THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 151 
and lectures now being held in Portland have become established in- 
stitutions, and together with the various rod and gun clubs through- 
out the state have become indispensable to the protection of wild 
life as well as a valuable aid to the Wardens in enforcing the law. I 
believe it would be well for the members of the various rod and gun 
clubs to take in account the attitude of aspirants for our next Leg- 
islature concerning laws tending for the better conservation of this 
great natural resource. Why not pass a law like this, for instance: 
that the duck season on the Columbia River and adjacent sloughs and 
lakes having ended, it shall automatically become a game refuge 
until the succeeding open season. Such a law would give song birds 
and pheasants the best possible protection during brooding season, 
and better still, would eliminate the small boy with the .22 caliber 
rifle and the damage he does. On March 5 I encountered 17 boys on 
or near Columbia Slough with .22 caliber rifles, only two of the 
number having .22 caliber short, the rest having .22 long, .22 extra 
long or .22 special. Their universal excuse was rabbits or target 
practice. However, several dead gulls and numerous dead song birds 
told a different story. Such a law would not interfere with the fish- 
ing to be had and would give the desired protection. Such a law 
could obtain anywhere in the state where birds inhabit exclusively 
and which places are known to the Wardens in their respective dis- 
tricts. EK. J. WRIGHT. 

Deputy Game Warden J. M. Thomas, of North Bend, and display of 
confiscated elk horns. 
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CLATSOP COUNTY NOTES 
After such a hard winter I have made close investigations all over 
the county to see how the wild game of all kinds withstood the cold 
winter. I was much surprised to find that they stood it well in 
