THIRTY-FIFTH BIENNIAL KEPORT 47 



CALIFORNIA'S JUNIOR GAME PATROL 



By M. F. Joy, Jr., Warden, Superintendent Junior Game Patrol 



The Junior Game Patrol was first organized in 1936 by the Division 

 of Fisli and Game because of the need for educating society in the prin- 

 ciples of conservation, so that the Division's work in the preservation 

 of California's resources for the benefit of the public may not be in 

 vain. The number of violations of the fish and game laws in California 

 since 1926 has increased greatly, and it was apparent that a large pro- 

 portion of the violators were young men between the ages of 21 and 30. 

 Tlie purpose of conservation is to assure the constant use of the 

 i-esources and to leave a sufficient breeding stock, and the fish and game 

 laws are therefore enacted by the people of the State to aid in the 

 management and wise utilization of the resources. Hence, the Bureau 

 of Patrol of the Division of Fish and Game is vested with the duties of 

 enforcement of these laws. The Bureau's aim is to make the public 

 realize the significance of the inestimable damage that can be done 

 through carelessness and of their responsibility in preserving Nature's 

 gifts for future generations, and it is not the Bureau's sole purpose to 

 apprehend violators as so many are prone to believe. This is in keeping 

 with the modern trend to prevent rather than punish. For example, 

 since 1926, there have been 23,345 persons arrested and convicted for 

 fish and game violations in this State, but many of these oft'enses could 

 have been prevented. Fines for such violations amounted to nearly half 

 a million dollars and the violators served some 70,000 days in jail, an 

 aggregate of 191 years. Although it may be too late to educate the 

 older people, we can do a great deal of good by teaching our youth the 

 principles of conservation so they will not become violators. 



A plan, originated and furthered by Mr. A. T. Jergins, Fish and 

 Game Commissioner of California, was therefore initiated to educate 

 our younger generation along these conservation lines, teaching them 

 to appreciate and protect the wildlife, the perpetuation of which is in 

 the hands of the public. Such was the origin of the Junior Game 

 Patrol, which is making even more rapid strides than the Division of 

 Fish and Game had anticipated. The sportsmen's organizations have 

 aided materially in furthering this work by taking an active interest. 



The Junior Patrol, under the direct supervision of the Division, is 

 made up of troops, the members of which are boys of 10 to 21 years of 

 age. Their membership is solicited throughout the schools, and the 

 troops are locally sponsored by sportsmen 's clubs, civic organizations or 

 interested individuals. The sponsoring agency furnishes the required 

 adult supervision, namely, troop leaders— one for each platoon consist- 

 ing of 19 boys — and also special instructors whenever necessary. If the 

 patrol leaders are adept in some particular phase of the program, such 

 as natural history, specimen mounting, drilling, sport fishing, etc., their 



