198 Game Survey of the North Central States 



State Refuges and Public Shooting Grounds. Michigan is the only 

 State in the north central group which is so far embarked on a systematic program 

 of acquiring refuges and public shooting grounds on forest lands and putting 

 them under management. The status of the Michigan system of standard refuges 

 as acquired to date is: 



Michigan refuge units 

 (abbreviated from biennial report, 192728) 



Number under development in Lower Peninsula 8 units 



Gross area in refuges, 4,000 20,000 acres, average 8,000 acres 



Adjacent state land within 1 mile, 2,000 10,000 acres, average 4,000 acres 



Food patches in operation on 4 units 



Average cost of operation and improvements, per unit per year ^.$3,000 



This is of course the present condition, not the ultimate plan. The surround- 

 ing State-owned shooting grounds, as well as the refuges, are in process of acquisi- 

 tion. 



The economical acquisition of great areas of land for public hunting requires 

 a great degree of skill exercised without interference through a long period of 

 time. It is simply impossible for an unstable or non-technical department to drive 

 good bargains and get the right kind of lands, or for any department to do so in a 

 hurry. Any State which wants public rather than private management of big 

 game ranges had better provide a steady source of income, turn it over to a good 

 staff of men, and let them alone. 



There are various big game refuges in other States, including Missouri, but 

 they do not as yet constitute a system aimed at ultimate State ownership and 

 operation of game ranges. 



Need of a Deer Study. Throughout the Lake States there is a growing 

 apprehension lest the cutting out of swamp timber for posts, pulpwood, lumber, 

 etc., may destroy the food and shelter necessary for winter yarding grounds for 

 deer. 



A general survey of the deer yard situation has been started by Michigan. 

 This is a necessary preliminary to the study herein advocated. One of the ele- 

 mentary facts about deer yards not known is the distance a deer will travel from 

 his summer range to his yarding grounds. Several observers seen during the sur- 

 vey claim to have tracked deer moving as far as five miles to a yard. In all 

 probability the radius of effectiveness is 10 miles or more. 



It is generally assumed that white cedar is the basic winter food and a neces- 

 sary constituent of a successful yard. This may or may not be the case. If it is, 

 it remains still to be determined to what extent cedar swamps are injured or 

 benefitted by cuttings. This is a forestry research question of the kind intended 

 for solution under the McSweeney-McNary Act. 



A considerable program of coniferous forest plantations is under way in 

 Michigan, and proposed in the other Lake States. Most of these plantations so 

 far have been made "solid," without intervening unplanted areas. It is reason- 



