TWENTY-EIGHTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 



17 



Fig. 4. Jay Bruce, State Lion Hunter starts on a trip. Photograph by Mrs. J. Bruce. 



MOUNTAIN LION CONTROL. 



During the past two years state lion hunter Jay Bruce, secured 

 sixty lions of which 34 were males, and 26 females. Of this number 

 fourteen were animals less than a year old. Many of the lions (49 

 in all) were taken in or near game refuges, localities which are worked 

 consistently because of the direct relation to deer conservation. It is 

 believed that the total average lion population of the state has been 

 reduced about 100 as a result of the activities of the state lion hunter. 

 Complaints of the depredations of bears have been consistently investi- 

 gated but no reliable evidence has been obtained that stock had been 

 killed by them. However, frequently there is evidence that bears 

 have fed upon stock killed by other predatory animals than bears. A 

 complete summation of the lion bounties paid will be found in tlie 

 appendix. 



FISH AND GAME PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATIONS. 



The staunchest kind of support for conservation measures comes 

 from the twenty or more fish and game protective associations of 

 the state. Could this favorable sentiment be unified in one great state 

 organization the sportsman's interests could be better cared for. The 

 Commission has been glad to lend support to these organizations and 

 to receive suggestions from them. A plan is being evolved to C(>nter 

 all of these protective as.sociations in a central organization to be 

 known as the California Conservation League, in an attemi)t to 

 crystallize sentiment and avoid duplication of effort. 



2—34744 



