FOREST AND STREAM. 



71 



CO-OPERATIVE GAME LAWS. 



A SIMPLIFIED PLAN FOR UNIFORMITY OF CLOSE SEASONS.— LEGISLATION MADE EASY. 



HEREWITH is given a comparative table of existing 

 Close Seasons for the principal kinds of Game and 

 Fish in those States of the Union east of the Rocky Mountains 

 where protective laws exist, so that the reader can determine 



at a glance just what particular bird, animal, or fish is except- 

 ed, or prohibited from being caught or killed, at any given 

 month in the year. He who examines carefully cannot fail to 

 see how strangely the laws couliict, even in States which are 



contiguous and homogeneous in their flora and fauna. The 

 times and seasons often vary several weeks in localities lying 

 within the same geographical zone and between I he same 

 parallels of latitude : 



Alabama. 



Colorado 



Connecticut 



Delaware, § &s - 



Florida ".'.'!.'. 



Illiuoiu 



Indiana 



Iowa 



Kansas 



Kentucky 



Louisiana 



Malue 



Maryland 



Mavsachuaetts 



Miclngun, L. P 



U. P..... 



Minnesota 



Mississippi 



Missouri 



Nebraska 



New Hampshire.... 



New Jersey 



New YorK 



North Carolina 



Ohio 



Pennsylvania 



South Carolina 



Tennessee 



Verruoni 



Virginia 



West Virginia 



Wisconsin 



Wyoming 



Sept. 15 a Api it 15.. 

 Sept. 1 a Jan. 1 ... 



Sept. l a April 1 



not. 1 a Feb. 1 



Oct. la Jan.l 



Sept. 1 a. Ian. 1 



SepY.'i a March :'.'.'.'.'. 



Aug. 1 a Feb. 1 



Oct.l aJan.l 



No snooting.".!""." 



Sept. is a Dec. 15.... 



Aug. 1 a Nov. 15 



Not. 1 alicc. 15 



Sept. 15 a March 15.. 



Sept. 1 a Jan. 15 



Oct. 1 a Jan.l 



Aug. l a Jan. 1 



Oct. 15 a Dec 1 



Sept. l a Jan. l 



Sept.'iio'a Nov." i'. '. '.'.'. 



Oct. 1 a Dec. 1 



aug. 1 a Jan. 1 



Sept. 1 a March 1 



Aug. IS a Jan. 1 



July 15 a Jau. 15 



Bept, 15 to Jan. 1 



Aue. 15 a Jan. 15 



Huffed Gkocsk. 



Oct. la Nov. 15 



Oct.l a Jan. 1 



I Nov. 1 a Fen. 16.. .. 



\Kov. l a Jan. 1 



o'c't.TaFeb!'l""."'.'. 



Sept. 1 a Dec. 1 



Aug. I5a Jan. l 



Sept. i a Jan. 1 



sept. 1 a Jan. l 



iept.'i aNoV.'so"."." 



Jct.'lSajJerj'.'i "'.". 



Aug'.'i aFebi'l '.'.'.'.'. 



Nov. l a Jan. 1 



Sept. la Jan.l 



Sept. 15 a Mire.Ii 1.. 

 sept 1 a March 1.... 

 Sept. i a Feb. 1.... 



sept, l a Feb. 1 



Aug. 26 a Jan. 1.... 

 Aag. 15 a March 1.. 



Oct. 1 a Jan. 1 



(Nov. la Feb. 16 



VNov.laJim. 1 



Nov.' 1 a Feb". V. '.'.'.'...'.'. 



Nov. i a Jan. 1 



Oct. 1 a Jan. 1 



sept. 30 a -Ian. 1 



Oct. 20 a Fen. 1 



Sept. 15a April 1 



Nov. 1 a" Dec.'ii! ...... 



Nov. 1 a Jan. 1 



Oct. la Jan. 1 



Sept* ' i a Nov.' 30'. ! ! '. '. '. '. 

 Sept. 15 a March 15..'... 

 Oct. 15 a Feb. 1 



Aug" 1 a Feb.'Y. '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 



Nov.la Jan. 1 



Nov. 1 a Jan. 1 



Oct.l a April 1 



Nov. la Jan. 1 



Oct. 1.1 a Jan 1 



Oct. 15 a April 1 



Sept. 15a March 1 



Oe't.'f ' a J anil". '.'.'.'.'.'.'. 



Oct. 15a Jan.l 



Aug. 25 a. Jan. 1 



Aug. 15 a March 1 



Oct.'i aNov."l5.'.'.i 



Sept. 1 a .Ian. 16 



Oct. 1 a Feb. 1 



Seat, la Deo. I 



July 31 a Feb. 1 



Sept. i a Jan.' i", i i ii '. '. '. 

