1925 GAME AND FISHERIES 



Game Sanctuaries 



The propagation of English Ring-necked Pheasants is still being carried 

 on at the Eugenia Crown Game Preserve with considerable success, and the 

 public interest is increasing in this undertaking. Aside from the hundreds of 

 pheasants reared on the preserve over 17,000 eggs were placed with farmers 

 and sportsmen for hatching purposes during the year, and from reports received 

 these game birds can be successfully bred in all parts of the Province, including 

 the most westerly districts of Kenora, Rainy River and Thunder Bay. 



In order to meet a demand for further game sanctuaries of considerable 

 size, there has been created the Superior Game Sanctuary which includes islands 

 and mainland between Port Arthur and Schreiber along the north shore of Lake 

 Superior. This territory possesses considerable large game and fur-bearing 

 animals and with proper control and destruction of vermin, should prove of 

 value to that district. I am of the opinion that another large sanctuary should 

 be established in the middle of the north-west part of the Province in view of 

 the decrease in certain fur-bearing animals and owing to the ever increasing 

 number of sportsmen hunting big game. 



Planting of Wild Rice 



The practice of planting wild rice seed in public waters in all parts of the 

 Province has been continued with success and the demand is much greater than 

 the supply obtainable. 



Game 



Deer. — No means are available to show the exact number of deer taken 

 during the year, but from reports received deer were taken in the usual numbers. 



Moose are reported as plentiful in a number of areas. The following is a 



comparison of big game hunting licenses issued for the past four years: — 



1921 1922 1923 1924 



Resident Moose 1,989 1,584 1,098 1,385 



Resident Deer 18,689 20,504 17,877 19,517 



Non-resident Hunting 950 1,256 1,247 1,651 



Ruffed Grouse (commonly known as partridge). In 1923 these game birds 

 were plentiful in all suitable localities, and so far as it has been possible to 

 ascertain the birds wintered well during the winter of 1923 and 1924, but for 

 some unaccountable reason during the summer of 1924 the decrease in numbers 

 of these birds was so enormous that a close season was advocated by a number of 

 sportsmen. Many reasons for this scarcity were advanced, but the true cause 

 will probably remain a mystery. A short open season was permitted, and with 

 normal conditions following, these birds should become well established again. 



Sharp-tailed Grouse or Prairie lien are plentiful in the western part of the 

 Province, and appear to be working eastward as the district of Thunder Bay 

 is reported to have a large number. 



Quail are still protected by a close season, and are to be found in larger 

 numbers in the Counties of Kent and Essex than elsewhere. 



Pheasants are protected by a close season, and are to be found in almost 

 every county owing to the distribution of eggs by the Department from the 

 Eugenia Crown Game Preserve. In the Counties of Lincoln and Welland these 

 birds were so plentiful as to make it possible to provide for a one-day shoot 

 for a limited number of male birds. This arrangement was well received by the 

 sportsmen of the Province, and excellent shooting was enjoyed. 



Ducks and Geese are plentiful in all parts of the Province, and the season 

 was a satisfactory one to all sportsmen. 



