FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



117 



The following resolution was introduced 

 ■by W. E. Wolcott of Utica: 

 - Whereas, The vast and increasing lumber- 

 ing operations in the Adirondack wilder- 

 ness threaten irreparable damages to the 

 future interests of this state by reason of the 

 evil effects which the continued thinning out 

 and removal of the forest will surely entail. 

 The wilderness is of the greatest importance 

 as a source of water supply and because of 

 the influence it has on the meteorological 

 and hygienic conditions. Public sentiment 

 is strongly in favor of state ownership and 

 ■the electors have repeatedly indicated at the 

 polls their hearty approval of forest preser- 

 vation. In view of these facts and in the in- 

 terests of hunters, anglers, tourists, invalids 

 and guides and for the welfare of the whole 

 commonwealth we respectfully urge the 

 legislature to provide funds for the purchase 

 -of additional lands in the Adirondacks. 



Unquestionably the most important action 

 taken by the convention was that recom- 

 mending the prohibition of the sale of ruffed 

 grouse, quail and brook trout at all times. 

 I knew when I introduced this resolution in 

 -the Convention it would meet with strong 

 opposition. I am aware that many sports- 

 men are not yet ready for this radical meas- 

 ure; but I was pleased to see that only 3 men 

 in this representative gathering of the lead- 

 ing sportsmen of this State were opposed to 

 it. In the somewhat heated discussion which 

 /followed the introduction of the resolution 

 we won over 2 of our opponents and when 

 the question came to a vote, there was but 

 •one voice against it. 



This is one of the most signal victories 

 ever achieved in the interest of game pro- 

 jection. We realize that it will be difficult — 

 most likely impossible — to pass such a bill 

 at the present session of the Legislature; but 

 it is high time the leading sportsmen of the 

 state, and of the country at large, should go 

 on record as opposed to trafficking in those 

 species of game and game fishes which are so 

 rapidly disappearing. If we cannot pass 

 such a bill this year, we certainly can a year 

 -or 2 hence. The ruffed grouse is easily the 

 king of game birds to-day; yet in most of 

 the states where he was once plentiful, he is 

 rapidly nearing extermination, and 5 years 

 hence, it will be almost impossible to find 

 one of these birds in New York, New Jer- 

 sey, Pennsylvania, New England, Michigan 

 or Wisconsin, unless market hunters and 

 game dealers are prohibited from selling 

 them. 



It is not alone the market shooters that 

 must be combated, but the men who snare 

 these birds. A. delegate in the convention 

 said one man told him of having snared 

 more than 1,400 ruffed grouse during the 

 months of September. October and Novem- 

 ber, 1898, and that he then had 3,000 snares 

 set. 



Another delegate said he had seen 50 to 

 100 ruffed grouse hanging in front of each 



of several markets in Syracuse and that on 

 careful examination, he was unable to find 

 shot marks on more than one in 10 of these 

 birds. 



Reports come from all portions of this 

 state and of New England, telling of the 

 work of these vandals, and it is safe to say 

 they destroy a great many more birds than 

 the shooters do, in the aggregate. Their 

 work is carried on silently and stealthily, 

 while the man who shoots birds in a thickly 

 settled country must constantly reveal his 

 whereabouts and his occupation. Prohibit 

 the game dealer from selling ruffed grouse 

 and the occupation of the snarer and the 

 market shooter is gone. They will then turn 

 their attention to something more commend- 

 able, if not more profitable. Stop the fish 

 dealers from handling brook trout, and the 

 men who catch them with nets, who dynamite 

 them and who fish for them with hook and 

 line at night, will stop their infamous butch- 

 ery and go to farming, or breaking stone. 



Quails have become so scarce in New 

 York that there is scarcely a hope of their 

 being again abundant, unless thousands of 

 birds are shipped in from abroad and prop- 

 agated here. Even this plan could never 

 succeed so long as they may be sold in the 

 market. Stop the traffic and we may again 

 be able to find them in large numbers in the 

 farming districts. 



FOR UNIFORM GAME LAWS. 



A bill providing uniform fish and game 

 laws was unanimously adopted at a recent 

 meeting in Chicago, of the game wardens or 

 their representatives from Wisconsin, Mich- 

 igan, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota and 

 Indiana. 



The bill as adopted by the committee will 

 be urged upon the several legislatures at 

 their next session for passage. It provides 

 for a closed season for whitefish and lake 

 trout, in Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, 

 from October 15th to December 1st; prohib- 

 its the catching of any variety of fish with- 

 in 400 feet of any dam, all the year round; 

 provides that lake trout and whitefish weigh- 

 ing less than 2 pounds gross or 1/2 pounds 

 dressed shall not be taken or offered for sale; 

 requires the labelling of all packages con- 

 taining fish or game delivered to common 

 carriers for transportation; makes the of- 

 ficer of one state the agent of any other; 

 prohibits the storage of fish or game in cold 

 storage warehouses during the closed sea- 

 son; makes the open season for killing deer 

 from November 1st to November 20th, and 

 prohibits the sale of venison during the first 

 5 days of the open season; prohibits the 

 shipment of game from each of the states 

 subscribing to the bill; imposes a tax of 

 $25 on non-resident and $1 on resident 

 hunters of all game, and empowers the com- 

 missioners of fisheries to take fish at all sea- 

 sons of the year for restocking and propaga- 

 tion in other waters. 



