Report of tf)e Cf)ief Game Protector 

 for tf)e ^ear 1906 



Hon. James S. Whipple, Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner: 



SIR. — I have the honor to submit the following report for the year 

 ending September 30, 1906. Assistant Chief Protector M. C. Worts 

 has covered the work performed by the protectors in the bringing 

 of actions, the amount of recovery of fines and penalties and prison sen- 

 tences of game law violators, the number and value of illegal nets and 

 other devices for the taking of fish seized and destroyed, together with a 

 summary of the licensed nets operated by commercial fishermen, with the 

 fees received and the statistics of fish caught during the year, and other 

 matters of interest connected with the enforcement of the Forest, Fish 

 and Game Law of the State. 



Mr. Worts has called attention to the decrease in penalties recovered 

 for trespass on State lands, which in connection with the considerable 

 increase in penalties recovered for violations would indicate that the vigor- 

 ous prosecution of timber thieves by the department has had its effect. 

 The increase of 35 per cent, over the previous year in the total number 

 of actions brought, and the 100 per cent, increase in the amount recovered 

 in fines in actions for fish and game law violations are the true index of 

 the work accomplished by the Department. While the total recovery of 

 fines, inclusive of forest trespass, as stated, is less than last year, it is more 

 than three times larger than the recoveries for the year ending September 

 30, 1904, when the total amount was $18,134.42. 



In the effort to secure more effective protection of fish and game it 

 has been deemed advisable along with the regular enforcement to con- 

 centrate on one section at a time, and some of the worst territories for 

 violations have received vigorous shake-ups during the past year. An 

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