254 



RECREATION. 



prospects for the angling interests seem 

 bright in the State, but the game outlook, 

 especially for big game and grouse, is un- 

 certain. The sheep ranging almost every- 

 where, are driving the deer from their ac- 

 customed haunts, and trampling the grouse 

 nests to destruction, both on mountain and 

 plain. Where formerly there were thou- 

 sands of sharptailed grouse in certain sec- 

 tions of the State, there are now only a few 

 stragglers to be found. The same holds 

 good of the sage hen and the blue grouse, 

 but not to such an alarming extent. The 

 ruffed grouse were never plentiful and they 

 seem to hold about the same as in the past. 

 The fish and game law has been vigorous- 

 ly enforced as far as possible with the funds 

 at command but you know the difficulty of 

 watching poachers over such a large extent 

 of country, with plenty of cover. I have 

 more trouble, however, with fish poachers 

 and dynamite fiends than with game poach- 

 ers, because the opportunities are better and 

 they are more difficult to detect. I do not 

 know just how many convictions have been 

 had for violations of the law, but not many 

 for game violations. 



John Sharp, Chief Warden 



IOWA LAWS. 



The Iowa Legislature is now in session 

 and bills are in the Committee's hand, mak- 

 ing several changes for the betterment of 

 our laws, as follows : 



Providing for hunting licenses for resi- 

 dents as well as non-residents, with fee for 

 game protection. 



To prevent the slaughter of ducks, class- 

 ing them as game birds, limiting the num- 

 ber to be killed in any one day and pre- 

 venting sale or shipment. 



To shorten the open season on quail, clos^ 

 ing same December 15th. 



To make a close season on prairie chick- 

 ens for 3 years from July 1st, 1904. 



To prohibit live bird shooting at tourna- 

 ments. 



To allow exchange of game birds for 

 propagation with other States, also allowing 

 the collection of eggs, nests, birds or ani- 

 mals for scientific purposes. 



.The question of prohibiting spring duck 

 shooting has been canvassed thoroughly in 

 this State and a bill was introduced but 

 has been withdrawn, as the general opinion 

 is that at this time it is not possible to pass 

 such a bill. The State of Iowa is the 

 center of a group of States consisting of 

 Minnesota, Wisconsin. Illinois, Missouri, 

 Nebraska, North and South Dakota, which 

 have an open season on ducks from Septem- 

 ber 1st to April 15th and May 1st. except 

 Minnesota, which closes the season January 

 1st; and our sportsmen insist it would not 

 be fair to prohibit it in this State while 

 our sister States have the right to kill and 



it would entail On them a heavy expense 

 to go to these other States to hunt. 



Ducks have been killed in large numbers 

 and the fall flight was the largest known for 

 years. Prairie chickens, owing to the heavy 

 rains of the last 2 years, have been drowned 

 out and are scarce, hence the necessity of 

 the law now before the Legislature. Quails 

 are numerous, but reports are now coming- 

 in that the heavy sleet storms which have 

 prevailed in our State the past 3 weeks, have 

 killed a great many and in some places 

 whole covies are found frozen to death. 



Our State is still under the fee system 

 for payment of deputy wardens, but I hope 

 if the resident license law passes that there 

 will be funds for the payment of deputies 

 and the better protection of the birds of our 

 State. My fund for protection was small 

 during the past 2 years, as the previous 

 Legislature failed to make any appropriation 

 for the work. Our efforts have resulted in 

 124 prosecutions, and 85 convictions, with 

 fines and costs of $4,311.41. The State lost 

 18 cases. Jail sentences were imposed on 

 21 persons. Nets, seines, etc were seized 

 and destroyed, valued at $700. 



The sentiment of the people of this State 

 in reference to protection is growing every 

 day, for which I have to thank the press 

 and. many members of the L. A. S. and 

 local sportsmen's clubs. 



Geo. A. Lincoln, 

 State Fish and Game Warden. 



The above was written in January last. 

 — Editor. 



Prof. D. Lange, of St. Paul, who has 

 served 4 years as Chief Warden of the 

 Minnesota division of the League, and who 

 has done such splendid work during that 

 period, naturally feels that he has served 

 his time and has therefore resigned. While 

 we all regret to lose him from this place, 

 it will be good news to the friends of game 

 protection that the old war horse, Sam 

 Fullerton, State Game Warden of Min- 

 nesota, has been appointed to succeed Mr. 

 Lange. Mr. Fullerton will take hold of the 

 League work with the same energy and 

 determination with which he has always 

 discharged his official duties, and I bespeak 

 for him the hearty co-operation and support 

 of all friends of game protection, not only 

 in Minnesota but throughout the North- 

 west. 



My Ninth Annual Photo Competition closes 

 November 30. The time is growing short in 

 which to make and enter pictures, and I 

 trust all my friends who have participated 

 in previous competitions may be represented 

 in this one. A number of valuable prizes 

 are offered, and in addition to these all 

 photos used will hereafter be paid for at 

 the rate of 50 cents to $1 each, according 

 to actual value for illustrative purposes. 



