20 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



automobile over an exceptionally poor road once or twice a year in 

 order to reach his favorite stream or hunting area, the warden's car 

 must necessarily travel the same path many times during the season 

 in his ordinary daily work, and we believe that our vehicles do harder 

 work than any others owned by the State. 



A new fish planting truck has been placed in service, equipped 

 with compressed air, and will be used principally in Owens Valley, 

 where long hauls are necessary to deliver fish to animal pack trains at 

 the road ends high above the floor of the valley. The old truck oper- 

 ated by the Patrol Department in this work has practically outlived 

 its economical period of operation but will be kept in reserve or used 

 in addition to the new one if required in emergencies. 



The boat Quinnat which has given many years service in patrol- 

 ling San Francisco bay will be replaced shortly as it is no longer in 

 condition to do patrol work without extensive repairs which are not 

 warranted in view of the age of the vessel. A new six-cylinder engine 

 has been placed in the launch Hunter which is considerably more 

 powerful than the original equipment. The power plant of the launch 

 Rainbow has been thoroughly overhauled and should give satisfactory 

 service for some years to come. 



The United States Bureau of Biological Survey regulations limited 

 the 1931 waterfowl season to a one month's period and reduced the 

 bag limits on both ducks and geese, and the commission as a conserva- 

 tion measure requested all California hunters to abide by the Federal 

 regulations. To assist in this matter, all regular wardens were 

 appointed Federal game protectors (without salary) and made it part 

 of their duty to inform the hunting public of the reduced Federal 

 limits and season and it is pleasing to note that the sportsmen cooper- 

 ated heartily in their observance. Market hunting of ducks and geese 

 continued in the Sacramento and San Joaquin areas and probably 

 will continue as long as residents of the larger cities are willing to pay 

 fancy prices for wild game. Courts in the Sacramento Valley region 

 were prompt in awarding substantial fines and jail sentences in market 

 hunting cases but a jury trial in the San Joaquin Valley area proved 

 the inadequacy of the jury system, where the neighborhood is not in 

 sympathy with game law restrictions. 



The new striped bass law which prohibits the netting of this fish 

 resulted, after the first netting conviction, in the use of set lines con- 

 sisting sometimes of many hundred hooks on lines almost a thousand 

 feet long. These illegal set lines were usually placed in position during 

 the night and were difficult to pick up, so well were they hidden. To 

 render this law effective a possession limit should be included durnig 

 the closed commercial season, there being no limit on possession in the 

 present section. 



During the coming deer season a new deer tag fastening for that 

 portion of the tag required to be attached to the animal's horns is 

 being furnished. It consists of a metal seal similar to those used in 

 sealing railroad freight car doors and should prevent any complaint 

 on the part of the hunter that he had no string available to tie the tag. 

 The metal seal carries the same number as the deer tag, so even if the 

 tag is torn off, the essential information and protection remains intact. 



