FORTY-FIFTH BIENNIAL REPORT 13 



the shortage, but the Fish and Game Commission rejected the proposal because it was powerless to 

 curtail the much larger commercial catch simultaneously. Only the Legislature has regulatory power 

 over the commercial fishermen. 



The critical salmon situation had one salutary effect — it united sports and commercial fishermen 

 in a common effort to try to do something about the salmon problem. Under the banner of Salmon 

 Unlimited, this committee held several meetings before the close of the bicnnium to organize the 

 group and study the problem. The department pledged its co-operation with the new organization. 



Operation "Downstream Plant" 



In May, 1958, the department conducted a "quickie" test at the request of this group to determine 

 whether salmon fingerlings could be successfully transported downstream by barge and acclimated 

 to increasing water salinity in a short time. 



A group of 2,000 fingerling kmg salmon, supplied by the federal Coleman Hatchery, \\'ere placed 

 aboard a tuna clipper equipped with live bait tanks at Sacramento. River water was pumped through 

 the tanks as the boat drifted downstream, thus providing some of the changing salinity conditions 

 that small salmon experience on their natural migrations to the sea. 



The trial run was made only to determine whether it was feasible to transport the small fish in 

 this way and results will be useful in planning future experiments. No attempt was made to check 

 the effects of pollution on the fingerlings. In fact, the boat steered a clean-water course all the way, 

 avoiding areas suspected of being even slightly polluted. 



Salmon Program Reorganization 



Early in 1958 the department began mapping plans for a reorganization of its salmon program. 

 Divided for years past both administratively and operationally between the Inland Fisheries and 

 Marine Resources functions, the plan at the close of the biennium was to place all salmon operations 

 and research under the Marine Resources function, headed by the branch chief. This proposal was 

 ready to be submitted to the State Personnel Board and Department of Finance for approval at the 

 close of the period. Purpose of this reorganization was to concentrate and consolidate all salmon 

 efforts heretofore scattered and strengthen the salmon program by switching personnel from other 

 duties. 



EITHER-SEX DEER HUNTS 



The first general experimental either-sex deer hunts in California were held in the fall of 1956. 

 The way was prepared for these hunts by 37 prior special hunts, dating from the Catalina Island 

 hunt in the winter of 1949-50. 



The commission scheduled the general cither-sex hunts for the last three days of the coast and inland 

 seasons respectively, and they were held in 3 5 counties. It was pointed out at the time that experience 

 gained from these hunts could serve as a guide for future hunts. 



While the early hunt went off smoothly, a combination of events resulted in severe criticism of 

 the later inland either-sex season. 



Because it afforded the last opportunity for hunters to bag a deer in 1956, the inland season brought 

 out a great many hunters. Storms in the high country touched off movements of migratory deer 

 herds and these movements were given widespread publicity. Such movements at the end of the 

 regular buck season usually bring out many hunters, but this time they had the double opportunity 

 to take a buck or an antlerless deer. The result was large concentrations of hunters were reported 

 in such leading deer counties as Plumas, Lassen, Sierra, Modoc, Tehama, Amador, Placer, Shasta, 

 Butte and Calaveras. 



Criticism of the hunts grew out of these concentrations and centered around the bad hunter 

 behavior reported from many quarters as well as the safety risks involved. Road hunting, reckless 

 shooting and trespass reports sprung from these concentrations. 



