Forest and Stream, January 17, 1914
Good News From Virginia
Natural resources -- Conservation - Game
Editor, Forest and Stream: --
The Virginia Game and Game Fish Protection Association in conjunction with the Audubon Society of Virginia, is in the midst of a hard campaign, the object of which is to procure an enactment of the Legislature providing for a State Game Commissioner, to be appointed by the governor at a salary of $2,500 a year. We have three bills; the first, the Hart-White Game Bill, to be patroned by Delegate John M. Hart of Roanoke, Va., and Senator Hugh A. White of Rockbridge Co.; second, a bill regulating the catching of large and small mouth bass; third, a bill to prohibit the netting and seining of bass in the Chickahominy River -- patrons of the last two mentioned bills have not been selected as yet. The Hart-White draft has been revised to cover the following points as well. There are eighteen mentioned in the synopsis, therefore, we will number the revisions or amendments as follows:
No. 19, prohibiting the running loose of dogs during the months of May, June, July and August; No. 20, no hunting license to be issued to minors, except by written request of parent or guardian; No. 21, no wild turkey shall be killed prior to Nov. 1, 1916; No. 22, deer and elk protected until Nov., 1915, no deer without visible horns as long as four inches shall be killed; No. 23, bag limit of one deer or elk, two wild turkeys, six grouse, six woodcock, fifty sora, two swans, six geese, twenty-five ducks, twenty-five shore birds, twenty quail in one day; No. 24, bag limit of a year, two deer or elk, ten wild turkeys; No. 25, prohibiting the killing or catching of female deer or fawns; No. 26, violators subject to a fine of from ten to fifty dollars for each offense.
We feel sure that you realize the terrible conditions existing in Virginia, and you must also realize that the fight will be to a finish, in order to get through this legislation. We are asking both moral and financial help from every source, and from you we ask editorial assistance and ask it urgently. There are many sportsmen in Virginia who read your magazine, and if they see that you are with us in this movement, it will help to convince them of the worthiness of the cause. Virginia has waited too long already, and unless all of our good friends lend us their efforts and influence, we shall be swamped again. We do not believe that you could lend your editorial columns to a more worthy cause than the one mentioned, and we earnestly ask for all the space that you can consistently give us. We have been in communication with Dr. William T. Hornaday of New York, Mr. John B. Burnham of New York, Mr. Gilbert Pearson of New York, Mr. Marshall McLean of the Camp Fire Club of America, and Mr. John H. Wallace, Jr., Game Commissioner of Alabama, who assisted us in drafting the bill. These bills have the support of the National Department of Agriculture, the Virginia Department of Agriculture, the American Game Protective and Propagation Association, the National Audubon Society, the Virginia Audubon Society, the New York Zoological Society. We need the support of all sportsmen in Virginia. Every sportsman of Virginia is invited to join, membership fee, $1 per year, all white naturalized citizens eligible. The association will be deeply indebted to you for any help that you may see fit to give us.
VIRGINIA GAME AND GAME FISH PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION.
W. P. PATTERSON, President.
Richmond, Va., January 8, 1914.