206 



i 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 8, 1885. 



THE ST. LOUIS CONVENTION. 



THE sportsmen who met at St. Louis last week organized 

 a new national association, passed a very con>mendab)e 

 series of resolutions, and laid out an elaborate scbetne of 

 work for tbe future. Tlie spirit shown and the sentiments 

 expressed were for the most part worthy of the highest 

 praise. The undertaking, to the accomplishment of wliich 

 the members of the association bave set themselves, may 

 appear to experienced persons as somewhat visionary; but 

 there is no denying that its attainment of a system of uni- 

 form game laws" would be a most desirable consummation. 

 If those individuals who have had most experience in work- 

 ing for suitable game legislation are disposed to look 

 somewhat dubiously upon the bright picture of the 

 future as painted by the entliusiasm of the St. Louis game 

 protectors, it must not be forgotten that even should the 

 effort of the convention now cease entirely, the influence of 

 the meeting is most salutary. The gathering of such a num- 

 ber of men, the discussion of game interests, the daily news- 

 paper reports, and the press dispatches, all combine to draw 

 public attention to the subject of game protection. The St. 

 Louis convention iias already accomplished some good. 

 What it will do in tbe future will depend altogether upon the 

 earnest, systematic, individual efforts of its officers and 

 members. 



TuESDAT, Sept. 39. 



At 10:30 the convention was called to order by Capt. H. C. 

 "West, chaij'man of the committee of an-angements. He 

 read to tbe meeting the original call. 



Gen. Jackson L. Smith, of Jefferson City, the temporary 

 chairman, taking the chair amid applause, called tbe 

 meeting to order and on behalf of the State Association 

 welcotned the visitors. He indulged the hope that the pres- 

 ence of so many sportsmen gave every promise of beneficial 

 results as to game legislation. This, the speaker said, was 

 the first convention ever held of the kind and its importance 

 could not be overestimated. An examination of the game 

 laws of other States showed bow all varied and the results 

 of the discrepancies were patently unjust to all. The chair- 

 man specially alluded to the present position in Missouri as 

 to the close season of prairie chickens, pointing out the ano- 

 maly of grouse being allowed to be shot, marketed and eat^en 

 all around us, while Missouri had to sit by and hungrily 

 watch these processes going on. Such a law invited breaches. 

 How was uniformity to be obtained? Congress could not 

 as yet interfere, for the game belonged primarily to each 

 State, and the only profitable present action would consist in 

 the obtaining of precisely similar legislation by each and 

 every State. The work and iofluence of the convention 

 could obtain that end. We of the convention should all 

 work vigorously to obtain it. The meeting had a right to 

 invoke the further aid of the public press, to which it was 

 already so much indebted and which was always ready to 

 help on any scheme for tlie good of the people. Let this 

 meeting, continued the G-eneral, formulate a bill and press 

 its clauses first on those States which have no game laws, 

 and, secondly, on those others which were already partly in 

 line. The speaker thought that a uniform opening date 

 should be one of the first points to be "adopted. This would 

 restrict the present indiscriminate rate of slaughter. In 

 some States laws had not long since been enacted by which 

 game was not. allowed to be shipped out, a course prompted 

 by an illiberality and unsportsmanlike spu-it to which every 

 sportsman should be a stranger, He thought himself that 

 the stopping of entry of game legally killed in one State to 

 another was unconstitutional, and he considered that no 

 State had the right to prevent a citizen of another from 

 hunting within its border. He regretted to have to add that 

 a recent enactment of such a nature had been jjassed as 

 regards this State, and he believed he was not alone in think- 

 ing the law to be a standing reproach to every Missourian. 

 As to the fish questions to be discussed, the speaker person- 

 ally would prefer to first look to any means for the destruc- 

 tion of the gar and the hard-shelf turtle, those insatiable 

 pirates and enemies of all of man's fish food. There were 

 many other points to consider as to this part of the subject 

 to be discussed by the convention, but he felt that this would 

 be considered with the greatest intelligence by others, and 

 he would therefore close with once more heartil}'^ welcoming 

 the delegates. Gen. Smith resumed his seat amid great 

 applause, and his remarks as to the selfishness of retaining 

 game in a State after being shot, and of keeping sportsmen 

 out of a State, eai-ued for him vigorous commendation. 