 Aug. 14 a Sept. ;;i)'... . 

 Aug. 15 a Fe'i... l..i.".'i 



i'i'oii ibite'dV. '. i .'." i i i ."."" 



Novi'i'a j'ani'iiiiii'.i 

 Oct. la Jan. 1 



Sept. 1 a feb. 1.... 

 Sept. 1 a Feb. 1, ... 

 Aug. -.5 a Jan. 1 



Aug. 15 l> Maivli i.. 



6'ct.TaJan. l.V.iii'.'.ii 

 July 1 a Jan. 1 



Sept". "l a Jan. V. '. i i .' i '. i i 



July 1 a Jan, 1 



July lOaJanl 



"■■ 'nhired 



.15 a Feb. 1 



. i a Df-c.'i'.iiiiiii 

 5 13 a Feb. 1 



1 i ■; .1 1 



•5 a Jan. 1 



jnj""a'aoi't*8l"J'i"!i 



july'ia'jani '1'0'iii'.'.'.:; 



ti.'i'.T', .'.'..'. 



July 4a Jan. 1 



Aug. 1 a Jan. 1 



r ui v 4ajin!l.'".'.*!! 



inly 4 a Jan. 1 



let. IS a April 1 



lept. 1.1 a March 1 



uig. i a March 1 



iept. 1 a Feb. 1 



Aug. 35 a Jan. 1 



Wild Turkey. 



Sept. 15 a April 1.... 



Sep 1 ii April 1... 



oct.l a Feb.l 



sept. 1 a March 1... 



Oct. 1 a Jan. 1 



F-'rohilitieti 



Sept. 1 a Feb. 1 



sept. 1 a April 1.. .. 



Oct. 1 a Jau.V.'.i.'i 



Sept, 18'a March' i'.'.i 



Oct. 1 a April I 



Nov. 1 a Jan. in 



Oct. ir>a Jan. 1 



Oct.lSaApril 1 



Sept. 15 a May 1 



sept, i aFcb'.'ii'.".;;;; 



Trout. 



Apri'l 15 a July - 1* I'.'.'." 



Feb.' l" it's epV. '21" .'.'.'.'.'. 



April i'a Ou't.'V! '.'.'.'.'.'. 

 May 1 asept. 1 



April i a Sept.* 30'.*.'.! 1! 



July laMay'si'.".;"" 



Junel a April i. "*. '...[ 



j u lyTa Ap'r'ii 'i; '.";;;; 



July i a'Dee.'""*'""!" 



April 30 a Sept. 1 



Marcli la Oci. 1 



April 1 a Sept, 1 



oct. 15 a Dec. 3D.. 



A prl 1 i a Aug.' ' i .' .",'. ""." 

 y i a Septi'l".' '.'.'.'.'... 



Apri'l 15 a Sept'. 15.. '.... 



e30aMay"l'."i.'."' 

 ' II 1 



.Tune la Jan.'i'.".'"" 



Jiiy la May' is!.".'.' '."'. 



Take the season for red deer (C. virginianus), which is the 

 most widely distributed game animal we have, and we find in 

 twenty- six States no less than nineteen different limitations ; 

 in six States there are no restrictions whatever ; in Massachu- 

 setts there is a temporary total prohibition ; and in Michigan 

 there are two distinct sets of laws with a variation of six 

 weeks between the close times which they prescribe 1 In no 

 more than three States are the seasons uniform. The earliest 

 open season begins July loth, in AVest Virginia ; the latest 

 expires April 15th, in Alabama. Virtually there are but 

 three close months in the year, if one wishes to hunt persist- 

 ently, although no single State asks more than six months 

 privilege for itself. As respects quail, matters are very little 

 better. Quail are found in almost every State in the Union. 

 In twenty-nine States there are seventeen different limitations. 

 The seasons correspond in five States, from November 1st to 

 January 1st. In three other States the season is from Octo- 

 ber 1st to January 1st ; in three from October 15th to Janu- 

 ary 1st.'; and in two (Alabama and North Carolina) from Oc- 

 tober 1st to April 1st. In Florida there is no prohibitory law, 

 while little Delaware is protected by two sets of laws, with a 

 variation of six weeks in their limits ! The earliest open sea- 

 son begins August 1st and the latest doses April 1st. Virtu- 

 ally there are but four close months for Quail. Ruffed grouse 

 is a bird also very widely distributed. Of twenty-two States 

 there are only four in which the laws are uniform, and there 

 are seventeen different limitations. In six States where they 

 are found, there are no restrictions, and in one (Kansas) there 

 is total temporary prohibition. The earliest open season be- 

 gins August 1st and the latest closes March 1st. Virtually 

 there are but seven months close season for Kuffed Grouse. 

