THIRTIETH BIENNIAL REPORT 75 



following: 1926-27, coyotes, 9631; wild cats, 7015; 1927-28, coyotes, 

 13,941 ; wild cats, 12,250. The returns from skins of coyotes and wild 

 cats average about 25 per cent of the annual fur sales, which of itself 

 would not be sufficient to keep the present number of trappers in the 

 field. The value of the commercial trapper in the control of coyotes 

 and wild cats cannot be discounted and this service is performed with- 

 out cost to the taxpayer. Reasonable protection of skunk, raccoon, 

 ring-tailed cat, pine marten, fisher, river otter, wolverine, mink, fox, 

 beaver, muskrat and bear will tend to keep a large number of trappers 

 in the field, which will materially assist in predatory animal control. 



Predatory Animal Control. — Mountain lions — In 1926 bounties were 

 paid on 249 mountain lions, and in 1927 bounties were paid on 241 

 mountain lions. Bounty was first placed on mountain lions in 1907. 

 From that time to December 31, 1927, a total of 5170 claims have been 

 paid — an average of 246 claims per year. It will be noted that the kill 

 of lions for the years 1926 and 1927 is very close to the annual average 

 for the twenty-one-year period, which indicates that the bounty system 

 alone is not sufficient to effectively reduce the lion population in the 

 state. The annual toll of deer taken by lions is serious. Assume that 

 the present lion population is approximately 500, and that each lion 

 kills an average of one deer per week — 500 X 52 is 26,000 deer per 

 year. When it is noted that the hunters reported the kill of 19,507 

 deer in 1927, it will be seen that the toll taken by lions may be estimated 

 at 33 per cent greater than the kill by hunters. The necessity for 

 further reducing the lion population is very evident. Statement of 

 bounties paid on mountain lions will be found on page 151 of the 

 appendix. 



During the past two years Jay Bruce, state lion hunter, has killed 

 about 15 per cent of all the lions taken in the state, which demon- 

 strates the value of this form of lion control. It is recommended that 

 three additional lion hunters be employed on full-time basis. 



Coyotes, ivild cats and other predatory species.— In April, 1928, two 

 trappers were employed and assigned to predatory animal control and 

 since that time have worked in four game refuges : 3-E, Santa Clara 

 County; 3-F, Contra Costa County; 2-A, Glenn and Lake counties, 

 and l-O, El Dorado County. These predatory animal control opera- 

 tions are being conducted in cooperation with the State Department of 

 Agriculture and the U. S. Bureau of Biological Survey. It is now 

 planned to continue this work, especially in the game refuges, and it 

 is recommended that two additional trappers be employed for this 

 purpose. 



Game Breeding. — For the year 1926, 164 game breeder's licenses 

 were issued and in 1927 the number increased to 201. Ring-necked 

 pheasants, valley quail and mallard ducks have been raised in con- 

 siderable numbers; the demand for these has apparently been equal 

 to the supply. Most of the domestically reared game birds have been 

 sold for stocking purposes or to other game breeders for breeding 

 stock. The number of inquiries received from prospective purchasers 

 of domestically reared game has been so large that lists of breeders 

 who are offering stock for sale have been prepared for distribution. 

 A report showing the operations of game breeders will be found on 

 page 140 of the appendix. 



