I have been at some pains to collect the latest figures showing the number of hunting licenses issued in 1911, but the total is incomplete. In some states the figures are not obtainable, and in some states there are no hunters' license laws. The figures of hunting licenses issued in 1911 that I have obtained from official sources are set forth below.
| The United States Army Of Destruction | ||||
| Hunting Licenses issued in 1911 | ||||
| Alabama | 5,090 | Montana | 59,291 | |
| California | 138,689 | Nebraska | 39,402 | |
| Colorado | 41,058 | New Hampshire | 33,542 | |
| Connecticut | 19,635 | New Jersey | 61,920 | |
| Idaho | 50,342 | New Mexico | 7,000 | |
| Illinois | 192,244 | New York | 150,222 | |
| Indiana | 54,813 | Rhode Island | 6,541 | |
| Iowa | 91,000 | South Dakota | 31,054 | |
| Kansas | 44,069 | Utah | 27,800 | |
| Louisiana | 76,000 | Vermont | 31,762 | |
| Maine | 2,552 | Washington, about | 40,000 | |
| Massachusetts | 45,039 | Wisconsin | 138,457 | |
| Michigan | 22,323 | Wyoming | 9,721 | |
| Missouri | 66,662 | _______ | ||
| Total number of regularly licensed gunners | 1,486,228 | |||
The average for the twenty-seven states that issued licenses as shown above is 55,046 for each state.
Now, the twenty-one states issuing no licenses, or not reporting, produced in 1911 fully as many gunners per capita as did the other twenty-seven states. Computed fairly on existing averages they must have turned out a total of 1,155,966 gunners, making for all the United States 2,642,194 armed men and boys warring upon the remnant of game in 1911. We are not counting the large number of lawless hunters who never take out licenses. Now, is Mr. Beard's picture a truthful presentation, or not?
New York with only deer, ruffed grouse, shore-birds, ducks and a very few woodcock to shoot annually puts into the field 150,222 armed men. In 1909 they killed about 9,000 deer!
New Jersey, spending $30,000 in 1912 in efforts to restock her covers with game, and with a population of 2,537,167, sent out in 1911 a total army of 61,920 well-armed gunners. How can any of her game survive?
New Hampshire, with only 430,572 population, has 33,542 licensed hunters,—equal to thirty-three regiments of full strength!
Vermont, with 355,956 people, sends out annually an army of 31,762 men who hunt according to law; and in 1910 they killed 3,649 deer.
Utah, with only 373,351 population, had 27,800 men in the field after her very small remnant of game! How can any wild thing of Utah escape?