THE BIOLOGICAL BALANCE SHEET 



553 



The prospect, however, is not all dark. The reproductive capacity of the grouse repre- 

 sents an ever-present source of potential increase. By making poor coverts good and good 

 coverts better Nature can be encouraged to set up a relatively high balance in which a dense 

 population of grouse is the rule rather than the exception. Her efforts can be assisted by 

 eliminating the hunting of grouse during periods of real scarcity and, it appears probable, 

 by increasing the harvest of the crop when it is abundant. The conclusions and recommen- 

 dations of the Investigation along these lines will be found in the following section of the 

 book which deals with management. 



In summing up, one must realize that each grouse covert has its own balance sheet and 

 that it is the sum of these, rather than the number of birds which may be present in one's 

 own favorite hunting ground, that determines the size of the total grouse crop. Likewise the 

 degree to which the average level of abundance may be maintained is dependent not so much 

 on changeable factors such as weather, predation or disease, as on the quality and quantity 

 of the habitat in which the bird must live. If the cover be poor the balance, by necessity, is 

 low; if good. Nature's efforts tend to maintain a population more nearly in accordance with 

 the desires of the sportsman. Furthermore, in either case the crop from year to year may 

 vary widely above and below the average level set by the character of the range. Real abun- 

 dance, like real scarcity, is an abnormal situation to correct which Nature is constantly mar- 

 shalling her forces. Yet, by constant effort, the game manager can improve the habitat so 

 that Nature can strike a higher balance. He can also manipulate many of the limiting fac- 

 tors 90 that over a period of years the balance will be upset more often to the advantage of 

 the sportsman than otherwise. 





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