1915 GAME AND FISHEEIES. 2a- 



Foxes: Numerous, a great number were trapped last spring and shipped to- 

 breeders out of the Province. 



Fish, viz. : White fish, pickerel, lake trout, northern pike, suckers and herrings 

 west of Lake Superior and in the inland lakes of Thunder Bay and Eainy Kiver, 

 plentiful in spring and autumn, but fell ofi considerably during the summer months. 



Speckled Trout: Good fishing in some lakes and rivers. I would strongly 

 recommend that Mackenzie Eiver be protected for the next three years. 



Black Bass : Good in a few lakes. 



Again I recommend that the bounty be raised on timber wolves, and also a. 

 bounty be given for brush wolves and coyotes. Also that trappers be required to- 

 take out a license and districts allotted to them. 



As you can judge from the number of convictions, the law has not beenv 

 kept, but from the many interviews I have had with numbers of people, I have- 

 reason to believe the lawbreakers are beginning to realize that they cannot ruthlessly 

 go in the way they have been doing. Owing to it being a new country settled' 

 principally by foreigners, it takes time and patience to deal with them. 



Special Game and Fishery Overseers. 



Overseer Daniel Blea, of South River, reports that the fishing in the northern^ 

 part of the Province has been very good. 



Deer appear to be very plentiful. They were in splendid condition last season 

 as the winter preceding was a splendid one for them. There being no crust on 

 the snow the deer in many places did not yard up. 



With regard to partridge there were a great many early bush fires in the 

 spring which destroyed a number of eggs. He strongly recommends that there 

 should be a close season for partridge for two years. 



He has much pleasure in testifying to the valuable assistance a great many 

 settlers and inhabitants are giving in enforcing the game laws. 



Overseer A. Drouillard, of Walherville, reports that the fishermen in his district 

 seem pleased with the results of their work during last year ; while the catch was not 

 equal to some years, owing to the good prices obtained, general satisfaction exists 

 among the fishermen. 



He is also more than pleased to report that notwithstanding the large number 

 of consignments of fish inspected by him at Windsor and Walkerville, in no 

 case did he find any violations of the law. 



Overseer Henry Watson, of Toronto, reports that the licensed fishermen of the 

 vicinity of Toronto had a somewhat better season than the previous year. They 

 would starve, however, if they'had to depend on fishing for a living, so they are 

 all forced to find other means to make ends meet. 



There must be something wrong in the method of restocking the waters on the- 

 lake front, for the fish taken in the lake opposite the Counties of Durham, Ontario, 

 York and Peel in the last ten years, all put together, would not amount to a good 

 catch for one season. 



Eod fishing does not improve either, he does not know if it is on.' 

 account of the number of dredges working, or the motor boats running day and 

 night, or the pollution of the waters, but the fish have nearly all left the Bay, even 

 the carp that used to be so numerous only visit these waters in any quantity during 

 the spawning season. 



