THE GAME BREEDER 



39 



National Forest in Colorado says: "In 

 all these mountains 'bear, deer, elk, 

 mountain sheep, and grouse are to be 

 found and most of the streams afford 

 excellent trout fishing." It then gives a 

 synopsis of the State game laws and 

 makes the following plea to the public, 

 to whom the use of the forest is so freely 

 extended : "Please assist the forest serv- 

 ice and the State of Colorado in pro- 

 tecting game by not burning up their 

 shelter through leaving your camp-fire 

 unextinguished ; and leave the condition 

 of your camp so that it will not pollute 

 the streams which have been stocked for 

 your pleasure, at great expense and un- 

 der trying circumstances, by the govern- 

 ment and State." — March "Outing." 



Fishing Licenses. 



The attitude of all the forest, fish and 

 game associations and rod and gun clubs 

 in New York State on the proposal of 

 the conservation commission that a fish- 

 ing license law be enacted is to be taken, 

 according to a letter just mailed by Con- 

 servation Commissioner George D. Pratt 

 to the officers of these associations. The 

 letter also asks for the sense of the asso- 

 ciations regarding the proposal that each 

 holder of a hunting and fishing license 

 wear upon his clothing, at all times 

 when hunting or fishing, a button bear- 

 ing the number of his license. 



As we go to press we are informed 

 that the salt water fishermen succeeded 

 in defeating the bill to license anglers. 



Calling Out the Troops. 



For the first time since the "more 

 game" movement was started it is 

 deemed necessary to call out the troops 

 for a war against the game ; war has 

 been declared on the deer. The follow- 

 ing is the story as it appeared in the 

 World, New York. : 



Shelter Island (N. Y.) will be the scene of 

 a hunting party next Monday, when twenty- 

 seven National Guardsmen will be?in the 

 slaughter of all the deer on the island. The 

 killing has been ordered by State Conservation 

 Commissioner George D. Pratt because deer 

 have become a nuisance to the farmers, hav- 

 ing eaten up many acres of produce. 



Suffolk County sportsmen are angry at the 

 proposed slaughter of the 200 deer and will 



en.er a vigorous protest at Abany. But it is 

 likely their objections will fall on deaf ears, 

 as the question underwent long consideration 

 before official action was taken. 



The deer were brought to the island many 

 years ago by S. M. Smith, "the Borax King," 

 and kept on his private preserve. A few es- 

 caped and the number has increased greatly. 



The slaughtered deer will be shipped to the 

 State hospitals for the insane. 



Wrong Deer Slaughter. 



Under the above heading the New 

 York Press says : 



The Conservation Commission does not live 

 up to its name when it gives orders to ex- 

 terminate all the deer on Shelter Island. The 

 fact that the venison will be sent to Brooklyn 

 hospitals and charitable institutions is no re- 

 compense for the ruthless slaughter scheduled. 



At the present time the Conservation Com- 

 mission is putting forth great efforts to re- 

 stock the Adirondacks with elk, an animal 

 which in our grandfathers' day furnished 

 noble sport and called many men to a season 

 out of doors. Deer are not a pest in the 

 Adirondacks. 



We published not long ago an ex- 

 cellent article about how the California 

 Elk which were doing a lot of damage 

 were trapped and distributed to people 

 who wanted the animals and to public 

 parks where the only damage they might 

 do would fall on the private or public 

 owners of the Elk. 



Several contentions of The Game 

 Breeder are emphasized by the calling 

 out of the State troops to destroy the 

 game on Shelter Island, N. Y. 



We have often said it is an easy mat- 

 ter to have "more game." We have even 

 pointed out places where quails were 

 over abundant, where they eat too many 

 grapes, and places where game keepers 

 decided to "thin them out" (the bob- 

 whites) after several thousands had been 

 shot for sport and for food. 



We have said repeatedly that the State 

 should not pasture State animals in the 

 farmers' orchards and fields, to his irre- 

 parable damage, in order to be able to 

 afford targets for $1.00 licensed tres- 

 passers. We have said often that the 

 State can not make public play-grounds 

 of country lawns, gardens, grain fields, 

 and pastures, and expect the owners to 

 keep up a head of game as an induce- 

 ment for all classes of sportsmen, re- 



