Pheasant Hunters Ravage Local Farms
Ranchers and farmers in the valley are threatening to close their land to public hunting after a wave of vandalism during the opening of pheasant season.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Every hunter in the district was out before sun-up Monday morning to secure a good bag of pheasants. As the birds are plentiful this year few were disappointed and many secured the limit. However, the ranchers in many parts of the valley are up in arms over the lawless way in which some of the sportsmen treat private property. Many have reported gates torn down, or left open, chickens, turkeys and guinea fowls ruthlessly slaughtered and numerous other depredations. It is to be regretted that with plenty of game in the open, private property should be so abused and the hunters will have to take care or many farms, at present open to hunters, will be closed next year.
“Ranchers in many parts of the valley are up in arms over the lawless way in which some of the sportsmen treat private property.”
Conflicts between recreational public access and private land management remain a tension point in the Tri-Cities region today. This 1917 warning echoes modern debates over access to rural landscapes and the ethics of outdoor recreation on private property.
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