as many specially trained patrolmen are inadequate to 

 prevent nearly every law on the statute books being broken repeatedly 

 every day. Nevertheless, there is but one course open, and that is to 

 bi-ing up the service to the utmost efficiency possible under the controll- 

 ing conditions. This is being done, and nothing is overlooked that may 

 tend toward further enlisting that pul)lic confidence which manifests 

 itself most i)ractica]ly in the form of whole-souled volunteer coopera- 

 tion. 



There was a time when deserving volunteers, desirous of aiding di- 

 rectly the enforcement of fish and game conservation laws, could be 

 specially deputized: but all such unsalaried help has now become im- 

 possible owing to the p]mployers' Liability acts, which are construed 

 as placing a fair charge against the conservation funds for any injury 

 that might befall (>ven an unsalaried officer, if operating under authority 

 conferred l)y this C'onunission. Since no man can waive the rights of 

 his heirs in him. the numerous applicants for sp(>cial badges have been 



