38 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. 



There is no question but what the law has 'had a decided effect, in in- 

 creasing oar fish supply. The dynamiter, the seiner and fish trapper, 

 did more damage to our fish, than it was possible to do by the angler 

 with hook and line only, and while there may be some of these viola- 

 tions yet going on, they have been materially lessened, and fish of all 

 kinds, have made a nice increase in most of our streams. 



Taking iff Gun Out of the Hands of the Foreigner. 



The foreign element, that is so fast multiplying in many sections of 

 the State, has become the most destructive element to our game, birds 

 end fish. They have not hesitated, in the past, to ruthlessly destroy, 

 without distinction, every living creature of the animal or bird kingdom. In 

 many sections, where a great number of these men were employed on 

 public works, they had not only depleted the forests and fields of our 

 game birds and animals, but had also destroyed every song bird within 

 a radius of miles around. 



To them, the Sabbath Day was not a day of worship, but looked for- 

 ward to as one to be spent in sport, hunting, fishing, shooting, and in 

 a general wa: 7 terrorizing- the whole neighborhood. 



These parties did not hesitate to dynamite a stream, for the purpose 

 of securing a fow fish, and had no regard for the thousands of fish that 

 were killed by these explosions. Word comes from every section of 

 the State, that the law has had a wholesome effect In stopping thesa 

 violations, and it has wrought much good in thus practically taking) 

 the gun. out of the hand of the unnaturalized foreigner, by providing 

 that he must first secure a non-resident license before he can hunt, and 

 ty providing that he must secure a written permit from the property 

 owner, before he can hunt or fish upon his premises. 



Prosecutions and Fines. 



The most gratifying feature of the operation of our laws, has been 

 the careful observance by our citizens of its provisions. "While there 

 may have been many violations of the law that wene not detected, yeti 

 the enforcement of same has been reasonably rigid, and considering 

 the number ot licenses sold, and the thousands of inquiries answered, 

 regarding the different features of the law, and the comparative few 

 cases that we have had in the courts, leads us to believe that the law 

 has been well obeyed. 



It has been the policy of the department, to endeavor to educate the 

 people to xhe necessity of the law, and to war.n them against the vio- 

 lation of its provisions, rather than let the violations be made and then 

 prosecute the offender I have, at all times, instructed my local depu- 

 ties, take a broad view of all the questions, and while I desired that' 

 the law be rigidly enforced and (its dignity always upheld, yet I have 

 never deemed it wise to pay too much attention to little trifling mat- 



