1912 GAME AND FISHERIES. 31 



gard to fish or game. There are a few quail to be seen within a few miles of 

 Sarnia, but in more distant parts of the country they are more plentiful. Part- 

 ridge are fairly plentiful in the south-eastern parts of the county. There has been 

 a few flocks of geese seen this season. Fur-bearing animals are not plentiful in 

 that district, except muskrat and. skunks. Quite a few resident deer licenses- have 

 been taken up by hunters this fall to hunt in the northern district. 



Overseer Fred. Eddy, of Carterton, reports that the season has been a good 

 one in that district for angling. He has not sold as many licenses as last year on 

 account of the new boundary line taking nearly all of our bass fishing grounds, both 

 at St. George Lake and below Encampment. Others fishing with nets have been 

 up to the average. Americans still continue to poach when not watched. He has 

 taken quite a number of their nets, both gill nets and trap nets, all of very fine 

 mesh. Game is quite up to the average—moose and deer more than last season. 

 Beaver has increased. Ducks are more plentiful. Mink about the same as last 

 season. The law has been well observed on St. Joe Island, especially by the settlers. 

 Occasionally a few will come across on the Sabbath and hunt near the shore, but 

 by the time one gets near they will be gone. To stop the poaching altogether would 

 require one man all his time. The partridge is quite plentiful this season. Would 

 say if deer licenses were left alone in the hands of overseers and wardens, it would 

 be a great iielp in protecting deer, and there would be more sold ; it would give an 

 overseer a better chance of knowing who has a license without enquiring. In con- 

 clusion can say that conditions are improving with respect to the observance of 

 tlie law in regard to game and fish in that district. 



Overseer D. Kelioe, of Millarton, reports that he had no convictions in his 

 division the past year, and heard of no complaints of anything illegal in the Fish- 

 ery or Game Laws. He finds the fishermen try to observe the law as well as 

 they can. 



Overseer R. McMurray, of Bayfield, reports that the fishermen in his division 

 have liad a fairly good season. In the early part of the summer the fishing was 

 good. The gill net fishermen report trout have been more plentiful this season 

 than in 1910, and they have had a much larger catch. The pound net fishermen 

 report the catch fairly good. A bad windstorm came in the month of July, which 

 destroyed the pounds, and also the gill nets ; and it was some time before the fisher- 

 men got new nets. The catch of trout has been good this fall. Bass fishing was 

 not very good; perch are plentiful in the early part of the summer and also in the 

 fall. No illegal fishing has been brought to his notice. 



He thinks the several close seasons were well observed. 



As to game he kept a close watch over his district to see that the law was car- 

 ried out. It was reported to him that traps had been set in the month of Novem- 

 ber, 1910, for mink. He found two traps, but he could not find the guilty parties. 

 Rabbits and hares are plentiful. He thinks the Game Laws have been fairly well 

 observed during the past year. 



Overseer John Trelford, of Southampton, reports that this season has been 

 better than 1910, owing to some of the boats fishing moon-eyes, and that they have 

 been getting good weather. The whitefish are getting scarcer every year, but the 

 trout fishing is better and are getting larger trout this year. 



There has been a large number of visitors there this season, and all along 



