Individual sportsmen, whether resident or non-resident in the Province, and fish and game clubs incorporated in the Province may lease fishing rights from the Department. Leases are now usually made for five years, and cannot be for more than nine, except by order in council. Lessees are required to engage qualified guardians to protect properly the waters so leased from the Crown, under penalty of cancellation of the lease. cellation may also take place for failure to pay the annual rental when due, or for wasteful fishing, or for violation of the law. Holders of leases may prosecute trespassers. Lessees may sub-let their privileges with the consent of the Minister. It may not be without interest to quote Mr. A. P. Low's description in a brief general way, of the fish and game of northern Labrador, (the section of country lying between the east coast of Hudson bay and the western shore of Ungava bay), even though the territory in question is beyond the present northern boundary of the province of Quebec. "All the lakes and streams are abundantly stocked with fish, including large lake trout, brook trout, whitefish and suckers. Salmon are abundant in the rivers flowing into Ungava bay and young salmon were caught on the Stillwater river to within a few miles of Natuakami lake. A northern trout, probably Hearn's salmon, is very plentiful in the lower parts of the rivers and along the northern coasts from cape Jones to Ungava bay. This fish is not quite as fat and fine flavoured as the salmon, but has a good red colour, and may be found to answer well for canning. It is, as above mentioned, abundant, especially about Ungava bay, where it varies in weight from two pounds to fifteen pounds, and averages about five or six pounds. Barren ground caribou were found in large numbers along the route eastward from Clearwater lake to the Kenogami branch, while everywhere throughout the region the willow grouse or ptarmigan breeds in thousands. Other game is scarce." GAME OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC By E. T. D. CHAMBERS Secretary-Treasurer of the North American Fish and Game Protective The forests of Quebec contain some of the best game of the Continent, even after centuries of more or less reckless hunting. Moose and caribou abound in many localities, while the Virginian or red deer has increased to such an extent that in some parts of the Province it has become a nuisance. North of the provincial capital is the Lake St. John country, which has been attracting big game hunters from all parts of the world since the construction of the railway over a quarter of a century ago. The whole country from St. Raymond north to lake St. John and the Saguenay is full of game. A few clubs, including the Triton, which owns a large territory southeast of lake Edward, have leased the exclusive right to the hunting upon their limits; but by far the larger portion of the country is free to all comers so far as hunting is concerned. Riviere-à-Pierre station, 56 miles from Quebec is surrounded by a good moose country. So abundant are the moose that in one winter, some few years ago, nearly thirty of them were ruthlessly slaughtered for their hides, by the Indians. A better system of protection now prevails. Caribou are found in large numbers all over the territory to the north, as far as lake Edward, which is the centre of another excellent big game country. The large extent of country about the heightof-land between lake Edward and Kiskisink is over-run with game. The Chicoutimi branch of the Quebec and Lake St. John railway passes in close proximity to a number of districts well stocked with large game. Caribou are quite numerous in the Lac-de-la-Belle-Rivière district. Chicoutimi is surrounded by another good hunting district, extending for a considerable distance upon both sides of the Saguenay river. Red deer, which for many years past had not been seen in the Lake St. John neighbourhood, have been quite plentiful since the winter of 1909-10. The prevailing impression is that the deer have been driven south by the wolves. All through the northern districts of the Province, wolves are reported to have been on the increase during the last few years, and 132 bounties of fifteen dollars each for the killing of wolves, were paid out by the provincial Government during the twelve months ended 30th June, 1910. In the south-east corner of the Laurentides National park, just north of the St. Lawrence between Baie-St. Paul and the mouth of the Saguenay, is a large tract of country known as "Les Jardins", where caribou roam in thousands. A small number of licenses, each giving the right to kill a couple of these animals, is issued annually and the species is increasing very rapidly. Moose are plentiful in the forests along the St. Maurice river and the line of the National Transcontinental railway, west of the Lake St. John country. Many American hunting clubs have taken up territories under lease here. As to the Ottawa district and its enormous back country, the Mattawa, Kipawa and Timiskaming regions, it may be said that moose, caribou and deer are all found there. Partridges, wild ducks and wild geese also abound in their seasons. In the country north of the Ottawa, on both sides of the height-ofland between the waters of James bay and those of the St. Lawrence, there has been a decided diminution in recent years, in the number of moose, due no doubt to their slaughter by the many mining prospectors and men accompanying them. It is suggested that it be made a condition to the issue of prospecting licenses, that their holders must carefully observe all the laws and departmental regulations concerning the preservation of fish and game and the protection of the forests against fire. Bears are said to have increased in recent years both in northern Pontiac and also, on either side of the height-of-land. All the country watered by the Dumoine and Magansibi and neighbouring rivers is full of large game, constituting a phenomenal hunting