6 



the seeds of nut-bearing and cone-bearing trees far and wide; 

 also they destroy insects, for a time, in the summer. Under 

 protection, however, they are likely to so increase in numbers 

 as to become destructive to birds, nuts, fruit and grain. Rab- 

 bits, when numerous, destroy young trees; and deer, under 

 the same conditions, attack young fruit trees and vegetables. 

 Therefore the farmer has not the same economic incentive 

 for conserving mammals that he has for protecting birds. 

 Nevertheless, all these animals add to the attractiveness of 

 country life. And if the laws are so framed as to give to the 

 owner of the land an opportunity to protect his property 

 from their inroads, and to take a reasonable number for 

 food, the game mammals may be considered as of consider- 

 able value to the farmer. 



Financial Benefits derived from Game. 



Under the present laws the game on the farm may be so 

 conserved and handled as to bring in an annual cash revenue 

 to the farmer. Owing to the laws which prohibit the sale of 

 wild game birds, these birds cannot be marketed. Ordinarily, 

 however, the farmer will find it more profitable to lease his 

 land for shooting purposes than to sell the game in the mar- 

 ket. Associations of farmers and sportsmen have been formed, 

 in which the farmers grant shooting rights on their property 

 to a limited number of sportsmen, and the sportsmen agree 

 to protect the farm property from poachers. In other cases 

 the protection of the farm property is left to the farmer. 

 In Rockford township, Illinois, a farmers' association was 

 organized in 1901, each member of which had the right to 

 grant to any one the privilege of hunting on his farm in his 

 company. All undertook to promote the strict enforcement 

 of the game laws. Seventy-five members were enrolled, rep- 

 resenting 12,000 to 15,000 acres of land. The system under 

 which this association worked was so complete that poaching 

 and trespassing were nearly eliminated. Notwithstanding 

 the shooting done, prairie chickens and quail increased in 

 numbers, while insect-eating birds became abundant.^ 



I Palmer, Theodore S. Some Benefits the Farmer may derive from Game Protection. Year 

 Book, United States Department of Agriculture, 1904, p. 518. 



