28 



FISH AXD GAME COMMISSION 



Comparison of these questionnaires with the completed interviews should 

 indicate a correction factor which may be applied to the entire post card 

 sample. In theory this correction factor may be used in a few subsequent 

 years, unless there is a complete change in either the methods of hunting 

 or the general economy of the State. The results obtained by each sam- 

 pling method for the state-wide game kill are compared in Table 2. 



TABLE 2. RESULTS OF GAME INVENTORY POLLS 



UPLAND GAME BIRD PRODUCTION 



The production of upland game birds by state game farms reached 

 an all-time high during the biennium when a total of 177,517 birds were 

 liberated. Of this number 172,217 were ring-necked pheasants, 166 Reeves 

 pheasants, 2,252 chukar partridge, 2,776 valley quail, and 106 wild stock 

 turkeys. A summarv of the game bird liberations will be found in Appen- 

 dix B. 



Part of this increase in upland game bird production can be attrib- 

 uted to the new game farms that were placed in operation. The two game 

 farms at Porterville and Brawley were developed and enlarged from 

 former sportsmen's groups pens that were taken over b}^ the bureau. 

 Three game farms of entirely new construction were placed in operation 

 at Chico. ]\Iarysville and Los Banos. 



A policy for the distribution of pheasants has now been adopted by 

 the commission. This policy not only provides for planned releases to be 

 made on areas open for public hunting, but also includes lands that will 

 be closed to all plieasant hunting for five years; these closed lands are to 

 be considered as seed stock areas. It further states that releases will not 

 be made on lands considered to be totally unsuitable pheasant habitat. 



Considerable time was spent by game farm personnel inspecting the 

 increa.sed number of private game farms, and checking the operation of 

 game management areas. The work on the game management areas con- 

 sisted of inspf'f-tion of each area, and tlic banding and liberation of birds 

 on thesp areas. 



