

FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



119 



why not stop them from killing more than 

 their share of the State's ducks? 



Another question came up. Our enemies, 

 the bear, panther and mountain lion, do 

 not hire professional guides, neither do 

 they give information from Dan to Beer- 

 sheba as to where we live, as do all the 

 sportmen's papers. We think we claim 

 nothing more than is fair when we ask 

 that each person who comes after game 

 shall get it himself, without help from 

 guides. Put yourself in our place for a 

 while. We have many enemies that de- 

 stroy us, but our most deadly enemy is 

 man. Though armed with a weapon with 

 which he can kill us at a great distance, 

 he is not content with that ; but must get a 

 specialist and pay him big wages to lead 

 him to our homes. Do you call that fair 

 play? And then when the tenderfoot shoots 

 at us and misses, what does the guide do? 

 He shoots us for keeps. Shame on him! 



Now, Mr. Editor, we should like to know 

 what your readers have to say regarding 

 these matters ; also, what you think would 

 be fair and just, supposing we changed 

 places for 5 years? 



Buck Deer, 

 Wood Duck. 



ONLY A MATTER OF TASTE. 



I call your attention to the enclosed clip- 

 ping from the Mail and Express supple- 

 ment. Besides the awful slaughter of these 

 pheasants, I notice with much amusement 

 the shooting rigs, etc., of Webb's crowd. 

 Some resemble explorers, others the villain 

 in the show, and I want you to get on to 

 the chap in the rear, who is holding his 

 gun upside down. 



It seems as if it was up to you to start 

 a female department in your pen. You 

 might get some candidates from this 

 bunch. Can't you roast 'em? 



J. F. Case, New York City. 



The clipping to which Mr. Case refers 

 shows the picture of a hunting party at 

 Dr. Seward Webb's Shelburne Farms, and 

 the pheasants bagged in one day. On re- 

 ceipt of Mr. Case's letter I replied : 



Dr. Seward Webb has raised a lot of 

 tame pheasants, and has the same right to go 

 into his fields, or even on his open ground, 

 and kill them that he would have to kill 

 his chickens, ducks, geese or turkeys. Any 

 farmer may go into his barnyard and kill a 

 dozen or 100 or 1,000 domestic fowls with- 

 out making a hog of himself. So Dr. 

 Webb and his friends may kill his whole 

 batch of tame pheasants in one day or in 

 one hour if they see fit, and no one else 

 has a right to kick. In my judgment, the 

 farmer I have mentioned would be having 

 just as much fun as these people did shoot- 

 ing pheasants ; but different people look- at. 



things with different eyes. My work is in 

 trying to save the wild birds and animals 

 from slaughter, and it keeps me busy. ' 



To this letter Mr. Case replied : 



Even though Doctor Webb raised those 

 birds himself and slaughtered them on his 

 own farm, the pheasant is strictly a game 

 bird and should always be treated as such, 

 whether domesticated or wild. When any 

 one slaughters pheasants, whether he be a 

 market hunter or an individual like Doctor 

 Webb, something should be said in behalf 

 of the birds. Many persons who see the 

 photo we have reference to will argue that 

 if Doctor Webb has the right to kill his 

 own birds in any way and to any number 

 so may they, who are not fortunate enough 

 to have their own farm, slaughter, with 

 equal right, pheasants, whether wild or not. 

 I do not strictly mean that Doctor Webb 

 should be roasted, but it seems to me that 

 something said about this matter in Rec- 

 reation could not fail to do good. For in- 

 stance, Doctor Webb has the right and 

 power to slaughter his own pheasants, but 

 how much more noble it would have been 

 on his part if he had taken this 100 or so 

 shown in the photo and stocked some bit 

 of public woods with them. Perhaps he 

 has never thought of this, but possibly a 

 word would open his eyes. I am not. the 

 only man who thinks this way, and am 

 speaking directly for at least a dozen other 

 sportsmen in this city. 



J. F. Case, New York City. 



ADIRONDACK LAW BREAKERS. 



I have recently been investigating viola- 

 tions of the State game laws, and trying 

 to prevent the killing of deer with dogs 

 by making charges to the State game com- 

 mission against parties who use hounds. 

 I have come to the conclusion that what is 

 needed is for the L. A. S. to appoint some 

 one person to take charge of the matter, 

 and for each member of the League to re- 

 port any facts, that can be supported by 

 affidavits, where there has been a violation 

 of the law which has been reported to the 

 commission, and in which there was no in- 

 vestigation by the commission. That there 

 are many such cases I" am convinced, but 

 for one person to gather them into form 

 is impossible. I tried to do it, but soon 

 found that I could accomplish little alone. 

 I found some members of the League re- 

 luctant to reply to my letters, and one 

 member, who is also a warden, failed to 

 reply. Whoever opposes the commission 

 will find it difficult, unless strongly sup- 

 ported by corroborative evidence and aided 

 by other sportsmen. That there is great 

 need of some members of the commission 

 being removed is apparent to anyone con- 

 versant, with. the. workings of that body. 



