54 WILD LIFE PROTECTION FUND 



Champions of the Everett Doe-Killing Bill. 



Assemblyman Edward A. Everett of St. Lawrence County 



Senator M. Y. Ferris 



G. T. Barker Oneonta Fish and Game Club 



John B. Judson Fulton Fish and Game Club 



C. T. Sperry White Plains Sportsmen's Association 



M. H. Hoover President New York Conservation Association 



D. T. Sullivan Hamilton County, N. Y. 



Jas. S. Whipple ex-Conservation Commissioner 



E. A. Mackay Delaware County Game Club 



Mr. Butler Otsego County, New York Conservation Association 



A. J. Clifford Gloversville 



John M. Francis Editor Troy Times 



J. S. Kiley District Attorney for Warren County 



Among the supporters of the doe-killing bill, the repre- 

 sentation was not as strong as we have seen it at other 

 times. On this occasion, however, we were surprised by 

 finding in the ranks of the opposition to the buck law two 

 former champions of conservation, both of them formerly 

 in state employ as protectionists. Their appeal to the Gov- 

 ernor was: "Let us try this other plan, and see if it won't 

 produce better results." 



Our showing of fact and logic was far stronger than the 

 facts and arguments in rebuttal. It was everything that 

 could be desired — save for one thing: 



The awful lawlessness that had been the rule in the 

 Adirondacks had resulted in a fearful annual slaughter of 

 female deer that we could not deny, and that we made no 

 attempt to deny. That was the one weak spot in our armor. 

 Our Conservation Commission admitted its belief that an- 

 nually between 3,000 and 5,000 female deer were killed con- 

 trary to law, by lawless hunters and guides. 



The report of Commissioner Pratt for 1918 based on the 

 excellent and deadly secret service work of his wardens, re- 

 vealed in the Adirondacks a wide-spread, vicious and de- 

 structive spirit of lawlessness that was positively amazing. 

 And it was also humiliating to know that native Americans 



