80 ' THE ORBGON SPORTSMAN 
tion stick. Under the new law, such a contention 
will be the merest folly, as it is the duty of the owner 
of the dogs to know that they are kept in check and 
unless this is done the dogs may turn up missing. 
The strengthening of this law will have a material 
influence on the betterment of conditions during the 
closed season. 
For a good many years the Game Department 
received one-half of all fines imposed for all viola- 
tions of the game laws. For some reason, the 1915 
session of the Legislature took this away from the 
Game Department and gave it to the counties in 
which the fine was paid. By law, the county had 
always received the other half, and this change, 
therefore, gave the county the full amount of the fine 
money. There is no substantial reason why this 
should be done. In the first place, the Game Depart- 
ment pays the deputy game warden for his time and 
expenses in working up the case, and the district 
attorney who prosecutes the case is paid by the state 
and not the county, and the justice of the peace or 
the circuit court which tries the case collects its fees 
from the defendant. 
Taking cognizance of these facts, the 1917 Legis- 
lature thought that it was only just and proper that 
the Game Department should receive at least fifty 
per cent of the fine money and enacted such a law. 
Last year, one-half of the fine money would have 
meant an increase in revenue to the Game Depart- 
ment of $5,000, which would easily have paid the 
salary and expense of three wardens who were nec- 
essarily laid off on account of lack of funds. The 
Legislature showed great wisdom in passing such a 
law. 
