192 Thikd Annual Report of the 



instance such waters are found in the near proximity of dams 

 and fishways on dams. It has been the custom of the fishermen 

 to fish and take large numbers of our game fish during the early 

 fall when the fish seek the deeper waters at the foot of the dam, 

 Therefore I would respectfully recommend that a provision of 

 law should be enacted forbidding fishing within fifty rods of any 

 dam in the State. This law now applies to dams which have 

 fishways. It should also apply to the dams which have no fishway. 



Expenses of Protectors 



The law provides at the present time that a State game pro- 

 tector is entitled to the sum of $600 per annum for his necessary 

 expenses while in the performance of his duty in protecting the 

 wild life of the State. This has been found insufficient, and in 

 a great many instances protectors have been unable to work a full 

 month on the $50 allowed by law. Therefore, I feel that in 

 recommending an increase of the expense account for protectors 

 from $600 to $900 a year, this would be the means of increasing 

 the efficiency of the protective force. I also recommend increas- 

 ing the expense account of the division chief protectors from $750 

 a year to $1,000 a year. 



Deer 



As stated before, owing to the efficient protection given to the 

 deer, and the so-called buck law, the deer have rapidly increased 

 throughout the whole State. The Department has had many 

 claims for damages done by deer in counties in which there is no 

 open season. I, therefore, believe and recommend that there 

 should be an open season for deer throughout the whole State, 

 from October 1st to November 15th. 



License for Fur-Bearing Animals 

 There have been numerous requests to the Department for a 

 license to possess for propagation and fur farming different species 

 of our fur-bearing animals. As the law stands at the present time, 

 the only fur-bearing animal for which the Commission grants a 

 license to possess during all periods of the year, is the skunk. I 

 would respectfully recommend that a law be enacted along similar 

 lines allowing the possession of marten, mink, muskrat, raccoon 

 and sable. 



