1913 GAME A>^D FISHERIES. 37 



The spawn takers last season did not do much last fall, owing to the bad 

 weather, but they have now started taking spawn again this fall. They appear 

 to have made special preparations for handling the spawn in a thoroughly up-to- 

 date manner. 



There is not much angling goes on in his district. It was not very good at 

 Port Maitland, but the residents in and around Caledonia report good angling on 

 account of the breaking of the dam at York letting the fish go up the river. 



Game. Black squirrel appear to be on the increase. Complaints were re- 

 ceived by him about shooting out of season, but on investigation he found it im- 

 })ossible to trace up the guilty parties. 



Muskrats also appear ito be on the increase in all the streams. It is a hard 

 matter to thoroughly protect these little animals, but owing to previous convic- 

 tions the law is better observed than formerly. Mink are rather scarce in that 

 neighbourhood. 



He has not heard of any quail being seen in that district for some time- 

 Probably the close season will increase their numbers. 



Woodcock in good numbers were along the Grand River. 



Plover were plentiful, and large numbers were secured for a few days after 

 the season opened. 



He fined three men from the neighbouring county of Norfolk for illegal fish- 

 ing in the waters of the Nanticoke creek, which he thinks was a salutary lesson 

 to others. 



Complaints twice reached him about Sunday shooting along the Grand River, 

 but he was not successful in bringing the guilty parties to justice. 



Haliburton County. 



Overseer M. Maybee, of Cameron, reports, that tiiere was no winter fishing 

 tbat he could hear of. Ducks were plentiful this season, especially the first part 

 of the season. The muskrats were not disturbed until open season. The catch 

 of muskrats was better than usual this spring. Through the spawning season the 

 fish were well protected by rain, high winds and cold weather. The angling season 

 bas been poor, excessive rains and high water the cause. Some good catches were 

 made the first of the season, generally of a large size. Some maskinonge up to 

 22 lbs. were caught. He would advise that the close season for maskinonge and 

 bass start the first of April, for it is difficult to tell by the scales around a trapper's 

 tent whether they were caught on a line, and in an early spring they start spawn- 

 ing the first part of April. Partridge seem to be plentiful in some localities, espe- 

 cially on dry grounds, as it was a wet season in hatching time. Frogs are still 

 scarce. Rabbits are plentiful. The law has been well kept, and no violations have 

 come under his notice. He must give the duck hunters credit. They never fired a 

 shot on Sunday, the first day of duck shooting on his territory. Sturgeon Lake or 

 Goose Lake and Mcljaren's Creek. 



William H. Switzer, of Gooderham, reports, that the close season for fisli was 

 well observed. No illegal fishing came to his notice. The salmon trout catch was 

 up to the average of last year, also bass. He visited several lakes in his district 

 and saw some fine catches of fish. There are both salmon and bass. There are 

 salmon trout, speckled trout and black bass in the waters. In his division all 

 fish caught, as far as he knows, were used for home consumption. There are no 



