THE SHOOTING SEASON.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 28, 1 February 1913, Page 10

THE SHOOTING SEASON.

CLOSE ONE FOR SPORTSMEN,

BIT OPEX VOR POACHERS.

Sportsmen who follow the pastime of game shooting are already beginning to wonder what the arrangements are like!-.- to be for tbe forthcoming season. As the law stands, even- third year becomes automatically a close season for game, with this very important proviso, that on representations being made by any Acclimatisation Society, the Governor may. by Order in Council, declare the season open for the whole term or for portk.n of the season in any particular district. It has been the experience of most of the Acclimatisation Societies in New Zealand that although the Minister has readily agreed, in a year that would ordinarily be open, to declare a close season regulation issued at the request of some Acclimatisation Society. he has not been equally prepared to act upon the advice of the society when it has been to the opposite effect.

Thus year will, in the ordinary course of things, be a close season for game in New Zealand, but it is generally ngrerd that there is no occasion whatever for a close season to be declared in the Auckland Acclimatisation Society's district, or in the northern districts. Representations have already been made by the Auckland Society with a view to having its wishes in this respect carried into effect, and it is certain that its action reflects the desire of the whole of the shooting men. The Society's point of view was explained to a "Star" reporter this morninjj by the President (Colonel W. 11. Hazard)'.

What the societies claim, he pointed out. is that the letter and the spirit of the law should be put into operation. The societies are comprised of the men on the spot, and their opinion as to what is best for the district should c_rry weight with the Minister in coming to a decision. Practical sportsmen believe that a close season for game is in reality a close season only for the genuine sportsmen and an open season for the poacher. It works out this way: Every man who buys a game license is. by that very fact, a ranger at once. He has a right to demand to see the license of any other person he meets out shooting, and he is not likely to tolerate poaching in any shape or form. Further, when the season is open, the Society obtains the revenue provided by the licenses and is in a position to pay for the professional ranging of the shooting districts.

On the other hand, in a close season, there are no genuine shooting men about, aud the conscienceless poacher has a free hand to commit all the slaughter he likes. The Auckland Society does not think that a close season would be in the best interests of its district. The revenue obtained from the gun licenses is utilised by the Society for the rearing of more birds, which are liberated under such conditions as to give them every chance to propagate and grow strong on the wing before being shot at. This season the Auckland Society expects to be in the position to liberate some 700 birds in the district, and those birds will not be shot at this season. From every hand reports are coming in to show the splendid results that have already been noticed from the Society's breeding policy of recent years. The introduction of "a new strain has been attended by remarkable success. And Colonel Hazard makes a strong point of the fact that it is the game licenses and the active interest and co-operation of the shooting men which enable the Society to carry out this useful work.