AMERICAN GAME PROTECTION. 



DEVELOPMENT OF GAME LAWS. 



The history of the development of the complex game laws of to-day 

 from the simple provisions of colonial times is both interesting and 

 valuable in showing the numerous experiments which have been 

 tried and have resulted in failure, and in throwing light on present 

 problems. Many provisions, such as restrictions on sale and export, 

 considered recent, are in reality very old; while, on the other hand, 

 legislation prohibiting spring shooting of waterfowl and summer 

 shooting of woodcock and shore birds is comparatively recent, owing 

 in large measure to the generally accepted, but erroneous, idea that 

 migratory birds require little protection and may be shot as long as 

 they are present in spring and as soon as they appear in late summer. 



The earliest game laws were probably the hunting privileges 

 granted in 1629 by the West India Co. to persons planting colo- 

 nies in New Netherlands, and the provisions regarding the right of 

 hunting in the Massachusetts Bay Colonial Ordinance of 1647 and 

 the New Jersey Concessions of Agreements of 1678. The years inter- 

 vening between 1629 and 1911 may be conveniently divided into two 

 periods of approximately equal length — a colonial period and a 

 modern period. The latter period is the more important and the one 

 with which we are mainly concerned. In the century and a third 

 since the Revolution a vast number of experiments have been made 

 in game protection. Many of the laws passed were soon repealed and 

 are now forgotten, but some contained suggestions which are still 

 valuable. The object of the present publication is to furnish access 

 to the more important ideas, to show briefly the development of the 

 present system, and to direct attention to some of the more important 

 facts in the history of game protection. 



The index is in no sense a complete index to the mass of statute 

 law enacted since 1776, but merely a guide to some of the more 

 important provisions. In order to keep the subject matter within 

 reasonable limits it has been restricted chiefly to legislation, decisions 

 of the courts, and organization of the more important game protective 

 associations and the game warden service in the several States. A 

 few other facts of general interest have been incorporated, such as the 

 dates of introduction or extermination of some of the more important 

 species ; the dates of publication of some of the more important works 

 dealing with legislation or the history of game protection, establish- 

 ment of public parks and private preserves, and the origin of certain 

 ideas which have had an effect on the protection of game. 



At the end of the colonial period 12 colonies had enacted game 

 laws. Close seasons had been provided for deer in all the colonies 

 except Georgia; and for wild turkeys, heath hens, partridges, and 

 quail in New York. Several of the colonies had laws prohibiting 

 hunting on Sunday or hunting with fire at night. Massachusetts in 



20201°— Bull. 41—12 2 