Capt. West then appointed Dr. R. M. Swander as acting 

 secretary, and J. G. Schaaf as his assistant. The secretary, 

 on motion of John D. Johnson, read the names of the dele- 

 gates present. They were : 



Illinois— E. J. Brown, Quincy Gun Club; E. Kerles, 

 Belleville Gun Club; A. J, Fleischman. Belleville Rod and 

 Gun Club; Chas. Henry and Ed Vickery, Audubon Gun 

 Club, Jacksonville; R. H. Mann, Chester Game and Fish 

 Protective Association; T. P. Bartlett, Quincy Fishing Club; 

 R. J. Slice, Central Illinois Sportsmen's Association ; O. P. 

 Bortall, Secretary Ilhnois Fish Commission; H. H. Fahne- 

 stoek, Illinois Valley Gun Club, Peoria; Henry Sal tat and 

 D. T. Shipp, Waterloo Gun Club; F. W. Herbstand Strauss, 

 Shiloh Valley Gun Club; O. W. Reed, Taylorville Gun Club; 

 Geo. Crosby, Duquoin Gun Club; Fred A. Allen, Mon- 

 mouth; D. Schroll, Meredosia Fishing Club. 



Arkansas — A. R, Smith, Excelsior Gun Club, Hot Springs; 

 W. J. Echols, James A. Gautis, Western Gun Club, Fort 

 Smith. 



lowa—'E. H. Carpenter and U. 8. Young, Crystal Lake 

 and Eagle Grove Gun Club, Burlington; John F. Gregg, 

 Burlington Shooting Club; C. W. Budd and G. W. Griffey, 

 Des Moines Gun Club; J. T. Brutensteine, Nimrod Club, 

 Keokuk. 



Kansas— L. Or. Perry and W. A. Irwin, State Sportsmen s 

 Association; E. L. Shaffer, Council Grove Gun Club. 



Missouri — L. D. Dozier and Frank Carter, Dardenne Shoot- 

 ing Club; J. S. Bell and J. W. Lemonist, Palmyra Sports- 

 men's Club; F. Hermann and L. E. Kaltwasser, Diana 

 Hunting Club, St.Louis; H. C.Westand A. G. Gates, St.Louis 

 Fish and Game Preserve; J. B. Schulte, J. W. Fisher, J. P. 

 Shaff, Excelsior Gun Club, St. Louis; John D. Johnson, 

 St. Louis Gun Club; M. F. Taylor, Winfield Gun Club; J. 

 L. Smith and W. Q. Dallmyer, Jefferson City Gun Club; 

 Alex. Sweathers and Albert Cohen, Hannibal Gun Club; 

 John K. McDearmon and J. W. Avery, St. Charles Hunting 

 and Fishing Club; Judge P. S, Lanham and George Bain, 

 Murdocli Lake Hunting and Fishing Club, H. Hospas, 

 William Kampheimer, Fred McCarty, Western Hunting 

 Club, St. Louis; M. K. McGrath, White River Fishing Club. 



Kentucky — J. M. Taylor, Lexington Gun Club; J. M. 

 Barbour, Kentucky State Sportsmen's Association; James 

 W. Harrington, Shelbyville Gun Club. 



At Large— Kent County Sportsnien's Club, Grand Rapids, 

 Mich., Dr. E. S. Holmes; Cuvier Club of Cincinnati, J. T. 

 Blackburn and John R. Chamberlain; El Paso Gun Club of 

 Texas, W. H. Irwin ; Redfield Gun Club, Dakota Territory, 

 W. A. James. 



Fish Commissioners— Enoch W. Moore of Delaware; P. 

 Dunning and J. V. Jones of Wisconsin; Dr. E. S. Holmes 

 of Michigan; H. H. Rottaken, Little Rock, Ark. 



Game Dealers' Representation— J. A. R. Elliott, Grenola, 

 Kan.; J. W. Peters, St. Louis; W. W. Judy, St. Louis; L. 

 S. Carter, Hammond, 111. ; Fred A. Allen; ilonmouth. 111.; 

 D. Schroll, Meredosia, 111, 



There was some little discussion about the advisability of 

 admitting fish commissioners and game dealers as members 

 of the convention. The motion to admit them, however, 

 was finally canied unanimously. 



Mr. John D. Johnson moved that the usual committee on 

 credentials be dispensed with,. This was carried unani- 

 mously, saving much time. 



Messrs. R. H. Mann, Illinois; J. B. Jones, Wisconsin; J. 

