FOREST AND STREAM 
A Business Program for Game Departments 
A Plan Looking Into Future of Wild Life Preservation 
By Henry Chase. 
The writer has read in a late number of 
Forest and Stream with great interest and pro¬ 
found satisfaction of the program and work 
being done in New Hampshire by Game Com¬ 
missioner Frank J. Beal of that state. If, by 
the aid of the good sportsmen of that common¬ 
wealth, the Commissioner is enabled to carry 
out his platform for a combined hunting and 
fishing license, and then have the funds derived 
therefrom appropriated to the exclusive use of 
his department, he will accomplish the ideal 
present-day business plan for his department—a 
plan which should be adopted in every state 
in the Union. 
In Forest and Stream from time to time I 
have been calling attention to the necessity of 
such a plan. In fact, I have done this so often 
that it is with some timidity and fear of weary¬ 
ing your readers that I again approach the mat¬ 
ter at this time. But the absolute confident.belief 
that this is vital to the game interests of every 
state impels me to say another word upon the 
subject. 
In the issue of Forest and Stream for Nov. i, 
1913, I attempted to show the necessity of both 
a hunting and fishing license; that the argu¬ 
ments which were most favorable to the one 
kind of a license were equally applicable to the 
other; and that all funds derived from such li¬ 
censes should be turned over to the game de¬ 
partments exclusively and used by them in af¬ 
fording better enforcement of the game laws, 
restocking depleted game covers and fished-out 
waters, and in establishing state game farms 
and game refuges. This is the business program 
I have reference to herein. 
Now, when the sportsmen fully appreciate the 
advantages and importance of such a scheme 
they are sure to adopt it and support it enthu¬ 
siastically. Let us explain. Ever since conser¬ 
vation of our wild life became a slogan among 
the sportsmen of this country, the game depart¬ 
ments have been groping in the dark with no 
definite plan of work in view. At least this was 
true up to very recent years. Everything was 
theory and confusion. Each new head of the 
various departments had ideas of his own— 
founded in most part on mere theories. At 
length consultation among experienced protec¬ 
tionists produced results. Vague theories were 
discarded and they simply got down to a busi¬ 
ness basis. It was appreciated at once that a 
definite program of action’ must be outlined. 
Of course, the first necessity was to raise the 
sinews of war. It was soon decided that this 
could not be accomplished by taxing all the people 
in general. Those who took no interest in game 
and fish objected strenuously to being taxed for 
the benefit of a special class—the sportsmen. 
Hence, it was found essential that the sports¬ 
men themselves should maintain and support 
the game interests. Certainly the latter did not 
object to this. On the contrary, they welcomed 
the innovation. All they asked was that the 
funds contributed by them should be used ex¬ 
clusively for the game department. But the 
politicians interfered and diverted these funds 
to other purposes- This disgusted the sports¬ 
men and thereby caused them to be sceptical and 
lose interest -in the matter. But after repeated 
fights they are at length coming into their own. 
Then came the general hunting license, but 
just why the fishing license did not accompany 
this measure has always passed the writer’s un¬ 
derstanding. It naturally resulted from the out¬ 
set that the hunters would object to these funds 
being used for the benefit of the fishermen. And 
who can blame them ? This is such palpable class 
legislation that it should never have been per¬ 
mitted. But now the fishermen are beginning 
to realize the fairness of this attitude of their 
brother sportsmen and are joining with the 
latter in their protest. The result is, and will 
be, everywhere a combined hunting and fishing 
license. 
We can see, then, that all this has produced 
in the final outcome a certain definite plan for 
all state game departments to pursue. These li¬ 
censes will produce ample revenue. So the next 
question is, how can these funds be best ex¬ 
pended to obtain permanent benefit to the sports¬ 
men in general? Experience again gives us the 
proper answer. Divide this revenue into three 
parts as follows: First, a certain sum to be 
used in the more effectual enforcement of prop¬ 
er protective laws; second, a portion for restock¬ 
ing the waters with fish and the covers with 
game; third, a balance set aside for establishing 
game refuges. A new refuge established an¬ 
nually, in course of time will bring immense 
tracts of wild land into the possession and un¬ 
der the control of the state, and be the ultimate 
saviors of both the game and fish if all other 
expedients should fail. Therefore, this is prob¬ 
ably the most vital part of this program. Also 
the acquirement by the state of these refuges 
will prevent the wealthy class from getting all of 
the best game land of the country into their 
own hands, and will always prove a blessing to 
the common sportsmen no matter what happens 
in the future. It is a sure plan of looking into 
the future to preserve the wild life for the next' 
generation. 
The above, then, is the logical program for 
all state game departments to adopt and the 
sooner they admit it the better, as they will 
certainly be compelled to do in the long run, and 
the far-seeing head of the department who takes 
it up at once is the man who will get the im 
mediate support of the sportsmen and confer 
the most benefit upon the present and future 
generation of those who love the sport with rod 
and gun. 
The annual regatta of the Inwood Canoe Club 
will be held at their Club House, 204th street. 
Hudson River, September 26th. All A. C. A. 
members and fellow canoeists are cordially in¬ 
vited. 
277 
WOMEN IN CAMP. 
Raleigh, N. C. Aug. 17, 1914. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
Your editorial in the issue of Aug. 15, on 
“Women in Camp,” was timely. Enclosed is a 
picture that bears me out in this. 
A bunch of us, from six to nine in num¬ 
ber, landed at New River Inlet on August 1. 
some of us staying the full nine days that the 
camp was at our disposal, others coming and 
going. 
It was Monday, Aug. 3, before we got the 
lay of the land for surf fishing. That after¬ 
noon and night a small part of the crowd caught 
twenty channel bass, the fish averaging between 
seventeen and eighteen pounds. John Rowe, of 
Raleigh, landed thirteen of them, his thirty-two 
pounder being high line for that tide. 
The next afternoon tide found nearly every¬ 
body fishing, but we could only account for six 
fish. Mrs. H. H. Brimley landed a thirty-three 
Mrs. Brimley and Her 33 Pound Channel Bass. 
pounder and was high line for that tide—and 
for the trip. Caught on a light weakfish rod 
and small hook. Hooked, played, and landed 
in the “suds,” unassisted. The line was rigged 
with 40Z. sinker, 9-0 hook and wire leader, the 
small hook being put on afterward for the blue- 
fish that were bothering our baits. Then the 
wind shifted northerly and there was not much 
more doing the rest of the time we stayed. 
Dr. Hugh Schussler, of New York, Mr. T. W- 
Pritchard, of Wilmington, and the writer, all 
caught fish running from twenty-four to twenty- 
nine pounds. 
I hear on good authority that a fifty-two 
pounder was caught on Masonboro Inlet, near 
Wilmington, the same week. 
I may state here that we put back practically 
all the fish not hooked in the throat. 
