The Audubon Societies 



lOI 



it is absolutely necessary that the spring 

 shooting of wild fowl should cease in North 

 America. There is need for educational 

 work in this connection in Massachusetts; 

 but with the love of birds and the intelli- 

 gence of the people of that state, there is 

 practically no doubt that, when the matter is 

 properly brought to the attention of the pub- 

 lic, laws shortening the open season for 

 wild fowl will be adopted by a future legis- 

 lature. 



A bill to make an open season on the 

 Sabbath Day was very properly defeated. 

 Without considering the question of respect 

 for the Sabbath Day, it is always well to 

 make a close season of at least one day in 

 the seven, even during the season when 

 shooting is lawful. 



Connecticut. — In this state, bills have 

 been introduced to make the close season 

 for Ducks and shore-birds commence Janu- 

 ary I. A great deal of educational work 

 is being done, and it is hoped that the bills 

 will be considered favorably, although there 

 is considerable opposition developing from 

 the shore towns of the state, because the 

 market hunters do not desire their special 

 privileges curtailed. It is . a fact that the 

 only opposition that is ever found in any 

 part of the country to the passage of bills 

 stopping spring shooting, comes from the 

 restricted class of persons who shoot for 

 market or who sell game. The great 

 majority of the people of every state advo- 

 cate laws that conserve the wild life of the 

 country for future generations; all intelli- 

 gent people hope to prevent conditions that 

 will lead to another story like that of the 

 Wild Pigeon and the bison. 



New York. — In the president's last 

 annual report, he called the attention of the 

 citizens of this state to the very wicked 

 provision in the game laws, which permits 

 the sale of wild fowl sixty days after the 

 close season commences. This provision 

 renders the January i wild-fowl law 

 nugatory and practically of no effect. There 

 is a further provision in the New York law 

 which permits the placing in bond of 

 surplus game which is on hand at the end 



of the close or sale season, to be held until 

 the next open season. 



Bills to remedy this marked defect in the 

 game law of this state were introduced; 

 that is, for the purpose of stopping the sale 

 of wild fowl after the loth day of January; 

 in other words, giving the dealers ten days 

 in which to get rid of their surplus stock 

 and also to stop the cold storage of any kind 

 of birds or game. 



A hearing was held on both of these 

 bills on the 19th of February before the 

 Assembly Fish and Game Committee. The 

 Audubon interests were represented by your 

 president; two other Game Protective Asso 

 ciations were ably represented, and the only 

 opposition to the bill came from the Poultry 

 and Game Dealers' Association of New York, 

 which was represented by a paid attorney. 



It was thought that those in favor of the 

 two bills had proved conclusively to the 

 Assembly Fish and Game Committee that 

 these bills were meritorious and necessary, 

 and that they should be favorably reported. 

 The only claim that the attorney of the 

 Game Dealers' Association made was that 

 the bills interfered with vested rights and 

 the interests of his clients who were legiti- 

 mate dealers in game. Further, he claimed 

 that they did not sell New York State Ducks^ 

 but received all of their supplies from other 

 states. In rebuttal, it was shown that many 

 of the states prevented the export of wild 

 fowl and other game and therefore the New 

 York dealers must necessarily be selling 

 goods illegally obtained. 



For some reason which it is hard to learn 

 or understand, these bills have not been 

 reported out of the committee, although 

 the chairman has been personally urged to 

 give them favorable consideration and let the 

 fight for the bills be made on the floor of 

 the House; it is believed that the sentiment 

 of the state is so strong for the passage of 

 these bills that the Assembly will pass them. 

 At this writing an appeal is being sent 

 broadcast throughout the state, asking the 

 citizens to insist that the above bills should 

 be reported by the committee. 



New Jersey. — An anti-spring shooting 

 bill for wild fowl and shore-birds have been 



