TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



Department of Game and Fisheries of 



Ontario 



To the Honourable F. G. Macdiaemid, 



Minister of Public Worlcs and Highways. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit the Twelfth Annual Keport of the Depart- 

 ment of Game and Fisheries, being for the fiscal year ending October 31st, 1918. 



Enforcement of Laws and Eegtjlations. 



Every observer will admit that there is a better enforcement of the laws now 

 than in earlier years and that the sentiment in favour of game and fish laws and 

 their enforcement is steadily growing. The better the law is enforced the more it 

 is respected by the public. The fines imposed and collected during the year, to- 

 gether with the proceeds from the sale of confiscations and other articles, amounted 

 to $14,883.15. Licenses and permits were issued by this Department for privileges 

 as provided for in the Act and there are two reasons why licenses are purchased 

 by the public. The first is because a large number realize the importance of up- 

 holding the Department and protecting the game, fish and birds and, by so doing, 

 the extermination of these resources will be prevented and a supply insured for the 

 generations to come. Another class who buy licenses merely do so with the idea of 

 avoiding prosecution and, in doing so, become interested to the extent that they 

 purchase thereafter from the first motive. Therefore the enforcement of the Act 

 is the most potent factor in the upbuilding of the Department of Game and 

 Fisheries and the preservation of the country's resources placed under its care. 



The Migratory Birds Convention Act referred to in my last year's report, and 

 which deals with the whole of Canada, is becoming better understood by the public 

 in general and, with the better acquaintance of its provisions by publicity, I believe 

 it is being well received and will have beneficial results. 



Game. 



Plenty of moose and deer are reported in that part of the Province lying 

 north and west of the French and Mattawa Eivers and generally satisfactory in the 

 other parts of the Province which are inhabited by these animals. The number of 

 non-resident deer licenses issued for this year shows an increase of 33 over the 

 previous year, while the number of resident deer licenses issued shows a decrease 

 of 2,975. The number of moose licenses issued shows an increase of 516 over that 

 of the previous year. The decrease in the number of the resident deer licenses 

 issued was no doubt caused mainly from the epidemic of influenza which prevailed 



[51 



