GAME AS A NATIOiSrAL RESOURCE. 



15 



It is safe to say that 20,000 ducks are annually killed in Vermont. While 

 there is no lawful market for them, domesticated mallards in the New Yoi'k 

 market are worth per pair $3 and up, but to be conservative these birds are 

 figured at $2 per pair, making the value of the season's bag $20,000, or an 

 annual dividend at 4 per cent on $500,000. 



LIMITATIONS ON EXCESSIVE HUNTING. 



BIG GAME AND QUAIL. 



The results of excessive hunting, and particularly hunting for 

 market, are now beginning to be felt in several sections of the country 

 which have been settled for a lone; time or in which agriculture has 





7777 \ No hunting 

 Bucks onlLj 

 Bucks and does 



Fig. 1. — Deer hunting in the United States in 1920. In 15 States (shaded area) hunt- 

 ing was prohibited ; in tlie .33 States which permitted hunting, 17 protected does 

 (dotted area). 



been highly deA'eloped. This is most apparent in the case of big 

 game and quail, the hunting of which is not at present -possible in a 

 number of States. Fifteen States were closed to deer hunting in 

 1920, as follows : Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, and 

 West Virginia in the East ; and Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, 

 Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and North Dakota in 

 the Middle West. In Delaware, Ohio, and Indiana deer have been 

 exterminated for some years ; in Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, and Mary- 

 land they are nearly gone ; in Connecticut they were abundant several 

 years ago, but under a law enacted in 1915, allowing the use of shot-_ 

 guns in killing deer injuring crops, several thousand were destroyed 

 and the species greatly reduced in numbers. Of the 33 States which 

 were open does were protected in 17, while bucks and does both could 

 be killed in 16. (See fig. 1.) 



