10 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan. 7, 1905. 
[Massachusetts Association. 
Boston^ Dec. 31. — Editor Forest and Stream: By invi- 
tation of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective 
Association, delegates from many sportsmen's clubs and 
other societies interested in game protection met at 2 
o'clock last Thursday at the Copley Square Hotel. Presi- 
dent Hinman made brief explanation of the purpose of 
the meeting, and called attention to a circular on the 
scarcity of game birds and the need of immediate and 
earnest work in feeding the quail we now have, and in 
the work of acclimatization which the State Association 
has been prosecuting for many years, in particular that 
of last spring in liberating quail. He said that to carry 
on the work this season to a degree commensurate with 
present needs a great deal more money would be required 
than is obtained from the small annual assessment of 
$5 each from members of the association. 
At this point the association meeting adjourned to 
7 :39 P. M., and Mr. H. A._ Estabrook, of Fitchburg, 
chairman of the central committee, was chosen to preside 
over the conference. By request of the chairman the 
secretary presented a report reviewing briefly the steps 
taken in forming that committee in January, 1900, and 
the legislative work accomplished by it during the past 
four years, 
The first speaker was E. H. Lathrop, Esq., formerly a 
Fish and Game Commisioner of Springfield, who said 
the sportsmen of his city were in favor of a hunters' 
license, the money derived therefrom to be used exclu- 
sively for the betterment of game conditions. This plan 
he said would be in accord with that adopted in some 
thirty-one States of the Union, and in the Canadian 
Provinces. In his opinion, Massachusetts should "fall 
in line" with the others. Such a system was the 
only means of adequate protection. It is impossible to 
get from the Legislature an appropriation sufficient to 
hire enough game wardens, and, in his opinion, men must 
be paid -in order to accomplish anything, especially when 
circumstances are likely to "put them up against such a 
proposition as two or three Italian slaughterers of song 
birds." He declared the planting of trout fry for which 
large sums had been expended a waste of money, and 
said that in Maine they keep their fry until they "grow 
to fingerlings, and sometimes to twice that size, before 
turning them loose." ^ 
Mr. E. Howe Forbush, ornithologist to the Board of 
Agriculture, urged the necessity of a^ law to stop the 
spring shooting of wildfowl. He also called attention to 
the disappearance of the curlew and golden plover from 
the State, and the scarcity of wood ducks. The Italian 
gunners who, when afield, kill everything from a chick- 
adee to a hen-hawk, and who hunt at all seasons, came 
in for their share of attention from Mr. Forbush and 
other speakers. 
Mr. H. S. Fay, of Marlboro, argued that a license 
might cause the farmers, ,when compelled to pay for 
shooting on their own land, to get back at the sportsmen 
by posting it and thus keeping outsiders off. Others 
thought the owners of land, considerinar a license sys- 
tem a measure of protection, would accept the situation 
gracefully, and would not pursue an arbitrary policy to- 
ward the hunters. 
Mr. A- B. F. Kinney, of Worcester, said there were laws 
enough now to protect our game if they were enforced. 
The State should pay the money needed for this, and 
when it does so the game "will hold its own." There 
are now twenty-five good wing shots where there was 
one twenty-five years ago, aiid if sportsmen would con- 
tent themselves with small bags "instead of gunning for 
all they can get in a day's outing," there would be more 
game. Partridges he believed more plenty than last 
year, but he was sure the quail were "fading out." 
Dr. J. A. Bailey, of Arlington, who had acted as a 
volunteer warden, exhibited several song birds which had 
been killed by an Italian whom he captured and who is 
now serving a sentence of five months in jail at East 
Cambridge. 
Mr. C. E. Wheeler, of Lexington, told about a justice 
before whom he brought an Italian whom he arrested for 
killing two robins and a woodpecker, who let the offender 
off with a fine of $5 when the penalty should have been 
$10 for each bird. He said unpaid deputies (those not on 
salary) were likely to become discouraged when judges 
fail to follow the law in imposing fines. 
