Game birds become scarce in any locality from a 

 number of known causes, such as too close shooting, 

 the clearing off of good coverts or places of refuge, 

 the presence of wandering dogs and house cats, and 

 the starving and freezing of birds in Winter, simply 

 because no provision is made to feed them during the 

 severe weather sometimes experienced in this latitude. 

 Right here it might be well to point out that few 

 healthy birds, which have a chance to find food, are 

 ever frozen; it is only birds weakened by starvation 

 and disease which succumb. 



Much has been done for game birds by the law 

 which prohibits shooting except during a short sea- 

 son, when the birds are full grown and strong. 



Requiring every person who, during the shooting 

 season, goes off his own property with a gun in his 

 possession, to have a shooting license with him — which 

 license must be exhibited to any one on request — also 

 the high cost of a license to any one not a citizen of 

 this State, has helped reduce the number of gunners. 

 Every land owner should see that his property is 

 posted with "Trespass" signs forbidding shooting and 

 fishing without permission, and should take care that 

 these signs are respected. 



In the days of stone walls, and post and rail fences, 

 land was not cultivated so close to the boundary lines 

 as is now the case when so many wire fences have 

 been put up. 



The bushes and high growth of weeds and grasses 

 which grew along the old style fences, provided for 

 birds splendid nesting places, and also refuges from 



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