PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 251 



Further, Iowa lies directly across the main migration paths of the 

 ducks of Minnesota, portions of North and South Dakota and a large sec- 

 tion of the duck regions of the prairie provinces of Canada. These sec- 

 tions constitute the main duck breeding grounds now remaining, and 

 in these regions spring shooting is prohibited. Yet the majority of the 

 organized hunters of Iowa wish this condition to continue, as proven by 

 their action before the last two legislatures when measures prohibiting 

 spring shooting were introduced. The state of Iowa does not yet conform 

 to the federal law prohibiting spring shooting. 



There 'are about one hundred thousand hunters' licenses issued in Iowa 

 every year, and the bag limit on ducks is 25 per day per hunter. This 

 makes it perfectly legal if all the hunters were out and each got his 

 limit, to kill 2,500,000 ducks in one day. In addition to this the hunting 

 season is 19'6 days long, making possible a maximum legal kill o>f 490,- 

 000,000 wild ducks. Beyond all doubt this 'exceeds the number of ducks 

 that pass over the state in either spring or fall. Of course the hunters 

 are never all out at once, the ducks are absent in winter, and the wariness 

 of the wildfowl is such that the bag limit is seldom obtained. However, 

 the computation just given will show what is legally possible under the 

 present state law, as there is no place in Iowa where wild ducks are pro- 

 tected at all times by the game laws. 



While I admit that the present drainage district law is of great bene- 

 fit to the state, and is a necessity to the state's development, I contend 

 that there should be some exceptions in its application. I do not believe 

 that the present generation has the right to destroy all the natural 

 assets of the state among which I would include the wild waterfowl and 

 the beautiful and curious plants which grow in the marshes. Since 

 the state attends to the drainage of the marsh lands, she should also 

 attend to the preservation of portions of them. So far the state has sadly 

 neglected the natural beauty and valuable wild life. It seems that if 

 any marshes are preserved it will have to be by individual or organized 

 effort. 



It would be an ideal condition, if there existed in Iowa about fifteen 

 tracts of swaimip or marsh land, of 500 to 1,000 acres each, dedicated to 

 the perpetual protection -and preservation of our wild waterfowl, marsh 

 and shore birds, as well as the native plants which grow in such loca- 

 tions. These tracts -should be under the control of the state or some 

 special organization, which should prohibit all hunting and excessive 

 flower plucking on them, with wardens to enforce the laws. 



If these tracts or bird sanctuaries could be ideally located, the plan 

 which appeals to me would be to have three along the Missouri river, 

 three along the Des Moines river, the same number, along the Mississippi 

 river, and three each along lines drawn north and south between these 

 rivers. I doubt if it is now possible that many tracts of marsh land, suita- 

 ble for bird and plant sanctuaries, are left in the state, especially in the sec- 

 tions away from the rivers. Under the present drainage law it would 

 be necessary to secure the control of all the swamp lands in- the ^water- 

 shed, or some other landowner could compel the establishment of a drain- 

 age district. Such sanctuaries, if they are ever secured, would insure 



