6 REPORT OF MONTANA FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



line railroads radiate from Missoula, the fingerlings from these ponds 

 are being supplied to the Couer d'Alene branch in Mineral County, 

 Sanders County, Ravalli County, part of Powell and Granite County. 

 In fact, all the streams in Montana west of the Continental divide re- 

 ceive benefit from these ponds, except a few tributaries of the Kootenai 

 in Lincoln t.'ounty. Some idea of how rapidly these ponds develop the 

 fish will be seen when it is known that 80 cans of fry planted in the 

 ponds in June and July required 400 cans to haul them out in October. 



Ponds have been built near Bozeman, at three points along the West 

 Gallatin river, Belgrade, Emigrant, and the Ovando ponds are still in 

 use as brood ponds. In order to secure the best results in planting 

 fish, much attention has been given to the proper instruction of those 

 meeting them at the train and taking them out to the streams. 



The reports received showing the result of this work is certainly 

 most gratifying and this work will be enlarged. The planting of 

 small trout fry has been discontinued. 



The Commission believes that small subsidiary hatcheries distributed 

 over the State will not only lessen the cost of distribution but will 

 result in much less loss on account of lessening the distance and time 

 getting the fry from the hatchery to the streams. With this object in 

 view, the hatchery built at Salmon Lake and turned over to the State 

 by the Western Mont. Fish and Game Ass'n has been discontinued owing 

 to the water being too warm, and has been rebuilt in a larger way at 

 Ovando. This plant will supply the entire Blackfoot Drainage, which 

 having no railroad, makes it necessary to produce fish locally to re- 

 stock, as hauling a sufficient number of fish by truck from the rail- 

 road to stock so large a territory has been found an impossible task. 

 These streams are fished from Missoula, Butte, Deer Lodge, Anaconda 

 and Helena, and require great numbers of fish to keep them up. 



Five new fish hatcheries have been constructed and put in commis- 

 sion, as follows: Great Falls, Red Lodge, Big Timber, Lewistown and 

 Ovando. The Daly Hatchery at Hamilton has been very successfully 

 operated by this Department this season. 



An order has been secured from the United States Secretary of 

 Agriculture, authorizing the regular salaried Game Wardens to destroy 

 Merganser ducks, Blue Herons and other fish eating birds on all trout 

 waters except the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers. It is believed 

 that the destruction of these birds, and the Pelican, which is not pro- 

 tected, will result in some increase of our fish. 



A source of revenue from the sale of furs and skins, taken from the 

 predatory animals, caught by our trappers has been a welcome addition 

 to our fund. 



Thanking you for your support, and awaiting your further instruc- 

 tions, I beg to remain. Very respectfully yours, 



C. A. JAKWAYS, Secretary of the Commission. 



State Game Warden. 



