402 



RECREATION. 



track but they did not prosecute. Our trout 

 fishing is also failing. Our streams are 

 stocked, but the fry is, as a rule, put in the 

 water too early. I have seen the snow 

 shoveled off, holes chopped in ice and 

 the fry dumped in. I don't think one in 

 5,000 could live. My observation leads me 

 to believe trout fry should not be placed in 

 streams until May, and then, only in small 

 spring brooks and tributaries. 



What course would you advise me to per- 

 sue, next fall, in regard to snares and mar- 

 ket hunters? It takes time and money to 

 detect the culprits and we are not all able 

 to spare either. 



Reader, Middletown, N. Y. 



FIRST BLOOD FOR THE LEAGUE. 



As reported in April Recreation the of- 

 ficers of the L. A. S. made a vigorous fight, 

 at Albany, for the passage of the bill for 

 the repeal of Section 249 of the game laws 

 of New York. This law has been on the 

 statute books 3 years, greatly to the dis- 

 grace of this State. As is well known it 

 allowed the sale of game in this State, at 

 any time of the year, provided it could be 

 proven that the game came from some 

 point 300 miles outside of this State. 



Strenuous efforts have been made, be- 

 fore each session of the Legislature since 

 the enactment of this infamous law, to have 

 it repealed; but until now these efforts 

 have been fruitless. 



A bill was introduced at the opening of 

 the present session of the Legislature, as 

 usual. It was referred to the house com- 

 mittee on game laws, and an application 

 was made to this committee, at once, for 

 a hearing thereon. This was granted and 

 the President, Secretary and Chairman of 

 the Law Committee of the League, went to 

 Albany and made vigorous arguments be- 

 fore the committee in behalf of the pro- 

 posed repeal. They were able to convince 

 the committee of the injustice of the old 

 law, and of the erreat need of its repeal. 



The committee reported the bill favor- 

 ably to the house and it was promptly 

 passed. Then it went to the senate, where 

 it was also^ passed — the influence of the 

 League having followed it there. 



When the bill went into the Governor's 

 hands, I prepared a brief in its behalf, had 

 it signed < by all the officers of the League 

 and sent it to him. In due time the Gover- 

 nor answered that he had signed the bill. 



This bill was fought by the railway com- 

 panies, the express companies, the hotel 

 men and the game dealers, and its final 

 passage and signing is a great victory for 

 the L. A. S. 



This is our first really important work, 

 but if you will keep an eye on this organiza- 

 tion for the next 5 years you will see that it 

 will accomplish many other reforms, even 

 greater than this, 



NEW YORK'S CHIEF WARDEN IS IN THE 

 SADDLE. 



The New York division of the L. A. S. 

 has been organized by the election of Mr. 

 E. A. Pond, of William A. Pond & Co., 

 144 Fifth Avenue, as chief warden. Mr. 

 Pond is getting down to the detailed work 

 of his State division as rapidly as possible, 

 and desires suggestions from all New York 

 members as to the best available material 

 for county game wardens. If you know of 

 a good true man in your county, who 

 would accept the office of game warden, 

 and who would work for the good of the 

 cause, write Mr. Pond and recommend his 

 appointment. 



NOTES. 



I like Recreation, very much, and find 

 great consolation in it when I can not go 

 hunting or fishing. Am trying to do my part 

 toward doubling your circulation and your 

 power for the protection of game and fish. 

 I like the stand you take, and every true 

 lover of field sports should assist in this 

 great work of game protection. I know of 

 no better way than to subscribe for Rec- 

 reation, and then follow its advice. If any 

 game hog will read Recreation one year 

 it will cure him of being a game hog. He 

 will commence to feel hoggish as soon as he 

 gets a reasonable amount of game. Then 

 it won't be half the fun it was, and he will 

 quit and go Lome. 



I am glad to note the prosperity of the 

 L. A. S. Think what the influence of 50,- 

 000 members would be, scattered all over 

 the United States; and I believe we can 

 get that number within a year. 



A. E. Hobson, Crawford, Neb. 



I took a large number of applications for 

 membership in the L. A. S., at the Boston 

 show. Some unprincipled wretch stole 

 from my desk a book containing 8 of these 

 applications. I was able to recall the 

 names and addresses of 3 of the gentlemen 

 enrolled therein, but cannot remember the 

 names of the other 5. I must therefore ask 

 each of the gentlemen who joined the L. 

 A. S. at the show, to report to me, by postal 

 card, in order that I may check up the Sec- 

 retary's list and find who the missing mem- 

 bers are. 



At this writing the work of organizing 

 the New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massa- 

 chusetts division is in progress. Secretary 

 Rice is sending out the notices to the mem- 

 bers in these 3 States, calling for ballots 

 for chief warden. Before this issue of Rec- 

 reation reaches its readers, these 3 States 

 will have been thoroughly organized, and 

 60 per cent, of the membership fees turned 

 back into the States, to be used in the work 

 of game protection, at home. 