 A. Yantis, Arkansas; J. P. Barbour, Kentucky; W. A. 

 Jones, Dakota; Mortimer Taylor and John D. Johnson, of 

 Missouri, were appointed by the chairman as a Committee 

 on Permanent Organization. A recess was then taken until 

 2 o'clock in the afternoon. When the convention reassem- 

 bled at 2 o'clock the Committee on Permanent Organization 

 and Order of Business made the following report, which was 

 adopted; For Permanent President, John D. Johnson, of 

 St. Louis; First Vice-President, Enoch Moore, of Delaware; 

 Second Vice-President, Henry Talbot, of Illinois; Secretary 

 Capt. H. C. West, of St. Louis; Assistant Secretar3^ Joseph 

 WheiT3% of St. Louis; Sergeant-at-Arms, Hunt Wilson, of 

 St. Louis; Committee on Resolutions, Hon. Jackson L. 

 Smith, of Missouri; Col. H. H. Rottaken, of Arkansas; Maj. 

 J. M. Taylor, of Kentucky ; Philo Downing, of Wisconsin ; 

 Dr. If. Rowe, of Chicago; J. F, Blackburn, of Ohio, and 

 W. W. Judy, of St. Louis. 



Mr. Johnson was escorted to the chair by a committee of 

 three. In resigning his place as temporary chairman, Mr. 

 Smith remarked that Mr. Johnson was no stranger to the 

 members of the convention or to the game and fish concern- 

 ing which they had met to consult. Mr. Johnson was 

 received with a'hearty round of applause. He expi'essed his 

 thanks for the compliment bestowed upon him, and at once 

 launched into a well considered speech on the necessity for 

 uniform game laws, uniform close seasons, and a determined 

 effort on the part of sportsmen to see the game laws enforced. 

 He remarked that the first sportsmen's convention met at 

 Niagara Falls, IS, Y., in 1873, and did a great deal toward 

 creating a proper public sentiment on this important subject. 

 As a result of that convention game laws were enacted in 

 several States. Unfortunately, however, the organization 

 then effected lasted but two years, but the influence was still 

 apparent all over the country. Meetings of this character, 

 continued Mr. Johnson, had a beneficial effect on the country 

 at large. The time had arrived for further legislation, for 

 the better protection of fish and game, and he was confident 

 that the convention could make suggestions to the states- 

 men that would result in improved fisli and game laws. 



A long communication was read from M. R. French, 

 President of the American Association for the Protection of 

 Game, Game-dealers and Consumers, pointing out the neces- 

 sity for uniform legislation relating to fish and game. The 

 letter concluded by stating that purely destructive sport, like 

 the shooting of deer in August, is unmanly and unjustifiable, 

 and equally wrong is the unseasonable and improper slaughter 

 of game solely for market. 



Dr. Steedman offered a package of letters from various 

 fish commissioners which were ordered placed among the 

 records of the convention, 



Mr. Taylor introduced a resolution urging the passage of 

 uniform game laws in the various States. 



Another resolution was read by the secretary urging: 

 1. That uniform close and seasons should be adopted in 

 tbe several States and Territories east of the Roclcy Moun- 

 tains for deer, turkeys, pinnated grouse, ruffed grouse, quail, 

 woodcock, wild ductus, wild geese, Wilson snipe, squirrel 

 and rabbits, and that said close seasons should cover the 

 breeding periods of said animals and birds, and such addi- 

 tional time as is necessary to prevent a further reduction of 

 the present numbers of the same regardless of latitude. 2. 

 That said close seasons .should be as follows : For deer, from 

 Dec. 1 to Aug. 15; for turkey, Feb. 1 to Sept. 1 ; for pinnated 

 grouse, Dec. 1 to Sept. 1; for ruffed grouse, Jan. 1 to Sept. 

 1; for quail, Feb. 1 to Nov. 1; for woodcock, Jan. 1 to Sept. 

 1 ; for wild ducks, Feb. 1 to Sept. 1 ; for wild geese, Feb. 1 

 to Sept. 1; for Wilson snipe, Feb. 1 to Sept. 1; for squhrel, 

 Dec. 1 to June 1. These documents were referred to the 

 committee on resolutions, which was increased in member- 

 ship, because of the large amount of work it has to perform. 



On motion of Mr. George Bain, Messrs. Steedman, Dun- 

 ning, Bain, Enoch Moore and S. P. Bartlett were appointed 

 a committee to pay particular attention to the protection of 

 fish. 



