AS A HUNTER AND TRAPPER OF PREDATORS 381 



Investigation to substantiate all conclusions with a foundation of observed or demonstrated 

 facts, but man's relations to predators, by its very nature, must be strung together with num- 

 erous postulations where facts and figures have not as yet been obtained. Our concern in 

 this instance would be less marked were it not that the subject had already been treated at 

 length by two divergent and highly-opinionated sections of the public. Statements made in 

 progress reports of the Investigation in past years have in some cases occasioned outcries of 

 varying intensities from both the "leftists" and the "rightists". Being damned by both 

 extremes may possibly be interpreted as back-handed praise. Certainly it has instilled an 

 even greater-than-normal feeling of caution. In all conclusions drawn, man's hunting of 

 predators has been considered purely as it may influence grouse abundance. 



Number and Per Cent Taken by Hunting 



A reasonably accurate determination of either the numbers or per cent of predators taken 

 by hunters is not easy. In the cases of some of the manmials, the license stub reports required 

 of hunters and trappers in New York give valuable data although most of those reported 

 are trapped rather than taken by hunting*. Only part of the predatory mammals, however, 

 and none of the predatory birds are among the species which are reported to the Conserva- 

 tion Department in this way. Thus, without this statistical help, the problem must be 

 attacked in broad terms. Written records of sportsmen's club activities, bounty records (in 

 those states which offer bounties), observations on hunter-habits and the relative vulnera- 

 bility of various species to hunting by man must furnish the basis for discussion. 



In so far as their potential effect on grouse is concerned, the number of predatory species 

 that need be considered is small. Among the mammals are the red and gray foxes, the New 

 York and small brown weasels, and the skunk. Among the birds the great horned owl and 

 Cooper's Hawk are the ones most important in New York, although the goshawk, sharp- 

 shinned hawk and crow may at times become troublesome. 



The number of predators of any species taken by hunters depends not so much on the 

 degree to which it destroys game as upon its vulnerability to man's weapons. That the crow 

 is a much-hunted species and also of some importance as a grouse predator is largely acci- 

 dental. That the horned owl is only occasionally taken by hunters, even though it is an'impor- 

 tant grouse predator, is mainly due to its seclusive and nocturnal habits. That the red squir- 

 rel is seldom important as a grouse predator and yet is conimonlv shot by hunters is due to 

 the ease with which they are sought out and killed. With notable exceptions, man's hunting 

 of predators has not resulted in their great reduction. Rather, it has forced the various 

 species to become more wary and adept at avoiding man. In some cases, largely due to man's 

 improvement of the environment for them, species have actually increased from former num- 



* See discussion of Man As a Tr-ipper of Fur Species, p. 382. 