 In the case of Pinnated Grouse there are only two States in 

 which the seasons correspond; there are fourteen different 

 limitations, and one temporary total prohibition. In twenty- 

 three States where there are close seasons for Woodcock, 

 there are seventeen different limitations, and no more than 

 three States.in which the seasons are uniform. The earliest 

 open date is June 15th and the latest April 1st, thus leaving 

 but two months and a half of strictly close season. In six- 

 teen States where there are close seasons for Wild Turkey, 

 there are fourteen different limitations, and only two States 

 in which the season is uniform. The earliest open date is 

 September 1st and the latest May 1st, leaving only four 

 mouths of strictly close season. 



It is apparent enough what opportunity these discrepancies 

 give to those who desire to evade the laws, either in the kill- 

 ing or selling of game, while to the well-disposed and most 

 earnest advocates of protection the jumble of heterogeneous 

 and interminable legislation renders it almost imposssible to 

 keep in mind, or even determine, when and where any par- 

 ticular kind of game is in season or out of season. More 

 than this, within the general law of individual States are 

 hundreds of special provisions, excepting this pond and that 

 stream, and this county and that township, so that there 

 are prohibited districts, and close seasons within close sea- 

 sons, which render the confusion worse confounded. 

 Too much legislation and too much " protection " are likely 

 to render nugatory the efforts of all who seek the general wel- 

 fare. Obviously the only remedy lies in co-operative legisla- 

 tion and a simplified code. Nature makes the way plain. 

 She has singularly defined her geographical zones and desig- 

 nated the animal and organic life dwelling wi'.hin them. She 

 has distributed the red deer throughout the length and breadth 

 of our land from its northern to its southern boundary, and 

 from the shores of New England on the east to the great plains 

 of the west. The habitat of the ruffed grouse falls within 

 he Bame limits, except that it is curtailed on the south by a 



line drawn along the 34th parallel of latitude. The same 

 boundaries define the habitat of the quail, except that it is cut 

 off on the north by a line drawn through the 44th parallel. 

 The zones occupied by the wild turkey and pinnated grouse 

 are more restricted, and by so much the more easy to legis- 

 late for. The range of the woodcock is idc ntical with that of 

 the red deer : it covers the entire country. 



These six varieties, so ennumerated, constitute the chief 

 and choicest game creatures of the country, and when we have 

 provided proper close seasons for them, the heft of necessary 

 legislation is accomplished. What we require is one general 

 uniform enactment to govern them all, By a singular coin- 

 cidence of natural laws, the breeding season of each variety 

 occurs in April and May < by the 1st of September the fawns 

 are able to care for themselves, and the birds are for the most 

 part in full plumage and strong of wing. Then the legitimate 

 shooting season begins. It is true that between the extremes 

 of latitude there is great diversity of climate and length of 

 season. In Florida spring begins in February, while at the 

 far north winter is prolonged until May. Singularly enough, 

 however, these climatic differences do not greatly affect the 

 breeding seasons, except that in the south, under the semi- 

 tropical warmth, nature is more prolific, and two broods are 

 common. 



If we refer to the Table of Close Seasons as they now exist 

 on the statutes of the respective States, we will perceive that 

 in six Southern States and in six Northern States the open 

 season for deer begins on or near the 1st of September ; in 

 four Southern States and two Northern, it begins earlier : in 

 seven Northern States it begins later. There seems to be no 

 fixed rule of guidance, as if the laws were based strictly upon 

 climatic conditions. The preponderance of opinion is in 

 favor of September. Again, in four Southern States, and 



As to Woodcock : Ten States favor July shooting, and eleven 

 oppose all shooting until about the first of September. Evi- 

 dently there is a debatable question here. Thirteen States re- 

 strict the season to January 1st ; in two the season ends 

 sooner, and in six it ends later. The opinion is in favor of 

 January 1st. 



In summary, we learn that, as respects the kinds of game 

 enumerated, public opinion, conveyed through the Legisla- 

 tures of thirty-two States, favors the period included between 

 Sept. 1st aad Jan. 1st as the close season for deer, ruffed and 

 pinnated grouse, and woodcock, with a proviso for July shoot- 

 ing on woodcock; the period included between Oct. 1st and Jan. 

 1st as the close season for quail ; and the period included be- 

 tween Sept. 1st and Feb. 1st as the close season for turkeys. 