It was decided after some discussion to take the sense of 

 the convention on the close seasons. The general view was 

 that the close season for deer should be from Jan. 1 to Oct. 

 1 ; for pinnated and rutted grouse, Jan. 1 to Sept. 1 ; for 

 quail, Oct. 15 to Jan. 1; for woodcock, Jan. 1 to July 4. 

 The other close seasons were left as named in the resolution. 



Mr. Theodore Pilger offered a resolution, which was re- 

 ferred to the committee, that no gun larger than a No. 10 

 bore be allowed to be used by sportsmen. 



An invitation from President Haarstick, of the Merchants' 

 Exchange, to visit the Exchange was unanimously accepted 

 and noon to day set for the visit, 



M. F. Taylor, of St. Louis; Mr. Holmes, of Michigan; 

 Mr. Zaulis, of Arkansas; Gus. Griffey, of Iowa, and Col. 

 Dallmeyer, of Missouri, were appointed a committee to 

 formulate a scheme for the organization of a National 

 Sportsmen's Association. 



Wednesday, Sept. 30. 

 The convention assembled at 10:30, J. D. Johnson in the 

 chair. The first business was the report of the Committee 

 on the Protection of Fish, which was as follows; 



"Your committee, to wiiom Avas referred resolutions re- 

 lating to fish protection and propagation, beg leave to sub- 

 mit the following recommendations for the action of the 

 convention: 



"That the catching of game and food fishes should be pro- 

 hibited in tbe public waters of the different States during 

 the spawning seasons, except for purposes of propagation or 

 distribution by or under the direction of the Fish Commis- 

 sioners. . 



"That the prohibited oeriods should, as far as practicable, 

 be uniform and of sufficient duration to include the spawn- 

 ing periods in all these States of the same species of fi.sh, say 



for spring spawners from Feb. 1 to Aug. 1, and for fall 

 spawners from Sept. 1 to April 1, excepting migratory fish, 

 and that the close season for such should be regulated by the 

 several States in which they are found. 



"That all obstructions to the inarress or egress of fish to 

 and from their spawning grounds in streams and lakes 

 should be prohibited, and the construction of proper fish- 

 ways over dams required and regulated, and that the Fish 

 Commissioners should be the judges as to what shall consti- 

 tute a proper and sufficient fishway. The expense of putting . 

 in and maintaining such fishway shall be borne by the owner 

 of such obstruction or dam. 



- "That no seine-, net, trap, weir or other device for catching 

 fish should be permitted to be used, where it is legal to use 

 them, whose mesh is less than two inches square. That 

 illegal seines, nets, weirs or other devices should be confis- 

 cated and de.stroyed wherever found. 



"That the propagation and protection of fish and game, 

 and the enforcement of all laws apphcable to the same, 

 should in each State be placed in the hands of a paid com- 

 mission composed of one or more competent persons; that 

 such commission .should be authorized to appoint deputies 

 or wardens throughout their respective States with power to 

 institute prosecutions or make arrests, as circumstances re- 

 quire, under the supervLsion of the commission ; that our re- 

 spective legislatures be requested to recommend the passage 

 of such national legislation as will regulate the menhaden 

 and other fisheries along the Atlantic coast and gi'eat lakes." 



Signed I. G.W. Steedman, Philo Downing, Enoch Moore, 

 S. P. Bartlett, George Bain, 



Mr. Jones, Fish Commis.sioner of Wisconsin, deprecated 

 the use of dynamite in fishing, and urged that it should be 

 made a penitentiary offense.' Mr. Maun, of Chester, 111., 

 moved that the size of the meshes of the seines be fixed at 

 two and a half inches instead of two inches, Messrs. Bart- 

 lett and Peters were of the opinion that a two-ineh mesh is 

 large enough for all practical purposes. The convention, 

 however, decided to let the committee's report on this matter 

 stand. Mr. McAdam.s, of Illinois, offered a resolution, which 

 was adopted urging Congress to provide such legislation for 

 the preservation of fi.shes in the Mississippi and other pul)lic 

 waters of the United States not controlled by State legisla- 

 tion as will be in harmony with the objects of this con- 

 vention. Mr. Jones renewed his protest against the use of 

 dynamite and other explosives and poisons "in fishing. Mr. 

