32 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



REPORT OF VOLUNTEER DEPUTIES 



By Walter R. Welch, Captain of Patrol, In Charge 



At the session of the state legislature held in 1927, section 642 of the 

 Political Code, which section defines the duties of the Fish and Game 

 Commissioners, was so amended as to provide that the Commissioners 

 may from time to time employ such deputies, with or without pay, as 

 they may deem necessary to strictly enforce the laws enacted for the 

 protection and preservation of fish and game. 



This section of the Political Code became effective July 29, 1927. 

 Its operation automatically canceled the appointment of all former 

 so-called "dollar-a-year" wardens, the appointment and activities of 

 whom had been supervised and controlled by a special agent working 

 out of the executive office. 



Under the provisions of the law as amended each deputy appointed 

 to serve without pay, except employees of the federal government, shall 

 furnish the state with a surety bond in the sum of $2,500 for the faith- 

 ful performance of his duties, the premium on the bond to be paid by 

 the state out of the fish and game preservation fund. 



As the system and rules established by the Commissioners governing 

 the appointment and activities of the so-called "dollar-a-year" wardens, 

 although having been in force for less than one year, had proven satis- 

 factory and had been productive of beneficial results for the protection 

 of fish and game and the enforcement of the laws, the Commissioners, 

 in order that the Division of Fish and Game might receive the benefit 

 of those who were willing to volunteer their services to the cause of 

 fish, game and wild life protection and for the enforcement of the laws 

 enacted for that purpose, have established a system and rules govern- 

 ing the appointment and supervising the activities of volunteer depu- 

 ties, and has attached these deputies to the department of the regular 

 patrol. 



Under the system and rules governing the appointment of volunteer 

 deputies of the Division of Fish and Game, a man must be recom- 

 mended and his appointment sponsored by a regularly organized and 

 bona fide fish and game protective association or club. The recom- 

 mendation must be endorsed by the captain of the regular patrol of 

 the county in which the applicant resides, and be approved by the cap- 

 tain of patrol in charge of the volunteer deputies. 



The activities of the volunteer deputies of the Division of Fish and 

 Game, except those who are in the employ of the federal government, 

 are, under the system and rules that have been established by the Fish 

 and Game Commission for their control, under the direction and super- 

 vision of the captain of patrol in charge of volunteer deputies, and are 

 required to report monthly and to render an account of all of their 

 activities, such as the number of hunting and fishing licenses checked, 

 the number of miles of fields and streams patrolled, the number of 

 arrests made for violation of the fish and game laws, and the amount of 

 fines imposed, fish and game conditions observed while in the field, etc. 



As the status of the volunteer deputies is the same as that of the 

 regular patrol the rules that govern their activities are similar to those 

 that apply to the regular patrol and are as rigorously enforced. 



