LAW ENFORCEMENT 



Enforcement of the State Fish and Game laws and orders, rules 

 and regulations of the Commission are delegated to 45 district deputy 

 game wardens. Of this number, five wardens are appointed as dis- 

 trict warden supervisors with each having a designated number of 

 district wardens under his supervision. This system coordinates the 

 work of the district wardens and has resulted in greater efficiency 

 and better service to the public. The district warden force is the 

 medium through which the general public has greatest contact with 

 the department. It is closer to the public which it serves through 

 daily contacts than all other personnel of the department. Law en- 

 forcement is by no means the only duty assigned to wardens although 

 other assignments of work are secondary to enforcement. 



During the past two years a total of 1,485 arrests were made 

 for fish and game violations. One person out of each 247 who pur- 

 chased a hunting or fishing license was apprehended for a violation 

 of the fish and game laws or orders, rules and regulations of the 

 Commission. Fines imposed as a penalty for violation of the fish and 

 game laws for the same period totalled approximately $59,940. An 

 average fine of slightly over $40.00 was imposed by the courts for 

 each violation. Revocation of the licenses to hunt or fish for a period 

 of one year were made in a number of cases in addition to the fine. 

 Several jail sentences were also given in flagrant game violation 

 cases. 



With less than one deputy game warden per county, the depart- 

 ment needs greater assistance from sportsmen to curtail violations, 

 both by the voluntary practice of policing themselves and reporting 

 the actions of those who violate the law to proper officials. The 

 moral code by which each sportsman limits himself in taking wildlife 

 is a greater barrier to violating than the legal code. Many sportsmen 

 are yet reluctant to give information concerning violations of fish and 

 game laws of which they have knowledge due to the prevalent at- 

 titude that to give such information is "squealing." The department 

 is trying to break down this attitude by driving home the fact that 

 those who violate are taking unfair advantage of those who obey 

 the rules of the game. Poaching is stealing, and should not be treated 

 in any other light. 



New problems of law enforcement are developing with the alarm- 

 ing increase of the four-wheel drive and cleat track vehicles which 

 are gaining access into rough terrain or remote areas normally con- 

 sidered as areas which could be hunted only on foot or horseback. 

 The district warden force is ever on the alert to report general wild- 

 life conditions and undue circumstances which require that additional 

 restrictions and protective measures be adopted to give adequate 

 protection to wildlife. 



The goal of law enforcement is to enforce laws and regulations 

 designed to conserve wildlife and enforce the bounds within which 

 each sportsman must stay in taking wildlife. 



(9) 



