The Question: If You Saw Someone Violating The Fish And Game Laws Would You Report Him To A Game Warden?

DICK CORNISH
President
Metropolitan Rod and Gun Editors' Assn.
Not a novice who unknowingly took one fish more than the limit. But I would report a jacker, the guy who uses a light to bewilder a deer at night, or anyone else willfully committing a major violation of our game laws. They are robbing our resources and deserve to be prosecuted.

MRS. ARCHIBALD G. THOMSON
Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Housewife
I'm tempted to say I would. But would I? I love to shoot, have gone railbird shooting and have shot pheasant and quail. I also shot grouse from Invercauld Castle in Scotland. I know how people can be tempted. I'd never violate the hunting laws, but I couldn't report others.

ELIZABETH FRASER
New York
Actress
No. In many cases, the violation may be accidental rather than willful and deliberate. Suppose a hunter accidentally shoots a doe during a season on buck? It often happens. However, if a hunter is apprehended with a carcass out of season, he should be jailed and fined heavily.

BERT FERGUSON
Memphis
Radio station executive
I suppose every sportsman should, but it's not his nature. Would I? That depends. If he's over the limit, no. If he's poaching in a field or stream, perhaps. If he's hunting out of season, yes. Out of season irritates me most, probably because I want to hunt if anybody else is going to.

CAL FARLEY
Amarillo, Texas
President of Boys' Ranch
We have that problem out our way because there's a lot of quail and wild turkey. Hunting is wonderful and the quail season is short. I understand why a man would bag more than the limit. I dislike reporting him, but the game warden always gives the birds illegally shot to our kids.

LLOYD W. SHEARER
University of Maryland
Zoology instructor
It's difficult to answer that question. Suppose the violator happens to be a good friend? It can happen. If he were a friend, I'd probably remonstrate with him. How could I report a friend? Sure, there's no excuse for things like shooting out of season, but a lot of people do.

AL BROMLEY
Albany, N.Y.
Acting editor, N.Y.
State Conservationist
I did once. This man shot seven deer before the season. He didn't need them, either. That hurt me more than the illegal shooting. I've seen violations that may have been unintentional, and I haven't reported them. You have to use horse sense, like a cop does with traffic violations.

MORRIS R. VOLCK JR.
New York City
Sales manager
Dictaphone Co.
I don't think I would report him. The states have game wardens for that purpose and that's why game wardens are sometimes so unpopular, an unpopularity I wouldn't like to share. After all, although a man has violated a game law, it isn't as if he had violated a criminal law.

MRS. CAMILLE M. CAHILL
Guam
Housewife
I should report him, but I'd be considered a tattletale. My friends might not like that, and we'd hear about it on Guam where my husband is stationed. Anyway, I'm told some game wardens let the local inhabitants hunt out of season. If that's true, why should I report a violation?