ORGANIZING THE OTHER FORCES OF PRODUCTION 



631 



when abnormally abundant in a particular locality, are the only practical methods by which 

 losses from this factor may be controlled. For the latter the cooperation of local trappers 

 may well be solicited. 



Disease 



It has been popularly supposed that little could be done to aid in the control of grouse 

 diseases. Insofar as individual diseases go, this is correct. There are at least three general 

 ways, however, of reducing the incidence and therefore the power of grouse diseases in 

 general. The first is to create as many grouse territories as possible within a covert, thus 

 tending to prevent large concentrations of population. The second is to formulate a plan 

 for reducing these concentrations, should they occur, by harvesting the surplus through 

 lengthening the shooting season. With grouse, it is impractical to redistribute the birds 

 by attempting to trap the surplus. The last is to see that predators are not reduced in num- 

 bers to a point where they cannot he depended on to harvest any surplus not taken by 

 hunters. 



Though the Investigation knows of no exact proof, it is also a generally accepted prin- 

 ciple that the better the cover the stronger the bird and the less likely it is to become weak- 

 ened and fall prey to disease. 



Control of the Harvest 



In designing a grouse area it is important that provision be made for adequate control of 

 the harvest. Even with careful planning and control of hunting, grouse numbers will varv 

 considerably from year to year. Therefore an estimate of the season's crop is necessary.* 

 It is advisable to incorporate in the management plan some means whereby the season may 

 be shortened from the normal period or closed altogether if the birds prove to be unusually 

 scarce. Conversely, if they are found to be overly abundant it is equally desirable that the 

 season be lengthened so as to allow for the harvesting of the unusual surplus rather than 

 leaving it to be removed In disease and predation. 



Dispersion ok the Birds 



Grouse are, by habit, relatively asocial birds. This means that in, periods of abundance, 

 many of the young birds may be expected, in fall, to seek out the less populated coverts. By 

 so arranging the cover as to provide more and better habitats in each covert, this tendency 

 may be minimized except in years of peak populations. 



* Melhotl3 of censiising are prest-nted on p. 676 



.C. . 



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