194 REPOKT OF ONTAKIO GAME No. 52 



for complaint that they are unjustly penalized for the slight privilege of 

 organization. The organized districts, however, even though the con- 

 ditions under which the settlers live may be equally hard as those pre- 

 vailing in adjacent unorganized districts, are in the main the most acces- 

 sible, and naturally, therefore, the more liable to be visited by hunters 

 during the open season. It was proved that the privilege accorded the 

 settlers was in no small measure being abused to the undue destruction 

 of the game and to the evasion of the bag limits imposed on hunters by 

 law, and it would seem, in consequence, to have been deemed wise to re- 

 strict the privilege to the greatest possible extent. Unfortunately it is 

 the case that in the wild portions of the Province it is so easy and com- 

 paratively- safe for persons resident in them to break the game laws that 

 the temptation to do so is great, and there can be little question that in 

 these regions, whether they be organized or unorganized, if the settler 

 makes up his mind that he requires a mooise, a caribou or a deer, he will 

 take it, whether or no he is privileged to do so by law. No means, ap- 

 parently, are available to alter this condition, and it would, therefore, 

 seem wise to face the facts as they exist and to seek some means whereby 

 the settler in all truly wild regions may be enabled to take a sufficiency 

 of game to meet his actual necessities, as he does at present all too often 

 illegally, under the provisions and protection of the law. In considering 

 a scheme whereby this may be effected the most obvious difficulties are 

 to determine to what areas the privilege should be applied; whether or 

 no some compensation should be exacted for the privilege ; the amount of 

 game that should be allowed to be taken; and the extent of territory the 

 privilege should be held to embrace in each individual case. 



It has already been noted that discrimination between organized and 

 unorganized districts has been found unsatisfactory in regard to game 

 privileges in that organization does not of necessity imply immediate or 

 rapid amelioration of circumstances. In both cases there are to be found 

 settlers performing the service of opening up the land and having a hard 

 struggle for existence; while in both cases, also, there will be found a 

 percentage who have settled in the area as a means of exploiting its tim- 

 ber resources and make no effort to open up or improve the land. The 

 true pioneer class are obviously earning some special privileges in regard 

 to game, but it would seem that the latter class can in no sense be deemed 

 worthy of especial consideration. Similarly, under the provisions of the 

 law, holdings in wild regions may be acquired by persons engaged dur- 

 ing a great portion of the year in other localities and in other occupa- 

 tions, provided only that certain clearings and improvements shall be 

 effected over a stated period. In the bulk of such cases the holding is 

 acquired as a speculation, and although some small improvements have 

 to be carried out, there is no intention on the part of the owner to reside 

 permanently upon it. In the majority of such cases, also, the quasi set- 

 tler will be in a financial position equally favorable to that of the aver- 

 age citizen, so that from no point of view can he rightly claim exemption 



