12 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



The last Legislature provided a means of distributing licenses on 

 credit with a reduced commission to dealers obtaining credit, and 

 provisions for proper bonding to insure the State against loss. This 

 change was made necessary by the gradual withdrawal of county clerks 

 from the distribution of licenses. Many of these clerks carried the 

 accounts of their agents, many of whom could not, or did not care to 

 pa}^ cash for their licenses. Sportsmen should find it easy to buy 

 licenses and this is only possi1)le with a wide distribution of agents. 

 The new system, in conjunction with the old, seems to be working 

 satisfactorily although it has necessitated a slightly added force in our 

 license office to take care of the greatly increased mail order business. 

 The added expense for bondinc," and labor is saved in the reduced 

 commission allowed on credit sales. License commissions (5 per cent for 

 cash and 2^ per cent for credit) are paid only to agents other than 

 employees of the commission and amount to over $50,000 a year. 



BUREAU OF PATROL 



The Bureau of Patrol is the largest subdivision of the Commission's 

 work, and while organized primarily for the enforcement of fish and 

 game laws, this bureau assists in practically all phases of our con- 

 servation work. This bureau, in cooperation Avith the Bureau of Fish 

 Culture, is responsible for the planting of fish from our hatcheries, 

 and a splendid new fish planting truck with aerating equipment is 

 being delivered for this season's work. 



During the 1931 fire season, fish and game wardens and equipment 

 were assigned to the State Forester to assist in fire control and sup- 

 pression, and they are always on call for emergency work of this kind. 

 The U. S. Forest Service and the National Park Service have cooper- 

 ated in a most effective manner in the planting of fish and in the 

 enforcement of our game laws. 



The short duck season established by the Federal Government in 

 1931 brought problems of law enforcement, but the sportsmen of the 

 State responded most generously in recognizing the existence of an 

 emergencj^, and in cooperating in the enforcement and observance of 

 Federal regulations. 



Metal, self-locking seals are being provided for the 1932 deer tags. 

 Many complaints have been received because the old tags are easily 

 torn off, removed and dates altered. The metal seal should overcome 

 some of the defects of the old tags and may be of some assistance in 

 law enforcement. 



Game wardens assist in the control of predators and vermin which 

 are destructive to our desirable wild life. The stray house cat is a 

 serious problem and a menace to our game birds. Misdirected sympathy 

 for these animals results in their abandonment in out of the way 

 places where they can only live at the expense of our wild life. 



Our volunteer deputies have been particularly active in the creation 

 of quail sanctuaries and in the control of the enemies of the quail. 

 Six hundred thousand acres with an estimated quail population of 

 400,000 birds have been secured as quail sanctuaries by this group. 

 These sanctuaries are being surveyed to determine their value, and 

 assistance is being given in the development of the more useful areas. 



