Game Management 



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Two Sacramento Valley hunters just a breath away from bagging a couple of pheasants 





-Photo by Birdie Boyles 



The most important development in game manage- 

 ment services during the biennium was the reorgan- 

 ization of the regional game functions into 34 game 

 management units. This form or organization was put 

 into effect after detailed studies on ways and means of 

 improving wildlife management practices and pro- 

 viding services to the sportsmen of the State. 



Under this system, a man (Game Manager I grade) 

 is assigned to each of the 34 units. He is the unit man- 

 ager and within his unit he is in charge of all game 

 management activities except those in major installa- 

 tions. This style of operation has been a great improve- 

 ment in game management activities, resulting in a 

 clarification of duties, elimination of overlapping ef- 

 fort, improved public contact, and collection of more 

 basic field data on game species. 



Work of the unit managers is directed toward cre- 

 ating the greatest amount of hunting recreation con- 

 sistent with sound game management practices. A 

 great potential exists along this line. 



The unit management system is designed to bring 

 about more efficient game management through im- 

 proved methods of gathering field management data. 



The steady increase in the state's population is creat- 



ing mounting demands in the recreational field, of 

 which hunting is a part. Only through using the re- 

 source up to the potential can the state keep pace 

 with the needs of the public for hunting recreation. 



Under the U. S. Co-ordination Act of 1946, the 

 department has requested administrative use of 553,- 

 572 acres of public lands. The proposal is to keep 

 these lands in the public domain to insure their con- 

 tinued use for wildlife and recreational purposes. (See 

 Table 54 Appendix.) Plans call for habitat develop- 

 ment and construction of access on these lands as 

 funds become available. 



The present status of the.se \\ithdrawals is in the 

 hands of the Federal Government. A decision on when 

 and how many of these withdrawals will be completed 

 had not been rendered at the end of the biennium. 



The waterfowl program continues to be an out- 

 standing example of successful game management. 

 Co-operation with the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and 

 Wildlife through the Pacific Flyway Council has given 

 California hunters a maximum bag limit and length 

 of season. It is a prime example of what can be done 

 through interagency co-operation based on adequate 

 data gathered through scientific investigations. 



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