THIRTY-FOURTH BIENNIAL REPORT 27 



Tlie (lata secured the first year have been most valuable and inter- 

 esting and as years go by the entire conservation program will be based 

 on the definite information that is furnished the Division by the hunters 

 themselves. 



In past years our game farms have been limited in their production 

 by the amount of money that could be allotted to that activity. For- 

 tunately, we were able to increase the allotment for the 88th fiscal year 

 by nearly one-third and for the 89th and 90th fiscal years the amount 

 will be pi-actically double tliat of the previous biennium. We have now 

 definitely established the ringneck pheasant as a game bird in California. 

 In certain ])arts of the State the species is abundant enough to stand a 

 longer open season or larger bag limit. In the south where our activi- 

 ties have been concerned more with quail, very encouraging results 

 have been obtained. The production of the game farms has been satis- 

 factory and the increase on our quail refuge areas has been remarkable. 

 Greater attention will be given in the future to the raising of Chukor 

 partridges, as we believe that this species will fit in most excellently 

 in parts of our State that are almost gameless at the present time. 



The deer situation, generally, is satisfactory. There has been some 

 apprehension as to the effect of the repeal of the forked horn mule deer 

 law on this species particularly in the northeastern part of the state. 

 It was believed at the time the law was amended at the last session of 

 the legislature that it would do away with the practice of some hunters 

 killing forked horns, leaving them where killed and later killing a 

 larger animal. ^Yllether this repeal has had a serious effect on the deer 

 of that section can not be determined until the end of the 1936 season. 

 If it is found that the present law has not worked out satisfactorily, a 

 recommendation will be made for its repeal. 



It is interesting to note that in the recent estimate of the U. S. Forest 

 Service of the deer population of the western national forests, that in 

 California there are nine deer per square mile and in all other western 

 national forests the average is only three and one-half deer per square 

 mile. California has in excess of 20 per cent of all the deer of the 

 national forests of the country. 



Predatory animal control has been carried on actively on refuge 

 and adjoining areas. Four expert trappers with assistants have been 

 working constantly in the north and three trappers in the south. In 

 addition, four lion hunters have been actively engaged in lion control. 

 Wherever possible these men have been equipped with state owned 

 pickup trucks in order that they may be better able to cover the terri- 

 tory assigned to them. The kill of lions for the two calendar years of 

 1934 and 1935 was 470, making a grand total of 7460 that have been 

 destroyed since 1907. 



Waterfowl conditions from the hunter's point of view have not 

 been satisfactory. It is certain, however, that conditions would have 

 been much worse had it not been for the work done by the Division in 

 providing refuges for the birds in the duck centers of the State. Pre- 

 vious to the establishment of these areas there was practically no place 

 where birds were safe from the opening of the season to its close. Every 

 body of water in the areas frequented by waterfowl was heavily shot 

 over and the birds were constantly disturbed and driven out of the 

 State, It was therefore apparent that areas of safety must be provided 



