FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



207 



son opens, of hunting for the home mar- 

 ket. I do not accuse them of unlawfully 

 shipping, but of unlawful bagging. They 

 seem to have no limit to the bag. It is all 

 they can get, and the more they get the 

 better they are pleased. We should have 

 a good game warden, who would see that 

 this kind of slaughter is stopped. He 

 should not be so wrapped up in political 

 affairs that he will be afraid of losing a 

 vote should he prosecute some one. L. S., 

 C. H. and a few others around here should 

 stop their evil doings before it is too late. 

 It is a shame the way game is disappear- 

 ing throughout this section of the country. 

 This letter is aimed at the entire outfit of 

 game hogs in this region. Give them their 

 dues. Reader, Chillicothe, Mo. 



ANSWER. 



If you will give me the names and ad- 

 dresses of the men you refer to who are 

 violating the laws, or who are slaughter- 

 ing in excess of reasonable numbers, I 

 will look after them; but there is no use 

 wasting time and space in talking about 

 men whose full names and addresses can 

 not be stated. The best way to stop this 

 butchering is to induce all the real sports- 

 men in your city and vicinity to join the 

 L. A. S. It is only by spreading the mem- 

 bership of this League everywhere that 

 we can hope to create such a public sen- 

 timent as will stop this work. As soon as 

 we can enroll 8 more members in your 

 State, then we can organize a division 

 there and begin the work of appointing 

 local wardens. This will have a great in- 

 fluence for good; but the first thing is to 

 make every friend of game protection a 

 member. — Editor. 



SECRETARY HART TO SPORTSMEN. 



Mr. M. D. Hart, Secretary-Treasurer of 

 the Virginia Division, L. A. S., sends the 

 Richmond Dispatch the following commu- 

 nication of special interest to sportsmen the 

 State over: 



From all the counties around Richmond 

 it is reported that there are more quails 

 than we have had in Virginia for years. 

 The exceptionally dry spring has enabled 

 the young broods to grow up quickly, and 

 it would take almost a flood to have any 

 serious effect on them now. Thus the 

 bird hunters have every prospect of a fine 

 fall's shooting without going to North 

 Carolina. In giving thanks for these 

 blessings, I hope the sportsmen will not 

 forget that the Richmond market was 

 closed up tight January 20th, 5 days 

 being given for the game dealers and 

 others to close out their stock. Janu- 

 ary 15th Mr. W. J. Lynham, deputy war- 

 den, League of American Sportsmen, took 

 the Code of Virginia and read the game 



law to our Cary street commission mer- 

 chants, game dealers, and marketmen. 

 Our citizens have all complied with the 

 law cheerfully. This is the first time in the 

 history of this city that the game laws 

 have been enforced, and Virginia sportsmen 

 can estimate the number of birds thus 

 saved. Eight thousand to 10,000 is a conser- 

 vative estimate, I think. The markets are 

 the chief cause of the decrease in our 

 game, especially quail. New York city was 

 closed this year, the first time in the his- 

 tory of that city. This is the largest mar- 

 ket in the United States, and now, brother 

 sportsmen, don't you think if the League 

 of American Sportsmen can do this kind 

 of work it is worthy of your support? 



A WISE MAN. 



The editor of the West Virginia Farm 

 Review knows a good thing when he finds 

 it. Here is what he says of the L. A. S.: 



We pubiish in this issue extracts of the Lacey Bird Bill, 

 with comments by G. O. Shields, President of the League 

 of American Sportsmen, and editor of Recreation. What 

 the League of American Wheelmen has done "for the 

 cause of good roads throughout the country, the League 

 of American Sportsmen is doing for the protection of our 

 noble song birds, fish and game. These are 2 questions 

 of paramont importance to the farmers of every State in 

 the Union, and they in particular owe a debt of everlast- 

 ing gratitude to these organizations. 



Especially do we commend to the farmers the good 

 work t^iat is being done by the League of American Sports- 

 men in its efforts to protect the song birds that are not 

 only a joy to the husbandman, but are the least expensive 

 and most effectual destroyers of insect pests that farmers 

 and fruit growers can employ. It is much easier to pro- 

 tect the birds than it is to use artificial means to destroy 

 injurious insects. The League of American Sportsmen is 

 an organization composed of the best law-abiding citizens 

 in the several States, and is heartily supported by the 

 Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, Governors, 

 Congressmen, farmers, and all lovers of law and the 

 beautiful and useful in nature. No selfish motives can be 

 attributed to its aim and object. Its name might be mis- 

 leading to many not familiar with the principles it incul- 

 cates and the good work it is doing. The article mentioned 

 should be read and carefully considered; it explains suf- 

 ficiently the aim of the organization, and the influence it 

 has wielded in behalf of the Lacey Bird Bill, that was re- 

 cently passed by Congress. 



We have a game law that if properly enforced would go 

 a long way toward obtaining the desired result. We hear 

 of willful violations of this law in almost every county, 

 and :f there has been a successful prosecution since the 

 present law has been in force we have not heard of it. 

 Who is to blame? There should be local wardens in 

 every county at least, but as no such provision has yet 

 been made it lies with the law-abiding citizens and county 

 officers to see that the law is respected; and no citizen 

 should be so indifferent or weak kneed as to allow violat- 

 ors to go unpunished. 



It is a pity the editors of all other agri- 

 cultural journals are not yet awake to the 

 great work the League is doing for the 

 farmers. Perhaps they will be in time. — 

 Editor. 



ANOTHER MISSOURI HERD. 

 In reply to yours of the 5th, will say 

 that my brother and I killed 207 ducks 

 March 20th, 1900. We had hunted only 

 8 days and had killed 618 ducks, or an 

 average of 76 each day. We have, how» 



