EDITORIALS AND NOTES 



SPECIAL REGULATIONS AFFECTING THE 1942 DEER SEASON 



The hunting of deer in California in 1942 lias been subjected to 

 various special regulations, all related to the war. Their history is sel 

 forth below. 



On June 1st, 1942, Regional Office No. 5 of the IT. S. Forest Service 

 closed the Los Padres, Angeles, San Bernardino and Cleveland National 

 forests against trespassing because of intensification of the fire hazard 

 due to lack of fire-suppression personnel and equipment. This effec- 

 tually closed these areas to deer hunters. 



The Monterey Cattlemen's Association took the view that their 

 private range lands, to which the hunters were likely to turn, were 

 highly inflammable, and difficult to police because of labor shortage. 

 They therefore asked Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt, Commanding 

 Officer, Western Defense Command, that steps be taken to have these 

 lands closed also. General DeWitt, basing his request on "military 

 necessity," applied to Governor Olson to have deer hunting prohibited 

 wherever fire hazards were found to exist. 



This matter was referred to the Division of Fish and Game, and on 

 July 27th its representatives met with the Committee on Forest Fire 

 Prevention of the California Office of Civilian Defense. At this meet- 

 ing a resolution was passed recommending the immediate closure to 

 deer hunting of all open areas from the northern boundary of Monterey 

 County south to the Mexican border. On July 29th the Fish and Game 

 Commission took cognizance of the fact that a request from a com- 

 manding officer in time of war is tantamount to an order, and in view 

 of the military necessity recommended to the Director of Natural 

 Resources that all of San Benito and Monterey counties, and those 

 portions of Merced, Fresno and Kings counties in District 3 be closed 

 to deer hunting; also Fish and Game Districts 3i, 4, 4-J, and 4',\ 

 including the counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, 

 Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, Sah Diego and 

 Imperial. The approval of the Governor was given and the order was 

 signed July 31st, but due to legal publication requirements did not 

 become effective until August 11th. 



The areas so closed failed to include all the territory envisaged, 

 ;m<l a second request was made by the military authorities. The Fish 

 and Game Commission thereupon held an open meeting in San Fran- 

 cisco on August 7th, at which legislators, representatives of State and 

 Federal agencies, sportsmen, and other interested persons were heard. 

 Over 35 expressed opinions, the most frequent complaint being that 

 closure of the deer season discriminated against the hunter, while other 

 recreationists constituting equal or greater fire hazards were unchecked. 

 However, in view of the predominating importance of Avar requirements 

 over all other considerations, the Commission recommended the closure 



(42) 



