.90 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Feb. i, 1902. 
The discussion was opened by Dr. Brainerd, who said 
that successful efforts had been made to harmonize the 
game laws of the Province of Quebec, and that there 
have been many improvements, of which he . cited in- 
stances. 
C. H. Wilson gave the history of the anti-spring 
shooting bill and the bill for a uniform bass law intro- 
duced in the New York Legislature at the instance of the 
North American Association. He attended three haar- 
ings, but the bills died in committee. 
Spring Shooting. 
Mr. Tinsley said, "The first action in harmonizing 
game laws should be in connection with migratory 
game, and I know of no action so urgent as the uniform 
and general prohibition of the spring shooting of water 
fowl. 
"It has long been a mystery to me that you, our Ameri- 
can friends, follow business in your various trades and 
professions, and then act so inconsistently in the matter 
of spring shooting. There is not one redeeming feature, 
not a valid excuse, for otherwise intelligent people act- 
ing so foolishly as to shoot birds when full of eggs 
en route to the nesting grounds. Those that are honest 
in this matter know they are violating laws of nature 
and common sense. Nature will not allow her laws to 
be violated without exacting heavy penalties. 
"The main obstacle to the abolishment of spring 
shooting is not ignorance, but selfishness. I often hear 
advocates of spring shooting say, 'If we don't shoot, 
others will.' 
"I have been working to the best of my humble abil- 
ity for the last forty years to have this senseless system 
abolished. I therefore make an urgent appeal to the 
members of the North American Fish and Game Pro- 
tective Association at this your annual meeting, to 
give the matter your earnest consideration, and I trust 
your efforts may result in having the miserable practice 
of spring shooting forever abolished on this continent." 
Non-Resident License. 
Mr. Tinsley is in favor of a non-resident license fee. 
He read a paper on this subject, in which he said: 
"The non-resident license question is being thrashed 
out with considerable warmth and ability. We may take 
it for granted that the main object of fish and game pro- 
tection is to perpetuate and increase the supply in the 
interest of the public at large. This can only be accom- 
plished by meeting ' the constantly increasing number 
of hunters who enjoy improved destructive facilities 
with more closely drawn restrictive measures. 
"In old and densely populated countries the license 
system has been the most effective factor in keeping up 
the supply of game. It is an accepted fact that game is 
the property of the State or Province. Such being the 
case, it is the bounden duty of the respective legislatures 
to enact and enforce laws regarding these natural and 
valuable products of their respective countries. 
"If our law-makers have the power to say how and 
when game may be killed, they should certainly have the 
power to say how much those doing the killing should 
pay for the privilege. It is a poor excuse for a man to 
say that because he pays his railway fare and pays for 
the food he consumes he should be allowed to go into 
a neighboring State or country and kill and take away 
game with him without contributing to the cost of breed- 
ing and protecting such game. In the instance of the 
expenditure for transportation and food, he receives 
value for the money spent. True sportsmen will not ob- 
ject to paying a license fee when by so doing the pros- 
pect of having good sport is enhanced. The time is not 
far distant when it will be imperative to collect a general 
license fee from both resident and non-resident sports- 
men in the interest of game protection." 
S. T. Bastedo said they had been unable to do any- 
thing in Ontario relative to harmonizing the game laws, 
although such attempts had been made. 
Mr. Titcomb said that Vermont had no report on 
legislative progress to make, as there had been no ses- 
sion of the Legislature since the close of the last meet- 
ing. 
Hon. A. T. Dunn said that spring shooting of ducks 
had been abolished in New Brunswick, and that the laws 
in general were being more strictly enforced, with the 
result of a gratifying increase in the game. The trap- 
pers who had formerly been game law violators, are now 
assisting the enforcement of the law. The number of 
visiting sportsmen has largely increased, and the big 
game is more than holding its own, now that the number 
of animals allowed each hunter has been reduced. Mr. 
Dunn also mentioned the fact that New Brunswick has 
passed a law prohibiting the sale of partridge. 
Mr. Richards, of Boston, said that the law passed two 
years ago by Massachusetts prohibiting the sale of 
woodcock and partridge had been a great stride in the 
direction of game preservation. 
Illegal Game from Canada. 
