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animals articles of commerce has the greatest effect in causing their destruction. 
If idle men and boys could not make money by killing game, one-half at least of 
the cause of its slaughter would be stopped at once, Again, if foreigners were 
not allowed to over-run our province at all times and seasons in quest of game 
without any restriction whatever, another great cause of destruction would be 
removed. The close seasons in the adjoining States are not the same, and large 
numbers of so called sportsmen visit our Province during the spring when shoot- 
ing is allowed in their own country, and destroy large numbers of birds during 
the close season here. Another cause is the granting of permits promiscuously for 
the purpose of collecting birds and eggs for so called scientific purposes. This 
privilege is abused in almost every instance, and the skins and eggs become 
articles of merchandise. Exchanging eggs and skins as well as selling them to 
regular dealers in the Province and neighbouring States, has of late years been 
carried on quite largely under the permit system. One collector was heard of 
who boasted of having made fifty thousand skins. The Commissioners are 
strongly of the opinion that great care and discrimination should be exercised in 
the granting of these permits and that the number granted each year should be 
very much curtailed, that not more than five or ten should be granted during 
any one year, and those only to persons who are engaged in the study of natural 
history and who do not use the skins or eggs for barter. For a great number of 
years it has been felt that the existing game laws did not apply properly to all 
sections of the Province, with its varying climate and temverature, that in some 
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instances the close season ended too soon and in others too late, that is in some 
the shooting was allowed before the birds were fully fledged, and in others the 
season did not begin until the birds had commenced their fall flight. It was 
therefore proposed by one of the Commissioners that with the view of suiting all 
sections as nearly as mny be, the 15th day of September be the opening day for 
the shooting of all game in Ontario except quail, deer, elk, moose and caribou. 
The suggestion was at once adopted by the Commission and it was remarkable 
how unanimously in favour of the plan were all the witnesses who gave evidence 
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before the Commission. In that case the Commissioners strongly recommended 
that the close season forall game birds and animals, except quail, deer, elk, moose 
and caribou, begin on December 15th and end on September 15th. The object being 
the further protection of the game, and because the law will then be applicable to 
the whole of Ontario, and thus save the misunderstanding which might occur 
from dividing the Province into sections or districts with a game law for each. 
___ Even with this wise suggestion there will be a few sections where the law will 
___ not suit exactly, but so nearly so that all sportsmen for the sake of the general 
welfare of the game, should acquiesce without murmur. An example may be 
given for instance in the most eastern part of the Province, woodduck and wood- 
cock both migrate from these localities about September 15th, therefore sportsmen 
