PROHIBITION OF THE SALE OF GAME 99 



has been the Mecca of the sportsman for years, and the shooting has 

 been so well regulated that the moose have held their own and there 

 is still a plentiful supply there. Out in the Peace River country, where 

 I suppose you could count on your fingers the number of sportsmen 

 who have ever hunted, the Indians are half starved for lack of meat. 

 Respecting the demand of the cities, I think it needs no argument that 

 that ought to be stopped. But consider also the remote sections where 

 they are using big game to feed railway construction crews and to feed 

 the settlers who are going into the country. The game cannot stand that. 



Raising Game in Captivity 



Of course, when you propose laws prohibiting the sale of game 

 you have some opposition, especially from the dealers. Let me tell 

 you an interesting fact. When the law prohibiting the sale of game 

 was proposed in New York state, the pot-hunters fought it hke tigers. 

 The hotel men did not fight it. The President of the New York Hotel 

 Dealers' Association came out boldly and said that he would not oppose 

 the measure provided some means were worked out whereby they 

 could use game raised in captivity. In working out the problem, we 

 provided that, for a very small license fee, those who wished to raise 

 game in captivity could have the Government's sanction, and that the 

 birds so raised would be tagged officially by a game guardian and sold 

 only under those tags. In that way a new industry of some importance 

 is being built up and those who feel that they must have a taste of 

 wild game to satisfy an appetite that is already jaded by over-indul- 

 gence, can get it. As to form, the law which we consider the model 

 in the United States is that in force in the state of New York, known 

 as the Hornaday-Bayne law, which was devised by Director Hornaday, 

 of the New York Zoological park, who was at that time Chairman of 

 our Conservation Committee, and was put through the legislature by 

 Senator Bayne. 



Let me repeat, in closing, that, in considering this question, you 

 must take account not only of the problem of the cities but also of the 

 remote districts like the Peace River country. If the game is- not 

 protected it will very soon be exterminated by being hunted for food. 

 I would like to call your attention to Dr. Hornaday's book entitled "Our 

 Vanishing Wild Life," which contains a great deal of very useful infor- 

 mation. I would like to add that, if, at any time, the Campfire Club can 

 be of any service in cooperating with you, you have only to call on 

 us and we shall consider it an honour. 



