38 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



PITTMAN-ROBERTSON PROJECTS 



Coincident with the passage of the necessary enabling legislation 

 in 1939, California became an active participant in the Pittman-Robert- 

 son program. By the end of the period covered by this report this 

 State had been allotted Federal Aid funds amounting to $307,352.92. 

 The State's contribution of $102,450.93, one-third of the Federal appor- 

 tionment, brought the total to $409,803.85. 



Eleven Pittman-Robertson projects, involving the obligation of funds 

 amounting to $342,093.60, have been undertaken and six were com- 

 pleted during the past biennium. 



Pittman-Robertson projects fall into three categories : surveys and 

 investigations; development; and land acquisition. Of California's 

 projects, five are in the first category, four in the second, and two in 

 the third. 



Surveys and Investigations 



The first investigational project undertaken (Project 2-R) was a 

 survey to determine the status of the kinds of beaver native to the State. 

 This study was carried on in cooperation with the University of Cali- 

 fornia, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. The University paid the salary 

 of the investigator and provided most of the supervision, while expenses- 

 were paid from project funds. The investigation has been completed 

 and a final report of the beaver survey is now in the process of pub- 

 lication. 



Shortly after the beaver survey was begun, a general survey of 

 California's fur resources (Project 5-R) was inaugurated. The investi- 

 gators assigned to this project are determining the status of our more 

 important fur bearers, the amount and value of the fur crop, and the 

 effectiveness of present laws relating to the taking of fur. The data 

 that are being assembled will provide the basis on which a sound pro- 

 gram of fur management may be built in the future. This project, 

 begun in July, 1940, will continue for a period of five years. 



In 1937, the United States Forest Service in cooperation with the 

 United States Fish and Wildlife Service, launched a study of the man- 

 agement of deer in the Gibraltar area of the Los Padres National Forest 

 in Santa Barbara County. The investigation was carried on until 

 1940, when the lack of funds made its continuation under its original 

 auspices impossible. The Division of Fish and Game then entered the 

 jiicture and agreed to carry on the study with Pittman-Robertson funds 

 (Project 3-R). The project was continued until Januarj^ 1, 1942, when 

 it became necessary to terminate it. 



The management of the valley quail, California's most important 

 native game bird, is being made the object of exhaustive studies in the 

 south coast region (Project 6-R) . The course of the investigation is being 

 directed toward the development of management tools that may be put 

 to practical use throughout the State. The investigators are concerning 

 themselves particularly with the effect that the manipulation of food, 

 water, and cover will have on quail populations and with the limiting 

 effect of such factors as disease, predation, and the poisoning of rodents. 

 The project was originally set up for a five-year period. Two years 

 of study had been completed at the end of the biennium. 



