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FOREST AND STREAM. 


[Aue. 8, 

keeping and I had 
trust and permitted 
I do not care what 
abandoned it, betrayed the 
the child to be killed. So 
your authorities say on the 
subject, | myself am certain that that deer trusted 
me implicitly and felt safe in that vicinity while 
I was camping there. Being thus off its guard, 
it permitted the pot-hunters to get in their work. 
I felt the responsibility of my position, too, and 
had I known there was a man on-earth so mean 
as to kill a deer in May while it was tame and 
docile, I should have remained in camp on guard. 
This all goes to show, how men, who are mak- 
ing observations and studying the ways of wild 
animals, can honestly differ about what they see 
and hear and yet, perhaps, none of them be right 
for all that can be actually proved by the stand- 
ards of men.’ HARRY CHASE. 

The Missouri Game Law. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
There has been scarcely a sporting periodical 
that has not made some comment on Missouri's 
new game law, and that these articles were in 
the shape of well deserved criticisms is admitted. 
The repeal of the Walmsley. bill and .the sub- 
stitute secured in its stead leaves Missouri with- 
out any semblance of a game law, so the 
present one will rest in peace for the next two 
vears, and the only attempts at protection will 
be by the, individual owners of the game coun- 
tries. Possibly lack of effrontery on the part 
of the game hog may save some game, but the 
local officers anywhere will hardly make an at- 
tempt to suppress quiet violations. 
When Missouri dropped among the back num- 
bers with its game law none must for a moment 
think that the voice of the Legislature was the 
expression of the sportsman, but rather that of 
the eame dealers. The sportsman had too 
much confidence in the good qualities of the old 
law. when it was necessary that they should be 
wide awake. 
Ihe conditions that brought about the present 
farce of a law can be traced to three things. 
First, the inactivity of the sportsmen; second, 
the strong influence brought to bear by the game 
dealers. whom the former put out of existence ; 
and third, the unwillingness of some members of 
the Assembly to offend a few rural constituents 
by placing the one dollar resident license on every 
hunter. 
We shall omit the sportsman 
refer to the game dealers’ fight 
was to oust Game Warden Rhodes. 
inactivity and 
Their first aim 
In this they 

met with success. They knew he was fearless 
and honest and found by sad experience that by 
no means would he allow them to get around 
the law for the sale of game. So from that 
moment he was a marked man and such miser- 
able influence was brought to bear against him 
it made his office untenable. The Governor, who 
appointed him, lacked the grit to stand by him 
when his influence was most needed. The game 
dealers were not alone satisfied when they se- 
cured the self dismissal of the game warden, but 
they made appeals to the farmers. * Circulars 
were sent broadcast that for open hypocrisy 
could not be equaled. They made the farmer 
appear as bearing an unjust burden, the license 
fee (which he was not expected to pay unless 
1e wanted to hunt off his own land), and also, 
to clinch their main idea more firmly, appealed 
to his sympathies by telling him in his papers 
that the game was his and that it was a blow at 
his freedom when he was prevented from dispos- 
ine of it when and where he wished. The bait 
was swallowed by the rural representatives, the 
office of warden abolished, and Missouri left 
without a law worthy of the name. The chief 
executive was petitioned to prevent the passage 
of the game dealtrs’ bill, but he, a sportsman, 
had not the bravery to veto it. 
It is never too late to mend, and the fight 
for a good law has begun. While no tangible 
results can be expected before two years, co- 
operation among sportsmen is now active, one 
organization already boasting a membership large 
enough to handican some of the present aspirants 
for office and sufficient to swing victory to tlre 
other side. Locw LADDIE. 

Wardens’ National Meeting. 
Hetena, Mont., July 24—Editor Forest and 
Stream: 1 inclose you herewith a copy of the 
call for a meeting of the National Association 
of Game and Fish Wardens and Commissioners 
to be held ‘in the National Park, Aug. 9 and Io. 
This organization was founded in 1902 and held 
its first meeting in the park in July of that year. 
‘The next meeting was held at Calumbus, Ohio, 
Feb. 11, 1904, and the last meeting in St. Paul, 
Jan. 25, 26, and 27, 1900. 
The object of this association is to encourage 
mutual co-operation between the officers of the 
several States in the discharge of their duties, 
and to discuss ways and means for the better 
protection of fish and game and the enforcement 
of such laws. 
The benefits already received from these meet- 
ines are ever apparent and much good has re- 
sulted through the combined efforts of the mem- 
bers of this organization. 
The call follows: 
“Tt has been decided to call a meeting of the 
National Association of Game and Fish Wardens 
and Commissioners at Mammoth Hot Springs, 
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Aug. 9 
and 109. 
“General Young, superintendent of the park, 
has extended us a most cordial invitation to hold 
our meeting there, which assures us of the very 
best treatment possible. hs 
“The National Park,’as we all know, is the 
greatest game preserve in the world to-day and 
therefore an exceptionally appropriate place for 
a meeting of this kind to be held. We will hold 
our convention at Mammoth Springs for two 
days and then make a tour of the’ park. 
“T have secured an exceptionally low rate from 
the Yellowstone Park Transportation and Hotel 
Company and also from the Wylie Permanent 
Camp Company. We can let the majority decide 
at our meeting which way we will go. 
“This will be the greatest meeting in the his- 
tory of the organization, as the inducements 
offered by this trip will bring together more rep- 

