70 THE EEPOET UPON No. 14 



Overseer David Conger, of West Lake, reports that the catch of whitefish and 

 salmon trout has been satisfactory to the fishermen, and he is satisfied that the 

 licensees observed the laws. 



Angling has been the same as it was last season in West and East Lake. 



He seized one set of hoop nets in West Lake and delivered them to Overseer 

 Brisbin, of Picton, but could not find out who the offender was who set them. 



With regard to the game, ducks are very plentiful, and muskrats are holding 

 their own, but mink are very scarce. Black squirrels are increasing. 



The Game Laws have been fairly well observed. 



Overseer E. B. Fox, of Northport, reports that fish of all kinds are quite 

 plentiful, some species more so than last year. Bass are more numerous than 

 last season, and the non-residents report them to be very large; many of them 

 say that if all is well they will return next year and bring others with them. 



Whitefish are more numerous than last year; one fisherman lifted his hoop 

 nets after being set for two nights, and dressed 1,000 bullheads of 7 lbs., from 

 six sets of nets, which is sufiicient evidence to prove that there are plenty of 

 bullheads. 



Ducks were very plentiful during August and the first week of September, 

 but they seemed to leave the district after this. He thinks they had finished all 

 fJie wild rice, and had to go to look for other feeding grounds. Partridges are 

 increasing, but there is no great quantity of them. Muskrats and mink are quite 

 scarce in most of the marshes, and he recommends that the trappers should be 

 licensed or that there should be a close season for two years. 



Overseer E. A. Titus, of Wellington, reports that this has been a very favour- 

 able season for the fishermen, although it was not quite up to 1912; this was 

 probably caused by the weather conditions, which were not so good. Salmon and 

 whitefish were as plentiful as last year, but on account of so much windy weather 

 they did not do quite so well as the year before. Hoop-net fishing was good 

 during the spring, but the carp are becoming so numerous in Wellers Bay that 

 the fishermen are afraid they will destroy the hoop-net fishing entirely. 



Ducks are very numerous; he does not think he ever saw so many Fall ducks 

 as there are this season. Muskrats were quite scarce last spring. Mink, beaver 

 and black squirrels are very scarce in his division. Partridges are plentiful this 

 Fall. 



The law has been fairly well observed, with one or two exceptions. There 

 were only two convictions made for illegal shootilig at Wellers Bay. There was 

 some illegal shooting being done on West Lake beach, but the law-breakers escaped 

 without being caught. 



Eainy Eiver District. 



Overseer William Aymer, of Fort Frances, reports that the fishing in Eainy 

 Lake was better than last year, lyng and other worthless fish are increasing, 

 especially in the small inland lakes; he would suggest that more of them be 

 licensed for winter fishing. 



He recommends re-stock of Baffin and Nickle Lakes, two small lakes near 

 Fort Frances with bass. 



Partridges are not so numerous as last year. Prairie chickens are increasing, 

 especially along the railway line. Ducks are not so plentiful as last year, as there 

 is no wild rice. 



