Page Four 



MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT 



Sporttsmee Sunpport the Depairtinnieet 



H. >larr^. State KMi iiiiil (iiiiiK' Warden 



ONTANA'S State Fish 

 and Game Department, 

 in presenting this bi- 

 ennial report, covering 

 activities during 1931 

 and 1932, places before 

 sportsmen of the state 

 outstanding facts and 

 figures picturing progress over a two- 

 year period that has tried the mettle 

 and commercial stamina of every resi- 

 dent. It has been no small task to 

 work out ways and means of keeping 

 step with the times during the latter 

 part of the biennium, yet the commis- 

 sion, working in harmony with sports- 

 men of the state, with federal depart- 

 ment and other agencies with a com- 

 mon goal, is striving diligently to keep 

 Montana in the forefront as a paradise 

 for the angler and devotee of the rifle 

 and shotgun. 



Figures tor 1932 completed for pub- 

 lication in this report reflect the trend 

 of the times. Receipts of the depart- 

 ment have fallen thousands of dollars 

 below those of 1931 and as a result, 

 reductions have become mandatory 

 within the organization. These reduc- 

 tions have been made with reluctance, 

 yet because of financial conditions, they 

 have been imperative in order that the 

 network of the structure might be pre- 

 served. Sound business judgment has 

 been necessary and members of the 

 commission have acted only after ma- 

 ture consideration, at all times keeping 

 in mind the welfare of sportsmen whose 

 license fees go to make up the fund 

 that sustains the department. 



Montana's department relies solely 

 upon license fees, returns from the sale 

 of confiscated furs and firearms and 

 fines collected for fish and game law 

 violations. The department is self-sus- 

 taining. There are no legislative appro- 

 priations available to maintain it, nor 

 are the people of the state taxed to 

 support It. Hence, when receipts slump 

 to a point where it becomes necessary 

 to balance the budget, expenditures must 

 be kept within the deadline marked by 

 the amount received. In taking steps 

 to keep within the income, the commis- 

 sion has ever been mindful to preserve 

 the utmoHl crtlcli-iicy at the lowest pos- 

 sible cost, and It Is with the knowledge 

 that sportsmen conversant with com- 

 mercial and industrial affairs prevailing 

 In slate and nation during the last two 

 years will keep these conditions in 

 mind, that these figures are presented. 

 Totals In each division have been ur- 

 rangi'd In tills reiiorl. More detulled 

 rigureH are available ut department 

 lieadiiuarlers at Helena where they will 

 l)(! eheerfully furnlHlied on recjuest. 



iluntlng and flHliIng llceiiHO saleH 

 have dropped materially during the lust 

 year and Iho loss of this needed reve- 

 nue has been Die principal factor In 

 bringing about statt ruductlons. In re- 

 vising the roster of deputy game war- 

 dens, however, caru liUH been utilized 

 In leaving favored hunting grounds pru- 



Montana Antelope 



Protected by State Law 



tected as well as possible. During the 

 big game season, with thousands of 

 hunters in the hills after deer and elk, 

 the services of experienced deputies is 

 necessary. 



Montana's big game kill during the 

 winter of 1932 has been smaller than 

 that of the preceding year, according to 

 authoritative reports received at head- 

 quarters. The kill of 1931 marked the 

 first year in the history of the depart- 



TomlH ....74G2 2571 1038 845 



ment when an official count was made 

 possible by act of the legislature. The 

 return cards attached to all big game 

 licenses make it mandatory that a re- 

 port of the kill, sex, condition, loca- 

 tion of kill and range conditions be 

 made to the department. Failure to 

 comply with the law is a misdemeanor. 

 Figures showing the total kill for 1932 

 will not be available until after Jan. 1, 

 when the law requires that all report 

 cards be at fish and game headquarters. 



Tabulation of these cards for 1931 

 shows that a total of lu,U23 deer and 

 1,S83 elk were legally taken within the 

 state. Of the deer, 7,452 were bucks 

 and 2,571 were females. Of the elk, 

 1,038 were bulls and 545 were cows. 

 Statistics show that 7,6SS big game ani- 

 mals were killed on forest reserves and 

 3,298 outside the federal areas. In hun- 

 dreds of cases the hunters were unable 

 to designate the exact location of the 

 kill, hence failed to fill out the blank. 

 The killing of female deer is permitted 

 in six Montana counties, Flathead, Lake, 

 Lincoln. Mineral, Kavalli and Sanders. 



The heaviest kill of 1931 was made 

 in Lincoln county, following an unusu- 

 ally heavy snowfall. lu that county 

 alone 1,576 buck deer were reported 

 killed and 768 does likewise went into 

 the bag of hunters. 



The accompanying table, showing the 

 total number of deer and elk killed dur- 

 ing 1931, is significant. The figures 

 provide food for thought. Despite the 

 fact that Montana has an area of ap- 

 proximately three times that of Penn- 

 sylvania, the deer kill in Montana In 

 1931 was but 10,000 while the report Is- 

 .sued by the Pennsylvania departiueul 

 shows a kill of close to lUU.OOO. In- 

 tensive cultivation of deer In Pennsyl- 

 vania has wrought wonders. 



Efforts have been made iu the com- 

 l>llation of this biennial report to por- 

 tray in brief manner the achievements 

 of the department during the lust two 

 years. 



The state game farm at Warm Springs 

 has been u success from the start uud 

 bus been the means of liberutlug some 

 2U,UUU game birds during the lust three 

 years. The large majority liberated 

 have been Chinese pheasants. 



The work of deputy game wardens, 

 although liumpured lu many cases be- 

 cause of taking law violators before 

 sympathetic courts. Is outlined lu the 

 tabulation of arrests which uppours 

 elsewhere In this report. 



Work of Uie fisheries division, under 

 the leadership of Kenneth F. MucUuu- 

 uld, slate superintendent, Is likewise 

 outlined. 



Figures deholliiK receipts and expend- 

 itures cover the spread of two years, 

 covering one o( the most trying bl 

 enniums in the history of the depart 

 ment. With the upturn of buNlness 

 generully, however, departmental ro 

 ceipts will Invvllubly Increuau and 

 greater activity will bu made possible. 



