CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 79 



mitted many thousands of ducks and geese to remain on the lakes of 

 the higher plateau region. At this time, there Avere thousands upon 

 thousands of ducks on Tule Lake in addition to myriads of geese, and 

 State Game Warden Fred R. Starr stated that ducks were much more 

 numerous there than at any time in the previous season. 



Several sources have consistently reported more ducks in the 

 Butte Creek Basin region of the Sacramento Vallev this year than a 

 year ago. This, in spite of the fact that weather conditions as above 

 outlined permitted large numbers of the birds to remain in the plateau 

 region that were unable to stay there so late a year ago. 



Suisun Bay and marshes, and the South San Francisco Bay 

 marshes have had more ducks on them in 1933 than in the prior season. 



Early this season, water was, as usual at this time, short in the 

 San Joaquin Valley. In spite of this fact, ducks are reported to have 

 visited this section in greater numbers this year from August to date. 

 Several gun clubs from this region have reported more successful kills 

 throughout the present season than were obtained a year ago. Large 

 numbers of ducks were reported in the San Joaquin Valley in Septem- 

 ber and October, and on the opening of the season, November 1. Fair 

 shooting was had in this region in November, but less success was had 

 during the first two weeks in December. Storms occurring about mid- 

 December brought in a large number of new birds, particularly 

 widgeon, teal and shovellers, to the San Joaquin Valley, and excellent 

 shooting is reported from that area after December 16. 



Several observers in the Wasco-Delano section of northern Kern 

 County report more birds there this year than last. Similar reports 

 emanate from the Lancaster-Palmdale region and from the Imperial 

 Valley. 



When figures from our neighboring States are available, we hope 

 that the above encouraging reports will not indicate an undue con- 

 centration of ducks in our State, but will show that the duck crisis 

 has passed and that the birds are commencing to regain their former 

 numbers. — James Moffitt, I)ivisio7i of Fish and Game, San Francisco, 

 December 21, 1933. 



DEER TAG RETURNS FOR 1933 



Tabulation of deer tags places the number of bucks killed during 

 the 1933 open deer season in California at 17,689. This is 691 less than 

 the number legally taken in 1932. The decrease in 1932 over 1931 was 

 7425, over ten times the decrease of the current year. 



Tags sold during 1933 totaled approximately 94,500 a decrease 

 over last year of about 2200. 



In noting the decrease in the number of successful hunters, the 

 fact must be considered that in game districts 4 and 4f, the season 

 was five days shorter than normal this year, due to the fact that the 

 law changing the season in this area to the period August 16 to Sep- 

 tember 15 did not become effective until August 21. Therefore, the 

 deer season in districts 4 and 4f did not open until that date and, 

 of course, had to close on September 15. 



The 1933 tags returned show that there were 556 less deer bagged 

 in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, San Diego and 

 Imperial counties than in 1932. Los Angeles County this year returned 



