70 THE BEPOET UPON No. 14 



other inferior ducks could be shot at that time. He recommends that this be 

 effected provided the screening is stopped, which is done by stringing out the 

 decoys to the full limit of 200 yards, then hiding the boat in rushes and when 

 a flock of ducks light among the decoys on the outer edge, sneaking out with 

 the boat well screened with rushes to where the live ducks are and at close range 

 slaughtering the whole flock. An ordinary duck shooter has no chance of getting 

 within close range of the ducks against a screener. He would make the limit 

 50 yards and let there be equal rights to all, and no favours for the screeners. 



Cotton-tail rabbits are becoming a nuisance and a pest to the fruit growers 

 and to the farmers, causing more trouble than all the other game put together. 

 One farmer threatened to sue the Department for damages for fruit trees des- 

 troyed, while another man complained that the cotton-tail rabbits were not getting 

 enough protection. 



The small .22 rifle is becoming one of the biggest nuisances he has to contend 

 with. Every boy who can get the money together has one. Complaints come 

 pouring in to him every day that 'boys and men are killing dogs, chickens, pigs, 

 cattle and horses throughout the surrounding neighbourhood of Hamilton. 

 Although the criminal code confines the selling and carrying of fire arms to 

 persons sixteen years of age, all the boys he meets with rifles say they aie over 

 sixteen. The remedy for alL this is to put a license fee on shot guns of $2, 

 except for farmers shooting on their own farms, and let there be no license for 

 rifles except for killing deer, moose, etc. 



A few non-resident anglers tried to take more than the legal number of 

 bass, and in several cases he was obliged to seize and confiscate the fish. He finds, 

 however, a great improvement this year over other years in the observance of 

 the laws. Overseer Kerr is of the opinion that the licensing of the fur dealers 

 should be followed up by licensing trappers, except farmers who may trap on 

 their own property. A great deal of trapping is done in the Dundas Marsh 

 and the marshes surrounding Burlington Bay, also throughout the Counties of 

 Wentworth, Halton and Wellington, as there are numerous swamps and creeks 

 in the back townships of these counties, also small lakes and ponds which abound 

 with mink, coon and muskrats. Skunk may be found anywhere throughout the 

 above counties. There are any amount of men who do nothing but trap during 

 the season and state that they can make more money at it at that time than at 

 anything else. 



The motor boats in his charge are of great value, especially the smaller one 

 which is for marshy waters. It has fulfilled all expectations and has proved 

 well worth the money spent on it when the Department equipped it with -a motor. 

 When not in service it is always on the rollers in the boat house ready to put out 

 day or night at a minute's notice when occasion demands it. 



In conclusion he wishes to thank the Chief of Police and Inspector Coulter, 

 who have given him assistance during the year when he was hard pressed in 

 rounding up foreigners who were shooting in the close season. 



York County. 



Overseer Robert Tillett, of Roach's Point, reports that there were some good 

 catches of bass made, and maskinonge trolling was good.- There seem to be a 

 great number of whitefish in Lake Simcoe, as all the men who had night line 

 licenses to take whitefish report good catches. Salmon trout are plentiful. 



