THE POACHER.

Shannon News, 28 June 1921, Page 4

THE POACHER.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —The sportsmen of this district do not advocate a punitive spirit where minor offences are concerned, but in the case of poachers of protected game an example should be made of such offenders. The poacher, for one thing, is very hard to catch, and even when caught, often gets out of the scrape because the rangers’ powers are limited. Then there is often a silly sentiment attached to poaching, and we have known cases where even licenseholders have refrained from bringing poachers to justice. The result of this is that deer get slaughtered for meat, and sometimes for “fun.” When the season opens the genuine sportsman travels many miles, often at a high cost, and pays for his license like a gentleman," often to find that the sneak has been> ahead of him, and often flagrantly leaving the traces of his unclean work on the open plain and hillside.—l am, etc., PLAY THE GAME. •