Other speakers were Hon. Moody Kimball, of New- 
buryport, chairman of the Fish and Game Committee, 
and Senator Frank M. Chase, of Fall River, who said 
he would favor an appropriation by the Legislature for 
the purchase of quail. 
Mr. P"ay, for the committee appointed to bring in a list 
of names to serve as an executive committee, reported 
the following: George M. Poland, Esq., Wakefield; H. 
S. Fay, Marlboro; A. C. Sylvester, North Attleboro; Dr. 
j . H. Newton, Greenfield ; H. E. Tuck, Haverhill ; A. B. 
F. Kinney, Worcester; J. R. Reed, Boston; J. T. Herrick, 
M.D., Springfield; H. P. Bryant, New Bedford; Salem 
D. Charles, Boston; Henry A. Estabrook, Fitchburg; 
Joseph H. Wood, Pittsfield; Henry H. Kimball, Boston. 
After a recess of half an hour, the members, sixty in 
number, gathered around the tables. President Hinman 
called for order at 8 o'clock, and speaking was resumed. 
It was after ten when Mr. E. Harold Baynes, the well- 
known writer on natural history subjects, elucidated the 
beautiful pictures of scenes taken in Stoneham and the 
Fells last winter while the work of feeding birds was 
being carried on by the high school boys, and which were 
shown with fine effect on the screen. 
A set of resolutions for the saving of the buffalo from 
extermination, prepared by Mr. Baynes, was read by 
Mr. I. O. Converse, and was unanimously adopted, and 
a vote was passed that a copy be sent to President 
Roosevelt. 
Game as Household Goods/* 
On Thursday Commissioner Delano and Deputy Bur- 
ney made a big seizure of game which came through 
from Washington county, Maine, in a freight car marked 
"House furnishings," and billed to "Clara Wilson," Bos- 
ton. The seizure was made under authority of the Lacey 
law._ The car contained 12 whole deer, four half carcasses, 
2 hindquarters of moose, and 187 partridges. It is re- 
ported that the name of the shipper has been discovered, 
and Deputy Burney told your correspondent yesterday 
that there is not much doubt who "Clara Wilson" is. He 
says "she wears a beard." The goods have been placed 
m cold storage to await further developments. 
This shipment is likely to be made an "object-lesson" 
by the Maine Commission to show the grangers what 
would happen on a large scale if their theories were car- 
ried out. I learn that in their report the commissioners 
urge that market-hunting must be discouraged in every 
possible manner. Chairman Carleton says : "The Boston 
market has not in years been so supplied with our moose, 
deer and birds as this year." He attributes this to the 
dropping out by the revision committee of the law giving 
the right of search and seizure without a warrant and the 
taking to Boston of game by the person who has killed it. 
He suggests a fee of $5 for hunting game birds in Sep- 
tember, and plover in August, and $15 for hunting birds 
and game in October and November; those having paid 
$5 for earlier shooting to be let off by paying $10 addi- 
tional for October and November, the licensee to be 
allowed to take home ten partridges, ducks or other game 
birds. He also recommends striking off from the open 
season the fifteen days of December, and that only one of 
the two deer a person may kill shall be a doe. He would 
also prohibit the carrying of guns into the woods in close 
season. 
The last named provision might lead to a profitable 
side business for proprietors of camps in loaning guns to 
guests during their stay for a reasonable compensation, 
to be used in target practice, a favorite recreation with 
many visitors in the close season especially. 
Central. 
Report of the Secretary of the Massachusetts Central Commit- 
tee for Protection of Fish and Game, submitted to the Conference 
of Sportsmen's Clubs at the Copley Square Hotel, on Thursday, 
Dec. 29, 1904, by request of the Chairman, H. A. Estabrook, of 
Fitchburg. 
