FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



221 



I have been in the woods about one 

 month, building a hunter's camp. Have 

 but 8 miles of canoeing, from this place, 

 over on the West branch of the Penobscot 

 river. Have seen as many as 20 deer in 

 a day, and never less than 2 or 3. All this 

 without going out of my way. They seldom 

 run off; but stand and look at you as you 

 go by; then go to feeding again. 



Have seen several moose tracks. No 

 moose were killed just in this part, last 

 fall, but that does not prove anything. 

 They do a lot of roaming. 



Fishing never was better, on the West 

 branch, at this time of year. We look for a 

 large crowd of sportsmen this season. I 

 see no reason why they may not be amply 

 repaid for coming here, as the game is 

 more plentiful than ever before. 



John J. Kelley, Northwest Carry, Me. 



Burnet, Texas. 



Editor Recreation: The sportsmen of 

 Texas are rejoicing over getting our game 

 bill through the Legislature. I think we 

 have a fairly good bill. It protects ante- 

 lope and Mongolian or Chinese, and Eng- 

 lish pheasants for 5 years. Pheasants are 

 being introduced into the state, and I hope, 

 in 5 years, we can have fine sport with them. 



The shipment of game from the state is 

 prohibited. The netting of partridges or 

 quails is prohibited at all seasons. It is 

 unlawful to kill ducks and, geese by any 

 other means than ordinary guns, capable of 

 being shot from the shoulder. It is unlaw- 

 ful to kill pheasants from February 1st to 

 August 1st; antelope January 1st to Sep- 

 tember 1st; deer January 1st to September 

 1st; prairie chickens February 1st to Au- 

 gust 1st; quails or partridges, March 15th 

 to October 1st. 



It is unlawful at any time to hunt deer, 

 or any other game, by the aid of a hunting 

 lamp, or lantern, or any other light used 

 for the purpose of hunting at night. The 

 possession of game during the close season 

 " shall be prima facie evidence of the guilt 

 of the person in possession thereof." The 

 penalties are from $10 to $200. 



T. A. Harrison. 



I have been a reader of Recreation for 

 2 years. It is the best of its kind, and I 

 think it becomes better every issue. All 

 lovers of out-door sport should be readers 

 of it. 



Small game, such as rabbits, quails, and 

 squirrels, are plentiful here. This is also a 

 good section for fishing, owing to the 

 numerous lakes and streams; but the laws 

 have been violated so much, of late, the 

 fishing is not so good as formerly. 



Our last legislature passed some good 

 game and fish laws. Already some viola- 

 tors have been prosecuted. This will tend 



to put a stop to such work, and permit our 

 fish and game to increase again. 



I was fishing recently, with an old angler, 

 and we caught 92 fish, averaging about l /z 

 pound each, which was all we could 

 Our fish are bass, rock-bass, sunfish, perch, 

 catfish, and pike, with sucker.-,, and some 

 others in the streams. 



I am a lover of fishing and hunting, and 

 am down on hogs and violators of game 

 and fish laws. I heartily endorse the tone 

 of Recreation, in its scoring all such, and 

 only wish we had more men to talk and act 

 in the same way. J. I. F., Akron, Ind. 



Michigan people know a thing or two 

 about protecting fish and game. Here are 

 some records that are good for sore eyes: 



May. 1897, broke the record for arrests, in the state game 

 and fish warden's department. There were 109 prosecu- 

 tions and 96 convictions, growing out of 149 complaints, 

 which were all investigated. Of the 109 cases there were 

 only 6 acquittals. Two cases are still pending, and 5 were 

 dismissed. There were only 3 arrests for violating the game 

 laws, all the others being for fish law violations. 



In April, 1896, there were 105 arrests, and in May, 1806, 

 99 arrests. As many violators are sometimes prosecuted in 

 a single month, now, as were arrested in an entire year, when 

 the department was first created, which indicates, in some 

 degree, the growth of its efficiency. State Warden Osborn 

 says Deputy Warden L. W. Watkins, of Manchester, was 

 especially active and zealous during May. 



If every state, and every county, could 

 have such officers as these there would be 

 game and fish for every one, for a thousand 

 years. 



A woman was appointed county game 

 and fish warden, in Grand Traverse county, 

 Mich., on the solicitation of herself and 

 friends. She is Mrs. Warren Neal, and 

 handles a gun and boat expertly, in addi- 

 tion to being a practical woodswoman. She 

 is probably the only feminine game and fish 

 warden in the world. 



Chris Horandt, the silk manufacturer, 

 paid $123 for a woodcock dinner, this 

 morning, and didn't get the dinner either. 

 It appears Horandt ordered the birds from 

 Charles Conklin, of Midvale, through 

 Charles Coursen, a juror now in atten- 

 dance on the county courts. Conklin says 

 the written order said " Get the birds, and 

 never mind the law." Conklin got a half 

 dozen birds and collected $3. Then Game 

 Warden McLean arrested both men. They 

 were arraigned before Justice John Keys 

 and Horandt paid a fine of $120. Conklin 

 went to jail for 90 days. Cowrsen will step 

 up to see the justice, later in the week. 



James Stasso, who was arrested by Game 

 Warden McLean, was fined $80 for having 

 4 robins in his possession. — Paterson (N. 

 J.) News. 



This is mighty good medicine for law- 

 breakers, and if game laws were adminis- 

 tered as vigorously, everywhere, as they are 

 in New Jersey there would be plenty of 

 game in every state. — Editor. 



