season. In most sections of the State the killing of illegal deer was 
reduced by more than 50 per cent., but with the opening of new deer 
territory, a larger number of hunters, etc., the number of illegally 
killed deer totals approximately the same as during the season of 
1920, although we are reasonably confident that the records on il¬ 
legally killed deer for the 1921 season cover more nearly the actual 
number so killed than ever before. This in our opinion speaks well 
for the sportsmen of Pennsylvania, and we anticipate that next sea¬ 
son the kill of illegal deer will be materially reduced in number, as 
well as the ratio to the legal kill, in all sections of the State. While 
new laws increasing the length of the antlers, revoking licenses of 
persons violating the law, and the greater interest taken by our 
people, have undoubtedly been responsible to a large degree for the 
improvement noted, yet the work of the field force has also been of 
very decided assistance to this end. 
HUNTING LICENSES. 
Latest available figures indicate that 462,371 resident hunters’ 
licenses and 1,761 non-resident hunters’ licenses were issued ^uring 
the season just closed, or more than one out of every twenty of our 
residents secured licenses to hunt. This is an increase of 30,000 
over last season, and an increase of slightly more than 60,000 over 
the 1919 season. Industrial conditions apparently are partly re¬ 
sponsible, as a large number of persons spent otherwise idle time 
hunting for game of various kinds this season. Indications are 
that with normal conditions next season the number of licenses is¬ 
sued will again show quite an increase. 
HUNTING ACCIDENTS. 
During the season just closed 29 men were killed and 130 were 
wounded while hunting, in comparison with 43 killed and 85 wound¬ 
ed in 1920, and 35 killed and 120 wounded in 1919. Almost two- 
thirds of these fatalities were the result of carelessness with fire¬ 
arms on the part of those killed, and unfortunately it seems to be 
almost impossible to reduce materially fatalities from this cause. 
In a limited number of instances fatalities, occurred through care¬ 
lessness on the part of fellow-hunters. The new law imposing heavy 
penalties upon persons shooting others in mistake for wild creatures 
has no doubt helped decidedly to reduce the number of fatalities, 
and, according to the best information we have been able to gather, 
no one was killed in Pennsylvania in mistake for a deer this 
year, while during 1919 and 1920 one person was killed each season 
in mistake for deer. One man, Mr. John Ditzler, of Lycoming 
County, was shot in mistake for a bear by Mr. J. E. Arnold, the 
shooting proving fatal within a short time. This case is now being 
6 
prosecuted by the County authorities. We have record of a few 
cases in which persons were shot in mistake for wild creatures of 
various sorts. In every instance where sportsmen were shot in mis¬ 
take for wild creatures, prosecutions have been brought by county 
authorities. It is evident, therefore, that the buck law of Pennsyl¬ 
vania has had twofold effect; first, a rapid increase in the deer; 
second, a saving of human life. In other States, without laws pro¬ 
tecting does and baby bucks, and drastic laws applying to persons 
shooting others in mistake for wild creatures, a number of sportsmen 
are each year killed in mistake for deer. ' 
It has been suggested, and we believe it would prove benefical, 
that boys under 17 years of age should be prohibited from using 
firearms to hunt for wild creatures of any sort unless accompanied 
by a responsible adult. A number of the accidents during the past 
season occurred through groups of boys using firearms without the 
supervision of responsible adults. 
GAME KEFUGES. 
At this time we have thirty game refuges established, and two 
additional tracts on which purchase is about completed for estab¬ 
lishing refuges. Of these thirty-two tracts, twenty are located on 
State Forest lands, five on leased lands, and the balance on lands 
purchased by the Board for this purpose. For detailed information 
relative to the status of lands purchased, we respectfully refer you 
to our Secretary’s report on that subject. 
We now have eight auxiliary game refuges which are meeting 
with the approval of the sportsmen, and which are being operated 
with a limited expenditure from our funds. 
GAME FOR STOCKING PURPOSES. 
During the past year we secured for stocking purposes quite a 
large number of desirable birds and animals, and expended for this 
nurnose during the 1921 fiscal year $(> 2 , 347 . 27 , exclusive of express* 
age. feeding till liberation, etc., in comparison with $56,259.91 dur¬ 
ing 1920, and $28,115.60 during 1919 for this purpose. During the 
1922 fiscal year we hope again to secure a large number of cotton¬ 
tailed rabbits and Mexican bob-white quail, with such number of 
deer, ring-neck pheasants, etc., as may be available. 
BOUNTIES. 
The growing popularity of the bounty system of Pennsylvania, 
especially when passing through serious industrial depressions, has 
resulted in an increase in the number of animals presented for 
bounties during the past year, requiring a total of $128,269.50 of 
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