The most important of these changes is the uniform season for 
all small game, and it is hoped that the next Legislature, if any 
change is made in that part of the law, will see fit to include the 
few exceptions to a synchronous season for all small upland game. 
While the new law protecting deer until they have antlers at 
least four inches from the top of the skull has secured better re¬ 
sults than anticipated, largely because of the splendid degree of 
sportsmanship evidenced everywhere during the season just closed, 
it seems to be the consensus of opinion among sportsmen that all 
deer, should be protected until they reach at least two and one-half 
years of age, or until they have two or more'prongs to one side of 
their antlers. If this feature of our law again comes up for con¬ 
sideration it is hoped the change suggested will be made, thereby 
securing better breeding animals and more desirable trophies. 
The authority vested in our Board by the last Legislature to re¬ 
voke hunting licenses is securing good results, and, by judicious 
administration of this feature of the law, it is hoped to bring about 
materially improved conditions in sections of the State where here¬ 
tofore proper respect for our laws was almost impossible to obtain. 
The new laws controlling shooting, although quite drastic,, are un- 
doubtely well worth while, and conservative sportsmen everywhere 
are commending your action in approving these two bills,. Through 
these two acts the lives of our people are safeguarded while hunting 
to an extent not heretofore obtainable. 
There seems to be strong sentiment among the sportsmen of the 
State for codification of our present laws protecting game and wild 
bilks in ordei to reduce materially the bulk, as well as to clarify 
the application of the various acts on the subject, and we have di¬ 
rected our Secretary to have prepared by the Legislative Reference 
Bureau a complete draft of a code which will embrace all the pres¬ 
ent laws with practically no alterations whatever, so that if the 
next Legislature desires to give consideration to such codification 
the same will be ready to submit to that body. 
Our people generally are of the opinion that the present laws, 
with the few exceptions above named, should be left undisturbed 
for a sufficient length of time to ascertain definitely their value or 
undesirability. 
GAME CONDITIONS. 
From reports reaching us from many directions, as well as from 
personal observation while inspecting various sections of the State, 
we are satisfied game conditions show continued improvement. 
Weather conditions during the season for small game were unfavor¬ 
able, and the kill of game was not so large as would have been pos¬ 
sible with better weather conditions. Due to such unfavorable 
4 
weather conditions we have a larger supply of game of all sorts left 
over for breeding stock than we have had for some time past. How¬ 
ever, to insure a future supply, we urge that sportsmen continue kill¬ 
ing ruffed grouse sparingly. Generally speaking, the sportsmen over 
the state seem to be of one accord that the season of 1921 was a 
successful one, and while they were not successful in killing large 
quantities of game, it is encouraging, to note that the great majoritv 
of our people are becoming more and more interested in maintain¬ 
ing a sufficient game supply to serve as an incentive to take them 
into the open for a few days of recreation rather than to secure a 
food supply through large kills. By reference to the addendum of 
the Secretary’s report you will find a tabulated statement giving 
fairly accurate figures on the game of various kinds killed during 
the past season. 
The large game season was the most successful Pennsylvania has 
ever experienced, and for your information we give below compara¬ 
tive data on the kill of bears and deer that proves conclusively the 
above assertion: 
1907 
1915 
1918 
1919 
1920 
1921 
Bear, .... 
.... 200 
188** 
387 
472 
420 
510 
Deer, ... . 
.... 200* 
1287 
1754 
2939 
3300 
4840 
During all of the above period the laws protecting large game 
were constantly being improved and made more restrictive. By 
reference to the addendum above mentioned, you will note that the 
kill of “spike” bucks (only one and one-half years old—antlers with¬ 
out prongs) was comparatively limited. This is the first season we 
have gathered data to show the antler growth on the deer killed in 
Pennsylvania, and we are pleased to observe that the sportsmen them¬ 
selves are rapidly reaching the point where they will not permit the 
killing of immature deer even though the law does not prohibit the 
killing of small bucks. According to data collected, the “spike” 
bucks killed this past sea,son numbered 639; bucks with two points 
to one antler, 796; bucks with three points to one antler, 1248; and 
bucks with four points to one antler and larger, 2157 ; with an aver¬ 
age weight of about 130 pounds, hog dressed. 
During the 1920 season we had reports of 198 does and 66 babv 
bucks with antlers less than two inches long being killed. During 
the season just closed, with approximately 100,000 men (20,000 
more than last year) hunting large game, and an increase of about 45 
per cent, in the kill of legal bucks, the reports indicate that 213 does 
and 68 bucks with horns less than four inches long were killed this 
*Male deer of all ages*—the first year for the killing- of bucks only in Pennsylvania 
**First season trapping was prohibited and number limited to one to each person. 
