8 DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 



Concerned ^\•ith the unsarisfactory aspects of the three-day either-sex deer hunts in 1956, the 

 commission announced the following February that until such time as it is granted authority to control 

 the number and distribution of hunters taking antlerless deer, it M'ill authorize the harvesting of 

 surplus animals on a special hunt basis only. 



Deer Management Principles Reaffirmed 



The statement of policy also reaffirmed the commission's belief in the principles of deer manage- 

 ment as expressed in the Cahfornia Deer Management Policy it adopted in 1950. 



In a resolution offered to the Legislature, the commission said its decisions have been based on 

 scientific research, long-range planning, good management practices and the advice of experts in the 

 field and are aimed at accomplishing the best results on a statewide basis. The Legislature was asked 

 to encourage this, rather than impose restrictions which make it difficult or impossible to conduct 

 sound fish and game conservation programs. 



Under ne^^' legislation enacted in 1957, the commission in May, 1958, set hearings for three special 

 antlerless or either-sex hunts for July dates. It declined to schedule hearings on 1 1 other proposed 

 special hunts, but announced it \A^ould reconsider if county boards of supervisors submitted formal 

 requests for such hearmgs to the commission before a June 16th deadline. 



The commission said its reason for declining to set the 1 1 public hearings at the May meeting 

 was based on objections received from supervisors in some of the counties in which the proposed 

 hunts \\'cre to be held. The commission said time, money and effort would be saved if the counties 

 desiring such hearmgs would so indicate. Boards of supervisors of the Counties of Modoc, Inyo, 

 Tulare and Los Angeles asked for the hearings, which were held in late July. 



Ofher Policy Actions 



In other important policy matters during the period, the commission took the following action: 



Amended its policy on public land withdrawals and applications for such withdrawals to provide 

 for mineral entry; 



x\dopted a policy calling for multiple use of lands administered by the department; 



Clarified its policy in regard to dams and obstructions on the Klamath River. 



After two public hearings on a special elk season in Colusa, Lake and Yolo Counties, the commis- 

 sion set a date for the season, then canceled it. Ranchers who control 90 percent of the area proposed 

 for the elk hunt had agreed to open their property to hunters but withdrew their approval at the 

 last moment. 



The commission, which is also a regulation-making body under authority conferred by the Legis- 

 lature, was active in this field during the period. 



Regulations Enacted 



Annual fishing and hunting regulations were regularly set by the commission during the biennium. 

 The commission also took the follo\\'ing regulatory actions: 



Adopted regulations prohibiting the possession and use of wild minnows in certain waters of the 

 state, effective January, 1959; 



Suspended waterfowl feeding regulations because of a conflict with federal regulations; 



Adopted regulations regarding possession and training of hawks used in the practice of falconry 

 in accordance M'ith new legislation; 



Adopted regulations permitting the possession of an additional bag limit of trout taken in Inyo 

 and Mono Counties in accordance with new legislation; 



Set regulations under which special hunts to reduce crop damage from deer may be held, also in 

 accordance \\ith new legislation. 



