58 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



of careful watch for it. Game wardens treated -water holes in diseased 

 areas with bhiestone in ID.'i.S, whicli sterilization may have been liel])- 

 fiil in controllino- and stampings out this disease. It has been impossible 

 to ascertain the total number of deer that succumbed to the recent 

 epidemic, but same was considerable and conservative estimates run 

 into the hundreds. 



Illegal hunting', particuhii-ly winlci' l^illing of deer, is another 

 factor that undoubtedly has luid its effect upon the Modoc deer popula- 

 tion. In spite of the best efforts of our game wardens, this drain on 

 the deer herd is known to be considerable and has doubtless increased 

 in recent years due to economic stress and unemployment. Winter 

 deer killing in remote sections of a country that is difficult to traverse 

 at this season on account of deep snows is one of the most difficult types 

 of violation to apprehend. Further, the all too liberal policy of many 

 of our courts toAvard convicted violators in late years, on the plea of 

 economic stress, has tended to ease the penalty for such violations, 

 which fact works for more abuse of our game laws. 



Another possible factor to reckon with in regard to the status 

 of the Modoc deer herd is that of increasingly intensive sheep grazing 

 in the area. Formerly, much of the Modoc region was utilized for . 

 horse and cattle grazing. These animals are mainly grass eaters and they 

 do not compete with deer for food to the extent that sheep, which also 

 browse, do. Sheep grazing has increased enormously in the ]\Iodoc 

 region in the ])ast twenty years and the effect of overgrazing by these 

 animals is apparent in many localities. This fact may have had an 

 effect on the deer herd by reducing its available food supply. 



Other factors which may Avork in favor of or against the welfare 

 of Modoc mule deer are enumerated beyond in the outline of the study. 



The Division decided to secure more information on Modoc mule 

 deer preparatory to effecting game management measures in the region, 

 in the spring of 1933. It also decided to increase the value of its 

 game refuges in that section at the same time. The original plan to 

 locate trappers on four of the mule deer refuges in 1933 and on addi- 

 tional ones in 1934 was by necessity delayed and modified in the summer 

 on account of reduction in personnel and in income. Nevei-theless, it 

 was later found possible to proceed Avith a modification of this program 

 and three skilled predatorv animal trappers and field observers Avere 

 located on Game Refuges *1-B, 1-F and 1-Q in the fall of 1933. In 

 addition to removing predatory animals, especially coyotes, from these 

 areas, these men Avill do everything possible for the Avelfare of deer 

 and other game and Avill also coo])erate in this study program. 



The Division's Bureau of p]ducation and Research has adopted for 

 its chief field investigational Avork for 1934 (and ])robably succeeding 

 years also) the administration of the present study ]irogram. The 

 purpose of this Avork is to ascertain the favorable and unfavorable 

 factors to the Modoc mule deer, means by AAdiich same can be altered 

 for the deer herds' benefit, and to compile information that Avill later 

 proA'ide the basis of a game management program for these animals. 

 The latter means im})roving habitat and other conditions so that a 

 lai'ger annual crop is secured and "harA'esting" this crop in such a 

 manner that the entire herd may maintain its numbers or increase. It 

 is quite evident that our present knowledge is insufficient to ])ermit 



