58 Decrease of Birds 



require every hunter to have a license." Mr. A. L. You- 

 mans, Hampton, suggests: "Have the license fixed so that 

 no one can hunt on any lands except his own without a 

 license, not even on invitation." Mr. A. R. Taylor, Lex- 

 ington, writes: "I would suggest a higher license forlthose 

 using automatic and repeating guns." Mr. J. L. Wes- 

 singer, writes: "I would suggest that the license be raised 

 to $8 or $10." 



A careful study of the reports from the seventeen coun- 

 ties having the hunters' license law leads to the conclu- 

 sion that conditions are already greatly improved thru a 

 reduction in the number of hunters, and that as soon as 

 the law is made State-wide with no exemptions, and its 

 enforcement placed in the hands of a sufficient number of 

 competent well paid wardens our fast vanishing valuable 

 wild bird life will have a much better chance to escape 

 complete extermination. 



It is most encouraging to bird protectionists to record 

 that at the last session of the legislature, the benefits of 

 this law were extended to the following counties: Abbe- 

 ville, Bamberg, Edgefield, Fairfield, Horry, Kershaw, Lee, 

 Anderson, Newberry, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Sumter, 

 Spartanburg, Union, This leaves only twelve counties in 

 the State without the protection afforded birds by this 

 measure. 



The Game Warden 



The most important needs suggested by the 27 observers 

 who expressed themselves concerning the game warden 

 force, are: 1, paid Wardens; 2, wardens appointed by rea- 

 son of their fitness; 3, an active warden in every locality 

 or township. 



That there are so many complaints of the non-enforce- 

 meut of the game laws is not the fault of the State game 

 department, but is rather the result of the lack of funds 

 for paying sufficient salaries to an adequate number of 

 wardens, and to the present system of appointing the 

 wardens. That observers should suggest, "Wardens who 



