18 REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 
at the suggestion of the Fish and Game Commission have protected the 
existing species of game so well that there are very few parts of the 
state im which some kind of game can not be found in abundance. 
Few states have been so abundantly supplied with game as hag Cali- 
fornia. Unfortunately, there are but remnants of elk and antelope 
that were formerly abundant. These animals were practically exter- 
minated before the importance of game protection was realized. Deer, 
however, were more able to look after themselves and in spite of the 
hide hunters there was enough breeding stock when protective laws 
were passed so that today in many localities deer are as abundant as 
they ever were. Within a few miles of San Francisco during each open 
season there are killed over 2,000 deer. Where in this country can such 
hunting be found near a city of over a half million people? With the 
continued development of the automobile the wild game resources have 
been more heavily drawn upon, and it will be necessary, from time to 
time, to still further protect our game by shor tening seasons and redue- 
ing bag limits. 
No matter how carefully the work of educating the people as to the 
necessity of observing the game laws may be carried out, there will 
always be those who willfully or carelessly kill game or take fish out of 
season and are willing to assume the risk of getting caught. For these 
individuals a most severe penalty must be provided. It is on this 
account that many of the game laws carry a penalty ranging from $25 
to $500. When the judges before whom game cases are tried, impose 
the heavy fines they have the power to impose, many violations will stop. 
Contrary to what some people believe, most of our game laws are 
based upon sound principles and are intended to give protection to game 
as well as to provide shooting for the red-blooded man who enjoys field 
sports. Game is valued from an esthetic point of view, but it is more 
valuable as a health stimulant and as a means of taking the busy man’s 
mind away from business worries. 
There is no problem concerning which there are so many diversified 
opinions as there is over game protection. There are very few hunters 
who will have the same idea as to the length of time of an open season 
and the amount of the bag limit. This difference of opinion comes 
about from the fact that each hunter is looking at the problem from 
his own individual point of view and he is familiar with conditions in 
only a small part of the state. Many are extremely selfish and want 
long seasons and high bag limits, regardless of the fact that the hunters 
have increased and facilities for getting into the field have brought 
distant sections within a few miles of populated centers and at the same 
time the breeding capacity of the game has not increased, but on the 
contrary has decreased on account of the fact that more and more 
