THIRD BIENNIAL STATEMENT 137 



seasons and bag limits are fixed to promote killing; (2) 

 that we consult the interests of the hunters much more 

 than the welfare of the game; (3) that the close seasons 

 are made disastrously long in order to give every sports- 

 man his annual opportunity to go afield and kill all that 

 he can kill of what the law allows. 



With perfectly commendable caution, and for justifiable 

 reasons, the Department of Agriculture has duly noted the 

 expectations of sportmen that bag limits and open seasons 

 shall be as large as possible, to give every sportsman a 

 chance to go hunting each year, and kill what the law per- 

 mits him to kill. It is not for the federal government 

 to take the initiative in proposing sweeping new restric- 

 tions on killing, even though its agents know that they 

 are necessary. The brakes must be applied from within 

 the ranks of the hunters of game or they will not work. 



Now, what are to be the answers to the questions raised 

 by the three sets of conditions set forth above? 



I will suggest them; but I do not intend to insist. To 

 make active campaigns for the quick correction of these 

 evil conditions is not for me. The task would be 48 times 

 too great. I like the American sportsman, and wish him 

 well, both afield and afloat; but now T he is up against a 

 series of situations that he alone can mend. I have done what 

 I could to help him to preserve his sport, for himself, and 

 his sons, and mine. Now, all I can do is to expose the 

 dangers that threaten all sport in America with gun and 

 rod. 



If our sportsmen can endure the extinction of sport, I can! 



THE ANSWER TO THE LICENSE AND BAG "LIMIT" 



MENACE. 



What is the inexorable logic of the hard facts? 



To me the answers seem so clear as to be beyond the realm 

 of controversy. Are not these the logical conclusions? 



