REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 65 



PERMITS FOR LIVE GAME. 



Two years more of experience with tlie law in regard to the trapping, 

 shipping, and possession of live game, show that the action of the 

 Legislature in vesting this authority absolutely in the Board of Fish 

 Commissioners was a wise move, as it has brought all sections of the 

 State more closely in touch with our offtce, in other words, with head- 

 quarters, and we have been able to keep a close record of permits. The 

 law is being understood and respected. Many requests are declined. 

 We restrict the issuance of permits to trap to the open season when 

 game may be lawfully killed, the exceptions to this rule being when 

 some large institution, which is open and free to the public, desires 

 specimens for scientific purposes. So long as the general public is 

 granted only a limited number of birds, which is seldom more than a 

 half dozen, and is permitted to take them only during the open season 

 and the permit granted when Ave are satisfied that the birds will be 

 properly cared for, we feel that more good than harm can come from it. 

 As people become more familiar with the various forms of bird life, they 

 become less desirous of destroying or killing them, and it results often 

 in an increase of birds. As in many places throughout the State the 

 increase from these captive birds has been liberated, and as shooting is 

 not allowed on the premises, the birds soon feel safe and make it a per- 

 manent home, where they have an opportunity to further increase and 

 spread into other sections. 



Some criticism has been heard because permits are issued by this 

 Board to transport live birds from this State. We beg to say that the 

 number is exceedingly small. There are not more than three hundred 

 quail per annum, coming from all parts of the State, that are trans- 

 ported outside of it. The requests come mainly from States that desire 

 to try the experiment of introducing California quail. 



As no birds are trapped or transported without permission from this 

 office, and an absolute record is kept of each individual who secures a 

 permit to trap, ship, or possess, we feel there is no just ground for com- 

 plaint, or any necessity for a change in the present law. All live game 

 that is to be transported from any point inside of this State must be 

 offered to the Wells-Fargo Express Company. This corporation has 

 issued strict orders to all of its agents, and these orders are carefully 

 observed. Live game has been offered at stations unaccompanied by 

 permits, but it is invariably refused transportation until communica- 

 tion is had with the office. 



On the suggestion of the Federal department having charge of game 

 preservation at Washington, D. C, we have followed a liberal interpre- 

 tation of the present law, as that department believed it would be of 



5 — FC 



