MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 51 



tests. As the investigation covers a full year's cycle, results will not be known 

 until the latter part of June, 1937. 



In agreeing to do the work for the Commission, Dr. Welch placed at the 

 disposal of the Department one of the finest veterinary science departments 

 in the West. Pheasant specimens were sent to the college at regular intervals, 

 the crops and gizzards opened, the contents weighed, and seeds, worms and 

 bugs are identified. Weed seeds are segregated from the grain seeds and ac- 

 curate records are kept. 



An accurate check is made of the planting and harvesting periods in that 

 section, and this is used in the determination of the findings. By keeping a 

 full years' record of these investigations an accurate report will be available on 

 the question of whether a Chinese pheasant damages crops in any appreciable 

 amount or whether as a game bird, feeding on insects and weed seeds, he is 

 not more beneficial than harmful to the farmer. 



Through the University of Montana at Missoula, which has made success- 

 ful investigations of foliage plants for bird life, the Department this spring will 

 have available a large number of Caragana plants. These will be of invaluable 

 importance in the raising of Chinese pheasants in Montana. 



DEPUTY GAME WARDEN ARE 

 ACTIVE IN FIELD. 



While fishing and hunting in Montana have steadily increased in popu- 

 larity and custom, it is safe to say that no more game violations took place 

 in 1936 than in any other previous year. 



Deputy game wardens, however, are more active than they have been 

 since 1930, which was the peak of violations in the state. In that year there 

 were 514 arrests made as compared with 509 for 1936. 



The most common violation is shown to be fishing without a license. Fol- 

 lowing that comes shooting game birds out of season. Hunting without a li- 

 cense takes the third berth. 



Park county headed the list for violations in 1936 with 40 arrests. Lewis 

 and Clark, Yellowstone and Cascade counties were not far behind with 39 vio- 

 lations each. Carbon county was in third place with 37 arrests while Madison 

 county was fourth with 27 violations. 



All of these counties have excellent hunting and fishing, which attributed 

 to the large number of violations. The number of arrests, however, should not 

 be construed to cast any reflections upon such counties. A large percentage of 

 the violations were made by persons who were residents of other counties in 

 the state. 



There were a number of counties which in 1935 and 1936 apparently were 

 free from game law infractions. These were: 



In 1935 — Carter, Glacier, Liberty, Pondera, Powder River, Prairie and Sheri- 

 dan counties. 



In 1936 — Daniels, Fallon, Garfield, Judith Basin, Liberty, McCone, Petro- 

 leum, Prairie, Rosebud, Teton, Treasure and Wheatland counties. 



