18 



HUNTING AND FISHING IN MONTANA 



Outlet Upper Madison Canyon, Near Missouri Flats 



What Judge W. M. Bickford Says on Preserving the Sport 



Missoula, Montana, Oct. 2, 1920. 



Montana Game and Fish Commission, 

 Helena, Montana. 



Gentlemen: 



My interest in your work must be my excuse for addressing you. 

 and my long affiliation with the Commission in connection with the ex- 

 perience and observation while a member may perhaps give weight to 

 what I write. The subject of conservation in all its branches has al- 

 ways appealed to me, but the reasonable protection of game and fish 

 as well as the propagation thereof has seemed a work of real impor- 

 tance, especially in Montana, where the wide stretches of forest and 

 the bountiful supply of fine lakes and streams give promise of wonder- 

 ful results. 



The work of the Fish and Game Commission is most appreciated 

 by those who have had first hand opportunity to observe results. The 

 older anglers of Silver Bow County can well reniemhor when the Big 

 Hole river and the Madison were both poor fishing; now there are few 

 streams affording better results. In fact the Madison river may be re- 

 garded as one of the finest fishing streams in the West. All of this 

 has Ix'cn the result of constant stocking. Many other streams might 

 be nii'iitiontMl wiuTc good results have been obtained, but "comparisons 

 are odious." It is sufficient to say that soiiio results have been ob- 

 tained everywhere, fine results in many cases and good results in most 

 instances. It is only fair to say that the care shown in transportation 

 and in planting of fry has a very important bearing upon the life and 

 growth of the fry so planted. 