Dr. Brainerd brought up for discussion the subject 
of the illegal shipment of game from Canada to the 
United States, and asked the assistance of American 
sportsmen in putting a check to the evil. Here was 
an instance where the helping hand could be stretched 
out, and one of the main objects of the Association vin- 
dicated. Dr. Brainerd said that market hunters, to 
evade the laws of the Dominion, resorted to all sorts of 
expedients, even shipping partridges to the States done 
up in rabbit skins to avoid detection.' He thought there 
should be a more strictly enforced inspection at the 
custom houses along the frontier. 
Mr. Wilson objected, on the ground of the additional 
work devolving on the customs inspectors. 
After a spirited discussion, it was resolved to send 
a committee to confer with Hon. Olin Merrill, Col- 
lector of the Port of Burlington, to ascertain in what 
way the United States Customs Department can assist 
in preventing the importation of game sent under false 
invoices or otherwise illegally exported from Canada. 
Messrs. Fisk, Brainerd, Parker, Wilson, Dunn and But- 
terfield were intrusted with the commission. 
Mr. Wilson mentioned the fact that Senator Brackett, 
of Saratoga, had introduced a bill in the last New York 
Legislature, permitting berry growers to shoot song 
and insectivorous birds when feeding on their berries. 
It was significant that the bill died in committee. 
Black Bass in" Troat Waters. 
In commenting upon the evils resulting from the in- 
troduction of black bass into natural trout waters. Presi- 
dent Titcomb said that much harm had been done in 
Vermont from this cause. Wherever this had been done 
the trout were exterminated, and there could be no hope 
of again introducing them. He believed that bass should 
be confined to the warmer waters of the State, as they 
will endure a temperature up to 96 degrees, while trout 
require a temperature below 70 to live and thrive. 
Mr. Bastedo said that though he had transplanted 
10,000 black bass in the waters of Ontario he had only 
known of one instance where they were introduced into 
a natural trout water, and this in a case where the trout 
were already exterminated from some unknown cause. 
Mr. Ussher made a plea for the black bass on the 
ground that they furnished sport for the tourists at a 
time when trout were not to be caught. 
_ Mr. Bailey said that bass were very destructive to fish 
life, trout included, and asked if there were any fishermen 
present who had opened the black bass of their catch 
mid not found the remains of smaller fish. 
For answer. General Butterfield said that he had 
caught bass which disgorged minnows after a hard fight. 
Another member replied that trout were just as bad. Mr. 
Bastedo ended the discussion by stating that he had been 
catching bass for years and never yet found anything in 
them but the minnow with which they were taken. 
Wolf Bounty. 
At its last meeting the Association passed a resolution 
that a bounty sufficient to insure the trapping of wolves 
should be offered in Quebec, Ontario and New Bruns- 
wick, where these pests are sufficiently numerous to be 
a detriment to the game supply, and that the minimum 
amount of such bounty be $15. 
Referring to this resolution. Mr. Irving said that the 
need of the bounty was more than ever felt in Quebec. 
He was aware that a law was in force in the Province of 
Ontario giving $15 bounty for the destruction of wolves, 
though he did not know itseffect. He did know that the 
repeal of the wolf bounty in Quebec had resulted in an 
immediate increase in the number of wolves. A few 
years ago. Mr. Irving said, there were scarcely any 
wolves to be found in the neighborhood of the preserve 
in which he is interested, while at the present time their 
bowlings can be heard nightly. Last j'ear they killed 
seventy sheep and two young moose, besides a numbei 
of young cattle. 
Mr. Tinsley said that the wolf bounty law worked 
very satisfactorily in Ontario. It was formerly $10, but 
had been raised two. years ago to $15. The result was. 
that wolves were almost exterminated in the territory 
covered by the law. One most gratifying effect was that 
the red deer were now to be found 150 miles further north 
than had ever been known before, owing to the com- 
parative freedom they now enjoyed from the attacks of 
wolves. 1 * rf 1 
Dr. Finnie confirmed Mr. Irving's statement that 
wolves were becoming dangerously numerous in Quebec, 
and said that they were not only destroying game, but 
were also a serious menace to the farmers. 
