Foster. — The Sportsmen's League. 51 



supply in even a larger number. I do not wish to give the 

 impression that the character of our organization or the 

 procedure of our business should be changed, for ours is 

 only a single spoke in the wheel of conservation, which must 

 be maintained at its present strength and efficiency and it 

 would not be advisable for us as a body to scatter our 

 forces. But may we not as individuals give greater support 

 to the local sportsmen's leagues in our communities, under 

 whatsoever name they may be operating and to that national 

 organization, The Izaak Walton League of America, which 

 it is the writer's firm conviction, is destined to play a most 

 important part in the preservation of America's out-of- 

 doors? 



There are few among us do not realize the necessity for 

 a militant national organization whose voice is capable 

 of being heard in the national and state capitols, backed 

 by the influence and vote of such a vast army of sportsmen 

 that it will command immediate attention and respect. 



National and state executives and legislators are, as a 

 rule, inclined to do what is just and right as soon as they 

 are informed that a sufficient number of persons are in- 

 terested. The proposed drainage of the famous Winneshiek 

 Bottoms of the Upper Mississippi is a glaring example of the 

 necessity of national pressure. 



Many of the states represented here today have superior 

 laws for the propagation and protection of fish, but others, — 

 and I am forced to include dear old Missouri among the 

 latter, — are years behind in either protection or propagation 

 or both ; not necessarily ]}ecause of fault in the initiative 

 or administrative ability of the Fish & Game Commissioners, 

 but because there has been no concerted strength and man 

 power behind their recommendations. 



One can hardly imagine the laws of a state permitting 

 the gigging of a 10 1/2 pound rainbow trout from her spawn- 

 ing bed, and at the same time prohibiting the taking of this 

 species with an artificial fly months after the close of the 

 spawning season, yet this is exactly the condition in Mis- 

 souri today with other laws even more destructive because 

 thej'- adversely effect the native fish found in the majority 

 of the waters of the state. With proper organization of the 

 sportsmen such laws would soon be replaced and all game 

 fish protected during the spawning season ; a size limit per- 

 mitting a fish to have reached maturity and to have spawned 

 at least once before being put into the frying pan and a 

 creel limit that would prohibit the killing of 110 bass in one 

 day as accoplished by a certain sport — not sportsman — from 

 Kansas City this past summer. 



