36 



RECREA TION. 



gun was fired that evening. Our larder did 

 not require replenishing, and we did not 

 wish to carry on a needless slaughter. 



At daybreak 2 of our party made a trip, 

 around the lake while I remained at camp, 

 and soon from the rushes on the opposite 

 shore I could see puffs of white smoke, 

 closely followed by the reports of the guns. 

 At each shot hundreds of birds would rise 

 from the water with a great quacking and 

 flapping of wings. This afforded me sev- 

 eral good shots at scattered birds as they 

 were circling about or leaving the lake. 



When the boys returned to breakfast I 

 had secured 12 ducks and one goose, which 

 was the extent of my shooting for that day. 

 These phenomenal flights of water fowl are 

 no more in this vicinity, and the pinnated 

 grouse, or prairie chicken, is also greatly 

 diminished in numbers. 



When I think of the scarcity of the prai- 

 rie chicken crop this fall, and then when I 

 recall the abundance of them only a few 

 years ago, I am astonished. I ask my- 

 self, What has become of them? What is 

 the cause of this vast decrease in the num- 

 bers of all our game birds? But after a 

 moment's reflection, and after taking into 

 consideration the numerous agencies em- 

 ployed for their destruction, the ill enforced 

 laws, spring shooting, modern arms and am- 

 munition, the market shooter, and the game 

 hog who shoots as long as there is anything 

 in sight I wonder they have not been totally 

 exterminated long ago. But even with the 

 chickens reduced as they are, with proper 

 protection there is yet many seasons of fair 

 chicken shooting in store for us. 



The sand hill crane which, at the time of 

 which I write, was a regular visitor to our 

 cornfields during the migrations is now 

 rarely seen. They will soon go the way of 

 the passenger pigeon. E. D. C. 



PLAIN WORDS FROM TRUTHFUL JAMES. 



Boise, Idaho. 



Editor Recreation: I will give you a few 

 facts regarding game, and the utter disre- 

 gard of all protective laws. A few years ago 

 a party from B. came up and camped near 

 my ranch, in close season, and were soon 

 forced to move their camp on account of the 

 stench from a pile of blue grouse that were 

 rotting there. I counted 27 of these birds. 

 When I spoke to the men about it they said 

 these were shot near camp, and there were 

 as many more in the mountains which they 

 had killed but had not brought in. 



" Why do you kill so many? " I asked. 



" Oh we have 2 new/guns and are practic- 

 ing." 



When Jim South was Game Warden of 

 this county he deputized me as assistant. 

 After repeated warnings I arrested 2 men. 

 One of them cursed and swore in court and 

 when the Justice remonstrated with him he 

 told his honor to go to hell. They proudly 



acknowledged their guilt and the Justice let 

 them off with costs, $6.30. Then I resigned 

 and did some cursing myself. 



Do not understand me to blame South. 

 He worked hard for the enforcement of the 

 game laws, but what can a man do when 9 

 out of every 10 of the Justices are law break- 

 ers themselves? 



Two years ago I was given the nomina- 

 tion for Justice of the Peace. A prominent 

 man came to me, congratulated me and as- 

 sured me I would be elected. Then he said: 



" Of course if elected you will remember 

 your friends, in case any of them come be- 

 fore you." I replied, 



" If I am elected I shall have neither friend 

 nor enemy, in any case that may come be- 

 fore me." 



" Do you mean to say you would fine me 

 for killing game out of season?" 



" Yes, sir, if you were guilty I should give 

 you the extreme penalty." 



" Then," said he, " by G — I'll beat you if 

 it costs me $200! " 



I was beaten. Whether he did it or not I 

 don't know nor care; but you can see how 

 the law is defied here. There are men in 

 this state who talk loud about game protec- 

 tion, and then come out in the mountains 

 and kill for the mere sport of killing, or to 

 satisfy the cussedness which goes to their 

 general make up. Last summer I saw one 

 of these fishing near my house, and he threw 

 on the ground 9 trout, from 4 to 6 inches 

 long, and left them. He was too mean and 

 lazy to drop them back in the stream. In 

 July, last, a large party camped near me for 

 2 weeks. They were some of the big ones 

 from town and one of them was the son of 

 a college president. My neighbor saw them 

 killing grouse. He came to ask me if I knew 

 them and said if I did he would have them 

 arrested. They told him they had too much 

 influence; that he could not do anything, 

 and I told him the Justice would dismiss 

 the case. I feel at times as though I should 

 like, as the boys on the plains used to say, 

 to take my gun and make a killing. I have 

 in the past, as I suppose all old timers have, 

 killed game out of season; but when I think 

 of the buffalo, the elk, 'the deer, and the ante- 

 lope that are now comparatively speaking 

 gone forever, it makes me long for a law 

 that would prohibit killing for 10 or 15 years. 



I do hope the L. A. S. will do something 

 toward it. Am not a member yet, but am in 

 hearty sympathy with it, and will do all I can 

 for it. As soon as I can spare the money I 

 shall join. Then with the League behind 

 me I will stir up some facts that will surprise 

 many people. Yours for protection, 



J. H. Cardell. 



This man would make a good local war- 

 den and I shall see that he is appointed as 

 soon as his Division shall have been organ- 

 ized. — Editor. 



