Prohibition of the Sale of Game 



BY 



Frederick K. Vreeland 

 Of the Campftre Club of North America, New York, N.Y. 



MR. CHAIRMAN and Gentlemen: I thank you on my own be- 

 half and on behalf of the Campfire Club of North America for 

 the privilege of appearing before you this afternoon. This courtesy 

 is particularly appreciated because it indicates to us that you realize 

 and appreciate the objects that we are working for. We feel that the 

 wild life of the North American continent knows no geographical 

 boundary and our interests are to protect the common heritage of all 

 the people, wherever it is found, and the only way to do that to the 

 fullest extent is by international cooperation. So it is peculiarly gratify- 

 ing to us to see the spirit of cooperation that is enunciated by your 

 Commission. 



Game Now There are several points from which we can view this 



too Scarce question of game protection. There is the sentimental 



for Food viewpoint. Here is a heritage that is given to us 



from nature. We are the custodians of it and it is our duty to guard 

 it. Then there is the view of the sportsman who claims the right to a 

 legitimate amount of sport in killing the animals. And finally, there 

 is the value of the game as an ecoiromic asset. But, from whatever 

 standpoint we look at the question, we are forced to the conclusion 

 that the time has passed when wild game was a legitimate part of our 

 food supply, excepting in a very few very remote sections- We may 

 not like to accept that principle, but it is not a question of theory, it 

 is a question of cold, hard, inexorable fact, and I will just point to a 

 few of those facts to make clear my viewpoint. 



Diminution in Big Game 



When our ancestors came to this continent, we fell heirs to a heri- 

 tage of natural resources probably unequalled elsewhere, the whole 

 continent teeming with wild life, now over ninety per cent gone. The 

 bison, which once roamed in countless thousands, is now extinct ex- 



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