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MASSACHUSETTS GROUSE NEED HELP Boston Mass November 5 The upland game season is oucn now in Massachusetts The birds and animals include hare or rabbit gray squirrel quail ruffed grouse or partridge introduced pheasant and woodcock woodcockWilliam William C Adams George II Graham and Arthur L Millett commissioners of fisheries and game have appealed to all sportsmen asking them to re ¬ frain from shooting ruffed grouse in Massachusetts during the open season In their appeal to sports ¬ men the commissioners say sayThe The commissioners of fisheries and game have made a careful survey of the conditions in the state as relates to the alleged scarcity of ruffed grouse commonly known as partridge While investigations have been made off and on since the beginning of the breeding season the most recent investigations were made from Octolier 15 to date dateFrom From the facts obtained the commission unani ¬ mously asks the sportsmen of the commonwealth to refrain from shooting ruffed grouse or partridge during the season of November It is claimed that there are a few localities in the state where the birds are as plentiful as usual but the almost unani ¬ mous opinion is that unless the shooting of ruffed grouse is refrained from this season it will re ¬ quire years for these birds to come back to their normal numbers if they ever can be brought back backThe The commission believes tliat the sportsmen of the state should feel much encouraged as far as their November shooting month is concerned for all re ¬ ports which reach the central ofifce show an abun ¬ dance of phesants in all the covers of the state ami feel that this will in a great measure make up for any loss which the real sportsmen may have in not taking a shot at ruffed grouse grouseIf If the pheasants are greatly reduced in num er they can be replaced by artificial propagation at the state game farms farmsThe The commission has tried for several years to propagate the ruffed grouse The results have not been such as to justify the belief that these birds can be raised in substantial numbers in cap ¬ tivity tivityIf If the sportsmen will direct their attention to a systematic reduction of all kinds of vermin they will accomplish more than through any other agency to bring back the birds
