TWENTY-EIGHTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 79 



Since much of the 'best shooting ground for waterfowl, as well as 

 tlie best deer country, is found within this district, the enforcement 

 of law occupies an imi)ortant place in our duties. Conservation senti- 

 ment in this district continues to expand, as is shown by the percentage 

 of convictions for violations and the increase in the number of fines 

 inflicted. California deputies each patrol a greater area of square 

 miles than do the deputies of any other state. The force, moreover, is 

 inadequate as compared with conditions in other states. Residents 

 and visitors are now beginning to realize what a great asset fish and 

 game are to the community. In years past few arrests were made and 

 it was almost impossible to secure a conviction by jury even in the 

 face of strong and conclusive evidence. How different today ! The 

 Commission now fearlessly submits the equity of the game laws to a 

 judge or jury. Due to the steadily-growing belief of our best citizens 

 that the fish and game laws are of equal value with other laws on 

 our statute books, the Commission and its officers receive the hearty 

 cooperation of the county prosecutors and justices. 



A glance at the comparative chart on page 12 will show the tre- 

 mendous burden placed upon our law enforcement deputies. The land 

 area of California comprises 153,650 square miles and has less tlian 

 eighty deputies to patrol its land and water areas and enforce its fisli 

 and game laws, besides it has nearly 1200 miles of coast line. Each Cali- 

 fornia deputy's share of patrol is over 1387 miles, 810 acres of land, 

 and more than 360 acres of freshwater streams and about 11,810 acres 

 of lakes. New York state with but -16,070 square miles has 143 more 

 salaried deputies than has California. The New England states with 

 the addition of New York, Ohio and Delaware comprise less area than 

 California, but have 436 wardens. These states expend $794,028, as 

 compared with California's expenditure of $102,169 for warden service. 

 Yet there are some who are prone to criticise the Commission for not 

 detecting every violation of the fish and game laws. 

 Respectfully submitted. 



George Neale, 



In churgc. 



SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT REPORT. 



The Honorable Board of Fish and Game Commissioners, 

 State of California. 



Gentlemen : The past two years have noted few changes in game 

 conditions in the San Francisco District. The biennial period, however, 

 has been a severe one for trout on act^ount of the fact tliat tlic 

 rainfall throughout the state was practically half normal and in many 

 places even less than that. Streams that have never failed in previous 

 years have been without water. Very few of the const stn>ams carried 

 enough water to clear the bars at tlie moutlis, with the result that few 

 steelhead were able to make their way into the lagoons, and even when 

 they did the water was so low they could not i-each the si)awning 

 grounds. 



In certain streams fishing was excellent at the opening of the season 

 the first of May. One of these, the Gualala, in Sonoma County, had 



