38 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



GAME FARMS 



During the past two years the production and distribution of 

 game birds from our two games farms has been materially increased 

 over previous bienniums. 



The main factor in this increased production and distribution is 

 further development of the holding pen program. At the close of the 

 previous biennium we were serving 750 pens. During the present 

 biennium this number was increased to 987. Many more clubs have 

 become interested and constructed units of rearing pens in their 

 locality. 



Another factor in this increased production and distribution is 

 the fact that several clubs that were operating holding pens have 

 added brooding facilities as w^ell. At both Fresno and Redding, where 

 the Division of Fish and Game has units of 48 or more pens, 24 

 colony type electric brooders have been added to this equipment. In 

 addition to the projects at Fresno and Redding, the Livermore, Dixon, 

 Eureka, Petaluma, Cloverdale, Grass Valley and Lake County Wild- 

 life Association added electric brooders to their equipment. These 

 extra brooders gave us an additional output as we had the incubat- 

 ing capacity to supply this extra number of birds. Birds for these 

 brooding units are hatched at our Game Farms and transported to 

 the various units as day old chicks. With this added equipment, the 

 production of the present biennium was increased from 64,573 to 

 81,934 birds of all kinds. 



Another factor that has helped to increase the production of birds 

 in the wild is the interest that various clubs have shown in providing 

 closed areas into which birds from their holding pens are released. 

 These closed areas provide a protected home where the birds may 

 adjust themselves to their new environment and reproduce according 

 to their own particular habits. 



When a closed area is formed it is usually for a period of three 

 years, and a planting of birds is made in this area each year. When 

 a closed area is formed and receives a plant of birds each year, it will 

 insure a sufficient number of birds to cause an overflow into adjoin- 

 ing properties where public shooting is permitted. 



With a sufficient number of protected areas, with regular yearly 

 plantings, a regular level of shooting is possible annually. In many 

 cases the areas are closed for an indefinite period as it has been 

 found advisable to continue them in order to keep the bird popula- 

 tion of the closed area and adjoining territory at a sufficient level to 

 warrant good shooting each season. 



Still another means of using closed areas to improve shooting 

 conditions has been experimented with in southern California during 

 the past two years — the trapping of wild quail from refuges for the 

 purpose of stocking depleted areas. It has long been our contention 

 that quail may be reared more successfully under natural conditions 

 than on the game farm, particularly when a proper balance of food, 

 water and cover is maintained. In some States — New Mexico in par- 

 ticular — it has already been demonstrated that areas that have been 

 depleted may be successfully repopulated Avith wild trapped birds. We 

 see no reason why California should not make use of properly con- 



