48 THE KEPORT UPON No. 13 



difficulty lie lias is to see that tliej preserve the proper distance from the shore, 

 as provided by law. The trouble arises in all cases with those persons, some loose 

 idle fellows, and some retired persons and persons of position, who, with nothing 

 else to do, shoot for the market, and keep it vip from the commencement of the 

 season to its end. These persons are extremely difficult to handle, and having such 

 an equipment the ordinary public can get no ducks whatever. He has seen 

 dozens of hunters get none while these persons with their monitors get huge traps. 

 The ducks have not been so plentiful for years. He cannot too strongly recommend 

 the stoppage of monitor shooting, and limiting the distance from shore or blind, 

 to sixty yards at most, also the prohibition of the sale of duck not shot in private 

 preserves. There is great dissatisfaction among the people by reason of the matters 

 he mentions. Partridge are reported fairly numerous, but would recommend 

 tlie limiting of the number to each man of fifteen, and shortening the season to 

 end on the first of November. Fur bearing animals are on the increase, a few 

 colonies of beaver have come back to the old haunts in North Hastings, but it 

 is hard to convince the settler they do not belong to him. Muskrats are few owing 

 to destruction of houses in winter. He was able to catch some of these persons, 

 fined those he could obtain evidence against and confiscated all the traps he could 

 find. Deer are reported verp plentiful to the north and there are many hunters, 

 more, he thinks, than last season. 



Overseer Wm. Sargant, of Bronte, reports that he has been over his division 

 several times and finds the laws well observed. He does not think there is an 

 increase on last year, when one compares the amount of net the fishermen are 

 using at the present time, with the amount of net used in former years. Most of 

 the fishing is done in gasoline launches, as the old fisihing smacks seem to be out 

 of date, and in this way they are allowed to fish more net. He is very pleased to 

 report that the herring is getting larger. The herring fishing is the chief industry. 

 'I''here is a strong desire among the fishermen to observe the law. 



Angling in the twelve and sixteen mile creeks has been about the same as 

 forniier years, and he has noticed some very nice black bass taken from the same. 



In regard to game, there is very little in his division, but he can notice quite 

 an increase in squirrels, and if the law in the county of Halton remains in force, 

 for a few more years, he is satisfied the squirrel will show a great improvement. 

 He is still of the same opinion as in former years in regard to duck shooting, that 

 is, that no man should be allowed to shoot more ducks than for his own use, as 

 some men make a business of it during duck season, which he thinks should not 

 be allowed, as there is no sport in it. 



He might add, that all fish are sold in home markets, Toronto being the chief 

 place, and good prices are received. Nearly all the herring are cleaned and 

 smoked before being shipped. 



Overseer A. E. Tarry, of Toronto, reports that fishing continues to be very 

 poor in his district. The licensed fishermen report to him that fish are more scarce 

 than last year, and the main reason is considered to be the amount of sewage and 

 dirt dredged up out of Torontoi Bay and taken on scows and dumped in the lake. 

 The trout grounds have become practically d^estroyed with the amount of tar and 

 oily substance dredged up out of Toronto Bay and taken on scows and dumped in 

 the lake, and there is practically no herring to be had. He believes the close season 

 for trout and whitefish has been well observed. He has tried to keep as good a 



