MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



15 



HOW MONTANA FEEDS WILD DUCKS 



By E. C. Gakkutii 

 Mrtiihrr M(>)ifini<i Sfafr Fisli diid (uimr Coiiniussion 



M 



E. C. Carruth 



ONTANA'S state fish and game commission has em- 

 barked on a new departure in the west during the last 

 year and is successfully planting duck food throughout 

 the lakes and swamps of the state. It is planned to attract 

 year after year, not only the migratory water fowl that pass 

 over the state in the spring and fall flights, but also to re- 

 tain water fowl that breed and raise their young in lakes, 

 sloughs and waters within the borders of the Treasure state. 

 The experiment has proven successful. The growing of 

 aquatic foods has been tried in western and northern states 

 and found worth while. Scattergun sportsmen who cherish 

 the fall call of the quack-quack are elated with success of the 

 plan. 



Duck foods for Montana will be varied. Montana has so 

 many conditions and features that it will require a miscel- 

 laneous list of foods. The prairie counties east of the Rocky 

 mountains nearly all have water that is brackish, salty or 

 with alkali. These ponds and reservoirs will take salt water vegetation such as 

 grows on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. These foods are of numerous kind, the 

 most familiar being sago pond, coontail, duck meat, musk grass, naias, smart 

 weed, wapato or duck potato, water milfoil and widgeon grass. All of these 

 brackish foods are found in some eastern parts of the state, in some cases grow- 

 ing profusely. 



In the mountainous regions, where the water runs clear, the fresh water foods 

 are found in variety. Some of these arej water cress, wild celery, wild rice, and 

 many of the plants that grow in the eastern ponds such as mill foil, ■ 

 widgeon grass, smart weed and sago pond. 



The planting of duck foods must be done in seasons, early in the 

 spring and early summer, and then some of them late in the fall. 



The services of an expert, who supervised the first surveys and 

 planting, were secured during the spring and summer just 

 passed. An effort will be made to secure an expert to arrange 

 for planting in the coming months of April and May. 



Montana has been divided into five districts and the work 

 of looking after the plants and seeds is to be left with the com- 

 missioner of that district. 



Districts in the mountains will not have as large a territory 

 as east of the mountains, as the immense prairie lands are cov- 

 ered with reservoirs, ponds, lakes and sloughs that 

 prove homing and stopping places for the northern 



flight of ducks in the fall. If there be a good stand . 



of food once started, many of the ducks will remain ^ ^"^^^^''- 

 over and breed and raise their young, wherever '=;;,^_r3;^^^^/-^:''.i. 



