Dec. 15, 1906.1 
945 
The Sauter Case. 
In response to a request we made for further 
information relative to the Sauter case, reported 
in our last issue, Game Protector Overton has 
written us as follows: 
Port Jefferson, N. Y., Dec. 3.—Editor Forest 
and Stream: In response to complaint from the 
Audubon Society, Protector Dorlon and I 
visited a large number of taxidermy shops, 
among them being Fred Sauter’s. It was Feb. 
27 we saw two quail that were marked “Re¬ 
ceived Feb. 24, 1906,” and also a name attached. 
We asked Mr. Sauter if he knew where the 
birds came from, and he said he did not. Also 
in process of mounting we saw one sea gull. 
We reported as above to Albany and an order 
was issued to our attorney, who concluded to 
test the law as to the quail. 
Had Mr. Sauter been straightforward and 
shown that the quail came from somewhere 
legally, it is my opinion there would have been 
no action; and again, when he went on the 
stand, had he admitted what we think are the 
facts, it is not probable our attorney would 
have resorted to his request for a ruling on the 
point that the law applied to any part of the bird 
(see Sec. 39 of game law). 
Should this decision stand, it is not at all 
likely to be applied to the possession of mounted 
specimens, except where it appeared that birds 
were in their fresh state out of season, or where 
wild birds for which there.is no open season 
were being trafficked in by dealers or taxi¬ 
dermists. 
We can conceive of no necessity for the killing 
of our common song birds for ornamental or 
even scientific purposes at this date. 
J. E. Overton. 
Pennsylvania Game. 
Lebanon, Dec. 1. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Friday, Nov. 30, marked the close of one of the 
most successful game seasons in a good many 
years in this section of Pennsylvania, with the 
exception of bears and Wilson snipe. There 
will be no use for the “too-straight or too- 
crooked” weapon to be used until July 15, 1907. 
But our guns have earned a well-deserved rest 
at the hands of the lovers of the natural pleas¬ 
ures this country affords them, irrespective of 
their financial standing in this world. Not like 
some foreign countries, where only the lords, 
dukes or counts have the opportunity of getting 
a day afield. The game of the United States is 
the property of the public, and everybody can 
have his equal share under legitimate circum¬ 
stances. 
With the exceptions of quail, the game 
seekers have not in a long time been so success¬ 
ful as this season. In the rough and mountain 
sections it was a very trying thing, that tested 
the honesty of one's action while hunting pheas¬ 
ants (grouse), for I know of several instances 
of the opportunity men had to exceed the bag- 
limit of five a day. This gamy bird was to be 
found in almost any woodland, and it certainly 
did give abundant sport to the bird shooter. 
The reports well show that almost two times 
as many deer have been killed in Pennsylvania 
as in any one season in the past ten. T lie same 
can be said of bear. As to small game, pheas¬ 
ants were the leader in numbers, but turkeys 
seemed to be abundant as compared with the 
past few seasons. Quail were not numerous, 
but this was the first season that the game com¬ 
mission had to watch the benefit of their ex¬ 
periment with southern quail. Many comments 
had been heard on all sides as to the results of 
this experiment, but I have satisfied myself that 
this same bird will get acclimated to the north¬ 
ern country and thrive well. I grant that the 
change of climate is a very strange thing at 
first for the bird, but experience has taught me 
that care on the part of the farmers and the 
sportsmen in protecting them in the winter is 
necessary, and in a few years there should be 
plenty of quail shooting for all. Many sports¬ 
men in this section would not shoot quail this 
season, thinking others would follow their ex¬ 
ample and leave all for “seed.” 
There is about to be put in circulation a pe¬ 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
tition, to present to the next Legislature, calling 
for a close season on quail for three years. 
Squirrels were abundant, but woodcock were 
not found to be abundant; still there were more 
killed this fall than in the past few seasons. 
Rabbits were abundant. It was an easy matter 
to 'secure a few in as many hours almost any 
place where there were food and cover for the 
cottontail. 
A few changes in the game laws will greatly 
help the increase of all game in this State. A 
bounty should be put on vermin, but the differ¬ 
ent game societies are doing all in their power 
to wipe them out. A. law to license the gun 
in the field will also meet with the general ap¬ 
proval of all, as a neat sum can be realized for 
protection, as well as to multiply what is still 
here, but action is necessary, and many sports¬ 
men are awaiting patiently the results of the 
introduction into the Legislature of a few new 
bills which are about completed by the game 
commission. Nat. Ressler, D. G. P. 
The Need for Clubs in Massachusetts. 
Boston, Mass., Dec. 5. —Editor Forest and 
Stream: The work of planting the finger- 
ling trout purchased of the Plymouth Rock 
Hatchery several months ago by the State Asso¬ 
ciation is well under way, and reports thus far 
received from those to whom they have been 
IN THE BLIND AT MT. EDEN, CAL. 
