12S Second Annual Report of the 



Additional Protectors. 



The State of New York has over nine million inhabitants, 

 which is nearly one-tenth the population of the United States ; 

 and has an area of 49,170 square miles, embracing two of the 

 Great lakes, the St. Lawrence, the Hudson and the Delaware 

 rivers; a large number of small lakes and rivers, as well as the 

 Adirondack mountains; and there are only one hundred and 

 twenty-five regular game protectors to enforce the Conservation 

 Law in relation to fish and game, in this vast and thickly popu- 

 lated State. I therefore strongly recommend that seventy-five 

 additional protectors be appointed, increasing the force from one 

 hundred and twenty-five to two hundred men. The increase is 

 necessary owung to the large number of violations of our law 

 which are occurring. With the present force it is impossible to 

 detect but a small percentage of them. 



I respectfully call your attention to the following, which is 

 the best argument that I can put forth in relation to the necessity 

 of increasing the force of regular protectors; In 1911 there were 

 ninety-five regular protectors, who successfully prosecuted during 

 the month of October in that year, one hundred and fifty-one 

 misdemeanors under the Game Law, recovering $3,127.05. Dur- 

 ing the session of the 1912 Legislature a bill was passed pro- 

 viding for thirty additional protectors, increasing the force to 

 one hundred and twenty-five men. With this additional force, 

 during the month of October in 1912 there were two hundred 

 and fifty-seven successful prosecutions for misdemeanors of the 

 Conservation Law in relation to fish and game, with recoveries 

 of $4,742.55. This shows a gain of one hundred and six cases 

 over October, 1911, and a gain of $1,615.50 in recoveries; which 

 bears out the statement that it is impossible thoroughly to enforce 

 the law with the present force of protectors. I firmly believe 

 that if the seventy-five additional protectors are provided for, you 

 will see a substantial gain in the number of successful prose- 

 cutions, and a large gain in the amount of recoveries for violations. 



The statistics quoted are taken from the record of the month 

 of October, as that is the beginning of the fiscal year. 



