The consensus of opinion among the sportsmen seems to be that 
the present laws, with the few exceptions above mentioned, should 
be left undisturbed for several years so as to give plenty of time to 
trv out their value or undesirability. 
CODIFICATION OF GAME LAWS 
In view of the general trend in legislation to codify laws of all 
sorts, there was a very decided sentiment in the Game Committees of 
rhe House and Senate of the last Legislature in favor of codifying 
all the laws on our books relative to the taking of game in order that 
the bulk might be materially reduced and the laws in general simp¬ 
lified thereby. While I dislike to even attempt such codification as 
it will mean a great deal of difficult, painstaking work on the part 
of this office and the Legislative Reference Bureau, after a careful 
survey of the present laws it is evident that by codifying we can re¬ 
duce the bulk of the present laws by at least thirty-five (35) pages of 
the 1921 game law pamphlet. For example, each act now has a sepa¬ 
rate title, usually a separate clause defining various terms, each sec¬ 
tion a. separate recital of penalties, a separate clause making disposi¬ 
tion of seized property, a separate clause giving the power of summary 
conviction and such other matters as may be necessary to provide for 
proper enforcement, and a separate clause covering the disposition 
of penalties. If a code should be prepared, one title would suffice for 
all acts included in such code, and the disposition of property, enforce¬ 
ment, and penalties would each take just one clause instead of ap¬ 
pearing in each act separately as at this time. I would recommend 
against any material changes in the application of the present laws 
at this time. In addition to the above, there are several acts that are 
practically duplicates of each other, such as the alien gun and alien 
dog law, and the non-resident hunter’s license law and the resident 
hunter’s license law. In other instances our law is obsolete, such as 
the provision permitting the sale of wild water fowl, which is pro¬ 
hibited by the Federal law and will undoubtedly never again be 
legalized. 
FIELD FORCE 
The present system of handling our field force, the cooperation 
we are giving other Departments and the assistance we are in turn 
receiving from them, continues, to meet with the hearty approval 
and support of the sportsmen of the Commonwealth. Our field or¬ 
ganization, which was never in better shape than today, is so co¬ 
ordinated that uniform results are being obtained throughout the 
H^ate and the sportsmen are assisting our officers as never before. 
At least seventy-five per cent, of the time and effort of our field of¬ 
ficers is being devoted to educational work among the sportsmen, 
and the results obtained more than justify our effort in that direction, 
as we are securing such universal co-operation and support from the 
sportsmen that it augurs well for the future sportsmen of the Key¬ 
stone State. 
While the field officers have displayed a far greater interest and 
energetic activity in their work than ever before, because of the un¬ 
usual industrial depression through which we have been passing 
during the past year the demands, made on our field organization 
were greater than previously. While many of the complaints relative 
to violations of the law upon investigation developed that some un¬ 
employed citizen was merely trying to devote some idle time to 
destroying vermin, hunting for woodchucks, etc., and that the game 
laws were not being violated as had been reported, nevertheless these 
additional complaints required the expenditure of larger amounts 
for traveling expenses than anticipated. 
Because of the foregoing complaints, as well as the very decided 
increase in the number of hunters, the demands for the employment 
of Special Deputy Game Protectors to assist in controling conditions 
were unusually heavy. Even though the Deputy Protectors in general 
have assisted in a very material way without being employed under 
pay, still there were many urgent requests from all sections of the 
State for the employment of Special Deputy Game Protectors who 
had proven trustworthy and reliable to assist the regular officers. 
The result is that a considerably larger expenditure of funds was 
necessary for this purpose than anticipated. From reports received 
to date, the employment of such special help was entirely justified 
in the great majority of instances, and in many cases through such 
employment conditions were corrected and penalties were collected 
in excess of the amount necessary to expend for such employment. 
One case has been reported during the year in which it was neces¬ 
sary for one of our officers to defend himself by actually shooting a 
violator of the law after placing him under arrest. In this instance 
Special Deputy John O. Powell, of Ringtown, Schuylkill County, 
was compelled to shoot and kill one Frank Wilson, of Jersey Shore. 
After placing Wilson and his companion under arrest they went 
along without protest but suddenly jumped behind a water tank and 
opened fire on the officer. After Wilson was killed his accomplice 
suddenly departed for parts unknown. Both were apparently fugi¬ 
tives from justice. This is the first case oi: this sort during the last 
ten vears. 
GAME CONDITIONS 
Game conditions throughout the State prior to the open season were 
reported to be considerably better than any time during the past 
fifteen years. I visited nineteen (19) of our thirty-two (32) game 
refuges during the past year, and in the majority of instances trav¬ 
ersed the entire refuge line with the officer in charge, as well as 
uearbv territory. 1 also covered a majority of the sixtv -seven (6<) 
counties and conferred with interested sportsmen, and am satisfied 
1 K 
