COMMERCIAL PHEASANT FARMS 



A slight decline was noted in certain activities of commercial pheasant 

 propagators. Decreases were noted in the number of farms, in the sales of dressed 

 birds and eggs and in the purchase of adult birds as compared with 1963. On 

 the other hand, the purchase of eggs, chicks and poults and the sale of chicks, 

 poults and adult live birds rose considerably over that of 1963. Commercial 

 pheasant propagators are improving both their stock and facilities and many are 

 now on a sound financial footing. The activities of these propagators are recorded 

 in the following table. 



GAME BIRD HUNTING PRESERVES 



The report of game bird hunting preserve owners/operators shows that opera- 

 tions have become stabilized. Although there was a decrease in numbers of 

 preserves from thirty-three to twenty-nine over the past year, use by hunters and 

 game birds handled have remained nearly constant. Hunting opportunities pro- 

 vided by the private sector are necessary to fill the void in certain areas of the 

 Province where public hunting grounds are not readily accessible to hunters. 



GAME BIRD HUNTING PRESERVE OPERATORS 



Number 

 of 

 District Preserves 



Aylmer 12 



Hespeler 5 



Maple 2 



Lindsay 5 



Tweed 3 



Sault Ste. Marie. 2 



Totals 29 



*Based on incomplete returns. 



Number of Number 

 Total Total Birds of Stock 



Purchases Release Harvested Hunters Mar. 31/65 



24,605 



30,132 19,286 



4,310 



6,399 



Hungarian Partridge 



Portions of Dundas, Russell, Stormont and Carleton Counties in the Kempt- 

 ville District are the hard core of Hungarian partridge populations in Ontario 

 but small numbers occur also in the Niagara Peninsula and in Elgin, Prince 

 Edward, Essex, Bruce and Huron Counties. 



Last year "Huns" were reported as scarce in the Kemptville District and 

 poor hunter success reflected this shortage. Few coveys of young birds were seen 

 during the summer, though the weather from May to July was generally favour- 

 able which should have contributed towards a successful hatch. 



During the 1964 hunting season, Kemptville District officers collected ninety- 

 seven wing specimens of Hungarian partridge for age and sex determinations. 

 These data are included in the table below. 



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