A natural rearing pond program was started 

 in a small way when this country was plunged 

 into a global war. This important program should 

 be materially expanded throughout the state, 

 when peace comes, in order to make possible 



the rearing of more large trout to satisfy increased 

 fishing demands. 



The construction of a large hatchery and 

 rearing ponds in the Eastern part of the state, 

 designed for the rearing of both trout and warm 

 water species and dedicated to the waters of 

 that region, is highly desirable. 



flecamHtendatio^tl frfi Jlet^latUte. Action 



Any study of the present fish ana game 

 statutes will reveal laws which are now out of 

 date. Furthermore, there are statutes whose origi- 

 nal intent and meaning is not too clear, and there 

 are others which oppear to be in direct conflict 

 with one another. The sportsmen will be bene- 

 fited and law enforcement made more effective 

 if the fish and game statutes are recodified. Minor 

 changes in some of the present laws, as well as 

 new ones, are needed if our wildlife resources 

 are to be most efficiently managed. Attention is 

 called to the recommendations of the Governor's 

 Reorganization Committee as well as to the files 

 of the State Fish and Game Warden to anyone in- 

 terested in this matter. 



The attention of the legislature and all in- 

 terested citizens is called to the fact that the maxi- 

 mum salaries which may be paid to the various 

 categories of deputy game wardens are low when 

 the responsibility which the work entails is con- 

 sidered. 



Many of the deputy game wardens who have 

 given long service to the sportsmen of the state 

 have already passed what is usually consid- 

 ered retirement age, and others are due to reach 

 that age within the near future. This is a group 

 of men which has loyally served the state for 

 many years on comparatively low salaries. It 

 seems to be the general opinion of sportsmen 

 that these men should not be discharged from 

 the service without some economic stability. A 

 retirement plan is urgently needed for these men 

 which would not only give them the security 

 which they deserve after years of service, but 

 which would also lead to more efficient law en- 

 forcement since they could be replaced by young- 

 er and more active men. 



As the various game species build up, at 

 least in local areas, the problem of removing the 



surplus in these areas is made difficult under 

 present statutory provisions. The statutes prohib- 

 iting the setting of seasons for antelope and moose 

 should be rescinded. There are areas in the cen- 

 tral and eastern sections of Montana where ante- 

 lope have become very abundant and are in sev- 

 eral localities causing a considerable amount of 

 damage to private property holders. Moose have 

 increased in that portion of the Absaroka forest 

 north of Yellowstone Park to the point where, if 

 the herd is not reduced by hunting, it may suf- 

 fer serious loss during severe winters. It has been 

 found by a recent detailed investigation that there 

 is a decided surplus of bulls which could very 

 well be harvested by hunters under careful regu- 

 lations. There are local areas in the state where 

 herds of deer or elk have increased to the point 

 where they are destructive to public range or 

 privately owned range property or both. To meet 

 all of the above situations a statute should be 

 passed providing for the use of a limited license 

 so that the surplus from these areas may be re- 

 moved without jeopardizing the basic breeding 

 stock of the herds. 



At the present time there are statutes which 

 allow the Commission or the State Fish and Game 

 Warden to authorize the removal in one way or 

 another of elk, beaver, and muskrat doing dam- 

 age to property. Such provisions are not made 

 with regard to other wildlife species. The powers 

 of this statute should be broadened to allow the 

 Commission at its discretion to authorize the lim- 

 ited killing of any species causing excessive prop- 

 erty damage. Such a statute should provide that 

 animals or parts of animals killed in such man- 

 ner should be sold at public auction by the State 

 Fish and Game Warden or his deputies, and that 

 the funds derived therefrom should be returned 

 to the state treasurer's office and credited to the 

 funds of the Fish and Game Department. 



[21] 



