290 CONSERVATION OF CANADIAN WILD LIFE 



an area of suitable land and wise enough to assume the 

 guardianship of the wild life that it harbours or is capable 

 of harbouring, if protection is given by such means as may- 

 be necessary. 



The abundance of game in many European countries, 

 frequently in regions devoted to agriculture and well popu- 

 lated, is due in no small measure to the existence of game 

 preserves and the careful protection of the game, in addi- 

 tion to its propagation and the destruction of its enemies. 

 In Canada the absence of large estates and the ownership 

 of the land by those who cultivate it place the responsi- 

 bility in the matter of protecting the wild life on the farms 

 largely upon the farmer in the agricultural districts. 



Farmers and Game Protection. — A number of our game 

 laws protect cultivated, cleared, or enclosed farm lands 

 from trespass, the permission of the owner being required in 

 order to hunt or shoot over such land. This is a just and 

 necessary recognition of the rights of the owner to the wild 

 life on his own land and to protection against damage to 

 his crops and property. Much ill feeling has been aroused 

 between farmers and hunters from the cities, owing to the 

 failure of the latter to recognize the rights of the former, 

 even though they be not legal rights, and to avoid inflict- 

 ing damage to growing crops or other property. The crea- 

 tion of a hostile attitude of mind on the part of a farmer 

 towards sportsmen, through the thoughtlessness or wilful 

 behaviour of the latter, is liable to react on the protection 

 of the wild life, as a farmer will be less disposed to under- 

 take protective measures, particularly in regard to game 

 animals, if his efforts are likely to lead to increased annoy- 

 ance to himself and greater damage to his property. It is 

 essential, therefore, that sportsmen and others interested in 

 the conservation of wild life should respect the rights and 

 interests of farmers in the wild life and game on their farms, 

 whether their rights are established by provincial law or not. 