 So far so good. We have now succeeded in circum- 

 scribing the widely diverse limitations shown in the Table 

 of Close Seasons within a very narrow compass. If we 

 can secure complete uniformity, so as to restrict the shooting 

 season to the four months ending Jan. 1st, the code will be 

 sufficiently simple. To do so, however, some compromise is 

 necessary. If it be objected that in the northernmost States 

 the quail have not all fully matured by the 1st of September, 

 while at the South they are well grown ; or that, when they 

 and the deer are snowed under in Minnesota in January, they 

 still afford uninterrupted sport in Florida and the Southern 

 tier of States; we must bear in mind that we are laboring for 

 the common good, and that some concessions are expedient 

 and imperative. Let the season for quail open uniformly on 

 the 1st of September so as to correspond with the open season 

 for deer antt ruffed grouse ? What if the birds be not full 

 grown in the northernmost part of the country ? A legal re- 

 striction on September shooting will not save them, hecanse 

 the gunners who are after grouse will not withstand the 



- " — 1 •"■« ".- S uuucia >vuu me auer sroi ,1 yiu' not with 1 



eleven Northern States, the season ends on or near the 1st of temptation to shoot when the quail rise. We are at work 

 January ;,n four Southern and one Northern, it ends later; the common good of the grea test, number-and teXe to 

 ■ Northern States t ends pnrlipr Thp m<™n^™ „— «, ... ., .- .. ... "ureiou, to 



in three Northern States it ends earlier. The preponderance 

 of opinion is largely in favor of January 1st. By a recorded 

 vote of the legislatures, therefore, the proper limits of deer 

 shooting are included between the dates of 1st September and 

 1st January. Why not, then, make the season uniform 

 throughout the country, and the law a unit ? 



As to Ruffed Grouse s The open season begins on or near 

 Sept. 1st in nine Northern and four Southern States ; in five 

 Northern and two Southern States it is later. The vote is 

 largely m favor of Sept. 1st. In fourteen States the season 

 ends on or near the 1st of January. The limits of the close 

 season for ruffed grouse are therefore defined to be from Sept. 

 1st to Jan. 1st. Then why not make the season uniform 

 throughout ? 



For Quail : The open season begins on or near Sept. 1st in 

 seven States ; in nineteen States itbegina on Oct. 1st or later. 

 The season ends on or near the lstof January in fifteen States; 

 in eleven States it ends later, and in one, earlier. The 

 opinion is in favor of October 1st and January 1st as the 

 limits. Why not make; the law a unit ? 



For Pinnated Grouse : The open season begins on or near 

 Sept. 1st in ten States ; in four Sf.ates it is later. The Benson 

 ends on or near January 1st in five States ; in three States it 

 ends earlier, and in six later. The average opinion places the 

 limits at Sept. 1st and Jan. 1st. Then why not make the 

 season uniform throughout ? 



For Wild Turkeys : The open season begins on or near 

 Sept. 1st in eight States ; in seven States it is later. The sea- 

 son ends on or near Jan. 1st in four .itat.es ; in eleven States 

 it is later. The preponderance of opinion would place the 

 limits between Sept. 1st and Feb. 1st. The season should be 

 made uniform throughout? 



secure the required uniformity on all kinds of game, we must 

 make concessions as to the quail, and place the beginning of 

 the open season on Sept. 1st. In the southern and middle 

 tiers of States the birds are all full grown at that date. And 

 for wild turkeys; why not close it on January 1st instead of 

 on February 1st, albeit Turkeys are in good' condition until 

 the later date. Our object, is to unify the seasons, and if a 

 man is permitted to range the woods with a gun after turkeys 

 when the season on all other game is closed, who will guar- 

 antee that he will not shoot ruffed grouse or deer should they 

 come in his way ? Nothing is gained by keeping the season 

 open during February. The argument in favor of sepa- 

 rate close seasons for the two extremes of latitude should 

 not be permitted to obtain. We must consider that any 

 exception in favor of any locality or kind of game leaves a 

 wide loop-hole of escape for any man who wishes to evade 

 the laws. Make the close season uniform throughout the 

 country and let it apply to all kinds of game, ami the mas. 

 who is found abroad in the interval with dog, gun, and 

 hunting paraphernalia, will have a hard job to acquit himself 

 of deliberate intent to break the law. 



With regard to Fishes, the discrepancies in the laws are 

 just as striking, but the way to uniform legislation is even 

 more clear. Fortunately there are but two leading varieties 

 of fish which require consideration, viz., the speckled trout and 

 the black bass. Upon investigation we find that the habitat 

 of the trout is identical with that of ruffed grouse, while the 

 habitat of the black bass corresponds with that of the red deer. 

 The range of the trout is from New England west to the Mis- 

 sissippi River, and between the 34th and 41th parallels of lat 

 tude ; the range of the black bass is as wide as the bounda 

 of our territory. The trout spawns in the fall and the bl a 



