32 



FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



by lottery for taking 75 bulls and 50 cows. Records kept at hunters' 

 checking stations showed that 61 bulls and 46 cows were shot, for a total 

 of 107 animals. 



TABLE 5. ESTIMATED ELK POPULATION AND RESULTS 

 OF HUNTS, 1943-1949 



CATALINA DEER HUNT 



For a number of years the deer population on Santa Catalina Island 

 had been increasing until the range suffered from extreme overbrowsing. 

 In 1948 an attempt was made to control this population by trapping and 

 removing deer from the island. These operations accounted for 150 deer. 

 The deer population still remained high so in 1949 the Catalina Island 

 Company requested a controlled hunting season for taking deer of both 

 sexes. 



A 13-week hunting season was set for November 1, 1949, to Januarj^ 

 31, 1950, with a total of 1,950 hunting permits issued by lottery. Since 

 permits were only valid for a one-week period, they were issued at a 

 maximum rate of 150 per week. Checking station records showed that 

 724 hunters took part in this hunt, and that they bagged 246 bucks and 

 231 does for a total of 477 deer. 



PREDATOR CONTROL 



The predatory animal catch, which bad been previously recorded 

 for each fiscal year, has now been changed to a report for the calendar 

 3'ear. Reported here is the predatory animal catch for the 18-month 

 period of July 1, 1948, to December 31, 1949. The report for the six-month 

 period January 1-June 30, 1948, was presented in the last biennial report. 



During this 18-month period a grand total of 5,193 coyotes and 2,081 

 bobcats was taken by our predatory animal hunters and trappers. A total 

 of 5,290 other lesser predators was taken during the same period. A 

 summary of the predatory animal catch will be found in Appendix B. 



MOUNTAIN LION CONTROL 



On May 18, 1948, the ten thousandth mountain lion was brought in 

 for bounty. This lion was taken by Charles W. Bucknell of Bell Springs 

 in Mendocino County. The first lion to be bountied was also taken in 

 Mendocino County on October 2, 1907, by Jake Newcomer. It was in 1907 

 that the first bounty on mountain lions was proposed by Commissioner 

 Fred Van Sicklen, and a payment of a $20 bounty was authorized. Com- 



