MAI' SIIOWI XC, Till-; ].(K\T1(»\ ol- 40 OLT OJ- Tl I K 56 NATIONAL I'.IKD Ki:si: R\"AT l( ).\ : 

 The other 10 are located in Alaska, Hawaii, and Porto Rico (see text, page 375) 



ill the United States is centering around 

 the proposition to abolish all spring shoot- 

 ing. This has already been done by sev- 

 eral of the States which are most en- 

 lightened in their treatment of wildfowl 

 preservation ; but enormous numbers are 

 still shot in Iowa and especially in the 

 bottoms along the Illinois River. 



It is confidently expected that in the 

 near future the good sense of the general 

 comnuuiity will recognize how short- 

 sighted and wasteful it is to lose a large 

 fall supply of well-fattened fowls for the 

 privilege of obtaining earlier in the year 

 a much smaller quantity in poor condi- 

 tion. 



Some advocates of spring shooting 

 claim that hunting can safely be allowed 

 until the ducks begin to pair ; but the 

 l)airing season with some species is very 

 early in the year ; the wood-duck begins 

 nesting in early February, and some of 

 the other species are paired by the middle 

 of the month. Any attempt to make 

 sei)arate laws and dates for the different 

 species would prove unsatisfactory, and 

 the only practicable way is to prohibit 

 all spring shooting. 



WHY A SHORT HUNTING SEASON IS MOST 

 PROFITABLE 



Admitting that both spring and sum- 

 mer shooting are utterly indefensible, the 

 question is at what time may himting 

 properly and profitably be allowed. The 

 matter of game protection should be 

 handled from a rational business stand- 

 point, like the handling of any agricul- 

 tural product. There is some one time 

 in the growth of a crop when its yield 

 will be of the highest market value, and 

 the wise agriculturist waits for that time 

 and then harvests in a few days the otit- 

 l^ut of the whole year. Moreover, he is 

 careful to save enough for seed, so that 

 the crop of the following year may be 

 at least no less bounteous. 



Every one will admit that the greatest 

 number of waterfowl of the highest value 

 individually can be obtained yearly if all 

 the shooting is done — /. c, the year's crop 

 is harvested — in the fall, after the young 

 are fully grown and while the birds are 

 on their fall migration trip. If birds are 

 absolutely undisturbed by human agencies 

 from the time they reach their winter 

 home until they have completed the molt 



369 



