THE EEPOET UPON No. 14 



Overseer M. W. Switzer, of Gooderham, reports that the close season for 

 fish was well observed, no reports of illegal fishing having come to his notice. 



There are some salmon trout, speckled trout, brook trout, and black bass in 

 his district; he visited several of the lakes and saw some fine catches of fish. As 

 far as he could tell, all the fish caught were used for home consumption. 



There are no fish ways in his division, and the mill owners have observed 

 the law fairly well. 



No tourists visited this district. There are some fine lakes, but they have 

 no game fish in them; if these were stocked with salmon trout, bass, and pick- 

 erel, it would be a fine thing for the settlers and they would soon have their 

 share of tourists during the season. 



The Game Laws were well observed, he did not hear of any illegal hunting 

 going on with the exception of one instance. 



Deer was not up to the average, if dogs were prohibited from chasing them 

 they would soon increase. There are also beaver, otter, mink and muskrats in 

 this district, but no black or grey squirrels. 



Halton County. 



Overseer R. M. Brown, of Milton, reports that the speckled trout are gradu- 

 ally being fished out in his district and will soon be a thing of the past. 



Partridges having been protected for three years, they have increased won- 

 derfully; in fact, in some parts of the county they are quite plentiful. 



Black and grey squirrels are more numerous than they have been during the 

 last few years. 



Cottontail rabbits are very plentiful. 



Wood hare are becoming very scarce. 



Mink are very scarce; he has not seen one this year. 



Coon seem to be holding their own; they are about the same as they were 

 last year. 



Muskrats are not as plentiful as other years. 



Eed foxes are fairly numerous. 



The law has been fairly well observed. The farmers have taken to protecting 

 their own properties, and a great many have notices posted up. He states that 

 they have been troubled with Italians, and suggests that licenses be issued for 

 carrying guns, as it would enable the wardens and others emplo3^ed in the service 

 to obtain the names of the hunters. A great many are in favour of a license and 

 would willingly pay one or two dollars a year. The Western Provinces have this, 

 why not Ontario? 



Overseer W. Sargent, of Bronte, reports that he has been over his division a 

 number of times and has always found that the law is well observed. 



He regrets to say that the herring fishing has not been so good as other years. 

 He would judge it to have been about 15 per cent, less than last year, but the 

 prices have been much better, so the fishermen will not feel any loss. 



Whitefish are about the same as former years, and the prices are much better. 



There is a small decrease in the number of trout caught, about 10 per cent, 

 less than last year. ■ This he attributes to the bad weather and so much easterly 

 wind that the fishermen could not lift and set their nets regularly. 



He was pleased that the extension of the open season for whitefish and trout 

 was not allowed this year, as has been the case other years. He is convinced that it 

 would have been harmful to the whitefis'h and trout. 



