REPORT OF BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. V 



By a ruling of the Forest Service, none of its oflQcers can receive 

 compensation for assisting in the enforcement of state laws ; it has been 

 possible, however, for the Board to pay the expenses necessarily incurred 

 by forest officers in the prosecution of fish and game cases. 



SALARIED, OR REGULAR DEPUTIES. 



The Board has a force of deputies (patrolmen or game wardens) dis- 

 tributed over the State at the present time, apportioned to districts as 

 follows : San Francisco. 2-i ; Sacramento, 29 ; Los Angeles, 11 ; Fresno, 9. 



This force has been built up very largely since 1907, when the 

 revenues of the Board were increased through the first receipts from 

 hunting license sales, and in the opinion of the Board constitutes a very 

 effective and creditable body of officers. The splendid police record 

 made by these men, as shown in the statements of seizures and prosecu- 

 tions, published in this and in previous reports, is the highest praise 

 that need be offered them. 



The state ''game wardens" of California are probably the best 

 paid wardens in the world, and the Board believes that every man on 

 the roll is worth what he receives, if not more. Cheap men could be 

 obtained, of course, but men who can do the work needed in this State 

 are not cheap men, and are available for the state's service only as they 

 are assured of proper compensation. 



The deputies, or "wardens" in each administrative district, report 

 to the Commissioner or deputy in charge of the district and perform 

 their duties as directed by him. The head office has only the most 

 general supervision of the work within the outside districts and is 

 seldom required to act in even an advisory capacity. 



"OUTSIDE," OR SPECIAL DEPUTIES. 



The special deputies assisting in the Board's work now number about 

 400 men, exclusive of forest officers. Many of these deputies have 

 records that compare favorably with those of the most efficient regular 

 officers, while the force as a whole serves as a very valuable and thor- 

 oughly appreciated auxiliary. Even if little police work were done 

 by this body of irregular officers, it would still serve as a training 

 school from which to recruit regular deputies. 



Every effort is made to keep undesirable candidates out of this force 

 and to weed out wdth the least possible delay all those who prove unfitted 

 from any cause. 



The special deputies receive no salaries, but are paid for their services 

 in prosecutions and are sometimes allowed expenses. 



PROGRAM AND WORK. 



We recognize that we are administering a public trust, that to us 

 has been assigned the duty of protecting and conserving the fish and 

 game interests of the State for the benefit of all the people, and that 

 to be successful we must have their active cooperation. We believe 

 we can gain their confidence and support by keeping the people fully 

 informed of the nature and scope of our work. We shall attempt to 



