10 MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



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MIGRATORY BIRD PROBLEMS 



By KENNETH F. ROAHEN 



U. S. GAME MANAGEMENT AGENT 

 Montana. Wyoming, Idaho District 



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Duck and goose shooting conditions in Montana for the 1934 season have 

 been anything but pleasing to the sportsmen. 



During September and the early part of October, a numl)er of the principal 

 duck centers, such as Hebgen lake, Madison lake, and Red Rock lakes, carried 

 an apparent concentration far beyond the usual number of birds, this condition 

 evidently being caused by the shortage of water areas in the Dakotas and other 

 adjoining territories. 



Shortly after the shooting season opened, the liirds, except for short 

 inten'als, apparently left the district and the general average for tlic .season 

 was a lower percentage tliaii hist year, that is, covering the entire state. 



Apparently the Flathead district was the favored location this year, as 

 perhaps more ducks and gee.se were seen in that section than in any other part 

 of the state. 



Bowdoin lake, which is usually the hunters' paradise, this year offered 

 very ix)or shooting in comparison with former years. 



Warm weather conditions, which prevailed throughout October and the early 

 part of November, preventel hunters from obtaining much shooting, but on the 

 other liand these conditions greatly favored the birds. 



(»wing to the .scarcity of ducks and ixior shooting conditions, a ntuuber of 

 tlu' large duck clubs did not open their clubhouses during the .sejison. 



It is estimated that 85 per cent of the ducks and gee.se that migrate along 

 the Ignited States flyways are raised on Canadian and Alaskan breeding 

 grounds, and the outlook is dark now because these breeding grounds have mil 

 Itecn occupied this season to anywhere near th(>ir capacity. Estimates made 

 l)y observers ranged from 7(t per cent normal in sonu> areas to as low as \0 per 

 cent in others. 



In our country it is estimated that more than 17.000,000 acres of land, once 

 marsh or lake, have now been drained in the north central states alone, largely 

 to the detriment of both game and man. and the effects of this unwi.se drainage 

 have been felt in Montana as elsewhere. 



Several pruijo.^'d bird refugees for Montana hav(> now been examined for food 

 values and water supply, and it is hoped that some of lhe.se projects will reach 

 an early completion. 



In llie imsl few years, it has been claimed Iiy siK)rtsnieii that the oiH'U 

 .shooting season under the federal reiiulat inns did not prescribe the |ii-o]mt (l:ite-< 

 for sho()ting. This year, a new sy.steni Wiis adopted. Although the actual nundier 

 of shooting days was reduced from (iO to :!0. the .state game comnii.ssion of each 

 state was given tlie riglit to specify just how the sea.son should be divided to 

 suit best the needs of their local districts. 



It was their privilege to say wluMher the .M-Jison .><honl(l be .'{0 consecutive days, 

 or six weeks of five days, or 10 weeks of three days, or 15 windis of two days each 

 week. The Montana game commission selected 10 weeks of three days each. This 

 exiK-rinient was tried in order to a.scertain whether rest days would be of value to 

 the bird.s, and at the .same time to give the sportsmen as lilM-ral shooting as possible. 