ground. In the Mattawa district, big game is not as plentiful as it once was, but there is more of it farther north, in and about the Kipawa country. On the south side of the St. Lawrence red deer are plentiful in almost every part of the Eastern Townships, where any wild forest land remains, and also in the counties of Nicolet, Lotbinière, Beauce, Dorchester, Bellechasse, Montmagny, L'Islet, Kamouraska and parts of Temiscouata, as well as in the wilder portions of Compton and Megantic. Almost the whole southern portion of the province of Quebec, adjacent to the state of Maine, is an unsettled wilderness, and is full of big game. Caribou are plentiful in the Lake Megantic region, and many moose as well as red deer, roam the forests of Beauce. Moose are wonderfully plentiful in the Temiscouata country, as well as in Montmagny and Rimouski, and immense numbers of them roam undisturbed over thousands of square miles of virgin forest, in the heart of the Gaspe peninsula. Here they find a safe asylum in the Gaspesian Forest, Fish and Game Reserve, while thousands and thousands of caribou find a fairly secure retreat in the forests that line the shores of the Patapedia and the headwaters of the Matapedia in the interior of Rimouski and Matane. Game Laws of Quebec Hunting licenses yielded the province of Quebec last year well over $10,000, and leases of hunting territories amounted to some $20,000 more. In addition to such revenue, it is well known that the money spent by sportsmen every year amounts to a very considerable sum. It has been estimated that each of the 500 non-resident sportsmen who visited the Province in 1910 spent on an average $400. This would mean a total of $230,000 received by the people of Quebec in one year for their game resources. The game laws of the Province provide that moose and deer can only be killed between the 1st September and the 31st December inclusive, the season for caribou being left open for another month, namely to the last day of January inclusive, except east and north of the Saguenay, where the open season for caribou lasts till the last day of February. The open season for all game birds commences on the 1st of September. The partridge season closes on the 15th December, that for woodcock, snipe, plover, curlew, tatler or sand-piper, and that for widgeon, teal or wild duck of any kind, on the 1st of March. The sale of partridge and the killing of beaver are prohibited at present. Hounding of moose and caribou is prohibited, and for red deer, the use of dogs in hunting is only permitted between the 20th October and 1st November of each year. No cow moose, and no fawn of moose, caribou or deer is permitted to be killed, and the law prohibits the killing or taking of moose or deer while yarding, or by what is known as crusting. Only one moose, two caribou and two red deer may be killed in one season by the same person. There is no gun license required by residents in Quebec; but neither resident nor non-resident can have the carcass of any moose, caribou or red deer conveyed by a transportation company, unless it bears a tag, for which residents have to pay one dollar. The license allowing a non-resident to hunt big game, which license is accompanied by the necessary tags for transporting the carcasses that the law permits him to kill, costs $25 each for persons who are not members of a legally organized fish and game club, and ten dollars for persons who are already members of such a club. Insectivorous birds are protected at all times. The use of jack-lights is prohibited, as is also the hunting of water-fowl of all kinds by means of vessels or yachts propelled by steam or other motive power. Leases of hunting territories, not to exceed 200 square miles each, may be obtained by individuals or clubs at from three dollars per square mile up. CHANGES IN THE GAME LAWS OF SASKATCHEWAN By W. H. VAN VALKENBurg Secretary-Treasurer of the Saskatchewan Game Protective Association The Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly has recently amended the game ordinance in several important respects. The prohibition of Sunday shooting was made more emphatic by adding the words "and the carrying of a gun ready for use in the vicinity of game shall be prima facie evidence of hunting." Open season for prairie chicken has, owing to the rapid decrease in numbers of this favorite game bird, been reduced to the month of October. The close season for beaver has been extended to the year 1915, but power is given the Minister of Agriculture to permit the breaking of dams or the removal of beaver when they are found to be damaging property. The use of poison for the destruction of fur-bearing animals is forbidden, but this does not include wolves, The export of unprime skins is prohibited. A fee of $1, must now be paid for a permit to export a deer head and a like figure for each shipment of one dozen or less of ducks or geese, and no person may export in one season more than five dozen of such birds. No permits may be granted for export of dead prairie chicken or other grouse. A new schedule of licenses to shoot has been made as follows: $1 2 50 25 10 Provision for the issue of permits for guests has been repealed. Taxidermists doing business in the Province must pay a license of $5 annually. Penalties for contraventions of the game ordinance now range from a minimum of $10 to $300 and costs, according to the nature of the offence. Persons away from home in close season are liable to be searched by game guardians if found carrying guns as if for use, and provision has been made for the issue of warrants for search of buildings. The most important amendment to the game ordinance is the setting apart of the Dominion forest reserves known as the Beaver Hills, The Pines, the Moose Mountain, and the Porcupine reserves as game refuges where the carrying of guns, hunting and trapping at any time are forbidden. In this matter, the provincial authorities are co-operating with the Dominion Forestry Service. |