 E\ S. Holmes, of Michigan, suggested that a reasonable 

 bounty should be paid for the destruction of predatory fish 

 and animals that are not useful for food, such as gars, dog- 

 fish and hard-shell turtles. It was intimated that there might 

 be some diflaculty about getting money for this object, but 

 the objection was not seriously entertained and the resolu- 

 tion was passed. 



On the chairman calling for the report of the committee 

 on game and that on organization of a permanent association, 

 Mr, Yantis, of Arkansas, read a report from the latter as 

 follows: "It is recommended that this convention take a 

 recess so soon after final action upon the reports of the two 

 committees now out for half an hour. That thereupon all 

 members of organized game and fish clubs retain their seats, 

 organize themselves into a caucus and pass upon the con- 

 stitution herewith submitted proposed for the National 

 Association. Your committee further recommend that upon 

 the adjournment of this convention all the records of this 

 convention be given to the National Association, and that 

 all clubs rexjresented be requested to come forward and be- 

 come members of the National Association." On motion by 

 Mr. Bain this was lost, the game committee not having yet 

 reported. 



An attempt was then made to ascertnin, as fully as possible, 

 the total number of meml:)ers of the different bunting, gun 

 and fishing clubs which had fallen into line with the objects 

 of the convention, or who were represented thereat. A call 

 was made in this view, representatives giving the census of 

 their membership. It transpired during the call that there 

 are 500 members of the Cuvier club of Cincinnati, and that 

 there are (joO members of the Delaware Game Protective 

 Association. With a great many clubs yet to be heard from, 

 a total of 4,478 members was arrived at. 



Gen, I. S. Smith, chairman of the Committee on Resolu- 

 tions relating to the protection of game, presented the fol- 

 lowing report: 



"That in the opinion of your committee the close and open 

 seasons should be adopted in the several States and Terri- 

 tories east of the Rocky Mountains: For deer, turkeys, 

 pinnated grouse, quail, woodcock, wild duck, wild goose, 

 Wilson snipe, pigeon dove, upland plover, rabbit and squir- 

 rel, and that said close seasons should cover the breeding 

 period of said animals and birds, and such additional time 

 as is necessary to prevent a further reduction of the present 

 number of the same, and that the close seasons shall be as 

 follows: For deer, from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1; turkey, Jan. 1 to 

 Oct. 1; pinnated and ruffed grouse, Jan. 1 to Sept. 1; duck, 

 Feb. 1 to Sept. 1; geese, Feb. 1 to Sept. 1; Wilson snipe. May 

 1 to Sept. 1; woodcock, Jan. 1 to July 4; plover, May 1 to 

 Sept. 1; turtle dove, July 1 to Aug. 1; wild pigeon, April 1 

 to Oct. 1; squiiTel, Jan. i to June 1; rabbit (excepting jack 

 rabbit), from Feb. 1 to Oct. 1. 



"That hunting of deer with hounds should be prohibited at 

 all seasons in all States. That song and insectivorous birds 

 should be protected the year round. That the trapping, en- 

 snaring and nettine of game, insectivorous and songbirds (ex- 

 cepting for scientific purposes) should be entirely prohibited. 

 That the robbing of the nests of any birds mentioned in the pre- 

 ceding paragraph or the interference with them while nesting 

 or rearing the young should be prohibited under severe pen- 

 alties imposed bv law. That the killing or catching of any 

 animal or birds'hereinbefore mentioned by night should be 

 forbidden by law. That no gun of a larger gauge or caliber 

 than No. 10 should be used in the pursuit and capture of 

 any kind of game. 



"That it is the further dehberate opinion of your com- 

 mittee that it would subserve a wise and useful parpose to 

 unite and blend the twin interests of fish and game and_ to 

 devote the duty and functions of protecting and preserving 

 the same on one class of public ollicers; that the Fish Com- 

 missioners of the several States ought to have superadded to 

 their duties and functions the protection and preservation of 

 game as well as fish; that the Governors of the several 

 States and Territories should be authorized by statutes to 

 appoint one game and fish warden for each Congresisional 

 District, and tliat such game wardens be authorized to ap- 

 point one or more deputies in the several counties within 

 his Congressional District; that said game and fish wardens 

 and their deputies be imder the supervision and direction of 

 the said Game and Fish Commissioners; that all of said of- 

 ficers be authorized and empowered to institute and prose- 

 cute all proper criminal actions for infraction of the laws 



