292 THE SLAUGHTER OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 



The average for the twenty-seven states that issued 

 licenses as shown above is 55,046 for each state. 



Now, the twenty-one states issuing no licenses, or not re- 

 porting, produced in 1911 fully as many gunners per capita as 

 did the other twenty -seven states. Computed fairly on exist- 

 ing averages, they must have turned out a total of 1,155,966 

 gunners, making for all the United States 2,642,194 armed 

 men and boys warring upon the remnant of game in 1911. 

 We are not counting the large number of lawless hunters 

 who never take out licenses. 



Bird and Mammal Slaughter According to Law. — It 

 is difficult to decide which influence has been, and still is, 

 most deadly to our vanishing wild life — illegal slaughter or 

 killing according to law. We are inclined to believe that 

 in the thickly populated, well-protected localities it is the 

 legalized slaughter that is most deadly, while in the thinly 

 populated states of the Far West it is the illegal destruction 

 of game that is literally wiping it off the earth. One thing, 

 however, is sure. If legalized slaughter could be stopped, it 

 would be possible to stop about three-fourths (or more) of the 

 illegal work. 



We have already shown the figures which fairly represent 

 the number of men and boys which we know hunt legally, 

 everv vear, in the United States, and our calculation for the 

 remainder of legal shooters brings the total beyond two and 

 one-half millions. There is at least one excellent authority 

 who places the total at five mill ions'! 



their first realization of the fact that to-day there is a difference between decency 

 and indecency in the pursuit of game. The use of this term has done very great 

 good; and there is no softer equivalent that can take its place. 