Your chairman is of the opinion that a brief outline 
of the steps taken in forming the Central Committee 
and of its work up to the present time, will be of in- 
terest to those present. 
The first step was the vote of the State Association 
in March, 1898, "That the secretary correspond with 
the officers of sportsmen's and . farmers' clubs of the 
State, and invite them to meet us in convention to dis- 
cuss changes in game laws, etc." 
Only about a dozen clubs responded and sent dele- 
gates who met with the ofificers of the Massachusetts 
Fish and Game Protective Association on Nov. 16, 1898. 
Though few in numbers, the meeting was characterized 
by much enthusiasm. Prominent among the speakers 
was Prof. Wm. H. Niles, president of the Appalachian 
Mountain Club, who assured those present that the 
ijOOD members of that organization were a unit in 
favor of the purposes and work of the State Association. 
Mr. Geo. H. MacKay spoke for the Ornithologists' 
Union. The late Wm. B. Phinney, of Lynn, and Dr. 
C. H. Raymond, of Rehoboth, also spoke in favor of 
more stringent legislation and a rigid enforcement of 
game laws. This meeting was followed by one called 
by the Fish and Game Commission the following 
autumn. 
Meantime the activity of the association had led to an 
extensive correspondence from interested persons all over 
the State, and when an invitation was sent out for its 
second convention, it met with a hearty response. This 
was held at the Copley Square Hotel on the afternoon 
of Dec. 14, 1899. Delegates attended from some thirty 
game protective associations and sportsmen's clubs, from 
several farmers' clubs, and from many societies not de- 
voted to , field sports, such as the Massachusetts State 
Board of Trade, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 
Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, Massachusetts 
Board of Education, Massachusetts Forestry Association, 
The New England Agricultural Society, etc. 
The speaking occupied the entire afternoon, and was 
continued after the dinner to a late hour in the evening. 
A committee which sat during the recess reported : 
1. In favor of the selection of a central committee. 
2. That the open season for upland shooting be from 
October i to December i. 
3. That the sale of game _ birds be prohibited. 
4. That fishways be provided. 
5. That the committee use means to raise funds to 
bring these measures before the Legislature and secure 
their passage. 
On January 4, pursuant to notice, the delegates met 
and selected an executive committee of twelve members, 
with Mr. A. B. F. Kinney as chairman. : , 
At a meeting of the Massachusetts Fish and Game 
Protective Association, January 10, a resolution was 
adopted as follows : 
"That this association call upon our Senators and 
Representatives, and we do hereby call on them, to pass 
more restrictive laws for the greater protection of our 
game birds before it is too late and the game of the 
State becomes exterminated." It was voted that the- 
secretary send a copy of the resolution to each member 
of the Legislature. The market men took alarm, and re- 
quested a conference with the committee, which resulted 
in an agreement on iheir part not to oppose the prohibi- 
tion of the sale of woodcock and partridges, but after a 
protracted hearing by the Fish and Game Committee, an 
adverse report was submitted to the house. The follow- 
ing week, on motion of Representative Hancock, of 
Brockton, the report was referred back to the committee, 
where, by the skillful tactics of Representative Harry D. 
Hunt and others, a favorable report was secured, but 
with a time limit of three years. Even then the contest 
was but just begun, the hardest battle of all being waged 
against us by the Senate chairman, Mr. Leach, of Rayn- 
ham, who fought it at every stage, and only lacked one 
or two votes of killing the bill. 
At the expiration of the three years, by reason of in- 
creased unanimity on the part of the sportsmen, and be- 
cause the Committee on Fish and Game was more favor- 
able to sportsmen's interests, the contest for making the 
law permanent was not so severe. Under the leadership 
of Chairman Estabrook, a large number of witnesses gave 
their testimony in favor of the bill, and when the call 
came for remonstrants, no one arose. 
A favorable report of the committee was received with- 
out serious opposition in the House or Senate. 