A picture sent in since the publication recently of 
Mr. Currier’s account of duck shooting on San Francisco 
Bay. 
sent all say that the fish are fine and arrived in 
first-class condition. ' So many were applied for 
that all large orders had to be scaled down about 
one-half. In this particular field the Massa¬ 
chusetts commission has been woefully handi¬ 
capped by the scarcity of water at the hatcheries 
and its high temperature during the summer. 
I have no doubt that if the board could dis¬ 
tribute four times the number of fingerlings sent 
out last year (62,375) it would have no surplus 
after filling all applications. There is one private 
hatchery in the state where, I am told, a million 
fingerlings could be reared annually. The origi¬ 
nal contract of the association, made last sum¬ 
mer, called for 25,000 fingerling, and applications 
have been received for more than twice that 
number. With four hatching stations the in¬ 
significant supply of the commission in 1905 for 
fall planting cuts a sorry figure. 
Strenuous efforts were made by the late 
lamented chairman, Capt. Collins, to develop the 
South Hadley station for the rearing of finger¬ 
lings, but without success. Commissioner 
Collins did the best he could with the facilities 
he had at -command. So far as appears at the 
present time, and for some years to come, there 
is but one hope for the trout fishermen of Mass¬ 
achusetts (unless they are willing to contribute 
their own money), and that is in the general 
government, which can be reached only through 
their members of Congress. 
For this deplorable condition of our trout 
fisheries the sportsmen, primarily, are to blame. 
They have been apathetic. In years gone by 
they have failed to grasp the situation. In many 
large communities they have failed to organize. 
Individuals have labored in many cases, single- 
handed, with commendable zeal, but the majority 
have been waiting for something to turn up. 
The crying need to-day for the development 
of the stream fisheries is organized effort—more 
anglers’ clubs, or fish and game clubs to in¬ 
crease the supply of both game and fish. In 
communities where there is no organization no 
sportsman is excusable if he neglects to take 
hold at once and agitate the subject of forming 
a protective society. Once he begins, the 
chances are he will be surprised to find how 
many of his friends are in sympathy with his 
effort and ready to join hands with him. 
Two years ago, in a town not far from Bos¬ 
ton, one man decided to test a few of his brother 
sportsmen on the subject of forming such a 
club. In less than a week more than a dozen 
men had become actively interested. The week 
following initiatory steps were taken by those 
few men toward forming an organization, and 
since that time it has kept on increasing, till 
it now numbers 275 members, having representa¬ 
tives in no less than thirty different towns. “Go 
thou and do likewise,” or if you are unable to 
do that, enroll your name in some club already 
formed. Put such an organization in every large 
community and let them all act unitedly, and the 
cause of fish and game protection will advance 
by leaps and bounds. H. H. Kimball. 
A Long Canoe Trip. 
Montreal, Canada, Dec. 10. — Editor Forest 
and Stream: Colonel T. T. Turnbull and his 
son, Creighton, with Mr. W. M. Stewart, en¬ 
joyed one of the finest canoe trips made last 
season. They paddled down the Saskatchewan 
River from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, to 
Winnipeg, in two canoes with four guides. 
These far northern Canadian guides are splendid 
fellows; and a trip of this kind brings out their 
good qualities. The party found excellent wild¬ 
fowl shooting on the way. They found fishing 
companies exporting great quantities of fish to 
the American markets. One hundred and fifty 
miles below Cumberland House the party 
entered Cedar Lake, thirty miles in length and 
fifteen wide from north to south. On one side 
of the lake is a fine supply of big game, on the 
other the bird shooting is very good. Grand 
Rapids, where the North Saskatchewan flows 
into Lake Winnipeg, breaks the navigation be¬ 
tween Edmonton and Lake Winnipeg. Grand 
Rapids was once a very busy spot. It was the 
main transfer center of the Hudson Bay Com¬ 
pany’s northwest traffic, as proved by the empty 
warehouses and ruined tram-way tracks. 
A little below the old post is quite a populous 
village of whites and halfbreeds who live by 
trapping and fishing. These are the employees 
of the fishing companies now. There is a beau¬ 
tiful beach here, and some day it will be a 
favorite summer resort. Fish are very abun¬ 
dant, as is illustrated by the fact that a family 
of eleven children and sixteen dogs can get their 
daily supply in a very few minutes. Lake Win¬ 
nipeg is 300 miles long and 100 wide. It is 
stormy and not very desirable for canoes, but 
there are plenty of steam and sail boats on the 
lake, so that it is not necessary to take any risks 
in canoes. 
The government is displaying its reprehensible 
carelessness with regard to the fisheries with 
the result that they are being destroyed. Not 
more than 10 per cent, of the old catch is now 
taken. This will be allowed to go on until 
these cormorant fish companies ruin their own 
and the country’s local fisheries. 
L. O. Armstrong. 
Few Quail Shipped from Tennessee. 
Replying to an inquiry. Joseph H. Acklen, 
State Game Warden of Tennessee, has informed 
us that very few quail are shipped from Ten¬ 
nessee for purposes of propagation. Col. Acklen 
adds, however, that he has the authority to 
permit this to be done upon proper application. 
