Conservation Commission 189 



Hunting Licenses 



The statistics found in connection with this report as to hunt- 

 ing licenses show a decided increase in the nnmher issued, owing, 

 I think, particularly to the fact that the game protectors have re- 

 ceived instructions to look over every hunter found in the field, 

 demanding to see the hunting license and taking the name and 

 number thereof; which educates the sportsmen of the State up to 

 the fact that it is unsafe to take the chances of going afield without 

 procuring a hunting license. 



The valid reason for the law protecting the wild game of any 

 State is found in its value to the whole people thereof. This point 

 is extremely well defined in the decision of the United States Su- 

 preme Court, reading as follows : 



" The game of a state, meaning fish, flesh and fowl, belongs to 

 the whole people of that state, and not to the reckless and blood- 

 thirsty individual who may happen to slay it. In its abundance 

 it is a valuable asset to the whole people. The great value of the 

 game of a district is not found in its meat pounds lying upon the 

 table, but rather in the inducement it annually puts before the 

 millions of field weary farmers and desk weary clerks and mer- 

 chants to get into their old clothes and out into God's air and 

 sunshine." 



Other strong points favorable to the protection of game are as 

 follows: To protect agriculturists from enormous losses oc- 

 casioned by vermin, which our insect and rodent eating birds 

 destroy; to assist in saving forests by protecting the birds that 

 keep down those insects which are destructive to trees and shrubs ; 

 to save valuable species from extermination, thus preserving a 

 satisfactory representation of our once rich fauna for posterity; 

 to preserve for posterity sufficient of game and fish so that they 

 may have their chance to get out into God's air and sunshine so 

 aptly described in the decision of the Supreme Court of this 

 country above quoted. It is an easy matter for a few selfish, 

 mercenary or merely reckless pot hunters to destroy the game of 

 a State, and in such destruction to perpetrate a wanton robbery 

 of all of that great portion of the public not included in their own 

 ranks. Then, we may take it that the purpose of the law is to 



