SECOND BIENNIAL STATEMENT 145 



environment," shot right and left, in order to live. He 

 killed game at all seasons. He killed female deer ; he killed 

 fawns, and ate them. He potted quail and grouse on the 

 ground; he killed water-fowl with swivel guns; he fished 

 in and out of season, with nets, gang hooks, spears, and 

 snares. 



For years the needy backwoodsmen slaughtered and 

 slew, without let or hindrance; but because his numbers 

 were few, he made little impression upon the general stock 

 of game. His rifle calibers were small, and his powder 

 was black and scarce. He did indeed early exterminate the 

 elk and the buffalo from the whole region eastward of the 

 Mississippi ; but the remainder of the game held its own. 



Finally, with the rise of fat cattle, hogs, wheat and 

 Plenty, there came a great increase in people and guns ; and 

 then it occurred to the few that the game was "going, too 

 fast." Certain legal brakes were put on to check the kill- 

 ing. But the game laws of fifty years ago were not devised 

 for the lofty purpose of giving the game a square deal, and 

 a sporting chance to get away from the hunter ; not by any 

 means. We are sure that the sole object sought was the 

 retarding of the slaughter of the deer, and the birds then 

 shot as "game," in order that they might not be extermin- 

 ated too soon. 



But another great change has come. Twenty years ago 

 the "frontier" and the "pioneer" passed away from the 

 United States, forever. High-power rifles and shotguns 

 began to flow from the gun factories, by the hundred thou- 

 sands, and cartridges were turned out in hundreds of 

 millions. 



Simultaneously, a few sportsmen scattered here, there, 

 and yonder began to preach and to practice the doctrine of 

 a square deal to the remaining game. In my opinion, the 

 universal fight under this head began in the United States 

 in 1897. At that time there entered the field the New York 

 Zoological Society, Mr. George 0. Shields with Recreation 