resentatives than would come under any other 
cireunistances; therefore, you cannot afford to 
miss this opportunity which will give you a 
chance to make the personal acquaintance of 
most of the wardens and commissioners of the 
United StateS’ as well as affording the oppor- 
tunity of a life time to see this wonderland under 
the most favorable circumstances atthe minimum 
of expense. 
_ “lf you have a commission in your State re- 
member that each and every member of the same 
is invited to attend and is eligible to member- 
ship. And do not forget that your wife will 
enjoy this trip as much if not more than your- 
self. 
“Let nothing stand in your way or prevent 
you from making arrangements to be, with us, 
as the benefits you will derive from this meeting 
will mean more to you officially, as well as per- 
sonally, than almost anything else you could do. 
“Let me hear from you at’once regarding your 
decision in this matter. Should you have re- 
-signed your office will you kindly hand this to 
your successor, but at the same time remember 
that you are one of us still and we would be 
pleased to have you with us at this meeting. 
Wie Beescorr 
Pres, N. A. Gi & F. W. & C. 

To Massachusetts Sportsmen. 
Tue following. circular embodying changes in 
the State law has been widely distributed by the 
Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Asso- 
ciation: 
Trout fishermen should take notice that the 
season for trout fishing in Massachusetts closes 
on Aug. 1, instead of Sept. I as heretofore. The 
season for the entire State is from April 15 to 
Aug. I. 
Fingerling trout. The association will furnish 
fingerling trout for fall planting in Massachusetts 
waters at the same price as last year, $10 per 
thousand, the expense of transportation being 
borne by the association. No order for less than 
one thousand will be accepted, and orders should 
be placed before Sept. 1. 
The season for killing gray squirrels hereafter 
will be from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1, instead of Oct. 1 
to March 1, as heretofore. 
The killing of all gulls and eagles, and of loons 
on fresh water is prohibited. 
Birds classed as “birds of prey,” the killing of: 
which is permitted, include only the following: 
Sharp-shinned hawks, Cooper’s hawks, goshawks, 
red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, duck 
hawks. pigeon hawks; barred owls, great-horned | 
owls and snowy owls. 
The killing of deer ‘is only permissible by the 
owner or occupant on cultivated land when the | 
deer are destroying crops or fruit trees, and | 
then only with a shotgun. | 
Nonresident hunters, unless assessed on real | 
estate in Massachusetts valued at $500 or more; | 
must procure from the fish and game commis- | 

‘sioners a license to hunt, costing $10: 
Cloth posters and booklets of the fish and game | 
laws furnished without charge on application to | 
the Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective: As- 
sociation, William Brewster, President; Henry 
H. Kimball, Sec’y-Treas., 216 Washington street, | 
Boston. . 

The Old Man with the Fat Pointer. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
One day last fall an old man got off the noon 
train at a way station in Missouri with a fat 
pointer. Four young men from the city were 
at the hotel, with four slim and sleek pointers, 
their breeding showing in every line and move- 
ment. The young men laughed at the old man’s 
fat dog, as well they might. Both the man and 
his: dog were getting too old to hunt much. 
They seemed absurdly incompetent to the young 
men and destined to go back home without much 
to show for their outing. They poked a little 
innocent fun at the dog. 
But beware the old man and the fat dog. They 
have both been to school. So here. While the 
four young men and their fast dogs drove many 
miles out from the railway the old man and his 
old friend wended their way a.couple of miles 
afield. There, from a high hill, the man scanned 
the country. He had been raised in the quail 
country and knew the game. Some of the knowl- 
edge he possessed of their habits he had learned 
when hunting them, but by far the most had been 
acquired by occasional half days spent without 
a gun or a dog in watching them stroll and feed 
through the fields and thickets. A man who has 
sttidied the habits of quail can always find three 
coveys where there are, supposedly, none at all; 
and ten coveys where there are, supposedly, but 
three. So this man, as he gazed over the coun- 
try spread at his feet, saw far below him a vacant 
farm extending up from a little valley. “If there 
is water in that valley there are birds on that 
farm,” he said to himself. Accordingly, the two| 
made their way toward the valley in question,| 
It was a dry bed. But there were heavy washes 
and he concluded there might be water holes 
somewhere in its course, so he followed it up| 
and before going far found two or three such/ 
pools. Then he and the dog laboriously climbed 
the fence into the fields. The dog at once became} 
the same kind of darting and twisting creature| 
those other slim dogs were back at the village, 
As it afterward became disclosed, the four young! 
men had hunted this very country the day be-| 
fore, but with indifferent success. During thai 
afternoon and the following forenoon the ol¢ 
man and the fat dog found covey after covey| 
there. On their way out the dog found two more 
coveys, but as the Jimit had been set at twenty- 
four, and that had now been exceeded, the mar 
flushed the birds without shooting at them, anc 
smiled at the plain disgust of the dog. The fou 
young men and the four young dogs took back 
forty-six birds as the result of their two days 
shooting, as against the old man and the fa 
dog’s thirty-six for one day. Moral, as I say| 
beware the old man with the fat pointer. 
But they have nearly had their day. Thei 
sun is nearly set. Soon they will be gone. Be. 
neath the sod they, perchance, will dream of day: 
afield. Perhaps,:at the Resurrection Day, the 
old man will be given all of those beloved dog: 
for whose deaths he shed tears in life, resur 
rected along with himself, and told that he may 
go off with them through the sky pastures. 1 