Protection r of Forests. ' J 
The disastrous fire of 1901 in Quebec, when 500 square 
miles of timber land were burned over, was commented 
upon, and Mr. Smith remarked that such fires com- 
monly originated from the operations of settlers clearing 
land. and that there was too great laxity in their methods 
and in the supervision. 
Mr. Wilson read the New York law of the Fisheries. 
Game and Forest Commission on the subject. 
Mr. Titcomb alluded to the effect of forest fires upon 
the fish and game reserves of a country. 
Commenting upon the forestry department of Cornell 
University. Mr. Ussher spoke of the Canadian Associa- 
tion, modeled on similar lines to the United States For- 
estry Association, which he said was doing effective 
work. 
The last discussion of the day was on the length of 
open seasons for fish and game, which were generally 
conceded to be too long, and 011 the Association's effort 
to harmonize the open seasons of neighboring States and 
Provinces, so that they shall correspond as nearly as 
compatible with climatic variations. 
When the discussion was over the committee on nom- 
inations reported the following list of officers to serve 
for the ensuing year, their choice being unanimously 
ratified by the Association: President. Hon. F. R. 
T.atchford.,Toronto: Secretary and Treasurer. E. T. D. 
Chambers Quebec; Vice-Presidents, H. O. Stanlev. 
Dixfield. Me.; John Fottler, Tr., Boston. Mass.; R. F. 
Plumb, Detroit, Mich. ; A. T. Dunn. Fredericton. N. 
B.; N. Wentworth. Hudson Center. N. H.; C. H. Wil- 
son. Glens Falls N. Y.; Dr. G. A. McCallum. Dunville. 
Ont: Dr. T. C. Brainerd. Montreal. Quebec; F. G. But- 
terfield, Derby Line, Vt. ; C. S. Harrington, Halifax. 
N. S. Executive Committee: F. S. Hodges. Boston, 
Mass.; Henry Russell. Detroit. Mich.; D w G. Smith. 
Chatham, N. B.; W. H. Shurtleff. Lancaster, N. H.: 
J. H. Sevmour. New York; C. E. Clark. Auerusta, Me.; 
T. W. Titcomb. St. Johnsbury, Vt. : S. T. Bastedo, 
Toronto, Ont.; C. E. E. Ussher. Montreal. Que.; Mem- 
bership Committee: E. T. D. Chambers. Quebec; Dr. 
W. H. Drummond, Montreal; Wm. W. Henry, Quebec; 
Auditing Committee: L. O. Armstrong, Montreal; W. 
J. Cleghorn, Quebec. 
The committee to select the place for holding the next 
meeting suggested Ottawa, and the Association ap- 
proved of their choice by a unanimous vote. 
Jan. 23, Morning Session. 
The morning session was devoted to a discussion of 
the resolutions passed last year by the Association, and to 
the readme of two papers of more than usual merit by 
President Titcomb and Mr. C." H. Wilson. All the reso- 
lutions were reaffirmed. 
Limiting the Bag. 
There was little discussion until the sixth resolution, 
which limits the number of game birds and game fish to 
be taken in one day by any sportsman, was reached, but 
this was objected to by Mr. Richards, who said he be- 
lieved it to be almost impossible to enforce such a law. 
Mr. Richards said that any law, to be a good law, should 
be easy of enforcement, and that a law which was not 
enforced hurt other laws by putting them in contempt. 
A law limiting the game and fish to be taken put a re- 
striction only on the conscientious, honest sportsman 
who was not the man needing attention. The game hog 
and market hunter would not be stopped unless game 
wardens were sent with them to see that they did not 
evade the law. 
He cited the duck law of Ontario, which limited the 
number to be killed in one season to 300, and said that 
while clubs and conscientious sportsmen obeyed, others 
did not, and there were men who killed a thousand or 
more ducks, and though they made no particular effort 
to conceal the fact, they were not prosecuted. 
Mr. Cormier spoke in favor of the resolution. He 
said that in Quebec the law obliged the lessee of a preserve 
from the Government to give some idea of the fish and 
game taken, and that this record was of great practical 
value from a statistical point of view, as enabling the 
Dominion to keep tab on its resources. 
