198 EEPOKT OF ONTARIO GAME No. 52 



furtlier, also, that he miglit well be allowed to take one deer in addition 

 to either one moose or one caribou. 



There can be no necessity to legalize the taking of small game by the 

 settlers, for the settlers, who live in the wild regions, know more or less 

 the location of such small game as there is in their vicinity and are in a 

 position to take the utmost advantage of the legal open •seasons. Conse- 

 quently, those restriction's which are placed from time to time on certain 

 species of small game should be observed by the settler, and he should 

 be made to realize that offences in regard to small game will disqualify 

 him from any privileges in regard to big game. 



Finally as to the extent of territory over which the settler should 

 be entitled to shoot the game allowed him by privilege, it is evident that 

 some limitation should be imposed in the interests of the public, for 

 inasmuch as there will only be certain localities in which it is deemed 

 desirable to grant settlers' permits, if no limitations were made the set- 

 tler would on occasions be found hunting in areas for which no such 

 permits were granted, and the residents therein would have just cause to 

 complain. In almost every case where it is at all desirable to grant the 

 settler special privileges in regard to game one variety or another will 

 occur in comparatively close proximity to his holdings. It remains, 

 then, but to determine an area wide enough to suit all cases, and there 

 can be little question that a radius of ten miles from the habitation of 

 the settler should be amply sufficient. It is not to be expected, of course, 

 that this restriction could be very rigidly enforced, but it would serve to 

 call the attention of the settler to the importance attached by the authori- 

 ties to the privilege accorded him, and at the same time would facilitate 

 the work of the game wardens in dealing with patent infractions of the 

 privilege, such as where the settler shoots for other persons and for their 

 benefit in regard to meat at some considerable distance from his home. 

 In this connection, also, it may be observed that the settler when hunt- 

 ing should be required to carry his permit on his person. 



The Indian in Relation to Game. 



One of the principal factors in the destruction of game is the Indian 

 living in the Avilder regions. Considerable reservations have been set 

 aside for the Indians in various portions of the Province, and there is 

 no doubt th^t within the limits of such reservations the Indiaiis are 

 entitled to liunt game of all descriptions when and bow they please. 

 These reservations, however, in some cases are not sufficiently wide to 

 provide for all the requirements of the Indians in the matter of game, 

 or else have been more or less depleted of the game in them by the In- 

 dians themselves, and the result has been that in various portions of the 

 Province the Indians have hunted, fished and trapped at all seasons of 

 the year on Crown lands or water w^ithout the limits of their reserva- 

 tions. The rights of the Indians in this connection would appear as yet 



