Page 302 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

280 OVR VANISHING WILD LIFE
prairie chickens that used to rise out of the corn-fields "with a roar Hke a coming storm."
To-day,Chicagostandshalf-wayreformed. Hermarketsareopen to only one-half the game killable in Illinois, but they are wide open to all "legally killed game imported from other states, from Oct. 1 to Feb. 1." Through that hole in her game laws any game-dealer can drive a moving- van! Ofcourse,anygameofferedinChicagohasbeen"legallykilledin someotherstate!" Whocanproveotherwise?
In addition to the imported game illegally killed in other states, the starving population of Chicago may also buy for cash, and consume with their champagne in November and December, all the Illinois doves that can be combed out by the market-gunners.
After the awful Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago, in 1903, the game dealers reported a heavy falling off in the consumption of game! The tragedy caused the temporary closing of the theaters, and the falling ofiE in after-theater suppers may be said to have taken away the appetites ofthousandsoferstwhileconsumersofgame. Incidentallyitshowedwho consumes purchased game.
The people of Illinois should now enact a full-fledged Bayne law, without changing a single word, and bring Chicago up to the level of New York, St. Louis and Boston.
The present bag limits on Illinois game birds are fatally high. As they stand, with 190,000 licensed gunners in the field each year, what elsedotheymeanthanextermination? ThemenofIllinoishavejust two alternatives between which to choose : drastic and immediate pre- servation,oragamelessstate. Whichshallitbe?
Indiana:
Indiana should hasten to stop spring shooting.
She should enact a law, prohibiting the sale for millinery purposes of the plumage of all wild birds save ducks killed in their open season.
A Bayne law, absolutely prohibiting the sale of all native wild game, should be enacted at once.
The killing of squirrels should be prohibited; because they are not white men's game. Ruffed grouse and quail should have five year close seasons.
The use of pump and autoloading guns in hunting should be prohibited.
In Indiana the white-tailed deer is extinct. This means very close hunting, and a bad outlook for all other game larger than the sparrow. On October 2, 1912, eleven heads of greater bird of paradise, with plumes attached, were offered for sale within one hundred feet of the head- quarters of the Fourth National Conservation Congress. The prices ranged from $35 to $47.50; and while we looked, two ladies came up, one ofwhompointedtoabird-of-paradisecorpseandsaid: "There!Iwant one o' them, an' I'm a-goin' to have it, too!"
Iowa:
Spring shooting should be stopped, at once and forever.