Mr. Titcomb said that in Vermont experience had 
proved the law a mighty good thing, and that the sports- 
men were observing it. "We don't have to send wardens 
after any one but poachers," said Mr. Titcomb. "The law 
is needed, and we have too little game to go around 
otherwise." 
Pike-Perch Protection. 
Mr. Wilson read his paper on the wall-eyed pike, as 
the pike-perch is locally known in the waters of Lake 
Champlain. 
Mr. Wilson's paper was timely, and received con- 
siderable applause. 
Ex-Gov. Fisk, of Vermont, said: 
"T want to thank Mr. Wilson for his paper. I want 
to ask the press of Vermont to publish it in full, and I 
shall ask the League to appropriate funds to print the 
paper for distribution in pamphlet form to the Legisla- 
ture of Vermont and the authorities of the Province of 
Quebec. The reason the Quebec Government did not 
stop the net fishing was because it did not know the feel- 
ing of our State. For years I stood at Montpelier and 
told our commission that Canada would not grant 
licenses, but Quebec was misinformed by those who de- 
sired the privilege. In my county the net fishing is 
quite a source of income, and there are many in favor 
of it. 
"I want to ask if we have here a commissioner or a 
League member who is not in favor of stopping the 
netting, that he be asked to resign as hostile to our best 
interests. 
"We haven't got to pass any new laws. It stands with 
the fish and game commissioners of Quebec to stop the 
granting of licenses. We will assure them that any 
-petition from Vermont in favor of licensing is wrong in 
motive, and does not represent the State." 
Dr. Brainerd said: 
"As your vice-president for the Province of Quebec. 
I would say that for years I have been trying to carry 
this very matter. I understood that last year it would 
have been carried if it had not been for the action of 
Vermont representatives. I believe this year it can be 
passed. I ask that we of Quebec bear half the expenses 
of printing Mr. Wilson's paper." 
Mr. Joncas said that he felt morally sure the matter 
could be carried to a successful issue, and that represent- 
atives of the Association from New York, as well as 
from Vermont and Quebec, should be present in Quebec 
f to press the matter. He stated that out of eighteen or 
i nineteen netting licenses issued by Quebec three only 
were used by Canadians, the others going to residents 
of Vermont. 
Messrs. Bentley, of the Central Vermont R. R., and 
Hodge, of the Rutland R. R., who were present, made 
short speeches in favor of concerted action to prohibit 
the netting licenses. 
Illegal Game Export. 
Dr. Brainerd reported for the committee sent to confer 
with the customs authorities that, "Your committee duly 
interviewed Hon. Olin Merrill, Collector of the Port 
of Burlington, concerning the illegal import of fish and 
game from Canada, 
j "They were received with much courtesy by Mr. Mer- 
\ rill, and assured that any information received as to 
• shipments of game under false invoices or in violation 
of the laws of the United States would be most heartily 
welcomed by the customs authorities, and would be 
promptly and fully investigated. 
Tag and Coupon System, 
Mr. Tinsley gave some interesting information with 
regard to the practical working of Ontario's system of 
licensing game dealers, etc., and also the results of the 
tag and coupon system now in force in the Province. 
The information was elicited in response to a question 
by Mr. Joncas during the discussion on the Association's 
resolution, "That the tag and coupon system in use in 
Ontario and Michigan be adopted by all the Provinces 
and States, and that market-men, game dealers, buyers, 
sellers and tanners of deer, moose and caribou skins, and 
proprietors of hunting camps be duly licensed — if such a 
system can be legally so arranged — by the chief game 
authorities of the States and Provinces, to whom they 
shall periodically report." 
Mr. Tinsley said that during the past year Ontario has 
received, chiefly from license fees (though a small amount 
in fines is included in the total), the sum of $13,000. 
There are in force license fees for cold storage, for 
hotels and restaurants, and for game dealers, as well as 
for those killing game. The fees for the former classes 
are regulated in accordance to the population of the cities 
or towns where they are located. In Toronto, with a 
population of 200,000, the cold storage fee is $25. The 
manager of the concern is compelled to make returns 
at the end of the open season of the kinds and amounts of 
game, and the names of those having game in storage, 
with description and quantity to their credit. 
Dealers in game are allowed twenty days after the ex- 
