Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 248, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1913 — FEDERAL GAME LAW IN EFFECT NOV. 1ST [ARTICLE]

FEDERAL GAME LAW IN EFFECT NOV. 1ST

Proclamation Will Protect Migratory Birds—All Hunters Should Know the Law. \ Following the proclamation of the president establishing regulations for the protection of migratory birds, the department of agriculture has set in motion to make these regulations effective in every state on Nov. Ist. These regulations put under federal protection a large number of migratory game and insectivorous birds and thus places federal restrictions on the five million hunters of the United States. The states have been grouped into thirteen units or districts, each in charge -of an inspector. Several of these positions in the west will be flllefl temporarily by regular experienced employes of the department. The work or organizing will probably be begun in the middle states, the northwest and the Pacific coast. The departs ment expects to have the assistance of the game commission deputies in the states as well as the public generally and sportsmen in particular who are interested in the success of the new law.

Among the birds protected by th’e regulations are the grandt, wild duck, goose, swan, cranes of various species,, rail, several kinds of shore birds, pigeoq, dove, wild pigeon, bobolink, catbird, chickadee, flycatcher, flicker, cuckoo, grosbeak, humming bird, kinglet, martin, meadow lark, night* hawk, oriole, nuthatches, robin, shrike, swallow, swift, thrush, warbler, whippoorwill, woodpecker and wren. The regulations for the enforcement of the law separate the country into two zones known as the breeding and wintering zones. The former comprises twenty-five states lying wholly or in part north of latitude forty degrees and the Ohio river," and the latter comprises twenty-three states and the District of Columbia, lying wholly or in part south of latitude forty degrees and the Ohio river. The regulations contain a prohibition abolishing the hunting of all migratory game and insectivorous birds bom sunset to sunrise. In Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, and South Carolina the close season for the reedbird extends from November 1 to August 31. A closed season until September 1* 1918, is established on such migratory game birds as the bandtailed pigeon, the little brown sandhill whooping crane, swan and curlew and oh all shore birds except the black breasted and golden plover, Wilson or jack snipe, woodcock, and yellowlegs. A close season until the same date is also established on wood ducks in Indiana and a great many other states. A close season has been likewise put in force on ail migratory birds passing over or at rest on any of the waters of the main streams of the Mississippi river between Minneapalis and Memphis and on the Mlssourl"rtver*-bctween Bismarck' and Nebraska City. The killing or capture of any such birds on the shores or from any boat or floating object along these streams is prohibited. The general open season far waterfowl in the northern zone Is from September 1 to December 16, and in the southern zone from November 1 to January 16.