Our Vanishing Wild Life: Its Extermination and PreservationHornaday, William T. (William Temple)
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Our Vanishing Wild Life: Its Extermination and Preservation
Hornaday, William T. (William Temple)
Game-laws -- United States; Wildlife conservation -- United States
The state of Delaware is nearly twenty years behind the times. Can it be
possible that her Governor and her people are really satisfied with that
position? We think not. I dare say they are afflicted with apathy, and
game-hogs. The latter can easily back up General Apathy to an extent
that spells "no game laws." In one act, and at one bold stroke, Delaware
can step out of her position at the rear of the procession of states,
and take a place in the front rank. Will she do it? We hope so, for her
present status is unworthy of any right-minded, red-blooded state this
side of the Philippines.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:
The sale of all native wild game, regardless of its source, should
be stopped immediately, by the enactment of a complete Bayne law.
If game-shooting within the District is continued, on the marshes of
the Eastern Branch and on the Potomac River, common decency demands
the enactment of bag-limit laws and long close-season laws of the
most modern pattern.
Just why it is that gross abuses against wild life have so long been
tolerated in the territorial center of the American nation, remains to
be ascertained. But, whatever the reason the situation is absurd and
intolerable, and Congress should terminate it immediately. As late as
1897, and I think for two or three years thereafter, thousands of
_robins_ were sold every year in the public markets of Washington as
food! As a spectacle for gods and men, behold to-day the sale of quail,
ruffed grouse, wild turkeys and other American game, half way between
the Capitol and the White House! Look at Center Market as a national
"fence" for the sale of game stolen by market gunners from Maryland,
Virginia, the Carolinas and Pennsylvania.
It is time for Congress to bring the District of Columbia sharply into
line; for Washington must be made to toe the mark beside New York. The
reputation of the national capital demands it, whether the gods of the
cafes will consent or not.
FLORIDA:
Shooting shore birds and waterfowl in late winter and spring should
be stopped.
The sale of all native wild game should be prohibited.
A State Game Commissioner whose term of office should be not less
than four years, and a force of salaried game wardens, should be
appointed.
A general resident license should be required for hunting.
The killing of does and fawns should be stopped, and no deer should
be killed save bucks with horns at least three inches long.
The bag limit of five deer per year should be two deer; of twenty
quail, and two turkeys per day should be ten quail and one turkey.
The open season on all game birds should end on February 1, for
domestic reasons.
Protection should be accorded doves, and robins should be removed
from the game list.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Our Vanishing Wild Life: Its Extermination and Preservation — John Shaqi
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