ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 31 



Illinois Game Preserves 



Mr. Ralph F. Bradford, Chief Warden, Division of Game and 

 Fish of the Illinois State Department of Agriculture, has kindly fur- 

 nished the Bulletin a list of the Illinois game preserves that have been 

 organized up to the present time. It will be seen by reference to the 

 list, which is printed below, that these preserves represent the work 

 of the Game and Fish Commission which went out of existence over a 

 year ago. It is rather disappointing that the first year's activities of 

 the new administration include very little progress in this direction. 

 This is probably due in part to the readjustment to new conditions 

 which unfortunately interfere with continuity of policy when political 

 changes occur. Then there has been delay in the issuing of forms of 

 leases. It was decided to discontinue the old form but the revision was 

 not accomplished for several months so that the revised form was 

 not available until March of the present year. The Skokie Valley 

 project north of Chicago, which is to include the Exmoor Country 

 Club Grounds Game Preserve, has been delayed for this reason, but 

 now further development of the plan is possible. Then, too general 

 interest in war matters has probably diverted attention from conserva- 

 tion matters of this sort, but it would seem to be the duty of Audu- 

 bonites at this time to urge such work as a form of war preparedness. 

 They will find Warden Bradford interested and readv to co-operate. 

 The following quotations from a letter from Mr. Bradford are worthy 

 of careful attention. 



He says, ''There are many ideal localities throughout the state 

 which may be set aside as intended by the framers of our game laws 

 as preserves or sanctuaries in which the birds may be protected to 

 the extent required for their natural increase against the elements of 

 destruction which operate against them. Such tracts should be made 

 permanent, and nature given a chance to restore the coverts needed 

 for the protection of bird life, their undisturbed nesting, and the 

 providing of their natural foods. These contemplated preserves should 

 not be isolated and of small extent, but should be as extensive as 

 reasonable circumstances will permit." 



"After their formation as suggested, it should not be left for an 

 over-burdened and widely scattered force of game wardens to give 

 them the protection needed against inconsiderate and oftentimes law- 

 less hunters who kill for the mere sport of killing, but interested 

 citizens should regard it as a part of their duty to aid in the enforce- 

 ment of the protective laws by swearing out warrants for the arrest 

 of violators, and see to it that prosecution is pushed. An active public 

 influence for the enforcement of law is not without its restraining 

 power over the lawless element." 



Following is the list of game preserves as filed in the office of the 

 Chief Warden : 



ILLINOIS GAME PRESERVES 



1. Ouincy Bay Game and Fish Preserve, November 12, 1913. No 

 exact limits. 



