550 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
for the benefit of the general public. By the time such 
refuges have been generally established the problem of 
rearing our game birds will probably have been solved, 
and from that time on there will be little difficulty in 
our finding each autumn a few birds on which to work 
our dogs and exercise our skill in shooting. 
Only a few years ago the shooting seasons com- 
monly began on September Ist and closed Janu- 
ary Ist. Now in most States—above all in those States 
where birds are least abundant—the shooting season 
lasts for two months only and often closes Decem- 
ber ist. Almost without our noticing it the length 
of the season has been reduced one-half. In many 
States bag limits have been established, and while too 
often these limits are disregarded, the sentiment that 
this law should be obyed is constantly growing 
stronger. 
Everywhere sportsmen might accomplish much 
more toward increasing the supply of game if they 
were organized and would work together for a common 
object. In some States organizations have been ef- 
fected, but sufficient interest has not yet been aroused 
to make them ready to work together for the common 
purpose. Sometirnes, too, the organization is brought 
together more for the purpose of making a showing 
or redounding to the credit of some one individual 
than it is for actual fish and game protective work, 
and when this takes place, the organization becomes 
a mere name, wholly inefficient for practical purposes. 
The State of Connecticut possesses an organization 
