TWENTY-EIGHTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 



17 



Fig. 4. Jay Bruce, State I^ion Hunter starts on a trip. Photosrapli by Mrs. J. Bruce. 



MOUNTAIN LION CONTROL. 



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

 sixty lions of which 3-1 were males, and 26 females. Of this number 

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

 in all) were taken in or near game refuiies, localities whicli 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 al)out 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 the 

 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 center 

 all of these protective associations in a central organization to be 

 known as the California Conservation League, in an attempt to 

 crystallize sentiment and avoid duplication of effort. 



2 — 34744 



