Page Six 



MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT 



MigrMory Water Fowl of Moimtaea 



By Koniieth F. Hoahen, I'.S, Game Protwtor, lUllinps 



VERY time sportsmen 

 gather to talk of hunt- 

 ing expeditions, whether 

 for big game or birds, 

 it is always noted that 

 their enthusiasm 

 reaches greatest heights 

 when the talk drifts 

 to our national sport, "duck shooting," 

 and it is therefore necessary that we 

 give this subject serious thought if we 

 are to preserve and prolong this great 

 sport for future years. 



During the last few years, and in- 

 cluding the season of 1931, the drought 

 throughout the United States and Can- 

 ada, with the drainage of large marsh 

 areas for commercial purposes, has 

 taken the majority of the breeding 

 grounds away from our waterfowl, and 

 in addition to this menace, the ever- 

 increasing number of hunters, equipped 

 with automobiles, automatic and pump 

 guns with higher powered ammunition, 

 has taken added toll of birds, until to- 

 day it is really a miracle that any 

 birds have been able to survive. 



Approximately 90 per cent of the wa- 

 ter areas of Montana were dry during 

 the past summer, all of which were 

 formerly great breeding centers, al- 

 though in the early spring a number 

 of these lakes contained a limited 

 amount of water for a short period, to 

 which birds flocked and hatched their 

 young, only to have the ponds dry up 

 before the birds were feathered, and 

 the entire hatch of young birds was 

 lost. 



Because of these conditions, it was 

 necessary to limit the shooting season 

 of 1931 to 30 days, to try and save a 

 breeding stock for the following year. 

 If possible. On account of the general 

 conditions that followed after the sea- 

 son had been declared, the principal 

 flight did not take place until well after 

 the season opened, and it naturally fol- 

 lowed that the ducks were late in arriv- 

 ing in their travels to the southward, 

 the result being that the number killed 

 was not as heavy as otherwise expected, 

 and an untold number of birds were 

 saved for the start of the 1932 season. 



General conditions for the 1932 season 

 were much better than in previous 

 years, as many lakes and potholes con- 

 tained water which held out until the 

 young birds had reached maturity. Food 

 conditions were also much better. 

 Throughout the early spring and sum- 

 mer months, government investigations 

 were being made in all the breeding 

 centers, the result of the investigations 

 showing a much larger hatch of birds 

 in all localities, and accordingly an open 

 season of 60 days was declared. 



On account of the improved water and 

 food condition, the loss of birds from 

 duck sickness was much smaller than 

 in former years. 



In a great number of water areas in 

 northern Montana, owing to the former 

 dry years, the rushes and other vegeta- 

 tion had died out, therefore making it 

 necessary for the birds to build nests 

 on practically open ground, with no pro- 

 tection, therefore, in many places the 



first early nests were destroyed by ver- 

 min and other natural enemies of th«- 

 waterfowl. 



^NTiile the water supply is greatly in- 

 creased over previous years, yet the 

 fact remains that we have no assurance 

 that this condition will continue for any 

 great length of time, therefore the only 

 solution of this condition is to acquire 

 suitable refuge and breeding grounds for 

 our waterfowl if we are to insure their 

 future production. Kvery sportsman 

 should take it upon himself to assist in 

 every possible manner the establish- 

 ment of Buch resting grounds, whether 

 in Montana or in other parts of the 

 United States, as such refuges are nec- 

 essary in every state to insure a future 

 supply of waterfowl. 



The American Boy 



y bo brought 



"I'd far rather have a son able to 

 climb a mountain and outwit the wary 

 creatures of the wilderness than be 

 able to dance the Brazilian Busybody 

 or be able to decide whether a lavender 

 tie will match mauve socks. These lit- 

 tle lisping men, these modern ruins, 

 these lazy effeminates who could not 

 tell you the difference between a bull 

 and a bullet— it is not in these that the 

 hope of America, that the hope of hu- 

 manity lies." writes Arclilbold Rutledge 

 in Kield and Stream. 



"If the sentimentalist were right, 

 hunting would develop in men a cruelty 

 of character. But, I have found that it 

 Inculcates patience, demands discipliue 

 and iron nerve, and develops a seronlty 

 of spirit that makes for long life and a 

 long love of life. And it is my UxeA 

 iiiMvktion that If a parent can give his 

 cliildi'ou a passionate and wholesome 

 (k'votion (o the outdoors, llie (act that 

 he can not leave each of them a for- 

 tune does not really matter so much. 

 They will always enjoy lite In lis nobler 

 aspects without money and without 

 price. They will worship the Crenlor 

 ill Ills mighty works. And because they 

 Know and love the natural world they 

 will always feel at home In Iho wide, 

 .sweet habltallonB of the Ancient 

 Mother. 



"I think the rod and the gun heller 

 lor boys than the saxophone and the 

 iiutgo Hundae. In the flml place, there 

 IS HonielhlnK Inherently uiauly and 

 lionu'bred an<l truly American In that 

 .•\preHston "Hhiiollng itralKhl." The 

 liiiiiler IcarnH that reward coiues from 

 hard work: he learns from ilealliiK with 

 nut IMC thai a nuin muHt have a deep re- 

 Hpect for lhi> great natural lawn. Mo 

 learns »1mi>. I think, In a far hiKher de- 

 gree than luiy' form of Klandardlted 

 amateur alhlelicH can tflve him. to play 

 III. giimc fairly." 



