328 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Sept. 14, 1912 
Committee Report on Uniform Game Legislation 
A T the sixth biennial convention of the Na¬ 
tional Association of Game and Fish 
Commissioners, held in Denver, Aug. 31, 
1910, a motion was made by Commissioner H. 
C. Davis, of Delaware, that a standing committee 
of five be appointed to promote greater unifor¬ 
mity of the game laws of the several States. 
This motion, after general discussion, was unani¬ 
mously adopted, and the president appointed as 
members of the committee the commissioner of 
Tennessee as Chairman; the commissioners of 
Delaware, Georgia and South Dakota, and the 
president of the American Game Protective and 
Propagation Association. 
The committee, after careful consideration 
of existing provisions in the several States, and 
after consultation with members of the National 
Association of Audubon Societies, and the 
United States Biological Survey, concluded that 
it would be impractical, on account of constitu¬ 
tional limitations and diversity in the form of 
State laws to attempt to draw up a game law 
suitable for adoption in all of the forty-eight 
States. The committee does not feel that with 
the limited time at its disposal for the prepara¬ 
tion of a preliminary report that it can do more 
than make a few recommendations, regarding 
certain important principles, 'and must leave to 
the officers in each State the formulation of 
amendments covering such points as may meet 
with their approval in such manner as will best 
conform with the statutes of that State. 
Commissioners are urged to consider these 
recommendations in connection with their an¬ 
nual reports, to suggest to the committee other 
subjects in which greater uniformity is most 
needed, and to send a copy of such suggestions 
to the U. S. Biological Survey. 
RECOM MENDATIONS—GENERAL. 
(a) That in drafting game laws, the plan 
of a permissive law, as originated in Colorado 
and recently incorporated in the conservation law 
of New York and other States, be adopted so 
far as possible. This plan simplifies the law, 
directs attention to proposed amendments and 
avoids special legislation to meet new methods 
of hunting, or changes in the condition of game. 
(b) That local legislation be reduced to a 
minimum, and in order to meet the demand for 
such legislation, broader powers be conferred 
upon State authorities to provide when neces¬ 
sary, after due notice and public hearing, special 
protection for certain kinds of game or for 
closing the seasons in certain sections of the 
State. 
(c) That the game laws be made as simple 
and as few in number as possible, except in 
special cases, single propositions should not be 
made the subject of separate bills, but bills for 
the protection of fish should ordinarily be kept 
separate from those providing protection for 
game. 
(d) That modern comprehensive, general 
game laws are greatly needed in a few States, 
notably in Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Missis¬ 
sippi, Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia. 
ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) That provision be made for the en¬ 
forcement of the game laws by State officials 
or commissioners in Arkansas, Florida, Missis¬ 
sippi, Nevada and Virginia. 
(b) That the term of office of commission¬ 
ers should be not less than four years in the 
States of Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, 
Maine, Utah, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode 
Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin. 
No man, however active, can accomplish effec¬ 
tive work within two years, one of which is 
necessarily spent in becoming familiar with the 
duties of the office. Frequent changes in the 
head of the department are not conducive either 
to efficiency or economy of administration. 
(c) That the only satisfactory enforcement 
of fish and game laws can be secured through 
the game warden system. Merit ajid efficiency 
only should be considered in the appointment of 
wardens or their retention in service. 
(d) That the warden service should be di¬ 
vorced as far as possible from politics. In mak¬ 
ing this recommendation, the committee invites 
attention to the merit system as now applied to 
the appointment and promotion of regular 
salaried wardens in the States of Massachu¬ 
setts, New York, New Jersey and Wisconsin. 
SEASONS. 
(a) That shooting in the breeding season 
in summer, or during spring migration, be uni¬ 
versally prohibited, especially in the case of 
ducks, woodcock and other migratory birds. 
(b) That so far as possible the opening 
dates of the hunting season in neighboring States 
be made identical. 
(c) That in order to secure uniformity in 
the legislation of the Northern States and to in¬ 
sure the permanent preservation of migratory 
birds on their former breeding grounds, spring 
shooting in the States north of latitude 37 de¬ 
grees be absolutely prohibited, notably in the 
States of New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, 
Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Michigan, 
Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, South Dakota, 
Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado and 
Wyoming. 
(d) Prairie Chickens.—That the open sea¬ 
son for hunting prairie chickens should not in 
any case exceed thirty days. These birds have 
now become so generally reduced in numbers, 
and their range so restricted that hunting should 
be so limited as to enable them to increase in 
the States where they still remain. 
(e) Doves.—That in the States which now 
provide no close seasons for doves, namely, Vir¬ 
ginia, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nevada, 
adequate protection should be given these birds. 
That in the States north of latitude 38 degrees 
doves should be protected throughout the year, 
namely in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, 
Nebraska, Colorado and Oregon, in order that 
they may have the same protection which they 
enjoy in other States in this zone. That in the 
Southern States where seasons are so varied in 
point of time, the open season should be re¬ 
stricted to three months or less, the dates to 
be determined by the respective States. 
(f) Shore Birds.—That the upland plover 
and the smaller shore birds, including the kill- 
deer and other small plover and sandpipers, be 
removed from the game list and given protection 
at all seasons. 
(g) Woodduck.—That on account of the 
rapid decrease in numbers and danger of exter¬ 
mination in some States, the woodduck should 
be treated separately from other ducks and 
waterfowl in the game law, and whenever pos¬ 
sible should be protected throughout the year, 
particularly in the New England, Middle and 
Lake States. Summer shooting should be pro¬ 
hibited, and the bag limit should not exceed fif¬ 
teen birds per day. 
(h) Ducks and Geese. — That reasonable 
seasons should be provided for ducks and other 
waterfowl in the States of Arkansas and Texas, 
which hitherto have provided no close seasons 
for these birds. 
(i) Swans.—That on account of its increas¬ 
ing rarity, swans and sandhill cranes should be 
removed from the game list and protected 
throughout the year. 
BIG GAME. . 
(a) That female and young of all big game 
should be protected at all seasons in every State. 
Twenty States have already enacted the so-called 
doe law, with eminently satisfactory results. 
(b) That due provision should be made for 
the propagation and transfer of big game in 
each State. 
(c) Elk.—That a definite and comprehen¬ 
sive policy should be adopted by the several 
States and the general government looking to 
the permanent preservation of elk now remain¬ 
ing in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific States; 
that due provision should be made for propaga¬ 
tion and for adequate winter range, but in trans¬ 
ferring animals from one State to another, elk 
of one species should never be liberated in a 
region inhabited by a distinct species. 
(d) That seasons for antelope should be 
kept closed for the present in all the States. 
SALE. 
That sale of any game where permitted 
should be carefully regulated under some com¬ 
prehensive tagging system similar to that re¬ 
cently adopted in New York and Massachusetts 
in order to prevent illegal traffic in game, and 
to simplify the enforcement of laws relating to 
sale of game. 
LICENSES. 
That a mandatory dollar resident hunting 
license be provided in the States of Maine, 
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 
West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and 
Ohio, as the best and most satisfactory method 
of raising revenue for the protection of game, 
or establishing a salaried warden system and for 
properly regulating hunting. 
(a) That a seasonal limit on deer be es¬ 
tablished in every State where deer hunting is 
permitted, and that this limit should not exceed 
two deer a season, particularly in the States of 
Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mis¬ 
sissippi, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri and Oregon. 
(b) That reasonable bag limits be provided 
for game birds in the States of Arkansas, Ken¬ 
tucky, Rhode Island and Virginia, which now 
