152 



THE GAME BREEDER 



AGAIN THE MIGRATORY BILL. 



The American Protective Association 

 has sent us for publication a copy of a 

 resolution adopted by six State game 

 officers, the Executive Committee of the 

 National Association of Game and Fish 

 Commissioners, favoring the enactment 

 of Senate Bill 1553 intended to give 

 efifect to the migratory bird treaty. 



We are a little surprised that some of 

 the officers should favor the bill in its 

 present form. We do not believe they 

 fully understand its objectionable fea- 

 tures. 



There can be no possible objection to 

 a proper law prohibiting the spring 

 shooting of migrants (if it be constitu- 

 tional and we are inclined to believe it 

 may be so held) provided the law be 

 written as all criminal laws should be in 

 simple language making it easy for the 

 people to know what is criminal. We 

 have repeatedly urged that crime is a 

 serious matter not to be treated with- 

 out due consideration and, since the peo- 

 ple are presumed to know the law, the 

 law should state the offence and not 

 delegate to others, especially to those 

 who are to execute the law, the right 

 to make numerous criminal offences. 



No members of The Game Conserva- 

 tion Society favor shooting their ducks 

 or those which are said to belong to the 

 State during the nesting season. There 

 will be no objection here to a law putting 

 an end to spring shooting provided it de- 

 fines the crime and fixes the penalty so 

 that all who read may know what the 

 law is. Such a law, no doubt, can be 

 made permanent and not subject to re- 

 peated changes as regulations will be to 

 suit the whims of prospective criminals. 

 Such a law can be made uniform and 

 universal as all criminal laws should be. 

 We hardly believe that the bill in its 

 present form can ever become a law. It 

 is easier to secure legislation "by Stam- 

 pede" in the State Assemblies than it is 

 in the Congress. 



We would like to see the present bill 

 referred to the Judiciary Committee of 

 the Senate for a cursory glance. If that 

 committee will say that this bill is a 

 proper criminal enactment, that the 



United States should delegate the riglii 

 to make numerous crimes to those who 

 ^are expected to execute the law, and 

 that a big appropriation should be made 

 to secure the numerous crimes and their 

 repeated changes and for their execu- 

 tion, we will say, amen, and we will ad- 

 vise game breeders to keep as well posted 

 as they can concerning the fleeting 

 changes which are as sure to occur as 

 the changes in State game laws do. 



Blackstone tells us what a criminal law- 

 should be. We believe he was not con- 

 sulted when the present bill was drawn. 



We again say we are not opposed to 

 stopping shooting in the breeding sea- 

 son. We are quite sure a bill can be 

 written to cover this idea and that the 

 destruction of song birds also can be 

 prohibited at all times. We believe such 

 a law will be obeyed especially if it is 

 kijown that the Uniied States Marshals 

 are instructed to make some examples of 

 violators. 



Prairie Grouse Enemies. 



The principal ground enemies of the 

 prairie grouse are coyotes, foxes, weas- 

 els, minks, cats, dogs, rats, skunks, 

 snakes and in some places turtles, _ no 

 doubt. Winged enemies are the prairie 

 falcon and some other hawks, including 

 the marsh hawk; and there are some 

 individuals among the smaller hawks 

 which will bear watching; crows and, 

 in the vicinity of timber, great horned 

 owls. The golden eagle undoubtedly 

 takes many grouse where the birds 

 occur. 



Anyone who undertakes grouse breed- 

 ing will be surprised at the number of 

 game enemies which will be found on 

 any given area and also at the number 

 of visitors which will drop in to get 

 some of the excellent food when it be- 

 comes plentiful. 



It is important to bear in mind that 

 it is impossible to control all the ene- 

 mies on a moor or prairie ; that there will 

 be many losses, but if these can be kept 

 down the grouse quickly will become 

 very abundant on attractive ground and 

 remain so even if thousands be shot 

 every season. Briars are a great pro- 