Your committee had very little difficulty in securing an 
extension of five years for the law prohibiting the killing 
of deer, and, as you all know, we extended our aid in 
securing a "right of search bill"— such as it is. 
In conclusion, permit me tO' say, I believe, that, aside 
from the legislative work accomplished, there have been 
derived other benefits from the union of effort on the 
part of sportsmen and others interested in our cause. 
Men from different parts of the State have come to 
understand each other better on more intimate 
acquaintance. 
Sectional barriers have been removed. 
There has been developed a higher regard for the views 
and opinions of those not dwelling in our immediate 
neighborhood which will strengthen the ties of friendship 
and help to bind us together in the common brotherhood 
of true sportsmanship. 
Respectfully submitted, Henry H. Kimball, 
Secretary Massachusetts Central Committee for Protec- 
tion of Fish and Game. 
Minnesota Non-Residents. 
From the Pioneer Press. 
A State law making it manslaughter in the first de- 
gree for a hunter to kill a man, mistaking him for a 
deer, is recommended by the State Game and Fish 
Commission,, which adopted its annual report to Gov. 
S. R. Van Sant yesterday, reports the St. Paul Pioneer 
Press. The report calls attention to the large num- 
ber of deaths each year resulting from the careless- 
ness of hunters, and expresses the opinion that a law 
of this kind would reduce the number of such acci- 
dents to a minimum. 
"The public is J)econiing aroused because of the 
deaths from accidents by careless hunters," says the 
report. "While Minnesota has fared well as com- 
pared with some of her sister States, still the accidents 
are altogether too numerous, and our board is of the 
opinion that a lav/ ought to be passed making it a 
penitentiary offense, manslaughter in the first degree, 
for one 'man to kill another in the woods, mistaking 
him for a deer, and that the defense that such killing 
was an accident ought not to- be considered in the 
trial. 
"While we do not believe this would prevent acci- 
dents altogether, it would help immensely. As long 
as we have with us the fool who will for fun (as he 
calls it) point a loaded gun at a man's head, just to 
see him jump, just so long will we have accidents in 
the woods, when such fellows can demand a license 
from the county auditor of his county. Until we do 
something to improve the human race, the plac- 
ing in such men's hands of firearms will always be a 
mistake, but we do not know how to stop this. 
"We believe, however, that while a different law 
ought to be passed, the newspapers throughout the 
State can do a great deal of good by keeping up the 
agitation and warning men to be absolutely sure be- 
fore they shoot, that they know that the object they 
are shooting at is a wild animal." 
One of the most sweeping recommendations made 
by the Commission is that no non-resident be al- 
lowed to hunt in Minnesota. Such a prohibition is 
necessary, the Commissioners say, to protect the game 
of the State. They say many non-residents come to 
Minnesota to kill game for the purpose of selling it 
in other States. The State law prohibits the selling 
of game in Minnesota, but there is no way of prevent- 
ing non-residents from selling game in other States, 
except by arresting the offenders if they again visit 
Minnesota. 
"This is a very far-reaching recommendation, and 
•there would undoubtedly be sorne complaint if such 
a law were passed," said Executive Agent S. F. Ful- 
lerton; "but we do not see how we can prevent the 
selling of game in other States in any other way. 
Many non-residents who are allowed to hunt, in Min- 
nesota abuse their privilege, and the only way is to 
take it away from them." 
The Commission recommends a general license law, 
requiring residents of Minnesota, as well as non- 
residents, to secure licenses to hunt big and small 
-game. At present residents need no Hceiise to hunt 
small game.- The non-resident license for small game 
is $10, and for big game, $25. It. is proposed to adopt 
.a $1 resident license for small game. 
The Commissioners give four reasons for the gen- 
eral license: It would add to the revenue and make 
the department practically self-sustaining; such a law- 
would be fair, on the general principle that the man 
who hunts should help pay for the protection; it 
would prevent non-residents passing themselves of? 
